Former GUNS 'N ROSES and current SONS OF APOLLO guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal says he left Shrapnel Records after his first two solo albums because "it just wasn't what I signed up for." The Mike Varney-created label is widely considered to be the preeminent home for experimental and shred guitar players and released Thal's 1995 ...
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SOTO, the modern heavy metal / hard rock group featuring vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, TALISMAN, JOURNEY, SONS OF APOLLO, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA), has signed a new worldwide deal with InsideOut Music. Soto commented: "I am proud to have SOTO working with the great InsideOut Music and their partners at Century Media Records and Sony ...
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Former GUNS N' ROSES and current SONS OF APOLLO and guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal recently appeared on the Detroit radio station 101 WRIF's "Talkin' Rock With Meltdown" podcast. The full conversation can be streamed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On whether SONS OF APOLLO wrote any new material during their 2018 ...
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Fan-filmed video footage of MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal performing cover versions of classics songs by MEGADETH, IRON MAIDEN and BLACK SABBATH on November 16 at Jewel in Manchester, New Hampshire can be seen below. The Manchester gig was part of Ellefson's "Basstory" tour, which combines solo ...
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Last month, STARBREAKER — the group featuring vocalist Tony Harnell (TNT, SKID ROW) and guitarist Magnus Karlsson (PRIMAL FEAR) — released "Pure Evil", its first new song in more than a decade and the first taste of the group's forthcoming third album, "Dysphoria". Featuring an aggressive, JUDAS PRIEST-like vibe, the track was described by Harnell ...
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SONS OF APOLLO — the progressive metal supergroup featuring former DREAM THEATER bandmates Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian, as well as guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (ex-GUNS N' ROSES), bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, THE WINERY DOGS) and vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (W.E.T., TALISMAN) — professionally recorded its September 22 concert at the Ancient Theatre in ...
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Former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and current SONS OF APOLLO vocalist Jeff Scott Soto has released a cover version of the song "What Was" from ex-JOURNEY singer Steve Perry. Soto said: "In celebration of Steve Perry's return to the music world with his new album 'Traces', my longtime friends at Frontiers came to me with the idea ...
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Drummer Mike Portnoy (SONS OF APOLLO, THE WINERY DOGS, METAL ALLEGIANCE) recently spoke with Josh Rundquist of That Drummer Guy. The full conversation can be streamed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On the new METAL ALLEGIANCE album, "Volume II – Power Drunk Majesty": Mike: "After we had so much fun making ...
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A spectacular music lineup has been announced for ShipRocked 2019, celebrating a decade of rock 'n' roll on the high seas January 26-31, 2019 onboard Carnival Valor for the first time. The greatest vacation ever will feature performances from PAPA ROACH, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, I PREVAIL, NOTHING MORE, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, SEVENDUST, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, ...
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Due to "unforeseen circumstances" beyond the band's control, SONS OF APOLLO has been forced to cancel all of its remaining summer festival appearances. The group states: "We sincerely apologize to all of the fans that were looking forward to these appearances. "The headlining show in Budapest originally scheduled for August 18th has now been moved ...
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In a brand new interview with Ireland's Overdrive, former GUNS N' ROSES and current SONS OF APOLLO guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal was asked for his opinion on the current state of rock/guitar music as a whole. He responded: "As technology changes, it brings out new styles, and when it's a new style, it's ...
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Former GUNS N' ROSES and current SONS OF APOLLO guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal was interviewed by Metal Casino earlier this month at the Swedish festival Helgeå. The full conversation can be seen below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On Joe Satriani helping him score the GUNS N' ROSES gig: Bumblefoot: ...
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In a recent interview with Über Röck TV, Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, THE WINERY DOGS, SONS OF APOLLO) was asked what it feels like to be considered to be the one of the best rock drummers in the world by so many people. "I prefer the word 'favorite,'" he responded (see video below). "I don't ...
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Joe Satriani has announced the details of "Joe Satriani's G4 Experience V5.0: Rocks The Desert", set for January 3-7, 2019 at Hotel Zosa in beautiful Palm Springs, California. The legendary guitarist's fifth annual event will boast the most illustrious and diverse roster of special guests instructors in G4 history, including Rock And Roll Hall Of ...
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SONS OF APOLLO have told Planet Rock that they are "talking a lot" about their second studio album. During an interview at this past weekend's Ramblin' Man Fair, drummer Mike Portnoy and guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal discussed their plans beyond 2018. Thal said: "We've been talking a lot about album number two — when we ...
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SONS OF APOLLO — the progressive metal supergroup featuring former DREAM THEATER bandmates Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian, as well as bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, THE WINERY DOGS), guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (GUNS N' ROSES) and vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (JOURNEY, TALISMAN, W.E.T.) — has released the official music video for the song "Signs ...
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Prior to SONS OF APOLLO's recent performance in Denver, Colorado, drummer Mike Portnoy spoke with Front Roe Joe of That Just Happened. The full conversation can be viewed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On turning 51 during SONS OF APOLLO's current tour: Mike: "We did nothing special. My 50th ...
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The new instrumental album "Disney Super Guitar" features guitarists Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY), Paul Gilbert (MR. BIG), Tak Matsumoto (B'Z), George Lynch (DOKKEN), Orianthi, and others performing hard-rocking, virtuosic versions of timeless Disney songs. With cover art depicting Mickey Mouse "shredding" on an electric guitar, "Disney Super Guitar" arrives worldwide on April ...
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SONS OF APOLLO — the progressive metal supergroup featuring former DREAM THEATER bandmates Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian, as well as bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, THE WINERY DOGS), guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (GUNS N' ROSES) and vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (JOURNEY, TALISMAN, W.E.T.) — has released a lyric video for "Tengo Vida", a Spanish-language ...
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SONS OF APOLLO — the progressive metal supergroup featuring former DREAM THEATER bandmates Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian, as well as bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, THE WINERY DOGS), guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (GUNS N' ROSES) and vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (JOURNEY, TALISMAN, W.E.T.) — has released a new digital EP, "Alive / Tengo Vida". ...
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The official lyric video for "Sinister", the title track of the first joint studio album by Carmine and Vinny Appice, can be seen below. The disc was released last October through SPV/Steamhammer as CD digipack, double gatefold vinyl, download and stream. You're unlikely to find a phenomenon like Carmine and Vinny Appice a second time ...
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Sofa King Cool recenty conducted an interview with former GUNS N' ROSES and current SONS OF APOLLO guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal. You can now watch the chat below. Asked if it "bothers" him that so many interviewers are fishing for clickbait quotes with their questions nowadays, Thal responded: "That frustrates everybody, yeah. Because, like this, ...
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SONS OF APOLLO — the new progressive metal supergroup featuring former DREAM THEATER bandmates Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian, as well as guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (ex-GUNS N' ROSES), bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, THE WINERY DOGS) and vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (W.E.T., TALISMAN) — has released the official music video for the song "Alive". ...
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According to SILive.com, Scott Stapp has been sued by the founders of ART OF ANARCHY for allegedly refusing to tour with the band and participate in promotional photo and video shoots and publicity events. The $1.2-million lawsuit was filed in New York State Supreme Court by Vice Inc., whose chief executive officer and ...
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Former DREAM THEATER and current SONS OF APOLLO and METAL ALLEGIANCE drummer Mike Portnoy was recently interviewed by Anne Erickson. You can now listen to the chat below. Asked for his opinion on the state of the current heavy metal scene, Portnoy said: "I think metal is bigger and better than ever. It went through ...
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SONS OF APOLLO, the "supergroup" featuring former DREAM THEATER members Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian alongside Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (ex-GUNS N' ROSES), Billy Sheehan (THE WINERY DOGS, MR. BIG, DAVID LEE ROTH) and Jeff Scott Soto (ex-JOURNEY, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN'S RISING FORCE), made its live debut on February 3 as part of the Cruise To The ...
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DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci says that fans shouldn't read anything into his recent encounter with Mike Portnoy, explaining that he continues to maintain a "good relationship" with his former bandmate. Portnoy, who co-founded DREAM THEATER more than 30 years ago, abruptly quit the band in September 2010 while on tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD. He ...
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During an appearance on the "Trunk Nation" show on SiriusXM channel Volume, guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen was asked if he has had any recent discussions with drummer Mike Portnoy and bassist Billy Sheehan about a possible new album from their THE WINERY DOGS project. "We didn't literally talk about, 'On this date, we're gonna do this ...
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Mike Portnoy says that it's "sad to see" RUSH come to an end but he believes that the legendary Canadian rock band deserves respect for "going out on top." RUSH guitarist Alex Lifeson recently said that his band has no plans to tour or record again in the future. His comments came two years after ...
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