Bigelf Week: Burning Bridges

antiMusic reports: A few years back the Euro release of Bigelf's 'Hex' received an Album of the Year honor from us. How could you not love a band that takes the best elements of Sabbath and mixes them with Pink Floyd? The fans in Europe did and put the CD in the Top 10. A U.S. label finally had the brains to put the CD out here so that Americans can hear what they've been missing. We were excited to ask Bigelf's Damon Fox and Ace Mark to pick their favorite five tracks and tell us a little about each one. Here they are with today's song "Burning Bridges":

DAMON: Another early-era Bigelf track, written in 1994. I gotta stroke Ace a little more on this one, the solo is absolutely amazing...I still get chills when I listen to it. For me, the perfect Bigelf song across the board.

ACE: A great song that evolves into a frenzy at the end. One of the best guitar solos on the album. The lyrics concentrate on Mr. Fox's favorite subject, he he.

Words are great and all but Bigelf is really a band you have to hear for yourself. Even our arch nemesis-Courtney Love-loves them. So give yourself a big ol' rockin Christmas gift and check out the music for yourself
- more on this story

Tour Bus Crash Kills 2

Lambgoat reports: This evening you may have heard that members of All Shall Perish were involved in a fatal crash while on tour in Australia.

The wife of All Shall Perish guitarist Ben Orum has issued the following statement: "All Shall Perish were not the band that was in the accident. All of the guys in All Shall Perish are doing just fine.

The band that crashed was The Red Shore who was touring with All Shall Perish in Australia. It kills me to write these words, two members of The Red Shore's camp did not survive the crash. Ben did not have many details for me. - more on this story

Winehouse Arrested for Perversion

BBC reports: Singer Amy Winehouse has been released on bail after police arrested her in connection with an investigation into perverting the course of justice.

Her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, 25, has been remanded in custody charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Mr Fielder-Civil, from Camden, north London, is due to appear in court next month to face the charge. He has also been charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm.
- [sorry couldn't resist that headline. more on the case is here]

Faggot Radio Returns

Reuters reports: A boss at BBC Radio reversed on Tuesday a decision to cut the word "faggot" from a Christmas hit after the mother of the singer branded the move "ridiculous."

In "Fairytale of New York," released 20 years ago by the Irish band the Pogues and the late Kirsty MacColl, she sings "You scumbag, you maggot/You cheap lousy faggot."

BBC bosses decided to edit the word "faggot" each time the song was played because it was offensive to some of their audience. But they backed down after MacColl's mother and hundreds of fans complained.
- more on this story

Stephen Stills Battling Cancer

Contact Music reports: Rocker Stephen Stills has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to his Crosby, Stills And Nash bandmate Graham Nash.

The 62-year-old is set to undergo an operation on his birthday on 3 January (08), after an early diagnosis of the disease potentially saved his life.

And Nash insists Stills is very lucky to have spotted the condition, unlike late singing star Dan Fogelberg, who died on Sunday (16Dec07) after a three-year battle with the disease. - more on this story

Zeppelin Considering Tour

Launch reports: Led Zeppelin are currently "considering a tour," according to sources at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in Wales, which is attempting to book the band for the venue.

Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Roger Lewis, who is involved with the stadium and is a friend of Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, told the Wales On Sunday that venue officials were talking to Harvey Goldsmith, the band's promoter, about the possible gig.

"Initially Harvey said they were only going to do a one-off gig, but now they are considering a tour," Lewis explained. [it's improving, real names are being mentioned now] - more on this story

Fall Out Boy Catches Fire

Contact Music reports: Fall Out Boy guitarist Joe Trohman's hair was set alight by fireworks at a Christmas concert in New York on Friday (14Dec07).

The band joined Timbaland, Alicia Keys and Avril Lavigne at the Jingle Ball at Madison Square Garden. And guitarist Trohman was shocked to find himself on fire as the band performed.

He writes on his blog, "There was so much pyro (pyrotechnics) on stage that I lit my hair on fire, which in turn made me feel the power that the gods of rock bestowed upon us, and I proceeded to head bang." - more Contact Music news

Lamb of God on the Bible, The Grammys and How Motley Crue Ruined Touring

antiMusic reports: In case you missed it, we've been doing a bit of a special this week by highlighting new interviews on our sister site Thrashpit.com. Today's we're pulling a few questions and answers from a great new interview Thrashpit editor Mark Hensch conducted with Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe.

? Maybe it is just me, but it seems like Sacrament has lots of religious or spiritual undertones. Was this a conscious effort? ** Randy: Well of course! All our albums have had some religious symbolism. It is traditional of heavy metal, and it goes back to Black Sabbath, the first heavy metal band. The Bible is a really cool book, and it is just an awesome vehicle to convey metaphors that people understand.

? How did it feel to be nominated for a Grammy alongside other awesome bands like Slayer, Mastodon, Slipknot, and Shadows Fall earlier this year? ** Randy: Those are our friends, so it was nice I guess to be nominated with our friends but I don't give an f*ck. A Grammy means nothing to me. My band went to appease their wives or whatever, but I didn't even go. Who cares if some industry schmuck wants to give me some little golden statue? I don't need it for validation of what my music means to me.

? I always like to ask bands if they have any crazy touring stories. What's the most outrageous thing you guys have ever done to kill boredom on the bus? ** Randy: Haha not really. We're kinda old and tamer now. If you want good touring stories, read the Motley Crue book. They've kinda ruined touring in the 1980s for everyone else.
- That's just an overview, check out the full interview for some great q&a and some more serious questions!

Foos Too Big For One Stage?

Filter reports: Go big or go home. That's the over the top attitude Foo Fighters will bring on the road with them. Talking with Billboard about their upcoming arena tour, the band promises two stages, mechanical gags, an 8 piece backing band and huge production.

However, despite the claim of mechanical gags, the band vetoed the idea of pyrotechnics. Sorry kids! Everything kicks off mid January and will run until March.

The two stages will be broken down into an acoustic and main stage.
- more on this story

The Killers Vs Manager

Contact Music reports: U.S. rockers The Killers have mounted a legal battle to avoid paying a former manager $3 million (GBP1.5 million) in unpaid commission.

The Mr Brightside stars appeared in court in front of the California State Labor Commissioner on Monday (17Dec07), with frontman Brandon Flowers facing cross examination over the case filed by ex-employee Braden Merrick.

Merrick claims he is owed the large sum in unpaid commission from 2006
- more on this story

Radiohead Top APs Album of the Year List

antiMusic reports: While we struggle here to come up with a album of the year special (more on that later), AP has put out their list and we have to say it is far more credible then some others we have seen. At least they didn't include Britney Spears like Rolling Stones did.

Now back on topic, Radiohead has landed on the top of a lot of best of lists and add AP to that growing list. Here is what they had to say about "In Rainbows": The much-ballyhooed online release of "In Rainbows" in some ways obscured what an excellent album it is.

The opener, "15 Step," begins with a cold electronic beat that sounds like recently typical Radiohead or Thom Yorke's 2006 solo album. But 41 seconds in, Johnny Greenwood enters with a beautiful, languorous guitar line. From then on, the band gradually lets the melody take over, particularly on songs like the midnight ballad "Nude" and the soulful show-stopper "Reckoner." With Radiohead, you're always on guard for the crash, the shattering of brightness — but on "In Rainbows," they let the light linger. - Read AP full Top 10 list.

Joel Dorn RIP

BBC reports: Veteran record producer Joel Dorn, who worked with such US artists as Roberta Flack and Bette Midler, has died of a heart attack in New York aged 65.

He produced Midler's debut album and worked with Flack on her classic tracks The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly With His Song.

He also worked with rock acts like the Allman Brothers Band and Don McLean.
- more on this story

Paul Rodgers New Year's Webcast

PR reports: Paul Rodgers is inviting fans to usher in 2008 with him -- virtually. Rogers' New Year's Eve concert at the El Dorada Casino in Reno, Nevada, will be webcast beginning at 6 p.m. ET via the Equilibrium Project, at eq.tv.

The 10-hour production includes interviews and backstage footage, as well as the show itself. Rogers is expected to play hits from his years with Free and Bad Company as well as newer solo material such as "Warboys (A Prayer For Peace)" and "Far Distant Shore". - more on this story

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