Rockn The News – September 3, 2004

****** Maggots Rejoice! ******

Blabbermouth reports: SLIPKNOT will be releasing their third DVD sometime next year, a representative for Roadrunner Records has confirmed to BLABBERMOUTH.NET. “The exact timing and content [of the DVD] has yet to be determined,” the representative said.

Blabbermouth

******* Anger United ******

The PRP reports: System Of A Downs Serj Tankian, former Rage Against The Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha and Ikey Owens of The Mars Volta are among those who collaborated on Saul Williams upcoming self-titled effort which will arrive in stores on September 21st.

Full Story Here.

****** More Talent In Sabbath, Than Just Ozzy ******

press release reports: When monumental musical talents collide, the result is magic. Tony Iommi and Glenn Hughes offer proof in the form of the album The 1996 DEP Sessions set for release by Sanctuary Records on September 28, 2004. The album is being released under the banner Iommi With Glenn Hughes.

The 1996 DEP Sessions features eight electrifying songs recorded by these two legends. Iommi is the lead guitarist in Black Sabbath, the groundbreaking originators of pure heavy metal; he has led every lineup of the band. Iommi is one of the most influential and widely recognized guitarists in the history of rock music. Hughes was a member of Trapeze before achieving worldwide superstardom as the co-lead vocalist and bass guitarist in Deep Purple in the mid-1970s. He has enjoyed a prolific and diverse solo career.

Iommi.com has more.

****** Remember Crues Other Singer? ******

Yesterday we printed a Blabbermouth story about the new band featuring members of Sevendust, Stereomud, Stuck Mojo and Tommy Lee. We were informed by an inside source that this line-up (minus the vocals) are also playing with former Motley Crue vocalist John Corabi on his new solo album. (Kick Ass! I actually met Corabi back in his Crue days. He was really cool and IMHO, a better singer than Vince. Im looking forward to his new album.)

STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT(TM) GOES GOLD

PRESS RELEASE

Prepare for battle. LucasArts is excited to announce that the highly anticipated action/shooter, Star Wars Battlefront has officially GONE GOLD on PS2, Xbox and PC and is scheduled to blast its way onto store shelves on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 — day and date with the Star Wars Trilogy, which marks the first time all three classic films will be available on DVD.

Star Wars Battlefront is an intense open-ended single player and multiplayer action game set in the Star Wars universe that puts fans and gamers in the heat of the action as they re-live all of the epic battles from the classic and prequel eras. In the game, console and PC players can choose intense free-form multiplayer combat or a variety of robust single player modes including “Historical Campaigns” and “Galactic Conquest.”

Star Wars Battlefront is published by LucasArts and developed by Pandemic Studios. For more information, please visit the official product website at: www.starwarsbattlefront.com

SETI Discovers Interesting Signal

SETI has discovered an interesting signal out in space. The signal has been detected 3 seperate times all together. In the last instance, the signal actually became stronger. Interestingly, the signal comes from a point in space with no visible Stars within 1000 Light Years of the signal. They are not declaring this to be Alien Life, but it is an interesting repeatable phenomenom.

Named SHGb02+14a, the signal has a frequency of about 1420 megahertz. This happens to be one of the main frequencies at which hydrogen, the most common element in the universe, readily absorbs and emits energy.

Some astronomers have argued that extraterrestrials trying to advertise their presence would be likely to transmit at this frequency, and SETI researchers conventionally scan this part of the radio spectrum.

Read the very interesting article at the New Scientist website.

Rockn The News – September 2, 2004

****** From the… Its more fun to pick on Canada Category ******

MuchMusic reports: Canadian rock might have more than its share of duds, but have you ever considered what the absolute worst Canadian songs of all time might be? Chart Magazine has done just that and come up with a list of twenty-five tracks of debatable levels of stinkiness. Rounding out the top five are Loverboy, with “Lovin Every Minute Of It”, Barenaked Ladies “One Week”, The Crash Test Dummies “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm”, Alannah Myles “Black Velvet”, and at number one – that dated slice of alterna-funk, “Everyones A Winner” by Bootsauce.

Get the full scoop at the only cool Video Music station left after MTV cancelled MTV-X, MuchMusic website.

****** All the cool stoner kids are doing it ******

MTV reports: Slash is about to become a McFarlane figure. The Velvet Revolver/ former Guns N Roses guitarist will be featured with his top hat and leather jacket while playing guitar. “Its extremely flattering and humbling to be immortalized in plastic,” Slash said in a statement Wednesday (September 1). The Slash figure will be available at mass retailers in July.

****** Seven Crue? ******

Blabbermouth reports: Ex-VIRGOS MERLOT/VIRGOS guitarist/vocalist Brett Hestla has joined the as-yet-unnamed new band featuring former and current members of SEVENDUST, SKRAPE, Tommy Lees (MÖTLEY CRÜE) solo band and STEREOMUD. The groups lineup is as follows:

Brett Hestla: Vocals – Will Hunt (SKRAPE, TOMMY LEE): Drums – Corey Lowery (ex-STEREOMUD, STUCK MOJO): Bass – Troy McLawhorn (ex-DOUBLE DRIVE): Guitar – Clint Lowery (SEVENDUST): Guitar

Blabbermouth has more.

****** Mushroomheadless ******

Blabbermouth reports: MUSHROOMHEAD vocalist Jason Mann has left the band, a source close to the group has informed PITRIFF.com.

MUSHROOMHEAD recently toured with INSANE CLOWN POSSE following a split with their record company, Universal Records (which issued the bands “XX” and “XIII” albums). Manns own record label, dubbed Fractured Transmitter Records, has just released the latest EP from MESHUGGAH, entitled “I”.

More Blabbermouth.

A chronology of every PC D&D computer game

I have been a big fan of D&D Computer Role Playing Games (CRPG) for quite a while. Going all the way back to 1988, when I played the first D&D game, Pool of Radiance. From there I progressed to the first MMORPGs, Neverwinter Nights on AOL and Dark Sun Online on the old Total Entertainment Network (T.E.N.), all the way through some of my favorite games of all time, Biowares incredible Baldurs Gate series. What really amazed me was the number of games that have been released for D&D over the years.

Check out the complete list by clicking Read more…. You might be surprised at how many there are. I bet you recognize a few and probably have even played a few. Continue reading A chronology of every PC D&D computer game

Digital Illusions buys Trauma Studios

It is not very surprising that Trauma Studios would be snatched up quickly by todays game developing companies due to the success of Desert Combat for Battlefield 1942. Digital Illusions has made the jump and has bought Trauma Studios and all rights to Desert Combat as well.

I know that we are looking forward to some great work from them and congratulate them on their success.

“Initially Trauma will work with the development of a concept for a new PC game based on the Battlefield 2 engine.”

Click Read more for the complete Press Release. Continue reading Digital Illusions buys Trauma Studios

Rockn The News – September 1, 2004

****** Classical Music Punk Style ******

Punkbands reports: In June 2002, an ad on the online bulletin board Craigslist asking for classical musicians interested in playing classic punk rock covers yielded a flood of responses. This was the birth of the world`s only Punk Rock Orchestra, 50+ classical musicians using bassoons, cellos, timpanis and more to play the classics of punk.

In early 2004, the Punk Rock Orchestra went to George Lucas Skywalker Sound to record their album under the guidance of Grammy-Award winning engineer/mixer Leslie Ann Jones. The result is Punk Rock Orchestra`s debut album, available to the public for the first time at the Swedish American Hall Oct. 1st and 2nd.

Punkbands.com has the full scoop.

****** Perfect Releases ******

The PRP reports: According to www.aperfectcircle.net, A Perfect Circle have set “aMOTION” as the title to their upcoming live DVD release which will be backed by a CD of remix material. The set is due out through Virgin on November 16th, and is not to be confused with the groups other new forthcoming release, “eMOTIVe”, which will see a release through Virgin on November 02nd.

Read the rest.

****** McFarlane Does Motley Crue ******

Blabbermouth reports: McFarlane Toys will be releasing a MÖTLEY CRÃœE action-figure “Deluxe Boxed Set” in November 2004. [see full story for more including a link to photos. Looks like the figures are based on the “Shout at the Devil” era Crue, so no toy spandex will be needed.]

See the pics here.

****** Ozzys Note From Mom ******

siNs metal news reports: Rioters seeking some recourse for the lack of BLACK SABBATH frontman OZZY OSBOURNE playing in Camden, New Jersey last week, can now find solace in the wonderful words of Sharon Osbourne, who issued an official apology via Ozzfest.com:

“To those who attended the Ozzfest show in Camden on August 26, I would like to address the few complaints that have arisen from Black Sabbaths performance with Rob Halford in Camden last Thursday, August 26th. The situation quite clearly was that Ozzy was suffering from bronchitis. He was hoping from the morning of the show until the afternoon that he would have some sort of voice so that he could perform that evening. Unfortunately by late afternoon he was advised by doctors that that just wouldnt be possible…

Frag.Ops to appear on UT2004: Editors Choice Edition

– Press Release –

Pandora-Studios signs an agreement with Epic Games, Inc. to publish their mod, Frag.Ops, under a one-time contract for the UT2004 Editors Choice Edition. Frag.Ops, the most played UT2003 mod ever made and currently one of the most popular UT2004 mods, will appear on the special edition with several other well-known mods as a free supplement to Epics highly acclaimed UT2004 game. Frag.Ops is a near-future tactical first-person shooter, and has won several press awards in the mod-making field for both graphical realism and excellent gameplay. In addition, FO has placed as a finalist twice for “Best FPS mod” in the NVidia Make Something Unreal contest, taking 5th place once and again 4th in the most recent judging. It also received several honorable mentions for 3D models, sound, and level design.”

Rockn The News – August 31st, 2004

****** Dave Matthews Band Offer DNA ******

AP reports: The Dave Matthews Band says it is cooperating with authorities to determine what happened when a tour boat with more than 100 passengers was doused with raw sewage.

A lawsuit by Illinois attorney general contends the bands tour bus emptied its septic tank while crossing a grated bridge over the Chicago River on Aug. 8.

The band issued a statement on its Web site saying members have offered to provide DNA evidence to help authorities determine the source of the sewage.

In its statement, the band also said that if its bus is found to be responsible for the incident, the band will “work quickly to make amends, with the people on the boat and with Chicago.”

Yahoo has the full scoop on the poop.

****** Rare Cramps ******

MTV reports: As a treat to fans and a testament to their vast catalog, the New York-bred band [The Cramps] has compiled two discs worth of unreleased rare tracks, alternate takes, demos and live performances. “How to Make a Monster”, due October 19.

Get more Cramps at Mtv.

****** System of a Downs New Album ******

IAYM reports: System Of A Down are now eyeing a December release date for their as-yet-untitled new effort, frontman Serj Tankian offering the following update on the progress made thus far: “Were in the thick of it still, doing a lot of overdubs. Its going great. Im happy with all the songs, the diversity of it.”

I Ate Your Microphone has more. Great name btw…..

****** Eminems Eminent Elation ******

liveDaily reports: Aftermath/Interscope Records has scheduled a Nov. 16 release date for “Encore,” rapper Eminems first full album of new material since 2002s “The Eminem Show.”

Livedaily has more.

The Passion of the Clerks

Strangley enough, Clerks was my 3rd Kevin Smith movie. Dogma was my first and then I worked backwards. Ive been a fan ever since that first movie and when I heard they were doing a sequel to Clerks, I got excited. I figured you would too.

CNN has a great article on the movie. If you are a fan, its worth checking out. Here is a snippet:

“Its about what happens when that lazy, 20-something malaise lasts into your 30s. Those dudes are kind of still mired, not in that same exact situation, but in a place where its time to actually grow up and do something more than just sit around and dissect pop culture and talk about sex,” Smith said during an interview at his Hollywood office. “Its: What happened to these dudes?”