Slayer Albums - Heavy Metal Sound By Missy Ray

The band was formed in Huntington, California in 1981. With the release of their 11 studio Slayer albums, the group has been considered among the forefront of trash metal rock, not just in the United States, but also around the globe.

The group is currently composed of Tom Araya at vocals, Jeff Hanneman at guitar, Kerry King also at guitar, and Dave Lombardo on drums.

'Show No Mercy', released in December of 1983, is the band's debut album and was released through Metal Blade Records. It has been for its poor recording quality. It sold about 20,000 copies which was Metal Blade Records' highest selling release. The promote the album, the band went on their first nationwide tour albeit on their own expense. Needless to say, did they not earn much from the tour.

'Hell Awaits' was released in 1985 through the same record label. Unlike the first one, this album was financed by Metal Blade Records. 'Show No Mercy' was financed by Tom Araya and from money borrowed from Kerry King's father. The second album had a more darker and angrier tone, with references to hell and Satan.

'Reign in Blood' is the third of the Slayer albums and their first ever collaboration with a major record label producer in the person of Rick Rubin of Def Jam Recordings. It was released on October 7, 1986 and their first album to enter the Billboard 200.

'South of Heaven' was released on July 5, 1988 and was notable for the slowing down in tempo of the band's songs which was not well received by critics at that time. It also reached the Billboard 200 and eventually became a certified gold record album.

'Seasons in the Abyss' was released through American Recordings on October 9, 1990. The album was generally well received by the critics and once again was a Billboard 200 entry for the band.

'Divine Intervention' was the sixth album featuring the popular Slayer music and was released on September 27, 1994. It was notable for featuring Paul Bostaph on drums after Dave Lombardo left in the previous album recordings.

'Undisputed Attitude' was their seventh studio album and was released on May 28, 1996. The album is just a collection of punk cover songs from artists they consider as having made an influence on their style such as Iggy Pop, D.R.I., and Minor Threat.

'Diabolus in Musica' which means 'The Devin in Music', it is considered to be the group's most experimental work. It was released on June 9, 1998 and featured songs written mostly by Jeff Hanneman.

'God Hates Us All' was released on September 11, 2001, the same day as the terrorist attacks. It reached the Billboard 200 at number 28 and was the album that last featured Paul Bostaph.

'Christ Illusion' entered the highest rank they ever did on Billboard 200 which was at 5. The album generally received positive reviews when it was released on August 8, 2006.

'World Painted Blood' was the tenth and the most recent of the Slayer albums and was released on November 3, 2009 under American Recordings/Sony Music. The album received positive reviews from the critics and again an entrant for the band to the Billboard 200.

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Misfits - Horror Punk Rock Pioneers, By Missy Ray

Rock bands are notoriously infamous for changing line-ups like how a girl changes clothes. Such is the case with the Misfits and their ever-changing line-up of musicians.

Band History

Misfits was formed in 1977 in New Jersey with Glenn Danzig as singer and songwriter, Jimmy Battle on guitar, Diane DiPiazza on bass guitar and Manny Martinez on drums. During its first six years as a band, the band had so many changes in its line-up that it began to take on the look of musical chairs, with Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only as the permanent fixtures. As of last count, there were a total of 17 official members of the Misfits with as many as 8 drummers.

The band disbanded in 1983 but was resurrected, in a manner of speaking, in 1995 but only after a series of nasty legal battles for the right to use the name. It was to be expected as, during the official hiatus of the band, its influence in the punk rock, alternative rock and heavy metal genres has been firmly established. Thus, any person who will take on the name will have almost instant appeal in the new music market.

At present, the members of the group are Jerry Only (a.k.a. Gerald Caifa) on lead vocals and bass guitar, Des Cadena on backing vocals and guitar as well as Robo (a.k.a. Roberto Valverde) on drums. Music fans may hope that there will be no musical chairs coming up but it is still a possibility given the band's rocky history, pun intended.

Studio Albums Released

The Misfits are considered the pioneers of the subgenre known as horror punk or death punk. This musical style blends punk rock with other musical influences coupled with liberal doses of morbid imagery particularly of death, thus, the name assigned to the genre.

In its more than three decades in the music industry, the band has released 6 studio Misfits albums, 2 live albums, four extended plays (EPs), one box set, five music videos, one DVD, 12 singles and, sadly enough, one cancelled Misfits album. In many ways, the band is one of the most productive and most influential rock bands in the industry.

The following are the studio albums released in the market to date by the group:

• Walk Among Us- This was actually the third Misfits album to be recorded (Static Age and 12 Hits from Hell were the firsts) but was the first one released in March 1982

• Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood- This was the last album Glenn Danzig recorded with the band and was released in December 1983

• American Psycho- Released in 1997, it was named after the famous novel by Bret Easton Ellis

• Static Age- This was first recorded in 1978 but was only released in its entirety in 1997

• Famous Monster- Long before Lady Gaga's album, there was the 1999 album by the Misfits

• Project 1950- As befits the name, it is a cover of old songs from the 50s to the 60s

Today, the new Misfits is starting to regain its popularity among music fans, which should only serve to reaffirm its status as one of the leading bands in history.

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KRISS (KISS Cover Band) Boardwalk Pub, Saturday July 17th, Staten Island, New York

Start Time:	Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 10:00pm
End Time:	Sunday, July 18, 2010 at 4:00am
Location:	BOARDWALK PUB
Street:	1719 HYLAN BLVD
City/Town:	Staten Island, NY

Saturday July 17th 10PM Showtime!!! Boardwalk Pub Presents: "KRISS" (YES A KISS COVER BAND) Come On In For a Few Cocktails and Enjoy the Show!! IT WILL BE A BLAST!!!!!!

Iron Maiden PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ Sun, Jul 11, 2010 07:30 PM

Iron Maiden - Heavy Metal Legends in the Making

By Missy Ray

Many bands have worshiped at the foot of Iron Maiden. Such is the staying power of the band that more than 3 decades after its inception, it continues to move albums off shelves to reach platinum and gold status.

The group has sold over 75 million records, has been inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk, and has been hailed as one of the most influential rock bands in music history. The band has also been prominently featured in films, video games and songs by other groups, all in acknowledgment of its musical influence. Indeed, Iron Maiden is a legend in the making, if the band is not already one.

Band History

Iron Maiden has had its fair share of ups and downs in line-up changes. Steve Harris formed the original group on Christmas Day 1975 with the name being taken from the iron maiden torture device seen on the movie The Man in the Iron Mask. Harris (bass, backing vocals and studio keyboards) and David Murray (guitar) are the longest-standing members of the group.

Other current members include Bruce Dickinson on lead vocals, Adrian Smith on guitar and backing vocals; Janick Gers on guitar; and Nicko McBrain on drums and percussion while Michael Kenney performs with the group during live performances as the keyboardist. The former members were either fired from or left the group due to personal and professional differences. These former members were Doug Sampson and Clive Burr on drums and percussions; Paul Di'Anno, Paul Day and Dennis Wilcock on lead vocals; and Dennis Stratton on guitars and backing vocals.

Studio Albums

The studio Iron Maiden albums released since 1975 until 2010 now number 30 in all comprised of 14 studio albums, 4 extended plays (EPs), 5 compilations and 7 live albums. With such an impressive collection of albums to its name, the band has been cited in many music industry rankings including the VH1 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock, the MTV Top 10 Greatest Heavy Metal Bands of All Time and the Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement, amongst other accolades heaped on the band.

Just to describe a few of the 14 studio albums released in the three-decade long career of the group:

• Iron Maiden (1980)- This is the eponymous debut album of the band, which contains classics like The Phantom of the Opera, Sanctuary and, of course, Iron Maiden

• The Number of the Beast (1982)- Widely considered as one of the most influential albums in the heavy metal genre, it is also the band's highest-selling album with worldwide sales of over 14 million, not to mention that this is also the debut of Bruce Dickinson as lead vocalist

• Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)- Probably the most lyrical of the group's body of work, it centers on topics like mysticism, prophecy, reincarnation and the afterlife

• The Final Frontier (2010)- This is the band's latest and fifteenth album slated for release in late summer and is gearing up to be yet another reason to worship at the altar of the this fantastic band

As the fans always say in greeting and farewells, up the irons!

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Pearl Jam - Rock Performers With Substance By Missy Ray

Hailed as the most popular rock and roll band of the 1990s, Pearl Jam remains one of the music scene's demi-gods. This, despite the insistence of the band members in standing up for oft-controversial issues related to ethics and politics. As a result, one magazine has asserted that the band has spent too much time deliberately hacking away at its own fame.

Fortunately, the band has attained legendary status amongst its fans and music lovers. Today, the current band members, Eddie Vedder on lead vocals and guitar, Jeff Ament on bass guitar, Stone Gossard on rhythm guitar, Mike McCready on lead guitar and Matt Cameron on drums, continue to make music that millions still jam to.

Discography Worth Jamming To

With impressive album sales of 60 million worldwide, Pearl Jam definitely has staying power over its contemporaries from the 1990s. This comes as no surprise as its songs are as relevant today as it was 20 years ago, the themes touching on subjects ranging from the personal to the social and political.

At present, Pearl Jam has 9 studio albums, 2 compilation albums and 6 live albums with 28 singles and several official bootlegs to its name. It must be noted that the number does not include numerous collaborations with other bands like Soundgarden, Mother Love Bone, and Temple of the Dog, to name a few.

The 9 studio albums with their release year are as follows: Ten (1991), Vs. (1993), Vitalogy (1994), No Code (1996), Yield (1998), Binaural (2000), Riot Act (2002), Pearl Jam (2006) and Backspacer (2009).

Musical Style, Influences and Legacy

Fans of Pearl Jam can always expect something new from the band and yet still evocative of the spirit that makes the band what it is. With each new release, the band broadens to experiment with and influences other musical styles but without losing its essence as a band with decidedly classic rock and punk rock influences of its own.

For example, the Ten album was considered the high point of alternative rock. By the time Vitalogy was released, the punk sound became more dominant while No Code featured garage rock. The Yield album was rock and roll, which was followed by the art rock of Binaural and then the folk rock sound of Riot Act. The self-tiled Pearl Jam was a return to the band's alternative rock roots while the latest album, Backspacer, has pop and New Wave elements.

The band's influence on other bands is impressive, too. Bands ranging from Silverchair (alternative rock) and Puddle of Mudd (post-grunge) to The Strokes (rock) cite Pearl Jam as their prime inspiration. Plus, there is also the fact that fans, called Jamily, have an almost cult-like adoration for the band and its music.

But their legacy does not only extend to the music industry. Eddie Vedder has used and continues to use the band's popularity to espouse social and political causes like pro-choice, environment and wildlife protection, awareness of Chrohn's disease, voter registration and participation, and charities.

Pearl Jam continues to demolish the image that rock stars are wasted individuals in search of fame and fortune, often with no regard to their surroundings. And with music worthy to jam to through the generations, we may have just found for ourselves the band to worship at the altar of music.

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Music Update

Lynyrd Skynyrd is a Band, Not A Band Member

Author: JBachmeier

Those who were born after the 80s may have heard of Lynyrd Skynyrd or at least the songs Lynyrd Skynyrd is known for such as Free Bird or Sweet Home Alabama. But how many of these 'youngsters' realize Lynyrd Skynyrd is not a person in the band but the name of a band? And yet the name did come from a real person, Leonard Skinner the band member's gym teacher who was known for strictly enforcing a high school's policy against boys having long hair.

Lynyrd Skynard's band members first came together in the summer of 1964 as a group of friends Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins and Gary Rossington, decided to start playing together. Biographies written about the band state that their early influences ranged from the Southern blues common in north Florida to the country standards Ronnie Van Zant said he heard on runs up the Atlantic seaboard in his father's eighteen-wheeler. Ronnie claimed later that the band really modeled themselves after the first waves of the British rock invasion, "If you ask me, we're closer to the classic British rock groups like Free than anything else."

Originally calling themselves "The Noble Five", in 1965, early practice sessions occurred in the carport of drummer Bob Burns' parents. The band practiced where ever and whenever one of their mothers let them. The constant practice soon turned into a "learn as you earn" policy that resulted in the Noble Five's first gig that December.

Slowly, the young group developed their musical talents and the gigs increased. With the increase of talent came more band name changes including the Wildcats, the Sons of Satan, Conqueror Worm, and the Pretty Ones. Van Zant said they used to change their name for the heck of it because nobody knew who they were. The longest lasting pre- Lynyrd Skynyrd name was One Percent.

As the band struggled in their early years, members continued to be influenced by upcoming British bands, even to the point where band members grew their hair long, something few did in the 60s. At the time, school dress code forbid boys hair to even touch their eyebrows or ears. The boys gym coach, Leonard Skinner, from Robert E Lee High School, was the biggest enforcer of this dress code. Van Zant and other band members who attended the high school would use Vasoline before school to slick back their hair to keep it out of their eyes and off their shoulders. Many of the teachers thought they had short hair, except Skinner. Band member Gary Rossington recalled, "All the teachers thought we had short hair, but then at gym you had to take a shower - it was mandatory." Rossington said Skinner always came through the showers and if he caught you with your hair down touching year ears, he would kick you out or send you to the principal's office. After having this occur dozens of times, Rossington said he quit school.

With this influence, later on the band would rename itself Leonard Skinner, which grew into Lynard Skynard, and then finally, Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Lynyrd Skynrd grew to be a household name by the 70s, especially after opening for The Who in 1973. In 1974 they featured their most popular single Sweet Home Alabama.

Following success, tragic events began to unfold. Both Collins and Rossington had serious car accidents over Labor Day weekend in 1976, forcing the band to cancel some concert dates. The accident inspired the song "That Smell". The lyrics talk about the oak tree Rossington crashed into and Prince Charming is himself, drunk and stoned on Quaaludes.

Later, the most tragic of all events occurred. On October 20, 1977, when Lynyrd Skynyrd's chartered plane ran out of fuel near the end of their flight from Greenville, South Carolina, pilots attempted an emergency landing on a small airstrip. The plane crashed in a forest in Gillsburg, Mississippi. Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray were all killed on impact; the other band members suffered serious injuries.

Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded after the tragedy, reuniting just once to perform an instrumental version of "Free Bird" at Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jam in January 1979. Collins, Rossington, Powell and Pyle performed the song with Charlie Daniels and members of his band.

In 1987, Lynyrd Skynyrd reunited for a full-scale tour with crash survivors Gary Rossington, Billy Powell, Leon Wilkeson and Artimus Pyle and former guitarist Ed King.

The band Skynyrd went on with various replacement members and still perform today.

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Jeff Bachmeier is owner of 977music.com, an online music and online radio station network providing live streaming Internet Radio channels with music from the 50’s thru Today. Users can also choose to create their own customized on demand playlist through their own social media profile. For more information please visit http:///www.977music.com.

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