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| Don
Dokken, Mark Strigl, & John Ostronomy at Total Access in Redondo Beach, CA. |
"I
think the show is terrific...I'm sure it's going to be a huge success!"
- Rob Halford
"You guys started doing something really cool...I think it's the coolest f**kin' thing!" - Nikki Sixx "Mark and John are true blue authentic metal fans and it shows." - Decibel Magazine |
John
Ostronomy, Geoff Tate, & Mark Strigl at Gibson Guitars in New York, NY. |
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EATING
WITH MARK STRIGL TALKING
METAL TO HAPPY
4TH OF JULY WITH TALKING
METAL HOSTS' VH1 GENE
SIMMONS RISKS LIFE OSTRONOMY
MEETS OVERLOADED
ADDED GUNS
N' ROSES RARE
KISS UNMASKED TALKING
METAL & TALKING
METAL TO BUMBLEFOOT
AND TALKING
METAL JAMS FUSE
ROCKS THE GARDEN: BRAZILIAN
METAL FUSE
GREEN LIGHTS OSTRONOMY
PERFORMS BAM
MARGERA TALKS GN'R
GUITARIST TALKING
METAL MORE
PHOTOS OF |
EATING WITH MARK STRIGL Mark Strigl was recently spotted dining with former Hades and Non-Fiction guitarist, Dan Lorenzo, at the Milburn, New Jersey hotspot, "Basilico." They enjoyed good conversation and food with their wives. Mark drank a bottle of wine while everyone else had water. Mark and Dan also discussed the possibility of forming an all-star hard rock cover band. In other
news, Guns N' Roses members
Bumblefoot and Frank Ferrer
attended a barbecue at the Strigl's
home in Maplewood, New Jersey on July 5th. The gathering included over
30 guests including John Ostronomy
and C.C. Banana.
TALKING METAL HOSTS TO APPEAR ON VH1's 40 FREAKIEST CONCERT MOMENTS Talking Metal hosts Mark Strigl and John Ostronomy will appear as commentators on VH1's 40 Freakiest Concert Moments on Friday, July 11 at 11:30 PM and 12:30 AM. Mark and John join Ronnie James Dio, Zakk Wylde, Riki Rachtman, Eddie Trunk, and more to wax philosophically about the most outrageous onstage moments from artists including Motley Crue, Marilyn Manson, Rage Against the Machine, and Rammstein. Please see below for details. Talking Metal on TV Tune-In Times: Fri Night
7/11 at 11:30
PM ET/11:30
PM PT:
VH1
40 Freakiest Concert Moments 40-21
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY WITH ZAKK WYLDE, SLASH, DAVE MUSTAINE, & KISS
TALKING METAL celebrates the 4th of July with great YouTube clips of Zakk Wylde, Slash, Dave Mustaine, and KISS performing "The Star Spangled Banner." Check out the videos above! Video Captions:
TALKING METAL HOSTS' VH1 "TALKING HEAD" CLIPS ON YOUTUBE
TALKING METAL hosts Mark Strigl and John Ostronomy have appeared as "talking heads" on various VH1 programs including "40 Freakiest Concert Moments," "40 Least Metal Moments," and "100 Most Metal Moments." A clip of John (in full costume and makeup) commenting on Rammstein as well as a clip of Mark commenting on L7 are available on YouTube. Check them out above. (Please note that Mark appears in the second of two L7 moments contained in the clip.) Video Captions:
GENE SIMMONS RISKS LIFE FOR FANS EVERY NIGHT Credit: Courtesy of Gerhard Wimmer & KISSOnline.com After Gene made it safely back to the stage, he exclaimed, "We risk our lives for you motherf**kers...every year, every night, for thirty five f**kin' years..for you! Check out the video here. Photo Caption:
OSTRONOMY MEETS TALKING METAL LISTENERS & VIEWERS Credits: Courtesy of Talking Metal, Nick Mucha, Bo Cohrt, & Faith Fleeser
Talking Metal's John Ostronomy has caught up with listeners and viewers at numerous locations everywhere from concerts and auctions to shopping malls and birthday parties. Check out these photos with listeners and viewers from Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and Texas. Photo Captions:
OVERLOADED ADDED TO ROCKLAHOMA Talking Metal favorites, Overloaded, will take the stage during a great primetime slot at this year's Rocklahoma event. Don't miss their set, Wednesday July 9th at 8:15 pm, on the second stage south.
GUNS N' ROSES REFERENCES ON MEERKAT MANOR, HOMICIDE, & MEGA SNAKE I have recently noticed various Guns N' Roses and other rock and metal references while watching some of my favorite television shows. Some are outright nods while others are intended to be perceived exclusively by musicians and music fans. Such examples can be found in Animal Planet's "Meerkat Manor," a British television series that tells the story of the Whiskers, one of many families of meerkats in Africa's Kalahari Desert. A meerkat family first appearing in Season 3, named the Zappa family, appears to be named after musician, Frank Zappa, as Frank is the name of their original dominant male meerkat. Zappa family pups also include Axel and Slash and sister Rose, named after Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose and former GN'R and current Velvet Revolver guitarist, Slash. A member of the Commando family is also named Dizzy, presumably after GN'R keyboard player, Dizzy Reed. Other examples can be found in NBC's "Homicide," where in episode 3 of season 2, entitled "Black and Blue," a murder suspect, Lane Staley, is named after Alice In Chains' late lead vocalist Layne Staley. "Homicide's" season 2 episode 4, entitled "A Many Splendored Thing," soon followed with the character Chris Novaselic, named after former Nirvana bassist, Krist Novaselic. In addition, "Homicide's" pilot episode also contained an outright reference to Guns N' Roses when after Detective John Munch (played by Richard Belzer) was told that a suspect had long blonde hair, he said, "Great, we can arrest Axl Rose." In addition, Mark Strigl mentioned that current Guns N' Roses lead guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal was referenced in the Sci Fi Channel original movie Mega Snake, and upon further research, I noticed that one of the main characters is named Duff, likely after former GN'R and current Velvet Revolver bassist, Duff McKagan. What this
all illustrates is the following: despite that CD sales appear to be
a thing of the past, and stores like Tower
Records and the Virgin Megastore
have or will be closing their doors forever, an audience still exists
for hard rock and heavy metal. They may not be out at the music stores
or attending every concert that plows through their town, but although
they may have traded in their leather jackets and spiked belts for lawnmowers
and weed eaters, they can still appreciate an occasional dose of the
music that got them through high school. Entry by John Ostronomy
RARE KISS UNMASKED PHOTOS & GENE SIMMONS VIDEO INTERVIEW POSTED ONLINE Credit: Charlie Auringer Courtesy of Backstage Gallery
In addition, a rare 1979 video interview of Gene Simmons has been posted on YouTube. In the video, courtesy of John Gorman, author of "The Buzzard: Inside the Glory Days of WMMS and Cleveland Rock Radio," Gene Simmons discusses comic books with WMMS' Denny Sanders. Click here to watch the video. Photo Caption:
TALKING METAL HOSTS & MEMBERS OF HADES, OVERKILL, & SEVEN WITCHES JAM AGAIN Talking Metal hosts Mark Strigl and John Ostronomy recently participated in a second jam session with Dan Lorenzo (The Cursed, Hades, Non-Fiction), Ron Lipickni (Overkill, Hades), and Alan Tecchio (Seven Witches, Hades, Non-Fiction, Watchtower). Former Hades drummer, Dan Lecinsky, also joined in this time on both vocals and drums. "We are having such a great time jamming together," said Ostronomy, "I really want to do something live!"
TALKING METAL HOSTS TO APPEAR ON VH1's 40 FREAKIEST CONCERT MOMENTS Talking Metal hosts Mark Strigl and John Ostronomy will appear as commentators on VH1's 40 Freakiest Concert Moments on Wednesday, June 18 at 11:00 PM and 12:00 AM. Mark and John join Ronnie James Dio, Zakk Wylde, Riki Rachtman, Eddie Trunk, and more to wax philosophically about the most outrageous onstage moments from artists including Motley Crue, Marilyn Manson, Rage Against the Machine, and Rammstein. Please see below for details. Talking Metal on TV Tune-In Times: Wed Night
6/18 at 11:00
PM ET/11:00 PM PT:
VH1
40 Freakiest Concert Moments 40-21
BUMBLEFOOT AND OSTRONOMY ATTEND THE EDGE'S MUSIC RISING II "ICONS OF MUSIC" AUCTION IN NEW YORK CITY Credits: © 2008 Talking Metal
Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and Talking Metal's John Ostronomy attended the second ever Music Rising "Icons of Music" auction at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City. Music Rising is a campaign that was launched to rescue the musical culture of the Central Gulf region of the United States from the destruction caused by the catastrophic hurricanes of the summer of 2005 by replacing the musical instruments lost or destroyed in the deluge. It was created in November of 2005 by U2 guitarist The Edge, music producer Bob Ezrin, and Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz with inaugural partners Gibson Musical Instruments, Guitar Center Music Foundation, MusiCares, and Musicians Friend. Photo Captions:
TALKING METAL HOSTS JAM WITH MEMBERS OF HADES, OVERKILL, & SEVEN WITCHES Talking Metal hosts Mark Strigl and John Ostronomy recently had the opportunity to jam with some amazing musicians: Dan Lorenzo (The Cursed, Hades, Non-Fiction), Ron Lipickni (Overkill, Hades), and Alan Tecchio (Seven Witches, Hades, Non-Fiction, Watchtower). The group covered classic tracks from Judas Priest, KISS, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, and Iron Maiden. Could a live performance be in the works? Stay tuned!
FUSE
ROCKS THE GARDEN: FOO FIGHTERS Concert Marks Bands First Performance at Madison Square Garden; Underscores Fuse/MSG Relationship New Original Programs Debut Week of February 18 New York (February 5, 2008) - Fuse, the national music television network continues to strengthen its commitment to original music programming with four additions to its programming slate. Beginning the week of February 18 the network will premiere a live concert special, Fuse Rocks the Garden: Foo Fighters, the bands first concert from the World's Most Famous Arena, and three new original series. "A passion for music is at the heart of Fuse," said Eric Sherman, president, Fuse. "Fuse is tapping into viewers' passion for music by providing both original long-form programming and music specials that appeal to every fan. From close brushes with death to concerts from the world's most famous arena, viewers will find a variety of new music programming on Fuse." CONCERT
SERIES ORIGINAL
PROGRAMMING Live
Through This: Nikki Sixx, Thursday, February 21, 10pm - 11pm
(6 episodes, 30 minutes) Talking
Metal, Friday, February 22, 12 midnight (6 episodes, 30 minutes) About
Fuse
BRAZILIAN METAL There is a certain phenomenon that happens every time a Brazilian metal band breaks up. The remaining members keep the band name and reform around a group of musicians who unexpectedly elevate the band's previous legacy. In 2001, Angra guitarists, Kiko Loureiro and Rafael Bittencourt did the unthinkable. Following the departure of singer Andre Matos, bassist Luis Mariutti, and drummer Ricardo Confessori, Angra continued with a new lineup featuring Edu Falaschi on vocals, Felipe Andreoli on bass, and Aquiles Priester on drums. Matos, Mariutti, and Confessori, meanwhile, formed a new band, Shaman, with Luis Mariutti's younger brother, Hugo, on guitars. With the break-up of the classic Angra lineup, the biggest question was whether the two camps would be able to work independently from each other, yet still make music on par with Angra's best work? If there is one lesson of rock history, it's that band break-ups usually do not work out. In the instance of Angra, however, the break-up proved to be a blessing in disguise. Both camps reformed with a new energy and purpose, producing albums which easily surpassed the classic Angra lineup's last offering together, "Fireworks". The challenges created by the break-up also played a key role in the new music direction taken by each camp. Shaman's debut, "Ritual" is a natural progression from Angra's 1996 album "Holy Land". The music is unmistakably influenced by frontman, Andre Matos' love of Brazilian and classical music. Angra's "Rebirth", on the other hand, retains the classical influences of classic Angra, but downplays the Brazilian influences. The Brazilian influences are there, but are less prevalent. In this way, "Rebirth" is closer to Angra's "Fireworks". "Rebirth", in fact, is not that drastic of a departure from "Fireworks" which shows a more progressive side of Angra. Stylistically, "Metal Icarus", "Mystery Machine" and "Speed"would fit well on the "Rebirth" album. The success of each camp following the break-up can be attributed to certain differences. For Shaman, the decision to regroup around guitarist Hugo Mariutti was key in establishing a separate musical identity from Angra. The difference can be heard almost immediately from the first notes of Shaman's "Here I Am" from their debut, "Ritual". Mariutti offers a style and approach that is closer to Zakk Wylde and Jon Schaffer while the guitar duo of Loureiro and Bittencourt may best be described as John Petrucci meets Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. As a fan of Angra and as someone who respects the Angra legacy, it would be sacrilegious to imply that Loureiro and Bittencourt replaced Matos, Mariutti, and Confessori. They are musicians who cannot be "replaced". Rather than seek "replacements", Loureiro and Bittencourt reformed around musicians who stand out on their own musical merits. In this light, Edu Falaschi, Felipe Andreoli, and Aquiles Priester are "additions" to Angra. The musical chemistry under the new lineup is also a much better fit given the progressive direction the band has taken since "Fireworks". While Angra is working on their follow-up to their 2006 album, Aurora Consurgens, the history of Shaman has taken a surprising twist. In October '06, Shaman announced they were disbanding. Soon afterwards, frontman Andre Matos announced he would be recording his first solo album. What came as a surprise, however, is that Ricardo Confessori decided to keep the Shaman name and reform under a new lineup. The results of each venture have proved to be successful. The new Shaman featuring Thiago Bianchi on vocals, Fernando Quesada on bass, and Leo Mancini on guitars has put out a new album entitled "Immortal" which is much heavier and progressive than Shaman's previous efforts. Mancini's guitars are fast and furious while the voice of Thiago Bianchi soars. "One Life" and "In the Dark" feature some of the best vocal performances I have ever heard within the rock/metal genre. One could argue that with the departure of Matos and the Mariutti brothers that it is not the "real" Shaman, but as Confessori's former Angra bandmates, Kiko Loureiro and Rafael Bittencourt have proven, it is possible to be as good if not better under a completely different lineup. After twenty years in the music industry as frontman for Brazilian metal heavyweights Viper, Angra, and Shaman, Matos' trajectory towards solo stardom now seems inevitable. He is not only a brilliant frontman and vocalist, but a gifted composer and writer as well. While Matos' solo effort is under his name, it is still very much a group effort. Just as he did in Shaman, Matos wrote all the lyrics to the songs. This time, however, he shares writing credits with a more varied host of collaborators including Pit Pasarell of Viper, guitarist Alberto Rionda from Spanish metal band, Avalanch, keyboardist Fabio Ribeiro, guitarist Andre Hernandes, the Mariutti brothers, and Roy Z. Matos' new lineup closely resembles the original Shaman with the Mariutti brothers, Hugo and Luis, on guitar and bass, respectively, and Fabio Ribeiro on keyboards. The biggest difference from Shaman is the addition of Andre "Zaza" Hernandes on guitars. Matos' collaboration with Hernandes goes all the way back to the beginning of Angra. Hernandes was the guitarist in Angra before Kiko Loureiro and helped compose parts to songs such as "Carry On" and "Time" from Angels Cry. The addition of Hernandes also brings back the energy and dymanic of having two guitar players in a band. The chemistry between Mariutti and Hernandez often recalls classic era Angra (1991-2000). The drumwork is impressive as well. Rafael Rosa's style often reminds me of Neil Peart, but under a metal context. It's varied and dynamic, but always within the song. Overall, "Time To Be Free" builds upon the strengths of Andre Matos' previous efforts, Angra's Holy Land and Shaman's "Ritual." The album's greatest strength is that it never falls under the trappings of a true solo project which can tip the balance in favor of one person's voice at the expense of others. The entire band shines, not just Andre Matos, and that allows the music to shine. The result is not just one of the best metal albums of the year, but one of Andre Matos' best offerings to date. Essential Listening: Angra
- Holy Land (1996) Entry by Jerred Mathews
FUSE GREEN LIGHTS "TALKING METAL" PILOT #1
HEAVY METAL/HARD ROCK PODCAST ON ITUNES New York, NY - fuse, the national music television network, green lights "Talking Metal on fuse," a one-hour pilot that brings the number-one heavy metal/hard rock podcast on iTunes to television. Hosted by Mark Strigl and John Ostronomy, the ultimate metal geeks and hard rock aficionados, the show provides a unique perspective and insiders look into the world of metal and hard rock music. "Heavy metal has some of the most loyal and passionate fans and has been one of the most consistent performers in music television," said Eric Sherman, president, fuse. "fuse is committed to showcasing a variety of music genres and we're thrilled to be able to bring Mark and John's distinctive voice, along with their number-one podcast, to our network." Premiering
on Friday, November 9 at 12:30 AM ET, "Talking
Metal on fuse" brings Mark
and John's zany antics and superfan-style
perspective to viewers. They take fans on a wild ride where anything
can happen including guitar lessons with Dave
Mustaine (Megadeth),
a book signing road trip with Nikki Sixx
(Motley Crue/Sixx
A.M./The New York Times best selling author), cocktails with
Serj Tankian (System
of a Down), and a home studio makeover-turned-impromptu jam
session with members of Guns N' Roses.
Mark and John
are joined by sidekicks Bud Friendly
(The Metal Wrestler/commentator), resident guitarist Metal
Mike (member of Rob Halford's
and Sebastian Bach's solo bands)
and the "Talking Metal"
fans, a rotating group of in-studio guests who join in on the metal
conversation, offer opinions and throw up the metal horns. About
fuse
OSTRONOMY PERFORMS WITH PAUL STANLEY, GLENN HUGHES, BRUCE KULICK, & MORE! Photo © 2007 Anna Avagyan
Click here to check out the photos from rehearsals and the concert! Photo Caption: Paul Stanley, Glenn Hughes, and John Ostronomy onstage at the B.B. King Blues Bar and Grill in New York City
BAM MARGERA TALKS CHILDREN OF BODOM Credit: Nancy Mazzei/TalkingMetal.com
BAM MARGERA PRESENTS…VIVA LA BANDS, VOL 2 is the latest in Bam's unique musical vision shared with his fans. The CD/DVD combo will hit stores on September 4, 2007 and feature unreleased tracks from Children of Bodom, Clutch, In Flames, CKY, Vains of Jenna, and more. The compilation will also bring together a slew of Bam's other favorite artists such as Gwar, Dimmu Borgir, and The Sounds. The DVD component to this rocking release contains 30 minutes of never-before-seen Bam footage - a must-have for the 'Jackass generation'! Check out www.vivalabands.com, www.ferretstyle.com and www.filthynote.com over the coming weeks to get updates on new additions to the VIVA LA BANDS, VOL 2 track listing. Photo Caption: Mark Strigl, John Ostronomy, April Margera, Bam Margera, Missy Margera, and Phil Margera
GUNS N' ROSES GUITARIST BUMBLEFOOT PERFORMS WITH ALLEN TOUSSAINT AT THE EDGE'S MUSIC RISING "ICONS OF MUSIC" AUCTION IN NEW YORK CITY
The stand-out piece of memorabilia in the auction was Jimi Hendrix's 1966 Red Fender Mustang, which sold for $410,000. Other notable items were Music Rising co-founder, The Edge's 1975 Cream Gibson Les Paul Custom, a Gibson Music Rising Les Paul signed by the Rolling Stones, and Emeril Lagasse's signed green Baldwin R1 Artists Grand piano. Additional event participants and attendees included U2's The Edge and Adam Clayton, model Christy Turlington, "Little Steven" Van Zandt of The Sopranos and the E-Street Band, former Viacom CEO Tom Freston, XM and Q104.3 FM DJ Eddie Trunk, Bald Freak Music CEO Q*Ball, Talking Metal podcast hosts Mark Strigl and John Ostronomy,and actress Gina Gershon. Click here to check out the Music Rising "Icons of Music" photo gallery. Photo Caption: Mark Strigl, Eddie Trunk, John Ostronomy, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, and wife, Jennifer Thal
TALKING METAL LISTENER ART GN'R
Stakeout Credit: Jim Hollander
MORE PHOTOS OF ANTHRAX ON BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SET Credits: Sci Fi Channel
New episodes of Battlestar Galactica return to the Sci Fi Channel on Sunday, January 20 at 10:00 PM. Click here to view the images.
GUNS N' ROSES MEMBERS AUTOGRAPH A GIBSON EPIPHONE GUITAR Credit: TalkingMetal.com Photo courtesy of Gibson Guitars
The guitar was on display at the Gibson booth and given away on the final night of Guns N' Roses' 2006 tour. Click here to check out the photo gallery. Photo Caption: Tommy Stinson and Frank Ferrer (far right)
GUNS N' ROSES GUITARIST ROBIN FINCK VISITS GIBSON GUITAR SHOWROOM Photo Op: Robin Finck (Guns N' Roses) Reprinted
from ModernGuitars.com/November
13, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
