Hair Metal is Taking Over Again

So Poison front man Bret Michaels is a TV Dating Show super stud now and Axl Rose may be the best thing to happen to Dr. Pepper since the aluminum can, now Def Leppard, the best metal band with a one-armed drummer has just debuted on the Billboard Top 200 charts at #5. Seriously.... There is no punch line there. Well, maybe one. Their first single is a duet with Tim McGraw.

Here's the press release:

“SONGS FROM THE SPARKLE LOUNGE”
Debuts at #5 on Billboard Top 200!

Band’s New Release Garners Highest Charting Debut Since 1992’s Adrenalize

“Nine Lives” Maintains #1 Spot on Classic Rock Chart for Three Solid Weeks

New York, May 7, 2008 – Def Leppard, Great Britain’s premiere arena rock band, released their 14th studio album, Songs From The Sparkle Lounge (Bludgeon Riffola/Island/UMe) this past Tuesday, which has debuted at #5 on the Billboard Top 200, earning Def Leppard their highest-charting debut since their 1992 album Adrenalize. Songs From The Sparkle Lounge contains 11 new songs including the new hit single “Nine Lives,” featuring a groundbreaking collaboration with country music superstar Tim McGraw. The song has been sitting atop the Classic Rock chart at #1 for three weeks, and is also holding at #15 on Mainstream Rock radio. The band recently kicked off the release of their new album last week with a slew of high profile television performances on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and NBC’s The Ellen Degeneres Show.

Recorded last year during month-long stints at lead singer Joe Elliott’s Dublin studio, the album’s title refers to a backstage area called “The Sparkle Lounge” on Def Leppard’s 2006 tour where the band would go to write songs. In addition to the album’s hit single “Nine Lives,” other standout tracks on the album include “C'mon C'mon,” which will be the album’s next single, “Go,” reminiscent of the band’s classic track “Rocket” in its power and aggressive tribal beat; “Love,” an emotive and moving epic song; and the anthemic “Tomorrow,” a song written by guitarist Collen about the death of his father.

Songs From The Sparkle Lounge includes a limited edition custom PIKCARD®, which unlocks the Def Leppard online "Vault” (named after the band's best-selling greatest-hits CD). Inside the “Vault,” Def Leppard fans have exclusive access to a variety of content, contests and memorabilia, featuring highlights such as personal photos from the road, registration to the band's fan club, entry into an exclusive contest to win backstage passes and VIP access the next time Def Leppard comes to the winner's town, new album lyrics - handwritten by Joe Elliott- and a personal message from the band.

In addition to the album, Def Leppard have partnered with Activision Inc.'s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero® III: Legends of Rock on an epic three-song track pack that gave fans an exclusive opportunity to sample the band's #1 new radio single, "Nine Lives," before their upcoming studio album hit stores. The track pack became available starting April 24th and also features live versions of "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages," two of Def Leppard's most beloved chart-toppers from their multi-platinum Pyromania album.

With more than 65 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards to their credit, Def Leppard--Joe Elliott (vocals), Vivian Campbell (guitar), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick "Sav" Savage (bass) and Rick Allen (drums)—continues to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career, the band has produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the sound for generations of music fans and artists. The group’s spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, have become synonymous with their name and are an institution in the touring industry as they continue to sell out arenas worldwide.

Punk Rockin' in China

Chinese punk band Brain Failure have just recorded their new EP, which includes the song "A Box on a Broken Ball", (no idea what that means, either) a collaboration with Public Enemy's Chuck D that talks about China's environmental problems.

The lyrics detail severe pollution problems - a result of China's fast economic growth - and the recent abnormal weather changes due to global warming. The band unveiled the song at a press conference in China. Again, Brain Failure held a press conference IN CHINA - a country not exactly known to welcome dissenting views - to talk about a song that is critical of their own country. Now that is punk rock!

Here's a link to the song: http://www.myspace.com/brainfailurepunk

The single is being released through the iTunes Music Store exclusive on April 30th. Their third album, "Made in China," is expected this fall.

Great band. If Joe Strummer were raised in Beijing he would definitely have started this group.

Interview Do's and Don'ts...

The main reason I started covering punk music - aside from the brilliance of The Clash - is that the interviews tended to be much more spontaneous. I'd covered mainstream music in the past and it had all the pleasure of chewing on tinfoil.

The bands' PR department's had media-trained any originality out of the musicians. I would see the quotes from my story picked up in half a dozen other articles about the band. There also seemed to be a sense of unearned self-importance around a lot of these bands. They were signed to a major label, In their little world, they had made it, so granting an interview to the press was seen as little more than a favor to the record companies.

About five years ago, as a favor to a friend I did a piece on a small punk rock band and was shocked at how much fun it was. The band loved talking about themselves and did not shy away from a single question - controversial or not. They were crammed into a tiny van with their buddies for months on end, eating peanut butter on white bread to save some money for beer and couldn't be happier. They knew that major labels were never going to come knocking on their van door with a million dollar contract, but that didn't seem to matter. They had day jobs and twice a year, saved up enough money to tour behind their albums, playing to small, but devoted crowds of kids who loved their music. They also saw an interview as a great way to speak to their fans. I was sold.

From that day on, I tended to concentrate mainly on covering punk bands.

About a year ago though, I noticed that these interviews have started to become less and less fun. The problem almost always seems to come when I'm covering younger bands, on tour behind their first record. Not sure if it's a generational thing - Millennials who were pampered by their parents and now think the rest of the world should treat them like the precious little snow flakes their parents raised them to be. Regardless, it's starting to get annoying.

That's why I've thrown together this helpful list of do's and don'ts to help out these snow flakes and their PR folks (my day job is in PR, so I'm not asking you to do something I wouldn't do myself).

Here we go:

• Let's drop the attitude. I'm sure you were a big deal at your high school talent show, but I've never heard of you before and chances are 99.9% of the record buying public hasn't either. You're not too good to spend 20 min. on the phone with a reporter who is trying to give your band a little publicity. I have interviewed some of the bigger names in punk, folks in Bad Religion and Flogging Molly, who don't need a mention from my magazines to sell records, and they have been fantastic, entertaining every single question I had without an eye roll. You'd be lucky to have a career half as successful, so suck it up buttercup and handle the interview like a big kid.


• Buy a watch. This one seems obvious, but if you're on tour, I know you have nothing to do until sound check late in the afternoon. There's no need to be two hours late for an interview. Put down the PSP and show up to the interview on time.


• Pretend like it's your first time. I know interviews can sometimes get tedious. Especially when you get asked the same questions again and again. Here's a little secret: we're asking you those same generic questions because we know absolutely nothing about you. At all. You've been together as a band for less than a year, you have one five-song E.P. to your name and your bio includes absolutely no interesting details other than your drummer spells his name with an "i" rather than the traditional "y" spelling. We're just desperate to keep the conversation going longer than three minutes. If you're give us nothing, then you're going to get questions like "How did you guys first get together?" Here's a deal I'll make with you, you don't sigh loudly when I ask a question you've heard before and I won't ask how your band got it's name. Deal?


• You're really not that funny. I'm sure it can get boring on the road. You need a diversion, so why not screw with the reporter and not take a single question seriously. Being sarcastic is an art form that few can pull off (Fat Mike, being one). Chances are you will not come off funny, but will inevitable just sound like a douche. Nice job! You have now pissed off the reporter who will never write about your band again and alienated tens of thousands of readers who might have bought your record. At least your bass player laughed, though.


• This one's for the flacks. Dear publicist, I know you got this job to one day meet the guys in Green Day and now you're stuck pitching a band like Cute is What We Aim For (one of my worst interview experiences ever, by the way), but suck it up. Return that e-mail and answer your phones. The only time I hear from some of you is when you are pushing some no-name band that is about to disappear into the ether and your client is pressuring you for a clip. I have no problem covering small bands if the publicist has been cool in the past. Mike at Earshot and Vanessa at Mutiny and Fat Wreck Chords, for example. I would cover anyone for these guys because they have been extremely helpful, setting me up with hard-to-get interviews and ALWAYS answering my e-mails, even if it's a question about when a record is coming out. Earshot and Mutiny have a phenomenal client list, in part because their owner's know how to deal with the media.


• This one's for flacks, Pt. II. Tell me the truth. I know I'm not writing for the New York Times. If your client doesn't want to talk to every outlet, that's fine. Just don't tell me "he's not doing interviews," when I will pick up a competitor's magazine next month and see an exhaustive Q&A with the dude. Again, I'm in PR, so I know those conversations are uncomfortable, but if I lie to my reporters they don't cover any of my clients again. I'm the same way. You're dead to me. Also, don't pester me about covering some horrible band and then go silent the second I ask to get some more details on one of your bigger clients. If that's your M.O., don't be surprised to see your clients walking out the door because you can't get a reporter to answer your calls.

OK, I have stepped back down from the soapbox. All in all, the vast majority of bands and PR folks I deal with on a day to day basis are extremely professional. They make this job, of which I get paid almost zero dollars for, worth doing. To all of you I say "Thanks".

To the others, remember this phrase: "Would you like to supersize that?".

Me and Willie

So I woke up to another birthday this morning.

I am now officially 35 and while it would be easy to start ticking off all the cliched dreads that come with getting older (another day closer to death; thinking about all that I haven't done; all the money I haven't put aside yet; blah, blah, blah)... not this year. This year I greet the anniversary of my ride down the log flume of life with a great big grin. Why?

Because last night, the Fed Ex driver left a package at my front door. Inside was the Holy Grail: A copy of the latest Willie Nelson box set "One Hell of a Ride: (thanks Randy @ Legacy/Columbia!).

Wille - who incidentally turns 75 later this month - has been a constant in my life and in my CD (formerly tape) collection. Despite years of evolving musical tastes, Willie has always been there for me. I may have been sporting a bolo tie and paisley vest in the mid/late-80's but I was listening to "Whiskey River" as I was getting ready to hit the skate ring.

In fact, Willie and Bruce have been the only two constant anchors in the Mt. Rushmore tribute to my musical heroes (unfortunately, at a low point in my musical tastes they would have been sharing real estate with Kiss and a handful of hair metal bands).

I'm turning the tables on the tradition of gift giving this year and handing you a present. Take 3 minutes and listen to this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J_CmSi6CVI

No need to thank me.

Is Axl Rose a Pepper, too?

In a brilliant PR move from Dr. Pepper, the company recently offered everyone in the U.S. (with the exception of former Guns N' Roses guitarists Slash and Buckethead) a free Dr. Pepper if the long-gestating "Chinese Democracy" is released this year. the record has been in the works for 17 years and counting.

The release, in part, states: "In an unprecedented show of solidarity with Axl, everyone in America, except estranged GNR guitarists Slash and Buckethead, will receive a free can of Dr Pepper if the album ships some time -- anytime! -- in 2008. Dr Pepper supports Axl, and fully understands that sometimes you have to make it through the jungle before you get it right."

And who knew Axl had a sense of humor? Here's the response, posted on his Web site:

Guns N' Roses
March 26, 2008
Press Release from Axl Regarding Dr Pepper By Axl

We are surprised and very happy to have the support of Dr Pepper with our album "Chinese Democracy," as for us, this came totally out of the blue. If there is any involvement with this promotion by our record company or others, we are unaware of such at this time. And as some of Buckethead's performances are on our album, I'll share my Dr Pepper with him.
Axl Rose

Can't Listen to the Boss? That's a Stabbin'

Not that I condone this reaction, just sayin' I'm a big fan of the boss as well, and this might deserve some sort of pardon...

Woman stabs partner to death after fight over Bruce Springsteen

(CNN) -- An Australian woman pleaded guilty Thursday to fatally stabbing her boyfriend because he objected to her listening to Bruce Springsteen's music.

The national news agency, Australian Associated Press, reported that the Supreme Court in the city of Brisbane sentenced Karen Lee Cooper to eight years in prison.

Cooper told arresting officers she "just got tired" of her boyfriend, Kevin Watson, bossing her around during their two-year relationship.

"I couldn't even play Bruce Springsteen on my stereo. Can you believe that? Can you believe that?" Cooper told police, according to the Courier Mail newspaper.

Later, in a formal police interview, she repeated her claims: "I mean, who doesn't like Bruce Springsteen? I am 49 years old and I want to play my own music."
Springsteen is an award-winning American singer-songwriter, best known for his lyrics about the struggles of the common man.

The couple had been drinking at their rental home the night of the stabbing two years ago when they began arguing over Cooper's choice of music, the Australian Associated Press said.
Cooper's lawyer told the court she experienced a "brain snap." She ran to the kitchen, grabbed a knife and stabbed Watson, 49, after he said he didn't want her to listen to a Springsteen CD, the newspaper said.

Cooper took a handful of pills before calling police. She told officers she hoped the pills would kill her before they arrived.

According to the press reports, Cooper regretted the stabbing and did not think her boyfriend deserved to die.

Again, not condoning her reaction, I'll just ask the question we're all thinking: why would you want someone to turn off Bruce Springsteen?

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

So last night VH1 (or more likely VH1 classic) aired the latest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony... and I watched Jon & Kate Plus 8 which some how seemed much more rock and roll than the bloated RnR rubber chicken dinner (let's put on tuxes and sit at assigned tables! Rawk on!!!)

I'm not even going to bother to list the inductees, because Johnnie Cougar is the only one that really mattered this year.

Which brings me to the (only) greatest moment in Rock& Roll Hall of Fame history, when they tried to encase the Sex Pistols. Johnnie Rotten (aka John Lydon) may be the biggest ass in music history (and I'm including the Oasis brothers), but he was the first and only to give the appropriate response when the folks at the Hall of Fame knocked on his door.

"Next to the SEX PISTOLS rock and roll and that hall of fame is a piss stain," said a statement the band sent to media. "Your museum. Urine in wine. Were (sic) not coming. Were (sic) not your monkey and so what?"

The band also rightly pointed out that folks had to shell out $25,000 for a table, "or $15,000 to squeak up in the gallery."

"Your (sic) not paying attention. Outside the shit-stem is a real SEX PISTOL."

Here's a link to the full statement, psychotic handwriting and typos included.