Bad Wolves, the critically acclaimed and multi-platinum rock band, premiered a new visual for their song “If Tomorrow Never Comes (featuring Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills)” via Better Noise Music today. Last week, the band released their new EP titled If Tomorrow Never Comes, after earning their sixth number one single at active rock radio at the end of 2021 with their hit “Lifeline.” Impacting radio now, the EP’s title track is the band’s second single from their acclaimed third album DEAR MONSTERS, “If Tomorrow Never Comes” is a fan favorite track with over 4MILLION streams to date and steadily rising at radio as it now trends towards a Top 10 placement. The song will appear on the soundtrack for THE RETALIATORS, a Better Noise Films production, out this fall. The new visual includes footage from the film, offering a different look at what fans were shown in the original “If Tomorrow Never Comes” video, in addition to performance footage of Spencer Charnas. Watch “If Tomorrow Never Comes (featuring Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills)” HERE.
DEAR MONSTERS has earned over 20 MILLION streams since its release last fall, officially introducing new lead singer DL, and receiving overwhelmingly warm reviews from critics, with Billboard writing, “[DEAR MONSTERS is] arguably Bad Wolves’ most diverse and far-reaching album to date. It’s filled with hard-rocking crunch (‘Lifeline,’ ‘On the Case,’ ‘House of Card’”) and rich melodicism (‘Wildfire,’ album closer ‘In the Middle’), while the intricate dynamic shifts of ‘Comatose’ and ‘Sacred Kiss’ offer aural amusement park rides for listeners.” The project also received praise from Loudwire, Knotfest, and others.
Bad Wolves have been bringing their new music to life on the road this year, beginning with their North American tour, alongside Papa Roach and Hollywood Undead. Catch them onstage in cities such as Corpus Christi, TX and Atlanta, GA before the tour is over on March 30. The band is also set to play Welcome to Rockville in Daytona Beach, FL on May 19. All upcoming shows and ticket information can be found at: https://badwolvesnation.com/pages/tour.
If Tomorrow Never Comes Tracklisting
If Tomorrow Never Comes
If Tomorrow Never Comes (featuring Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills)
On March 24th, Los Angeles-based rock duo Dead Posey will release the single and music video for their new track “Can’t Take Me Down”. Prior to this release, the band has been building steady momentum with their last two buzzing singles “sorry i’m not dead” and “Russian Roulette”—which have amassed over 700,000 streams to date.
“‘Can’t Take Me Down’ is a reminder that you’re the most dangerous when nothing fazes you anymore. There will always be a million armchair critics judging or complaining about whatever you’re doing or not doing. When you don’t give a fuck, you’re untouchable,” said Dead Posey.
“Can’t Take Me Down” is the third single leading up to a full-length Dead Posey release due out later this year via Position Music. The band, fronted by Danyell Souza (Lead Singer) and Tony F (Guitarist / Multi-Instrumentalist), have been recently lauded by Loudwire, praising “Russian Roulette” as “…a catchy, upbeat party rock anthem with a dangerous flair to it…” and “sorry i’m not dead” as having “…edgy, bad-ass attitude [and] sounds like it came out of the 1990’s.”
The band now sets their sights to unleashing their distinct style of gritty and angsty rock for music fans both stateside and abroad.
Starting in May, Dead Posey will hit the road with Little Miss Nasty for an eight date west coast run. The band then flys over to the U.K. in June for two dates with Theory of a Deadman in London and Glasgow. Finally, Dead Posey will culminate their European tour with a performance at the popular Download Festival on June 12, 2022 at Donington Park in Derby, UK which features acts such as KISS, Biffy Clyro, The Pretty Reckless, Distillers, Lacuna Coil, Spiritbox, Ayron Jones, and more.
DEAD POSEY TOUR DATES:
*with Little Miss Nasty **with Theory of the Deadman
*5/21 Reno, NV Brick and Mortar Music Hall *5/24 Bakersfield, CA Speakeasy Bar and Grill (1933 Event Center) *5/25 San Diego, CA Brick By Brick *5/26 West Hollywood,CA Viper Room *5/27 Las Vegas, NV The Usual Place *5/28 Santa Ana, CA La Santa **6/9 London, UK 02 Academy Islington **6/11 Glasgow, UK The Garage 6/12 Derby, UK Download Festival 2022
ABOUT DEAD POSEY:
Los Angeles-bred rock duo Dead Posey have punctured their proverbial vicious vein by serenading a posse of devoted followers with fuzz-guitar infused rock-and-roll and edgy yet timeless-sounding vocals that pack an anti-establishment punch. When Danyell Souza (Lead Singer) and Tony F. (Guitarist / Multi-Instrumentalist met, they quickly tapped into an undeniable chemistry that led them down a cathartic path of creating punk-rock sounds riddled with unsettling lyrical themes ranging from sexism, depression, angst and rage against oppressive systems —all doused with a healthy dose of “DGAF” attitude yet still seeing the beauty within the madness. Feeding a monstrous appetite for live performance, Dead Posey has unleashed their punk-infused high-octane shows at notable festivals such as Louder Than Life, Aftershock, and Shiprocked. The band’s music has been heard in Fox’s Lucifer, MTV’s Teen Wolf, Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger, and Netflix’s Jack Whitehall – Travels With My Father among others, as well as in ads for Taco Bell, Sony PlayStation, Riot Games’ League of Legends, Back 4 Blood, and many more. The duo has additionally received positive mentions from the likes of The Huffington Post, Loudwire, and Guitar World Magazine.
Queen is arguably the best rock band of all time. The biopic Bohemian Rhapsody was a big film depicting the band. So why are people upset with everything the film got wrong? This video looks at why Queen deserved more truth in Bohemian Rhapsody.
After breaking the charts worldwide with Escape of the Phoenix (2021), Gothenburg’s finest export of darkness, EVERGREY, enters a bewildering new chapter with their new album, A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament), out May 20, 2022 via Napalm Records.
With the previously released, pounding album opener “Save Us”, EVERGREY lifted the curtain on an overwhelming journey through progressive heaviness and searing emotionality. Today, glistening second single “Midwinter Calls” draws the listener further into this multifaceted world of sound with its grooving instrumentation, flowing between boisterous dynamics and a next level vocal performance by mastermind Tom S. Englund – one of the most distinctive vocalists in metal. The powerful track gleams with its melodic tunes and guitar riffs and marks just one out of many highlights of the new epos. The song features atmospheric audio recordings from the band’s latest tour through Sweden, giving the song a special effect and fans another opportunity to leave their everlasting mark on EVERGREY history.
“Midwinter Calls” is visually brought to live via a sophisticated, cinematic music video, filmed by Patric Ullaeus and conceptually connected to the storyline portrayed in the “Save Us” video, allowing the viewer to jump even deeper into the universe of A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament).
Evergrey on “Midwinter Calls”: “‘Midwinter Calls’ is the second song but also the second chapter of a three-video story that reveals itself in a reverse order, why make it easy huh?
This song is full of energy and it’s once again featuring our fans and the live audience of Gothenburg, Stockholm and Karlstad – Co-creating at its best! We can’t wait to hear the whole world singing along to this when we play it live!
Hopefully you will find the video both thought provoking and uplifting at the same time. What is important, who are we and why? The resistance is getting real!”
A new era of EVERGREY: A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) is dark melodic metal mastery!
Celebrating over 25 years of metal mastery, EVERGREY, led by founder, singer and guitarist Tom S. Englund, are known for wandering the realms of progressive and heavy melodic metal and painting sonic renderings with their twelve studio records released as of today. A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament), the follow-up to the unit’s highly successful 2021 full-length, Escape of the Phoenix (which landed at numerous chart positions worldwide), reveals a 10 track mélange of which every note, every riff and every word seeps pure poetry – creating a ceaseless intensity that mesmerizes from the very first second.
The new album was recorded at Top Floor Studios Gothenburg, engineered by Jakob Herrman and produced by Tom S. Englund and Jonas Ekdahl, with mixing and mastering by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios (Volbeat, Destruction, Epica and many more), whereas the hauntingly beautiful album artwork was conjured by Giannis Nakos at Remedy Art Design. Nakos is known for creating artworks for acts like Oceans Of Slumber, Amaranthe, The Agonist and The Crown as well as merchandise for Morbid Angel, Suffocation or Cryptopsy – just to name a few.
EVERGREY on the new album: “Here it is! A new album! Yet again! This is what we love about music, it never ends! Our mission is to write music so here you are! 10 new songs! 10 new EVERGREY songs that we hope you will have by your side as your life continues to shift and grow. 10 songs that we wish will be part of the soundtrack when you’re creating new memories and new possibilities in your life. 10 songs that we feel privileged to have you listen to. 10 songs that have risen through the ashes of two years where our creativity has had more time than ever to flourish.
10 songs we really hope you will enjoy as much as we did writing them. As usual we have given it our best and we can’t wait to hear what you have to say! A new year, a new album, a new record label = new possibilities. All this can only be positive, right?
Enjoy!
Tom, Jonas, Rikard, Johan & Henrik”
Get your copy of A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)NOW!
A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) impresses with flawless, meticulous production that deftly depicts both heartfelt honesty and scorching metallic intensity, while its instrumental force of furious, technically driven riffs, skyrocketing solos and dramatic synths merges with the expert, brooding vocal performance of Englund. He skillfully balances harsh and heavy tones with an inarguably soulful approach, all topped by melancholic, thought-provoking lyricism that digs deeper with every spin, leaving a long-lasting impact. Songs like “Save Us” and “The Great Unwashed” draw the listener in with grooving instrumentation, while emotive “Wildfires” turns the volume down as a goosebump-worthy ballad that hurts and heals all at once. “Call Out The Dark” begins atmospherically with accented keys, suddenly evolving into an intense opus of symphonic and power metal attributes in the blink of an eye, whereas the record’s longest track, “The Orphean Testament”, impresses by revealing its heaviest facet. A sensitive introduction lures the listener into “Heartless”, and offers one of the album’s most engaging verses, followed by a hauntingly beautiful chorus and variety in pace to create a magnificent listening experience.
A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) tracklisting: 1. Save Us 2. Midwinter Calls 3. Ominous 4. Call Out the Dark 5. The Orphean Testament 6. Reawakening 7. The Great Unwashed 8. Heartless 9. Blindfolded 10.Wildfires
A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) will be available in the following formats: Deluxe Box (incl. Canvas, Pendant, Liner Notes on Pergament Paper) – limited to 500 copies worldwide 2LP Gatefold “Die Hard” Marbled Red/Black (incl. Slipmat + 7inch (black) w/ 2 exclusive Bonus Tracks) – limited to 500 copies worldwide 2LP Gatefold Glow in the Dark – limited to 500 copies worldwide 2LP Gatefold Black 2LP Gatefold Gold – Band exclusive, limited to 300 copies worldwide CD Digisleeve Digital Album
A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) is a striking testament to the fact that while the Swedish five-piece doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone at this phase, they still impressively showcase that, after over 25 years of existence, their creativity sees no bounds – dropping yet another sensation within their impressive catalog!
EVERGREY live: Fans can look forward to seeing EVERGREY live, as in 2022, the powerhouse will go on an extensive tour through Europe!
EVERGREY – European Tour 2022 + special guest: Fractal Universe + Virtual Symmetry 16.09.22 NL – Eindhoven / Dynamo 17.09.22 GB – London / 229 venue 18.09.22 GB – Nottingham / Rescue Rooms 19.09.22 GB – Bristol / Thekla 20.09.22 GB – Manchester / Academy 3 21.09.22 IE – Dublin / Voodoo Lounge 22.09.22 GB – Glasgow / Cathouse 23.09.22 GB – Newcastle / St Dom’s Social Club 24.09.22 GB – Birmingham / The Asylum 2 25.09.22 NL – Leiden / Gebr. De Nobel 27.09.22 DE – Bremen / Tivoli 28.09.22 DE – Stuttgart / Im Wizemann Club 29.09.22 DE – Berlin / Columbia Theater 30.09.22 DE – Hamburg / Bahnhof Pauli 01.10.22 DE – Oberhausen / Resonanzwerk 02.10.22 DE – Lindau / Club Vaudeville 03.10.22 FR – Colmar / Le Grillen 04.10.22 DE – München / Backstage Halle 05.10.22 DE – Hannover / Faust 06.10.22 DE – Aschaffenburg / Colos-Saal 07.10.22 BE – Vosselaar / Biebob 08.10.22 DE – Mannheim / 7er Club 09.10.22 SI – Ljubljana / Orto Bar 11.10.22 HU – Budapest / Barba Negra 12.10.22 AT – Graz / Dom im Berg 13.10.22 PL – Wroclaw / Akademia 14.10.22 AT – Wien / Viper Room 15.10.22 DE – Nürnberg / Hirsch 16.10.22 DE – Trier / Mergener Hof 17.10.22 CH – Luzern / Schüür 18.10.22 FR – Lyon / CCO Villeurbanne 19.10.22 ES – Barcelona / Boveda 20.10.22 ES – Madrid / Shoko 21.10.22 ES – Pamplona / Totem 22.10.22 FR – Toulouse / L’Usine 23.10.22 FR – Paris / Petit Bain
Music label COP International Records is pleased to announce the release of “Come Together (We Will Stop You),” a new single by the supergroup Lifeline International that features an all-star lineup of alternative rock musicians.
Created as a “mission of humanity” to help the millions of people who are suffering in Ukraine and beyond, this modern spin on The Beatles’ classic “Come Together” is the brainchild of COP International Records founder Christian Petke and the legendary music producer John Fryer. The single is now available for purchase on COP International’s Bandcamp page, and will soon be followed by other major digital music services, with 100% of the proceeds will donated to UNICEF.
“This song is a simple and direct message to the millions of people who are currently suffering in Ukraine and beyond,” said Petke. “You are not alone. We see you.”
Added Fryer, “I’m shocked, stunned, dismayed, angry, horrified and saddened by the situation in Ukraine. I don’t how one man’s insane ego can cause this much death and destruction.”
Petke and Fryer, both of whom were born in Europe, were inspired by the multi-faceted and forward-thinking work that Bob Geldof once did to raise money for the African famine in the mid-80’s.
“The success of songs like ‘We Are the World’ and ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’directly spawned the Live Aid concerts, which raised millions of dollars for those who desperately needed it,” explained Petke. “So, while we are obviously excited about this new song’s immediate ability to raise awareness and money, we’d like to think that ‘Come Together’ is only the first step of many. The simple act of supporting one song can help spread a message of hope and compassion around the entire world.”
John Fryer, who has worked with such seminal musical artists as Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Stabbing Westward, This Mortal Coil, and Cocteau Twins, was in charge of the music end of the project. After sketching out the track with Stephen Lam of Deathline International,Fryer enlisted friends Geno Lenardo (ex-Filter),Rod Såez Chåvez and Marija Buljeta to help him coordinate an all-star cast of musicians from bands such as Faith No More, Stabbing Westward, Rammstein, The Hardkiss (from Ukraine), Revolting Cocks, Filter, Pigface, The Joy Thieves, Agnostic Front, Basement Jaxx, Gravity Kills, The Cassandra Complex, Mesh, blackcarburning, Deathline International, Vaselyne and Black Needle Noise.
The idea of recording a song for this purpose immediately resonated strongly with many of the musicians who were asked to participate. Vocalist Chris Connelly (solo artist/Ministry/Pigface/The Joy Thieves) wanted to be a part of “Come Together” so badly that he recorded and sent his vocals for the song within 24 hours of receiving the instrumental track, despite fighting COVID-19 at the time. “The establishment has failed the people and acted like a spoiled child with a box of matches and a Slurpee cup full of gasoline,” said Connelly. “We musicians will do what we do best, COME TOGETHER and play LOUD! We will carry the torch. Not because it’s ‘trendy,’ or we are ‘draft-dodging longhairs,’ but because it is the right thing, and it is what we HAVE!”
Jeff Scheel from Gravity Kills added, “As an American, and a citizen of the world, I initially felt like I didn’t have the means to make a difference all by myself. But contributing to this project feels like a way that I can truly help the people around the world who are suffering.”
The full list of contributors on “Come Together (We Will Stop You)” is as follows:
John Fryer (Black Needle Noise) Chris Connelly (solo artist/Ministry/Pigface/The Joy Thieves) Bill Gould (Faith No More, Brujeria, Wayne Kramer’s MC5) Richard Kruspe (Rammstein) Jeff Scheel (Gravity Kills) Christopher Hall & Walter Flakus (Stabbing Westward) Mark Hockings (Mesh/blackcarburning) Rodney Orpheus (The Cassandra Complex) Roger Miret (Agnostic Front) Geno Leonardo (ex-Filter) Lisa K (Basement Jaxx, The Bellrays, The Crystal Method) Matt Walker (Filter, The Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage, Morrissey) The Hardkiss (award-winning Ukrainian band) Lukas Rossi (“Rockstar: Supernova” winner) Ginny Luke (recorded with Britney Spears, Black Eyed Peas, Will.I.Am, Foo Fighters, Snoop Dogg, Dave Matthews Band, Stevie Wonder and more) John Vaughn (TV and Movie scores) Talon Majors Eric Tomes (Awaiting Eli) Mari Kattman – (Mari Kattman /Helix) Stephen Lam & Th3Count (Deathline International) Diana Noir (Junksista) Dan Milligan & James Scott (The Joy Thieves, The Burying Kind) Ania Tarnowska (I Ya Toyah, The Joy Thieves) Yvette Winkler (Vaselyne, Black Needle Noise) Jim Semonik (Red Lokust) Steven Archer (Stoneburner, Ego Likeness) Tom Berger (Johnny Tupolev) Joe Virus (Solemn Assembly) James & Michelle Perry (Ashes Fallen) Sean Hazebruck (Sick Jokes) GW Childs IV (GW Childs IV)
THE E-MEN PEACE CHOIR Directed by Matt B Thorns Daniel Cartes Rod Saez Chavez Soledad Cáceres Marisol Calderón Cesar Reyes Matt B Thorns
In an exclusive interview with Rolling Stone, Grammy-nominated band SUM 41 have shared a first look at the details of their upcoming eighth studio album. Vocalist Deryck Whibley shared that the double album, titled Heaven and Hell, is shaping up to be the most ambitious of the band’s career – half of the album brings SUM 41 back to their pop punk roots, Heaven, and half of the album is strictly metal, Hell.
“As I listened to almost all of [the newly written songs], it just kind of dawned on me. Did I just make a double record on accident?”
Read the exclusive interview with Deryck Whibley onRolling Stonehere.
On the metal half of the album, Whibley says, “Some of the metal stuff comes with a lot of anger for people who have stolen from me and hurt me in the past.”
“It all made sense to me why pop-punk is coming back: it’s feel-good music. There’s something that’s happy about it. Something young and innocent and free,” he continues on the pop-punk aspect of the new record.
The band has been straddling the line of pop-punk and metal for their 26-year career, and Heaven and Hell is a clear statement that the iconic band: nobody else is putting out an album like this because nobody else is capable of it the way SUM 41 is. The upcoming record is something special that will propel SUM 41 to new heights – a feat that seems nearly impossible with all their accolades so far, but this is merely the beginning of something great.
Looking back at the band’s storied career with over 15 million records sold worldwide, multiple Billboard Charting releases, a Grammy Award nomination, 2 Juno Awards (7 nominations), a Kerrang!Award in 2002, as well as multiple Alternative Press Music Awards, SUM 41 is quite simply a rock band – uncompromising and honest with no intention of slowing down.
SUM 41 recently announced the Blame Canada Tour featuring co-headliners Simple Plan. This trek marks the first time both bands will be touring together, featuring Sum 41 performing All Killer No Filler and Simple Plan performing No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls. The first leg kicks off on April 29th and features special guest Set It Off. For a full list of dates, please see below or visit https://www.sum41.com
Blame Canada Tour Dates: Apr 29 – Raleigh, NC @ Ritz Apr 30 – Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues May 2 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore May 3 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE May 4 – Silver Springs, MD @ The Fillmore May 6 – Worcester, MA @ The Palladium May 7 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony May 8 – New York, NY @ Pier 17 – The Rooftop May 10 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore May 11 – Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues May 13 – Cincinnati, OH @ Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center May 14 – Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles May 15 – Chicago, IL @ Radius May 17 – St. Paul, MN @ Myth May 18 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown May 20 – Council Bluffs, IA @ Harrah’s Stir Cove May 21 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant May 22 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon May 24 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle May 25 – Tampa, FL @ Seminole Hard Rock May 27 – New Orleans, LA @ Orpheum May 28 – Dallas, TX @ So What?! Music Festival Jul 29 – Tulsa, OK @ Cains Ballroom Jul 30 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater Jul 31 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues Aug 3 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren Aug 5 – San Diego, CA @ SOMA Aug 6 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues Aug 9 – San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic Aug 10 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades Aug 12 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre Aug 13 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo Aug 14 – Spokane, WA @ The Knitting Factory Aug 16 – Garden City, ID @ Revolution Aug 17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex Aug 18 – Denver, CO @ The Fillmore
“Drink The New Wine” was recorded last year during lockdown with the four members sharing audio files. The track employs the Surrealists’ ‘Exquisite Corpse’ device whereby each artist adds to the piece without seeing what the others have done.
Bauhaus have used this technique in the past to great effect. The title refers to the very first ‘Cadavre exquis’ drawing rendered by André Breton, Marcel Duchamp, Jacques Prévert and Yves Tanguy which included words which when strung together made up the sentence, ‘Le cadavre exquis boiara le vin nouveau’ (‘The exquisite corpse will drink the new wine.’)
For the recording, the four musicians each had one minute and eight tracks at their disposal plus a shared sixty seconds plus four tracks for a composite at the end. All done without hearing what the others had laid down. The only common link being a prerecorded beat courtesy of Kevin. The final playback came as synchronistic revelation.
Breton would be proud!
U.S. SHOWS:
May 14 – Cruel World Festival (Pasadena, CA) SOLD OUT!
May 15 – Cruel World Festival (Pasadena, CA) Ticket Link
May 17 – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Portland,OR) Ticket link
May 20 – Paramount Theatre(Seattle, WA)Ticket link
May 21 – The Masonic(San Francisco, CA) ** NEW DATE ** On-Sale: Friday, March 25th at 10a PT Ticket Link
May 22 – The Masonic(San Francisco, CA) Ticket Link
May 25 – The Mission Ballroom(Denver, CO) Ticket link
May 27 – The Marquee Theatre(Tempe, AZ) Ticket link
Sept. 8 – Kings Theatre(New York, NY) Ticket link NOTE: Tickets purchased for postponed Nov. 2, 2021 show will be honored.
Sept. 9 – Kings Theatre(New York, NY) Ticket link NOTE: Tickets purchased for postponed Nov. 3, 2021 show will be honored.
The Bobby Lees, the upstate New York four-piece Uncut described as “an explosion of intensity of high-concept, low budget rock’n’roll” and The Chicago Reader said have “the chops and the weirdness to refresh vintage rock, punk and blues…,” have signed with Ipecac Recordings, releasing the four-song Hollywood Junkyard EP on June 17.
The Bobby Lees said of partnering with Ipecac: “We’re very excited to be on Ipecac Recordings! They have bands we love, and most importantly the label is run by honest, no bullshit people. They let their artists make their own decisions and we really appreciate that. It’s rare nowadays for a label to take a chance on a band that doesn’t fit in one lane. Ipecac welcomed us and that challenge with open arms. They seem to be a label that fights for the misfits and the bands that have their own pulse. As soon as we met them, we knew this album found its home.”
“It’s so great to welcome The Bobby Lees to Ipecac. Take no prisoners, DIY rock and roll. Can’t wait to share these tunes with the world,” shared Mike Patton, with his Ipecac co-owner Greg Werckman adding: “When our A&R guy, Henry Rollins, brought The Bobby Lees to our attention we did not hesitate. A great band, great people with the right attitude. Honored to be a part of the future of this band.”
News of the band’s signing and the forthcoming release comes with today’s arrival of the EP’s title track and its accompanying video. The clip, directed by indie filmmaker John Swab, finds the musicians drugged by an overeager stylist and publicist, as the band’s label seeks to hone on a “look” for The Bobby Lees.
“The video is a general commentary on our current culture and its obsession with the external, and trying to be famous by any means,” explains singer/guitar player Sam Quartin. “The world of TikTok and Instagram feels like a trap for most of us, so we try to stay away from it as much as possible and instead focus on what you can’t see. Lyrically, the song is about an experience I had during a psychotic break when I thought a star shot into my body. After that I started acting – I was told I didn’t look right and couldn’t ‘make it’ in entertainment without a gimmick or a look. But despite that, I got cast in a few films and was exposed to some amazing people, also some pretty shitty people and situations. The story of the video comes from what I witnessed. People in power manipulating others to do whatever they thought was best monetarily, not what was best for their artists health and well-being. I guess that’s true for a lot of things. The end result of money, fame and success being more important than truth, love, and sanity.”
Pre-save the Hollywood Junkyard EP here. Vance Powell (Jack White, Bleached, The Raconteurs) produced the four-song release.
The Bobby Lees on tour, including a newly extended European trek:
March 24 Trinidad, CO Trinidad Lounge March 25 Denver, CO Larimer Lounge March 26 Salt Lake City, UT Black Lung Society March 27 Boise, UT Treefort Fest (The Shredder) March 29 Missoula, MT Monks March 30 Bozeman, MT Filling Station\ March 31 Spokane, WA Big Dipper April 1 Portland, OR Mission Theater April 2 Seattle, WA Freakout Weekender April 5 Casper, WY Oil City April 6 Colorado Springs, CO Vultures April 7 Lincoln, NE HQ April 8 Tulsa, OK Foolish Things May 27 Grand Rapids, MI Skelletones May 28 Indianapolis IN Melody Inn June 1 Albuquerque, NM The Launchpad June 2 Phoenix, AZ Trunk Space June 3 Las Vegas, NV American Legion Post 8 June 4 McGill, NV Shellraiser Festival June 6 Ft. Collins, CO Surfside 7 June 9 Kansas City, KS minibar June 23 Paris, FR La Maroquinerie June 24 Nijmegen, NL Merleyn June 25 Haarlem, NL Kliko Festival (Patronaat) June 26 Amsterdam, NL Paradiso June 29 Birmingham, UK Hare & Hound June 30 Nottingham, UK Bodega HLD July 1 Dublin, IE The Workman’s Club July 2 Limerick, IE Kasbah July 3 Belfast, IE Ulster Sports Club July 5 Glasgow, UK Broadcast July 6 Newcastle, UK The Cluny 2 July 7 Leeds, UK Brudenel Social Club July 8 London, UK The Shacklewell Arms July 9 Brighton, UK The Hope July 10 Gierle, BE Sjock Festival July 12 Malmö, SE Plan B July 13 Copenhagen, DK Stairway July 15 Riegsee, DE Raut Oak Festival July 16 Breitenbach Am Inn, AT Gasthof Schwaiger July 19 Montpellier, FR Secret Place July 20 Meymac, FR Open Air Marketplace July 21 Binic, FR Binic Folk Blues Festival July 22 Bordeaux, FR Relâche Festival
The Bobby Lees are Macky Bowman (drums), Nick Casa (guitar), Sam Quartin (vocals/guitar) and Kendall Wind (bass). The Woodstock, N.Y.-based band have released two albums: Beauty Pageant (2018) and Skin Suit (2020), with the latter produced by Jon Spencer. Classic Rock Magazine adeptly said of the band: “Rock and roll as it ought to be: off the hook, unhinged, ravaged by Satan, hysterically vital, both kicking serious arse and against polite society’s pricks. As undisciplined as No Wave, as steeped in comatose cool as ‘70s CBGB’s blank generation, and as stylishly ferocious as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.”
GRAMMY® Award Winning musician, producer, author as well as founding member of hard rock bands Alter Bridge, Creed and Tremonti, Mark Tremonti is “stepping out” with his most-ambitious and challenging project to date. Mark has partnered with National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) as he releases an album of Frank Sinatra covers entitled Tremonti Sings Sinatra. The album of selections from Frank Sinatra’s catalog is being released as part of a new charity initiative created by Tremonti called Take A Chance For Charity. Proceeds from the album – scheduled for release on May 27th – will go to support NDSS and the work they do to advocate for and support individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Mark and his family were blessed to welcome their first daughter Stella last March – who was born with Down syndrome – and the idea for the project was born.
A video sharing the story of Take A Chance For Charity can be seen here:
“For years, I’ve loved singing along to Frank’s songs,” Mark explains. “One night, I found an old video of him performing ‘The Song Is You’ from 1944. It made me want to dive into his vocal approach. I was all in and I wanted to do something with it. When we found out about our daughter Stella’s Down syndrome diagnosis, the stars aligned. My obsession with Sinatra had its reason. Frank Sinatra raised more than a billion dollars for charity and that is a fact I wish the public the public knew more about. Beneath his cool and calm persona, he had a big heart. Doing this charity in his name was another way the stars had aligned. I decided to do this record to raise funds for families and individuals with Down syndrome. This project is the start of a new purpose that I will have for the rest of my life.”
Mark Tremonti has come together with surviving members of Frank Sinatra’s orchestra, creating new takes on some of the classics and some deeper cuts from Frank’s catalog. From the opening horns and piano of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” to final vocal outro of “All Or Nothing At All,” Mark Tremonti showcases the signature vocal approach and exemplary musicianship that made Sinatra’s work timeless. To see his vision through, Mark reached out to Frank Sinatra’s musical director Mike Smith who collected as many remaining members as possible of Frank’s touring band to record the music for Tremonti Sings Sinatra. Popular standards like “I’ve Got The World On A String,” “My Way” and “That’s Life” find new life in the hands of these incredible musicians. Mark Tremonti – known for his guitar work that has won him countless accolades – leaves the instrument behind and just sings on the 14-track album. The artwork on the album cover is an original painting that Tremonti created especially for this project.
A video for the first track “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” can be seen here:
The track listing for Tremonti Sings Sinatra is: 1. I’ve Got You Under My Skin 2. I’ve Got The World On A String 3. I Fall In Love Too Easily 4. Wave 5. Fly Me To The Moon 6. Nancy (With The Laughing Face) 7. My Way 8. You Make Me Feel So Young 9. Luck Be A Lady 10. That’s Life 11. Come Fly With Me 12. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning 13. The Song Is You 14. All Or Nothing At All
About Take A Chance For Charity: Take A Chance For Charity is a new charity focused on giving artists / actors / athletes / anyone with a platform the ability to get out of their comfort zone. The idea is to have people get out of the genre they are known for to raise funds / awareness for the charity of their choice. We want people to have the most fun they ever had while raising money for charity. An actor can sing, an athlete can dance, a musician can perform a song out of their musical genre – any artistic interpretation. This gives participants the ability to do something out of the ordinary – in fact extraordinary – all in the name of charity. Tremonti Sings Sinatra will be the first release for the cause, the recipient being NDSS.
Ten years ago TOOL fans wondered if they would ever see the band live again or hear new music. In 2022, TOOL has returned for another arena tour supporting Fear Inoculum, the band’s 2019 return album. Maynard James Keenan made sure to get St. Louis alert and active. When telling the crowd they sounded like Kansas City at first, he proved he knew how to get Enterprise Center attendees to react.
Hearing many songs from Fear Inoculum live reinforced my belief that the group’s latest album is an experience meant to be heard live. Closing the night with the amazing “Invincible” as well as performing “Fear Inoculum”, “Pneuma”, and “Descending”, these songs hit harder live and the expression in the performance was deeper. This is something that few bands can keep over time, but here is TOOL proving they have no issue handling it all.
It was later in the set that Maynard James Keenan disappeared behind the stage while the rest of the band performed. It was during that time that MJK performed his next bit. Amping up the ridiculous behavior from playing Jenga or Operation, the singer gave drummer Danny Carey an assist to bang the gong.
As is every TOOL performance, the visuals added to the wire curtain and back screen were phenomenal. The capacity crowd in downtown St. Louis were in unison enjoying the show and in some ways, it felt like a bigger connection together since TOOL’s return to Enterprise Center in 2019. Possibly because of a big concert finally happening after the pandemic, possibly because of the tightly precise and engaging set. Regardless, everything about last night’s show was memorable.
We’ve heard several confirmations but no dates or timelines of new music from the band. The bright side is showing however that we will be graced with new more new music soon. TOOL has recently made Opiate² and released the band’s first music video in over 15 years. A clip of the video can be found below.
Despite so much happening over the past few years, it appears that the band is ready for the future. New music, touring, cheeky backstage shenanigans, and everything else TOOL can think of. 30 years in and TOOL are showing different generations of music fans how a live music experience can be just that: an experience. I’m looking forward to hearing and seeing what the band does next.
Click on any photo below to open the gallery during TOOL’s performance of “Fear Inoculum”, which opened the set.
Setlist: Fear Inoculum Opiate The Pot Pushit Pneuma The Grudge Eon Blue Apocalypse The Patient Descending Hooker With a Penis Chocolate Chip Trip Culling Voices Invincible
Photos of TOOL at Enterprise Center. All photos were taken by Luke Spencer March 18, 2022, in St. Louis, MO.
