Sad news

A NUMBER of reliable sources are reporting the sad news that Trevor Fleming, guitarist with Sweet Savage, has passed away.

At this time there is no formal confirmation, but if it is so then this will be sad loss to those nearest and dearest to Trev and the wider Sweet Savage family.

It is also time to reflect on the contribution Sweet Savage - in all its incarnations - made on the metal scene in Northern Ireland, and further afield.

Yes, everyone can quite that Vivian Campbell was once a member, and that Metallica covered Killing Time, but few can actually recall what the heady days of NWOBHM were like.

Sweet Savage were among the select few that were caught up in the heady days when the brashness of punk was combined with musicianship of early bands like Purple.

Savage were regarded highly enough to get airings on Tommy Vance's Friday Night Rock on BBC Radio 1, and if my pre-alzheimer's memory is not failing me they also got a play on the covetted John Peel Show, as well as a slot in Sounds before Kerrang! spun off from that mag. Hell, they were even granted a BBC Session recording.

The sound of Sweet Savage, despite the NWOBHM tag, was always rooted in a Northern Ireland that produced - and still does - many acts that defy genre classification. Yes, SLF, Van Morrison, The Undertones, Therapy?, Ash, The Answer etc can all be slotted into one pigeon hole or another, but really there is a magical chemistry about 'Norn Iron' music that Savage exemplified.

Sweet Savage endured much too-ing and fro-ing in terms of line-up and reformed several times from the ashes of previous incarnations. There is a much awaited new album that is virtually in the bag at the time of writing. We hope that it will be a suitably loud and rocking tribute to Trev.

There is one thing we want to hit on the head right here - Sweet Savage deserved none of the pre-pubescent twaddle posted about them on various forums whenever they were slotted to appear. For some children the appreciation of what a dedicated set of musicians can do will never really be known. Those children prefer to notch up the 'mega' gigs they've been to, or rave about some obscure act that few will know and even fewer will care about. If you don't 'like' a band, or they don't conform to your narrow definition of 'metal' then there is no need to publicly offer views that speak more about your own vanity rather than genuine critical comment.

Sweet Savage were in toto man enough to rise above such crap.

If you are fan of metal in its broadest sense, then the passing of Trev will cause you to pause in silent reflection.

I've seen Sweet Savage on quite a few occassions, but two will stand out in my boozee addled brain: ripping apart the Queen's Student Speakeasy one early Saturday evening in the 80s and a gig a couple of years back in the Spring and Airbrake. Neither one of these were perfect shows, but they were perfectly passionate metal affairs.

We offer our condolences and deepest sympathy to Trev's family, his bandmates and the many friends he gathered throughout the years. Rest In Peace

Salvation online

THERE comes a time when it is past midnight: beer and mini-Jagers (79 in local Russell's Shop4U...nice way to spend a tenner!) are being consumed and you can't be bothered setting iTunes to shuffle again. What is one to do when effectively grounded owing to health - or lack thereof - and doggie minding?

It used to be the case that the latest CDs would be rammed unwillingly into the player, but they're really for the car or when you can scare the shit out of the neighbours and terrify the Christian family across the street.

Past midnight there must be some way to score a fix of hard rock and metal when tip tapping on the keyboard. After all Wednesday nights are sorted with Carrie Davenport's Pure Rock Fury on Blast 106FM doling out two hours of mayhem in her own inimitable style.

The rest of the week...well thanks to Seatzie's tip off to us at Metal Mansion, and Phil's dedication salvation is at hand thanks to Rock Radio NI. The concept is simple - a web based radio station which regularly plays rock and metal, and backs local bands and is available online, through wi-fi radio and other outlets. What is more if you are a fan with some time on your hands you can create your own playlist and become an online rock and metal DJ.

We're going to grasp the technical side of it when the Carlsberg runs out (sometime next week) and we get a Jager free evening (at 79p a mini bottle that's not altogether likely anytime soon!). Might even try and pull together a playlist....

But what the spirit of Carrie and Phil shows to us is that the hard rock and metal scene has massive potential.

And I'm not talking about some mythical breakthrough to the mainstream.

There is a healthy live scene. James's Distortion Project has kept the flame alive for more than a decade, and local gig venues are proliferating, from the hallowed land on OrmeauAvenue, to the Pavillion and the Diamond Rock Club in North Antrim.

Musically the scene is in rude good health, from beserker metal, through to hard rock and all the way to black metal, hardcore, classic metal and even a wee bit of thrash. The quality of the bands is growing and developing all the time.

FFS there's even a healthy rock and metal DJ scene [hat tip to Monk and the Paradise City crew!]

With this groundswell of support, interest and local dedication at some time there must be a coming together: a collective will that can bring the scene some collective earnings, that can be ploughed back into providing more and more ways to expose the scene.

And in a theme touched on previously on this blog, there is a lot of talent that merges around the scene (I have always said that headbanging stimulates brain cell growth!). Linking it all up is a challenge beyond mere mortals, but just for a few moments ponder what Norn Iron heavy fuggin' metal could achieve.

Bands who can be backed to generate the revenue to record and produce new material; live outlets; a community of support that can support the bands with everything from t-shirt designs through to PR, writing and album and poster design...

Okay, that's the maybe the Jager talking, but a collaborative approach just might begin to bring a burgeoning scene together...

Ahh feck! Re-read that and realised I was a misty eyed hippy dreamer for a moment! Action required: temporarily pause Rock Radio NI and slam some Slayer on!

Ahhh, that feels better know.

Calmness has infused the cells, more beer has been consumed. It's safe to switch back to Rock Radio NI and enjoy some new tunes, some old favourites and relax...

Your thoughts or random slagging off welcome as always either here or by email...

Diabolical diabetic fail and rebound...

OKAY please shut up! Yes it has been a wee while (22 days to be precise) since this diabolical diabetic last posted on this blog. No, I ain't dead (yet) but thanks to Rock Radio NI and the superb PureRockFury from Carrie on Blast 106 for keeping me sane!

More details and shit coming up in coming days - well I am making idle promises as the local offie now stocks miniature bottles of Jager at the superb price of 79 little pennies...which means a lot of shots for a tenner and loads of wee tiny bottles to line up til the recycling man comes along.

Now stay with me on this one...the recycling theme is pertinent to something, even if the link is tenuous.

When is a band justified in recycling its same old sounds? Or should it be like Maiden and try to explore the potential of its sound.

As payday has just stroked the hole in the wall with some available funds, what albums could you recommend that are not just the same old shit?

While you ponder that question remember if you have funds you may want to check out the Distortion Project's four days of mayhem...

Thursday 30th September. Reckless Love + Jett Black + Rebels by Nature. Auntie Annies, Dublin Road, Belfast. Doors8pm, £12
Saturday 2nd October. Ricky Warwick (Thin Lizzy/The Almighty) + Matt Fitzsimons (Black Freeway) solo acoustic performance. The Spring & Airbrake, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast. Doors 7pm, £14
and also on Saturday 2nd October: Overoth + Bloodshot Dawn + Existing Threat. The Limelight, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast. Doors 5pm, £5
Sunday 3rd October. A Storm of Light (Neurot Recordins - feat. members of Neurosis and Tombs) + Slomatics + Annapurna. Spring & Airbrake, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast. Doors 8pm, £15

A thing of beauty...sleazy, dirty, noisy beauty

NORTHERN Ireland churns out more great hard rock than is credible for its relatievely small population in rock and metal demographics. Indeed, if you were to listen to the mainstream you'd be forgiven for thinking that apart from a clutch of shoegazers and The Undertones, hard rock is an aberration that now and again raises its long-haired face and tattooed arms above the surface.


How wrong the self-congratulatory pundits are! Proving the quiffed and stylish commentators wrong happens so often that they look uncomfortably around when the likes of The Answer, Therapy?, or any other given quota or metal, rock or punk emerges. Naturally they then claim that they backed and 'discovered' these bands.

At some stage in coming months they will be forced to look at their playlists and note down another few facts from Wikipedia before claiming they knew Trucker Diablo were great all along.

You see Trucker Diablo have produced an album - The Devil Rhythm - that has the alchemist's touch for taking base rock and metal, adding a dash of southern groove and the sort of singalong choruses chart wannabes would trade their latest boob implant to have.

The Devil Rhythm is a thing of beauty, sleazy, noisy beauty. The sort of beauty that can be enjoyed driving too fast, or with a beer in hand, but best of all un-selfconsciouslessly punching the air and unashamedly roaring along to the choruses. Try Big Truck, for example. I defy anyone with a little hard rock heritage in their humble hearts not to find themselves trying desparately to get that chorus out of their heads!

Rarely do bands emerge complete from the ether. Trucker Diablo have an impressive pedigree. Google the bands Joyrider and Titled to understand where the line-up components of Simon Haddock, (Joyrider) Tom Harte and Terry Crawford (Tilted) have been baptised in recording and touring. The heart of Trucker Diablo (with Glenn Harrison completing the line-up) lies in earning their stripes.

But with that heard earned experience many acts would become wistful, occassionally whingeing on about how the 90s was the wrong decade, etc, etc. Instead Trucker Diablo have produced a set of tunes that are the feelgood antithesis for every self-obsessed act out there. When they sing Dirty Love its with the sort of joy that should permeate all good music. The dark grooves of Never Too Late to Sin tempt the wayward back to the bottle, back to the sweaty excellence of hard rock.

Black and Blue is a great cathartic tale of excess of every kind, while Rattlehead has the sort of rockin' blues that ZZ Top used to produce.

Standing out in the track selection are the single Juggernaut with its towering hooks and riffs that burrow into memory; and the album opener, Drink Beer, Destroy. Shurely shome kinda anthem for Norn Iron rock!

There is an easy option for many bands - that is to re-tread sounds, add a new look and claim to be the best thing since a sliced loaf of Ormeau Veda as buttered as a hangover cure. However, this is a trick that cannot achieved in the rock genre. As John Cougar once said, it's just arranging the chords, but as Trucker Diablo and the growing wave of Northern Ireland's quality rock and metal proves, it is how you play those chords, tease out the hooks and tear off the solos that matter.

Trucker Diablo's The Devil Rhythm - raise the glass, punch the air, and most of all enjoy!

Congrats to Million Dollar Reload

Quick note to say well done to Million Dollar Reload for scoring a deal with Powerage and getting a couple of tracks on the Classic Rock cover mount CD.

They helped me and a mate (Hi Alli!) a couple of years back by playing with Stillroom at the Rosie. Good luck guys!

Reviews and views

A FEW bands (well two actually!) asked my recently why I didn't review their output that has been posted on Myspace. Rather than go into a long convoluted rationale (well I am half cut!) suffice to say there are two reasons:
First - every band seems to have some recordings on Myspace and the quality from PC speakers makes it difficult to judge the mix, playing and arrangement (well that's my excuse;)
Secondly - legally there is a specific requirement as to what constitutes a review. The legal precedent may date back to the 19th century, and has not been tested in terms of blogs but I don't want to be a test case. In other words: if you want a CD/EP/single reviewed here, I've got to have a 'review copy' and if you want a gig reviewed then the reviewer has to be 'invited' to the gig either as a +1 on the guest list or as an invited payee on the door.

Anything else is comment and opinion.

In short, I'd love to have more reviews on the blog, and with the number of page impression/unique visitors there is an opportunity for Norn Iron acts...

Email me if you want a review

Some upcoming Saturday afternoon highlights

Just in case you're stuck for something to do on a Saturday evening,  here are some of the forthcoming RockD Limelight gigs...
Saturday 11th September. For Ruin + Devilmakesthree + Atheos + Corr Mho...na. £5 (First For Ruin rocKD gig since 2007)

Saturday 18th September.Interrogate + By Any Means + Gacys Threads + Exit Wound. £5

Saturday 25th September. "Dickheads of Aggression - an afternoon of all metal fools" featuring Lesshelp + Mental Deficiency + I'll Eat Your Face + William Christ and the One Man Orgy. £5

Doors for all shows are at 5pm, and run until 9pm

Morbid tales and tunes

LET'S face it, a lot of rock and metal tunes are pretty morbid: if you took the cathartic elements away from listening to such dire, morbid lyrics it could really send you on downer. But, on the other hand a lot of tunes are life affirming.

This tangled talk in my own head (well who else is going to listen to my tortured analysis of 'eavy fugging metal') led me to contemplation about what tunes should be played at a rocker/metalhead funeral.

I've always had a few in mind: Black Sabbath's Never Say Die to mess with expectations; BLS's The Damage is Done to have people reflect (I don't expect any mourners, just people turning up in case there's beer at hand); and maybe Metallica's Fade to Black too.

It may be a weird topic for a beered up Saturday night, but does anyone out there have another suggestions? Highway to Hell will not be on the list...too predictable, and Stairway to Heaven is also off the list, as I don;t believe in Heaven or Hell they're out, although Sabs Heaven & Hell is a contender!

So in brief: suggestions for tracks for my funeral, and what would you like to have played as your coffin is lowered?

Happy thoughts everyone!

If you ever feel put upon...

IF you ever feel put upon as a fan of hard rock and heavy metal then you should spare a thought for fans in other countries.

While we enjoy our music think of those who can be imprisoned for listening to metal.

Take the time to read this Freemuse report - 'Headbanging Against Repressive Regimes' on the persecution, censorship and the real difficulties faced by fans across the world, especially in the Middle East, north Africa, China and South East Asia.

As the report author, Mark LeVine, acknowledges heavy metal was one of the first truly global art forms, but with that has come misconceptions and sheer unadulterated hatred for everything that bears the label of hard rock or heavy metal.

The causes of such misconceptions may be many, but please, remember that what we have here is something special: the freedom to listen to what we like, when we like and enjoy the music recorded or live.

Y&T still on

DESPITE serious illness within the band, Y&T's September show in the Spring & Airbrake is still on. Read more on the Pied Piper blog.

Infiltrating the mainstream...

HEAVY metal doesn't often penetrate the mainstream sensibility, but perhaps we're making strides. Iron Maiden's The Final Frontier has penetrated the UK album charts at Number One this week, and even the tweedle dee tweedle dumb pop pages of the Daily Mirror managed to mention this (of course, given the hordes we know are out there, like a Nightbreed of Cabal fame it was always going to happen).

And, in the latest shocker the Financial Times, that bastion of besuited bankers and stockbrokers, has included a (brief) review of Black Label Society's Order of the Black.

This, surely means that the pop-tastic pricks and the orderly ranks of merchant bankers has been infiltrated. To those that, by stealth and guile, have snuck upon the unwary, orderly world well done.

What next? Heavy metal in Bollywood? Well Panic Cell have done that with tracks appearing on the forthcoming Pusher movie (they've also snuck into the wholesome world of Lego with their video for 'Crazy' and its hilarious massed ranks of headbanging lego figures).

Hell there even is a Heavy Metal Fun Time Activity Book (you too can indoctrinate the kids before boy bands steal their mojo or Katie Price steals their virginity!).

In all seriousness (no seriously I'm sober so have a tendency to be serious once a week without fail) heavy metal and hard rock lurks in the consciousness of the wider, unwashed and unbidden folks who are normally content with bland, beige tunes. Play them a little AC/DC riff, Metallica's Nothing Else Matters, a snatch of Maiden, a hint of G 'n' R, and a smidge of Sabbath and they nod; a little (bitter) part of their soul yearning for the sweet abandon of metal.

But the, boring, soft, yielding part of their make-up urges them on, forever cautioning them against the wearing of the black, and not caring what the neighbours think about Reign in Blood upsetting the cats.

I cry for them. I despair that they will never have that sweet abandon of having drunk too many pints, yelled till hoarse and been dazzled by the brilliance of a live performance and then stumbled into the street with the brothers and sisters of metal and ears a-buzzing and face-a-grinning.

But, we shall perservere, we'll hail those that infiltrate the beige and slowly, but surely begin the world dominance that will see every speaker blown (tangential Manowar reference there!) in the cause of metal.

[NB: for those who have read this far you may have gathered that the tongue was firmly inserted in cheek (and that wasn't a sexual reference...though I'm sure Steel Panther could come up with one). All heavy metal, even in its most serious, reverential knows the danger of taking itself too seriously!]

Is it Lizzy or not?

THIS coming Friday 'Thin Lizzy' tickets for a Waterfront Hall performance on 16th February.

That they will be fronted by Ricky Warwick has caused much consternation on a variety of bulletin boards and numerous social media sites.

But is it Thin Lizzy in anything bar name?

Warwick is among the first to acknowledge that no-one could ever replace Phil Lynott, and only Scott Gorham and Brian Downey could realistically claim to have been 'proper' members of Lizzy (okay Darren Wharton was on a couple of tours).

Is this a semi-legit tribute to Lizzy's glory days, with some 'old hands' like Vivian Campbell and Marco Mendoza along for the ride?

Or is it a cynical attempt to cash in on the Lizzy legend?

Or is it a legitimate attempt to keep the memory of Lizzy alive for a new generation of fans and conjure up memories for those longer in the tooth?

I honestly don't know.

Ricky Warwick is a hard-working musician (check out his acoustic set at the Spring & Airbrake on 2nd October to hear more of what he can do!), and much as I find Campbell's attempt to distance himself from his metal roots distasteful he is still a damn fine axeman, I am still in a quandry as to whether there should even be a reference to the February 16th set as a Lizzy gig.

Answers on a postcard....

Archie and the Texts

Archie and the Texts are coming to Belfast...hold on: I mean The Architects.

Yes, that's definitely The Architects and they are playing The Limelight on Sunday, October 16th.

Here at Belfastmetalheads Manor we do confess readily that we're not afficianados of The Architects. While others may claim knowledge of bands, while liberally copying from press packs and paraphrasing Wikipedia, when we don't know, we embrace our ignorance, gaze at the can of Carlsberg and wonder whether any of their songs are on Spotify.

Suffice to say that The Architects are well regarded by Metal Hamster, Merrang! and other mags. The press info claims they are metal/harcore crossover act, and laughingly says that they have had a "prolific career" to date. Given that their début was 2009, the definition of prolific must be different in their PR Officer's dictionary than mine.

Hang on, just listened to a song from Archi and The Texts...sorry The Architects on Spotify....not bad. Might be something in these acts that I miss while writing the rubbish that I do for this blog. Memo to self...listen to more stuff! :)

The Final Frontier...is it the best Maiden album for a long time

A LOT of people are always wedded to the classic albums bands produce. In Iron Maiden's case this could be Number of the Beast, the eponymous début, or even later works like Fear of the Dark.

It is, of course, difficult to separate that point when nostalgia can be dispassionately viewed, the great tracks can be isolated from the just plain good (Gangland? I mean it sounded good then, but how many of us air it now?).

Which, of course means we all have differing takes on new material from any act we loved some time ago. [I am discounting younger readers - too many of them talk about classic albums, but were not around, or even alive - when these albums were released, and thus have no perspective on their impact].

This all, in a rather meandering way, leads to Iron Maiden's latest offering, The Final Frontier.

I've been mulling this over for some time. It is a diverse, complicated and ultimately fantastic release. It would do a disservice to the album to try and dissect it here, rather I will throw the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons and say that The Final Frontier is their best album to date.

All the Maiden trademark sounds are present, but folded and wrapped by sophistication and accomplished arrangements.

But that is just the fantastic sounds of the album...I simply hate the cover...Eddie just isn't Eddie-ish enough :)

Will, at some stage succomb to the merchandise by buying lates Maiden t-shirts, but hope that they have a slightly better design than the cover.

Still - The Final Frontier shows the band themselves are still fresh, relevant, and most of all getting heavier as they get older!

Chaimira cancel Gunners go ahead...

ACCORDING to Totalrock.com Chaimira have cancelled their UK tour - including a Belfast gig - owing to "acute illness" in the band.

This comes a couple of days after Guns 'n' Roses said their tour was going ahead after Axl's Twitter account had been hacked with the claim that the tour was off.

Well, given that it is Axl and a few mates/session musicians, we know which gig we would rather be going ahead.

While I was too lazy to post about G 'n' R being back on (well it was all over the Interwebby!) I have got a wee bit of cynicism hanging about. No-one was talking about the G 'n' R tour, few tweets or blogs mentioned it: the advertisements were still appearing for the Odyssey show and Reading and Leeds were not attracting the usual coverage. Then, apropos of nothing the story about the tour cancellation comes about. The band's PR company waited several hours to say anything. In the meantime every news outlet, including primetime BBC news/talk shows were covering the story; even our own Belfast Telegraph carried a story on it!

Which gave the band and the tour priceless publicity...

I'm not naturally cynical (okay I am!) but this non-story suited the tour profile very well indeed.

Want a review?

AS I am too often stuck with 'responsibilities' at times I miss out on the immense well of local talent out there. However, in the past I have taken the time to listen and review the many, many excellent local acts in Norn Iron.

If you are a local hard rock/heavy metal band and want your CD/EP reviewed here drop me a line here and we can work it out how to get some more coverage for your efforts!

To Dimebag

THIS week Dimebag would be celebrating his 44th birthday (August 20th). When doing a wee bit of background I saw that some sick fuckers have posted videos of the shooting on the web. I didn't look at them. This type of sick behaviour seeks rewards through trying to get the most click throughts and comments: hell for all I know it may be made up shit!

But I'd rather think that most rockers and metalheads would prefer to remember Dimebag through his music and, like his friend Zakk Wylde, would toast him in true style: http://bit.ly/cLnant

Wasted in December?

Another one for the ever growing gig list of 2010...Municipal Waste + Saviours + Ramming Speed Spring & Airbrake 03/12/10.

Nice warm-up for Airbourne even if it is a different genre of slightly mental hard rock and metal :)

Axl axes tour?

RUMOURS abound that all forthcoming G 'n' R dates are cancelled, after a post on Axl Rose's Twitter account.

Whether it is really true - and the Belfast date is cancelled - rumours are the tickets haven't exactly been flying out of the window across all tour dates.

Is this a dignified withdrawl, or will we see a 'too much snow on the roof' type of excuse á la Crue.

Confirmation/more word etc once we have it

some of the many gigs coming up...

Jesus fecking hard rockin' metalhead Christ there are a shedload of gigs coming up.

The info has been cobbled together from James, Dino and Derwin's lists and my own faded and jaded memory. All errors are entirely my own, aided and abetted by supermarket own brand vodka and Carlsberg and some weird Schnapps of indeterminate taste and colour.

Please use the comments box to point out gigs I may have missed and errors I may have made..

20th & 21st August. Dan Reed. Diamond Rock Bar
22nd August. Cannibal Corpse + Condedned + Atrax Mantis. Spring & Airbrake. 8pm, £20

23rd August. Suffocation + Coldwar + Overoth + Zombified. The Limelight. 8pm, £18
31st August. Axl and some session musicians...sorry Guns 'n' Roses. Odyssey Arena. £too feckin' much
27th September. Y&T. Spring & Airbrake, £18.50
30th September. Reckless Love + Jett Black. Auntie Annies. 8pm, £12
2nd October. Ricky Warwick + TBC. Spring & Airbrake. 7pm, £14
2nd October. Chimaira. Stiff Kitten
3rd October. A Storm of Light + Stand-Up Guy + Slomatics. Spring & Airbrake. 8pm, £15.
9th October. Glenn Hughes. Spring & Airbrake. £22.50
12th October. Porcupine Tree. Mandella Hall. £22.50
14th October. Fozzy + TBC. Spring & Airbrake. 9pm, £16
15th October. Desaster + Altus Astrum + Decayor Sorcery. Spring & Airbrake. 9pm, £15.
16th October. Girlschool. Diamond Rock Bar
2nd November. Robert Plant & the Band of Joy. Waterfront Hall. £44/38
4th November. Cancer Bats+Trash Talk. Limeligh £12
7th November. White Wizzard + Primitai + TBC. Auntie Annies. 8pm, £10.
7th November. Paul Gilbert. Spring & Airbrake
20th November. Diamond Head + Howlin' Widow + Two Tales of Woe. Spring & Airbrake. 7pm, £15.
21st November. Exodus + Man Must Die. 8pm, £20
26th November. Volbeat + The Black Spiders £11.25
27th November. Toby Jepson. Diamond Rock Bar
28th November. W.A.S.P. details TBC
3rd December. Municipal Waste + Savious + Ramming Speed. 9pm, £17.50
5th December. Airbourne. Ulster Hall. £22.50/£24.50
12th December. The Sword. Stiff Kitten

More may be announced soon... \m/

...and if that is too much for you Jedward are playing (with themselves) at the Waterfront on 22nd August :)

W.A.S.P. back in Belfast

Blackie Lawless is making a return visit to Belfast with his WASP chums on 28th November...more details to follow soon!

Pure rock fury

Finally getting to listen to Carrie's Pure Rock Fury on Blast 106 online...nice to hear Metal on da radio and nice selection from Carrie: she's not just a pretty super photographer person!

Metal week

Recovered from the weekend?
Right, time to get started:

• Soulfly and Sinocence tonight
• Fear Factory and Gacy's Threads on Tuesday and
• Katatonia on Wednesday night...

There! Has that got August off to a good start or what?

Here's a wee Trash Talk exclusive for ya!

ON Monday the support for the awesome Cancer Bats' November 4th Limelight appearance will be announced as Trash Talk and Vera Cruz...and we have to say that this is shaping up to be a tasty autumn night of full on noise.

Trash Talk - for the uninitiated - were a nominee for Kerrang!'s besy international newcomer. Normally that would have most of you running for cover, but bear with us here: Trash Talk are a nice, thrashy hardcore band, and one perfectly fitting with the Cancer Bats trademark anarchy. Check out the track Explode off the Eyes and Nines album to see where we are coming from.

So, November 4th: Cancer Bats, Trash Talk, Vera Cuz - all at the Limer for a measly £12...another heavy night in store in a long year of neck breaking, liver killing, ear bleeding 'heavy fuggin metal.

Come this weekend 'twill be time try and sum up all that is coming up...if you see me bealry eyed at the Spring and Airbrake at Soulfly on Monday it will be not because of the beer but as a result of trying to list everything coming up!

Soulfly winner

Thanks to the many people who tortured my email inbox with entries to our Soulfly competition. The winner is Bill (he knows who he is).

For the others who entered in the hope of scoring a free pair of tickets now's the time to make your way to buy the ticket. And while you are there pick up a Fear Factory ticket (Gacy's Threads confirmed as FF support).

Seriously, this is a chance to see two epic acts, who have each, in their own way, shaped metal in recent years. But unlike a lot of acts they continue to do so...Soulfly's Omen is a contender for album of the year.

Soulfly play on Monday (with Sinocence) and Fear Factory the next night.

Exodus coming to town

Exodus are coming to town - legendary Bay Area thrashers will be coming to town thanks on November 21st, in a line-up including Man Must Die. Tickets are £20 for an Ormeau Avenue spectacular.

And, this came after I'd just cleared a lot old vinyl out, disposed off to the wonderful Dragon Records in Belfast. Visit them in Wellington Place to see if there are any Exodus or other 80s thrash albums lurking there...[hint: I know there are because they took a lot off my hands :)]

White Wizzard

American purveyors of NWOBHM style White Wizzard are playing playing Auntie Annies on the 7th November.

Well, various web sites (rock radio, totalrock) are saying Auntie Annies, but CDC 's web site was initially saying The Limelight...All cleared up now: the gig is definitely at Annies (unless hundreds of you all pile into buy tickets and it has to be upgraded)

Sinocence support Soulfly

Sinocence have been confirmed as support for Soulfly on August 2nd at the Spring & Airbrake.

And don't forget that the competition win tickets to the gig closes tonight!

Oh how remiss of a child in time...

LET'S face it...this blog that has been going for almost five years has missed as many reviews and comments about gigs as it has actually reviewed and commented upon. [And for those others who review gigs please remember the legalities associated with reviews!]

So it is almost a month after the event but here's a quick review of Deep Purple's appearance in Belfast....Twas rather good!

That quick enough for you?

But seriously...we rather think that Purps are pushing at the boundaries of way tooooooo past it. While they performed rather well, and laid out greatest hits set there was a slight (and only there for discerning listeners)  air of a 'pension tour' about the show.

Rationally we were there to have fun and we did - so much fun that we can't remember from the end of the set to waking the next morn with the riff off Black Night stuck like a nagging thought in the mind.

And, that, ultimately was what Deep Purple's Belfast show was about...a trip down memory lane (Knebworth was better) that rewarded long time fans but broke no new ground.

In contrast - despite

 the negative comments from some - Sweet Savage are adding new songs to their NWOBHM catalogue.

 

Still - despite all - it was Deep Purple in Belfast and that deserves a 'Hell Yeah!'

It may be the last time that they are capable of a proper tour with a semblance of s proper line-up, but at least they played Belfast in the final round-up.

Wanna win Soulfly tickets?

Do you want to win a couple of tickets to see Soulfly? Of course you do!

Anyone who has a heart beating with the molten lead of heavy metal couldn't but want see Max and co rip up Belfast once again!

Well, those kind folks at CDC (cheers Sabrina and Dino) have a pair of tickets up for grabs for Soulfly's 2nd August appearance at the Spring and Airbrake. All you gotta do is tell us the name of Max Cavalera's crew's latest platter. Email yer answers to be in with a chance.

Closing date is Tuesday 27th July - usual competition rules apply (which basically are, if you're not in you can't win!)

Wee quick bitterness

Wee quick word here to display my bitterness...yeah A Little Bitterness!

There are many excellent Norn Iron bands hitting the boards across the land. Indeed there are too many to list! But I have an exceptionally soft spot (sorry Seamy but you don't make me hard except musically) for A Little Bitter.

Tonight A Little Bitter once again rocked like their asses depended upon it.

But c'mon a 50 minute set!

A Little Bitter have a musical depth that can be missed by casual listeners, and have consistently turned out recorded product and live shows deserving of a much higher profille.

While it may be easy to slip in a cover version (tonight it was DC's TNT) to keep the punters hapy, the two albums worth of material A Little Bitter can bring to bear on proceedings should obviate the need for such steps.

All in all A Little Bitter are A Little Bit Special - those who disagree are entitled to their opinion, but it;'s my feckin blog :)

Hell I even liked the live arrangement of 'Nothing' and Johnny's blatant abuse of the Wah Wah pedal during solos :)

Been away too long....

Hi all - I've been singularly remiss about keeping this blog updated, but shit happens etc!

Normal service will be returned as of this coming week...with features on Fear Factory and a Soulfly ticket competition courtesy of our good friends at CDC.

Til then I'll leave you with this thought. The top-earning act in the world over the ast 12 months was U2, with DC 2nd....Metallica didn't even make it to the top 10: but then again I'm pretty sure that when the next 12 months list comes out Maiden and Metallica (+Jovi) will push out the likes of Beyonce and Gaga...if not then what are you spending your beer tokens on?

Thanks to everyone who has expressed concern at the absence of updates: 'Twas for a very reasonable reason!

Lonely Is The Word

TONIGHT I was planning to post a few blogs about all sorts of random rock and metal stuff: a reply from Tristan on my post about Metallica, links to the Metallica dates, ruminations on Cathedral, kicking off the 'Lizzy or not' debate, and launching a competition for Ratt tickets.

Alas, the news that filtered through this evening that Ronnie James Dio has passed away has put all that on the shelf for a while. His wife Wendy made the announcement that he had succombed to stomach cancer.

That Dio was one of the most important metal singer of all time is undisputed. But his journey to metal icon was one that began with the hard rock/hippie crossover that was Elf, a name somewhat ironic given the stature of the man.

The Rainbow years saw the man's voice toughen up, a counterpoint to the occassional meanderings of Blackore. The evolution from a great singer a true icon came when Ronnie joined Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward to record Heaven and Hell: an album that together with the NWOBHM began the journey to of metal to be both revered (from within) and reviled (from without).

In many ways Heaven and Hell showcased the dexterity of songwriting and musical and lurical ingenuity that heavy metal could achieve. And, though many sneered at Ronnie James lyrical myths it is worth the investment of time and energy to listen again to the allegories buried within...Remember that Stargazer was written at a time when the USA's space programme was being brought into question; Mob Rules written at the time when the first serious disturbances in the UK during Thatcher's rule were taken place. I could quote more, but take th time to draw you're own conclusions.

The days with Sabbath were numbered: after Mob Rules and the abortive sessions for Live Evil, Ronnie parted ways with Sabs and stormed the metal world once again with Holy Diver. My personal journey of listening to Dio began with Rainbow and Sabbath around the same time (82-83) but when Dio played the Antrim Forum in September 1984 Baal, Rab and about 2,000 others experienced first hand the power and commanding presence of the man.

It would be many years - and indeed many albums later before I would see Dio play live again. On the 26th October 2005 a packed Spring & Airbrake literally worshipped the man. With songs full of equal parts menace and humour his stage presence was magnificent; growling and prowling, using pillars and props in equal measure, making eye contact and throwing the horns. Truly, it was a night when the wee man belied his years (the first single with Dio on it was released in 1958!) with a performance that was engaging to all.

Though there were many albums to come (topped with last year's The Devil You Know) it was Dio's engagement with fans that made him an icon. Most of his songs from Rainbow through the Sabbath and solo years were about choices. The choice between good and evil was most prevalent. For all the seriousness and the mock histrionics Dio remained the sort of man you would have both liked to enjoy a pint with and have a serious conversation with too.

But, he was also a man who did not take himself too seriously, as his various collaborations with Tenacious D proved.

Above all, Ronnie James Dio possessed a voice honed and refined, but always easily identified. It was, too often overlooked as being a voice with real emotion. Listen to 'Lonely is the Word' the closing track from Black Sabbath's Heaven and Hell to understand this.

Already there have been a plethora of sites paying condolences - not least the official Facebook Dio page. They are the online equivalent of a wake for the man, but together with this there is the intriguing proposition of a campaign to get Holy Diver to #1 in the charts to raise money for charity. Charity was also something Dio took seriously. He was the driving force behing Hear 'n' Aid at the time of Live Aid, and his wife Wendy was chairman of the American charity Children of the Night, which helped rescue child prostitutes.

So, it would be fitting if the last chart entry Dio achieved was a number one that raised money for charity. Whether it will happen or not remains to be seen, If it does, it would need to be soon, but I would rather that Dio was #1 across the globe in and around July 10th, the day of his birth.

Why the death of people, like Dio, can touch so many is sometimes queried by sociologists and anal assholes who have never, ever been touched by music. The music produced by Dio is more than a 'Demon Dance' it stirs all of us who have a heart which needs - nay craves- the facile world the one-minute wonder and the choreographed mimes of the boy bands.

This is not an obituary - this is a thank you to the man and for his musical legacy.

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll!
Ronnie James Dio - July 10th 1942 to May 16th 2010
You Rocked and We Rocked with you!

Soundtrack to nightmares, soaring to the ecstasy

WHERE to start with Metallica? Where to start with 'Tallica's Belfast 'reunion' gig at the Odyssey?

Metallica have been the backdrop to many, many, many years of my life. From Hetfield's tortued lyrical meanderings and the structued musical pumelling there is a quality about Metallica's output that even maintaned true fans through years when they experimented.

The first time I witnessed Metallica was in '86 in the Ulster Hall with support from Anthrax. It was a gig with some great friends in attendance, at least two of whom are no longer with us. Baal, Rab, Alan Sid, Stevie, Kyle, Michael, amongst many others.

That day there was many a pint sunk (the lest said about the Alhambra the better!). To this day the Anthrax set is a little hazy, but Metallica at times took the breath away from me, despite Hetfield's arm being in plaster and guitar tech (John Marshall I think) filling in the rhythm parts.

I've seen them subsequently, sometimes good, sometimes great, but nothing really compared to that day.

That is until Tuesday night.

Let's be straight about this for a start. Metallica is a business. The music and the show may be at the core of the business, but the Metallica machine sustains the equivalent of a medium sized Northern Ireland company; from staff members beyond the band through to outsourced suppliers and graphic designers, let alone the business suited wankers that occupy the upper echelons of certain record labels.

But, for all the massive logistical challenges that puts the Metallica machine on the road, it would be nought without the willingness of the band members of turn out and play for two hours with an obvious delight to dw what is essentially their day job.

Even with the obligations placed on them by contracts Metallica could do what so many bands do, hit the festival circuit, turn in an hour and a half and jet off to wherever bands go when they care very little about their fans.

Instead Metallica lay on a stage set, which very, very, very few acts would dare take on the road. Although the record company might be paying some of the cost, the vast majority of the cash for eight massive coffin lighting rigs, an 'in-the-round' set with all the complications of where to put monitors etc, and the manpower required to design and erect such a set came from James, Lars, Kirk and Rob as the principals of Metallica plc.

But to consider all this in some way diminishes the experience. Stepping into the arena on Tuesday night, there was a sense of awe at the sheer scale of the set, the intimacy of the in-the-round set-up and the sheer devotion of those gathered.

Yes, there were in advance a few naysayers. Some who have become disillusioned through the Load to St Anger years. They I can forgive.I cannot forgive some of the little people who were not born when The Black Album was released, yet still seem to have more opinions about 'the good old days' than their ill-formed brains justify. But that is jut bitching, and makes me sound like a grumpy old metaller.

Setting aside those 'get over it, old man' comments (shut up my children! I am entitled to be grumpy at my age!) it is hard for me to be impartial about Metallica (also Maiden, BLS, Marillion and all incarnations of Sabbath).

So, how to comment on Metallica's appearance at the Odyssey Arena. There's no point me trying to be impartial. I like many who have commented on various online fora and social networking sites were blown away by the Metallica experience in its totality.

It would be easy to rhapsodise about the song selection - and easy to bemoan the songs that weren't aired (yes Sid I too would have loved to hear Disposable Heroes given an airing!). But what was gratifying and immensely pleasurable that the set lists on both nights spanned from the very earliest to the latest Metallica...including 'fans only' material like Breadfan.

I hesitate to rehearse the songs and the associated stage show elements (descending coffins, pyro storms etc) as each person has a unique association with a Metallica song. For me All Nightmare Long sounded a good as Seek and Destroy and One...and Nothing Else Matters...and Master...and...well you get the picture!

Metallica were, as much as possible in the contrived setting of a big budget prodution, a force of nature. Brutal and measured at the same time. Yes, there are heavier out there. Yes, there are more precise out there. Yes, there are better Metal drummers than Lars. Yes, there are better metal singers than Hetfield. Yes, there are better soloists than Kirk, and dare I say it there are a few (very few) better bassists than Rob. But but them all together and almost miraculously emerges a power that defies greatness to reach another level, that soars with an elemental pulse and reaches a height that only an exalted few acts can reach.

Metallica's dystopian musical and lyrical lndscape can paint a nightmarish vision of struggles with mental health (Fade, Sanatarium to name but two) but can also unify with a 'us against them' spit in the face to the mainstream.

I may be biased, I may view Metallica through rose-tinted shades, but fuck it! Metallica were awesome in Belfast; at times magesterial, at times furious, at times poignant, but all times fucking metal.

"Awesomer than an awesomer thing has ever been," one young fan said in the chilly post-gig air. His father beat me to the punch line..."yer not wrong there son!"

Hurry back James, Lars and co - more people need Metallica in their lives!

Pix courtesy of Simon Graham - as with all pix on the website from Simon or Carrie (both amogst the best of lens peeps out there!) contact me if you want to order a print!

Damn you Metallica! Damn you laptop!

First things first - damn you laptop god! Your vagaries and hard drives with suicidal tendencies have kept me away from the usual over-stuffed, beer-fuelled waffling late-night sessions that see me churning out copy by the yard.

May Loki smite you laptop god, lest you ever think to scramble and mangle precious files again...

While I honestly missed updating, I did not appreciate being buttonholed by more than one person asking about the blog: I do not get paid for doing it and my name is not 'Belfastmetalheads'. Not until I have that wee appointment :) I, like so many who take the time and effort to post into the wilds of cyber-space on hard rock and metal do it for the love of metal!

Now on to why I damned the mighty Metallica in the headline above. I have been struggling where to start in reviewing the gig (and in my next post there will be comments about the gig and some pix courtesy of Simon).

Simply put, while I try as far as possible to give fair - sometimes too fair - reviews there is no way that I could approach the review dispassionately, without coming across as a 40-something fanboy.

I am biased with regards to Metallica, Maiden, BLS and Black Sabbath; not that all these acts have not been occassionally below par - rather that I can forgive them when they err as they defined not only the music that I and many others adore. They have been the soundtrack for all of my adult years.

So damn you Metallica I cannot even come close to writing a 'proper' review. I've been struggling to find the right way to write about the awesome, righteosusly massive, superb masters of metal; the one, the only mighty fucking METALLICA!

Fanboy moment over I'll now take a long sip of me Guinness and prepare to put fingers to keyboard and give an opinion rather than a review.

In other news...Ratt ticket competition coming your way, and a post to hear your views on the Thin Lizzy line-up being touted about under the band name.

Guinness and ciggy break now follows.

Cannabilise!

BEFORE going any further the Cathedral review will come late; I'm not going to be able to get along to Negura Bunget (supported by Fen and The Way of Purity) tonight so anyone wanting to pen a review send it to the usual email address.

Okay? Got that all? Right, news from The Distortion Project...Cannibal Corpse are coming to along to delight us all with their nursery rhymes from hell on August 22nd. Mmmm Tasty!

Distortion Project

I was going to list all the forthcoming gigs being laid on by James and the wonderful Distortion Project, but it would take up most of this blog! Cathedral, Bolt Thrower, Deicide, Negura Bunget...the list goes on and on!

Instead use the links below or subscribe to James's Facebook page!
http://www.thedistortionproject.com/
www.myspace.com/distortionproject
www.twitter.com/dpmetal

The majesty of gothic

WHEN one hears the word gothic in a modern popular culture sense the image comes of a pasty skinned obsessive who spends too much time considering the whys and wherefores of vampiric lore.

But, of course gothic goes well beyond that, in terms of history and literature. But in terms of architecture gothic is always associated with a certain type of building...which brings us to a very, very tortuous way of reminding y'all that Cathedral are playing at The Limelight tomorrow night.

Backed by Church of Misery and The Gates of Slumber, you also need to remember that the door time here is 8pm, and there are a very few tickets left at the reasonable and downright wonderful price of £18.50.

Last time Cathedral's Sabbathy take on dark gothic metal doom (and I mean gothic in terms of literate, aware and ever so slightly 'knowing' wit) brought their rif-laden groove to Belfast was supporting HIM. Then the fairy-winged teens simpy didn't get Cathedral. A small few of us amongst the crowd did 'get' Cathedral including one hilarious moment when a lone metaller scattered kiddies to the wings with an impressive extended circle headbanging flailing away to 'Wytchfynder...'

Cathedral gigs come with a health warning...do not under any circumstances try to match your metal knowledge with Lee Dorrian! A friendly guy, yes, but he does know his rock, punk and metal in almost encyclopaedic depth.

He also, for me sums up an attitude that reflects what metal should be all about. The more journos and ignorant fans try to pigeonhole Cathedral into a genre or sub-genre Dorrian declares "We're a metal band. That's all - a metal band". Not just any metal band though!

Be afraid - Fear comes to Belfast

FEAR Factory will be bringing their unique blend of metal and industrial cyber grooves to Belfast's Spring and Airbrake on August 3rd.

Nevermind the hyperbole and rantings of many an over-egged press release about so-called influential bands, Fear Factory carved a path that set the agenda for many of today's acts.

Whether it was Herrera's drums, Burton C. Bell's vocal dynamics or Cazares' guitar lines Fear Factory took what went before and re-moulded it. In turn others borrowed from the FF sound to build yet further on the metal musical mythos.

True, their recorded output was at times patchy, but live they always delivered; and while some have disparaged newer material it does stand  up well.

For me Invisible Wounds (Dark Bodies) from Digimortal - not by any means the best FF release - sums up the band's depth: broody and atmospheric. There are better and heavier FF songs out there, many of which will be aired on August 3rd, but Invisible Wounds represents their essence. I am still hoping, however, that large chunks of Demanufacture is on the set list!

Fear Factory play the Spring and Airbrake on August 3rd. Tickets, priced fifiteen precious notes are available from the usual outlets.

We're back - with usual mix of views, news, reviews and outlandish opinions

FIRST an apology. Today I was admonished by someone I didn't recognise (apologies for that whoever you were!) that there had been no posts for almost two weeks. There was I hiding in the work suit, short hair and sucking on a lunchtime ciggie when a voice called: "Oi! Belfastmetalheads! What's happened to you. No posts in ages."

My initial response was bitten back, that was: "FFS mate it's not like I get paid for this shit".

Being a generally courteous type I instead said: "I'll see what I can do". Hurrying back to work, increasingly paranoid that I'm being stalked by various long-haired types I reflected that some of you actually might enjoy my ramblings (you fools! :) ) and might even rely on the news contained herein when there are better and more frequent sources out there.

So, with that in mind I pledge to make sure that the alcohol content is maintained at a sufficiently high level that the blog will be frequenltly updated with ever reliable inane ramblings and random news...and stuff!

Ratty time at the Spring & Airbrake

VETERAN LA rockers Ratt are to make a return to the Spring & Airbrake on June 16th. Tickets are priced £19 +booking fee.

Here's the blurb from the promoter:

"Ratt helped pioneer Hollywood’s legendary Sunset Strip sound and scene and the band has returned sounding fired up and better than ever. Ratt’s first studio album in 11 years, Infestation, is a return to their heavy, riff driven roots. The band has reinvented their sound by rediscovering their strengths, shuttling listeners to a time when metal ruled the earth and real musicians wore eyeliner like a badge of honor.

"They have also added guitarist Carlos Cavazo to their lineup and ready to let the world hear their new collection of songs. Right out of the box, Infestation ignites like gasoline to an open flame, bursting with an energy and attitude absent from metal for years, unheard, perhaps, since before the dawn of DVDs, grunge and Facebook.

"Album opener “Eat Me Up Alive” slaps you in the face with attitude and a timeless riff that has been a staple in Ratt’s music and has set them apart from the pack. From the strip pole gyrations of “Look Out Below” to the keg party anthem “Take a Big Bite,” Infestation rages with a life and energy that Ratt is famous for. "

Propheting at the Mandella

THEY'RE not the usual fare of most visitors here (though I know a few who will not admit it), but the Lost Prophets can be credited with introducing a few into the world of heavy guitar orientated rock (and then we captured their souls, sold them to Satan to hook them into metal forever...).

Thus I mention it here that Lost Prophets are playing at the Mandella Hall on May 19th.

Personally I haven't listened to any of their recent work, as they swayed from early day poppy nu-metal towards more classic style AOR before becoming all 'scenester'. Or maybe they just began to believe the sycophantic Radio 1 and MTV clown DJs.

Hopefully they'll return to more rock AOR work and become Wales' answer to REO Speedwagon :)

Busy days ahead...

SATURDAY'S a busy day...what with Ocean, Rising and Neifenbach set to see if the Limelight can survive another pounding. And then two doors down local legends Ashanti hit the Spring and Airbrake with Pay*ola backing them.

For those far out from the Limelight's delights Gama Bomb seem intent to make sure no metallic stone is left unturned: as part of their Irish tour they hit Warrenpoint's Square Peg on Saturday. (And fans can also see them at QUB's Speakeasy on 17th)

And the Diamond Rock Club in Ahoghill will be hosting Jaded Sun and Ajenda, also on Saturday night.

And with Airbourne on Tuesday surely that's enough to be going on with!

Iron Maiden and Heaven & Hell to play Dublin

IRON maiden are kicking off their European Tour in Dublin's O2 Arena with special guests Heaven & Hell a.k.a. Dio era Sabbath.

Date is 30th July...

Tickets on sale next Friday, with pre-sale for Fan Club members on Tuesday, priced 67.50 euros incl/ booking fee.

Official MCD release here.

More later!

"We will never do a power ballad. Ever"

NEXT Tuesday (April 13th) one of the most uncompromising hard rockin' ass kickin' bands in the world land in Belfast for their third visit to the city.

Airbourne - if you didn't already know - are the embodiment of blue collar, working class rock 'n' roll: birthed as the bastard sons of AC/DC and Rose Tattoo, conceived in pub where the 'guitar man got famous' and where 'Rock 'n' Roll Outlaws' pounded out tunes to stun.

Belfastmetalheadsreunited caught up with the band, and spokesman in chief Joel O'Keefe as their UK tour progessed towards Belfast to hear how things are sitting as Airbourne's ascendancy towards legendary status continues apace.

With their second 'proper' album out, and three years of a roundabout of touring, punctuated with recording 'No Guts, No Glory', we wanted to know have things caught up with the fearsome foursome?

"It does get tiring but if we get time off we get bored and can't wait to get back on the road," he said. "We live to tour and we tour to live, so bring it on!"

And, with that commitment comes a statement of intent whether it be playing in Belfast or Melbourne for the band.
"We believe that anything worth having is worth working hard for. We are determined to never let any one down, ever. That is what we are all about."

Hard work has paid off for the band. Not least as evidenced from their Belfast debut in The Limelight. Since then their star has been on the rise. From pub venues, through to the festival circuit there is a connection with fans who may be latter day metalheads raised on the excesses of the NWOBHM, or diehard rockers and even thrashers.
As the band has grown we wanted to know the difference between the intimate shows packed into pubs in comparison to the bigger venues and the festivals.

"We love the crowd to be right in our faces but there is also such a great energy playing to a bigger audience," said Joel

All of which bodes well for the Mandella Hall gig - which is big enough to accommodate eager throngs, while still enabling almost all present to connect with the band.

And, connections are all-important to Airbourne: with the audience and with their roots. When it came to writing No Guts, No Glory they headed back to the now almost derelict Criterion Hotel in their hometown Warnambool, Australia.
"It was the perfect place for us. It was close to where we were staying, it had plenty of space for all our equipment and the best burger joint in town was across the road," said Joel. "It was ironic, we played our first ever shows there and the last thing that place ever did was have us in there writing. It almost burnt down a few of months later."

In recent interviews the band have joked that they are just re-arranging the chords for the new songs, but they undertook a rigorous selection process whittling down almost 40 tracks to the ones that hit the streets a few short weeks ago. From their debut releaseRunnin' Wild, No Guts, No Glory retains a winning formula with rabble rousing pub rock to the fore, but with slow burners like Bottom of the Well and the mid-paced White Line Fever showing that the band are prepared to explore the very limits of so-called Aussie pub rock. But where they ever tempted to pander to the pundits and throw in a power ballad?

Let's just say that Joel is emphatic on that point: "We know our sound and what we love and we never want to go away from that. We will NEVER do a power ballad. Ever."
But, the band are no luddites, looking over their shoulder to the past. They have freshened what could have been a jaded hard rock sound, and are prepared to look at other ways to expose audiences to their rockin' antics, including computer and console games, with the likes of Girls in Black from Runnin' Wild appearing on the Need for Speed console game.

"The computer game industry is massive right now, it is almost like the radio was 20 years ago," said Joel. "Millions of people play these games, it's really good to reach this audience that might not hear of us otherwise.

But with kids getting hooked on Airbourne's sounds, too many venues remain out-of-bounds to under-18s.

Joel is apologetic, but not without a nod to what almost every reader of this blog did, or attempted to do when younger: "Unfortunately the agent is the one that books the shows. However, hopefully in the future there will be more all ages shows. In the mean time sneak in and grab a beer!!!"

Airbourne started from humble roots, and through hard work they rose from early 2003 gigs. For many Runnin' Wild was a sudden, but welcome, shock, none less so than when the esteemed organ Classic Rock awarded the band 'Best New Band' in 2008.

It speaks to the bands own modesty their reaction when they received the honour.
"We had no idea, we were just sitting there drinking, then all of a sudden we were getting pushed onto the stage!!"

And therein lies the roots of success. Work hard, expect nothing, but toil to achieve everything. Airbourne play hard, Airbourne are an antidote to sugary sweet, pop pap, and posing bands more concerned with being part of a nebulous scene rather than sticking to what they believe in. There might be No Way But The Hard Way but for fans of all ages Airbourne's route to the top is one we all can enjoy come hell or highwater.

But don't expect any power ballads!

Airbourne play the Mandella Hall on April 13th. There are very, very few tickets left, if any. If you can's get along...your loss!

Alterz is murmuring

REGULAR reader Alterz has been developing a web resource for metal through the site Belfast's Murmur.

Check it out and support those that back the rock and metal scene here in good ol' Norn Iron! Another worthy addition to the blogosphere of metal.

Better than The Pogues

THE Pogues always had a wee whiff of being faux folk punk (someday I'll tell you my Shane Magowan story...) and had political views that seemed designed to alienate a lot of their potential audience.

On the other side of the Atlantic the Dropkick Murphys always seemed a wee bit more ready to party with their ShamRock, ShamPunk...well you know what we mean! Their not exactly the usual fodder for this site, but the 'Murphys' come across more as a party band to be enjoyed rather than that sense of worthiness that Magowan and co came out with. And, one can disregard their American naivety, but we would advise them to listen to SLF's 'Every Dollar A Bullet' lest they commit a Mustaine-size gaffe.

The Dropkick Murphys play St George's Market on April 13th for what is sure to be a gig with a lot of bouncing going on!

New Bolt Thrower door time

Quick note to say that the door time for the Bolt Thrower gig on May 3rd at The Limelight has changed to 8pm.

Also on the bill with Bolt Thrower are: Rotting Christ, Overoth and Devil Makes Three. Tickets 12 paltry notes.

Act now for Airbourne

IF you haven't yet got your Airbourne tickets for April 13th's re-arranged Mandella Hall gig you need to act quickly - spoke to the promoter earlier and there are only about 30 left and almost certainly none on sale at the door!

Have to say looking forward to this...and intrigued to see The Black Spiders again (they supported The Answer in December) as they looked like they didn't sound and sounded bigger than they actually were...if you see what I mean when I'm confusing myself!

AXIS OF get pre-election night single launch

SO Gordon Brown confirmed what we all knew anyway, that May 6th was to be the date of the General Election. As the polling booths close and the pundits ponder exit polls, get some groove on in The Limelight with the Axis Of single launch. Kicking off at 8.30 Axis Of will be supported by Robyn G Shiels, Pocket Billiards, and Visceral Attack.

As you prepare to find out who will form the next Government the door tax is a measly £4 or for one pound mmore you get the CD too! Now which political party can top that...well the Monster Raving Loony Party might have, but since Screaming Lord Sutch passed away it hasn't been the same.

Haven't heard of Axis Of. Here's some of the press comment:
'They have no gimmicks to get bored of. They are just pure punk rock goodness! My Single of the Year'
-Panic Dots
'Outstanding'
- Stephen McAuley, BBC Radio 1
'Conjuring up images of At The Drive In and Sikth - 9/10'
- Giggingni.com

And here's the blurb:
"After an extremely promising 2009 Axis Of start the new year with a bang. After two successful UK tours and a bunch of excellent Irish shows, Axis Of played their first Belfast headlining gig of the year in Auntie Annie’s Porterhouse. With the success of this, they are back in May with the release of a new single, “Port Na Spaniagh” in The Limelight. With airplay all over Ireland, coverage in all sorts of press, this is a live show not to be missed and a song not to be ignored.
Check out Axis Of and the rest of the line up - Axis Of and Robyn G. Shiels and Pocket Billiards and Visceral Attack

Not sure which half of you lot will like these acts...the schizophrenics like me who'll give anything a shot, or the ones with the demented stare in their eyes....oh that's me too!

Anal surgery required for The Limelight

NO - you didn't read that headline wrong! According to James (of Distortion Project fame!) Eyehategod ripped a new ass for The Limelight on Sunday night. As too often is the case through illness/resposibilities/lack of beer tokens we didn't have a presence there. If you were there and want to send a review email here. And the same applies to any other reviews you may want to send me (Ozzmium in Omagh anyone?).

But as it is now almost 3am there are a few things that need to said...

No, it's not another rant: but suffice to say there are some things that need to be said.

First off - Cathedral are playing The Limelight on 28th April. The simple instruction is: get along to this; Lee Dorrian knows more about rock/metal than most other living mortals...give your homage gratefully!
Next - A Decade of Aggression: If you need to know more and are into heavy music we don't know where to start...
Thirdly - thanks to everyone....readers/commenters/emailers; somehow it makes it all worthwhile
Lastly (well for now!) - what are we missing? Let us know!

To conclude - this blog would not be anything more than the rantings of a 40+ metalhead without your active involvement. Thanks! Now, what more do you want included? More gig info? More reviews? More videos? More general news? (Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi are to record a couple of tracks and I believe I'm one of the few people on the planet that thinks Born Again is an under-rated album!)

But the real purpose of this post is to sort of hark back to the 'Quiet Rant' post last week. The Guardian (and other members of the so-called intelligentsia) has poured scorn on the campaign to have people register their religion in the 2011 census recorded as 'Heavy Metal'.

Last time out I registered as a Jedi, and according to the statistics Jedi was the 4th biggest 'religion' in the UK. I was going to register this time as a Pastafarian (member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster) but have decided that when the census forms come out I will register my religion as 'Heavy Metal'.

Of course, it is a wee bit stupid. Of course, it denegrates the whole census system. Of course, it plays into the hands of the smarmy, wordy Sunday supplement columnists.

But it is also a chance to have a laugh, snub the nose at the Simon Cowell-led 'pop' culture, and offend as many people as possible. I'll do the Newsnight interview and the Distorion Project can provide the bands for a backdrop when Heavy Metal becomes one of the Top 10 'religions' in the UK....

Most of all - the biggest underground scene in the UK will continue to encourage rock and metal acts worldwide to keep on playing no matter what happens in 2011.

Here in the UK and Ireland we can pick and choose when we go to a gig. In parts of the world - especially where fundamentalist religion dominates - listening to metal, wearing a metal/rock t-shirt, playing in a band can lead to jail time, persecution, and persistent observation from the so-called authorities.

Rock and metal is a freedom that should not be taken for granted, and as we approach the General Election should all candidates be asked what their views are on heavy metal? Go on! When a candidate or their representatives lands on you doorsteps ask them for their party policy on heavy metal! Let us never take for granted the scene we ALL have. And let's see if we can cause a few uncomfortable moments for DUP, Sinn Fein, UUP/Tory, SDLP, Alliance, TUV, Green Party candidates and all others who want our votes!

Diamond Head in November

APPARENTLY Diamond Head are playing at the Spring & Airbrake on November 20th! Tasty!

For younger readers - who may have only heard of Diamond Head via a couple of Metallica cover versions - Diamond Head emerged during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM - and if you've not heard of that use Wikipedia). They were never the most commercially successful of the NWOBHM acts, but with their interpretation of song structure and use of intelligent time changes they were highly influencial.

At the very least you should check them out via Spotify or iTunes and prepare to be pleasantly surprised!

FM show details and ticket prices etc

LAST week we announced that 80s melodic rockers FM were to play Belfast's Spring & Airbrake - and promised details. So here they are with the blurb...
FM -Spring & Airbrake: Saturday 22nd May 2010
£16.50 + booking fee: Doors at 8pm

And now for the official blub...
"15 years since the release of any new material, FM’s hugely anticipated album METROPOLIS, was released in March 2010. An album packed full of brand new, soon to be classic FM songs will see them propelled back to their rightful place as the darlings of the British melodic rock scene. METROPOLIS is a masterful showcase of this band's considerable talent. With 13 classic tracks and a running time of over 60 minutes the boys are definitely back."

If you know sod all about FM, but are intrigued you can find out more about FM - FM Official Band Website.

As to our views here - haven't heard any FM since...well a long time ago. If you like Gun, Little Angels style melodic/classic rock then FM are worth checking out. If you're expecting anything heavier...well there's Decade of Aggression and Metallica also in May :)

By the way...By Any Means

If you absolutely stuck for something to do on Easter Saturday and need to kill time before Easter Sunday's Eyehategod Limelight appearance then check out Enochian Theory (ENG), By Any Means and Cursed Sun at Lavery's Bunker on Saturday night from seven bells.

Apologies to Mr Higgins for not posting this earlier...despite all the Facebook reminders!

Reviews wanted

We'll be definitely heading to see Airbourne, Cathedral and Metallica. Maybe we'll also be catching Trucker Diablo/Soundstone, GMT and Glamour of the Kill/Escape Fails. If you aren't catching at least some of these gigs then you're not really tryingg!

But with so many gigs in the coming weeks it would be impossible for us to cover them all. Therefore, if you want to review a gig then email us here and should (most) of the spelling be correct and the grammar at least close to Belfast's version of English, it'll appear here with your byline.

No payment on offer - as yet - but give it time...and at least you'll be able to embellish your CV by saying you are a published writer :)

A word on the visual arts

Noted local lens mistress supreme Carrie Davenport is hosting an exhibition of her music photography from April 19th at Alternative Ink in Holywood.

Carrie has snapped local, national and international acts and her work has been used by many outlets ranging from Kerrang! through to local mag Alternative Ulster.

And, the ultimate accolade she's even had snaps used here (shurely shome mishtake there...this blog being used in a sentence including words like ultimate and accolade!).

Any hows, it should be worth taking a few moments to see more of Carrie's work.

(PS - there are other rock photographers working here, but Carrie always replies to emails and Tweets)

And now for a quiet rant....

For those hoping for gig info and reviews, or perhaps even a mention of a CD you can tune out now. There follows a quiet wee rant about the way the outside world views metal.

Inspired by the very positive reaction to reader involvement in the blog we ventured forth to see if there was sponsorship available. The aim: get a few quid to re-design the very, very dated look, market the blog and perhaps even get a few pennies distributed to people who wanted to post reviews etc. The longer game plan to provide a hub that would complement existing sites such as Metal Ireland and perhaps even provide an outlet for local acts to sell CDs and merch.

Thus with high hopes we sat down with a marketeer from a respected local firm. We thought that with the visitor numbers, age range, number of comments (on the blog and via email) that it was a viable prospect. Indeed we know of other sites with puny (sorry that almost was a Manowar-style comment!) visitor numbers that achieve significant sponsorship. In pure business terms we were looking at sponsorship as seed funding for longer term development.

The marketing man then asked the killer question: "So what's the site's target demographic?" It was with admirable restraint that no punches were thrown...

It was explained that at recent gigs (Machine Head for one) we had stood in a group that included a 13-year-old, three 15-year-olds, four 20-somethings, a 42-year-old and three people in their 50s, amongst almost one thousand others and this was an admirable range for any marketeer to reach out to as they encompassed the teen market, the 'no-children, large disposable income bracket' as well as parents and grandparents... It was also explain that past contributors ranged from uni students through to business people and that the site was run by an award winning professional...we ran out of steam...and had no pretty PowerPoint graphs at hand!

His response was "that's not a very specific market, is it?"

Being polite sort of people (well most of the time!) we finished the drink, avoided pushing the pint glass into his face thereby avoidin spilling liquid on his very impressive Top Man suit and left it at that.

Another chance to spread the wealth amongst the community of rock and the brotherhood of metal slipped away...

But, on reflection, it did highlight a quandry.

This thing we all love, hard and heavy music, is a difficult beast to grapple with for outsiders. There are the hardcore metalheads, there are the thrashers, there are the hard/classic rock fans, there are the devotees who never miss a Distortion Project gig (all hail James and crew!), there are those who avidly attend the rock tribute acts, there are the many thousands who will flock to Metallica, there are the the couple of dozen in the Rosetta or Auntie Annies headbanging away, there are rural outposts like the Diamond in Ahoghill where the flame is kept alight outside Belfast - in other words there are many faces to this beast.

There are a helluva lot of us!

Psycholgists and social anthropologists would have a field day: but too often the cliched comments focus on the stereotypes. They'll happily rant about Norwegian church burning and murders (see last month's Metal Hammer for a controversial interview!) or will glaze over as we rant about 'last night's gig'. Then there are the rabid opponents who cast biblical quotations like confetti. Worse still are the divisions within the 'scene'. Who else has read a post on a blog or a forum slagging off a local act and thought to themselves "if you can't be positive then don't bother wasting typing time!"

But where does this leave things?

As to this blog, it will continue as regularly as possible. Contributions from readers, information from bands and promoters will be posted. The idea of reader involvement will be encouraged (design comps and other ideas to be developed further!) and perhaps even getting some 'stuff' together to reward readers and potential sponsors alike.

But more important than anything else...thank you all for reading our rambling rants, listening out for news whether it is a breaking story or old news you heard elsewhere, and for being what Stephen King refers to as our 'Constant Reader'.

There - rant over, now it's JAGER TIME! :)

Quick mention?

Got a few we things to quickly mention: Eyehategod playing on Easter Sunday at the Limelight (ahh the irony almost as good as BBC following a morning show about Good Friday with 'Homes Under the Hammer').

Also - I had listed the Glamour of the Kill (incl Escape Fails on the suport) gig at Auntie Annie's as the 24th: CDC's official press listing has this as the 23rd. Which coincidentally is the date when Last Known Addiction and Swanee River play in the Spring & Airbrake (with the Beat Poets...) A dilemma - fine hard classic rock versus Escape Fails and GOTK! Can one be in two places at once!

Finally - anyone with gig reviews to submit, ya know where to find me!

Metallica support slots

You take some time off work..planning to get some proper work done, like updating this blog; instead you end up doing more 'work'.

Okay - quick catch-ups coming, but for now, confirmation that High On Fire have been added to the support slots for Metallica's Odyssey Arena gigs on May 11th and 12th, joing Volbeat on the bill.

For more information, and a view of High On Fire's new video for Frost Hammer visit Blabbermouth here.

Ozzmium are Worse Than Ever!

Ozzmium...Worse Than Ever? NO WE ARE NOT dissing Ozzmium!

We're simply giving you the chance to have a wee gander at the official video for their track Worse Than Ever!

Enjoy and let us all know what you think!

Stand-Up Guy for Download!

Wanna help local act Stand-Up Guy get a slot at this year's Download.

It's simple, just visit this link and signup, then rate/comment on the rather nice video!

C'Mon, ya know you want to!

Using articles from this site

AFTER the super response to the idea of reader reviews etc, thought I would offer up a few things from this side.

If you want to use an article from this site (review, interview etc) please feel free to use it for non-commercial ends. Only condition is that you credit it to the site with a link to the site. If the article is marked as by-lined by an individual you'll have to contact us to get the nod. Otherwise fire away!

If it is for commercial use, then email us here.

Now, those reader reviews etc...where are they :) \m/

Volbeat to support 'Tallica

Seems that Danish act Volbeat are to support Metallica at the Odyssey on 11th and 12th May.

Described by that venerable organ Metal Hammer as Danish Rockabilly rockers...well everything has to have a label...they're a humorous bunch, which might serve to lossen up us old metalheads before the intensity of 'Tallica!

The source of the story is the Odyssey Arena's Twitter feed, re-posted by Metal Hammer. Hat tip to Redskull for the Facebook tip off.

Tune into FM in May

BACK the 80s once again - pop rockers FM are set to play the Spring and Airbrake on 22nd May - more details to follow.

WELCOME TO WINGER!

KIP Winger, led his band to more than seven years of hard rockin’ glory at the tail end of the 80s, before rock and metal’s fortunes dipped as the fashionistas and scenester label bosses cuddled up to grunge and the dubious world of rap and hip hop.

Now Kip is bringing his band and their brand of uniquely skilled hard rock to Belfast.

In advance of the Spring & Airbrake date on March 27th, Kip took time out to speak to Belfastmetalheadsreunited.

Looking back at the Winger’s heady chart domination, and wrongly being labelled as a ‘hair metal’ band Kip spoke about the days when MTV led off shows with hits such Headed for a Heartbreak and Seventeen.

“The videos where done 20 years ago.. no big deal. We had a great time making them and have fun playing the music now.”

For some the videos were the big deal. But Kip is clear that the few that paid too much attention to the set pieces were missing the point about the band’s skills and the ‘look’ foisted on so many acts that looks a little bit ‘old’ from today’s perspective.

“Of course every genre can tend to look dated after 20 years, and anyone who is stupid enough to think you actually play your instruments in a video needs their head examined! It's SHOWBIZ baby...”

And that showbiz laid the groundwork for many, many highs for Winger, both personally and for the band

“Getting the gig playing with Alice Cooper.. for Winger the first gold record. Playing Wembley arena.. etc etc, so many!”

At the height of their early career, awards, multi platinum sales and fan adoration, there was some unjustified criticism of Winger. From the 80s to the present day Kip has been outspoken. His words painted him as a fierce defender of the band, and now he has the chance to let the music do the talking.

“A fierce defender... hmmm... well, I'd say that I always tried to point out where people might be accepting what the media is feeding them they’d be better actually listening to our music.

“Regardless of that, Touring with the band is very fun, actually that's the only reason I do it anymore. We have a great time! Other than that, I'm working on other musical projects and staying busy.”

Since re-uniting in 2001 Winger have issued several platters, the latest Promise Land, [Erratum - should be Karma] of which he promises to let Belfast hear “three or four tracks, no telling”.

But of the hits of the past, what ones still feel fresh and which ones are on the set list?

“All of them feel fresh.. come and see for yourself which ones we play”!

Kip comes across as someone content to back playing with Winger, and with a “symphonic” side project to keep the man personally interested.

Winger are band whose legacy will be seen as proving that the schlock tales of sordid hair metal biographies too often masked the real talent in the music at the time. But then again while the west coast of USA hair metal was built upon image as much as anything else, Winger were an east coast of the US band; where the blue collar work ethic and the real deal in terms of songwriting and making sure rock melodies really mattered proved that there was depth and passion aplenty.

When Winger hits the stage at the Spring & Airbrake make sure you’re there. Kip and co straddle the years that have seen so much glory for those with a passion for hard rock and heavy metal (in the broadest sense!).

In the 80s, as today, the groundswell of support bubbled under the radar, while occasionally, breaching the boundaries of the mainstream. When the fickle flare of fashion dips for a moment it is the music that keeps going.

Rock on Winger!

Quick catch up

I don't know, you take a wee break of a day and what happens! ZP Theart leaves Dragonforce, Skindred's Spring & Airbrake show on March 21st is made all ages (don't worry you can still grab a pint in Katy Day's, but not carrying it through) and more and more gigs have been listed in the comments section of the earlier post about kidneys!

Soundstone's forthcoming dates

After the exhaustive gig listing last night Wayne reminded me that Rage Against the Machine, supported by media darling refusniks Gallows play the O2, Dublin, while Adrian of Soundstone sent me a listing of their forthcoming gigs:
11/3/10 - The Pavillion, Belfast - headline show with support from Sister Marko and The Dead Presidents.
26/3/10 - The Terrace Bar, Omagh - supporting Jaded Sun
17/4/10- RockD @ The Limelight with Trucker Diablo
23/4/10 - Banbridge Football Club - Gacys Threads headliner with support from Soundstone, Dwell in Sun and B.O.Y
26/6/10 - The Black Boat, Bangor - Soundstone with support from Kobi, Third Harvest

Now, is there anything else I missed :)

Dan Reed Interview

There's an interview with Dan Reed, before last weekend's return to Ahoghill on the Belfast Telegraph's website. Find it here - hat tip to Bel Tele video journo Gary Grattan.