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NEWS: Mike Portnoy rejoins Dream Theater after a 13 year absence!

I did not see this coming! Mike Portnoy is back in the band he co-founded 40 years ago, Dream Theater.

Ex-drummer Mike Mangini was a great fit, and he was beloved by fans, myself included.

But there is something about having the founding guy, and a chief writer, back in the band.  Dream Theater are heading into the studio to make their first album with Portnoy in 14 years.  As for Mangini, he seemed to accept this change as inevitable.

“I understand Dream Theater’s decision to get Mike Portnoy back at this time. As was said from day one, my place was not to fill all the roles that Mike held in the band. I was to play the drums in order to help the band carry on.  My main role of keeping our live show working tightly on a nightly basis was an intense and rewarding experience.  Thankfully, I got to experience playing music with these iconic musicians, as well as some fun times laced with humor. I also really enjoyed spending lots of time with the crew. And then there’s the Grammy win, which was amazingly satisfying.”

Given the amount of time and effort it took to find Mangini, and the amount of work Mangini himself put into the band, this never seemed like an event we could assume would eventually happen.  But it has — and Dream Theater will be bigger than ever for it.

NEW SITE! Jexcalibur WordPress is here! …Who Is Jex?

That’s right folks!  I’ve twisted his arm, and Jex “Rambo” Russell is now on WordPress.

You can find him at Jexcalibur.wordpress.com.  He’ll be telling stories like I do, he’ll be reviewing movies (one review is in the bag, to be posted August on 13 on both our sites simultaneously) and he’ll be talking music.  Subscribe and support!

You guys should already know Jex from the Distortion Den, Tim’s Vinyl Confessions, and Grab A Stack of Rock.  If you don’t, where the hell have you been all this time?

Subscribe to Jexcalibur, and celebrate as the community continues to grow.  Welcome Jex!

Rest In Peace the Iron Sheik (1942-2023)

Sadly at the age of 81, Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, better known as the Iron Sheik, has joined the Squared Circle in the sky.

The Iron Sheik’s real name was Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri. Unlike many “foreign” WWF wrestlers, Vaziri was actually born where he was billed from: Iran. In his early years, he worked as a bodyguard for the Shah of Iran.

The Iron Sheik won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship from Bob Backlund on December 26, 1983 due to Backlund’s manager throwing in the towel during a vicious camel clutch. Sheik lost the title January 23, 1984 to Hulk Hogan and his atomic legdrop. Hulkamania had begun.

Fans of 80s wrestling knew the Sheik best for his tag team partnership with Nikolai Volkoff. Under the management of “Classy” Freddie Blassie, the Sheik and Volkoff took the WWF Tag Team Championship from the U.S. Express on March 31, 1985. The U.S. Express took the title back on June 17 of that year. The angle here was the US/Iran/Russia political rivalry, played out in the ring.

It was kind of a big deal when the Iron Sheik was caught doing cocaine while rival Hacksaw Jim Duggan was smoking weed in a car on the way to a match. For the WWF, an impact of this was that the Sheik was caught partying with his supposed enemy. This destroyed the illusion. The WWF let the Sheik go, and Duggan also temporarily left the organization.

Less than a year after the cocaine incident with Hacksaw Jim Duggan, the WWF deemed the public’s memory short and the Sheik made a triumphant return defeating “jobbers” (the guys who always lose to the bigger names). He bounced around other wrestling organizations, came back to the WWF in 1991, and then wrestled the independent circuit for almost a decade.

In his later years he enjoyed a pop culture status as a minor icon. In 2013 he challenged then-Toronto mayor Rob Ford to a match. Both men were caught doing cocaine during their professional careers. He has even appeared on the Canadian television program Kenny Vs. Spenny, attempting to sodomize Spenny with a bottle!  We loved ya, Sheiky!

Rest In Peace, Gordon Lightfoot (1939-2023)

When I saw Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. live for the first and only time about 15 years ago, I thought he was a goner!  He looked so thin and frail, and when he tripped over a cord onstage I feared, “Well, that’s it.”  The air went completely out of the room.  Fortunately and obviously it wasn’t the end, but it was also obvious that Lightfoot had been battling health issues.  His voice was thin and whispery; very different from those booming old 1960s folk records.

Gordon Lightfoot and I bonded over “Edmund Fitzgerald” like many others did.  The nautical theme struck a chord, and of course that guitar riff was unforgettable.

Even more than that unmistakable voice, Lightfoot might be better recognized for his songwriting.  “Early Morning Rain”, “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” and “If You Could Read My Mind” are prime examples of perfect songwriting.  Elvis, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, and Bob Dylan all knew it.  That’s why they covered his songs.

Gordon Lightfoot will forever remain not just one of my favourite Canadian artists, but one of my favourite singers, period.  His lyrics will forever remain poems with dusty, buried layers of story that some of us will never even notice.  He educated me. Without Lightfoot I would have been ignorant of the name gichi-gumi, and possibly much of Canada’s history.  His records will be played infinitely.  He will live forever.

Rest in peace, Gordon Lightfoot.

EXCLUSIVE! @MarriedandHeels is now @MarriedandCrocs! [Instagram/OnlyFans] VIDEOS & PHOTO GALLERY

BREAKING NEWS!  April 1 2023

To the shock and dismay of her 200,000 fans, Grab A Stack of Rock co-host @MarriedandHeels has made the announcement that she is done with high heel shoes, and is now endorsing Crocs and only Crocs!  This will come with a name change, to @MarriedandCrocs.

“It’s true,” she announced while sipping on her watermelon peach tea, with local honey.  “To be honest, high heel shoes are too much work.  Do you have any idea how hard it to walk in 10 inch platforms?  I know my loyal fans will understand.  After all, I still have my boobs, and they really like those!” she reasoned.

Reportedly, her OnlyFans account saw a boost of over 1000 new subscribers this morning.

“There must be many fans out there with a Crocs fetish,” she concluded.  “I plan on buying as many colours and styles as I can!  Especially those sexy KISS Crocs!  I bet they look hot with silver anklets!”

Is there anything you don’t like about Crocs, we asked her?

“Just that you can’t see my pretty toe rings and pedicure!” she winked.  With that, @MarriedandHeels logged onto Amazon to order a pair in hot pink.  “See you April 7 on Grab A Stack of Rack!” she said to her fans in a statement.

We have reached out to @MarriedandCrocs for more information, but she said “You’ll just have to like and subscribe to Grab A Stack of Rack for more!”

To be continued…

Watch her crunching leaves in her Crocs!

 

 

 

 

NEWS: Scott Rockenfield opens his own online store

The (former?) Queensryche drummer who seems dedicated to chaos just opened his own RycheShop.com selling crap artwork.  This is not to be confused with the official Queensryche store.

Bonus:  If you spend $250 or more, Scott will give you a personal phone call.

What would you ask Scott?  I have a few ideas. Maybe ask about that sweet new neck tat.

 

NEWS: Scott Rockenfield muddies the Queensryche waters further with “SuperHuman” announcement

(Former?) Queensryche drummer Scott Rockenfield has, shall we say, been a bit of a drama queen these last couple years.  In 2021 he announced his own version of Queensryche seemingly separate from the current version.  His supposedly included Michael Wilton and Eddie Jackson, but not singer Todd LaTorre.  Scott released a 2014 demo called “Days O’ Deth” as his only musical output so far, which ironically included LaTorre on vocals.  Scott’s dislike for LaTorre has been quite public in his social media.  The legit Queensryche have largely ignored Scott’s statements.

Today Rockenfield is announcing something in 2023 called “SuperHuman” with someone called Damien Krane.  The artwork recycles the album cover for the 2013 self-titled Queensryche CD.

Who knows what the hell is actually going on, but the possibility of two Queensryches has once again reared its ugly head.  Stay tuned in 2023 for more drama.

 

NEWS: Loudness release new video for “Tengoku No Tobira (Heaven’s Door)” from new album Sunburst

Loudness have released a new DOUBLE album called Sunburst, and in support of that new album comes the music video “Tengoku No Tobira (Heaven’s Door)”.

There’s a very 80s vibe to the music, while the production is modern and tough. The band still consists of original singer Minoru Niihara, shredder Akira Takasaki, bassist Masayoshi Yamashita, and drummer Masayuki Suzuki. What do you think of this track?

NEWS: Jethro Tull finish work on their 23rd studio album, due for release in Spring 2023

Press release from Chipster PR below.  We waited 19 years for a new Jethro Tull album in The Zealot Gene, but now we are only waiting a year between albums for the next one!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Jethro Tull finish work on their 23rd studio album, due for release in Spring 2023

 

Jethro Tull have completed work on the recording of their 23rd studio album, following swift on the heels of their critically-acclaimed return earlier this year with ‘The Zealot Gene’, their first album in two decades.

Ian Anderson checks in with the below:

“We have been putting the finishing touches to the artwork for the album cover and wrapped up the recording and mixing a few weeks ago. Due to the usual long wait for vinyl pressing and manufacturing, we are scheduled for an Spring 2023 release but, during the weeks and months to come, you will be hearing more about the record and the various formats which will be available.

It’s a little too early just yet to tease you with titles, tracklists and content, but rest assured that it is all done and dusted as to mastering and the main elements of art and packaging. I hope you will like the concept and themes when I am ready to tell you more. It has been a long and tricky job to get the material recorded during a hectic schedule of touring in these last months. A day here, a day there and the odd burst of a few days together at some points along the way.

I wrote the main themes and lyrics back in January of this year and sent the first demos to the band in February and March, much as I did with The Zealot Gene, back in 2017. Most of the recording took place in June and August with the stereo mixing done in September. My new pal Bruce Soord of The Pineapple Thief undertook to create the surround sound mixes and an alternative stereo mix too.”

Jethro Tull continue live dates this year, with shows in mainland Europe before returning to the UK for their annual Christmas shows, and then further dates in 2023.

‘The Zealot Gene’, released in January 2022, was Jethro Tull’s 22nd studio album and it garnered critical acclaim across the board. Reaching #9 in the UK album charts, a feat the band hadn’t reached since 1972, it also debuted at #4 in Germany, #3 in Switzerland, #5 in Austria, #8 in Finland, as well as top 10 in the US Album Charts, Current Album Charts and Rock Album Charts.

With more than 30 albums to their credit and sales totaling more than 50 million, Jethro Tull are one of the most successful rock bands of all-time with a catalog that contains classics that still resonate today. Led by Ian Anderson, Tull still continue to tour throughout the world, entertaining audiences of all ages.

The band consists of:
Ian Anderson – Flute, acoustic guitar, harmonica, vocals
David Goodier – Bass guitar
John O’Hara – Piano, keyboards and accordion
Scott Hammond – Drums.
Joe Parrish-James – Guitar

JETHRO TULL ONLINE:
http://jethrotull.com/
https://www.facebook.com/officialjethrotull/
https://twitter.com/jethrotull
https://www.youtube.com/user/tullmanagement
https://www.instagram.com/jethrotull_/

INSIDEOUTMUSIC ONLINE:
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