Chickenfoot

I think Joe Satriani and his new band Chickenfoot with Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, and Chad Smith just raised the bar for Eddie Van Halen for the next Van Halen album. I just listen to the 2 new tracks at www.chickenfoot.us and holy crap this is what the Van "Hagar" era SHOULD HAVE sounded like. No keyboards just unbelievable rockin guitar with Sammy vocals and the traditional Michael Anthony backing. Look for the new album in early June.

Heaven and Hell: Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath's newest change. Their name. With Dio as the frontman with the original members of Sabbath have changed their name to Heaven and Hell. A message they are sending their fans is that they will not be playing any of the old Sabbath classics (fronted by Ozzy) at their shows. Being a Sabbath fan since like forever, (I prefer the Ozzy era), I'm not taking to the name change. To me it would be like Van Halen offically changing their name to Van Hagar during the Hagar era. Or AC/DC changing their name to Back in Black and refusing to play the Bon Scott stuff at their shows. Now I will say the Black Sabbath with Dio sounds pretty good but they other than Mob Rules and Heaven and Hell, what other BS songs with Dio turned into classics? I would be very dissapointed to go the show and not hear Iron Man or Paranoid. At least keep the name and just not play the Ozzy stuff.

Worth a listen

1. Dark Days by Duff McKagan's Loaded 4.5 stars. Duff's side project's first album is very punk and very dark but highly recommended. Last years Wasted Heart EP is much better produced but only contains 5 songs and is just a tease.

2. Under it All by New American Shame. This band's 1999 release if very "American Rock 'n Roll" borrowing the AC/DC forumula.

3. Orgasmatron by Motorhead. A little different from Lemmy but heavy.

4. Wheels of Steal by Saxon - Early British Metal, raw but classic.

Who is the greatest Rock "Star"?

What is a Rock "Star"? A Rock "Star" by my opinion is a legendary rock star that when walks into a room every head turns. There is a vibe that you feel when they enter the room. They have to have had several hits with their band. They pretty much don't give a F@#$ what anyone thinks of them. Say anything that comes to mind no matter the outcome.They obviously had to have been a drug addict at some point right? I can think of about 5 or so and one comes to my mind that tops the list. Stephen Tyler. He's got the look. He's got the voice. He's got the hits. He's got the fans. He's got his own Guitar Hero game that feature's his exclusively his band. He's also been a drug addict. He would be recognized on the street by anyone. Plus a 25 year old girl at my work think's he's just the bomb (even in his 60s). The other 4 that come to mind. Bono, Mick Jagger, Jim Morrison and Nikki Sixx. I know Nikki was from the hair metal era which gets little deserved respect. But after reading his Herion Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Rock Star, I have more respect for him.

Why is it?

Why is it that most bands from the 70s, 80s, and 90s whom have had a catalog of hits go on tour now with new material but no one wants to hear the new stuff. It's pretty much like pulling teeth just getting through the new songs. I know why they do it. They have to. They have to promote their own album. Let's take Journey for instance. I saw them last fall and they every song they played was a radio hit at some point in time except for 3 songs from the new album that the crowd just growned through. Now on the other hand you bands like Metallica, AC/DC and U2 that put out new material and the crowd goes just crazy for it. Is it because they are still relevant? Is it because of the new generation picks up on these bands from Guitar Hero and Rock Band and that makes them cool? Or is it just a matter of taste? Or just some of those old bands just never evolved to the music of today. Some bands always say "well, on our next album, we're going back to their old sound", which they never do and why do it? Why not take a lesson from Metallica? They for example have never peaked. They always come out bigger and better with every ablum and it never sounds the same.