Tag Archives: Rock

Founding Member Of Pink Floyd Passes Away

15 September, 2008 Brian Mc Leave a comment

I just found out some bad news today. I am sure that some of you rock music fanatics already heard this news as pertains to a major band in rock history.

Original member of Pink Floyd Richard Wright passed away today after a battle with cancer. He was 65 years old.

I am not as big of a fan as I used to be of Pink Floyd. When I was a kid (it’s true, I was young once) I discovered my father’s record collection and soon became a fan of Pink Floyd. It was my first taste of a different more psychedelic rock music and I really enjoyed the fact that people I became friends with liked them as well. It gave me something to relate to others with.

Being a fan of Pink Floyd was cool. In the beginning stages I had no idea the songs were drug laced. I soon found up growing up though that they were.

Throughout the years I became a little burnt out over them because I listened to them so much. My friends listened to them so much. When we hung out in the parks the hippies would take out their guitars and play Pink Floyd and all the inebriated would since along…it became a tad too much. In fact I to this day can not even listen to The Wall or Dark Side Of The Moon as I listened to both albums so much growing up I made myself become sick of them.

If the radio plays “Money” or any other song that might be on both of those albums I have to change the station. I just can’t do it. I’d rather listen to Tesla.

That’s not to say I am not somewhat remotely a fan of Pink Floyd. Deep down inside of me there still is some love for Pink Floyd. Once in a while a Pink Floyd track will grace my iPod and I will listen to it (I deleted the two albums I overexerted off my playlists so that I would not be exposed to the songs I grew tired of).

To hear that a musical icon like Richard Wright passed away of course adds some sadness to my day. His name may not have been as well recognized as David Gilmour, Roger Walters, Nick Mason or even the late Syd Barrett, but he was still a major part of that band.

From the Pink Floyd website:

Richard Wright

15 Sep 2008
The family of Richard Wright, founder member of Pink Floyd, announce with great sadness, that Richard died today after a short struggle with cancer.

The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.

Richard Wright
Born 28 July 1943 (65)

For more info about his passing check out articles about it found on Yahoo Music or on the Associated Press.

Music, Music Video, New Release, Rock

Alice In Chains To Record New Material

14 September, 2008 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Alice In Chains (AIC) will be releasing new material for the first time in 13 years. Can you say AWESOME?

For those of you who are scratching your heads right now wondering did I just say AIC is releasing new material, I need to let you know that the band never broke up.

Formed in 1997 by Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell the band became quite popular with two albums becoming #1’s on Billboard 200. The band was a great commerical success and even though started off more metal soon mellowed to a rock that everyone seemed to enjoy. After 1995 the band stopped recording material.

The band never called it quits though, they just paused while lead singer Layne Staley fought the bad battle with his publicly known chemical addiction and dealt with heartbreak.

In 1996 Staley lost his fiancee from bacterial endocarditis and chose to stay alone and cope his loss with drugs. In 1998 Staley recorded two songs with the rest of the band but really never did anything else onward. His addiction took over his like and he even willingly admitted in in many interviews.

Months before his death, Staley admitted in an interview, “I know I’m near death, I did crack and heroin for years. I never wanted to end my life this way” In 2002 the worst, but expected, happened as Staley was found dead in his condominium from an apparent drug overdose.

With Layne Staley’s passing in 2002 I really never thought AIC would put out another release. I figured the band would go their separate ways. I was wrong…

After some time AIC chose to continue.

The remaining members Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez, and Sean Kinney played for a benefit concert in 2005 for the tsunami that hit Asia with Damageplan singer Pat Lachman. One year later they appeared on VH1’s Decades Rock Live: Heart with another singer William DuVall, one time singer of Comes With The Fall. AIC hit the road soon after and toured select cities with positive reviews. They rolled through Cleveland and of course I missed it. I know someone who went and he said it was amazing. Go on Matt, rub it in.

Seems like things went well as earlier this year AIC announced they would be recording new material.

I still have yet to see the new AIC live or even hear it for that matter. I never even got to see the old AIC live and they were one of my favorite bands of the 90’s. I am really curious to hear what they have to offer. From what I have heard William DuVall seems to have picked up where Staley had let off.

With new material and the possibility of a tour (I sure hope so) it looks like AIC is making a comeback.

Straight from the band’s website, a band associate named Baldy said:

“October will arrive and Alice In Chains will reconvene to record the new album. So, as 2008, winds down, band activity will be gearing up, and at some point in 2009 you’ll finally hear what I’ve been raving about for the last several months.”

I think Baldy knows something…and I am hoping he is right!

Some videos:

Music, Rock

Scott Weiland To Release Second Solo Album

3 September, 2008 Brian Mc 1 Comment

Looks like Scott Weiland is going to try things on his own once again. It’s been about 10 years since he released his first solo attempt 12 Bar Blues under Atlantic. This time around the on-again off-again Stone Temple Pilots (STP) lead front (and once Velvet Revolver front) is releasing Happy under his own label Softdrive.

The CD is scheduled for release on November 18^th and will be featuring guest appearances by members of No Doubt (bassist Tony Kanal, guitarist Tom Dumont and drummer Adrian Young). Happy was produced by Weiland and co-produced by Doug Grean (STP, Velvet Revolver, Sheryl Crow, The Crystal Method).

I am very curious to hear this CD as I was a huge fan of Weiland’s first solo commercial failure. In fact I even was so lucky to catch the solo tour for 12 Bar Blues that was canceled shortly after due to Weiland going to the slammer for buying heroin in Manhattan. It was at the Odeon in Cleveland and I was glad I saw him support his debut just before the tour was canceled. I found it funny that he got busted for drugs but at the same time I felt bad for him.

Many know the success that Weiland has held with STP and Velvet Revolver but many also know his troubles with substance abuse. Earlier this year he departed from Velvet Revolver without much notice and reunited with STP. He is a rock star after all…he can do what he wants.

With song titles like “Missing Cleveland” and “Paralysis” I really am excited to see what Happy will sound like. Currently Weiland continues to tour with Stone Temple Pilots until the end of October. Weiland will then embark on his own tour in support of Happy starting in November.

Let’s see if he can make it through the whole scheduled tour this time. I missed my chance at seeing STP at the 2008 Virgin Fest last month as I chose to view Bob Dylan (big mistake) and really would like to see Scott Weiland before the year’s end.