aerosmith the bad boys from Boston

Aerosmith - Current members
Steven Tyler - lead vocals, piano, harmonica, percussion and drums (1970-present)
Joe Perry - lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1970-1979; 1984-present)
Brad Whitford - rhythm and lead guitar (1971-1981; 1984-present)
Tom Hamilton - bass guitar, backing vocals (1970-present)
Joey Kramer - drums, percussion (1970-present)

Aerosmith is an American hard rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, glam, and rhythm and blues, which has inspired many subsequent rock artists. The band was formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1970.

Guitarist Joe Perry and bassist Tom Hamilton, originally in a band together called the Jam Band, met up with singer Steven Tyler, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarist Ray Tabano, and formed Aerosmith. By 1971, Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford, and the band began developing a following in Boston.

They were signed to Columbia Records in 1972 and released a string of multi-platinum albums, beginning with their 1973 eponymous debut album. In 1975, the band broke into the mainstream with the album Toys in the Attic, and their 1976 follow-up Rocks cemented their status as hard rock superstars. By the end of the 1970s, they were among the most popular hard rock bands in the world and developed a loyal following of fans, often referred to as the "Blue Army".

However, drug addiction and internal conflict took their toll on the band, which resulted in the departures of Perry and Whitford, in 1979 and 1981 respectively. They were replaced by Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay. The band did not fare well between 1980 and 1984, releasing a lone album, Rock in a Hard Place, which went gold but failed to match their previous successes.

Although Perry and Whitford returned in 1984 and the band signed a new deal with Geffen Records, it wasn't until the band sobered up and released 1987's Permanent Vacation that they regained the level of popularity they had experienced in the 1970s. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, the band scored several hits and won numerous awards for music from the multi-platinum albums Pump (1989), Get a Grip (1993), and Nine Lives (1997).

Their comeback has been described as one of the most remarkable and spectacular in rock 'n' roll history. After 39 years of performing, the band continues to tour and record music.

Aerosmith is the best-selling American hard rock band of all time, having sold 150 million albums worldwide, including 66.5 million albums in the United States alone. They also hold the record for the most gold and multi-platinum albums by an American group. The band has scored 21 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, nine #1 Mainstream Rock hits, four Grammy Awards, and ten MTV Video Music Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and in 2005 they were ranked #57 in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Joan Jett the cherry bomb

Joan jett has been writing great rock music since she penned "Cherry Bomb" at 15 years old on the Runaways' debut LP, insisted on testing herself anew on SINNER. "If anything, the lyrical content might be expanding", she explains " it's not all about falling in or out of love."

For example, there is "Naked". "I think everyone's first image of the word "naked" is about being physically naked, and this isn't that at all. This is about introspection. This is a very lonely song in a sense. I think it's kind of cool to go inside and figure out what's behind the emotions of what makes people who they are. It can be scary to think about it all".

The album kicks off with "Riddles" and pulls no punches.

"Five" is about the tabloids.

At only 17, Joan was headlining clubs like CBGBs with bands such as Tom Petty, Talking Heads, Television and Cheap Trick opening up for her, and she later toured with the Ramones. Joan has since worked with Bikini Kill, Peaches, Ian MacKaye of Fugazi, Lars Fredrickson of Rancid, Bratmobile, L7, The Gits, The Replacements' Paul Westerberg, The Sex Pistols and Blondie among others. Joan produced G.I., the lone album of the seminal L.A. punk act, The Germs.

About her Sirius radio show, "That's been interesting, and different. I never aspired to it, I'm really kind of shy, so for me to get on the radio and talk, I had to build up to it. But I'm having a good time, and I get to turn people on to different things!"

Another is her ongoing acting career. She's appeared in movies like Light of Day (with Michael J. Fox and Gena Rowlands), the indie films Boogie Boy and The Sweet Life (she and her Blackhearts sing the title song) and was actually killed in an on-screen karate fight with martial-arts legend Chuck Norris. On Broadway, Joan was in the original cast of The Rocky Horror Show. "I wanted to be an actress before I wanted to play the guitar!"

One of Joan Jett's proudest accomplishments is the 25th anniversary of her record label, Blackheart Records. This company was forged during the trials and tribulations of trying to get a record deal after The Runaways, and she was rejected by every label out there....28 to be exact. Believing in themselves, Joan and her long-time songwriting partner and producer, Kenny Laguna, decided to be the masters of their own fates and pressed the records up and sold them out of the trunk of Kenny's car. It was almost immediately that they had a hit on their hands, and the company has not only survived, but flourished, in a volatile record industry.

In addition to Joan's long awaited CD, Joan and Kenny produced The Vacancies, a punk group from Cleveland. That Blackheart release A Beat Missing Or A Silence Added, has gone Top 20 on the college charts. The Eyeliners, a pop/punk band from Albuquerque, released No Apologies on Blackheart. Since the Warped tour, The Dollyrots, a pop punk band from LA and Girl in a Coma, indie rock band from San Antonio, have joined the roster. The Dollyrots, Girl in a Coma, and The Vacancies all have upcoming release this Spring/Summer.

Jett stands at a point in her life where she can appreciate her past and longevity, but still look towards the future. It is an exciting time. "I went to a school reunion in Maryland not long ago and some people reminded me I had said I was going to go to California to become a rock n roll star! I hadn't remembered that I had focused on it that early!!! To say that as a kid and actually do it is pretty cool. It just goes to show you that if you can believe in yourself, if you're lucky and have the right timing, you have a shot. I'm an example of what can be, if you don't give up!

slash guns n roses

Born in Hampstead, England, and raised in the US, Saul Hudson is not a gentleman. Those who would expect reading something in this line here are about to be very disappointed: Saul or, better yet, Slash is the perfect image of a rock'n'roll god, the guitar icon of an entire generation, a man who lived his entire life in the spotlight, by the rules imposed by the game. He is not educated or well-behaved or even good looking: instead, he is an extremely accomplished guitarist, a showman par excellence, a former drug addict and, in short, a rock god.

His father was an artist who also designed the covers for some of the albums of Neil Young and Joni Mitchell; his mother was a fashion designer who created the costumes for David Bowie's 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' - so you can see where Slash got his artistic genes from. When he was still a child, he moved with his mother to Los Angeles, where they would be later joined by his father. Until the 11th grade, Saul's childhood could be described as 'normal' (whatever that might mean): he went to the Beverly Hills High School, learned how to play the guitar, founded a couple of bands, you know, stuff teenagers normally do.

By the time he was in the 11th grade, he already knew that studying was not for him: he had dropped out of school to focus intently on his band, called Road Crew. Sure, just like his previous projects, this group too was soon disbanded but its name is still retained by many for being the vehicle that enabled Slash to meet the man with whom he would make music history, Axl Rose. At that moment, Rose was the lead singer of Hollywood Rose and the two groups met while preparing to open for Stryper, in 1984. The rest was history, as they say, and Guns'N'Roses was founded, the rock band that would alter and literally shape the rock music of the '80s and '90s.




At first, things didn't go as smoothly: the Guns used to hold gigs in bars and garages and to tour as the opening act of other rockers, more famous than them. By 1986, they already had a bunch of tracks penned down (which would later become smashing hits) but no album released. That all changed a year later, when 'Appetite for Destruction' was put out, a material that, besides including many of the band's legendary songs, like 'Welcome to the Jungle', 'Paradise City' and 'Sweet Child O' Mine', stirred quite a controversy because of the artistic cover it initially had. In two more years, the boys from Guns were famous and preparing for yet another album.


From the very start, Slash did not get along with Axl but, for quite some time, both of them managed to either hide their differences or to meet halfway. The rift became more and more obvious in the '90s, when the high level of success Guns had reached made Axl go for a more commercial variant of rock which, naturally, was not something that Slash approved of. Hits like 'Don't Cry' and 'November Rain', that have become emblems of that spleen an entire generation of youngsters was experiencing, and the fact that Axl was going for more dramatic and expensive videos (oh, so un-rock'n'roll-ish of him!) did nothing else but virtually end the friendship and work relation the two (brilliant singer and equally brilliant guitarist) had shared for so long. Slash's departure became official in 1996, when he announced that he would be pursuing a solo career but, in fact, the situation had become obviously unbearable way before that date.

After he left Guns, Slash got involved in a myriad of projects, singing with other famous rockers and rappers and featuring on their albums and videos. He was, by now, a star on his own and he didn't need Guns'N'Roses for people to know his face or his music, especially since he kept the trademark elements that had distinguished him from other rockers: curly hair, tophat and the cigarette dangling from his lips while performing... shirtless. In 2003, he officially moved away from his Guns past, by founding Velvet Revolver, the band with which he made his comeback into the public eye. Meanwhile, Guns was left only with Axl (the rest of the members had also left) and slowly began to fade away.


Slash was married twice but details like this tend to be overlooked when we're talking about one of the greatest and most accomplished guitarists of our times. Instead, the media has (and probably always will) focused on his turmoiled life, which was often 'spiced up' with drug use, incendiary statements, allegations of weird habits and hobbies (like collecting snakes), drunken appearances, alcohol abuse and f**king fiery performances! In the long run, only that last part matters because, however Slash really is and whatever he might have said or done, we will always have his music.

source
http://www.inoutstar.com/news/Saul-Hudson-aka-Slash

Metallica part one

Robert Trujillo
Born: October 23, 1964
From: Santa Monica, California
Personal: Married, 2 Children
Instrument: Bass, Background Vocals
Vitals: Brown eyes, dark hair, 5'9"/1.75 meters tall


He's got rhythm, and he's most certainly got music. Now Robert Trujillo's also got the job of being Metallica's new bassist and family member...one that will doubtless fit this most righteous and cheerful of Southern Californians like a glove.

Although he sometimes does use a pick, Trujillo is best known as a baaaad motherplucker, a finger-playin' bass monster who's dexterity, tones and attitude have seen him grace the bass of Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves and Ozzy Osbourne's band since his first professional work with Suicidal in 1989. It all stems back to a childhood filled with variety and spice.

Growing up in Venice Beach "Dog Town", Trujillo heard everything, from Led Zeppelin to Motown with a chunk of funk in between. Joined with a young love of surfing, Trujillo developed a rhythm and a vibe that saw him play with a variety of local bands through his early 20s until he met Mike Muir of Suicidal Tendencies via his High School buddy, Suicidal guitarist Rocky George. the two got on infamously well, and thus began a rich and fruitful relationship which saw Rob establish himself as one of the most exciting bass talents in the rock world.

In the early '90s, he and Muir formed the experimental funk-rockers Infectious Grooves, and then in the mid-'90s Trujillo joined up with Ozzy Osbourne. Together with drummer Mike Bordin, Trujillo formed one of rock music's most soild and reliable rhythm units.

Rob's name first floated by the Metallicamp during Suicidal's supporting role on the Summer Shed tour of '94, when all the band noted his enthusiastic style and performances. Thus when it was time to consider who could step up and take the bass full-time in Metallica, Rob's name was an obvious choice.

By all accounts, Trujillo's audition dared the band NOT to give him the job, and even producer Bob Rock was heard saying how complete and unequivocally whole the band sounded with Rob playing.

And so it was that on Thursday, February 24th 2003, Robert Trujillo walked in to the HQ and saw Ulrich, Hammett and Hetfield immediately start applauding him. Again, Rob is the perfect fit, a calm, even-keeled man with experience and full bass props...and genuinely one of the nicest guys around. It all adds up to the 4th member, an equal part of the Metallica family and an exciting new stage in Metallihistory.




James Hetfield
Born: August 3, 1963
From: Los Angeles
Personal: Married, 3 Children
Instrument: Vocals, Guitar
Vitals: Blue eyes, blonde hair, 6'1"/1.85 meters tall


When it comes to defining Metallica, most people use James Hetfield as their guide. There's never any bullshit with James and there's never any shirking of duties. Example? When he threw his back out on the Summer Sanitarium 2000 tour, James ploughed his way through three weeks of intense physical therapy in four days, according to his physical therapist. And when the going got really tough, and James needed help in 2001, he sought it out, took it on and came back stronger than ever. It is precisely this sort of fierce, unbending dedication, devotion and spirit which has made James such an inspirational focal point through the years for millions of fans.

Ironically, the voice of Metallica (indeed, a defining voice of his rock'n'roll generation) very nearly wasn't a voice at all, simply because in the early days, James Hetfield didn't fancy being a lead vocalist. Metallica tried a few different vocal/guitar configurations. Some of the options considered included adding another
guitar player, having then-lead guitar player Dave Mustaine play the sole guitar and asking John Bush from Armored Saint to sing for the band. Of course common sense prevailed, James decided to fight harder to establish himself as a frontman and the results are, ahem, history

To trace the roots of Hetfield's unflinching dedication and determination, you have to go back to a childhood that was often tough but laid a foundation, which underscores James today. Born to a truck driver and light opera singer on August 3rd, 1963, in Los Angeles, his family's Christian Science religious beliefs played a large part in the young Hetfield's life, and subsequently form a central point for many of Metallica's lyrics. He was 9 years old when he first took piano lessons before taking on brother David's drums and finally picking up a guitar in his pre-teens.

With the likes of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy providing inspiration, James quickly set about the task of becoming a rock star in his first band, Obsession. Made up of the Veloz brothers on bass and drums, with Jim Arnold on guitar, plenty of time was spent in the Veloz's garage jamming with Ron McGoveny and Dave Marrs acting as roadies. McGovney subsequently stepped in alongside Marrs and Hetfield when the Veloz brothers incarnation ended.

After moving to Brea, California, James attended Brea Olinda High School and met up with drummer Jim Mulligan. The two jammed at lunch time scaring fellow guitarists with their loud and heavy sounds before a guy called Hugh Tanner was seen carrying around part of a flying V guitar at school. Phantom Lord was born with Hugh on guitar, Mulligan on drums and James singing plus playing guitar. The group went through a few bass players until graduation when James moved back to Downey.

Back in Downey, James moved into a house owned by Ron McGovney's parents that was slated for demolition due to an expressway expansion. It was the perfect place for James and Ron to crash, rehearse and jam. James talked Ron into taking up bass, Phantom Lord was no more and the third band under Hetfield's leadership.

Leather Charm, was born. The only difference between Charm and Lord, was James singing without guitar and Ron playing bass guitar, Hugh Tanner and Jim Mulligan retaining their former 'Lord positions. Leather Charm was a largely hard rock combo, playing some originals and covers such as Iron Maiden's 'Remember Tomorrow' amongst others. The band managed to perform at a few parties and recorded a demo, but then began to fall apart.

First Tanner left the band (replaced by Troy James), then Mulligan left for a more progressive, Rush-like band. And with no drummer, the band was forced to call it quits. Although it was Mulligan's departure that led to James searching for a new drummer, we can safely say that Hugh Tanner was responsible for the catalytic moment which would change the course of James Hetfield's life and out him on the path to achieving his childhood ambition. How? Simple...Tanner introduced James to Lars Ulrich. The rest, as you'll read elsewhere, is a long, illustrious (occasionally curious) and still-evolving history...

James is the main songwriter in Metallica, co-creating the framework and structure for most Metallimaterial. When he's not writing, singing or playing, James enjoys a variety of outdoor activities including hunting, snowboarding, water and jet-skiing, sketching, annoying neighbors with guns and loud pipes on his chopper "The Saga", watching his favorite Oakland Raiders and going to hot-rod shows. He also collects older guitars (particularly those from 1963) and enjoys working on old cars. Amongst his favorites are a '55 Chevy BelAir (which he helped built and restore himself), and 'The Beast', a fearsome all-terrain 4-wheel drive Blazer that is designed to survive everything from earthquakes to nuclear holocausts. Aside from these pursuits, James is often happiest spending time with his wife Francesca and three children, Cali, Castor, and Marcella.


source www.metallica.com official fan club

KISS short biography

taken from http://www.therockradio.com/


Big Apple Beginnings
Hard rockers Kiss were formed in New York City in 1973 by schoolteacher/bass player Gene Simmons and guitarist/singer Paul Stanley, who'd played together in the band Wicked Lester. Influenced by rock n' roll outfits ranging from The Rolling Stones to Alice Cooper, the pair took the bad boy image of the former and the glam/horror style of the latter to create one of the biggest bands in the history of popular music. Recruiting drummer Peter Criss and axeman Ace Frehley through newspaper and magazine ads, Simmons and Stanley set out to do nothing less than conquer the known rock world.


1973-75: Dressed To Kill
Donning face make-up and suggestive black leather outfits, the quartet adopted stage names and personas (Simmons as The Demon, Stanley as The Star Child, Frehley as The Space Man, and Criss as The Cat) and honed their raw, original rockers in local clubs and bars. By the end of 1973, they'd managed to impress respected band manager Bill Aucoin and ink a deal with Neil Bogart's Casablanca Records.


Their self-titled debut album came out in early 1974, followed later that year by Hotter Than Hell. Both albums were packed with crushing hard rockers that would later become Kiss classics, including "Strutter," "Cold Gin," and "Hotter Than Hell." Their first real commercial success, though, came with 1975's Dressed To Kill, which featured the timeless anthem "Rock And Roll All Nite." That song not only gave the band their signature tune, but became a rousing battle cry for a generation besieged by disco, sappy AM Top 40 acts, and polyester.


Capitalizing on the runaway success of the single "Rock And Roll All Nite," Simmons and Stanley (who are as adept at business as they are rock n' roll) pulled out all the stops on their Dressed To Kill tour, taping shows and winning new fans across the country. 1975 saw the release of Kiss Alive!, a double LP party on vinyl that included now-famous photos of Simmons spitting blood, blowing fire, and wagging his legendary long tongue.


1976-79: Shout It Loud
1976's Destroyer cemented the band's hard-won image as the greatest rock n' roll band in America (a 1977 Gallup poll of the USA agreed), with numbers for their official fan club,
The Kiss Army, growing into the millions. Marvel Comics featured the band in two comic books- the first allegedly inked in the band members' own blood. Kiss albums, dolls, pinball machines, buttons, banners, T-shirts, and makeup kits sold at a heady pace. Their randy lyrics and the undeniable sexual energy of both Simmons and Stanley also gained them a respectable female fan base. And the outfit finally got their first Top Ten hit with drummer Criss' throaty ballad, "Beth."


Kiss' next two albums, Rock And Roll Over and Love Gun, also went platinum. In 1978, they issued Kiss Alive II, followed by solo records from each of the members. 1979's Dynasty produced a couple of popular numbers, but a slight disco edge to the music and an obvious, increasingly strained relationship between the members saw their original fan base beginning to erode.


1980-82: Unmasked
In 1980, original drummer Peter Criss left the group; session skin-man Anton Fig filled in for the recording of Kiss Unmasked later on that year. Official replacement Eric Carr joined the band in time to perform on their 1980 world tour. 1981's Music From The Elder received disappointing sales and fan reaction, and guitarist Ace Frehley was the next to jump ship. Vinnie Vincent took up axe duties for 1982's Creatures Of The Night, which would be their final album for Casablanca.


1983-1990: Crazy Nights
By 1983, Kiss had dropped the make-up and revamped their sound for a new decade, resulting in the platinum-selling Lick It Up, their first for Mercury Records. Music videos and more touring followed, with Vincent replaced by first Mark St. John and then Bruce Kulick in 1984. For the remainder of the ‘80's, Kiss' albums sold well and they became regulars on MTV with hits like "Heaven's On Fire," "Tears Are Falling," "Crazy, Crazy Nights," and "Forever." The latter, a spicy power ballad in the vein of "Beth," once again propelled them to the top of the charts.


1991-97: Revenge
In 1991, drummer Eric Carr passed away from cancer at age 41. He was replaced by Eric Singer, who played on 1992's Revenge. That album went gold, and the hits kept coming, with "Unholy" and a cover of Argent's "God Gave Rock And Roll To You" becoming concert staples. Kiss Alive! III was issued in 1993, but failed to achieve the success of the first two.1996 saw the first official reunion of all four original members since 1980, with the set filmed for MTV's Unplugged and released internationally both on video and record. A wildly successful world tour followed, culminating with the band returning to the studio.


1998-Present: Psycho Circus
In 1998, the reformed original Kiss released Psycho Circus amidst a massive PR blitz. They once again wore make-up and outlandish costumes, produced a cornucopia of Kiss memorabilia (including 3D glasses to view the live show), and undertook a highly successful tour. They continued through 2001, at which time Peter Criss again quit- reportedly due to financial issues. Frehley left in 2002, amid rumors of acrimony and dissent. In 2003, Polygram released Symphony: Kiss Alive IV.


Through major line-up changes, evolving popular music, and a plethora of copycat acts, Kiss have survived into the 21st Century with a massive fan base, millions in sales, and that famous, edgy New York sense of humor. They may not be the most critically-acclaimed act of all time, but in the end, the music speaks for itself- to their fans, the Demon, The Starchild, The Space Man, and The Cat remain the greatest rock and roll band in the world.


""I'm in a weird band. We've done very well. The American dream is alive and well...""
Gene Simmons

Led Zeppelin, biography

Formed from the ashes of British blues-rockers the Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin shot to the stratosphere in the early 1970s. With Dionysian frenzy and a blast of blues-drenched riffs, they became one of the biggest bands of the era. Their intense musical excursions helped define the sound of hard rock, while their penchant for folk balladry added to their mystique as rock gods. The group called it quits after the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980, and remaining members Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones pursued (mostly) separate musical ventures.
Biography

This pivotal heavy rock quartet was formed in October 1968 by British guitarist Jimmy Page (b. James Patrick Page, 9 January 1944, Heston, Middlesex, England) following the demise of his former band, the Yardbirds. John Paul Jones (b. John Baldwin, 3 June 1946, Sidcup, Kent, England; bass, keyboards), a respected arranger and session musician, replaced original member Chris Dreja, but hopes to incorporate vocalist Terry Reid floundered on a contractual impasse.

The singer unselfishly recommended Robert Plant (b. 20 August 1948, West Bromwich, West Midlands, England), then frontman of struggling Midlands act Hobbstweedle, who in turn introduced drummer John Bonham (b. 31 May 1948, Birmingham, England, d. 25 September 1980), when first choice B.J. Wilson opted to remain with Procol Harum. The quartet gelled immediately and having completed outstanding commitments under the name "New Yardbirds", became Led Zeppelin following a quip by the Who's Keith Moon, who, when assessing their prospects, remarked that they would probably "go down like a lead Zeppelin".


They were guided and managed by Peter Grant (b. 5 April 1935, London, England, d. 21 November 1995). He was best known as the heavyweight manager of all UK rock groups, both in size and stature. Armed with a prestigious contract with Atlantic Records, the group toured the USA supporting Vanilla Fudge prior to the release of their explosive debut, Led Zeppelin, which included several exceptional original songs, including "Good Times, Bad Times", "Communication Breakdown", "Dazed And Confused' - a hangover from the Yardbirds" era - and skilled interpretations of R&B standards "How Many More Times?" and "You Shook Me". The set vied with Jeff Beck's Truth as the definitive statement of English heavy blues/rock, but Page's meticulous production showed a greater grasp of basic pop dynamics, resulting in a clarity redolent of 50s rock 'n' roll. His staggering dexterity was matched by Plant's expressive, beseeching voice, a combination that flourished on Led Zeppelin II.


The group was already a headline act, drawing sell-out crowds across the USA, when this propulsive collection confirmed an almost peerless position. The introductory track, "Whole Lotta Love", a thinly veiled rewrite of Willie Dixon's "You Need Love", has since become a classic, while "Livin' Lovin' Maid (She's Just A Woman)" and "Moby Dick", Bonham's exhibition piece, were a staple part of the quartet's early repertoire.

Elsewhere, "Thank You" and "What Is And What Should Never Be" revealed a greater subtlety, a factor emphasized more fully on Led Zeppelin III. Preparation for this set had been undertaken at Bron-Y-Aur cottage in Snowdonia (immortalized in "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp"), and a resultant pastoral atmosphere permeated the acoustic-based selections "That's The Way" and "Tangerine". "The Immigrant Song" and "Gallows Pole" reasserted the group's traditional fire and the album's release confirmed Led Zeppelin's position as one of the world's leading attractions. In concert, Plant's sexuality and Adonis-like persona provided the perfect foil to Page's more mercurial character, yet both individuals took full command of the stage, the guitarist's versatility matched by his singer's unfettered roar.




Confirmation of the group's ever-burgeoning strengths appeared on Led Zeppelin IV, also known as "Four Symbols", the "Runes Album" or "Zoso", in deference to the fact that the set bore no official title. It included "Stairway To Heaven", a group tour de force. Arguably the definitive heavy-rock song, it continues to win polls, and the memorable introduction remains every guitar novice's first hurdle. The approbation granted this ambitious piece initially obscured other tracks, but the energetic "When The Levee Breaks" is now also lauded as a masterpiece, particularly for Bonham's drumming. "Black Dog" and "Rock 'N' Roll" saw Zeppelin at their immediate best, while "The Battle Of Evermore" was marked by a vocal contribution from Sandy Denny. IV was certified as having sold 16 million copies in the USA by march.

iron maiden, a short biography

The early years of Maiden were tough. When you consider not only that they formed just as the spectre of punk loomed large on the horizon but also that heavy metal, and in particular British Heavy Metal was considered to be on its last legs, it is no small miracle that the band survived past ’78.


But survive they did. Their early line-up consisted of Steve Harris (bass), Paul Di’Anno (vocals), Dave Murray (guitar), Doug Sampson (drums) and Dennis Stratton (guitar) and after three years of near continuous touring the band finally set about recording their self-titled debut.


Iron Maiden was nothing less than a statement of intent. Merging heavy metal power and riffs with the energy of punk, this is undoubtedly one of the finest and most important debut heavy rock albums of all time.


Recorded in just a few weeks in January 1980, the record contains more straightforward compositions than fans of their later work may expect. Classics such as ‘Prowler’ and ‘Phantom Of The Opera’ showcased the raw vocal talents of Di’Anno, while the album was a great starting point for main songwriter Harris to hone his skills. The album was an instant smash in the UK reaching number 4 in the charts.


Rather than resting on their laurels, though, the band looked to ramp it up a notch. With a new guitarist on board (Adrian Smith in place of Dennis Stratton) and a renowned hard rock producer Martin Birch (Deep Purple) at the helm, the band’s sophomore album was a much more polished and focused affair.


Killers was released less than 12 months after their debut, but was clearly a huge leap in the development of the band. The new twin guitar attack coupled with Harris’s newfound songwriting confidence combined to produce an energetic and powerful record that practically burst from the record decks. The album was another instant hit in the UK and it even made headway in the US chart – a veritable wasteland as far as British heavy metal acts were concerned at that time.


However, trouble was just around the corner for the band. Di’Anno lived the rock & roll lifestyle too fully for the rest of the band and his problems with cocaine and alcohol forced a “parting of ways” in the middle of a tour in 1981.




Enter Bruce Dickinson


In 1982 Samson were a New Wave Of British Heavy Metal mainstay. They produced fine, if not great material, but as with many of their contemporaries commercial success was lacking. Support slots with Iron Maiden were as mainstream as it got for the band and their frontman, Bruce Bruce.


Of course, this "Bruce Bruce" was better known as Bruce Dickinson and when a support slot with Maiden led to the offer of frontman with the country’s biggest metal band the decision was a no-brainer. The puzzle was now complete.


Work was already underway on the band’s third album, Number Of The Beast, when Dickinson joined in 1982. The album would prove to be their biggest yet, and any fears that the departure of Di’Anno would affect the momentum gathered so far were quickly dispelled.





Number Of The Beast heralded the arrival of the progressive sound that would go on to define the band for years to come. ‘Run to The Hills’ and the title track are now signature tunes for the band at any live show. The album hit the top spot in the UK and went top 40 in the US. It was their first true classic.


Former Pat Travers drummer Nicko McBrain joined the ranks in 1983 to complete the “classic” Maiden line-up that would stay in place until 1990. He joined at the best possible time. The band were unstoppable by the time they released their next album, Piece Of Mind.

The record followed the same pattern of its predecessor despite owing much more to group songwriting than any of the band’s previous efforts. Smith, Dickinson, Harris and Murray all had songwriting credits on this one. The album, which contains the classic tracks ‘Flight Of Icarus’, ‘Where Eagles Dare’ and ‘The Trooper,’ was another huge success and confirmed the band as the biggest heavy metal proposition on the planet.


As a renowned touring band, it was no small miracle that they managed to find time to put out so many albums in such a short time. After Piece Of Mind Maiden managed to fit in two huge world tours, and still find time to record Powerslave in 1984.


While other bands in the NWOBHM scene chased success with bitesize singles and commercialised sound, Maiden went in the opposite direction and embraced a much more progressive approach than they had previously exhibited. The epic ‘Rime Of The Ancient Mariner’ weighs in at just over thirteen minutes, while several others could easily be described as “epic”.


The move paid off – Powerslave was a massive hit. Each of Maiden’s records to this point had outsold its predecessor and this one was no different. This is widely regarded as their classic album by fans and critics alike.


The World Slavery Tour that followed Powerslave lasted from August 1984 to July 1985, and remains to this day one of the longest continuous tours by a rock band. The stage set used on the tour was based upon the pyramid that graced the cover of the album, and is one of the most iconic stage sets ever built. In recognition of this the band have recreated the set for their 2008 World Tour.


A live album, Live After Death, was put out in 1985 and was as close as the band had had to a “Best Of” at that point. Recorded during a four night stint in LA and at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, the album was released as a “thank you” to fans and remains to this day one of the best loved live albums of all time.


When the band returned with yet another new album in 1986 (their 7th since 1980) it took many by surprise. The high watermark set by Powerslave was always going to be difficult to reach, so in keeping with the band’s capacity to surprise they tried something completely new.
Somewhere In Time saw the band embrace synthesisers for the first time, although unlike many other rock bands at that time Maiden didn’t go overboard. The album didn’t quite reach the high critical acclaim of their previous albums but it at did at least lay the groundwork for the band’s next classic.





Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son (1988) built on the newly lavish soundscapes set up on Somewhere… but did it better than anyone could have predicted. Seventh Son… is a concept album based upon the story of a prophet trying unsuccessfully to warn a village about an impending holocaust. The record produced four top ten hits in the UK ('Can I Play with Madness?,' 'The Evil That Men Do,' 'The Clairvoyant,' and 'Infinite Dreams') and was one of the band’s biggest worldwide commercial and critical successes to date.


Unfortunately the album also marked the end of an era for the band. A gruelling tour followed the release of the album and it would take its toll. The first member to leave was Adrian Smith in 1989. The band took a year’s hiatus, and despite the addition of Janick Gers in 1990 and the release of the decent, if not groundbreaking, No Prayer For The Dying, Maiden were crumbling.


Dickinson lasted for one more album, the slightly lacklustre Fear Of The Dark (1991) before he left to work on his solo material and a new band. Incidentally the album was still one of the band’s biggest to date and hit the top spot in the UK

It was the end of an era. The rest of the Maiden story is one of line-up changes and reconciliation, and although they still produce fine material even today the band will always acknowledge the 80s as their finest hour – and rightly so. Their achievement was immense.


Maiden had been born in an era where they shouldn’t have survived. They trod a path that others followed. They found success where they shouldn’t and kept on evolving when they did.


A simple test of how important they were to rock music between the years 1980 - 1989 is to try to imagine a world without Maiden. Imagine a world without their iconic record sleeves; without their huge success at home and abroad which paved the way for so many other acts; without their image and their iconic stage shows; without “that sound” and without those bands that tried, and failed, to copy them.
source planetrock.com

New Guns n Roses song heads to "Rock Band 2"

NEW YORK (Billboard) - A new Guns N' Roses song, "Shackler's Revenge," apparently from the decade-in-the-works album "Chinese Democracy," will be included in the video game "Rock Band 2," according to a report in the New York Times.

The game will be released in September.

The news makes it seem increasingly likely that "Chinese Democracy" will finally see the light of day before year's end via Interscope. Nine seemingly complete tracks from the album, not including "Shackler's Revenge," leaked online earlier this summer.

"Rock Band 2," developed by MTV and Harmonix, will support all songs downloaded for the game to date and will also support the original game's instrument controllers. But it will also introduce new controllers for drums and guitar and boast a soundtrack of more than 100 master recordings.

In April, Motley Crue made its new single, "Saints of Los Angeles," available for download "Rock Band" well in advance of the release of the album of the same name. The only other place to obtain the track was iTunes.

According to data provided in late May by the band's management, Tenth Street Entertainment, the track was downloaded more than 47,000 times via the Xbox 360 version of the game alone in the first week after it became available. ("Rock Band" publisher MTV Networks was unable to independently verify these figures, and total downloads that include the PlayStation 3 version of the game were not available.)

By comparison, the same track received slightly more than 10,000 downloads via digital services like iTunes and Amazon, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The track has now sold more than 62,000 downloads.

Reuters/Billboard