MUSTAINE WARY OF PULLING MORE STALKERS

Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine regards himself as an honest man these days. He just wishes he could get away with being even more honest.

His band are on tour with Slayer for the first time in 18 years after the 1991 Clash of the Titans world tour proved to be just that – a clash. Back in the day Mustaine was well-known for his hard head and outspoken attitude, and was responsible for a lot of his own heartache.

Just before he announced the Canadian Carnage tie-up with his fellow thrash legends he referred to doing something “which will lead to another one of the potential feuds going away for good.” And now he backs that up with a bright, positive attitude to the upcoming shows.

He tells Jam: “This tour’s going to be outrageous. I think the fans are going to be excited because it’s two very powerful bands. We’re gonna play straightforward no-nonsense Megadeth thrash metal.”

Discussing his modern-day attitude to his music, he says: “I’ve been playing a long time. I’m a legendary guitar player – I’m very confident and very content. I’ve got what I want in life.

“If every time I go up on stage, I get caught up in trying to steal back my thunder from the guy who was on stage before me, then I never really had any thunder in the first place. I just go out there to have fun and play.”

And the only thing that still disappoints Mustaine is having to be careful with what he says. He explains how he already has a number of stalkers and doesn’t need any more. “I’ve been through a lot of stuff and I’ve been pretty open with my fans about it. A burden shared is a burdened lessened – I believe in that. Our fans know they can count on me to be honest with them.

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Mike Portnoy favourite metal bands

Check out this video of Mike Portnoy talking about his five favourite metal bands.

Ozzy sues Iommi over Black Sabbath name

Ozzy Osbourne has launched legal action against Tony Iommi, demanding a share of the rights to the Black Sabbath trademark.

Iommi owns the name outright and is entitled to do anything he likes with it. But Osbourne says he's been arguing the point for three years, and believes all four founding members of the band - himself, Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward - should co-own the brand.

He says he's been forced to go to court after failing to persuade Iommi to "do the right thing" by any other means - and he's only taking action "with regret".

In a statement Osbourne explains: "In the mid-1990s, after constant changes in band members, the brand of Black Sabbath was in the toilet, and Tony, touring under the name Black Sabbath, was reduced to performing in clubs.

"Since 1997, when Geezer, Bill and myself rejoined the band, Black Sabbath has returned to its former glory. We headlined sold-out arenas, playing to upwards of 50,000 people at each show. We worked collectively to restore credibility and bring dignity back to the name.

"Throughout the last 12 years it was my management who oversaw the marketing and quality control of the brand through Ozzfest, touring, merchandising and album reissues. The name Black Sabbath now has a value it would not have had by continuing on the road it was on prior to the 1997 reunion tour."

Then, in a personal open message to Iommi, Osbourne adds: "Tony, I am so sorry it's had to get to this point. I don't have the right to speak for Geezer and Bill but I feel the trademark should be owned by the four of us equally. I hope it will end up that way. Please do the right thing."

Osbourne's lawsuit calls for half the rights to be transferred to him, rather than a quarter; but it may be that the intention is not to complete legal action, but to reach an out-of-court settlement involving all four musicians.

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After a decade of rockin’ and rollin, WHAT’S NEXT FOR RED HORSE BEER MUZIKLABAN?

After ten Years of setting the stage for the biggest amateur rock competion in the Philippines, Red Horse Beer is extending its kick outside rock and roll zone through its annual Muziklaban.

Aspiring local rock bands need not worry, though. The name “Muziklaban” will not be coined by the country’s leading extra strong beer for nothing. Muzik (for music) and Laban (for fight) will continue to be the breeding ground for promising rock groups, with more than 100 activision sites nationwide to be tapped by the Red Horse Beer marketing team in search of this year’s title holder.

On it’s 11th year, the word “laban” in Muziklaban has taken on a higher level and Pinoy rock legend Pepe Smith thinks the Red Horse Beer team is definitely hitting the right note. Now, the fight for stardom is up not just for his kind but for talents from extreme sports and the creative arts. [Youtube]“The more, the merrier. Rock and Roll!,”[/Youtube] one can just imagine Smith say.

Bigger, Better, meaner

Tattoo design. Indie Films. Extreme sports. These are three lifestyles that are immensely gaining popularity among the “astig” Filipino. Red Horse Beer is introducing these three components in this year’s Muziklaban to add to its rock music equity, making the annual event more legendary than ever.

“Red Horse Beer has always been supportive of the Pinoy talent. While the brand will continue to discover amateur rock bands, it will also open it’s door to hopefuls from the world of creative arts and extreme sports,” explains Red Horse Beer brand Manager Ray Encomienda.

The Annual Muziklaban has been the springboard to the careers of the then struggling bands like from Manila like 18th issue (2002 winner), Fuseboxx (2003 winner), Sunfllower Day Camp (2004), Mayonnaise (2005) and from provinces like Hardboiledeggz (2006) and Even (2008) from Baguio City and Gayuma from Batangas City (2007).

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Wylde slams Aerosmith and Metallica

Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society and Ozzy Osbourne fame has slammed what he sees as fakes in the rock industry - including Aerosmith, Metallica and professional songwriters.

In an interview with Gibson.com the guitarist explains he believes in honesty and strength, and if you don't have those you have "no business making records".

He says: "I laugh when I go into a music store and there's a title called How To Write Songs. You can't teach someone how to write a song.

"Angus Young didn't need books to learn to write Hells Bells. The musicians I grew up on and loved - like Led Zepelling and Jimi Hendrix - it's their names on their songs. That's the beauty of buying a record by a real artist.

"Appetite for Destruction was written by Guns n'Roses, not some weak-asses like those lame songwriters on Aerosmith. Aerosmith wrote great songs like Dream On and Back in the Saddle when they were on booze and drugs.

"Next thing you know, they get sober and bring songwriters in, and then it's the most watered-down shit. If you can't write songs you're as phoney as Britney Spears. You don't have any business making records."

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The Philips Bandwidth Virtual Battle of the Bands

With all the rapid advancements in digital media since the turn of the millennium, the decade has seen a corresponding explosion in the number of bands looking to take advantage of the new avenues for creating and sharing music. The variety of media channels both traditional and online through which musicians can let others hear their craft is unprecedented, creating an encouraging environment for new bands.

But while the band scene certainly is as healthy at the moment as it has ever been, with rock musicians receiving considerable coverage on mainstream radio and TV, the flipside is that it is also very easy for a fledgling group to get lost amid the din. With the number of young bands plying the gig circuit competing for audiences’ attention, talented musicians may find it difficult to break onto the county’s musical main stage.

Leading consumer electronics maker Philips is this year looking to help these undiscovered talents with the Bandwidth Virtual Battle of the Bands. The contest is meant to help unsigned bands take full advantage of new digital multimedia technology in sharing their music with the rest of the music community.

Bandwidth participants will each be required to upload recent performance videos to the competition’s Youtube channel. Each band will be asked to perform two original songs, with one video uploaded for each song. Videos will be cross-posted to the Bandwidth website where visitors will be allowed to vote for their favorite performances

Visit PC World Philippines for more information.