Spin the Black Circle Part I- The Dark

Classick Spin Magazine Moment...

A poor man's Rolling Stone, the Hustler to the Playboy and the Pepsi to the Coke of general/popular music magazines, Spin...

Now Spin wasn't completely useless. I remember every now and then it having something cool enough to read. I remember Slayer being in there a few times, the first being back in 88 or so. But this issue??

Back in 1996 the magazine came out with this...

Featured in this harmless looking waste of trees was two of the most amazing stories. The first one is about the harsh realities of being a hair band in the late 80's/pre-Nirvana 90's and the after effects of said band...on your band. Fucking brilliant stuff. If you haven't read it I'll throw it up in a few days.

The other? A fascinating look into the years after the murders and church burnings, the paranoia and the selling of a scene not meant to be sold. Many of the top dogs of the era are interviewed here and what can I say? Made for some decent reading back then.

If you've read 'Lords of Chaos' like a lot of us nerds did, consider this an abridged version of the Black Metal tome.

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Metal Maniacs: Read In Peace?

While it's been a few weeks since it was "announced" I'm still trying to come to grips with the loss of Metal Maniacs Magazine. I don't care what you think/thought of the magazine, if you thought about it all, but I need to say this...the thing was a pillar of the Metal community for-fucking-ever!

It's loss will affect the scene...mark my words.

I'll be the first to admit I didn't dig 100% of the bands featured, shit, I was probably hovering at about 40% if you really want to know. However I looked at Maniacs as far more important than my individualistic tastes. I never walked away from an issue disappointed, there was always something for everyone.

I'd been a reader since before Metal Mania morphed into Maniacs and can say with a straight face, have never missed an issue. Proud subscriber for well over a decade too...I'm going to miss it.

The support the magazine showed the underground? It was unreal. As it was a major part of the underground, Maniacs never waned in their dedication to spread the word of the "little guy." From demo reviews to the fanzines to the famous "shorts" every issue did the scene right. I was proud as hell to have been reviewed in MM several times over the years. As any zine editor will admit, a review in Metal Maniacs was easily 500+ mag sales. Not kidding, it was like opening the floodgates, think about it 500 x $3 = well, a lot.

There's just this huge void that will remain an open wound unless this magazine comes back. There's some great magazines out there, don't get me wrong. I'm a proud subscriber to many, but there was nothing like a new issue of Maniacs.

The way I look at it is there's some kid in Idaho or bumfuck Illinois who's going to go into the local grocery store and perhaps miss his/her chance at becoming exposed to some of the greatest music ever. Where else are you going to get a Absu or Electric Wizard, Cannibal Corpse, Kreator or Watain cover story to every store in America?

Like I've said several times, it's a shame. However I do not place all the blame on the economy. Sure it's a big part of it, but in my opinion the biggest blame should fall on the shoulders of you! Well, some of you. If you're one of the millions of people who download/steal music this is on you. I think this generation believes they're entitled to get everything for free.

They do not buy magazines because the information is free on the net. Same reason why some do not buy the records, because they feel they've bought enough over the years or whatever the excuse is.

I hope there's light at the end of the Metal Maniacs tunnel, I really do.

Seeing that it might be the end of an era, I figured I'd share my big Metal Maniacs 'interview' story with you. Back in October 2000 I was managing Usurper and the band was invited to play a show in New York at [the legendary] CBGB's. At that time the band's publicist was a guy named Jon Paris. Jon was killer, he had fuck all to work with and I'm sure every check he ever received while employed at Necropolis Records bounced. But like I said he was killer and did as much as he could for the band. [last time I heard his name he was working at SPV]

So Jon's based out of New York so he met us at the hotel and then it's off to do an interview with Metal Maniacs! I was on cloud 9 totally happy for the band to get the big-time exposure in the mag. The interview was going to take place at some restaurant with writer Vinny Cecolini, because as Jon Paris told us beforehand "Vinny likes his food!"

So we get to the place and sit down, Vinnie and Rick did most of the talking, Jon Necromancer and I were opposite them. All I could remember was the worst fucking experience as Vinny would ask a question and then just shovel food down like a madman while pausing to ask another question and then back to the gorging. This went on for 30/40 minutes, I sat there blown away by the vulgar display of face stuffing.

Vinny might be a great writer or whatever and perhaps a helluva guy, but nine years later and I'm still a little disappointed. The article was OK, nothing to brag about and definitely not worth what the lunch cost.

Usurper 9:00 am October 2000, LaGuardia Airport NYC.

Book: Off The Rails by Rudy Sarzo

One of the saddest tales of Rock and Roll will always be the senseless death of Guitarist Randy Rhoads in March of 1982.

There are a lot of Randy fans across the globe, myself included, but what did we really know about him? There’s of course the basics, the beyond gifted musical soul who helped form Quiet Riot with Kevin DuBrow in the late 70’s. A masterful, classically trained guitarist who taught at his Mother’s California music school. His plucking from relative obscurity (outside of Los Angeles and Japan of course) to join Ozzy’s Blizzard of Ozz. His two records with Ozzy that sound as vital and innovative today as when they first hit record store shelves almost 30 years ago. And unfortunately, his untimely death.

‘Off The Rails’ is a tribute to Randy written by bassist Rudy Sarzo. Rudy of course is world known for his work with Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, Blue Oyster Cult and Dio, but he too was plucked from obscurity to join Ozzy’s first post Sabbath touring band. Actually it was Randy who recommended Sarzo for the job thus changing the Cuban’s life forever.

I’ve read a lot of rock books in my time. I’m from the school that each and every book tends to do one of several things to the reader. Some might go straight for the throat (‘The Dirt’) some might expose the core of the “media creation” (‘Heavier Than Heaven’) and some deliver a great subject, but their own opinion tends to muddy things up a bit (‘And Justice For All: The Truth About Metallica’) I had yet to read a book so respectful and yet so brutally honest about the subject and it’s main cast of characters. ‘Off The Rails’ is that book.

The main characters here are an authors wet dream. Ozzy Osbourne (we’re talking the real Ozzy not the stepping in dog shit, mumble jumble, shaky jake TV Ozzy), Sharon Arden (Osbourne), Don Arden, Tommy Aldridge, Randy, Don Airey and more.

Throughout his days with Ozzy and Randy, Sarzo was smart enough to keep a journal and the results are nothing short of phenomenal. ‘Off The Rails’ takes you on the ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ and ‘Diary of a Madman’ tours. From rehearsals to the gigs to bus rides to the days off, Rudy’s memory serves us all rather well. There’s such a refreshing feel to the story as it’s one not too many people really know.

Throughout the years we’ve all been inundated with countless Ozzy stories, the dove, the bat, the Alamo, psych wards etc. However to be “there” at the very beginning when every day was a make or break situation for the fledgling group is about as exciting as it gets.

The real meat and potatoes however is Randy Rhoads, the person. Sarzo’s acute memory of the relationship between the two band mates truly opens the vault. The reader gets to see a side of Rhoads you may have never known to exist. The guitar player everyone in the crowd wanted to be was a quiet, introspective and often a second guessing type of person. Dealing with all the big rock and roll circus stuff seemed to take its toll on Randy and his decision on his future with Ozzy as well as Rock/Metal Guitar.

There are so many things I’d like to be able to mention here, but feel it would lessen the experience of reading this book. I do have to mention how warming it was to read of Randy’s interactions with his fans. From his giving guitar lessons in the street to after hour hangouts with those who respected his playing, Rudy’s words help bring Rhoads to life. Sarzo it seems was as in awe of Randy as his followers. One has to be reminded though, that at the time of his death Randy and the band was still for the most part a struggling one. Some day’s they’d draw 12,000 people and then the next night 1,200.

In building an audience, something they obviously did beyond their wildest dreams, another included “bonus” is the inclusion of critic’s show reviews. Not sure whether to laugh or cry at these. The old saying the more things change, the more they stay the same? Well rock writers even back then were rather clueless. While the majority singled out and praised Randy’s prowess of his instrument, most also had a field day attacking Ozzy. From his stage presence to wardrobe to everything in between they were rather ruthless. However reading these reviews 25 years + after the fact, it’s safe to say Ozzy has had the last laugh.
Sarzo’s recollection of the dynamics between the Blizzard band, crew, support acts (including Motorhead, Def Leppard, Girl, Waysted etc.) and managers/record label suits puts the reader in a “fly on the wall” position. There are several moments in the book where I was beside myself just blown away at the situations the band found themselves in. Of course Ozzy and Sharon’s exploits across the World are now legendary, but amazingly enough back in 81/82 times were so, so different. Could you imagine walking into a hotel room when Ozzy and Sharon are literally beating the shit out of each other?

Speaking of Sharon, although that “woman” has done some really unforgivable things, there’s a certain amount of “respect” she earned from me after reading this book. She was a chip off the old block and learned from one of the most ruthless managers, ever, her father. She called the shots, plain and simple. Reading of the trials and tribulations of the Heavy Metal touring circuit in its infancy and her tenacity, well it too gave me a “warm” feeling inside. The respect factor, it's only based on her pushing Ozzy to the brink for over 30+ years.

The March 19, 1982 chapter is one that I wish was never written. As with any subject where the outcome is death, you read it and maybe re-read it hoping something will change. You wish Metallica’s bus would’ve broke down. You wish someone had taken Bon in for the night. You wish Ronnie, Steve and Cassie would’ve been sitting in the back of the plane…you wish Randy had a guitar lesson scheduled that morning.

What I’m trying to say is ‘Off The Rails’ is about the closest thing to an honest Randy Rhoads/Ozzy Osbourne biography we’ll ever read. It chronicles the most essential period of Ozzy’s post Sab career. Ozzy can’t remember a thing from these days, and Sharon will try to block you from remembering and no one, not even me is waiting for the Don Airey book. I’m very thankful to Rudy for opening his heart and mind for writing this and answering the eternal question…

“So, what was Randy Rhoads like?”

Week In Review..01-25..01-31-09

Crazy week around here, let's catch up, huh?

The week started with the completion of my "binge and purge" period pertaining to the live Metallica experience. Monday and Tuesday found the Metallica/Machine Head tour in my backyard and I was ready to soak it in.

What is it about first shows of a two night stand? That coupled with it being the first show back from a break? Not sure but Machine Head got off to a rough start by beginning their set some 15 minutes late resulting in the loss of of two songs from their set.

Truth be told I was near for the chaotic 15 minutes and silently wondered if they were going to play at all. A piece of the main guitar rig malfunctioned and all the preset sounds for the set were wiped out. From my POV the MH crew did whatever it was that needed to be done under the pressure of 30,000 eyes staring them down.


Soundwise it was also a bit spotty at first, it was actually a lot clearer on the floor than when I hit the seats. Regardless, crowd interaction was definitely there so the rough start eventually hit smooth waters. The band didn't bother pissing and moaning about the tech issues, who wants to hear that? Instead they bulldozed through what time they did have.

Night two was to me, epic and an indication of what Machine Head really have to offer in the live setting. The crowd was even more intense and it gave the vibe of a MH show for the duration of their 45 minute set.

"Clenching the Fists of Dissent", "Imperium", "Halo", "Descend The Shades of Night" and "Davidian" were executed with all the power and fury anyone in attendance could've hoped for. Chicago has always been an important place for MH and while night one may have left some confused at the shortened set, night two completely eclipsed any lingering thoughts from a day earlier.

Metallica fared a little better right out of the gate, and with a multi-million dollar operation running almost nightly that's the way it should be! After seeing so many of these shows it's been cool to see how professionally they're run.

You essentially get the same set list of new 'Death Magnetic' songs and standards ("Sad But True", "Enter Sandman", "Master Of Puppets", "Seek and Destroy", "Nothing Else Matters" etc. with a rotating list of maybe 4 or 5 songs...but I will admit when it's "your jam" (a.k.a. the hi-five moment) I don't care if you're seeing it for the twentieth time, it's fucking on!

"Fight Fire with Fire", "Creeping Death", "Ride The Lightning", "Whiplash", "Blackened", "For Whom The Bell Tolls" were all performed over the two nights, each one as energetic and essential as the next.

Metallica, right now, are at the top of their game. It was a privilage to see them so much after not having seen them in over a decade. Many moons ago I would've bet my house they would never be able to light the internal fire in me they once did. I suppose if I would've made that bet I'd be homeless, yet somehow happy.

In closing, I'd like to say "what's up" to everyone I ran into on both Monday and Tuesday nights. So many people, so many old friends, so many new friends it was the icing on the cake of life. Cheers!

("Fight Fire With Fire")

("Trapped Under Ice")

While nursing a hangover on Wednesday word got out that the Rock and Roll world lost one of the greats.

Billy Powell, the former roadie who became a rock star for his keyboard work with the band Lynyrd Skynyrd, died early Wednesday morning apparently of heart problems at his home in Orange Park, Fla., police said. He was 56.

Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1952, Powell grew up in a traveling military family and went to Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Fla., where he became friends with Leon Wilkeson, future bassist for Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Powell, who took music lessons as a youth, became a roadie for the band until about 1972, when he helped set up the band's equipment at a school prom. There, he sat down at a piano and began to play a version of "Free Bird." Van Zant hired him as keyboardist. The song featured a keyboard introduction that helped turn the piece into a rock 'n' roll anthem and made Powell a star.

Billy holding his own with the very best...2:37-4:02

Metallica/Machine Head Photos Milwaukee, WI 1.12.09

No, not another review...Metallica and Machine Head photos from Milwaukee have been uploaded to our myspace page. Check em out!

SkeletonWitch - Subzero Death

Of all the current crop of Thrash bands currently enjoying their 15 minutes of fame in the crowded underground, Athens Ohio based SkeletonWitch are, IMO the cream of the crop. Fusing the best elements of several extreme Metal styles SkeletonWitch simply fucking destroy!

Their foundation is that of Thrash Metal, no not the tinny sounding/shred happy good time Thrash-Core wannabe’s. We’re talking the real deal here! So imagine a Thrash band being thrown in a blender with a healthy pinch (or punch) of Blackened-Death and a heap of musical melody and you have a clue as to the devastating nature of this band.

I caught up with Guitarist Nate "N8 Feet Under" Garnette [the band is rounded out by Vocalist Chance Garnette, Drummer Derrick Nau, Bassist Evan Linger and Guitarist Scott Hedrick] at the House of Blues here in Chicago while the band was still on the road supporting it’s 2007 Prosthetic debut, ‘Beyond The Permafrost’.

None But My Own: Let’s get the typical stuff out of the way, your name and what is it you do for Skeletonwitch?

Nate Garnette: My name is Nate, everybody calls me ‘N8 Feet Under’ because when I was at school I liked Six Feet Under, no one else did. So it kinda stuck, I mean I have it tattooed across my stomach in gangster fashion (laughs)!

Are you from Cleveland?

Well we started in Athens, OH and then our Drummer Derrick went to the Cleveland Institute of Art and he went there for a couple of years. We sort of had our shit together at the time, but when Derrick left it was hard to keep going without a drummer. So we tried a bunch of drummers out and nothing seemed to work so we all packed up and moved to Cleveland. We all lived with Derrick while he was enrolled in school.

So we were there and wrote all the time, rehearsed all the time and by the end of his second semester we had re-gotten our shit together and by the end of the year we were in talks with Prosthetic. So we’re currently back calling Athens home.

I assume you guys, most of you seem a bit young…

We range from 21 to 35, there’s a lot of Metal eras to be found here (laughing)!

Having an older brother into Metal must have been cool, were you guys musical as kids? Your brother had to be influential to your musical preferences back then, huh?

He and I both played drums in high school and then I switched to guitar, so we always would write, but nothing ever came of these songs, we had no idea how to take them further, you know? But as far as my musical influence? Definitely a lot of that was exactly what he was listening to at the time, a lot of OverKill, Vio-Lence, Cannibal Corpse…early 90’s Death Metal and a lot of 80’s Thrash was what he was into…

So you lucked out!

Yeah! Now Scotty being younger, I think his first Metal album was like ‘Cowboys From Hell’ so when we started playing together I was able to turn him onto all the stuff my brother turned me on to. He was blown away as he probably wouldn’t have “discovered” this stuff, especially OverKill and Vio-Lence until years later, if ever.

But having that wide range of influences in the band is great…collectively we love Entombed, Death, I like Amon Amarth a lot. Derrick loves Immortal and Darkthrone and our bassist likes D.I.Y. Swedish Death Metal and other crusty stuff.

Do you get the “how’s it having your brother in the band” questions a lot?

Sometimes

So how’s it having your brother in the band?

We get along great, ever since I’ve been a teenager and started playing guitar we’ve just gotten along, like I said great.

I wanted to talk about the Prosthetic debut, ‘Beyond The Permafrost’, which has new material as well as re-recorded stuff from past releases. Why is that?

The early self released stuff was limited, we knew what songs were the best received from playing live all the time. We wanted to re-record the ones we knew people were into and the way we saw it, these were the songs that got us signed, why waste them as limited releases?

We wanted a record out and didn’t want to rush new songs just to release something. I think the album would’ve suffered if we had come up with all new material as we would’ve hurried it without living with the songs.

With all the road work you do have you had a chance to begin writing new material?

I’ve written one song that I really like a lot so I need to get the whole band to let me know what they think, I write a lot of the stuff and will run it by the guys.

Do you show them the riffs at practice or do you work one on one with the guys?

Everything I write I write with a drum machine and record it to my little four track. Then I can get the guys tapes of the songs and let them know my ideas and we work on them from there. Chance works on the titles and lyrics and everyone adds what they can.

What’s the feedback from your people, are they looking forward to hearing some all new stuff from you guys?

Just on this tour it’s started! People will come up to us and ask when we’ll have some new stuff out and we don’t even know what to say to them, you can say “OK, but it’s going to be another 9 or ten months of touring” you know?

Before you guys inked a deal with Prosthetic had you been shopping your stuff around?

We sent out a lot of shit to a lot of labels. We got everything from “we’re really interested” to “We’ll see” kind of responses. It definitely wasn’t a fucking bidding war that I can tell you (laughs)!

Prosthetic, we just liked what we saw and heard and when we call the office we get the man himself, that’s what we like. We started with modest goals at a label where we weren’t going to get lost in the shuffle, I mean why do a debut album with a label where you’re going to be in debt for the rest of your life?

We’re happy with what’s going on and as far as where we’re at, well were a lot futher than we ever thought we’d be so that’s a plus.

Let’s talk about touring…you guys tour a LOT..I mean a fucking lot. Even if I hate a band’s music, if I see they’re just road dogs and work hard at their craft, I end up respecting them. Is touring and the grind everything you thought it’d be?

We never started out thinking shit was going to be handed to us. When we signed to Prosthetic we knew we weren’t getting a $40,000.00 advance and we knew it’d be just as hard as doing it yourself, but with much better distribution and a solid profile in the press.

As far as our end, we saw this as an opportunity to work harder than we’ve ever worked before…that’s the only way you can do it on an indie label. Prosthetic thankfully has been great to us, but we went into the deal with them knowing this was the one thing that would cause us to drop out of school, quit working and basically live on the road. If we didn’t do all these things we feel it all won’t amount to anything.

So back to the question, touring is what it is. Some of it has been really good, some of it has been really challenging. There are all kinds of things that can make it either great or horrible but it’s what we love, yeah it can be hard at times but it’s much better than a regular job, you know? But our van is our home and that’s the way it is.

How was the local scene when Skeletonwitch was coming up?

There were some good bands for sure, there were some good shows with killer support but it was no different than any of the scenes in the towns we’ve played ourselves. But our thing was always to just go for it, our first tour was back in 2004 and it was completely self booked. We paid $1,000 to play the Milwaukee Metalfest and that was the first date of that tour.

You know what? Our core audience still remember those shows, that’s how it all began. We were in a pick-up truck and a trailer and we loved it!

What do you see happening in the immediate future? More touring I assume.

We’re going to Europe for a month with Hate Eternal and Cephalic Carnage and after that we’ve got nothing booked yet, but we’re stirring the pot as we speak because I don’t want to stop yet. I’d like to fill the rest of 2008 up with touring and then maybe take a short break at the beginning of 2009…I don’t ever want to tour in the Winter again!

So whenever we can we’ll take six months to write and record another album and try to make the best one we could.

God forbid this happens, but if your tour van had a faulty wire and was about to blow up, and you could save only 1 album from inside, what album would that be?

Wow! That’s a tough one, I’d have to say ‘The Years of Decay’ by OverKill or ‘The Avenger’ by Amon Amarth...

Chuffed!

I'm a huge fan of Terrorizer Magazine. Have been since their inception in 1993 or so? Before that, Raw and Thrash N Burn and Xtreme Noize (spell?) all led to the formation of the UK heavyweight.

I've had some writings and a few photographs published by Terrorizer over the years. My main writing contribution came via a review of 2001's 'Thrash of the Titans' benefit show in which they ran the story and the photographs I'd submitted.

In the words of Mick Harris, I was "chuffed"!

I just received a newer issue and was glad to see the following...

There's a special on Rise Above Records. That's my photo of Justin/Electric Wizard and Dave Chandler from Dec 2001. No photo credit...I'm sure just an oversight, fuck it - still chuffed!!