Dario Lorina: The New Big Guitarist
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: Dario Lorina, age 16, just finished a tour with Warrant's Jani Lane.
Topic: Misc.
As I was going through all the 80's Glam sites today, I found an article on the 16 year-old Las Vegas guitarist Dario Lorina. Being very up-to-date on all guitarists passing through the industry, I had heard of him earlier this year when he had an audition to perform with Jani Lane, the ex-Warrant frontman. I later heard that he had set off on tour with Jani. Until now though, I did not know much about this 'prodigy'. When I saw an interview of him on glam-metal.com (see link below), I decided to research him and find out what this big fuss was all about. I had read comments earlier about him from major names like Nikki Sixx, Dana Strum, and the Nuge, but I just couldn't believe that a 16 year-old guitarist could claim all of his roots were in 80's metal (even though most of the best guitarists are from 80's metal bands).
I went on his site and first went to the video/audio list. I watched a solo of him, and was to say the least, amazed and awed. His styles are like that of Randy Rhoads (Quiet Riot & Ozzy), Yngwie Malmsteen, and Buckethead (Buckethead & GN'R). He had an almost neo-classical feel that can only be described as great, and by all means can be regarded as a 'shredder'. Now I had no doubt that he could've opened for bands like Dokken and have played with gods like Jani Lane.
Where can you find everything I've discussed? The interview with Dario can be found at glam-metal.com. His official website with audio/video clips can be found at cyruszain.com.

The image is from Dario Lorina's site. Dario with Jani. Only-Rock fans can expect a Band Page for Dario soon.

Update On GN'R
Mood:  accident prone
Topic: Hard Rock
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Guns N' Roses will hit the stage in a European tour this week in singer Axl Rose's latest bid to return to rock paradise, but fans are still waiting for the band's long-promised new album.

The success of GNR's comeback concerts rests on the reclusive and controversial Rose, whose absence at a show in Canada in the American band's last tour in 2002 led to riots. The disastrous tour ended prematurely.

In a warmup to the 30-date European tour that starts in Spain Thursday, the band, which soared to superstar status in 1987 with hits such as "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Paradise City", recently played four nights in small New York venues.

"As long as there is no concert at which Axl Rose doesn't show up, then I will have to say that everything is going well," said Eric Romano, who has run the fan website www.mygnr.com for 11 years.

Guitar virtuoso Slash and bassist Duff McKagan quit the band a decade ago, leaving Rose as the band's only original member.

Despite losing the creative axemen, Rose has retained a legion of fans who long for the release of "Chinese Democracy", an album in the works for nearly 10 years.

"For the majority of fans, as long as Axl Rose is there, it is still Guns N' Roses, even though other members of the group are no longer playing," Romano, a Canadian, told AFP.

But not all Guns N' Roses fans accept the absence of Slash, McKagan, drummer Matt Sorum and rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, a founding member who quit the group in 1991.

"They're a good band and everything, but I don't think they have the chemistry the original GNR did," said photographer Robert John, who took pictures of the band from 1985-2002.

"I think some of the songs I heard them play are heavier and some don't have the same feel, because Slash isn't on the guitar," John said.

The revamped Guns N' Roses have yet to release their new album.

In a recent impromptu radio interview, Rose announced that the long-awaited "Chinese Democracy" would come out later this year. Constantly delayed, it has been derided by the New York Times as "the most expensive album never made."

It would be the band's first studio album since "The Spaghetti Incident?", released in 1993, which was a compilation of mostly punk covers.

That last album came on the heels of the hugely successful "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" albums, which included mega-hits such as "Don't Cry," "November Rain" and "You Could be Mine."

Guns N' Roses became one of the most popular hard rock bands after the 1987 release of its first album, "Appetite for Destruction," which introduced the world to Rose's hard-edged voice and Slash's ripping guitar solos.

But after selling more than 90 million records, Slash left the band in 1996 and was followed by McKagan and Sorum. GNR has since struggled to regain its hard rock crown with Rose alone at the helm.

Slash, McKagan and Sorum, meanwhile, revived their careers with the successful band Velvet Revolver, which includes another controversial singer, former Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland.

Courtesy of www.vqpr.com

Sebastian Bach Makes Announcement About Skid Row
Mood:  accident prone
Topic: Hair Metal
Sebastian Bach recently posted the following message on his official website.

"I am getting tired of making this announcement but everytime 2/5ths of my old band does some shows they use my picture & voice to promote their bait & switch 'gigs', so i will say it again:

I AM NOT IN THE BAND SKID ROW.
I HAVE BEEN SOLO SINCE 1996 .
I AM NOT PLAYING ANY CONCERTS WITH SKID ROW.
I AM NOT PLAYING THE STARLAND BALLROOM WITH SKID ROW.
I AM NOT PLAYING THAT CLUB IN INDIANA WITH SKID ROW THAT HAS AN AD IN THE NEWSPAPER NEXT TO MY PICTURE THAT SAYS "PAY $50 FOR A VIP TICKET TO MEET THE BAND"!!!

not only that but ........
SNAKE SABO IS NOT IN SKID ROW.
ROB AFFUSO IS NOT IN SKID ROW.
IF YOU GO TO SEE 'SKID ROW' IN 2006 YOU ARE IN FACT GOING TO SEE ONLY 2 OUT OF THE ORIGINAL 5 MEMBERS OF THE BAND."

Courtesy of www.sebastianbach.com

Meat Loaf's New Album
Mood:  bright
Now Playing: Meat Loaf is laying down his tracks for Bat Out Of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose.
Topic: Classic Rock
Bat Out of Hell III is Meat Loaf’s long-awaited next installement to the most successful rock music series of all time, with the two previous albums selling a total of 45 million around the world! Bat Out of Hell, released in 1977 and produced by Todd Rundgren, is the third best-selling album of all time, with 30 million copies sold worldwide, featuring such Meat Loaf/Jim Steinman standards as “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad,” “You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth” and the show-stopping “Paradise by the Dashboard Lights.”

The Steinman-produced Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, which came out in 1993, sold more than 15 million, with the classic “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” earning Meat Loaf a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance.

Bat Out of Hell III continues the epic saga in grand fashion, with contributions once again from Steinman and Rundgren, and produced by hitmaker Desmond Child. Bat Out of Hell III promises to mark the triumphant return of the Bat Out of Hell franchise, completing this legendary trilogy!"

Julie Bell is the artist that created the cover and imagry to Bat III and helped make Meat's vision a reality! Click out her website at www.imaginistix.com
From Meatloaf.net.

From Blabbermouth.net:
Launch Radio Networks reports: QUEEN guitarist Brian May was in a recording studio last week to lay down tracks for the new MEAT LOAF album. May flew to Los Angeles following the "VH1 Rock Honors" show, and he played guitar on a song called "Bad for Good". On his official BrianMay.com web site, the guitarist wrote that the is almost seven-and-a-half minutes long, that it could have nearly 50 tracks of his playing on it, and that it's "truly epic and... unashamedly massive! And everything that might be expected from 'Bat 3'!" The album is officially called "Bat out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose", and it's due October 31. The title song "The Monster Is Loose" has already been released online at the official Meatloaf.net and www.myspace.com/meatloaf web sites.

"Bad for Good" was the title song from MEAT LOAF songwriter Jim Steinman's 1993 solo album.

Diamond Dave Talks of VH Reunion
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Ex-Van Halen Frontman David Lee Roth Talks About Possible VH Reunion.
Topic: Hair Metal
DETROIT (Billboard) - Now that he's lost his radio job, David Lee Roth is seeking gainful employment in another capacity -- as lead singer of Van Halen. Again.

"I see it absolutely as an inevitability," says Roth, who was deposed by CBS Radio in late April as one of Howard Stern's replacements. "There's contact between the two camps, and they have legitimate management; Irv Azoff is part of their loop now.

"To me, it's not rocket surgery. It's very simple to put together. And as far as hurt feelings and water under the dam, like what's-her-name says to what's-her-name at the end of the movie 'Chicago' -- 'So what? It's showbiz!' So I definitely see it happening."

Despite that claim, Roth -- who was Van Halen's singer from 1974-1985 -- acknowledges that he hasn't seen Edward Van Halen "in a couple of years." The last time Roth recorded with Van Halen was for the group's "Best Of Van Halen Volume 1" album in 1996, though there have been periodic rumors ever since.

Roth isn't sitting around while he waits for the call, however. He joins the John Jorgensen bluegrass band for two songs -- "Jump" and "Jamie's Cryin' " -- on "Strummin' With the Devil: The Southern Side of Van Halen," a bluegrass-styled tribute to Van Halen. Roth calls it "a detour" as well as "an interesting return ... Before there was rock 'n' roll, there was me and a single guitar, flat pickin' Doc Watson (songs)." Roth plans to make a number of TV appearances on behalf of the album, which comes out June 6.

Roth is also planning to tour later this summer to play Van Halen hits -- "I'm so proud of that music," he says -- favorites from his solo album and covers. He'll leave the banjos and fiddles at home, though.

"I like to bring out the brass section now and the keyboard players and the singers and so forth," Roth explains. "It's probably a little closer to the Rolling Stones' revue than to the early three-piece power trio. But the demand is amazing; I guess I'm lucky enough to be one of those guys now who can point at the map and say 'Let's go here' -- or, rather, my favorite expression, which is 'Let's follow the sun.'"

Courtesy of www.billboard.com

Bassist Blasko Rejoins Ozzy
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Blasko Rejoins Ozzy 1 Month Before Ozzfest
Topic: Hair Metal
HOLLYWOOD (May 27, 2006) - Blasko has rejoined with Ozzy Osbourne after originally joining the band in 2003 as the replacement for Jason Newsted (ex-METALLICA). After Blasko joined Ozzy, the following two Ozzfest's touted Black Sabbath as the headliner - Blasko thought it was over. He performed with Ozzy on a few special shows during that time such as the NFL kick-off for the Patriot's. "I got the call for this show - the NFL Kick- off," explains Blasko. "I would never have guessed we would be playing in a giant helmet, but it was totally worth it." After that show, Blasko resumed playing with Rob Zombie on his new CD Educated Horses. Performing on a sell-out tour with Zombie, Blasko came home to Ozzy calling him for Ozzfest duties. "I thought it was done and over but then I get the call and it all spiraled back to where we are now and I am back playing with Ozzy."

Performing solo for the first time in three years, OZZY will play a total of 10 dates on this year's Ozzfest route, including the San Bernardino show.

OZZfest 2006 tour dates:

+ indicates Ozzy headlining main stage.
++ indicates Ozzy headlining second stage.

+Thu 6/29 Seattle, WA White River Amphitheatre
+Sat 7/01 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Sun 7/02 Sacramento, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre
Tue 7/04 Albuquerque, NM Journal Pavilion
Fri 7/07 Phoenix, AZ Cricket Pavilion
++Sat 7/08 Los Angeles, CA Hyundai Pavilion of Glen Helen
Sun 7/09 San Diego, CA Coors Amphitheater
Tue 7/11 San Antonio, TX Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Fri 7/14 Somerset, WI Float-Rite Park
Sat 7/15 St. Louis, MO UMB Bank Pavilion
+Sun 7/16 Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amph.
Tue 7/18 Pittsburgh, PA Post Gazette Pavilion
Wed 7/19 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
Fri 7/21 Columbus, OH Germain Amphitheatre
+Sat 7/22 East Troy, WI Alpine Valley Music Theatre
Sun 7/23 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center
Tue 7/25 Toronto, CAN Molson Amphitheatre
Wed 7/26 Scranton, PA Toyota Pavilion @ Montage Mountain
Thu 7/27 Buffalo, NY Darien Lake Six Flags PAC
+Sat 7/29 New York, NY Randall's Island
Sun 7/30 Hartford, CT New England Dodge Music Center
+Tue 8/01 Boston, MA Tweeter Center
+Fri 8/04 Camden, NJ Tweeter Center @ the Waterfront
Sat 8/05 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amph.
+Sun 8/06 Bristow, VA Nissan Pavilion
Wed 8/09 Raleigh, NC Alltell Pavilion @ Walnut Creek
Sun 8/13 W. Palm Beach, FL Sound Advice Amphitheatre

Rob "Blasko" Nicholson is perhaps best known for his performances on Rob Zombie's solo albums. He became Zombie's bass demon in 1998 after he left his tour of duty with Danzig. Blasko has so far played on all of Rob Zombie's solo albums (Hellbilly Deluxe, The Sinister Urge, & Educated Horses).

Great White members now on trial.
Mood:  accident prone
Topic: Hair Metal
Two members of Great White have been subpoenaed as witnesses in the trial of a Rhode Island nightclub owner charged with 200 counts of manslaughter.

Great White guitarist Ty Longley was among 100 people killed when pyrotechnics ignited flammable soundproofing foam during a February 2003 concert at The Station nightclub in East Warwick, R.I.

Great White bassist David Filice and drummer Eric Powers were named as material witnesses Monday for the trial of Michael Derderian, who owned the club along with his brother Jeffery, the Providence (R.I.) Journal reported. Michael Derderian's trial starts July 31 while a date has not been set for his brother's trial.

Great White's tour manager, Daniel Biechele, pleaded guilty to 100 counts of manslaughter for setting off the fireworks without a permit and is currently serving a four-year prison term.

In other news, here's a few pictures from the Gn'R show in NY.

The tracii Guns Band Works On New Album
Now Playing: The founding members of the Sunset Strip band L.A. Guns work on new album.
The Tracii Guns Group Which Feature the original founding members of L.A. Guns is nearing the end of our first ever US tour. Its been an amazing experience and I want thank all my friends old and new for coming down to join us in this rock and roll experience and suportting The Original L.A. Guns "Black List" Release. Weve got two shows left and then its back to L.A. to start work on a new record and a DVD.

Best to all my friends

Love-
Paul Black
Music For Animals

WASP Gets New Guitarist
Mood:  loud
Topic: Heavy Metal
Doug Blair (born 11th of February, 1963 as Douglas Blair Lucek) is a guitarist, he was a member of W.A.S.P. for a short time in 1992 for tour purposes. He was also a quick replacement on W.A.S.P.'s Unholy Terror Tour in 2001 on two festival gigs when Chris Holmes left the band.

His current band is signal2noise with percussionist/vocalist John Anthony. They have been working on their seven-song debut "Fighting Mental Illness" You can learn more about Signal2Noise at signal2noise.

Blair is known for inventing the innovative instrument the "GuitarCross" which blend five guitar strings with three bass strings (guitar strings sent to one amplifier, bass strings to another) to make a very unique sound. He uses this invention in s2n and also uses a unique 12-string acoustic named "Asia."

MIKE DUPKE IS STILL THE NEW DRUMMER AS STATED BY W.A.S.P. NATION ON (5-15-06) MIKE HAS BEEN CREDITED WITH ACTS SUCH AS HAIR OF THE DOG, JUGULUR, AND SEVERAL MORE.

YOU CAN HEAR MIKE'S DRUM WORK HERE: JUGULUR ON MYSPACE

IT IS NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME AS TO WHY MARK ZAVON WILL NOT BE TOURING WITH W.A.S.P., AS STATED BY W.A.S.P. NATION ON (5-15-06) AS THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN DELETED FROM THEIR WEB SITE. MORE NEWS WHEN I GET IT.
PEACE
MD

TOUR UPDATE 5-15-06

W.A.S.P. AND TWISTED SISTER HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE ROCKWAY FESTIVAL IN GREECE. MORE INFO IS LOCATED ON THE LINK BELOW ROCKWAVE FESTIVAL

US TOUR DATES:

5.19.06 KENNEL CLUB - SACRAMENTO, CA-(w/ Special guests Lizzy Borden)
5.20.06 THE POUND - SAN FRANCISCO, CA-(w/ Special guests Lizzy Borden)
5.21.06 CANES - SAN DIEGO, CA-(w/ Special guests Lizzy Borden)
5.22.06 VENUE OF SCOTTSDALE - SCOTTSDALE, AZ-(w/ Special guests Lizzy Borden)
5.23.06 STAMPEDE NITECLUB - EL PASO, TX-(w/ Special guests Lizzy Borden)
5.24.06 THEATRE OF CITY - CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO-(w/ Special guests Lizzy Borden)
5.26.06 DREAMWORLD MUSIC COMPLEX - ARLINGTON, TX-(w/ guests Lizzy Borden)
5.27.06 FORGETTA BOUT IT - HOUSTON, TX-(w/ Special guests Lizzy Borden)
5.28.06 RIVERSIDE CONVENTION CENTER - VICTORIA, TX-(w/guests Lizzy Borden)
5.30.06 ECKS SALOON - LAKEWOOD, CO-(NO LIZZY BORDEN)
5.31.06 WHITE BUFFALO - LOVELAND, CO-(NO LIZZY BORDEN)
6.01.06 SUNSHINE THEATER - ALBUQUERQUE, NM-(w/ Special guests Lizzy Borden)
6.02.06 EMPIRE BALLROOM - LAS VEGAS, NV-(NO LIZZY BORDEN)
6.03.06 TBA
6.04.06 KEY CLUB - LOS ANGELES, CA-(w/ Special guests Lizzy Borden)DISCOUNT TIX HERE
6.06.06 GALAXY THEATER - SANTA ANA, CA-(w/ Special guests Lizzy Borden)

EUROPEAN FESTIVAL DATES

6.09.06 SWEDEN - Sweden Rock Festival (with DEF LEPPARD)
6.10.06 FINLAND - Sauna Open Air (with TWISTED SISTER)
7.12.06 GREECE - Rockwave Festival (with TWISTED SISTER)
7.15.06 BULGARIA - KAVARNA, Rock in Kavarna (with SEBASTIAN BACH)
8.18.06 NORWAY - OSLO, Ragna Rock Festival (with TWISTED SISTER)

From sleazeroxx.com

MORE GN'R NEWS!!!
Mood:  lucky
Now Playing: Izzy Stradlin Returns & Axl Scuffs Shoulders With Tommy Hilfiger
Topic: Hair Metal
It just seems GN'R can't stay out of the news these days. After 3 years of keeping out of the spotlight, the latest GN'R nws may just keep your head spinning. Let's recap before we launch into the latest news:
-Feb: Slash says Chinese Democracy to be ot in April, GN'R demos leaked on fan forum.
-March: No sign of Chinese Democracy, Axl seen in New York. European tour scheduled. No news on who's in the band.
-April: No Chinese Democracy, 4 dates in May set for Hammerstein Ballroom gigs in New York. Rock In Rio website says there will be a surprise guest at the gigs. Many anticipate Izzy or Slash to return.
-May:
11 & 12: Sebastian Bach surprise guest. No sign of Slash or Izzy, but Bumblefoot takes Buckethead's place as lead guitarist.
13: Axl says Chinese Democracy to be out in November-ish.

Now for the most recent news:Leave it to Axl Rose to save the best for last.

On Wednesday night, during the band's fourth and final warm-up show at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom, the much-rumored reunion of Axl with erstwhile GN'R guitarist Izzy Stradlin finally came to pass.

Izzy's appearance led many in attendance to believe that former lead guitarist Slash, who was similarly touted by insiders as a possible guest performer before the band's first New York gig on May 12, wouldn't be far behind -- but no joy.

Stradlin, who quit the band mid-tour in late 1991 and has since released five albums (solo or with his short-lived group, the Ju Ju Hounds) joined GN'R for three tunes: "Think About You," "Patience" and "Night Train."

The concert, which concluded shortly after 2 a.m., also featured guest vocalist Kid Rock on "Night Train." The four sold-out shows acted as a warm-up for GN'R's European festival appearances this summer. No other North American dates have been scheduled so far.

Rose introduced Stradlin before "Think About You" -- although his comments were almost immediately drowned out by screams from the audience as the guitarist strutted onstage. The two hugged before launching into the number, and one eyewitness reported seeing Stradlin's eyes welling with tears during "Patience."

Various online GN'R messageboards have been buzzing with speculation of a full-band reunion since word of Stradlin's arrival reached fans via text message. "There's going to be a reunion for sure," wrote one fan. "There's too much money involved for it not to happen. Izzy will bring the rest of the guys around, you watch."

And for the latest drama with Axl Rose (I knew there wouldn't be a rest between him and his excessive ego):
NEW YORK - It was a one-two encounter between Axl Rose and Tommy Hilfiger. The rocker and designer capped a Thursday evening out at a new club called The Plumm in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood with midnight fisticuffs.

"There was an issue between the two of them," Plumm owner Noel Ashman told The Associated Press.

The scuffle reportedly started after the Guns N' Roses front man moved the drink of Hilfiger's girlfriend, Dee Ocleppo.

"I moved his girlfriend's drink so it wouldn't spill," Rose told the Los Angeles radio station KROQ on Friday. "It was the most surreal thing, I think, that's ever happened to me in my life."

According to the 44-year-old singer, Hilfiger, 55, smacked him in the arm and told him to put the drink back.

"He just kept smacking me," Rose said.

Attempts to reach Hilfiger or a representative were not immediately successful.

Rose was there to play a surprise set for "Rent" actress Rosario Dawson for her 27th birthday party.

At the time of the dustup, The Plumm was packed with a celebrity crowd including Lenny Kravitz, Mickey Rourke, Kid Rock, Peter Beard, Molly Simms, Wentworth Miller, Ann Dexter Jones, Lydia Hearst and Damon Dash.

Rose did perform, and dedicated the song "You're Crazy" to "my good friend Tommy Hilfiger."

Well now you're up-to-date with all there is to Guns N' Roses. If you wanna learn more, check out the Onl-Rock Exclusive: Gn'R Special. Until next time, remember Only-Rock is the place for GN'R and any metal news. Later.