FIRST U.S. PERFORMANCE IN FOUR YEARS! THEIR ONLY 2010 APPEARANCE IN USA!

 ONE OF ‘50 BANDS TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE’ TO HEADLINE AT WORLD’S LARGEST BIKER EVENT

 DAUGHTRY WITH 2^nd CONSECUTIVE #1 ALBUM IS ADDED TO ROCK 4^th NIGHT

 STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, CREED, GODSMACK, ALICE IN CHAINS,

3 DOORS DOWN, HINDER, THREE DAYS GRACE, WOLFMOTHER, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL, HELLYEAH AND MORE: THE STARS OF AMERICAN ROCK ARE MOTORING TO SOUTH DAKOTA’S PREMIER ROCK DESTINATION:

 THE ROCK ‘N REV AMPHITHEATER AT MONKEY ROCK USA, AUG. 9-13

 TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW

 (ALL ROCK ‘N REV TICKETS WILL BE HONORED AT THE NEW LOCATION)

 Click HERE to watch the NEW Rock ‘N Rev promotional video!

  Making their first U.S. concert appearance in four years – and playing their only U.S. show in 2010 – GUNS N’ ROSES has been officially recruited with DAUGHTRY to join the inaugural ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL and cement its assault on the legendary Sturgis Rally’s 70th Anniversary celebration in Sturgis, SD, at the newly constructed Rock N’ Rev Amphitheater at Monkey Rock USA.

 GUNS N’ ROSES will headline the fifth and final night of the festival, as it moves to the Brand New Rock ‘N Rev Amphitheaterat Monkey Rock USA in Sturgis, adjacent to its original location. L.A.’s notorious rock ‘n’ roll bad boys – one of Q magazine’s “50 Bands to See Before You Die” – have combined forces with HDlogix and DC3 Global for this rare and very special appearance on home soil to bring the “full-out rock ‘n’ roll spectacle” (Spin) of their 2010 “Chinese Democracy World Tour” to Sturgis and finish off the hijacking of the world’s biggest, baddest biker event, Monday, Aug. 9 through Friday, Aug. 13, 2010.

 GUNS N’ ROSES’ final night performance, immediately following previously announced Aug. 13 headliner Alice in Chains, is the ultimate climax to five full nights of undeniable rock ‘n’ roll bedlam, and now gives the ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL six of the most explosive, multi-platinum AMERICAN Active Rock Bands of 2010. DAUGHTRY, supporting its second consecutive #1 album, will join 3 Doors Down, Hinder and others on Aug. 12, the 4^th night of the ROCK N’ REV FESTIVAL.

 In order to welcome GUNS N’ ROSES and DAUGHTRY to the ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL, new festival owners HDlogix and its producers, DC3 Global, are starting construction immediately on the Rock N’ Rev Amphitheater at Monkey Rock USA, a new custom-built amphitheater on a 25-acre site at Monkey Rock designed to maximize logistical opportunities while enhancing the overall experience for everyone attending – from the bands to the fans.

 “We are truly blessed to be able to announce the addition of GUNS N’ ROSES at this historic moment in the band’s history, along with DAUGHTRY, just as we relocate the ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL to our own Amphitheater at Monkey Rock USA,” said DC3’s co-founder, Daniel E. Catullo III. “Monkey Rock’s vision to create a nationally recognized brand among the world’s top motorcycle rallies is a perfect fit for us, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome them as our partners.”

 ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL’s relationship with Glencoe Campground is amicable amid the change in logistics. As such, they are working together to arrange special VIP accommodations at the festival for all Glencoe campers that week.

 Raising the insanity level to previously unimaginable heights, GUNS N’ ROSES and DAUGHTRY are just the latest high octane multi-platinum rockers to join the growing list of bands at the ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL. They unite with fellow headliners Stone Temple Pilots, Godsmack, Creed, Alice in Chains and 3 Doors Down to establish the ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL as “The Home of Rock’s Hardest New Chart Toppers” – a different one topping each night’s lineup.

 Tickets for the ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL are $45 per day, general admission ($150 for a five-day pass), and ON SALE NOW through Ticketmaster.com and rocknrevfestival.com and at all Ticketmaster locations, or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available in person beginning August 5, 2010 on location at the Festival’s on-site box office. For more information on exclusive VIP packages ($150 for a single day, $300 for all five days or $1,000 5 day platinum packages), including backstage access to a VIP area to special, air-conditioned tents with private bars, motorcycle parking, luxury bathroom facilities and more, go to rocknrevfestival.com.  

 GUNS N’ ROSES has sold more than 110 million albums worldwide, including over 46 million in the United States. The band’s 1987 major label debut, Appetite for Destruction, is the highest selling debut album of all time, with sales in excess of 38 million copies worldwide. In addition, it reached No. 1 on the United States Billboard 200 and charted three Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” the band’s first No. 1 smash. Their 1991 albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II debuted on the two highest spots on the Billboard 200 and have sold a combined 14 million copies in the United States alone and 35 million worldwide. GUNS N’ ROSES’ fusion of punk rock, blues-rock, heavy metal and classic rock ‘n’ roll prompted Ozzy Osbourne to call the band “the next Rolling Stones” and Rolling Stone to include them among their “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”

 Earlier this year, Rolling Stone hailed the Canadian leg of their “Chinese Democracy” tour as “a high-energy three-hour marathon of new material and classic GNR hits.”

 For nearly three years, the only thing keeping pace with the growing number of miles on DAUGHTRY’s tour bus has been the band’s list of achievements. After charting three #1 songs from its five-time platinum debut and spending more than two years on the road, Daughtry released Leave This Town (19/RCA). The album entered at the top of the Billboard 200, making it the band’s second #1 album. The album’s first single, “No Surprise,” extended the group’s extraordinary streak of #1 singles to four. The third and current single, “September,” continues to climb steadily on radio charts, approaching the Top 10. Recently, Daughtry completed its hugely successful, first-ever headlining arena tour, which began last summer. The ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL is just one of the group’s select U.S. dates this summer. The massive production adds another dimension to the band’s electrifying stage presence and musicianship, with a unique stage design showcasing album artwork by legendary comic book artist Jim Lee, which was featured in the Leave This Town album packaging.

 With an unrivaled lineup of twenty bands over five nights and spectacular fireworks displays each night at Monkey Rock USA, the ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL promises to be the hands-down largest party ever thrown at the world’s largest motorcycle event, which annually draws over a half million patrons. World famous showman Jim Rose and his circus are set to emcee the five-day event and help give attendees a show they will never forget.

 ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL’s sweltering lineup also includes Three Days Grace, Hellyeah, Cage The Elephant, Theft, Sweet Cyanide, Charm City Devils, Rev Theory, Eagles of Death Metal, The Darling Stilettos (featuring former GNR drummer Matt Sorum), Pop Evil, Skillet, and Swayback — just some of the bands making massive music at this colossal biker bash.

 Everything about the ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL will appeal to the “leather and chrome” sensibilities in everyone who attends…from those who embody the biker lifestyle to the more casually minded weekend warriors and their families. The Vendor Village will be overflowing with an assortment of food, clothing, gear and other accessories, top tattoo artists and the best barbeque and related cooking specialists from the nation’s sauciest hotspots such as Austin, Memphis, Chicago, and New Orleans. The overall Mardi Gras atmosphere will recall some of Europe’s top festivals, with a decidedly American flair. After all, biking and rock ‘n’ roll are two of America’s greatest heritages.

 THE ROCK ‘N REV FESTIVAL LINEUP

 Monday- August 9th

GODSMACK

THREE DAYS GRACE

HELLYEAH

POP EVIL

DARLING STILLETOS

Hosted By Jim Rose and Performances by Jim Rose and The Jim Rose Circus

 Tuesday- August 10th

CREED

SKILLET

THEFT

SHAMAN’S HARVEST

 Wednesday- August 11th

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

WOLFMOTHER

EAGLES OF DEATH METAL

CAGE THE ELEPHANT

SWAYBACK

Hosted By Jim Rose and Performances by Jim Rose and The Jim Rose Circus

 Thursday- August 12th

3 DOORS DOWN

DAUGHTRY

HINDER

BAD CITY

SWEET CYANIDE

Hosted By Jim Rose and Performances by Jim Rose and The Jim Rose Circus

 Friday- August 13^th

GUNS N’ ROSES

ALICE IN CHAINS

CHARM CITY DEVILS

REV THEORY

Hosted By Jim Rose and Performances by Jim Rose and The Jim Rose Circus

 About DC3 Music Group, LLC

DC3 Music Group, LLC was formed in 2008 by award-winning director and producer Daniel E. Catullo III (Nickelback, Godsmack, Smashing Pumpkins, Dave Matthews Band) and industry veteran and Producer Peter Bowers. DC3 Music Group, LLC is a multi-media company specializing in exclusive live concerts and behind-the-scenes content from multi-platinum artists to be distributed through multiple distribution channels. The company also has a festival division and TV commercial division. The principals of the company have earned over 42 #1 DVD’s and three Top 10 releases in the past six months alone including Creed Live, Chickenfoot: Get Your Buzz On LIVE and Alter Bridge: Live From Amsterdam. DC3 recently partnered with HDlogix to produce a new 3D concert film of the Multi-Platinum act “Rage Against The Machine” in London in late June. Visit www.dc3global.com.

 www.rocknrevfestival.com http://www.myspace.com/rocknrevsturgis

Love Ride Retro 2010

By Debra Stocker

The 25th Annual Love Ride will be back this year, with a “retro” run on

Sunday November 7^th 2010. From Glendale Harley-Davidson to

Calamigos  Ranch in Malibu.

In line with the retro theme, long- time Love Ride Grand Marshall

Jay Leno and Love Ride founder Oliver Shokouh will lead the way back

to the same venue where the Love Ride began twenty-six years ago. 

Tickets will go on sale starting at 9am on Saturday, July 24th, at Glendale Harley and online at www.loveride.org.  Ridership will be capped at 1,000 bikes for this special retro event. 

The Love Ride 26 was cancelled last year due to the bad economy, and earlier this year was announced the Love Ride would return in 2011, but the demand for the ride was a strong one, and so the “retro” ride 2010 was announced.

Love Ride Retro 2010 will be a trip into the Love Ride’s glorious past, 26 years ago, and ONLY 1,000 bikers will be allowed to participate in the ride. Different from the 20 thousand plus bikers, that have been participating over the last few years. But the fact is the Calamigos Ranch venue cannot possibly accommodate the thousands of bikers the Love Ride is known for.

Oliver Shokouh says…“The Love Ride was about riding out with friends for an afternoon picnic with great bbq and wonderful music, shade trees and fresh air off the ocean,” All to raise money for children in the community less fortunate.  We want to get back to that with Love Ride Retro 2010 in November.”  

By keeping the event costs down, adding some sponsors and relying on people’s generosity we still hope to raise a good chunk of change for this year’s beneficiary, Autism Speaks.”  The Love Ride Foundation is a registered 501c3 charity organization that has over the years raised millions of dollars for children’s charities. Over the last 26 years, the Love Ride has grossed over $22 million and netted over $14 million for children’s charities in the community.  

In line with the retro theme, long-time Love Ride Grand Marshall Jay Leno is scheduled to lead the ride back to Calamigos.  “Jay has been an icon for the ride, he’s what makes the heritage of the Love Ride so rich.  He wants to be a part of this year’s “retro” run and we couldn’t be happier.”  Also scheduled to be on hand is Robby Krieger of The Doors, one of the Love Ride’s original performers, who promised a memorable “retro” set of music on November 7th. 

“Only 1,000 bikes will be registered starting July 24th, so please make your plans early to register and go retro with us.”  

Tickets for this year’s event are $100 per person and will go on sale starting Saturday July 24th at Glendale Harley and online at www.loveride.org  The price of admission includes a commemorative ride pin, bbq chicken and tri-tip lunch, entrance to special Love Ride Retro activities, Love Ride Retro Slide Show sponsored by Thunder Press and CommCinema, beer garden sponsored by Quick Throttle, and an afternoon of great music, entertainment and prizes.  One opportunity ticket for the use of a 2010 Harley-Davidson Fatboy Low for a year (gas and insurance not included) is also included. Extra opportunity tickets will be available for $10.  Collectible Love Ride Retro 2010 patches will also be available for purchase the day of the event.  

Special thanks to PRINTEFEX in Glendale for all our poster printing and collateral needs. For the latest information and updates on the ride, go to www.loveride.org

QOTSA/EAGLES OF DEATH METAL BENEFIT SHOW ANNOUNCED Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal have confirmed a benefit appearance at Los Angeles’ Club Nokia for Thursday, August 12th. The show will raise funds for Eagles of Death Metal bassist Brian O’Connor who was recently diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing treatment in Los Angeles. Net proceeds will be contributed to a fund which has been established in conjunction with Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, to assist with O’Connor’s medical aid and vital living expenses. Tickets on sale to the public Friday, July 16 at 10am PST HERE. To make a donation to the Brian O’Connor fund, please visit www.brianeodm.org.

Venice, California – Back for its fifth and biggest year yet, Venice Beach Music Fest 5 will rock the beach with two FREE days of music and an art show on Saturday, August 14, and Sunday, August 15. The festival will be held at Windward Plaza, at the west end of Windward Avenue in the park between the boardwalk and the bike trail.

VBMF5 features 14 bands and a 20-artist art display. Bands play original music from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. each day, with ATS Bellydance and Drum Collective entertaining between sets early on Saturday. Made possible by the community and its generous merchants, the festival is a celebration of the independent spirit of Venice and the passion of its inhabitants, and anyone who loves the beach and a good time is welcome! The event is produced by local promoter Milton Rosenberg and SugarBitch guitarist and founder Michael Jost.

A benefit concert for the festival will be held at the Waterfront Restaurant at 4211 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292 on Wednesday, July 21, at 8 p.m. The band that receives the most fan support that night will win the festival’s opening slot on Saturday, August 14.

The eclectic band lineup for Saturday, August 14, 2010, includes the benefit contest winner, The Muddy Reds, Robin Moxey, Steve Watts and the Humboldt Allstars, Blessed Le Strange, Moo Got 2, and local ska and punk heroes Meet Me at the Pub. Sunday’s lineup includes The Towels, Sassafras, Vintage Trouble (featuring Ty Taylor), Golden Buddha, Insects vs. Robots, festival veterans and founders SugarBitch, and The Chuck Dukowski Sextet. Chuck Dukowski was the bassist and songwriter for the seminal punk band Black Flag.

The festival is sponsored in part by Venice Neighborhood Council, 100.3FM The Sound, Venice Beach Suites & Hotel, The Sidewalk Café, Venice Boardwalk Association, Fatbol Clothing, Danny’s Venice Beach Bistro & Bar, Rock City News, Candelas Guitars, Venice Chamber of Commerce, Control Printing, and Globuspeak.

Event name: VENICE BEACH MUSIC FEST 5
Event summary: Two full days of music and art at the beach, FREE and open to the public.
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, August 14 & 15, 2010
Times: 11:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. both days
Location: Venice, California – Windward Plaza, at the west end of Windward Avenue in the park between the boardwalk and the bike trail.
Bands: Saturday – Contest Winner (TBD), The Muddy Reds, Robin Moxey, Steve Watts and the Humboldt Allstars, Blessed Le Strange, Moo Got 2, Meet Me at the Pub. Sunday – The Towels, Sassafras, Vintage Trouble (featuring Ty Taylor), Golden Buddha, Insects vs. Robots, SugarBitch, Chuck Dukowski Sextet.

Contact: venicebeachmusicfest@gmail.com

http://www.venicebeachmusicfest.com/

Over 20 years of hardcore, punk and grindcore history amalgamate in VENOMOUS CONCEPT’s viciously aggressive effort Poisoned Apple, profiting from the well-deserved laurels and integrity of its illustrious members Shane Embury (Napalm Death) on guitars, Kevin Sharp (Brutal Truth) on vocals, Danny Lilker (Nuclear Assault, Brutal Truth) on bass and Danny Herrera (Napalm Death) on drums.

VENOMOUS CONCEPT kicks off their first U.S. headlining tour on Sept. 15^th in San Diego with Kill The Client, Murder Construct and Nails in the support slots. Be sure to see below to view their complete touring itinerary or visit www.myspace.com/venomousconcept to stream tracks and keep in touch with all upcoming activities.

Embury further comments: “We are really excited to be doing our first ever U.S. tour as VENOMOUS CONCEPT. It’s been hectic with Napalm being so busy playing shows everywhere, but we are finally going to play 11 shows in the U.S. and four in Japan to support our Poisoned Apple record which came out last year. The shows in Japan are also with Napalm Death and Dying Fetus, so its double duties for me every night down there but that’s going to be a lot of fun.

“The live shows are going to be a smash of West Coast/Japanese and Euro style hardcore from our favorite period – the late and great Eighties so it’s going to get messy! We’ll be playing a few new tunes from our forthcoming split with Wolfbrigade too.

“Once this tour in the U.S. is done Napalm Death will be heading to Europe with Waking The Cadaver, Macabre and Immolation for five weeks. It’s a short but sweet break for X-mas and then we start rehearsing material for our new album. Believe me it is going to be crazier than the last.”

VENOMOUS CONCEPT are looking forward to spit their sonic and lyrical venom straight into your face, taste the poison or drop dead!

VENOMOUS CONCEPT w/ Kill The Client, Murder Construct 

Sept 15 San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick w/ Kill The Client, Murder Construct  https://www.etix.com/ticket/servlet/onlineSale?action=selectPerformance&performance_id=1278373
Sept 16 Hollywood, CA @ Viper Room  w/ Kill The Client, Murder Construct http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=2481805
Sept 17 San Francisco, CA @ Thee Parkside w/ Kill The Client, Murder Construct  https://holdmyticket.com/mini/mini.php?id=14506
Sept 18 Portland, OR @ Satyricon w/ Kill The Client, Elitist  http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/119548
Sept 19 Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven w/ Kill The Client  http://ev12.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3aTWS%3aWSTS10:WSTS0919%3a&linkID=twspok
Sept 20 Chicago, IL @ Double Door w/ Nails  http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/12149/tfly
Sept 21 Detroit, MI @ Blondie’s w/ Nails  http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/080044DC15244D46?artistid=1462084&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=107
Sept 23 Brooklyn, NY @ Club Europa w/ Nails, Strong Intention, Villains  http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=2275105

Sept 24 Montreal, QC @ Katacombes w/ Nails, Fistfuck
Sept 25 Toronto, ON @ Sneaky Dee’s w/ Nails, Murder Squad

 HANK WILLIAMS, JR. to be joined by various artists including JAMEY JOHNSON, ERIC CHURCH, GRETCHEN WILSON, LEE BRICE, COLT FORD, JOSH THOMPSON, SUNNY SWEENEY and THE GRASCALS
Nashville, TN– Country music icon Hank Williams Jr. announces the continuation of The Rowdy Friends Tour with a variety of special guests to join him on stage including Jamey Johnson, Eric Church, Colt Ford, Gretchen Wilson, Lee Brice, Josh Thompson, Sunny Sweeney and The Grascals.  The shows will start in Evansville, Indiana, on September 17th, and will conclude in Raleigh, North Carolina, on October 23rd. 
 
Sept 17 – Evansville, IN – Roberts Stadium – w/ Eric Church, and Sunny Sweeney

Sept 18 – Roanoke, VA – Roanoke Civic Center – w/ Eric Church and Sunny Sweeney

Sept 24 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Arena – w/ Eric Church, Gretchen Wilson, and Lee Brice

Sept 25 – Macon, GA – Macon Coliseum – w/ Gretchen Wilson and Lee Brice

Oct 1 – Birmingham, AL – BJCC Arena – w/ Jamey Johnson, Colt Ford, Josh Thompson, and The Grascals

Oct 2 – Little Rock, AR – Verizon Wireless Arena – w/ Jamey Johnson, Colt Ford, Josh Thompson and The Grascals

Oct 8 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center – w/ Jamey Johnson, Colt Ford, Josh Thompson, and The Grascals

Oct 9 – Fairfax, VA – Patriot Center – w/ Jamey Johnson, Colt Ford, and Josh Thompson

Oct 15 – Southaven, MS – DeSoto Civic Center – w/ Jamey Johnson, Colt Ford, Josh Thompson, and The Grascals

Oct 16 – Jackson, MS – Mississippi Coliseum – w/ Jamey Johnson, Colt Ford, Josh Thompson, and The Grascals

Oct 22 – Reading, PA – Sovereign Center – w/ Jamey Johnson, Colt Ford, and Josh Thompson

Oct 23 – Raleigh, NC – R.B.C. Center – w/ Jamey Johnson, Colt Ford, and Josh Thompson
 
Tickets for the shows announced will go on sale throughout July and August, check local venue box office locations as well as TicketMaster.com and TicketMaster locations.
 
The Rowdy Friends Tour 2010 is co-produced by Red Mountain Entertainment and Blue Deuce Entertainment.
 
About Hank Williams Jr.
With more than 70 albums to his credit, Williams has a fascinating career to reflect upon for a legend still in his prime.  His discography chronicles a bold profile of growth from adored offspring of a legendary father, to titan of the modern country rock movement in his own right.  For two decades, America has come to its collective feet each fall Monday night when this larger than life superman of a musician looks into the camera and unleashes the national anthem for viewers of Monday Night Football – ‘Are you ready for some football?‘  Those simple words have won Williams an entirely new generation of fans and given him the distinction of being the first country performer to ever win an Emmy.  Williams has also been named Entertainer of the Year five-times, but most recently was the recipient of the 2009 Academy of Country Music “Pioneer Award”.
 
About Jamey Johnson
Jamey Johnson is known within the music industry for his penmanship, and his forthcoming 2-CD-set only adds more proof of his talents.  The CD package entitled The Guitar Song includes 25 tracks with over two hours of music and will be released on September 14th.  Jamey’s songs have been recorded by Trace Adkins, George Jones, Joe Nichols, and he is the co-writer of the 2007 ACM and CMA Song of the Year “Give It Away,” recorded by George Strait.  Johnson’s self-penned single “In Color” was named the 2009 ACM and CMA Song of the Year.  His Grammy-nominated and critically acclaimed album That Lonesome Song is certified Gold
 
About Eric Church
EMI Records Nashville’s Eric Church has produced two consecutive Top 10s from his widely praised sophomore album, Carolina. Coming off of his own sold out headlining tour, Church is known for his energy-packed live shows. The Washington Post touted – “Church delivers one of the most spirited live shows in country music – and his fans follow suit.” He recently graced the cover of Billboard magazine and his latest single, “Smoke A Little Smoke” is his fastest rising single to date. 
 
About Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen Wilson exploded onto the country music scene in 2004 with her smash hit “Redneck Woman” and has since scored three #1 albums. The critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter has won virtually every award for which she’s been nominated, including trophies from the Grammys, ACM, CMA, AMA and more. Her first book, the autobiographical “Redneck Woman: Stories from My Life,” landed her on the prestigious New York Times Best Seller List. Her debut single, “Work Hard, Play Harder,” released on her new Redneck Records label broke the Top 20, and her fourth studio album, I Got Your Country Right Here, hit stores in March. 
 
About Lee Brice
Lee Brice has established himself as one of the most promising new voices in country music.  The sentiment behind his current top ten single,” Love Like Crazy,” has garnered him a loyal following of fans of all ages. Critics are praising his debut Curb Records CD, released in June 2010, citing his gritty heartfelt vocals and songwriting prowess.   Having written all but two songs on his CD, he is quickly becoming almost as well known for his writing as he is for his recordings with cuts by Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, The Eli Young Band, Trailer Choir, Bomshel and Garth Brooks.  “More Than a Memory,” the Garth Brooks smash that became the first song in Billboard chart history to debut at #1, seems more like a dream to Brice, who credits Garth as his first major musical influence.
 
About Colt Ford
Colt Ford first entered the country music scene when he wrote “Buck ‘Em” for the Professional Bull Riders Association, and “Huntin’ The World,” the award-winning theme song of the popular Outdoor Channel show of the same name, in 2007.  In Nov. 2008, Ford debuted his studio album, Ride Through The Country (Average Joes Entertainment), that has since sold over 200,000 copies.  In 2010, Ford’s lifetime appreciation for country music’s rich musical heritage was capped when he made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry stage.  Just a few months later, Ford released his sophomore studio album, Chicken and Biscuits¸ to rave reviews with the Village Voice dubbing Ford a “road-dawg sensation” and New York Times noting Ford “brings hip-hop’s keen eye for class struggle to country.”  For more information, please visit www.coltford.com.
 
About Josh Thompson
Columbia Nashville recording artist Josh Thompson burst into the country music scene this year with his debut hit, “Beer On The Table,” a down-to-earth anthem about working hard to party hard.  A native of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, Josh began pouring concrete with his father at the age of 12, giving him first hand insight about the trials of hard-working people everywhere.  His debut album, Way Out Here features ten songs written or co-written by Josh, and has drawn praise from countless critics, including NPR Fresh Air’s Ken Tucker and Billboard’s Wade Jessen as well as People Magazine, Country Weekly, AOL’s The Boot, CMT.com and others.  Josh’s current single and the album’s title track “Way Out Here” is Top 25 and climbing.
 
About The Grascals
Already among the most beloved and acclaimed of contemporary crossover groups, The Grascals spent two years on the road working with Dolly Parton as both her opening act and her backing band.  They are 2-time IBMA Entertainers of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year and Song of the Year winners. Their trademark blend of traditional bluegrass and classic country with more modern elements, delivered with vocal and instrumental intensity and virtuosity, also earned them two Grammy nominations for their first two critically-acclaimed albums.
 
About Sunny Sweeney:
Hailing from East Texas, Sunny Sweeney is a singer/songwriter with a big voice, sparkling personality and musical instincts that are stone-cold country. Sunny’s first project for the Big Machine Label Group, HEARTBREAKER’S HALL OF FAME, drew much critical acclaim; her style garnered comparisons to singers like Natalie Maines and Miranda Lambert. Her upcoming project on Republic Nashville, produced by fellow Texan Brett Beavers (Dierks Bentley), contains the new single “From A Table Away.”

New song streaming on MySpace

NASHVILLE, TN – The Showdown, Nashville’s supercharged heavy metal outfit, has posted a brand new song, “Heavy Lies The Crown”, on their official MySpace page.  The explosive, Southern-fueled track from The Showdown’s forthcoming full-length, Blood In The Gears, can be streamed at: http://www.myspace.com/theshowdown, joining the album’s recently revealed title track.  Blood In The Gears hits stores on August 24th on             Solid State Records. Fans can also pre-order the album, and chose from various bundle packages at: http://bit.ly/bloodinthegears.

            Blood In The Gears was recorded and produced by The Showdown’s own Jeremiah Scott (bass) at his home studio, Anthem Productions.  The album was mixed by Steve Blackmon (Living Sacrifice, Project 86), with Troy Glessener at Spectre handling the mastering.  Artwork comes courtesy of Ryan Clark at Invisible Creature Inc.  Blood In The Gears is The Showdown’s second Solid State release, following 2008’s Back Breaker.

            The track list for Blood In The Gears is…

1.)    Man Named Hell

2.)    Heavy Lies The Crown

3.)    Bring It Down

4.)    Take Me Home

5.)    Blood In The Gears

6.)    Dogma Enthroned

7.)    No Escape

8.)    The Crooked Path

9.)    Graveyard Of Empires

10.)  Diggin’ My Own Grave

            Founded in 2003 by current members, David Bunton and Josh Childers, The Showdown literally came roaring out of the gate with the monstrous, yet spiritually gripping debut, A Chorus of Obliteration, in 2004.  With several high profile tours under their belt, including a run on Ozzfest in 2007, and treks with As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, Flyleaf, All That Remains, The Cult and more, The Showdown is set to once again crank up the throttle on Blood In The Gears.

            Be sure to head over to The Showdown’s YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/theshowdownmetal for two behind-the-scenes video blogs from the Blood In The Gears recording session, and stay tuned for more information regarding The Showdown and Blood In The Gears.

The Showdown is…

David Bunton – vocals

Josh Childers – guitar

Patrick Judge – guitar

Jeremiah Scott – bass

The Showdown online…

www.myspace.com/theshowdown

www.facebook.com/TheShowdown

www.twitter.com/showdownmetal 

www.youtube.com/TheShowdownMetal

www.solidstaterecords.com

View Cover

Whether it is the personification of Jack Butler, the Crossroads demonically inspired virtuoso,  the role as Frank Zappa’s legendary protégé and music transcriptionist, stints with renowned bands such as Alcatrazz , Whitesnake and David Lee Roth, or the symbolic cartographer for Ibanez guitars, Steve Vai is nothing if not a musical chameleon and virtuoso. He along with Satriani, Eric Johnson, and Yngwie Malmstein have taken the art of the axe to an almost unbelievable level inspiring six string slayers and stylistic shredders across the globe. As an artist few travel in the same realm as Vai and as a producer, composer, philanthropist, Steve Vai has truly become the Rock Renaissance man…

Following on the heels of his much acclaimed DVD “Where The Wild Things Are”, Vai is as driven as ever and pulling out more tricks from his guitar case than one can possibly imagine.

Recently I had the opportunity to catch up with Steve and find out what makes this mastermind tick like an amplified human metronome and what else he has up his sleeve for the future musical world.

AAM: Your beginning in music is notably rooted in your association with Frank Zappa… Zappa has been taken very seriously as a composer, and a musical renaissance man what did you walk away with from that experience other than writer’s cramp from notating the infamous “black page” and Stevie’s Spanking?

Steve Vai: (chuckling) Well, when you think about it when I started working with Frank I was 18 years old and then I joined the band when I was 20 so when you think about what your consciousness was like when you 20, to all of a sudden be working with Frank, you know it was exciting and  challenging. But, it wasn’t challenging in the way as a lot of people might think. For me it was really applying the music and being on top of everything Frank was giving me, that wasn’t a problem, I enjoyed it very much and I worked 24/7 on it-what was difficult for me was that I was totally inexperienced with touring and how to take carry yourself on tour and I just didn’t have a good constitution–I just learned a lot about the road and about being a professional. One of the things  I took away from Frank  most was how he would make his music in the face of any kind of adversity. He didn’t care what anybody said, or if there was anything going on or if anybody told him he could or couldn’t do anything- he did what he wanted –you know -he marched to the beat of his own drummer. He was a very good business man, he protected his intellectual property- and he got paid fair value for his work. And I learned all this—he was very honest too.

AAM: At the end of the day, do you consider yourself a rock guitarist?

Steve Vai- Yeah I do- you know rock music has always been my favorite form of music and you know a lot of people get hung up on putting tags on themselves—“oh my music isn’t this and it isn’t that”…well I wouldn’t necessarily say my music  is jazz or classical or anything like that but if I had to pick a particular genre I’d say it’s more rock than anything else. It just keeps things clarified to say I am a rock guitarist. But, you know everybody has their own take, I’ve been called everything from a Mongolian  string bender from the 80’s to one of the best kept musical secrets !

AAM: You have become a cultural and musical icon…can you tell our readers what inspires you creatively?

Steve Vai: Well the thing that inspires me the most is a good idea. You know, when you’re just working or walking about or just doing, or minding your own business and suddenly an idea just comes to you. And a lot of time, and we all do it, we all thrive on the feeling of creative accomplishment. One of the great things about art is there is no real judgment you know? Because if it feels right to you and it excites you, that’s the important thing.
What excites me the most is when I get an idea of what I feel is somewhat unique to other ideas that I have had. I hear it in my head, I hear it finished. That becomes such a compelling thing that I become consumed with it…I become obsessed with completing a particular thought and it’s not unlike a lot of other artists and creative people and you just thrive on the sense of accomplishment. You know the unique idea is really the juice! Where they come from, I don’t know. People try to explain where their inspiration comes from and I can site things or situations in my life or certain things I like that are inspirations for certain ideas, but the point where the melody comes to your head and it is an unique thought..I really don’t know where it comes from..perhaps the greatness of creative juice..

AAM: “Where the Wild things Are” shows you deep in your element of performance, art, humor, conducting and musicianship… What clicked with you creatively to put such a dynamic ensemble and art piece together?

Steve Vai: Well there’s various band permeations I am interested in exploring one of them is with three percussionists, one is with 12 horns and one was with a couple of violins. This was a perfect opportunity to do the violins, I had just come off of a record that was a double live orchestra record. I thought well, originally I kicked it off with one violin player and then Ann Marie Calhoun sent me this demo and I was so blown away that I had to get her in the band. It was really a wonderful opportunity to be able to be able to orchestrate some pieces from my catalogue with the violins because my music is kind of compositional. So, it allows me a lot of re-orchestration possibilities and since there is so many flailing guitars all over the place, those kinds of lines sound great on violin- especially if the violin has some distortion on it, and its got someone who really knows how to wield it so those two players were just so amazing and it was just a great opportunity to be able to create these harmonies and stuff that were just lashing all over the place.

AAM: Watching the video, it was obvious that the band was on top of their game.

Steve Vai: Yes, we rehearsed for one full month for between 12 and 15 hours a day. I gotta hand it to the band, they had so much patience, they really studied those parts, and knew that when you go out there, you gotta own it! You can’t fake that stuff.  It didn’t even really dawn on me, and I don’t mean to sound pretentious, how beautiful the band was, I didn’t lift my head up until I was watching the DVD in a theater in Hollywood at the premier..and up to that point everything was preparation. Orchestrating the music, writing it out for everybody, finding the band, all the logistics that go into getting a rehearsal place, and paying for it,   going through the rehearsals and scheduling the tour dates, getting on tour, arranging the filming of everything and once that was done, and so I was always looking at the next step..so when it came time to edit it and mix it , it was unbelievably this big job, you know? It took like a year…and it was never quite done…Because then after I mixed it and I watched it, I wanted to fix the color and that took weeks and weeks and weeks… and then finally I was getting test discs. We were testing Blu Ray up until the day it was shown at the theater, and that’s when I had the final Blu Ray and that’s when I finally watched it and I think it was during “Angel Food” and I thought holy shit, this is really amazing…this is like –so pushing my buttons because that piece of music was normally just guitar and piano and I had re-orchestrated everything for violin and guitar and whole band and I were so happy with the way it came out. All the time that you’re in rehearsals and on the stage playing , you’re not listening to it you’re just focusing on keeping and staying in the mentality of the ensemble …and then when you’re sitting in a theatre watching it, it finally hit me ..I was thinking just how lucky I am to have this, and create it … and have the opportunity to sit here.

AAM: The video had to be a huge chapter in your “sonic scrapbook”?

Steve Vai: Yeah, well it’s like every record you make is a sonic scrapbook!

AAM: As a business man, you have introduced the concept of Vai Tunes and you have Favored Nations, kind of a build it and they will come philosophy..tell us about these projects?

Steve Vai: It’s a very simple mentality that actually started when I started working with Frank.  I just felt that if you want to do something, you really have to do it yourself..and anyone that is relying on anyone else to do it for them was being foolish. There’s great people in the industry that are there to do their job but you have to initiate it, you have to have the vision, move forward and surround yourself with the right people.  You just can’t expect someone to do that for you. When it comes time to booking a tour for example, I don’t book the tour myself.. I rely on good people to do it and I try to find those good people to do it, and I have a fantastic manager that I have been with for many years , Ruta Sepetys and she does a lot –but I initiate it..you know what I mean? I initiate getting a good manager and working with the manager and looking ahead to the next thing..I knew with the kind of music I wanted to make I knew that radio wasn’t going to play it, it wasn’t going to be on MTV, or on the cover of Rolling Stone, but still, I knew there was an audience for it because there’s an audience for everything.
Back in the early days, when I made my first solo record, when I saw what conventional record deals were like it was a no brainer. Basically this is unfair, this is bizarre and I’m not doing it…what should I do? And a lot of people feel if they can’t get a record deal they can’t make a record, but there are more than ten ways to make a record and get it out into the world! So I just did some research and I’m very resourceful and I discovered a record company uses a distributer and a marketing team so I just hired my own people. And I had my own little label back then and I released my record and it was a wild success even back then.

AAM: Sometimes you have to build your own destiny.

Steve Vai: Yeah , that’s right you really need to ! Through the years, and when I was with these other bands and I was a participant vs. an independent and I was signed to Sony for many years and they had a lot of muscle and I did a lot of good projects with them and even though I was still independent in my own right, I was still working with a major. I knew that it takes a lot of energy to run a label and do everything yourself..so I started Favored Nations 12 years ago just to kind of like um, create a forum for very artistic people I feel have all the elements and are great at what they do, with LA Guns that was, after all these years,  more of a launch of a rock /metal thing which I plan on cultivating. I enjoy it, a lot of people have a lot to say about the music business but it’s been really good to me and it’s a great industry really. There’s a lot of creative people and it’s like any other industry where you have to be careful with whom you are working with and what you are doing…

AAM: So obviously we know that many of our readers want to know about the guitar nuts and bolts..so we have a guest interviewer if you will, a guitarist who is going to pick your brain a bit on equipment, guitars and sound. Jon- Steve Vai, Steve Vai- Jon Epstein…

Steve Vai: Cool- Hi Jon!

JON: Hey Steve—this is a great opportunity for us to get technical for a moment… you are associated with state of the art audio gear and affects  , for ex the Jem and yet your guitars are basically old school, and have passive pick ups vs active…what it is it about the basic electric guitar that appeals to you?

Steve Vai:   Well when I was a teenager I was in love with the Strat because it had a whammy bar and when  I sat down with it, it felt really good in my lap. But as I musically matured my vision of what I wanted to do on the instrument was changing.  I had some idiosyncratic ways of playing that the conventional guitar just really didn’t fulfill.  So back in 1986 I started to morph my guitars. I just applied a practical mentality to it. I’ve got big hands so I had a cutaway made that was much bigger than on a conventional Strat.  A conventional Strat has 22 frets, I wanted 24. There weren’t a lot of guitars back then that had 24 frets and a whammy bar, you know?  I wanted to have a very specific pickup configuration with a combination of single coils and humbuckers with a five position switch that would split coils and all of that was very unique, and back then the Floyd Rose  tremolo bar would only go in one direction I took a screwdriver and a hammer carved out the wood of the guitar so I could go both directions.
Then there were just a couple of practical applications like the location of the input jack, getting rid of one of the tone controls. This became a guitar that was very suited to my way of playing, but you couldn’t buy anything like it.  I had this store in Hollywood making me these guitars.  Then when I joined Dave Roth’s band every guitar manufacturer in the world wanted me to play their instruments.
My big question was: Why would I play a guitar that wasn’t suited to my style?  So I said “If you guys want to make this guitar, I’ll play that.”  I gave them all the specs and quite a few companies made me guitars, and most of them just weren’t any good. But Ibanez came back in two weeks with a flawless instrument, which I haven’t changed since and it’s 23 years old.  Those guitars (The Ibanez RG, which is based on the Vai designed Jem)  are second only to the Stratocaster in total sales worldwide.   But for me it was just a practical thing to come up with it.

JON: You are rightly associated with the introduction of the 7 string guitar into American rock music and yet the number of 7 string players remains limited to extreme genres, what is it about the 7 string that prevents it going more main stream?

Steve Vai:  The Ibanez Universe was the first production model 7 string guitar in history, and the Jem is the longest running signature series guitar.  I think the issue with the 7 string is that most people are simply attracted to the conventional, while fewer are attracted to the unconventional.  So when you are choosing a guitar most people will go for the six string instead of the 7 string because that 7th string represents a big question mark. But, for example, when the whole nu-metal movement happened, they look at it and said “Aha! I know what I’m going to do with that 7th string!”

JON: If you could only have three pieces of gear what would they be?

Steve Vai:   Three pieces of gear? Wow.  It would be my “Evo” (Vai’s Jem Prototype),  a pencil, and manuscript paper.  A pencil with a whole lot of lead!

JON: Thanks Steve for indulging our inner guitar geek!

Steve: No problem…!

AAM: So, Speaking of bees… you have been known to be quite the bee enthusiast…are you still harvesting honey and what else does Steve Vai do for fun?

Steve Vai:  <laughing> Well, you know I’ve been approached to have a reality tv series, you know where they follow you around with a camera and you know I always refuse because I would be so boring for people! There’s no real drama in my life really! Knock wood!
I started with the bees because we bought this property that was vacant for ten years before we bought it and everything was dead. Fruit trees and gardens and such and  I did some research and I discovered that honey bees are fantastic for pollinating. So,  I called a local beekeeper and he explained to me how to do it and I got some books, and its an easy hobby, the bees do all of the work and you get a lot of honey!

AAM: And besides that the beekeeper uniform is pretty cool?

Steve Vai- Yeah, and you get to wear stylish outfits!  But as far as other hobbies…I like to spend time with my family, my boys and I have been with the same woman for 32 years, hang out with friends, but as far as hobbies..well you know I like architecture. I like to design things. Homes, like we did a remodel on our home an I did the whole thing myself on a CAD program,  built a studio for myself..see I told you BORING!!

AAM: Well at least you have a fall back career if this whole guitar “thing” doesn’t work out <laughing>!

Steve Vai: Well it’s too late for that! It’s worked out already! <laughing>

AAM: You have and continue to influence guitarists and musicians worldwide….who influences you?

Steve Vai: Well you’d be surprised.  Umm, when I was young growing up as a teenager I was into all that cool progressive 70’s stuff…Led Zeppelin was really big for me.. I took lessons from Joe Satriani, and he was always a big influence and he’s always been a mentor.  I liked all that Brian May, Ritchie Blackmoore, players like that— Jeff Beck. But these days the music I listen to is totally different.. I love Tom Waits. He’s my favorite artist, I don’t go anywhere without his entire catalogue…and more often than not if I have a chance to listen to music, I listen to him.  But I’m also in to new things, especially metal and rock because my kids are into that.. and there’s certain classical composers that I like. I listen to Luciano Bario , his stuff really blows me away because I understand composition and composition allows you to really get into the personality and nuances  of the creator. When you compose you have control over so many elements,  and when I listen to people like Luciano Bario and  György Ligeti and Stravinsky, Mahler and Edgar Varèse I really enjoy that stuff, it really moves me.

AAM: And those are some impressive composers!

Steve Vai:  Yeah, but then like my kids came home with the new Gorillaz record, and I just thought it was a great record!

AAM: So what are the future plans for Steve Vai?

Steve Vai:  Well I’ll be going to London doing a Master Class in November. I’ve got a pretty intense schedule this fall. I’m going to be kicking off a four day Steve Vai festival in Holland where two of the days are going to be with the Holland Symphony Orchestra. So right now until October most of my days are spent composing for that. Then after that I go into the first rehearsal for an Experience Hendrix tour  and I am very excited about participating in that and then right from that I go to London, to do another clinic and then my studio will be finished and I start recording and go on tour next year .

AAM: Any final thoughts for our readers?

Steve Vai: You know I just thought of a fun hobby I have…it’s kind of silly… We have this white picket fence <laughing>, and I built this picked fence and I put 5 pieces of wood across it and I painted it white and my wife planted these roses and the roses are all different colors and when they grow, the roses look like musical notes, like they are on staff paper. So I take pictures and I transcribe it and sometimes it’s bizarre and sometimes you can get some interesting melodies out of it.

AAM: Wow, Steve that sounds like a major undertaking and a really unusual hobby!

Steve Vai: Well I call it “Fret Stuning”…<laughing> (AAM: as in “Festooning”?  Steve- ‘Yeah!”) But, forgive me I didn’t really answer your last question… obviously thank you for the support, check out Vai Tunes which is a cool concept I am working on and if you’re interested in this kind of thing, stick with it— it’s only going to get better!

AAM: And that you can count on! Thanks for your time Steve!

Steve Vai- Thanks Kim and Jon!

By: Kim Thore with Jon Epstein

Special thanks to Sean Carpenter at Favored Nations and Ruta E. Sepetys at SEG Inc.

For more information on Steve Vai you can go to www.vai.com

As the camouflage tarp came off the stage revealing a huge Grenade, a 50 caliber machine gun with I am sure fake bullets, American Flag, bull skulls and a Fox skin hanging from a stand, Ted stepped on stage decked out in a snakeskin hat, sleeveless shirt and blue jeans carrying with him a very beautiful American Flag clad Gibson Les Paul ripping through one of the most awesome renditions of the “Star Spangled Banner” I think I have heard in a very long time..  As soon as he was done putting chills down everyone’s spine to try and cool the crowd off from the heat wave that has hit Virginia this week, he took a second to Say “Hello Virginia”, and how are you “Can you say Hello Uncle Ted”? , to which the crowd of about 2500 or more didn’t hesitate to respond with “Hello Uncle Ted”.

From “Star Spangled Banner”, he turned right into “Stormtroopin” then followed that up with the craziest sounding rendition of “Girl you really got me”.  Ted was throwing riffs and kicks so hard it’s not hard to see that Ted has kept his Guitar tuned to the way he wants everyone to hear the “Spirit of the wind” as he would say.

Next up was “Wango Tango” and “Wang Dang Sweet Poontang” to which Ted played a very bluesy solo that lasted about five or so minutes, after “Wang Dang” he stopped for a few minutes to say “God Bless you Virginia” “How we doing so far?”, to which the crowd gave “Uncle Ted” their loudest “AWESOME” shout I have heard in an outdoor venue such as this.

Ted took time to introduce “The Funky Brothers”, Mick Brown on drums and Greg Smith on backup vocals and Bass guitar, then he took a second to raise up a couple of the Machine Guns he had on stage and said, “All the Skinny Girls” get free machine guns tonight and if anyone is wondering, I have permits for these and here they are right here as he raised both his middle fingers and said that “Anyone that doesn’t like these permits, can eat shit and die”

After placing his guns back down, Ted took a moment to give a special thanks to our Military brothers and sisters out there fighting for our freedom to be carrying these guns and for our rights to come out here tonight and listen to “Uncle Ted”, he also gave special thanks to all the law enforcement officers out there keeping the peace and then he dedicated this next song to all the brave “Warriors” out there, to which he rolled straight into “Rawdogs and Warthogs” and there were points in this set where I could defiantly feel every heart pounding kick from “Wild Mick” and could definitely feel the hard hitting “Kill a dear from a thousand yards” shreds Greg Smith was shredding from his Fender Precision Bass, as they were really tearing it up on stage with Ted as if they wanted all the troops overseas to hear and feel all the love and appreciation they had for them to be over there giving the ultimate sacrifice.

Ted also played “Love Grenade”,” KLSTRPHNKY”, “Soul Man” and the whole crowd was on their feet swinging and dancing with one another. He also debuted the reason he is back out on tour with “Trample the Weak and Hurdle the Dead” letting “Wild Mick” tear it up on the drums for a good 5 minute ending solo, which could have blasted the hide off a grizzly bear it was so hard hitting, to which he asked the crowd afterward, “It’s alright to be debuting new shit out here tonight isn’t it?”  To which the crowd immediately screamed “HELL YEAH”.

Ted stepped center stage about three quarters of the way through his set and said “Warriors out there” the best thing you can do is teach a child to hunt, trap, and fish and teach them to preserve our rights and freedoms that our fore fathers back in the day fought for and to teach them the “Spirit of the Woods” and dedicated “Fred Bear” to all the old and new upcoming “Warriors” out there in the crowd tonight.

Ted then took a minute and asked the crowd was there some kind of “Fever” going around in Virginia or was he just feeling “Hot” from the heat that was blazing down on the stage?  Crowd answered “No Uncle Ted” we just want some “Cat Scratch Fever”, and Ted obliged the crowd by rolling into a sweet version of his “#1A” hit songs as he called it gyrating back and forth as he allowed the crowd to sing the chorus all on their own.

Ted then said, “since that was his “#1A” hit song he was going to give the crowd his “#1” song,  where he brought out his Gibson Byrdland to play  “Stranglehold” to end the night, but this wasn’t just the “Stranglehold” of Ted back in the day, this rendition he performed was one of the most inspiring, spine tingling, bring you to your knees versions of this song that I think I have ever heard, as I know he played the solo for a good ten minutes just shredding his guitar so masterfully  and never letting go of some of the chords for a minute to make you feel what he was giving you.  As soon as he was done with “Stranglehold”, Ted stepped back, opened his arms to soak in all the love the crowd was giving him and said “Thank You Virginia”, God Bless Virginia’s Attitude and God Bless Virginia’s Freedom, “Uncle Ted” loves ya, Good Night”

This concert was definitely one to check out as Ted definitely entertains his “Animals” as well as promotes his strong beliefs in gun ownership and hunting, but that is not just what he does, Ted after 30 plus years being in this crazy music industry entertains you as well as he can still tear you up as if he was skinning you alive with the way he can still play the guitar and I know it takes dedication to the craft as well as dedication to the fans to come out on tour and still play like you have always have without even blinking an eye and I for one have never see and you can definitely tell that Ted Nugent has not lost his will or desire to bring the music to the masses that are willing to come out and see “Uncle Ted” .

“Keep killing them with the Spirit, Uncle Ted”

Review and Photos provided by:  Stephen Gibson Photography

Neverdie Studios has launched RockTropia.com, the first-ever virtual music world!  The ‘planet’ introduces an interactive venue for artists to connect with their fans while also creating a new revenue stream for the music industry and for new artists to pursue fame and fortune.

ROCKtropia’s landscape has created a fully interactive 3D destination that allows artists, their fan base and gamers to interact in an environment that keeps users entertained while providing a valuable, untapped revenue stream for artists.  In addition to introducing ground breaking communication and revenue capabilities in the music space, the planet also allows artists unprecedented creative input into their online presence with their own highly stylized land.

The first continent to be inhabited on the planet was created for rock icon LEMMY KILMISTER, lead singer and bassist of Motorhead.  Kilmister’s domain of ROCKtropia’s land includes:

Lemmy’s Castle ~ located high in the rugged terrain and mountains, the Castle sits on the north side of ROCKtropia and is guarded by demon spawn, dragons and other creatures created by Lemmy himself.

Motorhead Stadium ~ a massive arena inside a crater featuring three large stages that are the location for live performances and Battle Events.

“It’s the best idea that has ever been visited upon in my suffering years,” notes Kilmister. “I mean, I get to invent monsters and then they slaughter thousands of people and I get paid for it!    What could possibly be better than that?”

Lemmy’s Castle is administered by his son Paul Inder with many of the monsters created from Kilmister’s own personal sketches. (Paul Inder pic jpg suggested here)  There are also exclusive, limited edition virtual goods that can be earned by early members of ROCKtropia like the opportunity to win guitar axes by defeating the guardians of Lemmy’s Castle.

Without depending on album sales, artists are able to generate real world revenue from their fans’ participation in their land through Entropia’s virtual reality economic system, including the introduction of limited edition virtual merchandise tied to album launches.  The symbiotic relationship also allows fans to earn real world income through activity in the virtual goods economy of their favorite artist’s destination, creating additional incentive for fans to get involved in the community.

The virtual music planet ROCKtropia where Lemmy’s Castle resides can be downloaded directly from www.RockTropia.com for free.  There are no subscription fees.  The game requires Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 in order to run and a moderately powerful graphics card.

You can see an interview with Lemmy and his son Paul along with Lemmy’s Castle footage during Kilmister’s recent appearance on “Focus in the Mix with Denise Ames” TV Show available to watch at www.FocusintheMixwithDeniseAmes.com, Past Episodes, Lemmy episode Part 2.  To contact Paul Inder email RosewoodStrat@gmail.com.