A rare sighting of some Helix on TV these days happened Sunday night on CBC Canada’s American Idol-wannabe reality series, Cover Me Canada.
The show follows the same premise as Idol and a zillion other singing contests, with a forgettable host (Nicole Appleton, aka All Saints singer turned Mrs. Liam Gallagher), a judging panel made up of some artists rounded out by a music industry geek, and featuring up and coming acts trying to make it in the biz.
Regardless, there is some talent on the show, and fortunately, Helix singer Brian Vollmer hooked up with one of the standouts, Melanie Morgan.
The pair connected on a version of Helix’s 1983 Canadian hit, “Heavy Metal Love.”
Throughout the series, Morgan’s been handed a bunch of rock tracks, including songs by Triumph, Steppenwolf and Bryan Adams, but she sounds most at home with country-tinged material, which lends itself better to her natural vocal style.
The show is down to the final four as it heads towards the finale and its prize: $100,000 and a recording contract for an original single to be released by the Canadian arm of an international record label.
The Melanie Morgan Band w/Brian Vollmer of Helix – Heavy Metal Love Cover Me Canada – October 30, 2011
A representative of DNA Networks – the promoters of the Metallica show in Gurgaon, India – tells Pollstar that fans were responsible for the cancellation of Friday’s scheduled concert.
Karuna Prithvi from DNA’s press department told Pollstar it’s difficult to explain what sparked the fuss because “it was all so quick.”
Prithvi says the company always has barriers in place for its shows and the problem was caused when fans broke through them. She said unruly fans “vandalized and destroyed” a lot of stage equipment, which meant it was impossible to fix it and get permission for a new show within 24 hours.
The episode casts a shadow on India’s ability to stage huge international acts, particularly as it followed the cancellation of a Bryan Adams show that had to be scrapped because the promoter couldn't get the necessary permits.
The Delhi police said the location for the show in the NSIC exhibition grounds at the Okhla industrial area in the south east of the city was not suitable.
Metallica promptly released a statement on Friday, saying the band “were notified that there was a serious question as to whether the show could proceed with regard to the safety of the concert audience. And our first and foremost concern is always for the safety of you, the fans. Once we, along with DNA, the promoters of the show, determined that there was a failure of a security barricade in front of the stage that could not be adequately repaired, the promoter reluctantly announced the postponement of the show until Saturday. Unfortunately, on such short notice the promoters were unable to secure a permit for a show on Saturday. Therefore, DNA announced that we would not be able to play in Delhi.”
After the fiasco, Gurgaon police said the operational head of DNA Entertainment Network for Metallica concerts, Rajesh Chandwani, and his team members - Umesh, Ashok Singh and Savio Faleio - were arrested on charges of cheating people and breach of trust.
Metallica’s Sunday show in Bangalore went ahead without incident.
Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil will plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge and pay a $1,000 fine related to an alleged domestic violence incident involving his ex-girlfriend.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that, as part of a plea deal, Clark County prosecutors will drop one count of domestic battery in exchange for Neil's guilty plea to disorderly conduct, District Attorney David Roger confirmed.
Neil, 50, was seen yelling obscenities at, and poking, former local television entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs at the Las Vegas Hilton in March.
Neil's defense attorney, David Chesnoff, said, "Mr. Neil is sorry he raised his voice."
Jacobs, 45, was with several friends who witnessed the singer’s obscenity-laced tirade on her, as well as the battery-related poking , which reportedly left a bruise.
Neil and Jacobs split in March after a seven-month relationship. At the time, Jacobs issued a statement that the breakup was because of "the decisions Vince continues to make."
Guns N’ Roses fans await news on whether or not the band will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame next spring.
But that’s only the first hurdle in the process: the next will be figuring out everything that happens after that moment is confirmed…IF it’s confirmed.
GNR are among 15 finalists considered for induction into the 2012 edition of the Hall. Votes will be cast by a group of more than 500 musicians and industry professionals; of the 15 nominees, the five that get the most votes will be inducted into the Hall at its 27th annual ceremony on April 14, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio, home to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And Museum.
GNR was nominated in its first year of eligibility, which happens 25 years after an artist’s debut recording is released.
Former GNR bassist Duff McKagan has been doing press interviews for his new book, “It's So Easy (And Other Lies),” which debuted on the New York Times’ Hardcover Nonfiction Best Sellers list at #17.
The Duff/GNR connection will always exist, for sure, but this week fans found out that the bassist will actually be opening up some shows for his former band (well, Axl Rose, really) on their current North American tour; Rose spilled the beans in a new interview with VH1’s That Metal Show, set to air on November 11.
McKagan recently spoke with The Nervous Breakdown about the Hall and what it means - to himself, and GNR fans.
“Yeah, it's weird, you know? I've never striven to get into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Never in my life have I thought, ‘Man, I gotta get a Grammy,’" says Duff. “In sports you try to win it all, but music's a different deal. So the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was never on my radar.”
“As a matter of fact,” he continues, “I don't know how we got roped into it, but when we (Velvet Revolver) inducted Van Halen, it went south. I don't know if you remember that. It just went south. The band (VH) was fighting, and the only ones to show up were Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar, and it was like, 'Ohhh, boy…' So when we (GN'R) got announced, that's what I remembered. But I do understand that for the fans, it's important. It's important to the people who buy your records and come to your gigs and connect with some lyric that you wrote or a groove or something. I mean, I'm part of social media — I write a couple of columns online, and people comment on those. I have Twitter and I'm on Facebook and I read people's comments about how they feel about us being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, so then it's important to me. Only then. And I've learned to just say, ‘thank you.’"
So what does Duff think could happen on the big night, whenever it happens…IF it happens?
“I can't. I can't picture it. Your guess is as good as mine. There is no picture. It's bound to happen, but I'd love to call the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, whoever they are, and say, ‘Hey guys, why don't you put this off for another ten years? Thank you! Thanks for nominating us — it's great, but how about you put it off for ten years?’
Would a decade be enough time for the GNR members to work things out?
“You know, that's all I need to say about this. I care about our fans and that's it.”
Read more of Duff’s chat with The Nervous Breakdownhere.
Guns N' Roses Guns N’ Roses – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door With guest Duff McKagan Original by Bob Dylan 02 Arena – London, UK – October 14, 2010
Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is out playing shows, in sync with the release of his new book, “No Regrets: A Rock N’ Roll Memoir,” which comes out tomorrow - Tuesday, November 1.
Last week, Ace played two nights at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City, with a set heavy on KISS classics from his time in the band.
At the second show, on October 26, Ace was performing his trademark guitar solo when he wandered too far to stage right – and fell off.
Frehley did pick himself up, return to center stage and tried to retune his guitar, but eventually gave up, saying, “I’m gonna have to get another guitar.”
The crowd went nuts, chanting “Ace! Ace! Ace!” as the guitar legend fired things up again.
Check out the video: Ace wipes out at about the 2:48 mark…
Ace Frehley – falls off stage during guitar solo B.B. King Blues Club & Grill – New York City – October 26, 2011
Former Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan will open some shows for his old band, according to Axl Rose.
Rose sat down with VH1’s That Metal Show’s Eddie Trunk for an hour-long interview after GNR’s Miami concert on Saturday night.
Following the session, Trunk posted that he spoke with Axl about the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame situation, new music, his lateness, this lineup, playing with Duff McKagan – and that Axl said [Duff McKagan’s] Loaded will open some shows.
GNR kicked off its North American tour in Orlando on Friday; dates are scheduled to run until the end of the year.
Last fall, Axl and Duff made worldwide headlines when a chance encounter at a London hotel led to McKagan joining GNR on stage at the 02 Arena for four songs, sending fans into a frenzy wondering about a possible reunion.
The October 14, 2010 show marked the first time McKagan had performed with GNR in 17 years.
Duff just completed a nationwide book-signing tour to promote his autobiography, “It's So Easy (And Other Lies),” which debuted on the New York Times’ Hardcover Nonfiction Best Sellers list at #17.
As you can tell by the above video, Chickenfoot are fired up and rarin’ to hit the stage on their upcoming Road Test Tour.
The 5-date US trip starts Tuesday at the Warfield in San Francisco, and winds its way to New York a week later.
Along the way, the band will be making an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on the night of Thursday, November 3.
The shows will give fans the chance to check out fill-in drummer Kenny Aronoff, who is handling drum duties while Chad Smith is on tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The ‘Foot will do it all over again in January for a week of shows in the UK.
The band is heading out to play new music from their latest release, “Chickenfoot III.”
Chickenfoot The Road Test Tour
Nov 1 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre Nov 2 - Los Angeles, CA - Avalon Hollywood Nov 4 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant Nov 5 - Chicago, IL – Metro Nov 8 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
Jan 12 - Manchester, UK - Academy Jan 14 - London, UK - O2 Academy Brixton Jan 16 - Paris, France - Olympia Jan 17 - Tilburg, Netherlands - O13 Jan 19 - Dusseldorf, Germany - Mitsubishi Electric Hall
Axl Rose has taped an hour-long interview with VH1’s That Metal Show following the Guns N’ Roses show in Miami Saturday night.
The session will air on November 11 as part of VH1’s “National Metal Day” (11-11-11).
TMS host Eddie Trunk reports that during the interview, which included guitarist DJ Ashba, he asked Axl about the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame situation (band is eligible and nominated; we’ll know mid-December whether or not they get in); new music, his lateness, this lineup, playing with Duff McKagan (Axl said Loaded will open some shows), and more.
Trunk kept fans posted on Twitter about the unfolding plans to secure the Axl interview after the gig, which he says GNR didn’t start until midnight. At one point, Trunk wrote that the restless crowd were “now booing loud because [of the] late start.” Openers Buckcherry finished their hour-long set at 10pm, and Axl made fans wait two full hours before he felt like getting on stage.
GNR finished their set just after 3:00 am, and it had been a crazy long day for Trunk. “5:30 AM, got to this arena at 3P yesterday. Still here.... If this interview happens I might dose off for the first time ever in an intv.”
Shortly before 7:00 a.m., Trunk tweeted, "Axl Rose has just done an hour interview for TMS [That Metal Show]. History made! Will air 11/11 on VH1 Classic! Get ready!"
Another Axl Rose moment causes international headlines and a spot for the band at the top of this week’s hennemusic Hot 10.
Last Sunday night in Monterrey, Mexico, Axl stopped the concert, entirely, about a minute after it began, when fans threw objects onto the stage.
In fan-shot video, it looks like a single drink hits center stage near Axl’s feet and spills liquid on the floor, which caught the singer’s attention just seconds into the show’s opening number, “Chinese Democracy.”
Rose shut the band down immediately, waving them off as the song came to a crashing halt. The singer then threatened that the group would pack up and leave.
"Is that what you wanna do?" asked Axl. "'Cause we will go home," he threatened.
Check out the story for more, including video.
The HH10 is a list of the most-viewed rock news stories in the past week by hennemusic readers.
In at #2 this week is Sammy Hagar talking about Van Halen, accusing the band of using Michael Anthony’s voice as a backing tape on the 2007/08 concert tour reunion with David Lee Roth. Lots of fan debate on this one, as Hagar sticks up for his Chickenfoot pal and former VH bassist.
Joe Walsh lands at #3 on the HH10, with details about his first solo album in 18 years – something hennemusic shared with readers last December. Find out the album’s title, and more, on the countdown above.
A tricky week for Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, as the singer fell sick…and then fell in his hotel shower, losing a couple of teeth, and earning a black eye in the process, while also causing the band’s show in Asuncion, Paraguay to be postponed for 24 hrs while he received medical attention…including new teeth. At #5 is the initial news about Tyler’s accident, while a first look at his injuries came in at #4.
Other big stories for hennemusic readers included a sneak preview of the new Rush live DVD (#6); the full Bridge School concert set by Eddie Vedder (#7); Sammy Hagar’s public offer to manage a reunited Guns N’ Roses – IF that ever happens, and wouldn’t the lineup to get on that rock n’ roll money train be fairly long? (#8); a first look at former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley’s new book (#9); and Toronto rocker Danko Jones lets it all hang out about his feelings on the new Lou Reed & Metallica project, “Lulu.”
For a full list of hennemusic Hot 10 charts, check out the archives here.
The show finally went on for Metallica and their fans in India, Sunday night in Bangalore.
After Friday’s fiasco in Gurgaon, NDTV reports the band rocked Bangalore Sunday, amid tight security. Thousands of fans were seen screaming, cheering and head-banging as one of the world's best-known rock band sang some of their most iconic songs. The group performed at the Palace Grounds in the city.
The performance, which was to be the second for Metallica in India, turned out to be its maiden show following the abrupt cancellation of its concert at the Leisure Valley in Gurgaon on Friday over "security issues."
But there were no glitches in the band's performance in Bangalore, as Metallica rocked the packed audience.
Inner Spectrum from Bangalore and Guillotine from New Delhi were the opening acts for the event.
The crowd erupted in joy when Metallica finally took the stage to play some of their hits, much to the delight of their fans.
More than 20,000 tickets with prices ranging from Rs. 1650 to Rs. 2750 (between $34 and $57 US.) had been sold for the concert.
We’ll await more video from the scene, but NDTV has filed this news report:
Metallica fans in India have waited a long time for the band to play in their country.
The cancellation and fiasco surrounding Friday’s planned show in Gurgaon has left its mark, and meant a few extra days of waiting for diehard rock fans in the region.
NDTV reports Bangalore waits with bated breath to welcome the band, who are scheduled to perform at the Palace Grounds Sunday evening.
Following Friday’s events, the organizers are being extra careful in Bangalore - a three-layer barricade surrounds the make-shift stage, built much stronger than the one in Gurgaon, which kept falling apart.
Over 1000 policemen will be on duty at the Bangalore site to ensure the event runs smoothly.
More than 20,000 tickets, with prices ranging from Rs. 1650 to Rs. 2750 (between $34 and $57 US.), have been sold for the Bangalore concert.
Metallica concert update Indiaecho.com – October 30, 2011
Metallica concert update NDTV Delhi, India – October 30, 2011
The fallout from this weekend’s cancelled Metallica show in Gurgaon, India continues, as concert organizers have been arrested for cheating the public.
NDTV reports Gurgaon police said the operational head of DNA Entertainment Network for Metallica concerts, Rajesh Chandwani, and his team members - Umesh, Ashok Singh and Savio Faleio - were arrested on charges of cheating people and breach of trust.
Fans rioted after word of Friday’s cancellation was announced at the venue, just hours before the event was to begin.
Organizers said the show was postponed due to “technical reasons,” and they tried to reschedule things to Saturday, without any luck. The promoters were taken into custody and full refunds are planned for ticket holders.
Metallica also released a statement, saying the band “were notified that there was a serious question as to whether the show could proceed with regard to the safety of the concert audience. And our first and foremost concern is always for the safety of you, the fans. Once we, along with DNA, the promoters of the show, determined that there was a failure of a security barricade in front of the stage that could not be adequately repaired, the promoter reluctantly announced the postponement of the show until Saturday. Unfortunately, on such short notice the promoters were unable to secure a permit for a show on Saturday. Therefore, DNA announced that we would not be able to play in Delhi.”
Before any word of an event cancellation took place, Metallica held a press conference for local media, and did an interview for NDTV.
Metallica – interview NDTV – Delhi, India – October 28, 2011
On November 12, heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez takes on top contender, Junior dos Santos, for the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
The fight, televised live from Anaheim on FOX, is the first mixed martial arts showdown to be broadcast on US network TV.
In a promo ad unveiled recently for the event, the soundtrack features The Rolling Stones’ classic, “Sympathy For The Devil.”
It’s not the original version, though; it’s one of the versions featured on the 2003 remix single compilation issued to promote the DVD reissue of Jean-Luc Godard's 1970 film of the same name; the movie depicts the 1968 recording session that produced the classic track.
Losing anyone in your life is traumatic enough, but when friendship is mixed with business, things are complicated on many levels when someone in your inner circle passes away.
When Def Leppard guitarist Steve “Steamin’” Clark died in January of 1991, he was on a six-month leave of absence from the group, trying to deal with a downward spiral in his life brought on by addiction.
Clark’s death of an overdose of a combination of alcohol and multiple prescription drugs, at the age of 30, was a shock to his family, friends, and the band – who were in the middle of recording the “Adrenalize” album.
In part 20 of their month-long fan Q&A series, Leppard are asked, “What changes – physically and mentally – went on with the band after the tragic loss of Steve Clark?”
There’s more fallout from the cancellation of the Metallica concert in Gurgaon, India.
NDTV reports concert organizers have been arrested for cheating the public.
The Gurgaon police said the operational head of DNA Entertainment Network for Metallica concerts, Rajesh Chandwani, and his team members - Umesh, Ashok Singh and Savio Faleio - were arrested on charges of cheating people and breach of trust.
The police said they had received several complaints after the show was cancelled; they allege that the organizers sold more tickets than capacity and that they were never informed before the cancellation was announced. The organizers had publicly cited "technical reasons" for scrapping Friday's gig.
Over 25,000 people had gathered at the Leisure Valley Park in Gurgaon's Sector 29 to watch the concert. Less than two hours before Metallica was to play, the organizers postponed the concert to 4 pm on Saturday. Then, after some angry fans trashed equipment, came reports that the Delhi gig had been cancelled altogether.
The organizers have said all ticket holders will be refunded. They say full-page advertisements on refunds will be put out in the next 24 hours explaining all the details.
The police chief in Gurgaon said yesterday that the concert had been called off. "The organizers have to say why they cancelled (the show). They have to explain. They have cancelled it without taking the district administration into confidence," said Police Commissioner S.S. Deshwal. He said that fortunately, the crowd dispersed peacefully.
The concert was organized by DNA Entertainment Network; 25,000 thousand tickets had been sold for prices ranging from Rs. 1650 to Rs. 2750. (between $34 and $57 US.).
Metallica is in the country to perform as a part of F1 Rocks and is scheduled to perform in Bangalore on Sunday.
Helix 
