Archive for the ‘Rumors’ Category
Needles and pills found in Paul Gray’s hotel room
It was undoubtedly sad news when Slipknot bassist Paul Gray was found dead in his hotel room earlier this week. The police reported that no foul play was involved, but that didn’t erase the question of whether there were harmful substances in his body.
It sucks that that is the first thing that pops into people’s heads when they hear that a rock star has died before their time, but it seems like more often than not, it turns out to be true.
While the official toxicology reports have not yet been released, TMZ reported that the hotel worker, who found Gray dead in his room, told the 911 operator that he saw hypodermic needles and a bottle of pills in the room as well.
So nothing’s official yet; but when you put two and two together (not to mention the fact that he has been arrested in the past for possession of cocaine and needles) the picture is decidedly grim.
-Sam
Lala is getting set to close its’ doors at the end of the month. Lala, the music streaming and online music retail site, was purchased by Apple a few months back. The service published a shut down notice on its front page last week.
Lala users will be sad, I’m sure, but rumors are circulating about the possibilty of iTunes to fill the void Lala is leaving behind. It iTunes announcement could come as soon as next month during the company’s Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco. Apple typically uses this venue to make major announcements.
Ever since the new year was rung in, it seems like each new month has brought about a fresh System of a Down hiatus-ending rumor.
First, there was Shavo Odadjian’s tweets (here and here). Then there was Serj Tankian’s dismissal of the ensuing speculation (here). And then, recently, came new speculation that the band would be reuniting in the studio this fall to work on new material (here).
All caught up? Good. ‘Cause there’s more now.
Although I’ve yet to see any other publications or music blogs pick up on this, I’m going to go out on a limb and continue this wild goose chase. The juicy nugget came in an email sent out by Shavo to the official System of a Down email list run by Columbia Records. I received the email about a week ago. The purpose of the email is to announce an art project that Shavo’s been working on. That’s not really the interesting part (sorry Shavo). What is interesting is how he concludes the message, saying
See you all next year. . .
Could it be? After all, that timeline would coincide with the aforementioned rumors of a fall studio date. And the email is addressed to “Fellow System heads.”
Of course, maybe I’m just irresponsibly grasping at straws and Shavo is just talking about the music he will supposedly be releasing with his ersatz experimental hip-hop group Achozen. If that’s the case, well, fml.
-Sam
Unfortunately, I missed out on the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival that was this past weekend, but if the rumors are true (and by all appearances, they are) hard rock and metal fans nationwide have an incredible tour to look forward to in the fall.
How incredible, you ask?
Does the no-filler, all-killer heavyweight lineup of Alice in Chains, Deftones, and Mastodon spark your interest? I thought so. That’s three major headliners all on the same bill for one ticket! “YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!” Seriously, how do they choose the headliner for that tour? I’d imagine it would be AIC, but maybe they’d rotate each night?
In any case, the rumors started when a new website with the domain name blackdiamondskye.com sprung up recently with a countdown to a “secret” tour announcement. A little common sense when looking at the domain name would already lead you in the direction of figuring out who’s on the bill. It’s a reference to each of the three band’s latest albums (AIC – Black Gives Way To Blue, Deftones – Diamond Eyes, Mastodon – Crack The Skye). Furthermore, smnnews.com reported that the site was registered with an @velvethammer.net email address. Velvet Hammer is the management group for both AIC and Deftones. So yeah, this is pretty legit.
There’s been two teaser videos posted on YouTube (here and here), and each clearly features some edited clips of the music and/or images of each band. It is expected that the tour will be officially announced this Thursday.
Oh, and if that weren’t enough…Tool has started announcing summer tour dates! Maybe they’ll have some new music ready to test out by then.
-Sam
So, this was originally intended to be an April Fools’ Day gag.
I was going to write up a fake report about how System of a Down were finally ending their hiatus and getting back in the studio together to record a new album.
The only problem was that as I was perusing some metal blogs yesterday (March 31) I saw some legitimate rumor mill postings which seemed to be saying that very thing!
The rumors arise from some hazy logic, but I’ll lay it out anyway. Serj Tankian recently announced that his new solo album titled Imperfect Harmonies (changed from Music Without Borders) has been completely recorded and is now in the mixing stage. The plan is to release it in late summer. So the thinking goes that with Tankian now done with recording responsibilities and finishing up a touring cycle behind Elect The Dead Symphony, he is now free to rejoin the rest of his System bandmates who have been waiting for him. The rumor is that the band will enter the studio this fall to begin recording a new album.
There are several holes in this theory, however. First of all, it sounds a lot like wishful thinking more than it does a solid rumor. Second, I would imagine Serj would do some kind of touring behind his new solo record, and that would be hard to accomplish if he was in the studio with SOAD during the period that touring would likely take place.
That being said, I really really really hope that this rumor is true. If it is, it will be well worth the spoiled April Fools’ gag.
-Sam
Jack White and Jay-Z?
We’re hearing a certain buzz regarding a Jack White and Jay-Z track being produced. And we’re oh, oh, so excited.
Jack White, The White Stripes frontman, says “We did a song together a few weeks ago. It was incredible. I played him something that I’ve been kicking around for a while and he immediately came out with words for it. It’s unbelievable sounding.”
There’s no ETA on the track nor where it will appear — rumors are flying that it’ll be released on Jay-Z’s experimental LP or on a Jack White solo album. Regardless of where it ends up, it’s going to be great.
The real reason why Howard Jones had to leave KsE’s tour may now be coming to light – and it is tabloid worthy.
Quick recap before I get to the real news so that everyone is caught up.
I went to Killswitch Engage’s first show of their headlining tour this winter back on February 4th. After just five days, lead singer Howard Jones suddenly dropped off the tour due to “unforeseen circumstances” as the band’s official press release put it. That led to much speculation about Jones leaving the band.
But replacement singer Phil Labonte said that he was just filling in until Howard “gets better,” leading most people to believe that he was just hurt or sick. It was then reported that Jones had fallen on some stairs and hurt his back and that was why he left the tour. OK, that’s understandable. Still, if that was the case, the band should have come out and said that instead of letting damaging rumors swirl.
But now ThePRP has exclusively learned the alleged real reason as to why Jones left the tour:
IMPREGNATING A PORNSTAR!
Hahaha, who says they don’t make rockstar debauchery like they used to?
The pornstar in question is Allie Foster (pictured), who took to Twitter yesterday to announce:
Howard Jones of Killswitch engage, meet TMZ and your bitter baby momma coming with sweet sweet fuckin revenge you dirtbag.
Hmm, that sounds like good inspiration for a Killswitch song, but I digress.
She then goes on to Tweet that Howard is married and that he has been pressuring her to get an abortion. Of course, there is a post on her Twitter today which claims that her account was hacked and that she did not post any of that. So who the eff really knows? I mean she did post a picture of her baby bump.
I doubt this is the end of what has become a wildly interesting story of cover-up and deception. But come on Howard, bag it up next time!
-Sam
FOB RIP? OMG!
Fall Out Boy is one of those bands whose singles I enjoy yet leave me with no desire to get to know them better or discover their complete albums.
Now that’s probably my problem and not theirs. After all, Patrick Stump, Joe Trohman, and Andy Hurley seem to have decent enough chops and their pop songwriting is undeniably catchy. It’s just that…well, Pete Wentz comes across as a bit of a douche, and the band as a whole seems a bit too “scene” for me.
Well, the boys from FOB may have an opportunity to branch out soon, if the rumors of the band’s potential breakup prove true.
These rumors originated with none other than Mr. Ashlee Simpson himself. Writing on his blog, he had this to say:
i dont know the future of fall out boy. its embarrassing to say one thing and then have the future dictate another. as far as i know fall out boy is on break. (no one wants to say the “h” word). as much as i dont have a solo project, i also cant predict that id ever play in fall out boy again. not due to personal relationships as much as a band we grew apart. in this statement id like to include there is the possibility that fob will play again with out me or i will be a part of it when everyone is on the same page.
The other members of the band have been working on their own solo/side projects and perhaps that has been the catalyst for this news. Stump is working on a solo album where he is writing the songs and playing all the instruments. And Trohman and Hurley are working together along with members of Anthrax and Every Time I Die on a potentially cool heavy metal supergroup of sorts called The Damned Things.
Anyways, if FOB does break up, will anyone really be that sad? They wrote some really good tunes, but if what they’ve put out to this point is all I ever hear from them, I’ll be okay.
-Sam
System of a Down to end hiatus?!
“The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool.” ~Almost Famous
Greetings, everyone.
My name is Sam and this is my first post here on Suds on Bleeker. It’s a true pleasure to join the team that is being assembled here, and I look forward to sharing with you my views on what’s new in the world of music. And, more importantly, I look forward to getting to know all of you and hearing about what new music is really rocking your world at the moment. So sign up for an account if you haven’t yet and let’s start talking.
With my first post, I’d like to talk about some potential news that means a lot to me: System of a Down might be getting close to ending their hiatus which has been going on since 2006.
You see, I’m a metalhead first and foremost and I can largely trace my “musical DNA,” so to speak, back to Toxicity – that fantastic, beautiful, enduring piece of heavy music. That was one of the main albums that really ignited my passion for heavy music and opened so many new channels of discovery. Suffice to say, my musical leanings owe a lot to System of a Down.
So it was to my surprise that SOAD’s bassist, Shavo Odadjian (he of the epic goatee), posted on Twitter today the following cryptic message: “Are u guys ready for System???”
Hell yes, I am ready for System.
Of course, no one is really certain yet what that Tweet actually portends. It could mean that SOAD is making preparations for a new album (best case scenario), or it could mean that they are simply going to play a few European festivals in the near future. Maybe it won’t mean any of that, and this was all a big tease. Of course, any new plans for the band would probably require singer Serj Tankian and guitarist Daron Malakian to put their respective side projects on the back burner for the time being. But as any SOAD fan will tell you, one new System album is infinitely better than two new Serj/Daron solo albums. So let’s make this thing happen, boys. Heavy metal misses you.
-Sam