I spent all day Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at the convention, and it still wasn’t nearly enough time to see everything!

My first day of NAMM was pretty good. It wasn’t too crowded yet, which gave me a chance to scope everything out and make a game plan for the weekend. I spent some time at Gibson/Epiphone with Product Specialist Doctor Wil, who gave me a detailed walk-thru of their latest guitars and basses. He showed me an acoustic that had a built in tuner in the mounting ring that was really cool. Basically you just hit a couple buttons and it tunes your guitar! He also showed me a few guitars that have USB outputs built-in and that come with a guitar rig software download. They also had a line of Kramer reissues, which were most known for their 80’s metal sound, and guitarists like Richie Sambora, Eddie Van Halen, Mick Mars, and Vivian Campbell used them back in the day.

I wandered around a bit, visiting Rock N Roll Industries Magazine, Rock-n-Roll Gangstar to say hi to the crew, Rockett Drums to say hi to Rikki and check out their new kits, and Sabian, where I ran into Randy Black from Primal Fear. Things seem to be going really well for him. His instructional drum DVD “The Black Book” came out last year, and he was excited about the brand new Primal Fear CD “Unbreakable,” that was going to be released the next day. (January 24th ) I noticed that Mapex had a really cool promo idea going on. They were taking pictures of Attendees holding up a plastic frame that said ‘Drummerface’ and then hanging them on the wall in their booth. Of course I did one!

I lost track of time for a minute, which can easily happen at NAMM, but made it to Carvin just in time to catch Marten Andersson (Lizzy Borden) and Bjorn (Yngwie). Marten described NAMM as a ‘toy store for big people.’ I couldn’t agree more. I always call it “Musician’s Heaven.” Marten is currently working on a new album with Lizzy, and they just got confirmed for Hellfest in France June 15th – 17th, along with Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Cannibal Corpse, Children of Bodom, and many more.

Thursday night I went to the 6th Annual NAMM Jam at Big’s Grill in Fullerton for Skye Delamey, Dirty Little Secrets, Zen Rising and Black Vinyl. I primarily went to see Skye showcase her two most recent videos, “Thor” and “Devil in an Evening Dress,” and ended up sticking around for the next three bands.  I’ve never seen Skye perform live before, and it was great to see her sing while her music videos played on TV screens throughout the bar, especially since I’m in the one for “Devil in an Evening Dress!”

Black Vinyl, who is fronted by 13-year-old Dylan Nash, stole the show. People would walk in, not knowing what to expect, and would just be mesmerized. Nash is a superstar in the making, and already has his moves and stage presence down, and he knows how to work a crowd. They have a very Led Zeppelin-ish feel to them, and even covered two Zeppelin songs, “Communication Breakdown” and “Whole Lotta Love.” It’s so nice to see young and talented musicians embrace rock n’roll. They are our future.

On Friday, I jumped right into the crowds and chaos, ready for an even bigger day. I started out at the Zoom Booth for a signing by John Temptesta from the Cult, Dave Ellefson (Megadeth) and Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple/Trapeze).  It was great to meet John for the first time, since I’m a really big Cult fan, always good seeing Dave, and Glenn Hughes was super nice, and funny.

While walking the floor, I noticed a big crowd was gathered at the Paul Reed Smith Booth and saw that Dave Navarro (Janes Addiction) was doing a signing. The line was already at the cutoff point, but I was able to snap a quick picture. From a shear artistic viewpoint I am always in awe with the PRS booth.

One of the most fun parts of the day was when I happened to walk by Rockett Drum Works while Steven Adler, Rikki Rockett, and Troy Patrick Farrell were all doing pics. Of course I jumped right in next to Rikki!   A&R Rep Bobby “Tango” Gibb filled me in on some of the inner workings of the company. He told me that Rockett Drum Works are a custom company that pride themselves on ‘fully custom’ drum kits and the fact that they are an American-Made company. They even make their own lugs and mounting hardware. They had as much Custom Gear as they could fit in the booth, and a lot of new graphics and hi-res graphic wraps.

Rockett Drum Works use a lot of exotic woods, such as cocobolo, rosewood, bubinga, and a variety of maples, which give the drums different tones, from rich, to dry, to bright. Bobby was excited that they are getting ready to work with a type of wood out of the Appalachian Mountains called orange osage, which has a real maple-like tone. He said that it’s a beautiful wood to work with and that it’s actually white, but when you put the lacquer on it, it turns orange. For more information on Rockett Drum Works please visit rockettdrumworks.com

I promised AC Alexander (Lizzy Borden) that I would stop by his signing at Engl, and noticed Razor from Metal Knights talking to Craig Goldy, who was also at the signing, along with Steve Morse (Deep Purple). Craig Goldy has quite a Discography and is most known for his work with Dio. He also produced Metal Knights debut album “World of Forever.” I talked to Razor, Billy, and Danik (all in Metal Knights) for a minute, and they were excited to have three songs in the can for their next album.

I also talked to AC  for a bit, and he told me how he got into Lizzy Borden. He was actually a fan… and saw them play live for the first time on the Lizzy Borden/WASP tour. When they were looking for a replacement for Chris Sanders (now in Knight Fury) AC auditioned, and ended up doing some Lizzy shows with the Band, even going all the way to Japan, before they officially made him a member.

Speaking of Chris Sanders, he has recently created his own project, Knight Fury, and released their debut CD “Time to Rock.” William King, Dave Ellefson, (Megadeth) and Ken Mary (Alice Cooper/Fifth Angel) are all on the album. I kept trying to meet up with Chris all weekend, and we kept missing each other. I finally caught up with him, and his band, at the Fender Booth, where he spent a lot of time doing press and photos.

Rock-n-Roll Gangstar had a lot of cool stuff going on at their booth, including several signings throughout the Show. I stopped by while they were having one of their signings and got autographs from John Exall and Randy Cooper from Texas Hippie Coalition, Miljenco “Mili” Matijevic, (Steelheart), Robin McAuley, (MSG) and Toni Aleman (World War III). While I was there, owner and designer Daryl Boyd called out my name “Metal Babe” on his megaphone. (Thanks Daryl.) Also, Rock-n-Roll Gangstar is a great place to find my ‘circle of friends’ hanging out, and helping out.

Prior to NAMM I’ve always said that there were only three ‘Rock Stars’ that I haven’t met that I want to: Alice Cooper, Jon Bon Jovi, and Steven Tyler. After being an Alice Cooper fan since “Trash” came out in 1989, seeing him perform live at least a dozen times, and performing in an Alice Cooper Tribute Band, I finally had the chance to meet the Man himself.

I went to Shure for the 4pm signing, and the line was insane! It was hard to tell where the line started and ended.  I knew he was doing another signing upstairs at the Fender Booth at 5pm and didn’t want to take any chances on missing him, so I headed that way. There was already a line all the way down the hall that actually went outside, so I got in. I was a bit worried that I wasn’t going to make it to the front by 6pm (when the convention ends) but I made it just in time. Security was EVERYWHERE, yelling at us to hurry up, move, leave, etc…

In the midst of all the chaos I did get the chance to shake Alice Cooper’s hand and tell him how honored I was to meet him and that I was in an Alice Cooper tribute band (Nightmare). He signed my flyer for an upcoming show and said, “You probably do Alice Cooper better than we do!” I turned around for a quick picture, while security was still yelling, and then ran out of there, almost forgetting my autograph Chuck Garric, Alice’s bass player, was handing me, and forgetting to snap a picture for my friend who had been waiting in line with me. (Sorry Steph.)

I got there bright and early on Saturday so I could have a full day. It wasn’t too crowded the first couple hours, so it was a great opportunity to walk around and check out the gear. I thought it was really cool that Charvel had their own booth for the first time. (Usually they are part of Fender) I’m a bit partial to Charvel (since I have one tattooed on my back for Criss Oliva from Savatage) and I really enjoyed checking out their production line and custom shop guitars.

The Jagermeister Girls were hanging out at the Peavey Booth, so I joined them for a few pictures. It was really fun! When I walked up they said, ‘we have another Jagermeister Girl” and then random people kept coming up and taking pictures of us and with us.

I always enjoy checking out Dean Guitars, especially their custom lines for Dimebag Darrell, Dave Mustaine, Michael Schenker, and Leslie West. This time I had a different viewpoint because I was at their factory in Tampa a couple weeks ago and saw the entire process of how the guitars are created, from a piece of wood on a palate, to the beautifully custom crafted guitars that were hanging on the walls around me. At the Show, Dean were showcasing the first ever Double-Neck Guitar, which I actually saw the prototype back at the factory before anyone else did! While at the factory, I also learned that Dimebag envisioned, and drew, in full color, all of the guitars that Dean has created in his name. It’s just so sad that he never got to play one…His memory lives on.

I just happened to run into Rex Brown from Pantera and stopped to take a quick picture, and then really lucked out by walking by Nicko McBrain, drummer for Iron Maiden, who was doing a signing at Remo. I jumped right in, and he was really cool! He kept telling me how lovely I am and telling my husband what a lucky guy he is. He even told me the story behind the little yellow aeronautical bear that sits on his bass drum.

My first official meet and greet on Saturday was scheduled for 1:30 at Samson, for Geezer Butler, (Black Sabbath) Mike Inez, (Alice in Chains) Mike Portnoy, and Billy Sheehan. However, when I arrived at the booth, I was informed that Geezer had actually left the Convention to go back to England to care for Tony Iommi, who was recently diagnosed with early-stage Lymphoma.  Prayers go out to the “Iron Man.” Hopefully he is up and rockin’ again soon.

Jeff Duncan and Phil Sandoval from Armored Saint performed two songs at the Krank Booth at 3pm. I am just so glad that I ran into Jeff right before their performance, otherwise I wouldn’t have even known! Duncan and Sandoval jammed out to Saint songs “Reign of Fire” and “March of the Saint.” I LOVE Armored Saint, and it was so cool to see the two guitarists play in such an intimate setting. This was definitely one of the highlights of the entire convention. When they were done, they let fans jump up on stage to take pics with them. Of course I was one of the first ones up there!

On Saturday, I walked by Lita Ford, Warren Di Martini, and Steve Stevens while they were doing signings, and was able to snap a quick picture of each of them. I even had the chance to talk to Steve Stevens for a minute, and I told him how awesome it was to see him play at the Viper Room with Ginger Wildheart.

My other official signing of the day was at Dean Markley Strings at 4pm.

I was really looking forward to meeting Brian Wheat from Tesla. I always say that Tesla is one of the only bands that actually gets BETTER over time. Rudy Sarzo, Mike Inez, TM Stevens, and Phil Soussan were also scheduled for that signing. When I got to the front of the signing, I saw Rudy Sarzo, who is one of the most amazing bass players ever, and was happy to see Chuck Garric was next in line. It was a lot more relaxed than the Alice Signing was at Fender, so we had a chance to talk a few minutes about Alice and The Barons (a killer band that he was in) and he stood up for a picture with me. By the time I got to the end of the line I realized Brian Wheat wasn’t there.

Everyone knows that one of the best things about NAMM is the parties….And there are always so many to choose from! The Hilton Hotel is always packed, with bars, bands, rock stars, fans, and friends. And then there’s the Sheraton. I’ve heard it’s happening, but I’ve never made it there.

And then there are always bands playing outside the NAMM Show on the John Lennon Educational Stage, and at the end of the day on the Main Lobby Stage. On Friday there was a “Legends Jam” on the Main Lobby Stage that featured tons of musicians including Nicko McBrain, (Iron Maiden) Teddy Zig Zag, (Guns & Roses/Alice Cooper) Terry Hous, (XYZ, Great White) Robin McAuley, (Survivor, MSG) Frankie Banali, (Quiet Riot) Chris Slade (AC/DC/Asia) and more.  Friday night was the NAMM Jam at the Grove with Testament, Jackyl, Vinnie Moore, and Wayne Static, and Stonebreed played Marquee15 in Corona with Uli Jon Roth.

And on Saturday, there was a “Celebrity Jam” on the Main Lobby Stage, featuring the Band from TV. And Saturday night there was another NAMM Show at the Grove with Seether and Filter.

Overall, I had a great experience at NAMM 2012. In addition to checking out the gear, meeting with friends, making new ones, and schmoozing with the Rock Stars, I did quite a bit of networking and have new contacts and ideas for photographers, advertising, writing, and some special events. Keep posted because “Metal Babe is Taking Over the World One Shirt at a Time” I hope that all of you will be along for the ride!

Here’s a list of musicians I saw/met/hung out with at NAMM 2012:

AC Alexander – Lizzy Borden (Engl)
Alice Cooper (Fender)
Billy Sheehan – Mr. Big (Samson)
Bjorn Englen – Soul Sign/Yngwie(Carvin)
Charlie Benante – Anthrax (Zoom)
Chris Holmes – Where Angels Suffer
Chris Sanders – Knight Fury
Chuck Garric – Alice Cooper (Fender and Dean Markley Strings)
Craig Goldy – Dio (Engl)
Dave Ellefson – Megadeth (Zoom)
David Shankle – DSG (Kahler)
Doug Aldrich – Whitesnake
Dug Pinnick – Kings X
Eric Bass – Shinedown (Zoom and Samson)
Glen Hughes – Deep Purple (Zoom)
Jeff Duncan – Armored Saint (Krank)
Jeff Worley – Jackyl
John Exall – Texas Hippie Coalition (Rock-n-Roll Gangstar)
John Tempesta – The Cult (Zoom)
Marten Andersson – Lizzy Borden (Carvin)
Matt Bachand – Shadows Fall (Engl)
Mike Inez – Alice in Chains (Samson and Dean Markley Strings)
Mike Portnoy – Adrenaline Mob/Ex-Dream Theater (Samson)
Miljenco “Mili” Matijevic – Steelheart (Rock-n-Roll Gangstar)
Nicko McBrain – Iron Maiden (Remo)
Phil Sandoval – Armored Saint (Krank)
Phil Soussan (Dean Markley Strings)
Rafael “Hofa” Moreira (Dean Markley Strings)
Randy Black – Primal Fear
Randy Cooper – Texas Hippie Coalition (Rock-n-Roll Gangstar)
Rev Jones – MSG (Rock-n-Roll Gangstar)
Rex Brown – Pantera/Kill Devil Hill
Rikki Rockett – Poison (Rockett Drum Works)
Robin McAuley – MSG (Rock-n-Roll Gangstar)
Rudy Sarzo – Whitesnake/Dio/Quiet Riot/Ozzy (Dean Markley Strings)
Steve Morse – Deep Purple (Engl)
Steven Adler – Adler’s Appetite (Rockett Drum Works)
TM Stevens Shocka Zooloo (Dean Markley Strings)
Toni Aleman – World War III (Rock-n-Roll Gangstar)
Troy Patrick Farrell – Pretty Boy Floyd (Rockett Drum Works)

Keep Rockin’

Alison “MetalBabe” Cohen
www.metalbabemayhem.com
Blog.metalbabemayhem.com
www.facebook.com/metalbabeproductions

A special thank you goes out to Kymberly Calvert, Stephanie Cullen, and Grant Masson for assisting me during the Show. Additional thanks goes to Kymberly Calvert, Stephanie Cullen, Shawn Kendrick, Ron Lyon, and Bob Delgadillo for your photography.

Few metal rock bands make it big. Even fewer make it big and become legends. Even fewer still are able to maintain their legendary “metal god” status for over four decades and still continue to tour, sell out and play their shows with the fresh enthusiasm that they had when they first started out. Judas Priest has been there and done all that and then some. Most other bands would have been knocked off their post long ago, so more power to Judas Priest. They’ve rightfully earned their place in metal rock history and stood their ground.

Claiming that this is their “farewell tour”, it’s hard to believe that 40 years has come and gone so quickly and that we are seeing the last of these guys. If it really is the end for them, they are doing it up in quite a grandiose show that is absolutely phenomenal. Complete with fire pods shooting off across the back of the stage from the very first song, “Rapid Fire”, the band got the crowd in Denver, Colorado off to a fist pounding the air, fast, furious and frenzied start that was non-stop the entire two hour and 20 minute set.

Though original Priest guitarist, the beloved KK Downing, is no longer with the band, his replacement, Richie Faulkner was clearly not a disappointment to the fanatics on this night in the Mile High City. Flawlessly playing a Gibson Flying V guitar, Faulker seemed to have no problem sharing the stage and delivering the goods alongside the familiar face and high energy of Glenn Tipton as they traded exuberant guitar lick chemistry throughout the 21 song set without missing a beat. Clearly having a great time on stage, the two guitarists even managed to squeeze a smile or two out of original bassist, Ian Hill who along with drummer, Scott Travis, produced a brilliant low-end thump that was non-stop and took vibration to a whole new level.

Legendary Priest vocalist, Rob Halford, proves what really makes this band tick and why after 40 years they have not been set on the back burner on simmer. Plain and simple, Halford is worshipped by the band’s fans. Dressed in his classic leather and chains get up, I couldn’t help but wonder how this guy manages to stay so ultra cool under the hot lights with fire pods blasting while wearing such a heavy outfit, as it was hotter than a furnace in the photo pit. Regardless, this guy is definitely a hard-core metal god and he doesn’t fail to impress.

Starting out the show, Mr. Halford told the crowd that Priest would be playing a variety of songs that spanned their entire career. He wasn’t just giving lip service and the band didn’t just going through the motions. From start to finish, Judas Priest played their Rocky Mountain set with more energy and enthusiasm than a pack of wild mustangs on the range. Covering their well-known hits, “Breaking The Law” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” (complete with lots of crowd sing-a-long input!), Priest truly kept their fans in metal-heaven as they crossed into eras of long ago with tunes, “Never Satisfied”, “Starbreaker”, “Diamonds And Rust”, “Heading Out To The Highway”, “Hell Bent For Leather”, “Prophecy” amongst many, many others. While singing “Victim Of Changes”, “Judas Rising” and “Painkiller”, Halford demonstrated he is still able to hit his mark on the high notes with seemingly little effort as he spewed screams that could wake the dead to say the least.

Ending the second encore with the classic, “Living After Midnight”, Judas Priest left the stage with an arena full of happy, jubilant fans that clearly love them. It was obvious that the feelings were mutual. The band had once again left their imprint with a show that won’t too soon be forgotten by anyone there.

Even though they are calling this the Epitaph Tour, I doubt that they (being a band of this caliber) simply hang up their guitar straps and spend the rest of their days out on the golf course. However, I wouldn’t expect them to plan Epitaph Tour 2 real soon either – if at all. The occasional date here and there may end up being the extent of opportunity to witness this finely tuned machine in extreme action mode. That being said, get out and see this show while you can. Judas Priest aims to please and you won’t be disappointed.

JudasPriest.com

“Through the Rain”
www.agsongs.com
Style (Blues, Rock)

Another good blues rock CD has come my way. Right from the start I dig the guitar playing of Alastair Greene and the subtle Skynardesque undertones. The guitar sound is full bodied with a grinding lived in quality, with hints of unfiltered tobacco and whisky as smooth as 40 grit sandpaper. The guitar solos are expressive saying “yeah, check out these cajones!” Reading the credits on the disc, Greene handled much of the instrument playing, except where noted, and aside from being impressed with his 6 string capabilities, I really dig his low-mid range vocals and how perfectly they fit the tone and character of all the instruments. Truly an excellently mixed collection of songs. My one negative though is that I’m not hearing that “one” song that puts it all together for marketing purposes, but maybe I’m just missing it.

Rating 4 (the live set is where this stuff will shine)

Pittman and his Signature Jarrell guitar join an extraordinary group of guitarists who have performed at Super Bowl Half Time Shows, including Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash who stole the show from The Black Eyed Peas and Usher in 2011, Bruce Springsteen, who showed viewers that he was still “The Boss” with a crowd pleasing around the body guitar spin in 2009, and Prince, whose 2007 guitar solo was played behind a transparent sheet and held in a way that left critics deeming it “Phallic.” In 2006, Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones banged it out with a boldness that was touted as a “raw, dirty, guitar sound, and in 2002, The Edge joined U2 and Bono in 2002 for a hypnotic guitar solo on “Where The Streets Have No Name.”

The Monte Pittman Signature Jarrell MPS is the result of the collaboration between the award winning visionary designer Phillip Jarrell and world renowned artist, writer, and guitarist Monte Pittman. Pittman plays so many different styles of music during any given performance that, until now, he required many different types of guitars to accommodate his needs. Utilizing Pittman’s feedback, Jarrell Guitars worked with MJ at the Seymour Duncan Shop to transform the finest MPS guitar at the time into something completely new – the most versatile instrument ever made. The Monte Pittman Signature Jarrell MPS boasts a mega set of Seymour Duncan pickups with a P-Rail neck, STk-S7 Vintage Hot Stack middle and a custom design SH-13 Dime Bucker Bridge. Both neck and bridge have 3 position mini switches, with custom wiring using a Super 5 way switch, and a kill switch. All together it seems Monte Pittman and Jarrell Guitars are hell bent on rocking the world – the sound of which is none other than simply amazing.

Jarrell Guitars was named “2010 Manufacturer of the Year” at the Music Industries Association of Canada (MIAC) Show in Canada, and has received accolades from PremierGuitar.com.

http://jarrellguitars.com

http://jarrellguitars.com/news29/

http://www.jarrell-mps.com/

http://www.jarrellguitars.com/artistpage_home.html

Jane’s Addiction has released a magical, mythical and sonic release with “The Great Escape Artist’,” on Capitol/EMI records. Where previous records incorporated themes of edgy, crazed, slum-dwelling visionary junkies, this time they are relying on slick production and concept-like tunes. Perry Farrell stands out as one of music’s most forward-thinking and enigmatic frontman in the business with his vocals soaring with vibrancy, vulnerability, and vitality. Guitar god Dave Navarro conjures up psychedelic and epic riffs. Stephen Perkins’ tribal stomp remains hypnotic and transfixing. Jane’s Addiction the band has been around for nearly 30 years and proves that they are frontrunners in alternative music.

In 2010, Jane’s Addiction began writing songs for the new album. By 2011, recording began on what would become “The Great Escape Artist’” on Capitol/EMI records to be supported with a worldwide tour 2012. The band and producer Rich Costey, (Muse, Franz Ferdinand, Interpol) added TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek to the creative team.

The addition of Sitek writing music with Navarro and Perkins pointed the record in a decidedly alternative direction. Farrell’s melodies and lyrics completed the picture, the results of which created a more natural progression of Jane’s music for their inception as the creators of alternative rock as they now step into 2012 with a very modern-sounding record that somehow magically still harkens back to the original vibe of the group. Some fans may think the band has sold out but with this new paring with Sitek they really thrust themselves into the 21st century.

Taking a more musical approach, the members switched off on instruments and stretched out a bit, as Navarro played some bass, Sitek played some guitar, and Perkins experimented with several new percussion instruments. The group even brought in long time touring member and session player extraordinaire, Chris Chaney, to play additional bass.

To further the experimentation JA enlisted the help of Masters of Musicians of Joujouka, originally discovered by Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones in the late 60’s to create the lush but bizarre background to their first released track from the new set called, “End to the Lies.” The Master of Musicians of Joujouka recorded their parts in the wilds Morocco.

Acclaimed for their swirling sonic symphony and unique studio alchemy, Jane’s Addiction have sold over seven million records in the U.S. alone. They’ve also garnered Grammy nominations and spearheaded the movement of the modern American festival culture by launching and headlining Lollapalozza. Even during dormant periods, their classical songs pulsated through rock radio constantly and their influence resounded through countless acts.

Staring off this intriguing and conceptual album is the track, “Underground,” showing off the haunting guitar of Dave Navarro, driving rhythms, and inspiring lyrics classically putting forth their slum-dwelling past experiences. “End to Lies,” about a broken relationship, being down and out was leaked in April 2011 on Chilean radio when Jane’s Addiction headlined Lollapalooza Chili in Santiago at the first official Lollapalooza stages outside the U. S. A final mix of the initial song was released online a month later along with a striking video directed by Alex Bulkley from Robot Chicken fame.

The group’s first single, “Irresistible Force,” is a cosmic love story, ghost-like vibe, and spacey. “Curiosity Kills,” has an Edge-like inspired guitar groove and some soaring vocals courtesy of flamboyant Farrell. “I’ll Hit You Back,” a faulting relationship is one of the stronger songs on the disc with a majestic hooky chorus. The songs “Ultimate Reason,” with its message of love being the ultimate reason in life and the strong influence of STP glossing over in the background. “Splash A Little Water On It,” is a spacey movement, but overall an epic track. And rounding out the rest of the record is, “Words Right Out of My Mouth,” starting with a monologue from a therapist session where Farrell jumps right in but the song feels jumbled and chaotic probably better off closing the album with, “Broken People.”

Underlying the entire concept album is the idea of the underbelly of Los Angeles with its carnival of freaks, hustlers, and street corner visionaries of all kinds. Below the veneer of Hollywood’s lights lies a counter culture driven by escapism. Whether it’s via carnal, mental, physical, chemical, or aural pleasures the quirky court thrive on escape. Jane’s Addiction fourth album “The Great Escape Artist,” could only have been born within this realm. Spun through a kaleidoscope of tightly wound riffs, hypnotic harmonies, booming beats and an unmistakable howl, the record announces the beginning of the next chapter for the alternative rock torchbearers.

Jane’s Addiction is Perry Farrell (vocals), Dave Navarro (guitar), and Stephen Perkins (drums). The band began working in 2010 on what would become “The Great Escape Artist.”

The DVD explores his time with Black Sabbath the English heavy metal band and shows Ozzy in his formidable years as a young bloke in Aston, Birmingham England where his choices of occupation was either, factory worker, prison, or in the army. Born John Michael Osbourne, Ozzy expresses his lack of interest in any of those occupations in 1969 he sets out to be a musician alongside of Bill Ward, Gezzer Butler, and Tony Iommi. Sabbath the pioneers of heavy metal produced the quadruple-platinum 1970 hit Paranoid and position themselves stars in the rock world.

This documentary interviews all of his band mates and Henry Rollins, Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee, and his childhood hero Sir Paul McCartney putting their personal spin on everything Ozzy. Ozzy was a huge fan of the Beatles and was determined to become a rockstar himself. The DVD also shows his spiral down into drugs and alcoholism that plagued most of his forty years in rock’n roll. Due to his lack of self-esteem Ozzy became the band class clown. Cocaine was ever present with the band doing blow all day and all night long. Because they were completely drugged out they became ripped off by many people in the business because they were unable to manage their own affairs.

This documentary shows Ozzy’s three sisters Jean, Iris and Gillian sending Ozzy back in time to his home as he travels back to Aston and his childhood home and offers a porthole into his dysfunctional first marriage and his first two children Luis and Jessica. His kids have many memories of him not being present in their lives and being a no good drunk. Bill Ward tells the account of Ozzy losing his father Jack and how devastating that experience was for him. The band got tired of Ozzy’s antics and fired him from the band. That’s about the time Sharon stepped knowing that Ozzy had no confidence and feeling that it was the end of his dream. She knew he was a great talent but lack self-esteem again and finally got his mojo back with the hiring of great guitarist Randy Rhodes. 1980 Blizzard of Oz’s with Rhodes blew up on the charts and then the follow up Diary of a Madman established Ozzy as a star again. Rhodes helped Ozzy reinvent himself until his untimely Rhodes death in a freak helicopter crash. Sharon and Ozzy married in 1982 and started a family with Jack, Kelly, and Aimee and he still was not a great father. He was constantly drunk and loaded and notoriously bit off the head of a bird at a meeting with executives at CBS records which began to make him a larger than life character. His affair with drugs persisted and it wasn’t until his son Jack got sober that he began to want to get sober himself. The kids saw him and the effect of the drugs made his speech terrible, his walk was bad and it was destroying his family. After many failed attempts to get clean Jack was Ozzy’s inspiration and turning point and as of resultant he has been sober for 5 years.

This DVD also includes a Q&A segment with both Jack and Ozzy as Jack expresses his desire to show the world a kinder and gentile person in Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy says that he wants to be remembered just to be remembered. He also shows his new affinity for art for his own pleasure. Jack’s says that there is a difference between Ozzy and John and he wanted to show this perspective to his adoring fans. Throughout God Bless Ozzy Osbourne audiences are given an inside look into the life of this rockstar from the good times to the bad.

FAST-FORWARD a year into the project, WR has played some great shows in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. One being most epic was playing for The Red Bull Grand Prix on Catalina Island. On their debut album “Three Sheets To The Wind,” Winchester Rebel’s sound has been favorably compared with influential ‘90’s-era bands Alice In Chains, Danzig, Stone Temple Pilots and others. The guitars are heavy and the drums are hard-hitting, the vocals on WR tunes such as “Private Angel,” “Down,” “Loaded Gun” and “Flying” inspire and carry the melodic sound of a band that demands to be heard. Winchester Rebels are a band on the rise whose time to shine is rapidly approaching. It’s not a matter of if for these guys – but when.

Photographs by Scott Moore/Limelight Imaging

Country music legend and hometown hero, Willie Nelson, chose to bid farewell to 2011 and usher in 2012 in grand style with back-to-back sold out shows featuring some of his family and friends at Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater on December 30th and 31st. The two shows featured some familiar acts but were totally different at the same time.

On Friday, December 30, Ray Price was the first to take the stage. The 85 yr old Texas-born Country Music Hall of Fame member may have slowed down a bit, but the crowd stilled loved his silky vocals, just the same.

After Price, the folk/pop sounds of Folk Uke entertained the audience. The duo is comprised of two young women who just happen to be the daughters of some American music greats. Amy Nelson is the daughter of Willie Nelson and Cathy Guthrie is the daughter of Arlo Guthrie and granddaughter of the legendary folk musician and American storyteller, Woody Guthrie.

Next up on the night was the great Willie Nelson. Willie got his set rolling in familiar style with “Whiskey River” and then proceeded to entertain the crowd with many of his great hits including “Crazy,” “Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain,” and “Momma’s Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys.” Willie’s sister, Bobbie, once again rocked the piano keys as part of the Family Band. Unfortunately, the Family lost one of its members at the beginning of December when Dan “Bee” Spears, Willie’s longtime friend and bass player, unexpectedly passed away at his home near Nashville. Spears had been the heartbeat of the Family Band for more than 40 years.

Closing out the night was Willie’s son, Lukas Nelson. Those audience members who had the presence of mind to stick around until the conclusion of the show, were treated to an awesome, energetic set by Lukas and his band, Promise of the Real. Although the younger Nelson’s band is definitely American rock and roll, a subtle hint of Willie’s voice can still be heard in him. Lukas and Promise of the Real were joined by another of Willie’s sons, Micah, bringing his interpretive art performance to the stage. Also joining Lukas on stage this night was Grammy Award nominated country music artist, Jamey Johnson.

On Saturday evening, New Years Eve 2011, the audience at the ACL Live venue was treated to a real Texas-sized party as Willie and Family took the stage for a second night of epic performances. Making this show unique was the fact that it was broadcast live on Willie’s Roadhouse, Willie’s Sirius XM radio station.

First up again was Ray Price, whose friendship with Willie goes back to 1960, when Willie joined Price’s band as his bassist. Price entertained the crowd with some of his classic hits including “San Antonio Rose.”

Next up was Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real whose members include Anthony LoGerfo on drums, Tato Melgar on percussion, Corey McCormick on bass, and John Avila on bass, with Micah Nelson presenting interpretive art.

After Promise of the Real, Folk Uke, with Amy Nelson and Cathy Guthrie, took the stage for a short set before the star of the night, Mr. Willie Nelson, got the party started with “Whiskey River,” performed in front of a giant Lone Star State Flag.

Despite being 78 years old, Nelson’s voice is still as pure and strong as ever. This was evident as he thrilled the crowd with many of his classics including “Always on My Mind,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “Angels Flying too Close to the Ground,” and covers of Hank Williams’ “Hey Good Lookin’” and “Move it on Over.” Willie was joined on stage by son Lukas for a sizzling version of the Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Texas Flood.” One of the highlights of the night came from Willie’s powerful trio of gospel songs “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” “I’ll Fly Away,” and “I Saw the Light.” While these songs were presented with all of the reverence they were due, Willie also introduced his new “gospel” song to the audience. In true Willie style, the new song is titled, “Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die.”

To ring in the New Year, at midnight, Willie was joined by Father Time, who was lowered for the countdown to midnight in a replica of a longhorn head, Baby New Year and a colorful balloon drop. The party and music continued after the traditional midnight festivities with ZZ Top front man, Billy Gibbons, joining Willie on stage.

Closing out the night for Willie was another Austin favorite, the alternative country band, The Gourds. The Gourds were joined on stage by actor and Texas native, Dennis Quaid, who played a mean guitar.

Photos by Susan Thorsen Photography

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Quite some ago in a place very far away from where I am right now, there was a multi-talented young man with a dream that he was determined to make come true. The place was Dublin, Ireland, the time over 40 years ago, the man a very charismatic character that not only had extra-ordinary talents as a bass player and singer, but overwhelmingly phenomenal skills as a songwriter and lyricist. His name was Philip Parris Lynott and his dream was to form a band that had such a distinct sound made from dueling and harmonious lead guitars that it would leave an exclusive mark in the history rock music. Mr. Lynott’s dream band came true. He called it Thin Lizzy. He lived by his dream and he died by his dream, sadly only 15 years after creating it. Fortunately, Phil Lynott’s brilliant song writing skills have quite handily endured the tests of time and his legendary music continues to live on more than 25 years after his death.

With great pride and more energy than one could possibly imagine (yes, even on a very cold night in the altitude of Denver, Colorado which is typically very draining to those that aren’t used to it), the current lineup of Thin Lizzy includes several members that were originally hand-picked by Phil Lynott himself in the early days of the band. Original founding guitar master, Scott Gorham (also played in Phenomena and a founding member of 21 Guns), founding member drummer, Brian Downey and keyboardist, Darren Wharton (who also fronts his own band Dare) join forces with the amazing talents of bassist Marco Mendoza (formally of Thin Lizzy’s John Sykes era, Ted Nugent, Blue Murder/Sykes, George Lynch, Delores O’Riordan, Whitesnake, Soul Sirkus and Mendoza-Heredia-Neto), guitarist Damon Johnson (formally of Brother Cane, Alice Cooper, Whiskey Falls, Faith Hill, Sammy Hagar and Damn Yankees), and last but not least, Thin Lizzy’s voice and additional guitar player from northern Ireland, Ricky Warwick (formally of The Almighty, New Model Army and Circus Diablo).

Thin Lizzy’s show in the Mile High City was nothing short of excellence, greatness, perfection and spot on nostalgia. As they were opening for Black Label Society and Judas Priest, ‘Lizzy’s set was short in duration. This was very much to my dismay as I could watch this lineup perform their entire catalog of tunes without ever tiring of it. The power and energy of their set is really that amazing!

Starting out with the fast paced, “Are You Ready”, front man Ricky Warwick had the crowd on their feet and bouncing up and down to the beat from the get go. Sounding as close to Phil Lynott as any singer this band has ever had, Ricky enthusiastically maintained the highly energized momentum into the classic, “Waiting for an Alibi” and hit song, “Jailbreak”. Of course also included was other commercially well-known and crowd pleasing favorites, “The Cowboy Song” and “The Boys Are Back In Town”.

Just past midway through their set, the band respectfully paid a special tributary recognition to deceased band members Phil Lynott and Gary Moore. For those that don’t know Thin Lizzy’s early history, Gary was a guitar player who had worked with Phil Lynott since the late 1960’s. He surprisingly died in February of this year at 58 years old while on vacation in Spain.

Other songs like the melodic “Don’t Believe A Word” and the thumping battle song, “Emerald”, showcased the spectacular rhythm section of Marco Mendoza and Brian Downey keeping perfect time together while the technically flawless skills of both guitar aces Scott Gorham and Damon Johnson playfully dueled it out in impeccable Gaelic harmony. Backed up by keyboard whiz, Darren Wharton, it was evident that this was only one of the many memorable Thin Lizzy highlights that the band greatly enjoyed playing and crowd loved hearing.

Also covered to perfection was the hard-rocking song, “Killer On The Loose”, a song about British prostitute murderer, Jack the Ripper , and “Rosalie” – a tune originally written by rocker, Bob Seger in tribute to Rosalie Trombley, the program director of a leading top 40 radio station in Windsor, Ontario in the 1960s and ’70s. Closing out the set was the melodic, “Black Rose”, a classic Irish folksong that focuses on the very well-defined and harmonious engagement of guitars – the foundation from which this band was built – with lyrics that reflect on the history of Ireland (i.e., “Rose”) before the British came…

“Tell me the legends of long ago,
When the kings and queens would dance in the realm of the Black Rose.
Play me their melodies I want to know,
So I can teach my children, oh”

Though ‘Lizzy has in the past been accused of having a “revolving door” of continually changing guitarists, this line-up’s camaraderie seems to be as a team supporting the same mission of keeping this legendary music flourishing. They clearly make it apparent that this is undeniably the strongest collaboration of players since Phil was alive. Each one of these six musicians is talented and skilled enough on his own to single-handedly carry his own show. And each does when they aren’t touring together as Thin Lizzy. Put them all together as Thin Lizzy though, and not only do you experience an incredible déjà vu of rock music history, but you also encounter so much individual talent happening before you that it’s straight out mind boggling! Don’t miss this show if you can help it – Thin Lizzy’s love and appreciation for their fans is nothing short of spectacular!

ThinLizzyBand.com

Judas Priest, who has been performing for nearly 40 years, is comprised of lead singer Rob Halford, bassist Ian Hill, drummer Scott Travis, and guitarist Glenn Tipton. Also performing with the band was their newest member, guitarist Richie Faulkner.

Supporting Judas Priest on their tour are Black Label Society and Thin Lizzy.

Review by Margy Moore
Photographs by Scott Moore / Limelight Imaging
Austin, TX