Live-Metal.Net - Interviews

LIVE ON MARS WITH ROB ZOMBIE BASSIST PIGGY D.
Bassist, guitarist, songwriter, artist. Matt “Piggy D.” Montgomery is a man of many talents, and those skills led him in 2006 to becoming the bassist for ROB ZOMBIE. When the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival came to Bristow, Va., Greg Maki and Jeff Maki of Live-Metal.net sat down with Piggy to discuss both versions Hellbilly Deluxe II, the upcoming "Halloween Hootenanny Tour" with ALICE COOPER, the ROB ZOMBIE stageshow on Mayhem Fest and more.

NO PLACE TO HIDE - DRUMMER RAY LUZIER OF KORN
Summer 2010 saw KORN headlining the third installment of the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival with Ray Luzier pounding out the band’s infectious rhythms night in and night out right in the middle of the band’s elaborate oil rig stage setup. Hours before the band’s bring-down-the-house performance in Bristow, Va., Luzier talked with Jeff and Greg Maki of Live-Metal.net about the new album, the personalities in the band and being the new guy in KORN.

WEDNESDAY 13 - MURDERDOLLS. MICK MARS AND FRESCA
Eight years after the MURDERDOLLS’ debut album, Beyond the Valley of the Murderdolls, Wednesday 13 and Joey Jordison are back with their sophomore effort, Women and Children Last. And Roadrunner Records is so excited that it sent Wednesday out on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival to do nothing but meet fans and talk to press. At the tour's stop in Bristow, Va., Greg Maki and Jeff Maki of Live-Metal.net met up with Wednesday to talk about the new album and more.

KEEPING BAD COMPANY WITH FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
Not to toot our own horn, but Live-Metal.net has covered and supported FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH since before the band even signed with a label to release their debut album. We’ve watched them grow from playing the second stage on Family Values in 2007 and the inaugural Rockstar Mayhem Festival in 2008, to playing the main stage at the 2010 Mayhem Festival. At the tour's stop in Bristow, Va., Live-Metal.net sat down with Death Punch drummer Jeremy Spencer.

FILTER'S RICHARD PATRICK FINDS TROUBLE WITH ANGELS
A clean and sober Richard Patrick is also a productive Richard Patrick. After relaunching FILTER a couple years ago with Anthems for the Damned, he’s back with his band’s fifth album, The Trouble with Angels. Much of the 10-song collection is a return to the industrial-flavored sound of early FILTER but enhanced by Patrick’s greater proficiency as both a songwriter and singer. Patrick, never at a loss for words during an interview, called in to discuss the album.

ZAKK WYLDE TALKS BLACK LABEL SOCIETY'S ORDER OF THE BLACK
Since being replaced earlier this year as OZZY OSBOURNE’s guitarist by Gus G., Zakk Wylde has been able to focus on his own band, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, full-time. The latest BLS album, Order of the Black, recorded in Zakk’s new home studio (the “Black Label Bunker”), hit stores Aug. 10. One week before the album’s release, Wylde answered questions from a handful of journalists, including Live-Metal’s Greg Maki, in a conference call. Highlights follow.

SILENT CIVILIAN: SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK
It has not been easy, but Jonny Santos has persevered. Though he is the only remaining original member, SILENT CIVILIAN is going stronger than ever, with an amazing new album, Ghost Stories, in stores and, for the first time, an apparently stable lineup. He’s also completed a new SPINESHANK album that should be released in the fall.At a recent tour stop at Jaxx in Springfield, Va., Santos sat down before the show with Live-Metal.net’s Greg Maki.

NONPOINT: STILL GOING AND GOING AND GOING
NONPOINT has become the Energizer Bunny of hard rock bands. No matter what happens—changing labels, management, guitarists—they keep going. The band just released its sixth full-length studio album, Miracle, and the touring cycle, which will include a main-stage slot on the six Ozzfest 2010 dates, is just getting started. Drummer Robb Rivera checked in with Live-Metal.net’s Greg Maki to talk Miracle, touring and more.

HELLYEAH: DOING THINGS THE COWBOY WAY
Largely on the strength of the Southern rock-tinged single “Alcohaulin’ Ass,” HELLYEAH's debut album sold well enough to keep the band on tour for nearly a year. The group went on hiatus in 2008 while Chad Gray and Greg Tribbett returned to MUDVAYNE to tour and release two new albums, and reconvened sporadically throughout 2009 to write and record its sophomore effort, Stampede. Guitarist Tom Maxwell called in to talk to Live-Metal.net about the new album.

TAPROOT: A HEAVY ALTERNATIVE WITH GUITARIST MIKE DEWOLF
Tired of "Poem" yet? Well then the music world wraps needs to wrap its ears around TAPROOT's appropriately titled fifth album, Plead the Fifth, their first release for their new label home, Victory Records. It's is a phenomenal rock album and an early pick for "sleeper of the year." This is a band that's reinvigorated, original and confident. During a quick Q&A with TAPROOT guitarist Mike DeWolf, Live-Metal.net's Jeff Maki gets the scoop on the new album and more.

HAIL THE VILLIAN: CANADIAN VILLIANS INVADE FROM THE NORTH
Get ready to know HAIL THE VILLIAN beacuse this summer they takes part in the first-ever Uproar tour, featuring DISTURBED, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, STONE SOUR, HELLYEAH and others. At a stop on the band's tour with SEVENDUST in Springfield, Va., vocalist Bryan Crouch sat down with Live-Metal.net's Greg Maki outside of Jaxx for a talk about his musical roots, the band’s origin and the story behind the band's upcoming debut album, Population: Declining.

SEVENDUST'S CLINT LOWERY ON QUITTING/RETURNING TO THE BAND
After recording two albums with DARK NEW DAY, serving as a touring guitarist for KORN and, most importantly, conquering his inner demons, guitarist Clint Lowery came back home to SEVENDUST in 2008. This summer will see the band supporting SHINEDOWN, but first they’re traveling across the country, selling out shows of their own. At a recent stop in Springfield, Va., Clint sat down with Live-Metal.net to discuss his departure from and return to the band.

MUTINY WITHIN: NOTHING COULD BE BETTER
With a monster of a debut album, MUTINY WITHIN has stormed the American metal scene in 2010. Heavy, technical and majestic, the band has been described as a cross between DREAM THEATER and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE. At a recent stop at Jaxx in Springfield, Va., opening for SONATA ARCTICA, bassist Andrew “A.J.” Jacobs sat down with Live-Metal.net to discuss his band’s self-titled debut, touring and more.

DROWNING POOL: RYAN MCCOMBS AND STEVIE BENTON
In the fickle music business of today, DROWNING POOL has emerged as a survivor. They pressed on after the death of singer Dave Williams in 2002 and an unsuccessful attempt to replace him with Jason “Gong” Jones. Former SOIL frontman Ryan McCombs came to the rescue in 2005 and debuted on 2007's Full Circle. Now they’re back with a self-titled release. McCombs and bassist Stevie Benton recently checked in with Live-Metal.net’s Greg Maki to discuss the new album.

DIRTY WORK PAYING OFF FOR HALESTORM (LZZY HALE)
HALESTORM has come a long way since Live-Metal.net began covering the band in early 2006. Extensive touring helped the group build a following across the nation with only a five-song live EP available for purchase. And now their 2009 self titled debut album has already sold 100,000 copies, led by the seductive hit single “I Get Off.” During their current tour’s first stop in Springfield, Va., Live-Metal.net caught up with the band’s dynamic frontwoman, Lzzy Hale.

JON OLIVA MEETS THE "FATHER OF LIVE METAL"
Jon Oliva, mastermind of SAVATAGE and JON OLIVA'S PAIN and co-creator/songwriter of the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, recently called in to chat with a very special guest-interviewer for Live-Metal.net. Oliva talks about JON OLIVA's PAIN's new album, Festival, SAVATAGE history, early influences, songwriting styles and much more in a lengthly, in-depth interview.

THE RUNAWAYS MOVIE WRITER/DIRECTOR FLORIA SIGISMONDI
After establishing herself as an artist and music video director (her resume includes MARILYN MANSON’s “The Beautiful People,” among many others), Floria Sigismondi is making her feature film debut as the writer and director of The Runaways, the story of the 1970s all-girl rock band, starring Dakota Fanning as lead singer Cherie Currie and Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett. Live-Metal.net’s Greg Maki recently caught up with Floria for a quick chat about the movie.

I, ROBOT: AN INTERVIEW WITH JB OF BLACK ROBOT
With BLACK ROBOT's debut due out in June 2010, bassist Jonathan “JB” Brightman checked in with Live-Metal.net’s Greg Maki to discuss the album, his former band BUCKCHERRY, and more. JB goes in-depth about the circumstances that led to his departure from BUCKCHERRY and explains how BLACK ROBOT was eventually born.

ELUVEITIE'S CHRISTIAN “CHRIGEL” GLANZMANN: METAL FOR ALL FOLKS
Now almost a decade into their existence, ELUVEITIE's 2010 album, Everything Remains (As It Never Was), is the masterpiece that fans and the metal world have been waiting for. Not long after the March 9, 2010 release of the album, vocalist and founder, Christian “Chrigel” Glanzmann conducted an in-depth Q&A with Live-Metal.net's Jeff Maki, who was all but blown away by the new album.

THREE YEARS OF MADNESS WITH SHINEDOWN BASSIST ERIC BASS
Two years on the road, and no signs of slowing down. SHINEDOWN plans to tour into early 2011 behind its 2008 release, The Sound of Madness, and why not? Each single has been a massive success, from rock radio staples “Devour” and “Sound of Madness,” to crossover hits “Second Chance” and “If You Only Knew.” While gearing up for a U.S. arena tour supporting NICKELBACK, bassist Eric Bass called in to talk to Live-Metal.net.

MEGADETH'S CHRIS BRODERICK: SHREDDING IS HIS BUSINESS
In March 2010 MEGADETH embarked on the month long Rust In Peace 20th anniversary tour. Fans all know who the guitarist was on that album, so how would newest member, Chris Broderick be recieved? Does he feel the pressure from fans clamoring for Marty Friedman and the Rust In Peace lineup? Live-Metal.net sat down with Broderick backstage at Rams Head Live in Baltimore, Md., prior to MEGADETH's ill-fated show that ended after just three songs on March 16, 2010.

GARY HOLT AND THE EXODUS THRASH METAL MACHINE
Prior to MEGADETH's Rust In Peace tour's stop at Rams Head Live in Baltimore, MD on March 16, 2010, Live-Metal.net chatted with EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt as he lounged in the back of the band's tour bus. Holt talks about the band's upcoming album, the MEGADETH tour and current EXODUS vocalist Rob Dukes.

MNEMIC: PRONOUNCED "NIM-IK"
With 2010's Sons of the System, Danish industrial metallers MNEMIC has unleashed its strongest effort, an album that is the equivalent of a decaying industrial world. Prior to the release of the album, Live-Metal.net conducted a question-and-answer session with vocalist Guillaume Bideau. He talks all about Sons of the System, MNEMIC's writing process and everything else "pronounced nem-ik."

THE RETURN OF PURE EVIL: ARCH ENEMY'S CHRISTOPHER AMOTT
Following the recent release of re-recorded songs from their first three albums, aptly titled The Root of All Evil, ARCH ENEMY embarked on the U.S. “Tyrants of Evil” tour in January 2010. On the first night of tour, Live-Metal.net’s Jeff Maki and Ryan Mavity talked with guitarist Christopher Amott backstage while in Towson, Md. Chris talked about the tour, his time away from the band, The Root of All Evil and a solo album he plans to release in 2010.

HERE COME THE RIOT BRIDES
OK, so by now everyone's heard about the new movie, The Runaways, due out in March 2010 starring Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart. Well, to gear you up for that, check out a current, real-life RUNAWAYS, the new all-female rock band, RIOT BRIDES, featuring Abby Gennet (former SLUNT vocalist). Following a trail blazed by THE RUNAWAYS in the 1970s, the RIOT BRIDES are out to show that girls can rock just as hard and with as much attitude as the guys.

SURVIVOR: AN INTERVIEW WITH FORMER KISS GUITARIST BRUCE KULICK
Ace Frehley was first and Tommy Thayer wears the makeup now, but no KISS guitarist has had a longer tenure than Bruce Kulick. Kulick went his own way when the original lineup reunited in 1996, forming UNION with former MOTLEY CRUE singer John Corabi and releasing two criminally overlooked albums. Solo releases followed in 2001 and 2003, and since 2001, Kulick has been a member of GRAND FUNK RAILROAD. On Feb. 2, Bruce unleashes his third solo album, BK3.

CONSPIRACY THEORY: AM CONSPIRACY'S JASON 'GONG' JONES
Jason “Gong” Jones came to the attention of the music world when he became the singer of DROWNING POOL following the 2002 death of Dave Williams. He’s spent more time, though, in his new band, AM CONSPIRACY, whose self-titled debut comes your way Jan. 12. In a recent interview with Live-Metal.net’s Greg Maki, Jones discussed the band’s formation, the new album, why his previous band was not a good match, touring with Dimebag Darrell Abbott and more.

NONPOINT CUTS THE CORD: VOCALIST ELIAS SORIANO
It’s been almost 13 years since NONPOINT formed in South Florida, and suddenly everything is new again. New management, new label, new guitarist, one new release available and another in the can. First up: the digital-only acoustic EP Cut the Cord, featuring new takes on five songs from the first three NONPOINT albums. Frontman Elias Soriano checked in with Live-Metal.net’s Greg Maki to give us the details on all of the latest NONPOINT happenings.