Posted by Merlin on Monday, January 15, 2007 (04:13:28) (362 reads)

According to Revolver magazine (web site), late PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott's longtime partner, Rita Haney, and videographer Bobby Tongs have started to sift through footage for the follow-up to the DVD "DimeVision - Vol 1: That's The Fun I Have". The disc should be ready for release in the summer. "I can't wait to see it," Dimebag's brother and former PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN bandmate Vinnie Paul Abbott says. "I'm sure it'll include stuff that I didn't even know about. Like, I knew Dime did a lot of crazy, fucked-up shit, but I didn't know about the fireworks he lit in the house until I saw the first videos. I don't know how he didn't burn his house down."

A cornucopia of a small portion of miles of video footage shot over the years, mostly taken mostly from Dimebag's point of view, "DimeVision - Vol 1: That's The Fun I Have" has been certified gold by the RIAA in the United States as well as in Canada.

Dimebag's legacy lives on through hundreds of musical tributes from the top names in rock, including close friends Zakk Wylde and NICKELBACK, a custom Dean ML Razorback V guitar, an MXR/Dunlop Dime Distortion Pedal and Crybaby From Hell Wah, as well as a CD and DVD debut from Vinnie Paul's Big Vin Records.

The CD, "Rebel Meets Rebel", was recorded throughout the years prior to Dimebag's passing with the original "Cowboys from Hell" lineup (Dimebag, Vinnie and PANTERA bassist Rex Brown) and country legend David Allan Coe.

PANTERA's "Three Vulgar Videos from Hell" three-DVD set featuring all the band's videos as well as live footage shot during the Monsters of Rock gig in Moscow, was certified platinum on May 4, 2006 for U.S. shipments of 100,000 units.

Originally released on DVD in 1999, "Three Vulgar Videos from Hell" was reissued last year through Rhino Video, featuring the same content with improved menus and all-new Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. In fact, it is the first PANTERA release ever in 5.1 Surround Sound. It features: "Cowboys From Hell: The Videos", "Vulgar Video", "3 Watch It Go", and "Pantera Live From Monsters of Rock In Moscow".

Posted by Merlin on Sunday, January 14, 2007 (23:51:29) (352 reads)

A nine-minute video of HELLYEAH — the new band featuring former PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott alongside members of MUDVAYNE and NOTHINGFACE — writing and recording its self-titled album in Dallas, Texas has been posted online at YouTube.com.

Vinnie Paul Abbott recently spoke to Revolver magazine (web site) about the new group, which also features Chad Gray (vocals; MUDVAYNE), Greg Tribbett (guitar; MUDVAYNE), Tom Maxwell (guitar, NOTHINGFACE) and Jerry Montano (bass; DANZIG, NOTHINGFACE).

"MUDVAYNE and NOTHINGFACE are still going strong, and I like that," Abbott explained to the magazine. "We're not looking at this as a side project, but at the same time, it's a band that's only going to see the light of day every year and a half, and at this point, that's good for me. So whenever we do it, we'll have as much fun as we can and kick as much ass as we can. We're touring this spring and I'm looking forward to that. It's been a long time."

Abbott has spent most of the past 20 years of his life on the road, so it's understandable that his eagerness to get back on the road far outweighs any fears he might harbor of stepping onstage again. "I'm a pretty strong person and mentally I've had to put a lot of things behind me," he told Revolver. "I have to look at it like I did before. Every day could be the last day. Every day's gotta be the best day, and we're here to live, not to live in fear. So I'm gonna give everything I've got, and I think it's exactly what Dime [late PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist and Vinnie's brother, 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott] wants me to do, and there's no way I'm gonna let him down by closing up shop and saying, 'That's it.' I've had plenty of time to sit back and reflect, and it's time for me to get back at it."

HELLYEAH first met up at Abbott's house in Dallas last summer to start working on the disc. But they actually recorded it in the studio at the back of Dime's house, which had remained virtually untouched since the guitarist's shooting. Returning there was emotionally challenging for the drummer. "There were several times when I got up and walked out of the room and I thought I was going to throw up," Abbott recalled. "But once we got into the first song, I felt this overwhelming power that this was the right thing to do."

"The first day was rough on him," said Montano. "But we wrote a kick-ass song, and by 4 a.m. we were all drunk, listening to it all excited, and it was just on."

Revolver's entire interview with HELLYEAH can be found in the magazine's March 2007 issue, which is set to hit newsstands this Monday, January 15. More information is available at www.revolvermag.com.

HELLYEAH's debut album is scheduled for release on April 10 via Epic Records. Two songs from the CD — "Hellyeah" and "Matter of Time" — are available for listening on the band's MySpace page.

(Thanks: Paulo "Monstro" Priess)

Posted by Merlin on Saturday, January 13, 2007 (06:00:24) (353 reads)

Former PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott spoke to Revolver magazine (web site) about the formation of HELLYEAH, his brand-new collaboration with members of MUDVAYNE and NOTHINGFACE.

Vinnie Paul had already turned down several offers to join a new band when an old friend, NOTHINGFACE bassist Jerry Montano, called him up and asked him if he'd like to jam with him, NOTHINGFACE guitarist Tom Maxwell, and MUDVAYNE vocalist Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribett. Again, Abbott declined, but Montano wouldn't take no for an answer.

"He called me over and over, and one night he caught me when I'd been drinking and listening to some music and I was in the right frame of mind," recalls Abbott. "So I said, 'You know what, man? I might as well at least give this thing a fucking shot and see what happens."

"Even I was blown away when he agreed to do it," Montano says with a chuckle. "I called Chad and Tom all cool-sounding and said, 'Hey, guys, we got a drummer.' And they were like, 'Okay, who?' And I go, 'Dude — [long pause] — Vinnie Paul."

With regards to the band's recently completed debut CD, which is scheduled for release in April, Vinnie Paul said, "It's a really diverse and fresh album. To me, it doesn't sound like PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN, NOTHINGFACE or MUDVAYNE. It's a new sound with a familiar groove, and having that kick-ass groove there was the most important thing. That's something music's been missing over the last couple of years. Everything's gotten so fast and intense, and the groove's kind of gone. So we wanted to bring that back."

While HELLYEAH was in the studio working on its debut album, the band's activities were kept under wraps like classified military secrets. If it weren't for a stray comment made by NOTHINGFACE singer Matt Holt to a member of the press, practically no one would have known of the band's existence.

"If we had come right out of the chute and said the five of us were getting together, everybody would have these preconceived notions of what it would be about, and all of a sudden there would be this pressure on us to fulfill what people expect," Abbott says of the decision to keep HELLYEAH under the radar. "So we just did it on our own, and that way we could do what we wanted with it. And the more we got into it, the stronger we all felt about it. We all think we've made a great record, something that's really going to leave a mark in music this year."

HELLYEAH's debut album is scheduled for release on April 10 via Epic Records. Two songs from the CD — "Hellyeah" and "Matter of Time" — are available for listening on the band's MySpace page. A two-minute video clip shot during the rehearsal/recording sessions for the upcoming CD can be viewed at this location.

Revolver's entire interview with HELLYEAH can be found in the magazine's March 2007 issue, which is set to hit newsstands this Monday, January 15.

Posted by Merlin on Thursday, July 06, 2006 (03:45:36) (343 reads)

POWERMAN 5000 has posted an e-card with a four-track preview of its upcoming album, "Destroy What You Enjoy". Check it out at this location. The record is set to hit stores on August 1 via DRT Entertainment.

The band recently shot a video for the lead single, "Wild World". "We shot most of it in an abandoned crack house," vocalist Spider commented. "It should be pretty glamorous." The video showcases the band's high-energy live performance, and is being co-directed by Jeff Stewart and Spider.

"Destroy What You Enjoy" was produced by Mudrock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, GODSMACK) — who also co-produced the band's major label debut, "Mega!! Kung Fu Radio" (1997) — and was recorded at the Hobby Shop in Eagle Rock, CA. The album was mixed by Dave Schiffman (AUDIOSLAVE, JOHNNY CASH, SYSTEM OF A DOWN).

In other POWERMAN news, the band is set to hit the road in support of the new record.

Posted by Merlin on Sunday, July 02, 2006 (22:06:43) (219 reads)

Dan Epstein of Guitar World magazine (web site ) recently conducted an interview with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY/OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Zakk Wylde. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

Though he's typically produced his own records in the past, Zakk shares production credits on "Shot to Hell" with Michael Beinhorn, who's previously worked with KORN, the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, SOUNDGARDEN and OZZY OSBOURNE. "The record company said, 'We know you've produced all the records, but we want a big-name producer on this,'" Zakk said. "I told them, 'You're fuckin' high if you think I'm going to work with someone who's gonna tell me what to do.' But I'd worked with Mikey on 'Ozzmosis', and we had a blast making that record, so I told them, 'Find out what Mikey's doin'! get him down here!'

Posted by Merlin on Saturday, June 18, 2005 (16:10:46) (193 reads)

According to a post by Jonathan Davis at ButtSexCrips.com, the KORN frontman has finished laying down vocals for all 20 songs for the group's upcoming album, tentatively due in September/October. The band expect to begin mixing the follow-up to 2003's "Take a Look in the Mirror" in early July. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Liar", "Politix", "Last Legal Drug", "Le Petit Mort", "It's Me Again", "Coming Undone", "I've Seen It All" and "Souvenir of Sadness". The album's first single should surface in August.

With regards to the new album's musical direction, Davis previously told MTV.com, "It's funky, it's heavy, it's dark and sometimes, industrial-tinged. Working with so many different people and everything, it's made it out to be a really well-rounded album of a lot of different things. It's definitely KORN, it's definitely groove-oriented. But it's our most experimental album to date. We're very excited. We're all sitting around, when we listen to it, looking at each other going, 'I can't believe that's us.' I think people are really going to dig it. It's not like the first KORN album, where it's very aggressive and screaming all over the place. There's that in this album, yes, but I've taken all of the years of six albums, and taken what I've learned from that and molded it into one, and thrown a big twist on it. It's really hard to explain without hearing it. But it's very large and in charge and massively heavy. There's a lot of melody in it, a lot of screaming — just a lot of amazing things in it."

Posted by Merlin on Saturday, May 07, 2005 (13:28:39) (206 reads)

Columbus Police Officer James D. Niggemeyer, who is widely credited for saving lives on Dec. 8, 2004 when he entered Alrosa Villa without backup and killed a crazed gunman responsible for blowing away four people, including PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, is among the finalists for the "America's Most Wanted All-Star" prize, which includes $10,000 in cash and a VIP trip to the next NASCAR All-Star Challenge — all courtesy of Nextel. To vote for Niggemeyer, click here. Voting ends May 17. The winner will be announced on AMW.com on May 28.

DAMAGEPLAN had just begun their set last December when a crazed fan rushed the stage with a gun. His first target, lead guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, slumped dead. Chaos erupted and more shots flew. James Niggemeyer was first on scene. Without waiting for backup, he crept through the stage door and quickly drew a bead on the shooter — who was holding a hostage. Niggemeyer took the gunman out with one shot. His swift actions saved countless lives — the gunman had dozens of shots left to fire.

Posted by Merlin on Friday, April 29, 2005 (15:32:35) (205 reads)

Eagle Rock Entertainment has announced the relaunch of its hard rock and heavy metal label Spitfire Records. The relaunch includes new releases from THE DUKE, featuring former STUCK MOJO and FOZZY guitarist Rich Ward, and Georgia-based sleaze-rockers NASHVILLE PUSSY. Additionally, starting May 2, Spitfire will lower prices on its extensive hard rock and heavy metal catalog, which includes TWISTED SISTER, ALICE COOPER, TED NUGENT and DIO.

Originally launched in 1999, Spitfire has a history of nurturing both new and veteran hard rock and heavy metal artists, and is filling up its 2005 release schedule. First up is "My Kung-Fu Is Good" from Rich Ward's THE DUKE on May 3. Featuring Ward's own melodic hooks and instantly recognizable brutal riffage, "My Kung Fu is Good" establishes Ward not only as a guitar hero, but also as a brilliant singer and songwriter. Later this summer, Spitfire will release NASHVILLE PUSSY's long-awaited fourth studio album, "Get Some". Also in the pipeline are a "best of" compilation from BLACK LABEL SOCIETY due this summer, and a new studio album from SEBASTIAN BACH, due in the fourth quarter.

"Spitfire's has a long-standing reputation with the hard rock and heavy metal community. We're excited to be back with strong releases from THE DUKE and NASHVILLE PUSSY, and have more on tap for the rest of 2005," said Eagle Rock Entertainment Executive VP and President of North American Operations Mike Carden. "Our new pricing also offers fans a wallet-friendly price on everything in our catalog, from ALICE COOPER to ZAKK WYLDE." Other Spitfire recordings include CRADLE OF FILTH, OVERKILL, TESTAMENT and YNGWIE MALMSTEEN.

Beginning May 2, Spitfire will reduce prices on most single-disc titles to $13.98, and on double-disc titles to $15.98. Titles priced $13.98 and lower will not be affected. Spitfire will support the re-pricing with advertising in Revolver, Metal Edge and Metal Maniacs and work with Concrete Corner to coordinate visibility in retail locations. The label will also use street team marketing to build awareness and will create a dedicated blog page on MySpace.com to reach out to current and potential street team members.

Eagle Rock Entertainment develops, acquires and produces music programming for a wide range of notable and high profile artists, which the company distributes on a worldwide basis. Eagle Rock Entertainment, Eagle Vision and Eagle Eye Media are wholly owned divisions of Eagle Rock Group, LTD. The company's corporate headquarters are in London, with offices in New York, Paris and Hamburg.

Posted by Merlin on Tuesday, April 05, 2005 (23:24:17) (302 reads)

KnuckleBonz, Inc. announced today their plans to create a Dimebag Darrell sculpture for the Guitar Hero limited edition collectible figure series.

The Guitar Hero series is a collection of rock's most highly praised guitarists, sculpted in great detail and cast in poly-resin. The series is designed to be a tribute to acclaimed guitarists who have made their indelible mark on music history. All figures in the series are officially licensed.

"He's pure, raw energy! Even now… and we want to make sure Dime shines forever louder, even more than before. He gave us all so much!" says Rita Haney, longtime girlfriend of the late Dimebag Darrell Abbott. "It's important that Dime be remembered in a way that his fans will appreciate. We feel this sculpture is a fitting way to remember his talent, his character, and his accomplishments."

The Dimebag sculpture will display the legend with his "Dean from Hell" Dean guitar. Each figure is hand-painted/numbered and displays a certificate of authenticity on the base of the sculpture. The Dimebag Darrell figure is only offered in a limited edition quantity of 3333 worldwide.

The KnuckleBonz artistic team is striving to capture the artist's likeness and his spirit through the medium of sculpture. Since the beginning of the series, requests from collectors worldwide have poured in for a Dimebag Guitar Hero.

"We are incredibly honored to be working with the family to create a meaningful tribute to Dimebag," states Tony Simerman, President and Creative Director of KnuckleBonz, Inc. "Like most of Dime's fans, I was introduced to his playing on 'Cowboys from Hell'. It started there, but I still say the 'power groove' on 'Vulgar Display of Power' is the most perfect metal since the first six SABBATH albums."

"When we first discussed the project with the family, they were pleased to know that the KnuckleBonz crew had a production meeting in late November of last year and determined Darrell was the best choice to be the 4th figure in the Guitar Hero series," says Simerman. "It was simply a matter of finding the best way to approach Dime. As we now know, that was just two weeks before his death. We recognize that this project is both an honor and a big responsibility."

Scheduled for release in fall 2005, the Dimebag sculpture will be available for pre-order in April 2005. The sculpture is currently in pre-production using highly skilled artists to capture a remarkable likeness of the celebrated guitarist.

Pricing and Availability: The Dimebag Darrell Guitar Hero limited edition sculpture will sell for $99 and can be purchased via www.guitarhero.net. Pre-orders will be accepted in April 2005. See the company's website for further details on pre-ordering and shipping information. Customers can subscribe to our email list to get more product information and exact dates for pre-orders and product availability by emailing info@guitarhero.net.

Posted by Merlin on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 (04:01:01) (346 reads)

According to a recent online posting by DISTURBED drummer Mike Wengren, several DAMAGEPLAN- and PANTERA-related products are currently being planned for future release. Among the items that will reportedly see the light of day — either individually or as part of a box set — are the following:

*DAMAGEPLAN DVD "Damagevision"
*DAMAGEPLAN second album
*DAMAGEPLAN "New Found Power" outtakes
*PANTERA Home DVD Part 4
*PANTERA - Unreleased studio tracks from:
"Cowboys From Hell"
"Vulgar Display of Power"
"Far Beyond Driven"
"Great Southern Trendkill"
"Reinventing the Steel"
Tracks from what would have been PANTERA's next studio project after "Reinventing the Steel"
*REBEL MEETS REBEL (Dimebag and Vinnie Paul's side project with legendary country/western music artist David Allen Coe)

It should be noted, however, that — with the exception of a second DAMAGEPLAN studio album (consisting of recordings originally meant to be used towards the band's follow-up to "New Found Power") — there has not yet been any confirmation from the PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN camp that the above-mentioned recordings will ever be made available to the public.

In other news, Krank Amplification has a section on their web site dedicated to "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, featuring exclusive photos and video footage of the late PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist. Check it out at this location.

(Thanks: www.VINNIEandDIME.com)