FrenchKiss: Real Glam from France

Let's be honest: France isn't really known as a hot bed of Glam Metal. But, I've come across a young little band called Frenchkiss and they seem to have some potential. There's some accent issues, but they definitely have that signature Glam guitar tone down.

I suspect singer Franky Fackerz got all his moves from Bret Michaels - there's a lot of similarities in the vocal phrasing also. Not surprising, the band covered Poison. The band played "Talk Dirty to Me" in some club in Paris and the crowd looks *huge.* I swear, the people in France must be desperate for metal, right? There just isn't much good music to go around over there in the land of awesome food, clothes and wine. I'd share more biographical details, but the Facebook bio is written in French and I can't read that language.

Here's the demo of "Nice to Me"

And one more. Here's "Sexpectations"

Win Lunch with Marky Ramone -- eBay Auction For Charity

If you're a fan of the Ramones (who isn't?), this might interest you: a Marky Ramone drum scholarship at Musician's Institute. Here's a release:

HOLLYWOOD, CA (September 18, 2010) – Get two chances to win lunch with Rock Hall of Fame and legendary drummer Marky Ramone. You will get to meet the star and hang with him while lunching at some of Hollywood’s favorite restaurants – The brand new Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood or Bubba Gumps, (of movie Forrest Gump fame), on Universal City Walk. Both restaurants have made generous donations to help fund the Marky Ramone Drum Scholarship at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA. So, click here and get a shot to hang for an afternoon lunch with a Rock legend:

MARKY RAMONE LUNCH AT HOLLYWOOD HARD ROCK CAFE

MARKY RAMONE LUNCH AT BUBBA GUMPS

Marky will also perform a special all-star fund-raising concert on Friday, October 8, 2010 at 8pm in the Musicians Institute Concert Hall. Doors open at 7:30pm. The concert is a benefit for the newly created Marky Ramone Drum Scholarship at Musicians Institute (MI) in Hollywood, CA. “I am much honored to be chosen as an artist for the scholarship program. Music for kids is very important to have,” explains Marky. 100% of the event proceeds will fund the Marky Ramone Drum Scholarship at MI.

ONLINE ADVANCE SALE: General Admission seats (festival seating) are $30, VIP seating is $45 (guaranteed first 3 rows), $99 VIP Backstage (First 3 rows seating guaranteed | Backstage Pass | After-Show Meet & Greet | Special Marky Ramone Gift bag).

WALK-UP (day of show): General Admission seats (festival seating) are $35, VIP seating is $50 (guaranteed first 3 rows), VIP Backstage not available. Musicians Institute Concert Hall 1655 N. McCadden Place Hollywood, CA 90028

Marky Ramone is a member of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame, and is best known for the 15 years he spent drumming for The Ramones. The Ramones formed in 1974, and are often cited as the first punk-rock group. Marky is the only living member of the longest running Ramones line-up – which featured Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, and Marky. He has performed over 1700 shows and more than 15 album releases during his tenure (starting in 1978) as a member of The Ramones.

'The End of Heartache'

The band Killswitch Engage is included on Guitar Hero: Van Halen. I've never played that version of Guitar Hero so I didn't know that until last night.

I was on YouTube, listening to Killswitch Engage when I thought “The End of Heartache” sounds awfully familiar. Then, it hit me like a ton of bricks:”Panama!”

After some fierce Google work I realized that KsE is on the Van Halen game so the song similarity makes sense...or does it?

I mean, the more I listened to “The End of Heartache” the more obsessed I became. I'm convinced the root of the song – the main riff basically – is the key hook from “Panama” just in a lower octave. Here, listen:

Now, compare to “Panama.”

See what I mean? Realize I'm not saying the songs are the same – they are not. Rather, they share a similar riff structure. I think this was KsE's way of paying tribute to the mighty VH. Thoughts?

Tell That Critic to Shove It

Have an album you really love but critics just love to hate? That really gets my blood going. Everything I love is basically hated by critics. Not that I let someone else's opinion dictate what I like. Yet, there's a certain vindication - an affirmation if you will - of others agreeing with your opinion.

We don't always agree here and I like it that way. If we all always agreed, there would be no point to come here and have a chat. I like certain bands many of you despise and vice versa. Yet this doesn't bother me...but when some writer picks on something or someone I like, it hurts my feelings a little. It's not even all about music. Heck, my NFL team is the Bengals. Anyone can be a fan of the Cowboys or the Patriots. Try being a fan of the Bengals season after season and you'll feel my pain.

Does it bug you when critics knock something you love, especially music?

'Rocket Queen' Live

This rules. That is all.

Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie and the Murderdolls Team Up for Tour

I wish this tour was coming near me. I love Halloween and I'm a big fan of Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie. What better way to celebrate the most macabre of holidays? Here's a release:

HOLLYWOOD, CA (September 15, 2010) – The masters of musical mayhem have paired up yet again to embark on a three week tour of debauchery. Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper have returned to destroy a city near you on The Halloween Hootenanny Tour with special guests Murderdolls. The tour kicks off in Los Angeles at the Gibson Amphitheatre on Thursday, September 30th and will criss-cross the USA with a tour de force of ghoulish delights for your aural pleasure, giving the fans a show of a lifetime.

In other Zombie news, fans will soon get the ultimate interactive experience as their hero is joining forces with Universal Studios Hollywood to create the new 3D maze, "Rob Zombie’s House Of 1000 Corpses: In 3D ZombieVision." As part of the Halloween Horror Nights event, fans will be treated to a nightmarish world of carnage and chaos Rob Zombie-style based upon Zombie’s cult hit film "House Of 1000 Corpses." Vampire buffs also got a treat when the track "What" from Rob Zombie’s latest release HELLBILLY DELUXE 2 appeared in an episode of the smash HBO series "True Blood."

Zombie addicts can also look forward to the release of the special edition of HELLBILLY DELUXE 2 set to street on Friday, September 24th. This deluxe version of HD2 will feature 3 brand new tracks called "Everything Is Boring," "Michael" and "Devil’s Hole Girls And The Big Revolution," as well as a re-imagining of "The Man Who Laughs." Additionally, the package will include a brand new video for "Mars Needs Women" (shot during the Gruesome Twosome tour with Alice Cooper), a live version of Cooper’s classic "School’s Out" performed with Cooper and a 30-minute DVD featuring a tour documentary entitled "Transylvanian Transmissions," along with all-new expanded artwork.

With more than 15 million albums sold, 7 Grammy nominations, the helming of 5 major motion pictures and dozens of music videos under his belt, Rob Zombie is a force to be reckoned with in today’s entertainment landscape. Zombie’s unique meld of horror and hard rock has influenced his sound as a musician, and more recently his vision as a director and writer.

The Halloween Hootenanny Tour Featuring The Gruesome Twosome with special guests Murderdolls:

SEPTEMBER

30 Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amphitheatre

OCTOBER

1 San Diego, CA Harrah’s Rincon

2 Tucson, AZ Anselmo Valencia Amphitheater

4 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre

6 Kansas City, MO Independence Event Center

7 St. Charles, MO The Family Arena

8 Bloomington, IL U.S. Cellular Coliseum

12 Binghamton, NY Broome County Arena

14 Portland, ME Cumberland County Civic Center

15 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun

16 Worcester, MA DCU Center

19 Roanoke, VA Roanoke Performing Arts Theater

20 Nashville, TN Nashville Municipal Auditorium

For more information, please click on www.robzombie.com or www.myspace.com/robzombie.

So Who Can’t Be Replaced?

Yesterday’s discussion about Quiet Riot reforming with a new singer got me to thinking…is everyone replaceable? I always say everyone is replaceable at a “normal” job. Of course, lead singer or show-off guitarist is not the most normal job in the world.

I mean, AC/DC is more successful now than they were with their original singer. Def Leppard kept right on even after Steve Clark died and many argued he was the most talented member of the band. The Rev in Avenged Sevenfold was so much more than your run-of-the-mill drummer and yet the band soldiers on, with a number 1 record and sold out shows.

So maybe every musician can be replaced. Sure, there’s no replacement for John Lennon or Elvis but maybe there are people just as good. Maybe we just haven’t found them yet. Or maybe rock n’ roll is a casualty of globalization just like everything else: a worldwide labor pool means the next best singer or guitarist could be in Manhattan or Milan.

So I dare you. Tell me just who can’t be replaced.