After a long week of online teasers and a series of clues posted on almost every major music website on the Internet, Motley Crue have announced their 2 week residency at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas!
Following the tradition of any Motley Crue event, a psycho circus of hard rock pandemonium, and probably some form of nudity, will be included in the show, along with Motley’s ever-present and mind blowing production of pyro, explosions, and Tommy Lee’s unforgettable 360 degree drum-coaster.
For 30 years Motley Crue have been the front-runners in rock stardom, with unparalleled debauchery guaranteed to ensue in whichever town they invade on the road. The band’s Las Vegas residency is certain to include their traditional antics, but on a stage and at a level in which no one has witnessed before. The Los Angeles-based, multiplatinum band will be the first hard rock band to establish a residency in Sin City, and are in the planning stages of a production that singer Vince Neil compared to Cirque du Soleil. “This show is going to be more towards the Cirque-type, over-the-top, full-production thing,” Neil said in a conference call to announce the series. “We’re really not interested in just going out there and playing songs. We want to make a full-blown interactive [show].”
A Vegas residency is a growing tradition established in recent years by the likes of Elton John, Santana and Rod Stewart, and is something Motley has discussed for years, said drummer Tommy Lee. Band members were excited by the possibilities whenever watching a big Vegas show, including the Beatles-themed “Love” by Cirque du Soleil. “We all have talked about it many times going, “God, could you imagine if we could only get our hands on this kind of an opportunity, what we could do?” said Lee.
For the drummer, the possibilities include expanding on the daring acrobatics of the band’s current tour, which has Lee’s drum kit attached to a 36-degree rollercoaster that sends him spinning around and upside down during a wild drum solo. At the Hard Rock, Lee predicted “something even more crazy.” “We love putting on an incredible show and when it doesn’t have to move around from city to city, day by day, the options become incredible,” said Lee. “Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to design a show that people want to come to?”
On recent tour stops at the Hollywood Bowl and the Sunset Strip Music Festival, the band brought a high-octane stagecraft to their material, from "Girls, Girls, Girls" to “Saints of Los Angeles.” Details on the Vegas show were still vague, and the band members were openly considering the possibilities as they spoke with media on the conference call. “This is Vegas and it sure would be fun to, really do it full Vegas style and have there be, some -- nudity or almost nude,” said Neil. “It would be great to do things Vegas-style where you couldn’t do some of those things in a normal arena in Ohio.”
Tommy Lee plays Pearl Drums. See the range at Allans Music + Billy Hyde.
Motley Crue’s Las Vegas experience is scheduled to run from Feb 3 to 19, 2012.
www.motley.com
An audience of around 40 people came to enjoy an evening of Stick music. Drum teacher from the Blackburn Academy, Konrad Park aka Stickrad opened the concert with some recognisable tunes - Coldplay’s Trouble and the main theme to Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino, which set pace for the foray into the progressive world of the Stick. He also described the design and tuning of the Stick allowing the audience to feel that they could play a simple idea on the instrument without any real effort.
The performances were kickstarted by Stickrad’s trio rendition of Elephant Talk by King Crimson, which is the entry point for most people familiar with the Stick, via Tony Levin’s groundbreaking and expressive playing with the early 80s King Crimson line-up. Stickrad performed the world premiere of his new piece Brute-iful, which is much like European Jazz meets The Terminator.
Evan Harris performed two outstanding tracks from Steve Turner’s EP CD, Not in Kansas Anymore and forthcoming second solo CD (Untitled). Showcasing an early ironwood Chapman Stick and the NS Stick; a multirole bass-tapping instrument. Evan’s performances were polished and highlighted the melodic capability in the high bass range as well as thunderous bass riffs through Steve’s progressive compositions.
The audience were then delighted to meet Emmett Chapman the inventor of the Stick via Skype resulting in a 10min jam with the Melbourne based, internationally acclaimed Reeds player, Adam Simmons and Stickrad on drums. It was fantastic to hear the Stick in the hands of the master and inventer and showed people the full range and sonic capability of the Stick. The evening concluded in a Q&A with Emmett, leaving the audience with the feeling of having a personal meeting with him and a clear window into the world of Stick music.
What is The Stick?
The Stick combines elements from bass guitar, keyboards, drums and the melodic inspiration from wind instruments and is designed for a technique called Free Hands. Both hands become equal partners, playing parallel to the strings and allowing all fingers the maximum freedom to tap and hold the strings. You will find yourself playing chords, lead melody, bass lines and rhythm, in new and creative ways because of the instruments design.
- Erin Whitwell
Marketing Co-ordinator / Allans Music + Billy Hyde
Posted by
Allans Billy Hyde
3:19 PM
Legendary extreme-metal drummer Gene "The Atomic Clock" Hoglan (Testament, Dark Angel, Strapping Young Lad, Fear Factory, Dethklok) and RealLesson.com have joined forces to offer a rare chance for fans and musicians to receive live, interactive lessons online. According to a posting on the site, "RealLesson.com is your outlet for taking live, interactive lessons online or in person. During the site's pre-launch phase, we are having great success in attracting and securing a wide variety of teachers! There is no limit to the style/genre of the teacher, so you will have no shortage of qualified teachers to learn from. We will not only be providing lessons with musicians, but also sound engineers, tour managers, lighting/stage professionals and other relative categories of instruction."
A legend in the drumming world and an icon in the metal community, Gene has been a reoccurring face on the Pearl Drums artist roster since breaking into the drumming spotlight, with his blazing feet and quick hands being revered by those who are fortunate enough to witness it. Gene’s setup, an uncharacteristic one for most drummers playing at the blistering speeds that Gene manages, consists of 2-24x16 kick drums, a 12x8 rack tom, 14x10 rack tom, a 18x16 floor tom, and finally topped off with his unforgettable 14x8 Free Floating snare drum (brass). A left-handed player on a right-handed kit, Gene’s flawless open-hand drumming style makes his setup more unconventional than most as well, with his left hand, Gene’s dominant hand, leading on most rolls and fills, but his right foot taking the lead on the kick drum. Check out our range of Pearl Drums here For more information on Gene, please be sure to visit him online at www.HoglanIndustries.com. Be sure visit Gene’s website to pick up his DVD, “The Atomic Clock”, which is available now!
As a long time fan of Steve Vai (Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth, Whitesnake) any day that he is in town is a good day and let me tell you Monday was a very good day! Steve was here to share his thoughts and wisdom from many years in the music industry with his Alien Guitar Secrets master class.
He kicked off the class with a performance of ‘The Crying Machine’ to a backing track and then took us through an informative and inspiring discussion about goal setting and how these principles helped him create the music that was in his head and get it into the hands of us the listener. Following a blazing performance of ‘Building The Church’ Steve then invited several lucky audience members onto the stage to have a ‘private’ guitar lesson. He had them play for him and he then showed them how they could improve on their playing - priceless! Finally, Steve played his signature song ‘For The Love Of God’ before having individual jam sessions with five brave audience members.
The three plus hour session was intimate, humorous and uplifting and left me feeling inspired and focused to get stuck into my own personal musical goals. I can’t wait to see Steve again next year when he returns to Australia with his band for a full concert.
- Chris Silwedel
Web Developer / Allans Music + Billy Hyde
After a sizzling set by Project 3, lead by Melbourne’s guitar legend, Simon Patterson, Australia was about to be introduced to a new US supergroup: Renegade Creation.
With session-ace guitar duo Robben Ford and Michael Landau up front, the night was sure to produce something special, and with the powerhouse rhythm section of Gary Novak (drummer for Chick Corea, and amongst others, Alanis Morissette) and Jimmy Haslip (Ford’s one-time Yellowjackets bandmate) on bass, fans were treated to a night of tasty blues-rock guitar bliss. From Landau’s spicy and adventurous Jeff Beck-inspired creativity, Ford’s solid and oh-so-right blues/jazz stylings, Novak’s sensitivity mixed with power and Haslip’s sympathy for the groove (and some of the most gospel-ridden solo phrases ever to be played on a bass!) it was a delight to watch world-class musos interact, and most importantly stretch their chops to the danger zone and back.
Musical ‘chops’ aside, this was a very soulful night of blues-rock, and a rarity for Australian audiences to be able to witness such an event.
- Neil Boland
Gone is the mentality that entry-level musos have to settle for second-rate tone until they ‘earn’ a better sound, with heaps of manufacturers now competing to make products that inspire the beginner. Ampeg has heeded the demand and created a series of practice amps that are lightweight, easy to use and look the part.
Both the BA108 (25W with 8” speaker) and the BA110 (35W with 10” speaker) come in rugged compact housings which, despite their size, have a nice, rounded bottom-end sound via a sensitive 3-band EQ. Both amps have an RCA input for a CD or mp3 player for playing along with your heroes, with the ability to balance between your bass level and the audio via the CD Level knob.
Bedroom or apartment-confined budding Jason Newsteads and Jaco Pastoriuses can now progress through their bass journey in style.
There’s also a second input for teaching and bass-on-bass jamming!
- Neil Boland
www.junioronline.com.au
Zildjian welcomes Kings of Leon drummer,
Nathan Followill, to its worldwide family of artists.
Currently touring on the heels of the release of its new album, Come Around Sundown, Kings of Leon is one of the most successful bands in the world. Originally formed in 1999, the band hails from Tennessee and features Nathan, brothers Caleb and Jared, and their cousin, Matthew. Kings of Leon has enjoyed great success over the course of its career with five album releases on RCA, record digital sales, rankings in the Top 10 in over 10 countries, as well as Grammy Award nominations.
Raised in the South, Nathan and his brothers spent their childhood traveling from one Pentecostal church to the next. Nathan and Caleb moved to Nashville to pursue music careers and Kings of Leon was formed after younger brother Jared and cousin Matthew joined the band in 1999.
In 2002 the band signed with RCA Records and has since released five albums; Youth and Young Manhood (August 2003), Aha Shake Heartbreak (February 2005), Because of the Times (April 2007), Only by the Night (September 2008), and Come around Sundown (October 2010).
“We’re thrilled to welcome Nathan to the Zildjian Family,” commented Sarah Malaney, Artist Relations Manager. “He’s already made an indelible mark on the drumming community and we’re excited he’s playing Zildjian.”
Nathan's new Zildjian setup includes:
15" A Zildjian New Beat HiHats
8" A Custom Splash
20" Crash of Doom
20" K Light Flat Ride
24" A Zildjian Medium Ride
24" K Light Ride
The Foundation of Globalsound is in New Zealand where Music retailers and customers are familiar with parallel importing websites, including www.musicthingz.com and www.nzsounds.co.nz which claim to offer the lowest prices on brand name musical instruments and equipment. This operation has ventured into Australia with www.globalsound.com.au
However, a significant number of customers have been misled, and in June 2011, a NZ Current Affairs program called 'Fair Go' conducted an investigation into his trading practices. They interviewed customers that ordered and paid for goods, but never received them. You can see the TV show here.
A quick Google search reveals a number of blogs where people have been 'ripped off' by Music Thingz (eg http://rippedoffbymusicthingz.blogspot.com) and it appears Music Thingz and GlobalSound no longer trade on eBay, with their last transaction dating back to February.
GlobalSound don't carry spare parts, cannot give a warranty and provide no service or support, due to the fact that it is not an authorised dealer in numbers of the products it claims to stock.
Furthermore, both GlobalSound and Music Thingz have been accused of not having stock of many of their advertised lines. In these cases, the customer places an order and pays for the stock, then GlobalSound / Music Thingz start the process of sourcing the stock from overseas - and this has led to lengthy delays or no stock arriving at all.
Customers are advised to carefully weigh up potential savings with the associated risks and buy from an authorised music retailer.
 |
Ed Nimmervoll is a legendary Australian rock music journalist, author and historian. He worked on rock magazines Go-Set (1966-1974) and Juke (1975-1992) both as a journalist and as an editor. Since 2000, Nimmervoll has been editor of HowlSpace, a website detailing Australian rock music history, providing artist profiles, news and video interviews.
DID YOU KNOW?
Pearl Jam’s guitarist Stone Gossard is known to use a Fender Telecaster and a Gibson Les Paul.
MILESTONE
Jazz legend Louis Armstrong was born 110 years ago. All his life he thought he was born on American Independence Day July 4 1900. He loved the patriotic symbolism of it, but after his death his baptism certificate revealed that “Satchmo” had actually been born a year and a month later.
WHAT’S NEW
Canadian singer/songwriter Feist has announced details of the follow-up to her multi-Grammy nominated album ‘The Reminder’. The new album, called 'Metals' is due in October and described as “astoundingly intimate, yet often exuberant; rife with transcendent and unforgettable pop gems.” Record company speak, but still a highly anticipated release. ‘Metals’ was recorded in Big Sur, California.
THE NAME GAME
Big Band legend Bill Basie was renamed Count Basie because there was a Duke (Ellington) and an Earl (Hines) so why shouldn't there be a Count?
COVERED
Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ cover is still causing controversy 20 years later. Last month the cover’s famous image of an obviously boy baby – uncircumcised – under water was removed from Facebook for contravening the social network’s terms of use with regard to nudity. The child shown, one Spencer Elden, was chosen as the Nirvana baby because his parents knew Kirk Weddle, the underwater photographer hired for the job. He’s 20 now. The album soon will be.
QUOTE
Amy Winehouse said: “I really started writing music to challenge myself, to see what I could write.”
A LEGAL MATTER
When The Who released ‘Substitute’ on their manager’s new record label, their old record company sued. They had no claim on the “A” side but the “B” side ‘Instant Party’ was theirs, so original copies of the single had to be withdrawn and a new ‘b’ side quickly substituted (no pun intended). The instrumental ‘Waltz For A Pig’ was credited to The Who Orchestra, but recorded by another group altogether.
YOU HAD TO BE THERE
John Lennon’s last public performances was with Elton John at Madison Square Garden in 1974. When Elton played piano on John Lennon’s ‘Whatever Gets You Through The Night’ he bet the ex-Beatles it was a No.1 single. Elton was right and now John Lennon had to live up to his part of the bargain. Backstage Lennon was reunited with Yoko Ono after months of separation.
ABOUT A SONG
The ‘Angel of Harlem’ in U2’s song is Billie Holiday, a Jazz singer who moved to Harlem as a teenager in 1928. Billie’s nickname was "Lady Day". That's where they got the line, "Lady Day got diamond eyes, she sees the truth behind the lies." U2 recorded this at Sun Studios in Memphis while the band was touring the US in 1987 and it was produced by "Cowboy" Jack Clement, who worked with Sam Phillips at Sun Studios in the '50s. When U2 asked him to work on this album, Clement had never even heard of them, but fortunately some of his friends were familiar with U2 and made it clear to Clement that working with them would be a good career move. By using Clement, U2 was able to recreate the famous Sun Studio's sound they were looking for.
THIS MONTH IN AUSTRALIAN MUSIC
Forty years ago Australia’s favourite group Daddy Cool travelled to Los Angeles for an industry showcase at the famous Whisky Au Go Go. One performance could launch their career in America. The band was understandably nervous. The first show they did didn’t show them at their best. The next one they blitzed. But all the industry big wigs were gone by then.
Three years ago Australia’s Grammy winning Wolfmother imploded at a concert at Byron Bay. The group’s rhythm second had fallen out with frontman Andrew Stockdale, and during that final performance the tensions were there for all to see. It was over. Stockdale went and recruited a new Wolfmother line-up. |
What a great way to finish the tour! The buzz tonight was amazing! We had an HD rear projector on a massive screen, moving lights, smoke machine and a killer sounding room. This show had it ALL.
Perth Allans Music + Billy Hyde drum guy Richie MC'd the night and got the crowd fired up before Dave appeared to another deafening roar. Dave destroyed the place! He has a mega following in WA and the crowd was super vocal in their appreciation for Mr. Haley.
George was fired up tonight too. Kollias showed the crowd why he's at the top of the game. It was the last show of the tour, my home town and an unbelievable looking room filled with many friends and fans. Intense! George was funny as hell and made the comment that this clinic tour has been the best he's ever been on! A number of punters also took the time to let me know that this was the coolest clinic they'd ever seen.
BIG thanks to all the crew that came out to see George and Dave. Both guys had a great time and really appreciated the support and passion displayed by everyone on the tour.
Thanks to Pearl, Sabian, Vic Firth and Evans for their support also.
Whew...that's a (metal!) wrap. See you all next time folks!
- Sam Riseborough (Tour Manager)
Posted by
Allans Billy Hyde
12:38 PM
Television and why you should be on it!
As some of you may have seen, I have had occasion to present myself to the general public on a very highly rated television show, Australia’s Got Talent.
I was inspired to do so after watching the show last year and being impressed by the presentation and professionalism of it. So late last November, I lined up at the Forum Theatre with hundreds of other hopefuls and sang a song I wrote for my girlfriend called “I Always Will”.
Marissa Viney, the musical director was suitably impressed by that and asked me to sing a cover so I trotted out my party piece, “Georgia” , and this inspired her to put me before the cameras to be viewed by the Executive Producer.
A month or so later I was asked if I wouldn’t mind appearing in front of the judges Kyle Sandilands, Danni Minogue and Brian McFadden and an audience of 2000 people at the Regent Theatre on February 24. I agreed to this readily and settled back into my normal life.
The time arrived and I spent the day doing interviews and generally hanging out with my kids and humming a lot until it was my turn to do my thing. I got up on stage and sang Georgia brilliantly. I knew as soon as I uttered the first note that it was going to be good and that anything I asked of my voice would be well within it’s ability to deliver. I had a ball and the audience loved me. Brian McFadden said, “ The fact is it’s brilliant.” He also stated that I had the kind of voice and performance skills people of his generation aspired to. Kyle Sandilands asked where I had been, a question I didn’t know how to answer without incriminating someone. Danni asked me what my Buzz was and i didn’t understand the question so consequently she voted against me but Brian and Kyle got me through to the Judges Deliberation which occured a month or so later.
The Judges Deliberation was held at Docklands and I spent a day there just hanging out and talking to other contestants. Finally, I was taken to the Judges who said I was in the semi-finals... Lovely!!! The Executive Producer, Greg Beness, suggested I sing my own composition “Silent Wonder” and on the 4th and 5th of June I went to Docklands Studios to rehearse and eventually perform my song with piano acompaniment and an 8-piece string section. It was a wonderful experience for me playing with Dorian and the ladies who performed brilliantly on the night.
The presentation on stage was very gratifying and I was proud of what I did. I was dressed beautifully by Charmaine and my hair and makeup made me look a lot younger than I am. There was dry ice and Candelabra behind me and it looked fantastic. I was treated with the utmost respect by everyone there.
The Judges were very impressed with me. Brian said the only reason I wasn’t doing this my whole life was some record company idiots didn’t get it. He said it was a beautiful song and I sang it brilliantly and he was moved by every moment of it. Danni said, "That was brilliant, it was really good" and that my magic was my songs. Kyle said it looked like a Legend performance at The Grammy's and that I should be proud.
All in all I’d say my experience with the show, in spite of the fact I didn’t get voted into the finals, was extremely positive and I enjoyed all of it. I reckon I’ll give it another crack next year. If you missed my performance it’s on YouTube. Just look up Steve Romig Silent Wonder.
If you want to hear more of my material go to
http://www.steveromig.com/ I have 3 Cd’s available for download “The Hearts a Deadly Stranger,” “Touch’ and “The Friday Sessions”. There will be more available soon.
Cheers!
- Steve Romig
Allans Music + Billy Hyde Blackburn
It was another BIG show on tour, with Adelaide not letting us down! Another full house! We hit Fowler's Live - the metal venue in Adelaide so I've been told. It was a cool room that has previously hosted Psycroptic and Nile, so both Dave and George felt at home from the get go.
The day’s proceedings was always going to be a tight as we flew into Adelaide from Brisbane a bit later than the other states. Thanks to the great prep work that the Allans Music + Billy Hyde crew put in, we completed set up and soundcheck in record time, and even had time to spare.
Dave and George put on a mind blowing show with the highlight being the double drum jam at the end! This was only the second night the boys had treated the audience to the jam and it went off! The other bonus tonight was having the lovely Melissa Donato taking some amazing photos. Stay tuned for these to be uploaded shortly. If you're ever chasing a photographer, especially for live music, you can email her at melissadonato@bigpond.com
Thanks to all the crew from the Gawler Place and Waymouth St stores for everything they did tonight. A special thanks to Dave and Ryan from Waymouth St who teched for George and Dave.
Last stop > sunny Perth (my hometown!)
- Sam Riseborough (Tour Manager)
If we thought that it couldn't get any better, we were TOTALLY wrong! Holy cow! Last night at The Globe in Brisbane was MASSIVE! It was packed!
The Globe is a classic room - an old movie theatre. Raked carpeted floor, a mega cinema screen, killer sound system and a unique cool vibe. A lot of The Globe staff are volunteers and were so happy to help with absolutely anything.
Having a screen behind the players was fantastic. It was SO big that George's shoe was 6ft long up on the screen! Perfect for everyone wanting to get an eagle eye close up on George's flyin' feet - which are so damn fast they need to be seen to be believed.
Dave made his entrance on stage to a deafening roar from the crowd, then George tore through a blistering set before the boys had their first live jam together! Wow! That was totally awesome and the crowd loved it.
John Griffin from the Allans Music + Billy Hyde Barry Parade store had to pull out his toolbox tonight. George's fan stopped working just as he went on and it was HOT on stage. A couple of cable ties and a heap of gaffa ensured the fan was back in A1 condition and Kollias was cool as ice!
TOUR DATES & TIX
Next stop, Radelaide! Let's see if they can out-do the Bris-Vegas crew!
- Sam Riseborough (Tour Manager)
After the Melbourne clinic, I realised that my camera was busted and in need of some urgent repair before the Sydney show. So just before soundcheck, thanks to Google maps on my iPhone, I tracked down a camera repair store. I showed the repair guy the problem and he said he could fix it but...it would take two weeks! I freaked! He said, "When do you need it?" I replied, "Oh, in about 6 hours." The repair guy looked at me and laughed! I explained to him that the mighty George Kollias was in town and he said that he would stay back for me to do the job and the camera would be ready by 8:30pm!
We knew we were in for a killer night when we rocked up for soundcheck. The Basement has an amazing vibe and the NSW Allans Music + Billy Hyde staff did a superb job prepping everything before we arrived. It was so loud at soundcheck that Damo from AMBH Drumcraft decided that it would be best to hand out earplugs to punters at the door!
Wow! What a show! The room was packed! Dave Haley went on stage to a HUGE reaction from the crowd and performed a killer one hour set to open the show. Of course, Kollias was up next and began to stun the crowd from the get go. He was simply frightening...and yep, ULTRA FAST!
It's 8:30pm and George is on stage cooking up a metal blast beat feast, so I decide to dash out to the camera repair store to pick up my camera, race back and start taking some clinic shots! It was crazy! The camera worked perfectly.
The crowd at The Basement was killer! Really responsive and very much stoked to be there. Once again, there was stacks of questions asked of both Dave and George and the guys spent over an hour signing autographs and posing for photos.
Messrs. Kollias and Haley had an incredible time and want to come back to Sydney soon.
Alright! Off to Brissie! Let's see if we'll need ear plugs again! :)
- Sam Riseborough (Tour Manager)
After 20 plus hours of flying to Australia from his native land of Greece, George Kollias blew the roof off the Kaleide Theatre in metal Melbourne last night > first stop on his national drum clinic tour with Psycroptic's Dave Haley.
Local Melbourne blaster, Dave Haley kicked off the show with a brand spankin' new Psycroptic track as well as a couple of classics, displaying jaw-dropping foot speed and killer drum arrangements. Haley then opened up to the enthusiastic audience for questions and was stoked to have about a dozen questions asked.
Then it was time for the man everyone was waiting for...Mr. George Kollias. George launched into 'Kafir', then the blast-beat monster track, 'Treasures of Nemesis'. Kollias shared his techniques, shot out some quick-fire tips and had an amazing time with the audience. After the clinic, George posed for photos with his fans and made sure everyone received an autograph! Very cool!
Last night's clinic was sold out! The boys are really pumped about the rest of the tour and they're surely going to be some of the best clinics you will ever see! Sydney blasts tonight!
TOUR DATES & TIX
See ya on the road!
- Sam Riseborough (Tour Manager)
Pearl Drums is proud to welcome back, the legend himself, Tommy Lee to the Pearl Drums artist roster!
After a lengthy sabbatical from playing behind the Pearl name, Tommy will debut his new Pearl kit this summer, with Motley Crue,throughout their 2011 summer amphitheater tour. Having led the forefront to the booming Los Angeles music scene in the 1980’s, Tommy Lee, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, and Vince Neil, have all become household names thanks to their Motley Crue fame, selling over 80 million albums since their inception into the mainstream rock world in 1981. A mere 30 years later, the band continues to pack the house in the world’s largest stadiums and arenas, with their “Crue Fest” tours often serving as the highlight of the summer season for their seemingly endless amount of devoted followers and fans. Between their hit songs, multi-platinum selling albums, massive world tours, and their hard-living lifestyle, Motley Crue have practically (and literally) written the book on how to be a rockstar, inspiring millions of musicians along the way.
Newly acquired Pearl artist, Tommy Lee, has become an icon in the drumming world and is considered to be one of the biggest influences to the most popular and elite drum-stars of the last 25 years. Known by drummers world-wide for the hard hitting, stick flipping, all-out powerful assault that he unleashes on is drums, Tommy Lee personifies what it is to be a rock drummer, while continuing to raise the bar for everyone else to try and follow. Aside from the drum solos that push the limits of sanity and defy the theories of gravity, Tommy’s rock drumming arsenal is filled with rolls and licks that expand much further than rock’s basic beats that land on 2 and 4. His quick foot, flawless fills, and powerful slamming of the skins largely attributes to the unforgettable hit songs that have continued to flood the radio airwaves for the past 30 years.
As is with his signature technique that is emulated by many, Tommy Lee’s drum kits and eccentric drum setups have become a staple on the Motley Crue’s stage, often proving to be the eye-catching centerpiece that demands all the attention. With the desire for the outlandish and the want to have something different than the rest, Tommy has often incorporated many different odd-sized drums and large setups to heighten the visual aspect of a Crue concert…as if the pyrotechnics and flipping drum risers weren’t enough. This summer, the limits will be pushed; once again, with an all new live show and a custom built E-Pro Live electronic/acoustic kit that will guarantee that Tommy has the perfect tone and pitch from each drum. The E-Pro Live kit, which was introduced from Pearl Drums back in January of 2010, is the first drum set in production that looks and sounds like a real drum kit, but with a limitless sonic capability and the feel of an acoustic kit. Tommy’s custom E-Pro Live kit, will the first of its kind, for the drummer that insists on having the best possible sound and the highest quality product, night after night.
For more information on Motley Crue, please be sure to visit them online at www.Motley.com. Also be sure to check out Tommy’s personal website, www.TommyLee.com, for news, tour dates, and other information. The 2011 Motley Crue summer tour is gearing up to hit the road starting this June, so check below for a full list of tour dates and keep checking back to www.PearlDrum.com for more information of Tommy’s new E-pro Live kit.
Welcome back to the Pearl Family, Tommy! We’re all looking forward to all the big things that you and the Crue have planned!
Raul and Karl's percussion clinic at our Fortitude Valley store on Wednesday March 23 was a truly amazing and special event. Both guys were humble, charismatic and down to earth. They entertained the capacity crowd from the get go with their witty charm and were full of humour all night - something everyone really enjoyed with many a laugh to be had!
The dynamic duo played through an array of afro-cuban rhythms marvelling us with their skill, musicianship, technicality and great sense of pocket groove. A lot of stories where told in the question and answer period following their performance. They gave the crowd valuable insight into what it's like being a full time touring musician in a successful band plus the importance of listening to and playing all styles of music and not limiting yourself to one genre - especially if you want work!
Raul and Karl then helped us draw prizes from Latin Percussion which culminated in an LP Aspire djembe being given away to a lucky punter! A meet n' greet and autograph session ensued with many a satisfied attendee having their picture taken with the percussion legends.
All in all - it was a fantastic night with a great buzz in the room. Raul and Karl really enjoyed themselves and so too did everyone too!
Stay tuned to our website for more exclusive Allans Music + Billy Hyde events.
Cheers!
Damian Campbell
Drum Department Manager
Allans Music + Billy Hyde
188 Barry Parade
Fortitude Valley QLD
www.allansbillyhyde.com.au
 |
Ed Nimmervoll is a legendary Australian rock music journalist, author and historian. He worked on rock magazines Go-Set (1966-1974) and Juke (1975-1992) both as a journalist and as an editor. Since 2000, Nimmervoll has been editor of HowlSpace, a website detailing Australian rock music history, providing artist profiles, news and video interviews.
DID YOU KNOW?
Early in the songwriting for Kings Of Leon’s debut release, the ‘Holy Roller Novocaine’ EP, producer Angelo Petraglia handed Caleb Followill the ’72 Gibson ES-325 Angelo found on eBay for $900. It’s been on every Kings Of Leon album since.
MILESTONE
February Revolutions. In February 1949 this week, RCA Records issued the first ever 45rpm single, a record size which made jukeboxes possible. In 1981, the world's first CD player was demonstrated in Europe creating new possibilities for consumption of music.
DID YOU HEAR THAT?
The recording quality of Johnny Cash’s ‘At Folsom Prison’ album was so bad it took three months to mix. Secretly producer Bob Johnson overdubbed instruments and crowd sounds in England. The hollering “inmates” you hear have English accents.
JAILBAIT
In 1994, aged 19, 50 Cent was arrested and sentenced to nine years in prison on cocaine trafficking charges. He served three and, on his release, did a demo of the rap songs he had been writing on the walls of his cell.
QUOTE UNQUOTE
The Who’s singer Roger Daltrey said: “We were too rough at the edges to be a pop group.”
BEEP BEEP
In February 1964 Beatle George Harrison bought himself a Series One gunmetal grey E-Type Jaguar, registration number 499 HLX, and it was from the driver's seat that he asked Pattie Boyd to marry him.
ABOUT A SONG
R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck wrote the main riff and chorus to the song ‘Losing My Religion” one day while watching television. Buck had just bought a mandolin and was attempting to learn how to play it, recording the music as he practiced. When Buck played back his attempts to master the instrument, he heard the riff and thought it might make a good basis for a song. The title, "Losing My Religion" comes from a Southern American expression meaning to be pushed to the limit. |
Namm was back to its mighty best!
You could feel the buzz and eagerness of the massive crowd to check out the hottest and latest musical instrument releases from around the globe. It was no different in the world of drums and percussion, with most brands offering anything from selected new releases to the complete overhaul of product lines. There were also the newcomers with their unique, clever, strange and quirky products who in time, no doubt desire to make their mark on the musical products industry.
Here’s a quick run down of what to expect in 2011…
Zildjian
No doubt one of the stand out products and talking points of the show was the new Gen16 Acoustic/Electric cymbal system. Boldly crossing into a new frontier, the Gen16 not only bridges a gap between the acoustic and electronic cymbal market but carves out a unique place for itself. The product itself is a low volume acoustic cymbal. Mounted underneath it on the cymbal stand are two tiny out of phase microphones encased in an attractive moulded enclosure. A distinctive blue light emanates from the pick up/mic and contrasts with the silver cymbal to give a strikingly modern look and feel. A controller/audio mixer (DSP device) comes with the cymbal which is available in a 2 pack or a 5 pack in several sizes and styles. The Zildjian Gen 16 was awarded the prestigious "Namm Best in Show" award.
To support the cymbal launch, Zildjian has also designed a new acoustic/electronic drum rack with several unique features. The ultra modern rack is compatible with all manufacturers’ drums and also cleverly hides all cables in a centre channel.
Also new from Zildjian are the digital vault software packages. Available in 3 distinct packs are some of the greatest cymbal sounds ever recorded, ready for you to use at home or in the studio.
There was even a Zildjian Groove Track APP for your iPad or iPhone - this is a lot of fun! If you have an iPhone and you’re a drummer, you will definitely want to download it.
New street wear caps, 6” and 12” logo and artist practice pads, Z3 “Ultra Hammered” chinas and a new Tre Cool cymbal and stick bag were also on show.
Paiste
New from Paiste is a large selection of ride cymbals in the Twenty series. Titled the “Masters Collection”, Paiste has assembled an exquisite and laboriously hand crafted range of beautiful yet musical prestige rides.
Additions to the Alpha line are 2 effect cymbals - Swiss crashes. Visually similar to the Zildjian and Sabian Ozone equivalents, the Swiss 18”crashes are bright and trashy.
No doubt the stand out Paiste product was the re-introduction of the famous 602’s. Yes, 602’s are BACK! Originally launched in 1959, the 602’s became one of the most popular and revered cymbals in history. Their thin, fine and controlled tones were an instant success and many drummers to this day still avidly hunt for old 602’s. Hunt no longer, they are back and they sounded fantastic!
Sabian
Big sounds were offered from Sabian with the introduction of the Holy China Cymbal. Designed in conjunction with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, the requirement was for the loudest most durable china ever. As the name suggests, the cymbal is actually full of holes - that seems a bit of a trend lately but they achieved what they set out to do.
In addition to the Holy china, drummer Jo Jo Mayer has teamed up with Sabian to develop the Omni cymbal - a combination of a crash and a ride. The cymbal features an extra thin edge, blending into a heavier unlathed centre.
Also new was an old face from the Sabian family - the B8Pro - which has been refreshed and improved.
Gretsch
Gretsch remained stable with no real interruption to their line up but they did release some new finishes in the Catalina Club Jazz, Catalina Birch, Catalina Maple and Renown Maple ranges. Back also is the FREE toms with the Catalina Maple kits.
What was eye catching on the Gretsch stand was the Renown 57 - a maple drum set inspired by the great American car companies of the 1950’s. Finished in gloss lacquer motor city blue with white panels, it is set apart by authentic chrome chevrons and embossed by beautiful Gretsch badging. Also, as an exclusive offer, the kit also comes with the same colour coded heavy duty stool. This is one for the retro buffs - a classic looking kit!
Mapex
Small adjustments were all that was needed to add to an already balanced Mapex range.
New in the Horizon range is the Big City jazz kit. The 18” BD, 10” & 12” mounted toms and 14” floor make a welcome addition offering another alternative for the jazz player. Also featured was a limited edition Horizon HZB 6pce kit, available in 2 colours with black hardware. The lower end of the range was bolstered by a Horizon HZB 7pce kit.
Meridian Birch and Maple had some new colours on show but the most striking impact was on the new limited edition Saturn Birch/Walnut. The best way to describe it is this - imagine the Orion Burl maple outer ply, lacquered in a beautiful dark transparent sienna fade, finished with smoky black chrome hardware and you have it. It is available in a 6 pce set up. It basically looks like an Orion - very nice!
Also new are 2 models of Black Panther drum kits. Born from the successful line of snare drums, the Black Panther kits feature unique shell formulas, specially designed bearing edges with a rounded back cut. The 2 models: “The Blaster” and “The Velvetone” are for the drummer that wants something a little different.
KORG
New from KORG is the Oriental Wavedrum. Featuring all the sounds from the original Wavedrum plus a full range of algorithms and PCM samples dedicated to Arabic percussion - the perfect instrument for percussionists seeking a broader range of sounds.
Yamaha
Yamaha’s display is always impressive and this year there was plenty on offer for percussion. Gigmaker finally launched an expanded range of new glitter finishes. Stage Custom Birch launched an 18” Be Bop kit with 1 mounted tom with usual sizes of 18”, 12”, 14” and 14” snare. The Be Bop will be available in 3 colours.
An addition to the pro range is the “Steve Jordan” inspired Club Custom. Made from the unique Asian wood
Kapur, this 100% true shell provides a warm and dry, yet balanced tone. Reminiscent of many of the older vintage tones sought after by drummers these days, the Kapur shells of the Club Custom are offered in 2 matte wood finishes and 3 textured hand painted swirl finishes. Another interesting feature is the 15” deep bass drum, continuing Yamaha’s habit of offering slightly unique bass drum depths. These drums are intended to be a limited 12 month production run aimed at the professional market.
Roland
Roland released its new TD4 and TD9 drum kits - effectively superseding the old models. The base model TD4 becomes the TD4K2 and the TD4KX becomes the TD4KX2. New features include the KD9 mesh kick pad and new V -cymbals including a 3 way triggered CY-13R.
The two TD9 models are TD9K2 and the TD9KX2, again enhanced with new components such as the KD9 kick pad, CY12C and CY13R cymbals along with the VH11 hi hat cymbal, a PD105 snare pad plus enhanced sounds. The TD9 range continues to offer a competitive and value for money option right in the heart of the mid electronic kit market.
DW
Undoubtedly the big focus from DW was the new Performance series. Big things are expected and will no doubt be delivered by this exciting new range. Built on the foundation of a proprietary new 8-ply HVX shell made entirely from select North American Hard Rock Maple, the look is as striking as the sound with a sleek new lug design. Available in 5 stunning hand sprayed lacquer finishes and topped off by a classy new outline logo design, the performance series are intended to offer a more affordable pro alternative.
The bottom line is if it says DW it has to not only look but sound amazing as well.
Tama
Always a powerful and impressive presence at the Namm show!
Tama boasted a dominant feel with its elevated drum displays, forcing all to look up in awe at the stunning new releases. Tama’s significant focus on its drum line was evident with a redesign of the line up, the release of a totally new mid range model and some exotic finishes on their elite drums.
Tama begin at Swingstar level which will continue now with cymbals. There will be less emphasis on the Imperialstar kit for Australia. The Superstar is gone and replaced by the new Silverstar - a 100% Birch shell kit highlighted by extra features such as triple flanged hoops, a newly designed light weight Star Cast mount, and an upgraded sliding tom holder. The interior of the shell is also finished with a light stain which looks classy. Another addition to the Tama range is a neat little 18” Jazz set that will no doubt be welcomed by many players. Some good looking lacquer fades and eye catching sparkle wraps round off this line.
The hugely popular Hyperdrive sizing has become a separate range in itself and introduces 1 new wrap and lacquer finish.
The top end of town impressed with some stunning new finishes on Starclassic BB, Maple and Bubinga kits. These kits looked stunning and suggested a very handmade feel. Often difficult to describe colours effectively perhaps some of the names may encourage you to jump on the Tama website for a look. There was Black Clouds and Silver linings, Molten Satin Brown Burst with black nickel hardware and Volcanic Red Burst with black nickel hardware. Do we need to say more?
Pearl
With one of the most impressive stands of the show Pearl had so much on offer it is difficult to know where to begin. In short, Pearl has virtually re-vamped their entire range.
Forum stays the same but from there on it’s all new. VX becomes VB which stands for Vision Birch and continues the market leading quality of this range with some updates to hardware, a new badge and the introduction of polished chrome finish.
VSX is gone and replaced by the impressive VBA, a blended Birch shell with the stunning Artisan II finishes.
Pearl has developed the impressive technology whereby an image of wood grain is transferred onto a wrap and then applied to the drum shell. The result is a stunning finish that suggests a price point far beyond the reality of this series. The VBA is available in 3 Artisan II finishes.
VBX is replaced by VBL, a 100% Birch high gloss lacquer shell available in 4 of Pearl’s most popular Vision finishes. Also included are a steel sensitone snare drum, twin ply heads and the award winning 900 series hardware.
VMX is now a more refined and finely tuned offering called VML - Vision Maple. One of the most affordable maple kits on the market, the VML comes standard with 2 ply heads and matching maple snare drum. These incredible sounding drums are offered in 2 exclusive high gloss lacquer finishes including the exciting new Artisan II Vintage Wine lacquer.
Pearl has also adapted a version of the Buttkicker - a device that provides all the punch and low end frequencies of large speakers and delivers it to you through your drum stool. Called the “Throne Thumper”, it will allow your stool to vibrate in perfect sync with all the low end thunder your kick drum puts out as you play. Compatible with any acoustic or electronic drum set and powered by a 200 watt, amp the Pearl Throne Thumper is but a fraction of the price of the last Australian attempt at this product. The bad news is that this product is only made for US design and release at this stage.
Also new were 2 stunning finishes featured on Pearls 100% 6 ply maple shelled MCX range. Using Pearl’s proprietary Artisan II lacquering process MCX boasted the amazing Quilted Bubinga Sunburst and Mocha Tamo finishes - these were truly beautiful!
A new Pearl Cajon and an Ezi Tune rope Djembe were some of the offerings in percussion.
Precision Drum headphones were the next on offer, professional studio quality isolation headphones engineered for drummers. Featuring an over the ear noise cancelling design these will be popular for acoustic or electric players.
New Roadster drum thrones were also on show and the D-2500BR is an impressive throne with a removable back rest that heralds a return to the oversize and comfortable motorcycle thrones of recent times. Also available in standard cycle style, all Pearl’s Roadster thrones now feature an exclusive LOCK/SPIN seat bracket and all come with a sturdy tripod base.
At the top end, all were impressed by the new Reference Pure. Pearl’s claim is simply “The most resonant professional series drum set on the market today.” The same shell blending Reference recipe is used on Reference Pure taking full advantage of three different wood types, plies and bearing edges and applied to a thinner shell. Newly designed low mass STL swivel tube lugs really set off the look ,coupled with the new 1.6mm Fat Tone hoops that combine low mass with extra strength and rigidity at point of contact. This kit just oozes class!
Remo
Remo had its usual assortment of new hand drums including upgrades to their legendary conga series, a new Gospel tambourine, new soloist doumbeks as well as great new finishes on their pro djembes. Their drumhead technology continues to astound and impress, particularly the amazing ability to apply finishes, designs, graphics and even advanced textures to drumheads. Jump on Remo’s website and check out the clear coloured doumbek heads - they look and sound amazing.
But no doubt the big news from Remo is the release of their new Powerstroke Pro bass drum head. In the opinion of many drummers, the long overdue but eagerly anticipated release of the Powerstroke Pro bass drum head will at last be the product that takes on the Evans Emad head to head (excuse the pun!). This head sounds fantastic, it’s a killer!
Evans
Whilst not having any major new product releases, Evans has been busy in other areas. Evans explained that over the past couple of years they have been looking deeper inside their organisation and making improvements in not only quality but efficiency. Cutting unnecessary costs and reducing waste has them promoting a “Lower Price” policy in the USA. A streamlined approach to the pricing of their models has already begun here in Australia.
Ludwig
Although they are one of the oldest drum companies existing today, their recent resurgence shows no signs of slowing down.
The new Element and Epic kits are as popular overseas as they are here in Australia. Bridging the gap between modern requirements and a traditional feel these two ranges have expanded further to show some exciting new finishes and hot looking smoky chrome hardware. Already distinctively different with their cool sizing, keystone lugs finished in standard chrome, vintage bronze and now smokey chrome hardware they are still offering the “6 for 5” FREE tom concept.
The Centennial range boasted some new finishes which looked fantastic, the Keystone line-up of pro drums were on show educating us all about their new shells and Vistalites will be available in custom red and green for a limited time.
A welcome return to Ludwig was drummer Joey Kramer from legendary US band Aerosmith. Joey was at the Ludwig Booth promoting his limited edition signature Keystone Kit. Joey’s signature kit is an oak/maple blend finished in orange Glass glitter with his trademark white hardware. The 5pc shell pack will be produced in a strictly limited run.
The USA Classic Maple series also had some new finishes and customised shell options whilst the Legacy Exotic range showed off some jaw dropping elite wood finishes.
If all that is not enough! There is also some new Ludwig snare drums on the way including a Joey Kramer model, a Corey Miller designed drum, a Carl Palmer 14”x3.7” piccolo in a stunning green powder coated lacquer but the new Epic 20-ply snare named “The Brick” is a knockout!
Well, that’s a wrap from Namm 2011! Ah, we’ll take one of everything!
Fender's new and innovative Blacktop guitar series expands the sonic horizon of classic Fender Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jazzmaster, and Jaguar guitars by powering them with high-gain humbucking pickups. The Blacktop series delivers on modern player demands for a thick and heavy sound. These guitars drive a wide array of deep, rich and aggressive tones that match the intensity of any playing style.
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Allans Billy Hyde
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Fender's new Mustang I and II guitar amps have 24 highly accurate onboard amp presets with tones from vintage Fender sparkle to outrageous modern metal distortion. Arranged in three banks of eight, all 24 presets are easily and instantly accessed right out of the box with only a twist of a single knob. Mustang I is a 20-watt amp with an 8" speaker. Mustang II has a 40-watt amp, 12" speaker, and a slightly larger cabinet. Mustang amplifiers come equipped with USB connectivity and Fender FUSE software, allowing the player to connect their amp to their computer, opening up a world of possibilities including on-screen parameter control, deep editing, additional effects, unlimited preset storage, online preset swapping with the Fender FUSE community, and free Fender artist presets.
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Allans Billy Hyde
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Taking the ukulele into another dimension, Kala's Ukadelic features audacious new graphics that include paisley, tie-dye, tattoo, flag, and reggae designs. Ukadelic captures all that is fun about the ukulele and more. The designs of these colorful ukes incorporate art, culture, and humor into their design. Ukadelic models feature all wood construction, geared tuners, and Aquila Strings.
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Allans Billy Hyde
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Dixon has teamed up with famed Australian builder Chris Brady to unveil four Artisan series snare drums. The Brady designed Artisan snares feature 5.4mm thick, nine-ply rose gum shells with 45-degree bearing edges. Rose gum, the most dominant tree family found in Australia, is an extremely resilient hardwood - even more so than birch, maple, walnut, cherry, and oak. Other notable Artisan features include a Dunnett throw-off and butt plate, classic tube lugs, die-cast hoops and Evans heads.
