This week, Alter Bridge/Creed guitarist Mark Tremonti kicked off his first-ever solo tour in support of his solo debut, All I Was.
As an added treat for fans, Tremonti will be joined by friend and Van Halen bassist Wolfgang Van Halen for the tour.
“I am excited to be joining the band and playing this incredible music with some of my best friends in the business,” said Wolfgang in an official press statement.
It is reported that Tremonti initially wanted Van Halen to play bass on his new album, but the bassist’s commitments to his other band kept it from happening.
Wolfgang was scheduled to be on the road with Van Halen for much of late 2012, but his father, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, recently had emergency surgery following a severe bout of diverticulitis. He is expected to make a full recovery, with the band returning to the road in 2013.
Watch Wolfgang performing with Tremonti:
Tremonti 2012 Tour Dates
Sept 20 * — Flint, MI — The Machine Shop
Sept 21 * — Lancaster, PA — The Chameleon Club
Sept 23 * — Chicago, IL — House Of Blues
Sept 25 * — New Britain, CT — Club INT
Sept 26 * — West Chester, PA — The Note
Sept 28 * — Orlando, FL — The Beacham Theater
Sept 29 * — Atlanta, GA — Vinyl
Sept 30 * — Birmingham, AL — Club Zydeco
Oct 2 * — Nashville, TN — Exit / In
Oct 3 * — Kansas City, MO — The Beaumont Club
Oct 5 * — Shreveport, LA — The Riverside Warehouse
Oct 6 — The Woodlands, TX — Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (KTBZ Buzzfest)
Oct 7 — San Antonio, TX — Sunken Gardens Amphitheater (Bud Light Kiss Fall Fest)
Oct 11 # — London, UK — O2 Academy Brixton
Oct 12 # — London, UK — O2 Academy Brixton
Oct 14 — Glasgow, UK — Garage
Oct 15 # — Newcastle, UK — O2 Academy Newcastle
Oct 17 — Birmingham, UK — Library Theatre
Oct 18 — Manchester, UK — Academy 2
Oct 20 — Amsterdam, NET — Melkweg
Oct 21 — Cologne, GER — Gebaude 9
Oct 23 — Milan, ITA — Tunnel
* HardDrive Live Tour
# Performing with Slash and Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators
Check out an “All I Was” 3 song preview below:
Check out “You’re a Lie” off Apocalyptic Love, live at the 2012 Golden Gods, below:
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“It’s been an interesting road from the mid ’90s up until now,” says iconic guitar hero Slash. “I never stopped to think, ‘What am I gonna to do in the long term?’ Or ruminated on my solo career, where it was heading. I’ve just been jamming around, going wherever the muse has taken me. And this is the first time where I feel like I’m in the saddle and riding my own destiny with some genuine focus.”
For fans who’ve tracked the broken glass and ruby slipper journey of Guns N’ Roses’ lead guitarist since the release of Appetite for Destruction two days before his 22nd birthday 25 years ago this July, one can’t help but be radioactive with enthusiasm. Apocalyptic Love is not just a new record by the storied musician with the black top hat and magical gift for riff; for Slash and his three co-conspirators, it is, indeed, destiny. And everyone involved is poised for the ride.
“The entire album was recorded like a live performance record where the band was all set up together in the big room,” observes producer Eric Valentine, whose Barefoot Recording Studios in Hollywood provided the fertile sonic soil for Love to blossom. “Slash played his solos live as the drums were going down. The vocals were overdubbed because Myles Kennedy was playing rhythm guitar live. The whole thing is Todd Kerns’ bass, Brent Fitz’s drums, and two main guitars. Slash played the solos while the band was jamming so we didn’t have to go back and overdub solos either, which he really dug.”
“It was important to capture the essence in that big room because as long as I’ve been doing studio recordings, I’ve always wanted to keep my guitar tracks from the actual live playing with the band,” adds Slash. “And I’ve kind of re-done them because I never enjoyed playing with headphones on. So Eric built this small room within the main room just for me, which he called the Slash Box, where I could play my parts and solos and still see the band, which worked great.”
The liberated feel of Apocalyptic Love is evident throughout the LP’s 13 songs, as is the genuine chemistry between Slash and Kennedy. The evolution of their creative relationship went full throttle since the two first joined forces on Slash’s 2010 self-titled debut solo release where the Alter Bridge frontman lent his pipes to the cavalcade of venerable guest vocalists, which included Iggy Pop, Ian Astbury, and Ozzy Osbourne.
The Slash/Kennedy collaboration started from intuition. “I contacted him out of the blue, sent him one of the songs I was working on, which turned out later to be ‘Starlight.’” After Myles contributed his ideas and sent it back to Slash, creative forces congealed. “I went, ‘Wow, now that’s really good,” Slash recalls. “I played it for Eric so we flew Myles out to track it and this unassuming mild mannered guy shows up, similar in demeanor to me, sort of quiet, not really explosive in personality. He then nailed ‘Back from Cali.’ It was like, ‘You ready to go on tour with us?’ I was so happy when he accepted the offer.” For the Boston-born lead singer, the gig was an opportunity to expand his personal portfolio while exploring some musical synergy with an artist he’d long admired.
The modern master of the Gibson needed a rhythm section to flesh out his frenetic and fanciful chords. After auditioning a lot of drummers, he settled on Brent Fitz. “He was perfect,” Slash enthuses. “And Brent introduced me to Todd Kerns, who was not only an awesome bass player but he sings like a motherfucker. It was really magical–a throw-together band that was just right.”
Kennedy and Slash quickly discovered they possessed profound creative chemistry that would spawn a wellspring of brilliant song ideas. “I’d jot down chords and concepts and play them for Myles,” says Slash. “He would automatically adhere to whatever the track was and add these great melodies and lyrics. We started putting these basic arrangements together and the songs appeared.”
The communion of the two musicians does ring that destiny bell a bit. With songs like the debut single, “You’re a Lie,” “Standing in the Sun,” “No More Heroes,” “Bad Rain,” and the riveting ballad, “Not for Me,” voice, lyric and ax form a holy performance trinity of extraordinary passion, power and authenticity. “‘Not For Me’ might be my favorite track on the record, a labor of love and retrospection,” confesses the vocalist. “The lyrics stem from conversations I had with Slash regarding some of his bad behavior from way back, combined with things that I lived through. I went through a pretty dark period about 12 years ago, experimenting with things I probably should have avoided that didn’t really work for me. That song is about waking up and having this epiphany that things needed to change and it was time to take a different route in life. I think that’s something a lot of people, not just artists or rock stars, go through under different circumstances. It could be anything that’s not working, a mindset, habit, pattern or relationship.”
The dynamic balance between frontmen and their six-string reflections is notoriously precarious. Flammable egos can torch even the most stunning synergy into a smoldering ash heap.The rock-and-roll road less traveled is littered with the scattered carcasses of damaged duos. But Slash and Myles have fused dynamic forces like two elements creating a natural compound of unique rock energy. Their genuine sense of mutual admiration and respect transcends profile and personality. “What I love so much about Slash’s playing is the immense emotion he devotes to his craft,” says Kennedy. “There is a certain ache to the way he bends a note, the vibrato. He plays so brilliantly on this record, as he has on all the records he’s made, but there’s a touch more beautiful pain in his technique now. Being a guitar player myself, I’m just in awe of his method and style.”
Few will argue that Slash has evolved with grassroots relevance and reverent pace over the past decade where he now rightfully belongs in the pantheon of ax mythology, having been selected by a TIME Magazine survey as second only to Jimi Hendrix among electric guitarists. Staying focused on your current musical project whilst in the midst of swelling adulation and swirling speculation is no easy feat. But somehow, Slash manages to keep his eye on the apocalyptic prize.
“I know that GN’R's induction into the [futureusgalleryRock and Roll] Hall of Fame and the 25th anniversary of Appetite are on a lot of people’s minds,” admits Slash. “But when you’re making a record, you just commit to keeping those distractions out of the process. You have to sort of roll with everything as it happens.”
When you’re a quarter century into your career, how do you maintain personal clarity and connection to your fans? Slash makes no secret that he enjoys the tools of social networking and new technology. “I don’t consider Twitter and Facebook a distraction,” he says. “It keeps me in touch with the fans. That’s always been something I feel very strongly about given the opportunity through new media and the Internet–which is of course a double edged sword–YouTube, all that stuff, is a way an artist can stay toe to toe with the people. I never liked to alienate myself but rather made an attempt to let the fans know where I was playing and invite them along to rock out, sort of makes me feel like I was part of a big gang–we’re all doing this together.”
Much to the delight of old and new fans, Slash’s resume builds along with his worldwide fan base. Since making history and amassing global sales in excess of 100 million units with Guns N’ Roses, returned with Slash’s Snakepit in 1994, followed by Velvet Revolver’s two hit LPs, 2005′s Contraband (for which the single, “Slither” won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock performance) and 2007′s Libertad. Finally, Slash reemerged with his groundbreaking, guest-star studded 2010 solo debut. In 2011, Slash was honored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce who named him as an official selection to receive a star in 2012 on Hollywood’s iconic Walk of Fame. After making numerous session appearances and lending his laid-back, six-string genius to an eclectic mix of artists which include Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, filmmakers Quentin Tarantino and Darren Aronovsky, not to mention Guitar Hero III: The Legend of Rock and co-authoring a bestselling memoir. It all begs the question: What’s next for the London-born, LA-schooled kid who discovered his musical soul when his father played him the Beatles, Stones, and Yardbirds?
“Touring Apocalyptic Love and having a great time,” Slash says humbly. “As long as I can plug my Les Paul into a Marshall amp, I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”
Not a bad destiny at all.
Story by Lonn Friend // Photos by Travis Shinn
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Alter Bridge will be shooting a live DVD of their upcoming performance at London’s Wembley Arena later this month, for release in early 2012. The footage will be directed by long-time Alter Bridge director Daniel E Catullo III.
“I am excited to once again direct Alter Bridge, and I couldn’t be more honored to be asked by the guys to once again capture their amazing live show,” Catullo III says. “Wembley is a special place and I know it has been a dream of the band to play there. I couldn’t think of a better place to shoot this tour at.”
Alter Bridge are currently touring in support of latest album AB III.
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Hard rockers Adelitas Way, who are appearing at the 48 Hours Festival, Powered by Rockstar, this weekend, put out their second full-length, Home School Valedictorian (Virgin). Below, you can check out the video for the first song on that record, “The Collapse.” They shot it on the Carnival of Madness tour, and it features cameos by members of Theory of a Deadman and Alter Bridge. Let us know what you think of it in the comments.
Adelitas Way Tour Dates
10/15 – Luxor lot at the 48 Hours Festival, Powered by Rockstar Energy Drink – Las Vegas, NV
10/28 – 910 Live – Tempe, AZ
10/29 – Speaking Rock Entertainment Center – El Paso, TX
11/02 – Brewster St. Ice House – Corpus Christi, TX
11/03 – SRO Club – Beaumont, TX
11/04 – Wrecker’s – Lubbock, TX
11/05 – Dos Amigos – Odessa, TX
11/06 – Trees – Dallas, TX
11/08 – Hurricane Harry’s – College Station, TX
11/09 – Scout Bar – Houston, TX
11/10 – Pharr International Convention Center – McAllen, TX
11/11 – Clicks Billards – Tyler, TX
11/12 – Midnight Rodeo – Abilene, TX
11/14 – Juanita’s Cantina Ballroom – Little Rock, AR
11/15 – Exit / Inn – Nashville, TN
11/17 – Chameleon Club – Lancaster, PA
11/18 – Recher Theatre – Towson, MD
11/21 – Majestic Theatre – Madison, WI
11/22 – Val Air Ballroom – Des Moines, IA
11/23 – The Vault – Sioux Falls, SD
Photo by Olaf Heine
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Set times for Rock on the Range 2011, headlined by Avenged Sevenfold and A Perfect Circle, have been announced and can be viewed below. This year’s festival will also feature performances from Danzig, Black Vein Brides, Escape the Fate, Korn, Alter Bridge, Disturbed, Stone Sour, Hollywood Undead and the Damned Things, among others.
Rock on the Range 2011 will take place on May 21 and 22 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
For more information, visit www.rockontherange.com.
Band performance times are as follows (set times subject to change):
Friday, May 20
7:00 PM Red Line Chemistry
7:45 PM Lez Zeppelin
8:35 PM Danko Jones
9:30 PM Steel Panther
Saturday, May 21
Monster Energy Main Stage
12:45 PM Finger Eleven
1:55 PM Rev Theory
3:05 PM Sick Puppies
4:20 PM Hinder
5:40 PM Alter Bridge
7:05 PM Staind
8:25 PM Korn
9:55 PM Avenged Sevenfold
The f.y.e. Stage
12:10 PM Trust Company
1:20 PM Asking Alexandria
2:30 PM Crossfade
3:45 PM My Darkest Days
5:05 PM Escape The Fate
6:25 PM Danzig
Jägermeister Stage
11:30 AM Downplay
12:10 PM Bad City
1:20 PM Egypt Central
2:30 PM 2 Cents
3:45 PM Black Veil Brides
5:05 PM P.O.D.
Sunday, May 22
Monster Energy Main Stage
12:45 PM 10 Years
1:55 PM Saving Abel
3:05 PM All That Remains
4:15 PM Black Label Society
5:40 PM Bullet For My Valentine
7:10 PM Stone Sour
8:30 PM Disturbed
10:00 PM A Perfect Circle
The f.y.e. Stage
12:10 PM Greek Fire
1:20 PM Pop Evil
2:30 PM Cavo
3:40 PM Trapt
5:00 PM A Day To Remember
6:25 PM Hollywood Undead
Jägermeister Stage
11:30 AM FOX Rocks Winner (TBA)
12:10 PM Red Fang
1:20 PM Art Of Dying
2:30 PM Evans Blue
3:40 PM Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
5:00 PM The Damned Things
Note: Doors open at 11 AM on Saturday and Sunday.
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