Guest guess: KK Downing
Queensryche singer Geoff Tate has suggested retired Judas Priest guitarist KK Downing, who guested on recent album Frequency Unknown, could be joining his band for a brief stint later this year. Tate says: “I like working with different people, and I don’t ever want to be in a band again – a band that sticks together through thick and thin and all that. I want to constantly be changing it up to make it interesting and different. I want to play with as many great players as I possibly can – because I can. I can call up KK Downing and say, ‘Ken, you’ve got time, two weeks in November, to play a short tour?’ I can do that; and why not?” [Metal Kaoz]
Jon Anderson is bucking the trend of musicians trying to persuade fans not to film concerts on their phones. The former Yes frontman wants everyone to record his concert in Manchester on August 4, and he’ll use the best clips to construct a memento of the evening. He says: “The show is unique – it’s in the round, so please feel free to film parts or all of the songs. The peeps whose videos we choose will receive their own copy and a painting from me to commemorate the event.” Clips should be sent to inyth.media@gmail.com.
Ramones collaborator Arturo Vega has died at the age of 65. The Mexican artist created the band’s iconic logo and continued to work with them for 22 years, firstly as their lighting tech and later as their archivist. The San Fransisco Bay Guardian says: “He was a gentleman and a warm-hearted, soft-spoken genial man with a dry wit. It was always a joy to hear from him. LIke it was 1979 for ever. We’ll miss you, Artie.”
Adrenaline Mob don’t have a replacement lined up for drummer Mike Portnoy, who last week said he was leaving due to pressures of time. But frontman Russell Allen says they’re writing new material and will keep moving forward, adding: “He’s been real busy with the Winery Dogs. We want to keep doing Adrenaline Mob and we don’t want to wait around for Mike to have the time. It’s a bummer, but he’s got his sights on other things, so we wish him the best.” [Wikimetal]
Gov’t Mule are planning a double album with a difference. Frontman Warren Haynes says: “The record is called Shout. The significance is that we’re going to create a bonus disc with alternate versions of the same songs with a bunch of different singers.” [Radio.com]
White Wizzard will tour the UK starting in September:
Sep 27: Brighton Prince Albert
Sep 29: Wolverhampton Little Civic
Sep 30: Sheffield Corporation
Oct 02: Glasgow Audio
Oct 03: Manchester Alter Ego
Oct 04: Norwich Waterfront
Oct 05: Cardiff Bogiez
Oct 06: London Borderline
Josh Homme is hoping to follow up new Queens Of The Stone Age album …Like Clockwork as soon as possible, citing Iggy Pop’s Berlin period as inspiration. Homme says: “Part of me thinks it would be great if this was the point-counterpoint that The Idiot and Lust For Life are. The Idiot is very dark and Lust For Life is like, ‘Ta-daah!’ I would love to answer this album with a ‘Ta-daah!’ at some point.” [NME]
Kings Of Leon will release sixth album Mechanical Bull on September 24. Bassist Jared Followill recently said of the work: “I thought we were going to make a really mature album, but I’m amazed how youthful it sounds.” The band play London’s O2 Arena tomorrow night and Thursday, Manchester’s MEN Arena on June 25 and 27, Birmingham’s LG Arena on July 9 and 10, Belfast’s Tennent’s Vital on August 14, Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park on August 15, and the V festival on August 17 and 18.
Motley Crue mainman Nikki Sixx is mourning the death of his mother. He says via Facebook: “Writing a beautiful song about regret. Pain always serves up the most brutal truth. I cannot see a ray of sunshine, and not find the beauty in the inevitable raincloud coming in behind it. I have made mistakes. Do lyrics and melody really make up for lost time? The saying ‘This too shall pass’ works both ways.”
