Apparently Mr. Donohue Forgot The Definition Of Free Speech Again

The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights is up in arms over an off Broadway show featuring Twisted Sister drummer A.J. Pero entitled "Stairway to Hell". The synopsis is a band called WARTHOG "is tragically killed during their botched attempt to break the world record for onstage pyrotechnics. Somehow on the journey to the afterlife, they accidentally end up in heaven. Faced with the horror of an eternity in Heaven, our band of hard rockers petition the Devil for one last concert here on earth to prove to him they belong in Hell. This final concert is STAIRWAY TO HELL.". You can take a peak of a promotional video for the show here. Wow, it looks like some of G.W.A.R.'s early stuff to me, nothing that hasn't been done before.

What gets me is good old Catholic League president Bill Donohue's comments about the show, especially THIS SENTENCE:"It is sickening to note that some young Americans think freedom means the right to insult, degrade and abuse the sensibilities of Christians."

OK, I think ol' Bill has every right to say what he thinks about the show. That's his right of free speech protected under the First Amendment. What Bill has forgotten is that the same Amendment that allows him to protest this show also allows the people behind this show to perform it for the public. The public also has the right to not to go and see it if they are offended. The best way to hurt a performer is in the pocket. If you don't like it don't go. The more they complain and protest, that's more free publicity for the show. Plus if they keep ranting about it, you're gonna have people going just to see what the fuss is about.

Dead Again Out in Stores Today

Today is the official release date of Type O Negative's new album Dead Again. If you decide to pick it up at Best Buy, you get and exclusive second live disc including the tracks:

Everything Dies/My Girlfriend's Girlfriend
Are You Afraid?/Gravitational Constant
Christian Women
Love You to Death
Black No. 1

Van Halen's Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame Induction

Congratulations to Eddie, Alex, Dave, Michael and Sammy for finally getting inducted to the Rock N' Roll Hall of fame. Click here to see their induction by Velvet Revolver, the acceptance speech by Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar, Velvet Revolver's cover of Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love/Best of Both Worlds' and Michael & Sammy's jam with the house band performing Why Can't This Be Love. Congrats again boys. Now let's hope now they can end this fighting and get back to touring.

Healing Through Fire

In stores this May through Sanctuary Records, Healing Through Fire. The sixth studio album from UK stoner rockers Orange Goblin.

Confirmed song titles for the new album so far are:

- The Ballad Of Solomon Eagle
- Vagrant Stomp
- They Come Back (Harvest Of Skulls)
- Cities Of Frost
- Hounds Ditch
- Mortlake (Dead Water)
- The Ale-House Braves
- Hot Knives & Open Sores
- Beginners Guide To Suicide

Now I hope this leads to another US tour for the band, especially back through Richmond.

Open Fire came out this week, Dead Again hits stores Tuesday, now Healing Through Fire in two months! These are just some of my favorite releases through May. 2007 has gotten off to a great start for metal so far.

RPG @ Gallery 5 in Richmond, Va 04/07/07

For those of you in the Richmond area who can't make it to the Charlottesville show on March 24th, or want to see more of RPG, they'll be playing at Gallery 5 Saturday April 7th. So, if you enjoy a good southern/hard rock/metal/stoner style band and have nothing going on that Saturday night, come on down and have a good time.

Eddie Van Halen Enters Rehab

Well, it looks like the real reason why the new Van Halen reunion tour was put on hiatus has been revealed. Eddie Van Halen has admitted that he believes that he needs to change some of the issues surrounding the 2007 Van Halen tour. He has decided to check into rehab to help with his ongoing alcohol problem. You can read the full statement from his publicist here. I hope he gets well soon. Who knows, this might lead into a full scale Van Halen reunion afterwards with Michael Anthony.

The Words Of A Dying Man - THE VIDEO!!!!

Alabama Thunderpussy has debuted the first video, for the track "Words of the Dying Man", from its newest record, "Open Fire" online. Originally it was exclusively at www.singingfool.com, which only worked on specific PC only browsers. Thanks to the fine folks at Relapse Records, a copy of the video has now been loaded to Youtube.com where people who couldn't get the video to play properly on singingfool.com, like myself, can now watch it in all it's glory. You can watch it below! Also, look for cameos of some of the members of other local Richmond bands G.W.A.R., Municipal Waste & RPG.

Down On Tour 3/7/06

Down, the side project of Pantera's Phil Anselmo & Rex Brown, Corrosion Of Conformity's Pepper Keenan, Crowbar's Kirk Windstein, and EyeHateGod's Jimmy Bower are kicking off their latest tour starting tomorrow. A majority of the dates they'll be opening for Heaven & Hell, the project consisting of the touring members of Black Sabbath during the Ronnie James Dio era album of the same name, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice. Unfortunately those shows will be in Canada. The tour dates include:

DOWN HEADLINE SHOWS
3/08/2007 SEATTLE, WA EL CORAZON

WITH HEAVEN AND HELL:
3/11/2007 VANCOUVER, BC PACIFIC COLISEUM
3/13/2007 EDMONTON, AB REXALL PLACE
3/14/2007 CALGARY, AB SADDLEDOME
3/16/2007 REGINA, SK BRANDT CENTRE
3/18/2007 WINNIPEG, MB MTS CENTRE
3/20/2007 SAULT ST. MARIE, ON STEELBACK CENTRE
3/22/2007 TORONTO, ON AIR CANADA CENTRE
3/24/2007 LONDON, ON JOHN LABATT CENTRE
3/26/2007 MONTREAL, PQ BELL CENTRE
3/27/2007 QUEBEC CITY, PQ COLISEE PEPSI ARENA
3/28/2007 OTTAWA, ON CIVIC CENTRE


DOWN HEADLINE SHOWS
3/30/2007 WORCESTER, MA PALLADIUM
3/31/2007 NY, NY ROSELAND
4/01/2007 PHILADELPHIA, PA ELECTRIC FACTORY
4/02/2007 WASHINGTON, DC 9:30 CLUB

Damn, These Guys Are Workhorses

Recent Grammy Nominees Mastodon will be heading out on tour soon after just finishing another headlining tour not too long ago. The first dates announced are:

May 01 - Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern LG
May 02 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield
May 04 - Portland, OR - Roseland Ballroom
May 05 - Seattle, WA - The Fenix
May 06 - Boise, ID - Big Easy
May 08 - Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium
May 11 - Minneapolis, MN - The Myth
May 12 - Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre
May 13 - Detroit, MI - State Theatre
May 14 - Cleveland, OH - House Of Blues
May 15 - Toronto, ON - Kool Haus
May 17 - New York, NY - Roseland Ballroom
May 18 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
May 19 - Boston, MA - Avalon
May 21 - Columbus, OH - Lifestyles Pavilion
May 22 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogart's
May 23 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar
May 25 - Orlando, FL - House Of Blues
May 26 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle

More dates will be added soon.

Man, I hope they come closer to Richmond than Baltimore. Like I said before, this year is shaping up real well for some great tours.

Dead Again In Amsterdam

Here is a great 3 part interview with Peter Steele and Johnny Kelly talking about the new album Dead Again on a recent promotional tour in Amsterdam. Peter wasn't shy about discussing his alcohol and drug problem and how his priorities have changed to where he has become a lot more relaxed over the past few years. They also talk about the future of Type O Negative and the direction they think the band is taking. Really good stuff.

Dead Again

Just one more week till the release of Type O Negative's newest album Dead Again. It's been almost 4 years since the release of their last studio album, Life Is Killing Me. This was mainly due to Peter Steele's incarceration in Riker's Island and "the psych ward at King's County Hospital", both stints apparently caused by his heavy use of cocaine and alcohol. But after Steele's much deserved rest and a fresh start on the band's new label, SPV Records, Type O are ready to deliver us a new album. Gracing the cover is none other than the legendary Mad Russian Monk, Grigori Rasputin. The track listing is as follows:

1. Dead Again
2. Tripping a Blind Man
3. The Profits of Doom (confirmed as the new Single)
4. September Sun
5. Halloween in Heaven (with Lycia's Tara VanFlower)
6. These Three Things(now playing on type o negative.net)
7. She Burned Me Down
8. Some Stupid Tomorrow
9. An Ode to Locksmiths
10. Hail and Farewell to Britain

30 second previews of each song can be heard here on Barnes & Noble's website. You can also stream the full song These Three Things on the entrance of the band's official website.(Clicking on the my link to their site will take you directly there) They are also getting ready to go on tour with Celtic Frost (shows after April 9th) and Brand New Sin on March 28th. Unfortunately there are no venues near us that we can afford to take. Man, I would love to see Type O Negative live again. This is looking like it is shaping up to be a great album.

Open Fire Hits The Streets

Tomorrow is March 6th, the official release date of Alabama Thunderpussy's newest album Open Fire. So for those of you who liked the samples of Words Of A Dying Man and None Shall Return, you can pick the album up at your favorite music outlet. Also, for those who want a chance to see Alabama Thunderpussy live, the official tour supporting the album kicks off this Thursday, March 8th in Raleigh, NC. Here are the current listed dates:

3/08 - Raleigh, NC - Volume 11 Tavern
3/09 - Fayetteville, NC - The Rock Shop
3/10 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
3/12 - Little Rock, AR - Downtown Music
3/13 - Shreveport, LA - 516 Soundstage
3/14 - San Antonio, TX - Rockbottom
3/15 - Austin, TX - Room 710 Relapse Records SXSW showcase
3/16 - Dallas, TX - The Galaxy Club
3/17 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues (Parish)
3/18 - Birmingham, AL - The Nick
3/19 - Gainesville, FL - 1982 Bar
3/20 - Jacksonville, FL - JackRabbits
3/21 - Savannah, GA - The Jinx
3/22 - Spartanburg, SC - Ground Zero
3/23 - Johnson City, TN - The Hideaway
3/24 - Charlottesville, VA - Outback Lodge

Anybody in or near the Richmond/Charlottesville area who thinks they might check out the show at the Outback Lounge on the 24th, supporting them on this one stop will be another local Richmond underground favorite RPG. This will be one hell of a good show. If you go you might just run into myself and my wife there too, 'cause we're not missing this show at all.

Win One of Zakk Wylde's Guitars!!!

Nice! Apparently there is a contest through Zakk's Official Site to win one of his own guitar's. Talk about a great piece of music memorabilia. Click here for the direct link to the contest. I've already registered myself and I'm sure it won't take much to twist my wife's arm to get her to enter the contest as well.

Open Fire

The wait is over! My pre-order copy of the latest studio album Open Fire from local Richmond rockers Alabama Thunderpussy arrived today. This is their first studio album featuring Kyle Thomas, Ex-Floodgate Ex-Exhorder, on lead vocals. After listening to the album, twice I might add, Kyle has taken them in the direction they need to go. His range is almost that of Rob Halford or Ronnie James Dio proportions. The whole album is amazing, phenomenal rifts and grooves throughout every track. I can't help but listen to every song, it's hard to skip any of them. I'm having trouble picking a favorite. I listen to one song I want to listen to the whole album. Unfortunately for those of you who haven't pre-ordered it yet, you'll have to wait till next week to pick it up. Until then, enjoy a preview of the tracks Words Of A Dying Man and None Shall Return here. If you liked what you heard, then be sure to pick up Open Fire in stores this Tuesday, March 6th.

Just When I Thought That I Was Out They Pull Me Back In

OK, I know. Many of you may remember that after my last blog Mixed Nuts was deleted I said that I wasn't planning on starting up a new one. So, call me a liar. One of my favorite things I enjoyed blogging about on my old site was music. The bands I listened to, the shows I saw and the pictures I took. 2007 is shaping up to be a great year for many of my favorite bands, so I figured that I would start this site up: River City Revival. A place for me to spew my thoughts and randomness about the music scene from my walk of life.