Metallica, Alice in Chains join forces for LA gig

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Members of hard rock bands Metallica and Alice in Chains will play together at a Hollywood benefit concert next month honoring Metallica singer James Hetfield, organizers said on Wednesday.

Hetfield and Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo will share the stage at Music Box at Henry Fonda on May 12 with Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney.

The concert/dinner is a fund-raiser for the MusiCares MAP Fund, which provides members of the music community access to addiction recovery treatment regardless of their financial situation.

Both bands have struggled with addiction issues. Hetfield's personal battle was chronicled in the documentary "Some Kind of Monster," while Alice in Chains lost singer Layne Staley to a fatal drug overdose four years ago.

Their paths have also intersected musically. Alice in Chains bass player Mike Inez was one of many high-profile musicians to try out for the slot that opened up when Jason Newsted left Metallica in 2001. Alice in Chains was also supposed to open some dates for Metallica in 1994, but pulled out at the last minute because of internal tensions.

Metallica are recording a new album, having kept a relatively low profile in the past year. Alice in Chains will launch their first tour in a decade in Los Angeles on May 18.

Hetfield's bandmates, drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist Kirk Hammett, will attend the Hollywood event, as will their friend and idol, Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead. Other scheduled guests include Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, former Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, and Sully Erna of Boston hard rock band Godsmack.

Also scheduled to perform are rock band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and singer/songwriters Jason Mraz and Tom Waits. Besides Hetfield, veteran concert promoter Bill Silva will also be honored. Balcony tickets are priced at $250 each.

Reuters/VNU

The Songs That Drove METALLICA: 'Full Metal Garage' CD Due In June

Sanctuary Records are re-packaging the "Metallic-era" albums into one double set billed "Full Metal Garage - The Songs That Drove Metallica" for release on June 26.

Originally conceived by Rockdetector.com's Garry Sharpe-Young, all of these original tracks are available together, at last, on one double CD, "Full Metal Garage – The Songs That Drove Metallica". This album — fully approved by METALLICA — features artists such as BLACK SABBATH, MOTÖRHEAD, MISFITS, DIAMOND HEAD and THIN LIZZY. It's a genuinely inspirational collection of music and when you listen it's easy to see how this group of talented bands has influenced the lives and music of METALLICA.

Says Garry Sharpe-Young: "It's well known that METALLICA drew their inspiration from many of the NWoBHM bands, classic '70s rockers and British punk, and they themselves have been quick to honour these acts with their infamous 'Garage Days' sets and a swathe of B-sides over the years. It suddenly dawned on me one day, whilst working on album projects for the likes of SAVAGE and HOLOCAUST, that although fans knew of these tracks, most had never heard the originals. I then set wheels in motion to compile all of them into one collection. I can remember talking to DIAMOND HEAD's Sean Harris who told me that when they supported METALLICA at the Milton Keynes festival they got booed when they opened with 'Am I Evil' because the METALLICA fans thought they were doing a cover version! Also, perhaps the most direct inspiration for the band, Mansfield's SAVAGE, never got their justice by way of an official METALLICA cover but the band included a track on their first demos and used to play 'Let It Loose' live, neglecting to tell the audience it was a cover! Somehow, history got a bit skewed simply because METALLICA got so big. Here, you can hear all the originals, such as BUDGIE's 'Breadfan', which METALLICA used as a set opener for a huge number of shows, or Scotland's highly influential HOLOCAUST, SWEET SAVAGE's 'Killing Time' and JAGUAR from Bristol. Being a well-known obsessor over historical detail, it was a fun job putting these tracks together and, most importantly, getting some of these lesser known bands some well-overdue recognition."

METALLICA have dominated, changed and inspired the musical landscape since they burst onto the metal scene with the release of their debut album "Kill 'Em All" in 1983. The truly innovative and fresh approach from the San Francisco four-piece has materially changed the music we listen to today. Credited with creating thrash metal, METALLICA have always celebrated the music that has influenced them and have made previous homilies to the bands and musicians on the albums "Garage Days" revisited EP and the double album "Garage Inc."

"Full Metal Garage – The Songs That Drove Metallica" track listing:

Disc One:

01. DISCHARGE – "Free Speech For The Dumb"
02. DIAMOND HEAD – "It's Electric"
03. BLACK SABBATH – "Sabbra Cadabra"
04. MISFITS – "Die Die My Darling"
05. NICK CAVE – "Loverman"
06. MERCYFUL FATE – "Curse Of The Pharaohs"
07. MERCYFUL FATE – "Evil"
08. BLUE ÖYSTER CULT – "Astronomy"
09. THIN LIZZY – "Whiskey In The Jar"
10. LYNYRD SKYNYRD – "Tuesday's Gone"
11. DISCHARGE – "The More I See"

Disc Two:

01. DIAMOND HEAD – "Helpless"
02. HOLOCAUST – "The Small Hours"
03. KILLING JOKE – "The Wait"
04. BUDGIE – "Crash Course In Brain Surgery"
05. DIAMOND HEAD – "Am I Evil"
06. BLITZKRIEG – "Blitzkrieg"
07. BUDGIE – "Breadfan"
08. DIAMOND HEAD – "The Prince"
09. ANTI NOWHERE LEAGUE – "So What"
10. SWEET SAVAGE – "Killing Time" ('96 version)
11. MOTÖRHEAD – "Overkill"
12. MOTÖRHEAD – "Too Late Too Late"
13. SAVAGE – "Let It Loose"
14. DIAMOND HEAD – "Sucking My Love"
15. SAVAGE – "Dirty Money"
16. JAGUAR – "Stormchild"

source: Blabbermotuh.net

TRIVIUM: Cover Of METALLICA's 'Master Of Puppets' Posted Online

TRIVIUM's cover of METALLICA's "Master of Puppets", which was recorded for the recently released Kerrang! magazine tribute to the METALLICA album "Master of Puppets", has been posted online at www.myspace.com/trivium.

As previously reported, "Remastered" was packaged with a special issue of Kerrang! commemorating the 20th anniversary of "Master of Puppets". Other bands contributing to the CD include MACHINE HEAD ("Battery"), MENDEED ("The Thing That Should Not Be"), BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE ("Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"), CHIMAIRA ("Disposable Heroes"), FIGHTSTAR ("Leper Messiah"), MASTODON ("Orion"; audio) and FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND ("Damage, Inc."). Check out the "Remastered" cover artwork at this location.

TRIVIUM's acclaimed "Ascendancy" CD will be receiving a re-release in the U.S. on May 9 in a special-edition package similar to the album's recent U.K. re-release, but with even more extras, videos and goodies.

The U.K. version of TRIVIUM's "Ascendancy - Special Edition" CD/DVD package, which was released on February 27, came in an embossed slipcase featuring new artwork and included a previously unreleased studio track plus a bonus DVD. The DVD featured four promo videos, including the previously unseen "Rain", plus five live tracks recorded in the U.K. in September 2005. More information is available at this location.

"Ascendancy" was recently certified silver in the U.K. for sales in excess of 60,000 copies.

Source: Blabbermouth.net

METALLICA: 'Creeping Death' Rehearsal Video Posted Online

A video of METALLICA rehearsing their song "Creeping Death" prior to the band's concerts in South Africa in March has been posted online. Check it out in the Windows Media format: 300KB, 100KB.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich recently told England's Kerrang! magazine that the band's new music has a more "old-school" sound than its controversial 2003 release, "St. Anger", according to Launch Radio Networks. He told the magazine that the group has gone back to an earlier method of songwriting, explaining, "Everything you hear on ('St. Anger') was given birth to in the studio. This time around we've each brought in ideas as we used to — as well as working on some jams we had from two summers ago — and James (Hetfield) and I are sorting through our CDs of riffs to put together stuff as we did back in the day."

Ulrich said the new material is "much more organic, more old-school. It certainly doesn't feel like 'St. Anger Part Two'."

The drummer still defended the band's eighth studio album, which drew criticism for its underproduced sound. "'St. Anger' was a statement, 55 minutes of brutality packed onto a CD, proving to ourselves that we still had the spark," he said. "'St. Anger' was fun but we don't need to make that album again."

Ulrich said that the band has six or seven songs nearly completed for its next release, which is due out in early 2007. The band is working with producer Rick Rubin after 15 years with Bob Rock behind the board.

METALLICA will play some European and Japanese festivals this summer.

Frontman James Hetfield will be honored at the second annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert on Friday, May 12 in Hollywood, California.

Source: Blabbermouth.net

METALLICA Host Winners Of 'Some Kind Of Monster' DVD Release 'Golden Ticket' Contest

METALLICA hosted the winners of the "Some Kind Of Monster" DVD release "Golden Ticket" contest at their headquarters in San Rafael, California on Friday, April 21. The winners came from all over: Oregon, Virginia, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, and even Germany.

The day started with the six winners and their guests relaxing with the guys in the band lounge, sharing stories and finding out how they won their "Golden Ticket." A superb barbeque lunch of burgers, hot dogs, steak, chicken, and fish was served with all the fixings and extras you could eat. In the game room, you could hear the dings of the pinball games and the slappings of the air hockey table.

Read the rest of the report — and check out pictures — at Metallica.com.

Source: Blabbermouth.net

'TALLICA LEND VOICES AGAIN

According to a posting at TV.com, METALLICA members James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett have lent their voices to another cartoon series, titled "Death Clock Metalocalypse".

Brendon Small, known for the series "Home Movies", co-created "Death Clock Metalocalypse" about a Norwegian heavy metal band called DEATHKLOK. Although they rock to the top of the charts with gusto, they are also incredibly stupid and leave a path of destruction and mayhem behind wherever they tour. The new series will premiere in August on the Cartoon Network.

METALLICA have previously lent their voices to animated shows including "The Simpsons" and "Dave the Barbarian".



Source: Blabbermouth

Metallica Continue Work On New LP

Metallica are mentioned in the latest issue of Kerrang! magazine, where drummer Lars Ulrich offers a small update on the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's new album, reports Blabbermouth.net.

According to Ulrich, Metallica have "six to seven" new songs completed without vocals and have gone back to the old approach of Lars and guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield sifting through riff tapes the band have recorded on hours of jam sessions from the last world tour.

Regarding the band's collaboration with producer Rick Rubin (Slipknot, System Of A Down, Red Hot Chili Peppers), Lars said that its been good working with him because he sees things in the big picture and it was good to change producers because after 15 years they felt spoiled.

In other news, the Mercury News is reporting that Hetfield and guitarist Kirk Hammett attended a live show by Queen at the HP Pavillion in San Jose last week. They hung out backstage and were later introduced to the audience by Queen guitarist Brian May.

Metallica return to "old school" metal

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has told England's Kerrang! magazine that the band's new music has a more "old school" sound than its controversial 2003 release, St. Anger. He told the magazine that the group has gone back to an earlier method of songwriting, explaining, "Everything you hear on (StAnger) was given birth to in the studio. This time around we've each brought in ideas as we used to -- as well as working on some jams we had from two summers ago -- and James (Hetfield) and I are sorting through our CDs of riffs to put together stuff as we did back in the day."

Ulrich said the new material is "much more organic, more old school. It certainly doesn't feel like St. Anger Part Two."

The drummer still defended the band's eighth studio album, which drew criticism for its underproduced sound: "StAnger was a statement, 55 minutes of brutality packed onto a CD, proving to ourselves that we still had the spark. StAnger was fun but we don't need to make that album again."

Ulrich said that the band has six or seven songs nearly completed for its next release, which is due out in early 2007. The band is working with producer Rick Rubin after 15 years with Bob Rock behind the board.

Metallica will play some European and Japanese festivals this summer.

Frontman James Hetfield will be honored at the second annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert on Friday, May 12th in Hollywood, California.

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