Weekly Music News 09.04.23
Weekly news roundup for the week beginning April 9, 2023
Guitarist Jonny Greenwood of "Radiohead" joins Dudu Tassa on a new album, "Jarak Qaribak", due June 9. Yes, like the legendary TV show. This is not Greenwood's first collaboration with Tassa: he played on "Eize Yom" ("What a Day") from the 2009 album "Basof Mitraglim Le'Hakol" ("In the End You Get Used to Everything").
We already know the "Foo Fighters" will spend a lot of time onstage this year... What we do not know is who will replace Taylor Hawkins on drums, or whether they will release new music! Two days ago the band shared a 13-second clip of what sounds like new music on social media, with white lettering reading: "Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?" The band has not hinted at new music since Taylor's tragic death last year, although it said at the end of 2022 that it would be "a different band". Is that Dave Grohl drumming in the teaser? Who will be the new touring drummer? We will probably know soon.
Today brings "72 Seasons" by "Metallica". The 77-minute album has 12 tracks and was produced by Greg Fidelman, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Fidelman previously worked with the band on 2008's "Death Magnetic", 2011's "Lulu" (with Lou Reed), "Hardwired... to Self-Destruct", and its 2020 live album "S&M2". Hetfield describes the title as a reflection on the first 18 years, or 72 seasons, of a person's life: the years that form our true or false selves.
Listen to the album on: Spotify
Speaking of "Metallica", drummer Lars Ulrich invites Bob Dylan to the band's shows this week, after Dylan revealed he had already seen Metallica twice and likes them. Last December, the legendary singer-songwriter told the Wall Street Journal he had attended two Metallica concerts, as well as shows by Oasis, Jack White, Alex Turner and others. Speaking to NME this week, Ulrich said: "I don't know if Bob reads the NME or not, but I have one thing to say to him: 'Bob, you're welcome at any Metallica show anywhere in the world at any time - but please come backstage and say hello. We'd love to meet you and pay our respects!'"
(Photo: Jeff Kravitz)
And "Metallica" again... This time the band lets you put your own logo on its album cover. We tried it too, and this is what we got. Try it yourself here:
This is starting to look like a hostile takeover of our weekly news by "Metallica". But it is not just us: they also took over Jimmy Kimmel Live this week, performing four songs: "Master of Puppets", "Lux Æterna", "If Darkness Had a Son" and "Holier Than Thou". They joined a "Master of Puppets" workshop, see below, and sat down for a fascinating interview. Click the links to watch the full videos.
Also, "Overkill" releases its 20th album, "Scorched". It is the band's first in four years, following 2019's "The Wings of War", its longest gap between studio albums. The release was postponed several times, partly because of the pandemic. Originally intended for April 2021, it was repeatedly pushed back until spring 2023.
Listen to the album on: Spotify
And "L.A. Guns" returns with its 14th album, "Black Diamonds". The album continues the inspiring musical journey of its recent studio releases since the reunion of Tracii Guns on guitar and Phil Lewis on vocals. It sounds as though the band is again revisiting its 1980s glam-metal roots, with 1970s hard-rock influences.
Listen to the album on: Spotify
Just as Tobias Forge recently hinted... There is new music from "Ghost". Following the success of last year's excellent "Impera", the band will release a five-track EP, "Phantomime", on May 19. The first single is a cover of Genesis' "Jesus He Knows Me". The EP also features covers of Television's "See No Evil", the Stranglers' "Hanging Around", Iron Maiden's "Phantom of the Opera" and Tina Turner's "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)".
Almost everything the phenomenon that is Jack Black does goes viral. This time it is the video for his ballad from the new Super Mario movie, already past six million YouTube views. "Peaches", by the Tenacious D singer, was written by Black with the film's directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, plus Eric Osmond and John Spiker. In the video, Jack channels his character Bowser, expressing his boundless love for Princess Peach. Even more interesting, Variety reports that the song will be eligible for Best Original Song consideration at next year's Oscars.
Following last week's new single, "Greta Van Fleet" shares a clip for "Meeting the Master" and the ten-song tracklist for its forthcoming album, "Starcatcher", due July 21.
Tracklist:
1. Fate Of The Faithful 2. Waited All Your Life 3. The Falling Sky 4. Sacred The Thread 5. Runway Blues 6. The Indigo Streak 7. Frozen Light 8. The Archer 9. Meeting The Master 10. Farewell For Now
Wow, imagine a Netflix that is all metal... Now stop imagining. It exists!!!
The platform is called "Thunderflix", and it has recently launched. Its creator, Samuel Douek, previously worked in marketing for Nike. He came up with the idea after unsuccessfully trying to find high-quality metal to watch on other streaming platforms. The launch price is $6.66 a month or $66.60 a year. The platform offers documentaries, films, interviews, live concerts and behind-the-scenes footage. Its library already features some of the biggest names in metal and hard rock, including Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Rage Against the Machine, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith and more.
The aim is for Thunderflix to become the main library of official concerts and films from the past 30 years, including titles previously available only on VHS or DVD, and even the bonus DVDs that came with limited-edition digipaks...
About three weeks ago we reported that singer Blaze Bayley had suffered a heart attack at home, and that his Facebook page said he was in stable condition in hospital, awaiting his doctors' decision on further treatment. Yesterday, his band Wolfsbane posted that Blaze was undergoing triple-bypass surgery and asked us to keep him in our thoughts. A few hours later the band announced that the operation had been successful. We wish Blaze a full recovery.
Bassist Gene Simmons felt unwell during Kiss' show in Brazil last night. The show stopped for around five minutes, then Gene returned and had to play part of the set seated. His bandmate Paul Stanley asked the crowd to cheer Gene on and show their support. The next day Gene tweeted that he felt fine and that it had all been caused by dehydration. Really?
After the July 5, 2023 show at Barby in Tel Aviv sold out, one of the most important bands in grunge history and beyond, "Melvins", adds another show by popular demand. The extra show will take place the following day, July 6.
The band "DPS - Damage Per Second" brings you a full-on "Metal Independence" event on April 27 at HaChevrolet club in Holon, with plenty of special guests. Tickets here:
Later, the band will open for "Orphaned Land" on May 23 at Reading 3, celebrating ten years of "All Is One".
And if that is not enough, the band's singer Oren Balbus has announced his first solo album under the name K-OS: REBIRTH, the mask he used to wear onstage.
You have to be there... "Walkways" will tear Reading 3 apart with a headline show on June 10. Special guests, appearing in Israel for the first time, are Australian instrumental prog masters the Omnific and Hungary's Shell Beach.
After such a long wait, here it comes. "HotBox" will shake Gagarin on June 17 with a full show, guest artists and surprises! The band promises the show of the decade!
*All the details in the event: HOTBOX - FINAL ROUND! Full show at Gagarin *Discounted tickets plus ski mask here:
Bassist Peter Baltes officially joins U.D.O., led by Udo Dirkschneider. Bassist Tilen Hudrap had to step aside in early September 2022 because health problems prevented him from performing. Peter Baltes played with Udo for many years in his former band Accept, which Baltes left in 2018. Since then he has worked with Udo in Dirkschneider & The Old Gang, and now officially joins U.D.O.
Bassist and singer Geddy Lee's memoir, "My Effin' Life", originally due in fall 2022, will now be available on November 14, 2023. Edited by Noah Eaker, the 512-page memoir will be available in hardcover and as an e-book.
After years of attempts to bring the band to Israel, including a fan-crowdfunding startup, this time it may really happen, and it depends on you. Swedish prog band "Änglagård" will come to Israel on September 11, 2023, on its tour celebrating 30 years of the masterpiece "Hybris", but only if enough tickets are preordered through the crowdfunding campaign. Ticket buyers will get their money back if the campaign fails. So go ahead, get your tickets here:
This week's events in collaboration with "Rocking Israel"
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