Thank God for Rock and Roll!

 Not gonna lie, I've been under a lot of stress lately. Work, Covid and a few other things were stressing me out over the last few weeks. I was unhappy and more importantly, I wasn't my usual self.

I took a much-needed break on Tuesday to attend my 41st Sevendust family reunion. The show was at the Fillmore, a new venue in Minneapolis near Target Field that's only been open for 3 years. It's a smaller club that provided for more intimate performances by MJT, Sevendust and Alter Bridge. 

The concert was just what I needed. It was my first show since late May. I got to catch up with an old friend who was visiting from out of state, along with a few MN locals and my buddy who also happens to be the guy in charge of Sevendust's merch sales.

I hadn't seen my friends in Sevendust in almost a year, and it was another great family reunion. The band sounded just as great as ever and I found myself smiling regularly for the first time in months. I'm so thankful that there are great rock and roll bands to listen to and see in concert. They took my mind off of my stressors for a while and let me appreciate living in the moment. 

Still on a concert high, but that'll probably last until the next show. Until next time, have a great weekend, everyone!

Whatever Happened To...#37: Creed

 Creed was a popular rock band from Tallahassee, Florida. They recorded 4 studio albums before dissolving for what we assumed was for good in 2013. However, fans were overjoyed last month to hear that the group will be reuniting next year for the Summer of '99 cruise. 

The band was created by guitarist Mark Tremonti and singer Scott Stapp in 1994. The two were school classmates and had some of the same music tastes. The original lineup was a quintet, including rhythm guitarist Brian Brasher, drummer Scott Phillips, and bass guitarist Brian Marshall. They performed their first gig under the moniker Naked Toddler.  came up with the group name Creed, which stuck. Brasher departed a year later and Creed continued on as a quartet. 

Their first album, My Own Prison, was self-produced in 1997 with an initial run of 6,000 copies through Blue Collar Records. It soon got the attention of Wind-Up Records executive Diana Meltzer. She and a few of her co-workers flew to Florida to see the group perform before deciding to offer them a recording contract. Wind-Up re-released their debut effort that August, which became a big hit. 

Creed used the proceeds from that album to craft their sophomore album, Human Clay. It would go on to sell more than 10 million copies. Marshall's alcohol issues led to his temporary dismissal from the group in 2000. Brett Hestla would take his place on bass guitar. Hestla would tour with Creed, but Tremonti played bass on their third album, Weathered. 

The band continued to tour until Stapp needed to take some time off in 2002 because of injuries that he sustained in a car crash. Stapp's pain medication and addiction issues also contributed to Creed's first breakup. 4 concertgoers filed a lawsuit against the band that year, stating that Stapp was unable to complete the lyrics to a Creed song in concert because of chemical influence. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and the band issued a public apology, but the damage to their reputation had already been done. 

Their first disbandment was in June 2004. Tremonti and Phillips joined forces with Marshall and former Mayfield Four frontman Myles Kennedy to form the band Alter Bridge, while Stapp pursued a solo career. Wind-Up issued a Creed greatest hits album in November 2004 and no new Creed tunes would be heard for another 5 years.

The classic Creed lineup (Stapp, Tremonti, Marshall, and Phillips) returned in June 2009, and their fourth studio album, Full Circle, was released that October. Eric Friedman joined the group as a touring guitarist and they toured regularly from 2009 through 2012, even though their shows weren't all as well attended this time around as they were when the band was supporting their first three albums. 

Creed has been inactive since 2013. Stapp still continues to perform as a solo act and was involved in the group Art of Anarchy. Tremonti has been busy with both Alter Bridge and his solo group. Phillips has been involved in Alter Bridge and Projected, a group that also includes Friedman and Sevendust rhythm guitarist John Connolly and bassist Vince Hornsby. 

The group announced on July 19th of this year that they would be part of the April 2024 Summer of '99 Cruise. The cruise sold out in a matter of hours. It remains to be seen whether or not they will add more tour dates. In all likelihood, any tour dates would probably be in 2024, because both Stapp and Alter Bridge are currently touring as separate acts. 

I haven't seen Creed play live in concert yet, but this latest reunion has definitely intrigued me. I've seen Stapp and Tremonti's solo acts along with Alter Bridge. In fact, I'm going to see Alter Bridge with Sevendust again on Tuesday. Based on how well the cruise performance announcement was received by loyal fans, I'm fairly confident that any future Creed concerts will be well attended. 

Well, that's all for now. This is the last article in this series that I'll be writing for now. Future blog posts will be on different topics. I may resume this series sometime in the future. If there are certain rock bands that you'd like to see covered, please let me know. Until next time, have a great weekend, everyone!

Whatever Happened To...#36: 9Electric

 9Electric was a fun rock band that I saw open for Gemini Syndrome at the Fine Line in Minneapolis a few years ago. I still have the signed poster, CDs, and guitar pick from that show. Unfortunately, they broke up a few years ago but their music still lives on.

The band consisted of drummer Nick Ramirez, guitarist Mikey Lopez, bass guitarist Ginny Eck, and singer Ron Underwood. They were active for about 10 years, beginning in 2010. Control, Megalith, Omegalith, and The Damaged Ones were their studio albums.

Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of current information about this group. There aren't any posts newer than 2020, so I have to assume that they're no longer active. That's a shame because I really did enjoy their live set. I hope that the band members enjoyed their run and are successful in their current ventures. 

Well, I guess that's all that I can write about 9Electric. Next time, I'll talk about Creed, a popular rock band that's making a bit of a resurgence next year. Until then, have a great week, everyone!

Whatever Happened To...#35: Slash's Snakepit

 Slash's Snakepit was a side project that recorded a couple of albums. With all of the past band members currently busy with various projects, it's doubtful we'll ever see a third album from them. However, they were definitely fun while they lasted.

Guns N' Roses lead guitarist Slash (real name: Saul Hudson) recorded a few demos at his Snakepit home studio shortly after finishing the Use Your Illusion albums tour. His bandmates Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum, and Gilby Clarke contributed to the new material, along with Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez. Slash presented the tunes to Axl Rose, who eventually turned them down. Inez, Slash, Clarke, and Sorum decided to record the demos, and Eric Dover was brought in to sing on the songs. 

Dover and Slash co-wrote the lyrics for each track on the record titled It's Five O'Clock Somewhere. The album was issued via Geffen Records, whose management wanted it to be listed under the group name Slash's Snakepit instead of just Snakeput as Slash had initially wanted. Slash's brother Ash created the cover artwork which also included efforts by Brazilian percussionist Paulinho da Costa, harmonica by Teddy Andreadis, and keys from Dizzy Reed. 

The bluesy rock album that debuted during a GNR hiatus was well-received by peers and the general public. The group even went on tour for a while, with drummer Brian Tichy taking over for Sorum and James LoMenzo holding down the bass guitar spot in the band. Soon after Axl announced that he was ready to resume work on another Guns N' Roses record, Geffen dropped their support of Slash's Snakepit, and the side project bit the dust not long afterward. 

Slash left Guns N' Roses in 1996 after tensions with Rose began to boil over. He occupied his time by playing in Japan with Chic, an American disco group, and performing with drummer Alvino Bennett, bass guitarist Johnny Griparic, saxophone player Dave McClarem, Andreadis, and guitarist Bobby Schneck in a blues cover band that would later be called Slash's Blues Ball. The blues group played and toured until 1998.

At one point while Slash was playing in the blues group in 1997, he talked to Griparic about possibly resurrecting the Snakepit project. Hundreds of singers auditioned for the revival before Rod Jackson was selected. Drummer Matt Laug and guitarist Ryan Roxie rounded out the lineup. The group worked on new music and had to search for a new label before settling on Koch Records. By then, Roxie had been replaced by Keri Kelli.

Their sophomore effort, Ain't Life Grand, was released in October 2000. Unfortunately, it didn't fare as well as its predecessor. Complaints about Slash's new band members, the tunes, and the songwriting on the album were made. Those and other criticisms made the news that Koch dropped the group from their label a couple of months later hardly surprising.

The revised lineup still went on tour with AC/DC to support the release. Slash developed cardiac myopathy because of repeated drug and alcohol abuse, which caused him to miss several tour dates. Slash's Snakepit returned to the road the following summer, but the writing was already on the wall. Another clash with a singer, this time Rod Jackson, was listed as one of the main reasons for the group's second (and thus far final) breakup in the first half of 2002. 

Slash has since returned to Guns N' Roses and also started his own solo band in 2010, with Alter Bridge singer Myles Kennedy on lead vocals. Myles was one of several guests on Slash's first solo record, before becoming the permanent lead singer for their tours and subsequent releases. This new group debuted six years after another side project, Velvet Revolver was formed. That group included Sorum, McKagan, Dave Kushner on guitar, and Stone Temple Pilots frontman on lead vocals. Velvet Revolver recorded a pair of studio albums before calling it quits. 

Because it's been over 2 decades since the last Snakepit album and Slash's busy schedule, I really don't think it's realistic to expect a third record by that particular group. I enjoyed their albums but didn't get to see them in concert. I have seen Slash's solo group play live twice so far, and have to say that they are quite entertaining. There are plans for them to record again next year after Alter Bridge's current tour comes to an end. 

Well, that's all for now. Next time, I'll do a quick write-up on 9Electric, a fun group that I was fortunate enough to see with Gemini Syndrome a few years ago. Until then, have a great weekend, everyone! 

Whatever Happened To...#34: Type O Negative

 Type O Negative was a great heavy metal band I've admired for years. Unfortunately, I never got to see them live in concert. Lead singer and bass guitarist Peter Steele passed away in 2010, so it's unlikely they'll reform, but they made memorable music while on the rock scene.

The group was created by keyboardist Josh Silver, Steele, drummer/percussionist Sal Abruscato, and co-lead singer/guitarist Kenny Hickey in the late 1980s. They originally called themselves Repulsion and later went by the moniker Sub-Zero before settling on Type O Negative as a band name. Roadrunner Records signed them to a recording contract in 1991, since Steele was technically still linked with them because of the agreement that had been in place with Carnivore, his previous group. Their debut album, Slow, Deep and Hard debuted in 1991.

Type O Negative's first record was soon followed by The Origin of the Feces in 1992. This recording included previously unreleased songs and songs that were not really recorded live from their first record. 1993's Bloody Kisses was the group's first gold-charting album. It put them on the map and they started touring in support of the record. By then, Johnny Kelly had replaced Abruscato on drums. Their fourth effort, October Rust in 1996, was well-liked by critics and fans alike. 

Their fifth record, World Coming Down, was written and recorded in 1999. It was a darker, moodier album, influenced by a few losses in Steele's personal life. Type O Negative's first compilation disc, The Worst of Type O Negative, was released in 2000. It had several hits along with B-sides and covers of classic rock tracks. 2003's Life is Waiting took a more melodic approach and was a return to form for the band. Type O Negative signed with SPV Records' Steamhammer imprint in 2004. Their only studio recording for that label, Dead Again, was released in 2007.

Steele died on April 14, 2010. The official cause was listed as sepsis due to diverticulitis. Kelly and Hickey confirmed rumors of the band's demise that November. In 2011, Roadrunner Records issued a Black Friday set of all of Type O Negative's records (Dead Again was excluded from this release). The group had been working on new music before Steele's demise, but the surviving members are currently busy with other projects, so we may never hear those songs. 

I liked Type O Negative because they defied classification. They never really fit in any one specific genre of music. They could be dark and heavy and soft and melodic in different songs on the same album. Type O Negative also recorded some unique covers. I can't hear the Neil Young classic "Cinnamon Girl" without thinking of Type O Negative's version. Thankfully they left behind some great albums and soundtrack songs for us to enjoy.

Well, that's all for now. Next week, I'll write about Slash's Snakepit. Until then, have a great weekend, everyone!

Whatever Happened To...#33: Van Halen

Hi, everyone! This time, I'm writing about Van Halen, one of the biggest rock groups that I saw live in concert during their last tour stop in Minnesota. Eddie, Alex, and Wolfgang Van Halen along with David Lee Roth performed about two dozen old and new songs at the Xcel Energy Center in 2012. I was glad that I attended the show, which was just a few miles away from where some of my relatives lived at the time. I didn't know then that we wouldn't see them in our neck of the woods ever again, but I now realize that after Eddie's death, we probably won't see them tour in all likelihood.

Van Halen was formed in Pasadena, California in 1973. The group formerly went by the names Trojan Rubber Co., Genesis, and Mammoth. Brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen were founding members along with bassist Mark Stone. The group had started renting Roth's sound system for $10 per night before recruiting him as a singer. They had been playing gigs in and around their hometown before branching out to venues in Hollywood and Los Angeles.

Stone was replaced in 1974 by Michael Anthony Sobolewski. A successful concert at Gazzarri's on the Sunset Strip that year led to more regular shows and a demo tape that was produced at Northridge, CA's Cherokee Studios. In 1976, Kiss bassist Gene Simmons produced a 29-song Van Halen demo tape at Los Angeles' Village Recorder studios. Gene suggested that the group change their band name to Daddy Longlegs, to no avail.

Van Morrison guitarist Doug Messenger reached out to record producer Ted Templeman, suggesting that he check this new group called Van Halen out. He apparently liked what he heard, as the band was soon signed to a two-album deal with Warner Records (although the initial contract heavily favored the record label). Van Halen's debut album was recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders studio that fall. The album was an instant hit and was well-loved by rock and metal fans alike.

The group went on the road supporting Black Sabbath and their new album before taking some time to record the follow-up, Van Halen II, in 1979. Van Halen toured heavily for years after that, only taking breaks of a week or two at the most to record albums. Women and Children followed in 1980, as did Fair Warning in 1981 and Diver Down in 1982.

By then, fans were used to Van Halen's clever original songs and crafty cover tunes. Their sixth studio effort, 1984, debuted on January 9th 1984 and went quintuple platinum after less than a year.  It also yielded their first (and thus far, only) #1 song, "Jump." Shortly after the 1984 tour ended, Roth expressed his desire to leave the band to create his own group. David Lee Roth soon developed a 4 song EP called Crazy From The Heat, which contained a pair of covers along with a pair of original songs, before writing and recording full-length solo albums.

Eddie Van Halen asked Scandal singer Patty Smyth to join his band. However, she turned the offer down. Hall and Oates singer Daryl Hall was also approached about singing for the group but also declined. Former Montrose singer Sammy Hagar (who was also a solo artist at the time) made Eddie's acquaintance in 1985. Hagar later agreed to join Van Halen on guitar and lead vocals. Their first album with Sammy, 5150 in 1986, became the group's first full-length record to reach the top spot on the Billboard album charts. It was the first of 4 consecutive #1 albums. This includes 1988's OU812, and 1991's For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge and Balance in 1995. 

Problems started to surface between Sammy, Eddie, and Alex as tunes were being recorded for the Twister movie soundtrack in 1996. Eddie wasn't satisfied with Sammy's lyrics on the song "Humans Being," so he chose to change the melody and song title, much to Hagar's chagrin. Sammy left the band on Father's Day in 1996. Eddie would go on to say that Sammy chose to leave voluntarily, while Hagar would later say that he was fired from the group.

In addition to the movie soundtrack, the Van Halen brothers were also working on their first-ever compilation album, Best Of-Volume I. This led to a temporary reunion with David Lee Roth to record two new songs for the record. When the Van Halen brothers appeared on stage with Anthony and Roth at the 1996 Video Music Awards on MTV, rumors of a Roth reunion ran rampant. Unfortunately, Roth was no longer in the group's radar after only a few weeks. 

Extreme frontman Gary Cherone would be Van Halen's third singer. He recorded Van Halen III with them in 1998. The album was eventually certified as gold, but fans didn't take to it as well as previous efforts with Roth or Hagar behind the mike stand. More songs were recorded for another album with Cherone in 1999, but they have yet to be released in any official capacity. Gary departed Van Halen in November of that year and is now back with Extreme.

Van Halen worked on a few new tracks with Roth again in 2000, some of which would be further fleshed out for A Different Kind of Truth in 2012. Hagar and Roth went on the road together for a co-headlining tour in 2002. A new compilation record, The Best of Both Worlds, had a disc with Roth classics and another with Roth hits, with 3 songs that were newly recorded with Sammy. Hagar embarked on a tour with Van Halen that summer. Anthony didn't play bass guitar on the new songs (he only sang backing vocals) and was only on the tour after Hagar insisted on his inclusion. 

Michael was officially replaced on bass guitar in Van Halen by Eddie's son Wolfgang in 2006. By then, Anthony was regularly playing gigs with Sammy's solo band and related side projects. Eddie, Alex, David and Michael were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in January 2007 but none of them attended the ceremony. 

A rumored new best-of recording featuring Roth hits that spring didn't come to pass. A world tour with Roth began in the fall of 2007 and was extended into the following year. Van Halen entered the Henson Studio C in Los Angeles in January 2011 to produce their first new album with Roth in decades. Small gigs were performed and a few other musicians were allowed to hear the new tunes before its official release in 2012. Another tour soon followed, which did quite well financially. 

Another tour was announced in 2015, with plans to record another studio album with Roth. Eddie Van Halen's passing was announced by Wolfgang via social media on October 6, 2020 from cancer, just 10 days after original bassist Stone's passing from the same ailment. Wolfie confirmed the band's end in a Howard Stern interview the next month. Several tribute concert lineups were rumored to be in the works, but as of this writing, none of them have been formalized.

Eddie Van Halen was a unique talent. He was one of the best guitarists in history, and definitely one of the top 5 guitarists that I've ever seen play live. Eddie is greatly missed, and I can understand why Van Halen won't go on, It just wouldn't be the same without him. 

Well, that's all for now. Writing this a day early as I have plans to attend my hometown's summer festival tomorrow. Next up will be Type O Negative, a brilliant metal band that I never got to see in concert. Until then, have a great week!

Whatever Happened To...#32: Soundgarden

 Soundgarden was one of the giants from the Seattle metal scene. I always respected the band, but I never saw them perform as a group. However, I did see frontman Chris Cornell perform in Minneapolis not long before he passed away. Without him, they can't ever re-form.

The band was created in 1984 by bass guitarist Hiro Yamamoto, lead guitarist Kim Thayil and singer/drummer Cornell. A year later, Chris moved over to rhythm guitar and was replaced behind the kit by Scott Sundquist who later gave way to Matt Cameron. Yamamoto left the group in 1990, and Jason Everman took over on bass for a while until Ben Shepherd stepped in. Their initial label was SubPop, which released their debut EPs Screaming Life and Fopp in 1987 and 1988, respectively. Soundgarden's first full-length album, Ultramega OK, was issued on SST Records in 1988.

Their first record with a major label was Louder Than Love, which was released via A&M Records in 1989. It helped Soundgarden find new fans, while some loyal followers gave up on the group that they thought had lost its punk roots. A video compilation entitled Louder Than Live and another EP, Loudest Love, was issued in 1990.

1991's Badmotorfinger was the first Soundgarden album recorded by the band's now classic lineup. It garnered considerable praise and in part helped them tour with rock contemporaries such as Skid Row and Guns N' Roses. Album singles "Rusty Cage" and "Outshined" were in heavy rotation on MTV, although the video for the song "Jesus Christ Pose" was eventually banned from the channel due to fears of it being anti-Christian.

Their fourth release, Superunknown, catapulted Soundgarden to the top of the rock charts. Songs like "Black Hole Sun," "The Day I Tried To Live," "Spoonman" and "4th of July" established their signature sound. A CD-ROM called Alive in the Superunknown and an EP, Songs from the Superunknown, would follow in 1995. 

Soundgarden's fifth album, Down on the Upside, was different from any of their previous efforts. It wasn't quite as heavy as the songs from earlier albums that their diehard followers had come to expect. The group appeared on Lollapalooza with Metallica and toured worldwide to support what would be their last record of the 20th century. 

The group officially announced their breakup in April 1997. A greatest hits compilation, A-Sides, was released that November. Chris Cornell went on to record solo works and join the musicians in Rage Against The Machine in forming the supergroup Audioslave, which released three albums before breaking up. Cameron and Shepherd worked on songs for their side project Hater and Cameron drummed for the Smashing Pumpkins for a while before joining Pearl Jam. Thayil also worked on other live and studio projects. 

Fans were excited to hear rumors of a possible Soundgarden reunion, which proved to be true in 2010. Previously unreleased recordings were issued on Record Store Day in April, and the band played Lollapalooza once more before another hits album, Telephantasm: A Retrospective debuted in September. Soundgarden started work on another studio record in 2011, which became King Animal. The disc was issued in November. 

Soundgarden continued to tour in 2014, but with Matt Chamberlain behind the drum kit, as Cameron had prior commitments with Pearl Jam. A 3-disc box set, Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across The Path, with live tracks and rare tunes, was released that year. The group had recorded several new songs for another studio album before Cornell was found dead in his hotel room in May 2017. The official cause of death was listed as suicide by hanging. Cornell's widow Vicky was embroiled in a legal battle with the surviving members of the band over those recordings for several years afterward. Cameron, Shepherd, and Thayil had decided in September 2017 to not continue as Soundgarden.

In April of this year, the legal battle was concluded, and it appears that the 7 songs that Chris Cornell worked on with his band may finally see the light of day. I'll be interested to hear them. I regret not having ever seen them live in concert, but their songs have been and will continue to be loved for decades.

Well, that's all for now. I'm off soon to enjoy live baseball later today. Next up, I'll try to do the legendary band Van Halen justice. I'll probably write that article on Friday, as I have a volunteer commitment next Saturday. Until then, take care and have a great week, everyone!