Music News Thread

[Big Blue Owl]

I'd must start it off with sad news:

Bo Diddley Died

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) ? Bo Diddley, a founding father of rock 'n' roll whose distinctive "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm and innovative guitar effects inspired legions of other musicians, died Monday after months of ill health. He was 79.

Diddley died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Fla., spokeswoman Susan Clary said. He had suffered a heart attack in August, three months after suffering a stroke while touring in Iowa. Doctors said the stroke affected his ability to speak, and he had returned to Florida to continue rehabilitation.

The legendary singer and performer, known for his homemade square guitar, dark glasses and black hat, was an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, had a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, and received a lifetime achievement award in 1999 at the Grammy Awards. In recent years he also played for the elder President Bush and President Clinton.

Diddley appreciated the honors he received, "but it didn't put no figures in my checkbook."

"If you ain't got no money, ain't nobody calls you honey," he quipped.

The name Bo Diddley came from other youngsters when he was growing up in Chicago, he said in a 1999 interview.

"I don't know where the kids got it, but the kids in grammar school gave me that name," he said, adding that he liked it so it became his stage name. Other times, he gave somewhat differing stories on where he got the name. Some experts believe a possible source for the name is a one-string instrument used in traditional blues music called a diddley bow.

His first single, "Bo Diddley," introduced record buyers in 1955 to his signature rhythm: bomp ba-bomp bomp, bomp bomp, often summarized as "shave and a haircut, two bits." The B side, "I'm a Man," with its slightly humorous take on macho pride, also became a rock standard.

The company that issued his early songs was Chess-Checkers records, the storied Chicago-based labels that also recorded Chuck Berry and other stars.

Howard Kramer, assistant curator of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, said in 2006 that Diddley's Chess recordings "stand among the best singular recordings of the 20th century."

Diddley's other major songs included, "Say Man," "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover," "Shave and a Haircut," "Uncle John," "Who Do You Love?" and "The Mule."

Diddley's influence was felt on both sides of the Atlantic. Buddy Holly borrowed the bomp ba-bomp bomp, bomp bomp rhythm for his song "Not Fade Away."

The Rolling Stones' bluesy remake of that Holly song gave them their first chart single in the United States, in 1964. The following year, another British band, the Yardbirds, had a Top 20 hit in the U.S. with their version of "I'm a Man."

Diddley was also one of the pioneers of the electric guitar, adding reverb and tremelo effects. He even rigged some of his guitars himself.

"He treats it like it was a drum, very rhythmic," E. Michael Harrington, professor of music theory and composition at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., said in 2006.

Many other artists, including the Who, Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello copied aspects of Diddley's style.

Growing up, Diddley said he had no musical idols, and he wasn't entirely pleased that others drew on his innovations.

"I don't like to copy anybody. Everybody tries to do what I do, update it," he said. "I don't have any idols I copied after."

"They copied everything I did, upgraded it, messed it up. It seems to me that nobody can come up with their own thing, they have to put a little bit of Bo Diddley there," he said.

Despite his success, Diddley claimed he only received a small portion of the money he made during his career. Partly as a result, he continued to tour and record music until his stroke. Between tours, he made his home near Gainesville in north Florida.

"Seventy ain't nothing but a damn number," he told The Associated Press in 1999. "I'm writing and creating new stuff and putting together new different things. Trying to stay out there and roll with the punches. I ain't quit yet."

Diddley, like other artists of his generations, was paid a flat fee for his recordings and said he received no royalty payments on record sales. He also said he was never paid for many of his performances.

"I am owed. I've never got paid," he said. "A dude with a pencil is worse than a cat with a machine gun."

In the early 1950s, Diddley said, disc jockeys called his type of music, "Jungle Music." It was Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed who is credited with inventing the term "rock 'n' roll."

Diddley said Freed was talking about him, when he introduced him, saying, "Here is a man with an original sound, who is going to rock and roll you right out of your seat."

Diddley won attention from a new generation in 1989 when he took part in the "Bo Knows" ad campaign for Nike, built around football and baseball star Bo Jackson. Commenting on Jackson's guitar skills, Diddley turned to the camera and said, "He don't know Diddley."

"I never could figure out what it had to do with shoes, but it worked," Diddley said. "I got into a lot of new front rooms on the tube."

Born as Ellas Bates on Dec. 30, 1928, in McComb, Miss., Diddley was later adopted by his mother's cousin and took on the name Ellis McDaniel, which his wife always called him.

When he was 5, his family moved to Chicago, where he learned the violin at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. He learned guitar at 10 and entertained passers-by on street corners.

By his early teens, Diddley was playing Chicago's Maxwell Street.

"I came out of school and made something out of myself. I am known all over the globe, all over the world. There are guys who have done a lot of things that don't have the same impact that I had," he said.

[awip2062]

I read that this morning and was saddened.

[Walkinghairball]

I hope no one ever plays a big square guitar ever again.


Just not the same if it's not Bo Diddly doin it..........'sayin.



R.I.P. Brother blues man.

[Big Blue Owl]

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN Shows Up In Court Wearing His Stage Outfit

"Hulk Hogan might've gotten away with a bandanna in court, but do ya think this Mickey Rourkean get-up is the way to sway a federal jury?

"In case you're a little rusty on your speed-metal guitar heroes, that's fleet-fingered Yngwie (that's ING-vay) Malmsteen, the sultan of the Strat, whom we caught outside of court in New York. He's in the midst of a long legal battle with his former manager over some cash he says he's owed.

"We're told that the judge tolerated Yngwie's chesty display ? though curiously enough, women in sandals and shorts were turned away."

[YYZ30]

Thats because Ing Vay has more money than God.

[Big Blue Owl]

Some Priest news

JUDAS PRIEST will guest on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline", hosted by Bob Coburn, on Monday, July 21 at 11:30 p.m. EST/8:30 p.m. PST. Fans can talk live with JUDAS PRIEST by calling 800-344-ROCK (7625). To find a station near you or to listen to the show live via the Internet, go to www.rocklineradio.com.

JUDAS PRIEST's double-disc concept album, "Nostradamus", is scheduled for release via Columbia Records on Monday, June 16 in Europe, and a day later in the U.S. on Epic Records.

Long in the works, "Nostradamus" takes epic storytelling to a whole new level, as it recounts the life of this mysterious, world-known 16th century French prophet.

[awip2062]

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN Shows Up In Court Wearing His Stage Outfit

"Hulk Hogan might've gotten away with a bandanna in court, but do ya think this Mickey Rourkean get-up is the way to sway a federal jury?

"In case you're a little rusty on your speed-metal guitar heroes, that's fleet-fingered Yngwie (that's ING-vay) Malmsteen, the sultan of the Strat, whom we caught outside of court in New York. He's in the midst of a long legal battle with his former manager over some cash he says he's owed.

"We're told that the judge tolerated Yngwie's chesty display ? though curiously enough, women in sandals and shorts were turned away."

He's lost weight!

[awip2062]

Oh yeah!

*Defends the Faith!*

[Sir Myghin]

double disk epics pfffft, Ayreon has been doing those for years with meriads of well known singers. The priest album does sound cool though. (No real slight to the priest, I just felt like ripping on something)

Yngwie, hahahah, that guy is such a wanker. His music is so sterile it bores the hell out of me,he reminds me of skisgar (metalocalypse) "I am like way gooder than you"

[awip2062]

(No real slight to the priest, I just felt like ripping on something)

Oh, I like it! A veiled reference to The Ripper! \m/

(Rob's better! )

[CygnusX1]

Yngwie, hahahah, that guy is such a wanker.

Rising Force was a kick-ass record...nobody played faster at the time
(well, maybe George Lynch), so Yngwie was just the flavor of the month.

[Big Blue Owl]

double disk epics pfffft, Ayreon has been doing those for years with meriads of well known singers. The priest album does sound cool though. (No real slight to the priest, I just felt like ripping on something)

Yngwie, hahahah, that guy is such a wanker. His music is so sterile it bores the hell out of me,he reminds me of skisgar (metalocalypse) "I am like way gooder than you"

Reminds me of most people who comment on Blabbermouth.net. As soon as there is some kind of news about any band, it's all "They are so lame, they blow, my mom can play a better solo, etc."
You should see some of the stuff they say about Rush.

So Mygh. Who is this Ayreon and why not share some news about them?

[CygnusX1]

I'd must start it off with sad news:

Bo Diddley Died

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) ? Bo Diddley, a founding father of rock 'n' roll whose distinctive "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm and innovative guitar effects inspired legions of other musicians, died Monday after months of ill health. He was 79.

I'll never forget his innovation....making his own electric guitar from
pieces of stuff....

I'll also never forget Bo Diddley's cameo appearance as the pawn shop
owner in the comedy "Trading Places"...

Dan Aykroyd tries to pawn a Rolex watch and Bo Diddley is the pawnkeeper..

Aykroyd says to Diddley: "This ultra-thin watch cost me $6000, and is
waterproof to a depth of ten atmospheres."

Diddley replies: "Well, in Philadelphia.....it's worth 50 bucks."

[awip2062]

So Mygh. Who is this Ayreon and why not share some news about them?

This may help:
http://by-tor.com/temp_forums/viewtopic.php?t=2932

And this:
http://www.ayreon.com/

[Big Blue Owl]

Cool, thanks for the info, and thanks for the PM, Mygh. This guy seems cool as fack!

JUDAS PRIEST Singer Talks 'Nostradamus' - June 5, 2008


Heheheheheheheheheheh....eh?

Simon Milburn of Australia's The Metal Forge recently conducted an interview with JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.

On the group's just-launched world tour:

"I'm in the rehearsal facility just outside of Birmingham. We're playing every day and just putting the set list together and getting the metal order together because we really haven't played for a couple of years obviously having been in the studio making 'Nostradamus'. We're just kicking the tires and everything and getting everything in shape and it's sounding brilliant."

On "Nostradamus":

"I think there are probably a number of our fans that have known of our talk of wanting to make a concept record for many, many years and there was probably a feeling that it was never going to happen. But lo and behold, here it is. Some three decades later, we've finally got around to doing it. For any concept record, you need a very strong base of ideas to launch your quest on, and having a bloke like Nostradamus to talk about was just an absolutely brilliant moment for us. I mean, concept records have been done on many different subjects, haven't they, over the years. So, we really, when our manager Bill who came up with the idea, we really thought, 'This is fantastic!' because everybody knows about the man and everybody knows about his prophecies and some of the other things they may not be very familiar with we've been able to talk about them with the music. So it's been a fantastic adventure trying to get the story of his life put out by PRIEST style of metal. . . He's just a fascinating guy really apart from his prophecies. There's an enormous amount of information that anybody can find on the Internet, in books, in movies, in documentaries and everything and I think, for me personally, he's a very intriguing man. To be able to have that ability to do what he did, and for his prophecies to still be talked about 500 years later all around the world, is just quite remarkable. There are very few historical figures that can do that. So overall, he's just a controversial? people know of him all over the planet which is another important aspect because he's been researched and people have been trying to find out things about him in many, many different countries. That was also another cool thing that we realized that we got ? that people in Australia know about him, South America, North America, everywhere people know about this guy. That was another important issue that we weren't dealing with something that was a bit remote or that people were not very familiar with him. Everybody knows about this man."

On early reactions to the "Nostradamus":

"Well, so far, as you know, we've had a couple of songs that were released recently on LiveNation and JudasPriest.com and it's been fantastic. I mean, you've only got to look at what people have been saying about it on the message boards on the Internet and everybody's just waiting for it. They can't wait to get an earful. I think it's gonna be really well received. I mean, from our perspective it's thirteen major tracks and it's all linked together seamlessly and flows through and it's still thirteen solid PRIEST tracks that are very typical of the kind of thing we do. There are a lot of cool things going on in terms of the embellishments that we've used but essentially, we can take that and put it into the live performance like we do in here. We're rehearsing some of the 'Nostradamus' material that we'll put into the set list and it sounds absolutely colossal when it's played live."

On the challenges of making a double-disc album with a total running time of just over 100 minutes:

"I suppose it's just the dimension of the work really and to do it justice. I mean, I think it's very easy to get confused and lost and to maybe dilute things if you're not really able to focus and concentrate on the job at hand. We've had 35 years of practice to be able to do this and get this right. I think if it had happened any earlier, it may have turned out differently. It just seems as though everything has been slowly directing itself to this moment. It was a strong record to make. I don't recall any major, major problems getting lost or confused or getting stuck. The material, when it was being written, was very constant and flowing. We've got the chronological thing for us as well. The music was somewhat dictated by the things that he went through. It wasn't as though we were having to invent something out of thing air. We were just trying to follow the significant things that happened to him in his life. So that did make it a little bit easier, because you could look at a section of his life and go, 'OK, well, how would you be feeling at that point?' and that relates to the style of the music you're gonna create ? the tempo, the emotion, all the other things. Those were almost predetermined by what he was going through at that certain point when he was alive. Having said that, it is hard work. You have to work really hard to get it right and make every moment important and have a degree of separation so you get distinctive tracks coming out and nothing's bumping into each other."

Read the entire interview at www.themetalforge.com




Judas Priest - Dissident Aggressor @ Icehall in Helsinki, Fi
3-6-2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6BdgxWRvx0

Judas Priest - Angel @ Icehall in Helsinki, Finland
3-6-2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPJ9g6EUizQ