Global Gathering Festival 2006 Miami


 

Global Gathering took place for the first time in the United States on 18 March 2006 in Miami, at the city-owned Bicentennial Park alongside Biscayne Bay. This event marked the first time that the festival had gone across the Atlantic.
This was the festival's official site.
Content is from the site's 2006 archived pages as well as other outside sources.



Global Gathering 2006 The Movie - A quick rundown of the two days events at Long Marsden 2006.

 

The date and location have been set for the third Global Gathering Festival. Mark your calendars for 18 March 2006, in Miami FL, USA as the British Isle's premiere music festival takes aim at Miami with a vengeance, just in time for the week of madness which you are already going to anyway. 

After hugely successful events in the UK and Ireland, the Global Gathering team is set to take on the States. With a diverse lineup that's sure to please even the most jaded music-head, this is one festival that shouldn't be missed.

VIP Service includes express no-wait entry, private VIP areas, premium bars, exclusive DJ sets, tents, hammocks, and more

Global Gathering** Fest Descends On Miami

An eclectic lineup of rock and electronica acts will perform this spring at Global Gathering, the first U.S. edition of the long-running European festival

NEWS 1/10/2006 | www.billboard.com/

An eclectic lineup of rock and electronica acts will perform this spring at Global Gathering, the first U.S. edition of the long-running European festival. The event will be held March 18 at Miami's Bicentennial Park. Among the top names confirmed are Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie, Avenged Sevenfold, Sasha and Digweed, Deep Dish and Coheed & Cambria.

The festival is being staged in the United States thanks to Track Entertainment, which has previously produced the Rolling Rock Town Fair and Pepsi Smash Live. Tickets start at $55.

Other artists set to appear at Global Gathering include the Alkaline Trio, Rise Against, Killswitch Engage, Shinedown, Flyleaf and Lacuna Coil from the world of rock, while Ferry Corsten, Armin Van Buuren, Steve Lawler, Roger Sanchez and Charles Feelgood round out the electronica/dance portion of the bill.

Adam Freeland, Stanton Warriors, Rennie Pilgrem, Uberzone (live), Freq Nasty, Evil Nine and K-Swing will perform on a stage devoted to breakbeat.

**

Launched in the UK in 2001, GlobalGathering quickly established itself as the UK's leading dance music festival, with a reputation for diverse music programing and quality production.

In 2005 GlobalGathering UK became the first UK dance music event to adopt a 2 day event format with camping. The inaugural event attracted upwards of 90,000 people across the weekend, making it the biggest dance music event in the UK.

In 2006 GlobalGathering made its first foray in to the international market, travelling to Miami. Since then the brand has constantly travelled the world, bringing its uniquely UK flavored take on electronic music festivals across the globe, with editions in USA; Australia; Russia; Ukraine; Poland; Belarus; Turkey; Malaysia; Indonesia & S Korea over the years.

GlobalGathering has always stood for musical diversity, the festival has a reputation for promoting the most explosive live electronic acts alongside championing cutting edge music genres such as the dub step and bass scenes, very much reflecting its UK heritage. As much as GlobalGathering is a big festival concept it has always been about delivering a quality musical offering.
http://globalgathering.com/

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A note: Recently I was visiting my elderly mother at Hart Heritage Estates, the Bel Air assisted living and senior residence where she is residing. We were looking at  photo albums and reminiscing about the pictures. "Remember this event you took me to when I was still living in Miami?" she said pointing to a photo of me when I was in college. There we were at Miami's Bicentennial Park for the 2006 Global Gathering Festival. I had invited my mother to go for one of the evenings' shows for a lark and she had actually accepted. So there I was with college friends and my mother for an evening concert of Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie, and Avenged Sevenfold. It was insane with the huge crowds roaring and dancing to the music, but my mother had a blast. The music acts were so eclectic. We didn't have to camp out in the surrounding fields  like many of the attendees since my Mom was living in Miami at the time, but my friends had wanted to, so we did. On the evening when I took my mother to the concert, I picked her up at her home in Miami and met my friends at the designated VIP no wait entry. It was a good thing we did that because the crowds were so huge we never would have connected otherwise. The private VIP areas, premium bars, and exclusive DJ sets made us feel super special, to say the least. Heck, we were just college kids.

My afternoon visits to my Mom always zip by so fast. Sometimes we'll go for a walk around the grounds where this residential care facility is located. Nestled on 6.5 acres of park-like grounds, the residents have a front row view of nature at its finest. My mother keeps a pair of binoculars by her window so she can bird watch. My mother has said that she never thought she would end up in a residential care facility, but Hart Heritage Estates in Maryland, close to where I live, is an excellent compromise. I know she is safe and will receive excellent care, while I am close enough to visit frequently.

~~~

 

2005.03.11 Festival begins buildout on Monday
For those of you based in Miami, keep an eye on Bicentennial Park from this Monday (13th) as the huge production team begins the 5 day buildout of B-Live's Global Gathering. Driving across the 395 you'll get a great view of the Beach Stage which will house Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie and the other rock acts.

2005.03.10 Weather looks good!
The extended forecast for Saturday March 18th is mostly sunny, 74F and only a 10% chance of rain. It's going to be a great day! 

2005.02.20
 National and Local Press pick up on B-Live's Global Gathering Miami
Word is well and truly out about Global Gathering's US debut, as stories about the festival have appeared all over the US in many of the major publications. If you're in Florida you may well have seen GG coverage in magazines and newspapers, and nationally MTVBillboardRolling Stoneand many others have all picked up on the show.
 2005.02.06 More Ticket Outlets To Match Demand
B-Live's Global Gathering tickets have been flying out of stores all across Florida, so to keep up with demand we've now made tickets available at FYE stores across Florida as well as at Club Space every Saturday night. Click here for a full list of outlets. We expect to sell out the show so don't waste time grabbing them!

2005.01.27 Internet Debut of Global Gathering Trailer
GG's assault on the global consciousness continues with this brand new trailer which will be airing across South Florida very soon. Check it out first by clicking hereor tune in to A3TV to catch the TV debut.

2005.01.23 Tommy Lee & friends join B-Live's Beach Stage
Although GG already has a huge rock lineup, we couldn't miss out on this opportunity. Tommy Lee will be using a rare night off from the Motley Crüe tour to join our lineup and play a DJ set along with buddy DJ Aero on the Beach Stage. Apparently Tommy has a few surprises in store as well as other friends he's bringing along for the ride... watch this space!

2005.01.12 The Crystal Method and Jonathan Peters join Global Gathering lineup! 
Award winning electronic artists The Crystal Methodand NYC legend Jonathan Peters will both be performing DJ sets on the Downtown Stage at GG 06, joining Sasha & Digweed, Ferry Corsten, Armin Van Buuren and Jimmy Van M for what promises to be an unforgettable 12 hours of music.

2005.12.15 Tickets Now On Sale!
Global Gathering 2006 tickets are now available at only $55 for General Admission and $200 for VIP Tickets (limited number available). VIP ticket holders receive express entry to the festival via a separate entrance, access to three outstanding VIP areas (Beach Stage VIP, Downtown Stage VIP and Central VIP Platform) with private bars and catering, beds, hammocks, hot tubs and private bathroom areas.

To purchase tickets online click here, or call 1-866-WANTIXX. You can also get a list of stores with tickets available by clicking here.

2005.12.20 Sasha & Digweed to headline Electronic Stage / Deep Dish to headline House Arena
Finally the news we've been waiting to bring you! We're very proud to announce that the world's most famous DJ duos have joined the Global Gathering lineup. Headlining the massive outdoor Electronic 'Downtown Stage' will be the legendary Sasha & Digweed - not seen together in Miami since March 2005, while over at the huge 'Biscayne Tent',Deep Dish will take the reins for what promises to be a truly memorable day and night. Other headline DJ's include Ferry CorstenArmin Van BuurenSteve Lawler and Roger Sanchez. The complete current lineup can be found here.  

2005.12.15 Nine Inch Nails announced as headline Rock act.
Legendary industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails, who were forced to cancel a previous South Florida date due to Hurricane Wilma, have joined the Global Gathering lineup as the live rock headliner. The March 18th show will mark a long awaited return to South Florida for Trent Reznor and co., and will form part of NIN's Spring 2006 'With Teeth' tour.

 

The Global Gathering VIP Experience is an event in itself. As well as the amazing lineup of artists on offer, VIP's will have an unobstructed view of proceedings from elevated VIP areas, access to private stageside locations, private bars, plush bathrooms and the option of bottle service. 

Global Gathering VIP areas are strictly 21 and overand a valid ID must be presented to gain access. VIP Ticket holders have access to all three VIP areas. See below for table / bottle reservation info.

Bacardi Hilltop VIP
With an unobstructed panoramic view of the entire site and its own sound and video system, the Bacardi Hilltop VIP will give you an awe-inspiring view of the entire festival, with audio and video feeds from various artists throughout the day and night.

Beach VIP
Located beside the Rock Stage on the shores of Biscayne Bay, the Beach VIP is for those about to rock. The best view in the house for those of you planning to enjoy the guitar side of GG.

Downtown VIP
If banging beats are your thing, then the Downtown VIP is the spot to enjoy a mammoth set from Sasha & Digweed as well as trance titans Ferry Corsten and Armin Van Buuren.

Table & Bottle Service Package
Bottle service will be available at the Hilltop VIP, and advance reservations are recommended as the number of available tables is limited to fifteen before the event. The advance package is only available until March 17th and includes:
• 4 VIP Tickets
• Separate, no-wait VIP entrance
• One table seating four people on the upper Hilltop VIP deck for the duration of the event.
• One bottle of Bacardi Superior or Bacardi Flavors (Limon, Coco, O, Vanilla, Razz)
• One bottle of choice from Bacardi, Grey Goose, Moet & Chandon, Dewar's, Bombay Sapphire or Cazadores Tequila
• Unlimited mixers

• Additional bottles available either in advance or at the event
The VIP package is available at $1800 by advance reservation only. Please contact Maria Ball at 212.921.2100 x187 for reservations and more information.


Beach Stage: Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie, Avenged Sevenfold, Coheed & Cambria, Alkaline Trio, Rise Against, Killswitch Engage, Shinedown, Flyleaf, Lacuna Coil, Bullet for My Valentine, Tommy Lee w/ DJ Aero, Atomic Tangerine

Downtown Stage: Sasha & John Digweed, Ferry Corsten, Armin Van Buuren, The Crystal Method, Jimmy Van M, Jonathan Peters, George Acosta, Stryke, Edgar V, Roland

Biscayne Tent: Deep Dish, Roger Sanchez, Steve Lawler, Charles Feelgood, Dean Coleman, Murk, Tom De Neef, Cedric Gervais, Franco Fabi, Ivano Bellini, Denny Tsettos

Global Beats Tent: Adam Freeland, Stanton Warriors, Rennie Pilgrem, Uberzone, Freq Nasty, Evil Nine, K-Swing, Merlyn, Ashrock, Wendel

New Times: Bruno, Diaga, Parantula, Johnny Ramirez, Jae Vynel, Nikolas, DJ Pedro, Filo & Peri, Nelson Diaz



 

ARTISTS

 

Tommy Lee

When he was still a member of Mötley Crüe, drummer Tommy Lee undoubtedly garnered the most headlines of all four bandmembers -- due in part to two separate marriages to Hollywood actresses. Born in Athens, Greece, as Thomas Lee Bass on March 10, 1962, his family moved to California a year after his birth. Lee received his first drum set at the ripe old age of four, but didn't receive his first real kit until reaching his teenage years, upon his discovery of hard rock and heavy metal (Deep Purple, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, etc.). After drumming for his high-school marching band, Lee quit high school in his senior year, as he focused entirely on following his dream of joining a rock band. His first real band was called Suite 19, and played the Sunset Strip in L.A. during the early '80s. It was at a Suite 19 show that Lee bumped into his future bandmate, Nikki Sixx. 

Sixx was a bassist looking to form a theatrical band that would specialize in anthemic heavy metal, and when he saw Lee play, he knew he had found his drummer. Sixx successfully convinced Lee to leave Suite 19 and form the nucleus of what would become Mötley Crüe. The drummer changed his name to Tommy Lee (also earning the nickname "T-Bone" from Sixx), and guitarist Mick Mars joined the fledgling band shortly afterwards. Lee recommended a singer from his high-school days, Vince Neil, and after several attempts to get him to try out for the band, Neil landed the gig during the first jam session. Mötley Crüe quickly built a fanatical local following, issuing their debut album, Too Fast for Love, on their own independent Leathur label. Elektra Records decided to sign the band shortly thereafter, reissuing their debut, as the band began a string of hit releases throughout the decade -- 1983's "Shout at the Devil," 1985's "Theater of Pain," 1987's "Girls, Girls, Girls," and 1989's "Dr. Feelgood" -- establishing the quartet as one of the biggest hard rock/metal bands of the '80s. The band took rock theater to a whole new level, especially Lee, whose drum solo centered around such crowd-pleasing gimmicks as his entire kit revolving and spinning, while he continuing to bash on the skins. 

Although his achievements with Mötley Crüe are extremely impressive, it was his celebrity marriages to Heather Locklear in the '80s and Pamela Anderson in the '90s that made Tommy Lee a household name. One of his most famous incidents occurred during his torrid relationship with Anderson, when they were both involved the highly publicized "sex tape scandal" (a videotape that was stolen from their house was eventually made available to the public). Lee also spent several months behind bars in 1998 after Anderson accused Lee of hitting her in front of their children. The pair divorced while the Crüe drummer was serving his prison sentence, but reconciled and then broke up again after his release. Lee also decided to leave Mötley Crüe during his stay in prison, and stuck to his promise after the completion of the Crüe's Greatest Hits tour in 1999. With rap metal being all the rage, Lee formed a similarly styled outfit, Methods of Mayhem, issuing a self-titled album the same year and touring behind it. AlthoughLee had little to do with Mötley Crüe after splitting, he agreed to take part in their 2001 tell-all autobiography, The Dirt. In addition to his musical output with the Crüe and M.O.M., Lee has made guest appearances on albums by other artists (Stuart Hamm -- The Urge, Nine Inch Nails -- Downward Spiral, Rob Zombie -- Hellbilly Deluxe), contributed a solo song, "Welcome to Planet Boom," to the soundtrack of then-wife Pamela Anderson's 1996 movie, Barb Wire, and produced an album for the pre-Goldfinger project from John Feldmann and Simon Williams, the Electric Love Hogs. He parted ways with M.O.M. partner Tilo and began recording with members of Incubus and the Deftones. Through time, he eventually started recording songs featuring himself almost exclusively, and by the time it came to release the results, it was released as his first solo album. The CD, 2002's Never a Dull Moment, reflected his love of rap metal and electronica and featured little of the Motley Crue swagger he was famous for. Three years later, he and Mötley Crüe reconvened for the greatest hits package Red, White and Crüe. A monumental reunion tour, The Red, White & Crüe Tour 2005: Better Live Than Dead, the band's first in six years, coincided its release. In the midst of the band's resurgence, Lee also prepped himself for his turn in the reality TV spotlight and a new solo album. Tommy Lee Goes to College, which featured Lee taking classes and playing in the marching band at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, was slated to premiere in August 2005. The accompanying Tommyland was also scheduled to be released that month. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide


 

 

Lacuna Coil

Throughout history, Italy has been known for blending the classic with the innovative. In the musical realm, Milan’s prolific Lacuna Coil has best translated the dichotomy of this Italian consciousness. 

With three full-length albums and two EPs released in a 4-year span, each offering has furthered the enunciation of the subtle, solemn beauty Lacuna Coil creates. Signifying "empty spiral" in English, the definition betrays the rich versatility of their music. Comalies, their offering for 2002, maturely exhibits the trademarked gothic overtones and simplistic melancholy of their haunting musical landscape. Leaving all comparisons to Draconian Times-era Paradise Lost and The Gathering's Mandylion-era behind, Lacuna Coil bring miraculous eloquence to their collision of melody and metal.

 


 

Shinedown

After touring for 23 months and playing more than 400 shows, you'd think the four members of Shinedown would want to rest. They did. For about two weeks. 

Then it was back into the studio to start work on “US AND THEM,” the hard-rocking Jacksonville, Fla., band's second album and the follow-up to their 2003 platinum debut, “LEAVE A WHISPER.” "We took two weeks off and then went right back into the studio. We basically wrote every song from scratch and recorded it, and here we are now with a new album," says frontman Brent Smith. 

That should tell you exactly what you need to know about Shinedown. Smith and his bandmates ­ guitarist Jasin Todd, bassist Brad Stewart, and drummer Barry Kerch ­ don't want to do anything but rock. For them, writing, recording, and touring go beyond overused terms like "passion" and "commitment" and are, in fact, their reasons for being. They have a lot to say and a lot to play, so it should be no surprise that they only needed enough time to do the laundry and maybe catch a little extra sleep before the desire to make more music brought them back together. 

Then again, “LEAVE A WHISPER” was the kind of album that would energize any band. It was one of those ubiquitous, won't-go-away records, spawning radio hits such as "Fly From the Inside," the controversial social commentary "45," and a remake of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man," a crowd-pleasing nod to their sweet home Florida roots. Shinedown wound up topping SoundScan's Alternative New Artist chart and also hit the top five on Billboard's Heatseekers ranking of new and developing artists. Four tracks from “LEAVE A WHISPER” reached the top five on the rock radio charts, making the album a veritable “greatest hits” package by today’s standards. 

But it was on tour that Shinedown really established themselves following the release of “LEAVE A WHISPER.” The tireless group shared stages with Van Halen, 3 Doors Down, Tantric, Saliva, and Life of Agony during their run on the road. And it was there that Smith says Shinedown recognized just what kind of band they were. 

"On our first record, we didn't really know who we were," the singer explains. "We were just four individuals who came together, were in the studio for two years, and had never played together live. When we got in a room together, it was extremely powerful and extremely passionate. And when we did that on stage, we just became this... machine. We became the band we wanted to be." 

Shinedown also became a band people wanted to hear, and Smith thinks he knows the reason. "I said this from day one: if I had to describe the band in one word, it would be honest. There's no sugarcoating anything. We deal with the issues in the songs head-on. We talk about the things we go through in life and we make them very up-front. We've tapped into something that's extremely unique, with the human spirit as a guide." That was the force that guided Shinedown as they started working on the songs for “US AND THEM” in June of 2005 in Jacksonville and Orlando, Fla. Starting with a completely blank page, the group wrote 23 songs, recorded 17, and chose 12 for the final version of the album. 

The growth is obvious ­ from the heart-starting bass roll of the first single, "Save Me," through the crashing end of the stomping rocker, "Heroes." It's evident what those 23 months on the road did for Shinedown; the performances on “US AND THEM” are taut and muscular, with soaring dynamics that make each song a keep-your-hands-inside-the-car kind of thrill ride. Tracks such as "Beyond the Sun," "I Dare You," and "Some Day" start gently and carefully swell to anthemic proportions. "Your Majesty" drives with stuttering urgency, while the trippy "Lady So Divine" (think about a similar L-S-D title by the Beatles) is highlighted by an epic guitar break by Todd. 

"I think we made one of the biggest-sounding records in the world," Smith says, and he doesn't spare in crediting producer Tony Battaglia, another Florida denizen, for that sonic achievement. "He's amazing; his vision and his musical sensibility are incredible," Smith says. "His drive and his passion are incredible. The man's take on music is so simple it's almost elementary. He treats the music like a child, almost." 

Smith can relate to that; he refers to his songs as "my children" and puts a kind of nurturing care into the way he crafts them. "When I wake up in the morning," he explains, "I say 'I hope today I don't fall short of genius.' People will ask me, 'What does that mean?' It's just that I want to try and figure out a way to be supportive of the human spirit. It's an amazing thing to have the gift of being able to play music. It's not my job, it's my honor." 

While conventional wisdom dictates that you have your whole life to write your first album and just weeks to write the second, Smith begs to differ. "I had more to talk about on the second record than I did on the first record," he notes. And though they were written back at home, Smith says many of the new songs were inspired by Shinedown's travels ­ whether ruminations about his own state of being or reflections about the people and stories he encountered on the road. 

"I wanted to talk about what I saw," Smith explains. "There are so many songs about fans and the people I talked to, and their lives and their relationships. They're just the most incredible people in the world, but they have so many serious, serious problems to deal with. I wanted to talk about those things. In a way, I feel like I took what they couldn't talk about and hopefully I wrote down what they felt. So when the album comes out and they hear the songs, they'll be able to look at themselves and say, 'He said everything that I wanted to say.' " 

That, he adds, is why Shinedown decided to call the album “US AND THEM.” "It's a dedication to our fans," Smith says, "a thank-you to them for the support, for everything they've given us, and for being there from day one. It's US AND THEM." 

The songs aren't just about Smith’s and Shinedown's fans, however. Bassist Stewart's firefighter brother provided a third-party inspiration for "I Dare You," while "Heroes" is Smith's tribute to "badasses" throughout history. And "Save Me" poured directly from Smith's own head and heart. 

"At the time when I got off the road I wasn't necessarily in the most positive situation," he confesses. "I dealt with a lot of problems. I'm not really talking about drugs and substances; I’m talking about all the demons that you hide in your closet, the things you have to go through in life. And it's more of a cry for help; it's basically saying, 'You know what? I'm a strong person. I can deal with a lot, but at this very moment I need someone to help me. I'm having a hard time being a strong person.' " 

For those moments, however, Smith knows he has the backing of his band, whether it's in a general sense or in moments like Stewart diving in to help the singer overcome a bit of writer's block with the musical idea for "I Dare You." Shinedown's brightest feature is that this is a band, one in which four musicians combine to form a single identity that knits their diverse individual personalities into a seamless force, one that's greater than the proverbial sum of its parts. 

"We're all different, and somehow we make a match," Smith agrees. "Nobody's singled out as the superstar or 'This guy' or 'That guy.' It's about a unity, a brotherhood, and about sharing what we've all been through and being able to take it to the stage." 

Which, by the way, is where Shinedown will be taking it, again, as the new album reaches the “them” that “US AND THEM” is all about.

 


 

Nine Inch Nails

Nine Inch Nails returned with a vengeance last year after a 5 year hiatus. The new album, With Teeth, was a critical and commercial triumph. It debuted at #1 and thus far seen the first two singles, "Only" and "The Hand That Feeds," reach #1 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks. "The Hand That Feeds" was the most played single of 2005 at alternative radio and the David Fincher directed video for "Only" was widely heralded among the best of the year. 

NIN, led by Trent Reznor, hit the road last March with a sold out US club tour before heading overseas and followed by a return to the US for a headlining arena tour with Queens Of The Stone Age. Leaving a wake of awed fans and smashed gear, the band's new line-up are delivering shows as ferocious as ever. Joining Reznor this time around are Jeordie White on bass (Marilyn Manson, A Perfect Circle), Josh Freese on drums (The Vandals, Devo, A Perfect Circle), Aaron North on guitar (The Icarus Line) and Alessandro Cortini on keyboards. 

Ever since their legendary performances at the inaugural Lollapalooza in 1991, Nine Inch Nails have been rock's gold standard. NIN unleashed the debut triple-platinum Pretty Hate Machine, sold more than 5 million copies of The Downward Spiral (named one of Rolling Stone's "Essential Recordings of the '90s"), and headlined the 25th anniversary Woodstock Festival. The Grammy Award-winning NIN's controversial, pulsing, provocative singles such as "Closer" and "Head Like A Hole" have been staples on dance floors for over 15 years.

 


 

Alkaline Trio

Follow me here: Punk rock is like Joan Rivers. In an ongoing quest for eternal youth, it continually tears at the flesh of its own face, pushing and prodding and tightening and twisting until what emerges is a boring old monster that, somehow, everyone is OK with looking at. And this far down the line, punk rock has been reshaped so many times it sometimes looks like a busload of 70-something sun-bunnies in coastal Florida, face lifted into an army of look-a-likes. Somewhere along the ride, its mean spirit left the tuneful bands for hardcore and metal, and punk rock filled with melody became nice. And funny. And safe. And dull as shit. 

Enter Alkaline Trio, circa 1997. Right out of the gate, the kids realized that while this may still be loosely categorized as "pop-punk," it’s a full step beyond. There’s a dark side to this band, a world-weariness, and some honest-to-whoever honesty all balled up into a completely kinetic force. Even the jaded fucks can’t help but sing along to those two different-but-perfectly-complementary voices, singer/guitarist Matt Skiba’s triumphant rasp and singer/bassist Dan Andriano’s more measured, sweet croon as they combine to completely wreck audiences with bittersweet songs about love and loss, drugs and drink, God and Satan, happiness and pain. All of this comes from three young guys, about as many chords, and a healthy supply of beer, cigarettes, and heartbreak. 

 


 

For My Valentine

2005 has been the year of Bullet For My Valentine. In the past twelve months, the Welsh four piece have exploded into worldwide prominence. Combining darkly crooned rock with earth shattering metal execution, the arena sized sound has taken over, radio, TV and live performances. Releasing their debut full-length “The Poison” in the UK, the album immediately shot to number one at rock radio. Known for their live vigor the group sold out a headlining tour through the UK, as well as high profile tours through Japan and a recent U.S. debut opening for Trustkill Records label-mates, It Dies Today. 

Speaking on their recent streak of success, Matt Tuck, lithe and intense eyed vocalist and guitarist, is more matter of fact than arrogant when he says: “What separates us from most other bands is keeping our metal roots; keeping all of the aggressiveness and brutality that we’ve grown up on, but at the same time writing good songs.” Then his tongue slips firmly into his cheek as he adds: And when you put it all together in one good looking, young, 21st Century rock band, you can’t fail!” 

To give you an idea of the band’s standing in their homeland, the group is currently gearing up for a headlining spot on an upcoming Kerrang Magazine sponsored tour with Hawthorne Heights supporting them! Of couse all of this momentum is not gathered without hard work and working so hard comes with a price. 24 hours before turning in a foundation rattling gig at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods, Tuck had been hospitalized for exhaustion. 

“We’d just been doing too much”, says Matt. “My body just said ‘No more’ and packed in.” But the same protestant work ethic has taken its toll on the rest of the band as well. During a hectic and insanely well received tour of Japan, affable drummer, Michael ‘Moose’ Thomas contracted a potentially fatal strain of flu! “It was horrible”, says Moose “I was on a drip for a fortnight. I reckon I picked it up in those caves.” 

“Those caves” were the Postojna Caves in Slovenia where they filmed the epic video to their last top 40 single “Suffocating Under The Words Of Sorrow (What Can I Do).” “It was the most heavy metal place you can imagine, underground with all these stalactites. But I thought they were going to snap off and spear me while I was playing”, adds the drummer. “It had Enter Traveller In To This Immensity carved in big letters in Latin over the entrance, it was mad”, adds laidback guitar man Michael ‘Padge’ Padget. While in the U.S. in November the band found time to film a video for the song “All These Things” from the Poison album. Look for the video on these shores in early 06. 

The band composed of Tuck, Michael 'Padge' Padget (guitar), Michael 'Moose' Thomas (drums) or Jason 'Jay' James (bass) are childhood mates from the area of Bridgeend. This small area has also been home turf for such artists as LostProphets and Funeral For A Friend. Growing up on a steady diet of Metallica, Iron Maiden, Machine Head and rock like Guns N Roses the friends without James started a group in their pre-teen years called Jeff Killed John. That band struggled through musical growth and the hiccups that go along with starting a musical career for close to seven years. In that time the band played shitty gigs, pay for play affairs with little or no local support and sleeping in vans and floors. A little over two years ago, that group was about to enter the recording studio, when their bassist walked out on them. Rather than contuining on, the members recruited James and started a new band as Bullet For My Valentine, re-working their sound and musical ideas into a new beast. This group was signed at their second gig and quickly steam-rolled through the musical landscape. 

Recently scoring covers for Metal Hammer and Kerrang in their homeland and upcoming profiles in Revolver, Penthouse Magazine and beyond. The band recently released their self-titled EP in the U.S. on Trustkill Records (it has sold over 20,000 copies so far!). The video for “Hand Of Blood” has just been added to MTV2. The band are prepping the U.S. release of The Poison for Valentine’s Day 2006. Let the massacre begin.


 

Rob Zombie

For 18 years Rob Zombie has been carving out a strange legacy of music in the world of rock, beginning in 1985 with the formation of his brainchild White Zombie. From the start, White Zombie was a bizarre hybrid of hardcore/punk aggression, Lower East Side art-damage and hard rock thunder. As if that weren't enough, these fixations were filtered through Mr. Zombie's love of classic horror/sci-fi films, trash hot rod culture and generally, all things on the dark side. 

Zombie oversaw every aspect of the band's journey from their early independent releases to their major label albums. He created the band's unique visual style, designing everything Zombie: album art, T-shirts, stage shows and music videos. This was a man obsessed. "I never saw it as work; I love doing everything," insists Zombie. "How else can you realize a complete vision" After five independent releases, Zombie's efforts paid off in 1990 when the band signed with Geffen Records.

 


 

Flyleaf

 Heavy music and pained lyrics go together like cake and ice cream, and Belton, Texas quintet, Flyleaf, aren't about to break with tradition. But while many loud rockers reopen old wounds by singing about their broken homes and broken hearts, Flyleaf confront past traumas to heal old scars and prove in the process that hope shines brighter than despair.

"I used to be in a really negative band, and that seemed to almost fuel my emptiness because that is what the songs were about", says charismatic singer Lacey Mosley. "That's why I think what we're doing is important because there needs to be something heavy out there that has a positive message so people see that it's possible to get through the worst situations."

 


 

Killswitch Engage

Killswitch Engage have not just broken the rules of heavy metal -- they've trampled, defiled and rewritten them, all the while paying homage to the spirit which they represent. 

The End Of Heartache defined an era that changed the face of Ozzfest and MTV2, brilliantly expanding upon both the rage and the melody present within the aggressive music genre with decisive urgency. And now, after over 400,000 records sold, a Grammy nomination, a Boston Music Award, accolades from Rolling Stone, Revolver and everyone in-between, the cherry atop Killswitch's just desserts arrives in the form of their first ever DVD, boasting a title that perfectly sums up the band's mission: (Set This) World Ablaze. 

The band that Billboard deemed "at the forefront of the metal-core movement" started to catch fire with their Roadrunner debut, Alive Or Just Breathing. And the metal and mainstream press alike embraced their followup, The End Of Heartache, in no uncertain terms: Metal Edge said the album "roared with vivid brutality, " while Spin declared the album "badass " and Rolling Stone said it was "stunning." The New York Times might have summed it up best when they said that Killswitch Engage "made one of the years best."

 


 

Avenged Sevenfold

It’s not always recognized in today’s “I want it all now” world, but patience is a virtue. And Huntington Beach, California rockers Avenged Sevenfold are being rewarded for remembering that golden rule. After releasing two highly successful albums on an indie label (Sounding The Seventh Trumpet and Waking The Fallen), the quintet has received rave reviews for its major label debut, City Of Evil, on Warner Bros. Records. City Of Evil, co-produced by Avenged Sevenfold, reunites the group with producer Mudrock (Waking The Fallen).

Yes, Avenged Sevenfold can rock, as the band proved repeatedly during its show-stealing stint on this summer’s Warped tour, where they often, even in the heat of the day, had youths mirroring the band’s own black-clad look pumping fists, playing air guitar, and shouting along to the words as Shadows and the dual guitarists stalked the stage with ferocious energy. Those virtuoso sets prompted the L.A. Times to write, “…black-clad Avenged Sevenfold turned in one of the most arresting sets of the day with its dramatic blend of metallic rhythm and hammering punk tempos….Avenged proved to have the goods to be rock's next superstar...“ The New York Post said simply, “Best main-stage act: Avenged Sevenfold's metal show.”

All the deserved success the band is enjoying now, including number one most requested at the influential L.A. radio station KROQ, means more to the five members of Avenged because they’ve worked to get to this point, something that’s reflected in their annual progression on the Warped tour from a side stage to the second stage to two consecutive years on the main stage. “We’ve seen bands that we started out with that got a little bit of a head start or an early break and they’re done. We’ve learned so much more doing it from the ground up. We’ve got so many more stories than other bands will have; so many more good times, bad times," Vengeance says. "It has made us stronger as a band too."

 


 

Rise Agains

Armed with the fury of classic punk acts as Minor Threat and Bad Brains, blended with intelligent vocals and a serious commitment to providing a positive alternative to the oft-dreary and disenchanted aura that engulfs most punk bands, Chicago’s Rise Against might be seen as an outcast amongst its peers.

Founded in late 1999 by Principe and McIlrath, Rise Against rose from the ashes of Principe’s former band, 88 Fingers Louie. Sporting blistering, aggressive melodic punk and hardcore traits, Rise Against took the template Principe set in his previous band and expanded it further, through the thought-provoking vocals of McIlrath.

“It’s not so much as we’re a political band, but what we feel is our social responsibility,” says McIlrath. “It’s not just a responsibility as human being on the planet, but towards the punk rock scene. I feel like we’re kind of carrying the torch of punk. So many bands aren’t doing that, shaking their obligations as a punk band. I don’t want to be a band that took for granted the things that Minor Threat and Black Flag did that brought me to where I am today.”

 

 


 

Coheed and Cambria

For three years now, New York-based Coheed and Cambria has been releasing dynamic, multi-faceted albums that are as infectious as they are innovative. Their songs are packed with undeniable hooks and contemporary textures, but their sonic vistas are reminiscent of great progressive and atmospheric bands from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Best of all, like the musicians themselves, the mix is neither pretentious nor alienating.

Coheed and Cambria’s new album, Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star V - Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness, is a showcase of the band members’ artistry and musicianship that’s a refreshing alternative to most mainstream rock. Like the band’s 2003 gold album, In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3, Good Apollo is euphoric, conceptual and challenging, but it’s even more steeped in the classic rock of the band members’ youth.

The story of Coheed and Cambria will come to a conclusion on the band’s next record, and for those who want a more comprehensive account of the intergalactic odyssey, Sanchez is chronicling the complex tale in a series of comic books he has created with artist Wes Abbott, as well as a 116 page graphic novel with artist Christopher Shy that will tell the full story of “Good Apollo…” due out on the same day as the album. But fans who want to enjoy the band’s music without delving into the science fiction adventures can easily do so since Sanchez’ lyrics can be interpreted in different ways, and the music crosses so many boundaries.

 



 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 


 

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