Tag Archives: Solo

HYDE (Vamps) Feels That He Has Become Freer Going Solo! [Video Interview]

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Hyde

Hyde is best known as lead vocalist of the rock band L’Arc-en-Ciel as well as the lead vocalist of Vamps. L’Arc-en-Ciel was founded in 1991. From 91′ until 2000 the band released 8 albums. In 2001, the band went on an unofficial hiatus as each of the members began work on solo careers. The band reunited 3 years later and have went on to released another four albums the latest ‘Butterfly’ released in 2012. Vamps was formed in 2008 with Hyde and K.A.Z. (Oblivion Dust, Hide With Spread Beaver). Just a year after forming the band went on an international tour including 10 dates in the U.S.. They have released four studio albums, the last of which was ‘Underworld’ released on April 26, 2017. The band has also released 12 live concert dvds one of which includes an MTV Unplugged performance in 2016. All of the bands singled charted #8 or higher in Japan. Hyde and Vamps have amassed a huge following in Japan and some of that fandom has trickled down into the United States with his fans here being very passionate about his his music. On December 1, 2017, Vamps announced that they were temporarily ceasing all activities; and released the statement “Our engines have overheated and we need some time to cool down. As soon as we are at our best temperature and the time is right for our return, we plan to kick back into action in top gear!” Hyde released his first solo album, Roentgen, on March 27, 2002. An overseas edition featuring English lyrics was released in July the same year. He just released his new solo album ‘Anti,’ his first solo album in 10 years. ‘Anti’ is Hyde’s fifth solo album. Hyde in recent years has made appearances on the American festival circuit with Vamps and also went on a U.S. tour with I Prevail in 2017. Now as a solo act Hyde has been on tour supporting In This Moment and Light The Torch as well as making festival stops at Welcome To Rockville in Jacksonville, Florida and Epicenter Festival in Rockingham, North Carolina as well as a few headline dates in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston.

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Nita Strauss On Amy Lee “She Was A Real Trailblazer For Women In Music.” [Video]

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Nita Strauss is first and foremost known as one of the best guitarists around. From 2011-2015 she was shredding in the all female Iron Maiden tribute band The Iron Maidens. In June 2014, it was announced that Nita would replace legendary guitarist Orianthi as Alice Cooper’s touring guitarist for his 2014 tour. She has since remained the guitarist for Alice Cooper and took the world by storm wowing crowds all around the world and truly making a name for herself as one of rock and metal’s best guitarists. In addition to her work with Alice Cooper and The Iron Maidens, Nita has also played with R&B star Jermaine Jackson, early MTV darlings Femme Fatale, video game supergroup Critical Hit. In 2017 she took the stage in front of a sold out crowd in Columbus, Ohio at Rock On The Range and played the National Anthem in support of our nations military. In January of 2018 Nita was officially announced as the first ever female Ibanez signature artist with her own model guitar, the Ibanez JIVA10. She also released her signature pickups, the DiMarzio Pandemonium. April of the same year saw Nita playing WWE Superstar Shinsuke Nakamura’s entrance music at Wrestlemania in New Orleans in front of an audience of 78,000 fans and millions streaming worldwide, and in the same month she launched a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign for her debut solo record ‘Controlled Chaos.’ The campaign reached its goal in two hours, doubled it by the end of the day, tripled the following day and ended up over 800% funded. ‘Controlled Chaos’ released November 16, 2018 and made a huge debut on the Billboard charts at #1 Top New Artist, #3 Label Independent, #8 Top Rock, #8 Top Internet, #20 Top albums, and #7 on the iTunes Rock chart. In addition to her already grueling tour schedule with Alice Cooper this year Nita will also be touring in support of her solo album, the tour kicked off May 14th in Charlotte, NC. The Alice Cooper tour with co-headliner Halestorm and support from Motionless In White will kick off on July 17 in Allentown, Pa. This tour schedule isn’t for the faint of heart and it’s one reason Nita is referred to as Hurricane Nita. She is unstoppable. Continue reading →

Duff McKagan Taps Shooter Jennings To Produce His New Solo Album!

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Photo by Scott Dudelson

Legendary Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan taps producer Shooter Jennings for his new solo record in the works. The two came together earlier this spring to begin the recording process in Los Angeles. The unnamed album is due out next year. It is a musical supplement to McKagan’s 2015 book, How To Be A Man (And Other Illusions), a New York Times bestseller. A followup book was put on hold for the time being as these songs seemed to write themselves. These new songs were inspired by McKagan’s experience traveling the world with Guns N’ Roses’ on their extravagant Not in This Lifetime tour. McKagan stated “The heartbreak, anger, fear, confusion and divide I have experienced over the last two and a half years of traveling this globe of ours coerced these words into songs that tell my truth, and one that I hope will spread and help us all. I do this for my daughters … I do this for my love of where I grew up …I do this because I truly feel it must be done and said right now.” Continue reading →

Album Review: TOBY KNAPPS’ AFFLIKTOR – ‘SELF-TITLED’ [Partial Album Stream]

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Hold on to your horns because you’re about to be taken on the ride of your life from the furthest depths of space to the darkest pits of hell with the mighty Black/Thrash aficionado Affliktor. One of the most eagerly anticipated releases of the year from legendary guitar virtuoso Toby Knapp (Ex-Godless Rising, current Waxen/Where Evil Follows), who proves he is master of all with his brand new solo venture. Released this coming Friday 20th October via Transcending Obscurity, India’s dominating label for underground metal. Get your pre-order here!

Having been scouted in the early 90’s at just age eighteen by Shrapnel Records President Mike Varney, Wyoming-based Knapps has rightly become part of the underground elite and a pioneering force in the scene. Arguably one of the greatest guitarists of the present times and with an entire discography of solid releases across a multitude of genres, expectations were already high after 2016’s mind-blowing Heavy metal/Neo-classical infused instrumental venture “The Architect Of Paradox”, and recent guest appearance on Mark Riddick’s Fetid Zombie on 2016’s “Epicedia”. Fittingly Riddick has created the grotesquely eloquent artwork to grace Affliktors debut, which suits it down to the bone.

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Guitar Icon BOB KULICK Says Girlfriend Convinced Him To Record First Solo Album. [Audio]

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We all have Skeletons in the closet right?  Well, September 15th guitar legend BOB KULICK (KISS, MEATLOAF, LOU REED, ALICE COOPER, MOTORHEAD, W.A.S.P. and various others) is unleashing his skeletons upon the world with the release of his first solo album titled…  you guessed it ‘Skeletons In The Closet’ available from Vanity Records.

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