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Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted has announced Mike Mushok of Staind has joined his band, Newsted. Following the release of Newsted’s debut EP, Metal–which debuted No. 1 on the iTunes metal chart–Mushok, guitarist Jessie Farnsworth and drummer Jesus Mendez Jr. are currently working at Jason’s Chophouse Studios in Northern California, putting the final touches on a full- length album to be released early this summer.
“It was obvious from the word go that Mike is one of us,” says Jason. “Professional, focused, happy and grateful to be able to make our beautiful noise together!”
“I loved the old school vibe of the Metal EP, and when we got together to jam it really felt great,” adds Mushok. “Staind is taking a break for a while, so when Jason asked if I was interested in joining them to record an album and play on the upcoming tour, it was perfect timing. All I could say was, Hell yeah! I’m totally down for this.”
Newsted will be hitting the road this summer, playing several European dates (listed below) including The Download Festival in Donington Park, UK on June 16. More dates to be announced soon. Check out newstedheavymetal.com for the latest news and tour updates.
“I’m feeling strong and can’t wait to bring our heavy music to the people again,” says Jason. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had the opportunity to unleash on the world’s metal fans!”
Newsted tour dates:
June 5 Warsaw, Poland @ Impact Festival
June 7 Solvesborg, Sweden @ Sweden Rock Festival
June 16 Donington Park, UK @ Download Festival
June 21 Graz, Austria @ Seerock Festival
June 26 Tokaj, Hungary @ Hegyalia Festival
June 29 Helsinki, Finland @ Rock the Beach
June 30 Dessel, Belgium @ Graspop Metal Meeting
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By Amelia Waters
It was an action-packed summer for Massachusetts-based rockers Staind.
They released their first official live album, Live From Mohegan Sun (Buy on iTunes), which also is available on DVD and Blu-Ray, on July 10. That concert was recorded and filmed in high def on November 25, 2011, at the Mohegan Sun and Casino in Connecticut, not far from the band’s home base.
The band also enjoyed a long, bruising summer on the road with the likes of Shinedown, Godsmack and In This Moment.
Suffice it to say, Staind — singer Aaron Lewis, guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April and drummer Sal Giancarelli (who replaced original drummer Jon Wysocki) — are in the midst of a well-deserved break.
Which is why we were happy to track down Mushok to chat about his ever-evolving setup, the band’s upcoming projects and the new live album.
REVOLVER: You guys toured all summer. How has the replacement drummer, Sal Giancarelli, been working out?
Sal’s been very good. He’s someone who’s been with us since 1999. He was actually our drummer’s drum tech, and he has actually sat in a couple of times when Jon was unable to play. So it was a pretty seamless transition, since we didn’t have to learn a new personality. He’s been with us a long time, and he’s a great drummer.
How have fans reacted to your new material and the new live album?
I think the new studio record , which we put out about a year ago, a lot of those songs really lead themselves to being played well live, and we try to get as many as we can in along with the songs that people want to hear. There’s definitely a good portion of new material on there, and it’s really fun to play. Reaction has been really good to it.
What made you decide the time was right for a live album?
We actually had an opportunity to do a DVD, and that’s what lead to the live album. And since we were recording – it was two for the price of one – really, so that’s really what lead to it.
When playing live, is there a particular guitar you like to stick with?
Yes, there is. When we recorded Staind, I kind of went back to soloing again. But now I play a baritone guitar, and I tune it down to F sharp. It’s real low on a baritone than a high E string, so that led me to having Paul Reed Smith make me a couple of 7-string guitars. I never wanted to play a 7-string, but now I am. So, pretty much, that’s what I’ve been playing — my baritone 7-string. It’s really not that difficult to make that change. The longer scale on the baritone — some of the stretches are a little bit trickier because they’re a little wider. But other than that, it’s kind of the same.
Should fans expect a slightly different guitar sounds or elements in the future?
No, hopefully it will be a continuation of where the last one left off — but hopefully growing and always trying to better yourself and trying to grow as an artist.
Sticking with guitars, is there one model you love the most or have been playing the longest?
I’ve had a couple of different signature models. I was with Ibanez for a bunch of years. Probably about five years ago or so I switched to Paul Reed Smith. That’s pretty much what I play — the baritone guitars, my model that we put out. I pretty much exclusively play that, except now they’ve been making me some 7-strings. I actually just heard from them that they’re releasing a 7-string, but it’s not a baritone; it’s just a standard scale, so I’m going to check that one out too.
What do you expect from that model?
I don’t know, really. WWhen I started doing the lower tunings, kind of when Staind started writing back in the mid-’90s, I had to take a standard guitar and put a heavier gauge string on it and tune it down. And I would always have kind of a problem because you would hit it harder and it would go out of tune. When we were doing our first demo, somebody showed me a baritone guitar, which I had never even heard of. So I’m kind of curious to see how that 7-string plays a tune.
What’s in store for the rest of 2012 and next year?
Aaron has a country record coming out. I have a few things going on but nothing in a spot that I really want to talk about. But right now I’m just trying to keep writing songs and working on a few other things. But yeah, there are definitely a couple of things I’d love to talk about, but in this business you just never how things are going to turn out. When something comes out, hopefully I can talk about it.
Again, Aaron is going to promote his country record. When he gets done with that, we’ll get back together and record another Staind record.
Keep up with Staind at their Facebook page and official website.
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Rock Vegas, powered by Rockstar Energy Drink, has just announced the daily band lineup for what is being called “Sin City’s loudest two-day rock music festival.”
Godsmack, Shinedown, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson and many more are all set to hit the stage during the two-day festival, which will take place September 28 and 29 at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
“I am packing up the trucks with everything I need to destroy Sin City’s loudest music festival,” said Rob Zombie. “I know Las Vegas has seen it all, but you ain’t seen nothing like this.”
Check out the full lineup below and get your tickets here.
Friday, September 28
Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind, Papa Roach, P.O.D., Adelitas Way, Deuce, Redlight King
Saturday, September 29
Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Stone Sour, Buckcherry, All That Remains, Art of Dying, New Medicine, Otherwise
Staind have announced the release of their first-ever official live album, Live From Mohegan Sun.
The album was recorded last November at the famous Mohegan Sun Casino in Montville, Connecticut, and is scheduled for a July 10 release through Eagle Rock Entertainment. A DVD and Blu-Ray release will follow in August.
Staind will be hitting the road later this year as part of the Rockstar Energy Uproar festival, joining Godsmack, Shinedown, Papa Roach and more for the 30-city trek.
Live From Mohegan Sun Track Listing:
01. Eyes Wide Open
02. Falling
03. Right Here
04. Throw It All Away
05. Spleen
06. Fade
07. Failing
08. So Far Away
09. Crawl
10. For You
11. Paper Wings
12. Outside
13. Not Again
14. It’s Been Awhile
15. Mudshovel
16. Something To Remind You
Staind frontman Aaron Lewis has revealed plans to reissue his country EP Town Line next year, with six additional tracks. Speaking to the Dallas Observer, Lewis said: “I was actually just in the studio so that, at the beginning of the year, Town Line can be re-released as a full-length. I just recorded six more songs. Lewis also went on to say that the record would have ”all sorts of extra, bonus stuff.”
While Staind are currently touring in support of their latest, self-titled, album, Lewis also stated that he intends to record more country music in the future.
“There’s more country coming. It’s the first music that I was ever exposed to. It was when I was a kid and my grandfather was a huge country music fan and I heard it a lot. Country music is a part of me. It certainly reflects my lifestyle.”
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Godsmack frontman Sully Erna has revealed that the band will be heading into the studio in January to mix an upcoming live album and record a selection of cover songs. Speaking to BostonHerald.com, Erna said the songs getting the Godsmack treatment would be those that have “inspired us along the way.”
Erna, who is currently on a solo tour, also revealed that Godsmack plan to hit the road with Staind in the Spring.
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Revolver‘s 100th issue hits newsstands on December 13 (but it’s available here right now), and, in addition to our list of the 100 Greatest Living Rock Stars, it contains our list of the 20 Best Albums of 2011. We’ve already announced that Korn have taken Album of the Year honors for their innovative and controversial electronic-music-infused LP, The Path of Totality, but you’ll have to read the issue to see the other 19 records that made the cut. In the meantime, we’re asking you to choose 2011′s Song of the Year. We’ve put together a list of the biggest and baddest songs in hard rock and heavy metal below (all of which were released as singles in 2011, even if some originally came out previously), all you have to do is pick the best. And feel free to vote as many times as you want–until the poll ends on Monday, December 19. So without further ado, getcha pull!
UPDATE: Find out the results here!
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