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Drum kits of the pros: stars' live and studio drum setups in pictures

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:38:00 GMT

UPDATED: We've updated the collection with several new kits, including the set-ups behind huge pop tours from Rihanna and The Wanted, a spartan punk kit from Rise Against and Mike Portnoy's current set. Find them on the next few slides and scroll through the gallery to see the whole selection.

Every month Rhythm magazine scales the four corners of the Earth to interview the best pro drummers out there and (more importantly for the purposes of this gallery) to take a closer - often exclusive - look at their drum setups. This gallery celebrates the best from Rhythm, and some of MusicRadar's own…

Scroll through to see kits belonging to some of the biggest names in the business from Travis Barker and Joey Jordison to Steve Gadd and Thomas Lang. You can click through to read gear-centric extracts from Rhythm's interviews from the stars themselves and, in many cases, from their all-knowing drum techs.

First up: Chris Johnson's Rihanna drum setup...

Vintage Drum Gear: Ludwig kits

Mon, 21 May 2012 09:48:00 GMT

Each month Rhythm Magazine tracks-down and checks-out vintage gear in order to marvel at a bit of drum-making history. Here we have two classic kits from Ludwig...

Last year's UK National Drum Fair threw up a broader-than-ever selection of vintage kits, none more magnificent than this complete Ludwig Blue Note.

Essex drummer and ex-fireman Steve Roots is the proud owner and he says, "The Blue Note was first seen in the 1959 Ludwig catalogue and made its last appearance in 1971.

MusicRadar Deals Of The Week

Sun, 20 May 2012 13:19:00 GMT

Killer guitar, tech, amp or drum bargains from our recommended retailers

Adele wins two Ivor Novello awards

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:50:00 GMT

Adele has won two Ivor Novello awards at a ceremony in London this afternoon. The singer was named songwriter of the year, while Rolling In The Deep, the first single to be taken from her second album 21, was confirmed as the most played work of 2011.

The Ivor Novellos are designed specifically to recognise songwriting achievements. Other winners at the 2012 ceremony included Ed Sheeran for The A-Team (best song musically and lyrically) and PJ Harvey for Let England Shake (best album).

Also taking home prizes were Lana Del Rey and her British songwriting partner Justin Parker for Video Games (best contemporary song), Take That (outstanding contribution), Spandau Ballet's Gary Kemp (outstanding song collection), Siouxsie Sioux (Ivors Inspiration) and Mark Knopfler (lifetime achievement).

Steve Barney's The Wanted drum setup in pictures

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:07:00 GMT

We all know that, as drummers, our job is to be the rock on stage, keeping the rest of the band in line. It's a sizeable task, and when you hit the kind of level UK sessioneer Steve Barney is at, the demands just keep on piling up.

On his latest enormo-pop gig with chart-topping, hysteria-inducers The Wanted, Steve has not only the rigours of sold-out arenas, tons of pyro, triggering samples and generally holding together a huge show to deal with, he's also faced with a pretty daunting challenge in drowning out the hordes of screaming girls that fill each venue the band plays.

Rhythm got a first-hand glimpse of the eardrum-bashing madness surrounding The Wanted as a group of teenage fans are let into Birmingham's LG Arena while the band is mid-soundcheck. As dozens of doe-eyed fans sprint to the front of the stage to paw over their five pop pin-up idols, we spy a gleeful smile play across Steve's face as he continues to lay the beat down in his unmistakably thundering style.

"I hit pretty hard but I think they probably win that battle," Steve laughs when asked about the ear-piercing volume from the crowd each night.

Trevor Horn and Ash Soan: how to be a session drummer

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:49:00 GMT

Trevor Horn on stage with The Buggles in 2004, © Toby Jacobs/Lebrecht Music & Arts/Corbis

Session work is becoming an increasingly more visible area of the drum industry attracting many young players towards studio careers over the rock star dream, but with dwindling budgets and technology advancements eschewing the need for real musicians in many situations it's a hard-fought battle to secure the few session gigs that exist.

With hard work, the right attitude and a few grains of luck, the session world can be extremely fulfilling, particularly at the dizzying heights of someone like Brit groove merchant Ash Soan.

Almost 20 years into his career, Ash recently contributed tracks to Adele's award-winning smash 21 (Set Fire to The Rain), Cee-Lo Green's The Lady Killer (I Want You) and Robbie Williams' Reality Killed The Video Star (Morning Sun), amongst plenty of others.

The latter he recorded with producer Trevor Horn, a man of exceptional and innumerable talents himself. A brief glimpse at his discography reveals a startling number of writer, performance and production accolades for iconic tracks released in the last 30 years. If sessions are your dream, this is the man to aspire to work with.

Ash spends plenty of time in the studio with Trevor between West London's Sarm and Trevor's LA recording studio. Most recently they have collaborated - along with similarly well-credited musical luminaries Lol Creme and Steve Lipson - for a stunning new band, Producers, whose new album Made In Basing Street combines Ash's playful side and deep pocket with Trevor's exceptional vocal talents, bass guitar prowess and lush, wholesome production.

At a recent (and rare) Producers gig at Bush Hall, London (and in association with Tech Music Schools), Rhythm picked the brains of Ash and Trevor to find out exactly what a seasoned hit producer looks for in a drummer and what studio work is really about.

Trevor, what is it about Ash that makes him a desirable drummer to work with, and what particular assets do you look for in a studio drummer?

Trevor Horn: "Lots of good jokes! He plays in time effortlessly. I hear lots of drummers and I've played with lots of drummers but, for instance, the song 'slave to the rhythm', Ash is the only person over here [in the UK] that I've heard who can play that beat, as well as be able to play rock pretty effortlessly.

"You're always looking for people who can go to 11, just something more than your average. I'm not a big fan of virtuoso jazz-rock drummers. Ash has a really good combination of talents. He's a virtuoso drummer without being a virtuoso drummer, who plays in time and is good to play with. Some people try and make it into an obstacle course and hide the beat or hide beat '1'. It's much easier if you don't do any of that!

"Some drummers don't seem to have a clue about the song, they play the wrong thing and are all over the place because they're not listening to the singer or how the song moves. To be a really good drummer you've got to be listening to the singer and you've got to make sure that what you do helps them rather than hinders them."

Ash, how does working with Trevor differ to other producers you work with?

Ash Soan: "There are some newer producers on the scene, and I have quite a cross-section of people I work with, but Trevor's the most interesting. Trevor seems to come back to songs and look at them and hear them as an overview whereas other people will concentrate on sounds. Trevor seems to look at the song, and I hope that's what I do too."

Trevor, do you think about drum parts or sounds before a session or do you leave that to the drummer?

TH: "When I get a song I'll get together a bunch of the best people and see what I can do with it. I'll have an idea of something better than the demo I've heard and may have an idea of whether it's going to be a live drum thing, or the drums should be dead, ambient, those sorts of things, but I won't get into detail.

"I would get involved if I didn't like the sound, but the sound always gets better when you play the right thing. We don't spend hours."

AS: "We get a pretty instantly good sound at Sarm."

To what degree do you call on Ash for sessions because of his ability to achieve a good drum sound?

AS: "It's probably more of a playing thing."

TH: "The bigger the kit you have the worse it will sound."

AS: "That's why I use the most basic kit possible. When I did those clinics last year and said I only used two cymbals somebody saw me play and emailed me and said, 'you weren't lying!' the more stuff that's there..."

TH: "...it clutters and spoils the sound. Especially those big tom toms. Unless you're Billy Cobham. I always used to enjoy his playing. The great days of jazz rock drummers..."

AS: "But he wouldn't sound great on a Ronan Keating record."

A lot of drummers arrive for sessions with a huge arsenal of gear to cover all bases. Is that necessary?

AS: "We have a bunch of snare drums from Yamaha at Sarm but really there's only a couple that we switch between."

TH: "You hire an American session drummer and the cartage bill is more than you pay people over here for a day's work. You can have whatever kit you want but that's a bit daunting. Too many choices for me."

AS: "That's why I use the small kit. You're limited in a way, but that limitation means hopefully you're going to deliver something tidier.

"I've always liked the drummers who make a little kit sound like there's a lot of things going on. ?uestlove just has a floor, kick, snare, hats and a ride and off he goes."

Technology advancements mean drum sounds and programmed parts can be achieved quickly, so what's the value of a drummer in the modern age?

TH: "I didn't like drums in the '70s, early '80s. I was always fighting the drummer because I wanted him to play stuff he didn't want to play. They wanted to play jazz or whatever and I wanted four on the floor. And they'd get shirty with me, so I didn't like them.

"When drum machines came out I was really happy and made a lot of records with drums machines. I didn't think there were many good drummers in the '80s apart from Stewart Copeland. He was brilliant, and Cozy Powell.

"At the end of the '80s when everybody started to program stuff on computers I got bored of that and started going back to drums, but it took me a while."

AS: "There's more dynamic range with drums. Every hit is different."

TH: "There's always something happening. The problem with drum machines is that if anything's going to happen you've got to make it happen yourself and it's hard work. The method I've used a lot is to get a small band to play a song and use all the ideas that the people had and make the record from that, reprogramming bits.

"It's much easier with a group of guys to say, 'Let's try it in this key and that tempo.'"

That way you'll be open to more happy accidents too?

TH: "When we first recorded 'Video Killed The Radio Star' I never heard that piano line behind my voice until we hit the studio. Geoff [Downes, Buggles keyboardist] came up with that on the day and I remember being knocked out by it. If I'd been playing all the instruments on my own record I never would have heard that."

AS: "I remember one of the Robbie tracks we worked on. It was pretty much finished and at the end I started playing around a bit, then Trevor said, 'you know that bit you did at the end, we've moved it into the bulk of the song.'"

TH: "He basically thought we were finished so he just filled all the way. It was spot on in time so I used it just behind one of the choruses and it brought it to life."

AS: "When you get more than one musician together people can spark off each other and you can't program that."

TH: "It's a very nice thing when it happens. When you're with other people who are musicians, somebody might show you something and you learn things. That's why a computer seems like a pretty cold thing. But it all ends up in there anyway!"

What is some of the best advice Trevor has imparted to you, Ash?

AS: "The song. Out of all the producers I worked with he's looking at and hearing all of it. That's what I've tried to do and I think that's why he likes me. It's re-affirmed that that's the right way to do it. Try and think of the song, don't think about the drumming, actually.

"I'm sure some of your readers might say, 'what's he on about, that's all we're interested in,' but if you really want to carve a career in playing music you've got to think about the music and not just the inner workings of what we do. Think of it as a whole. I've realised that's what he likes about me.

"If you want to be a Thomas Lang and you're driven to that, absolutely do it, but if you want to be a session guy think about the song."

Was there a moment when the penny dropped?

AS: "My first band Del Amitri, I'd come out of college and joined them two years later. I had to copy the parts of Chris Sharrock on that album Twisted. The singer made me do a fill in a different place and I really didn't like it.

"I started to realise I don't need to do that fill there, I'm only doing it because I'm thinking in a drummy way, I'm not thinking about the whole performance that I'm supposed to be enhancing, dynamically. Don't go to the ride because you're bored of the hi-hats, go to the ride because there's something happening musically.

"Go and listen to the great song drummers. I picked up on it pretty early on. There's something about Ringo, Gadd, those guys. Gadd's a good example. Everything he plays is about the song. Even amazing songs like 'Chuck E's in Love'. It's an incredible Gadd lick, but if you think about the song - it stops, there's this beautiful pause then Gadd plays this beautiful thing to get back in. It's a complete hook and it totally makes sense. It's not ego-driven, it's just a beautiful thing."

How hands-on is Trevor?

AS: "I turned up to do a session and he was in the control room when we played the song, then he disappeared and left me in there with the engineer. I said to the engineer, 'is everything okay?' he said, 'yes, he trusts you.' Then he came back down, had a bit of a listen, made some suggestions, then off he went again. That was quite a nice moment as I thought I was getting fired when it was the opposite."

Does he give specific direction about your parts?

AS: "He might say it needs to get more exciting there, or don't fill here."

How do you interpret things like that?

AS: "Lift the energy, maybe start branching out and do a couple of fills to make it feel more exciting, or it needs to move a little more in energy. There's obvious things too like closed hats then go to the ride. It's about communication. You've got to understand what people want and try to deliver it, and remain inspired to deliver it."

Do you ever suffer creative block?

AS: "Thankfully it doesn't happen that often. If it does and it's a certain song I might take time out to listen to something else that's similar and see if I hear something in that that could work. Reference something."

Trevor, who are some of your favourite drummers you've worked with?

TH: "Obviously Ash, Alan White - I love him - Stewart Copeland. I played with him a few times, he's pretty hard to play with. He's wild but it's exciting. You've got to play as well as Sting to play with Stewart. The American guys too, John Robinson, Abe Laboriel, Curt Bisquera."

Any other tips for our readers?

AS: "Definitely work on technique. There's a means to an end with technique, you've got to be able to do it. Trevor will ask me to do a particular thing and I've got to be able to do it. But certainly in the last 10 years I've been concentrating more on the music bit of it."

Record labels are suffering from dwindling budgets these days. Even recording at this level, is there pressure to get things done quickly?

AS: "When I was out in LA with Trevor recently I did four tracks. One was for Seal. They had a programmed beat that I played along to. I did one take and they said it was pretty good. I did two more takes and Trevor said, 'Let's move on.' I wanted to do a couple more but within those three takes he'd obviously heard enough to make it happen.

"He might not take all that stuff but there are certainly a couple of fills at the end they might use. I'm very fortunate that he keeps calling me back."

Win a pair of tickets to the sold-out Black Sabbath Birmingham O2 Academy show!

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:16:00 GMT

The 2012 Black Sabbath reunion has been one of the most talked-about musical happenings of recent years. With the band's first show just days away, anticipation is reaching fever pitch.

19 May sees Sabbath take to the stage at Birmingham O2 Academy as a warm-up for the band's headline slot at Download on Sunday 10 June. Obviously, the gig is completely sold out, and you can't get tickets anywhere, right? Wrong.

In a pretty damn exciting competition, we can offer one lucky winner a pair of tickets to Saturday's show at Birmingham O2 Academy, plus two copies of Iron Man: The Best Of Black Sabbath, a new compilation album set for a 4 June release, and copies of the deluxe editions of every Black Sabbath album from the Ozzy era. Now that is a lot of Sabbath.

Five runners up will receive copies of Iron Man: The Best Of Black Sabbath. To enter, simply answer the question below. The main winner will be responsible for all of their own travel costs and arrangements and will be informed on Friday 18 May. Deadline for entry is midnight on Thursday 17 May so hurry up and get those entries in!

The Competition

To be in with a chance of winning two tickets to see Black Sabbath this Saturday, simply answer the following question...

Which band did Tony Iommi briefly leave Earth to join in 1968?

A) The Yardbirds
B) Jethro Tull
C) Mountain

Enter here

Iron Man: The Best of Black Sabbath is a 14 track collection of classic tracks from across the band's first eight albums – including tracks from 1970s debut Black Sabbath and follow up Paranoid, 1971's Master Of Reality, 1972's Volume 4, 1973's Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and 1978's Never Say Die.

The album brings some of the best loved and most influential rock songs of all time together on one disc - including such classics as Paranoid, Iron Man, Black Sabbath, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, War Pigs and Changes.

Full tracklisting (including original albums):

1. Paranoid (Paranoid)
2. Iron Man (Paranoid)
3. Changes (Volume 4)
4. Fairies Wear Boots (Paranoid)
5. War Pigs (Paranoid)
6. Never Say Die (Never Say Die)
7. Children Of the Grave (Master Of Reality)
8. The Wizard (Black Sabbath)
9. Snowblind (Volume 4)
10. Sweet Leaf (Master Of Reality)
11. Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games) (Black Sabbath)
12. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath)
13. Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath)
14. N.I.B. (Black Sabbath)

BIMM announce Peter Grant Memorial Scholarship

Tue, 01 May 2012 14:17:00 GMT

BIMM Principal Vaseema Hamilton explains, "BIMM have created this scholarship in memory of the one of the most influential figures of the modern music industry."

The scholarship will be linked to the Music Industry Management BAHons qualification being run at BIMM Bristol from September 2012. This course as with all BIMM programmes is vocational and designed to act as a springboard into employment.

Mark Clayden BIMM Bristol College Manager explains, "We have designed the Music Industry Management BAHons to support up and coming young professionals eager to make their mark in the music industry. Training students in all areas of this ever changing industry including: Live Event Management, Retail, Promotion, Record Labels, A&R, Working With Musicians, Finances and Music Law."

Touched and honoured

Peter Grant's daughter, Helen Grant, added, "My father would have been both touched and honoured that this scholarship has been created in his name. He was a great inspiration to many people in the business, not only on the management front, but in the way he looked after his artists in his own, infamous way! A charismatic personality coupled with great humor, means he is never far away. This is a long overdue accolade. Never forgotten"

Peter Grant, best known as the manager of Led Zeppelin, also worked closely with Bo Diddley, The Everly Brothers, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, the Animals and the Yardbirds, to name a few. In 1996, The Music Managers Forum (MMF) award for outstanding achievement in management was renamed the Peter Grant Award, in his honour.

The Peter Grant Memorial Scholarship will cover approx £16,000 of course fees across the three year undergraduate programme.

To find out how to apply for The Peter Grant Memorial Scholarship call 0844 2 646 666, email info@bimm.co.ukor visit www.bimm.co.uk/bristol

New drum gear of the month: review round-up (May 2012)

Tue, 01 May 2012 07:31:00 GMT

Every month MusicRadar's industry-leading sister magazines - Guitarist, Computer Music, Total Guitar, Rhythm, Future Music and Guitar Techniques - publish the best independent and in-depth music-making gear reviews.

This is a collection of kits, percussion, accessories and more from Rhythm Magazine's gruelling testing process. First reviewed in Rhythm issue 202 and published on MusicRadar throughout April.

Brandon Barnes's Rise Against drum setup in pictures

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:30:00 GMT

It may have taken six albums and over a decade but Brandon Barnes and Rise Against are finally getting the worldwide recognition they so richly deserve.

The US punks have stood and watched as countless poppier exports lapped up the record sales this side of the Atlantic, but last year's Endgame, the band's sixth and most recent studio album, seems to have at last turned the tide.

Coming on the back of two hit US albums, the record cracked the UK's top 30 for the first time in the band's history - their previous highest chart entry over here was 68 - and a run of hugely successful, sold-out UK shows at the tail end of 2011 firmly rammed home that the Chicago-based punk band has finally courted the attention of the UK mainstream despite refusing to compromise, remaining unwavering in both their musical and political standpoints.

Rhythm spoke to Brandon last year ahead of that UK tour. Here we bring you pictures of his live drum kit, along with extracts from that interview, which you can read in full in Rhythm issue 200. Or you can subscribe to Rhythm Magazine to read interviews with the world's top drummers each month.

Vintage drum gear: Camco kit

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:28:00 GMT

Each month Rhythm Magazine tracks-down and checks-out vintage gear in order to marvel at a bit of drum-making history. Here we look at a rare Camco kit...

Although Ludwig, Gretsch, Slingerland and Rogers were the big American names of the '60s and '70s, there are those who prefer the far less well-known Camco drums.

The last Camco set we encountered was back in 2004 as the drums are really quite rare. However, a while ago we came across not one but two sets of even rarer George Way drums at the National Drum Fair - and George Way drums are the direct predecessors of Camco.

Mike Portnoy's 2012 drum setup in pictures

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:41:00 GMT

For Mike Portnoy, 2010 was a tumultuous year. Besides taking on a gruelling touring schedule with different groups, the drumming community was shocked when Mike announced that he was leaving Dream Theater, the band he had co-founded and led since the '80s. Feeling a need for a break to recharge his creative batteries, Mike left when a compromise could not be reached.

Then, after recording and completing a tour with Avenged Sevenfold (filling in for the band's deceased drummer The Rev), Avenged thanked him for his services and sought a permanent replacement for their drum seat. Mike came off the road and spent some much-needed time at home with his family while pondering what his next musical move would be.

Record Store Day 2012: 20 essential purchases

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:35:00 GMT

This Saturday, 21 April is international Record Store Day. For the uninitiated, Record Store Day is an annual event devised in 2007 to celebrate independent record shops and provide a shot-in-the-arm for the non-digital music buying industry.

In 2012 the day connects over 700 record shops worldwide, to stock a selection of special and limited-edition releases from a wide-range of artists, as well as play host to events, instore gigs and meet-and-greets.

Here MusicRadar's Si Truss and Matthew Parker pick the 20 essential releases they'll be queuing up for come Saturday morning.

To find participating stores and check out the full list of releases and events, visit the Record Store Day site.

Levon Helm, drummer and singer of The Band, dies aged 71

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 22:12:00 GMT

Levon Helm, whose soulful, earthy singing, solid-as-a-rock drumming, and evocative songwriting helped turn The Band into one of rock's most vital and original outfits, died today (19 April) at the age of 71. He had been battling cancer since 1998.

"Levon Helm passed peacefully this afternoon," a statement on his website reads. "He was surrounded by family, friends and band mates and will be remembered by all he touched as a brilliant musician and a beautiful soul."

Born in Elaine, Arkansas on 26 May 1940, Helm began his professional music career playing in Ronnie Hawkins' band in 1957. During his time with Hawkins, he met Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson. With them, he formed The Hawks, the group that would back up Bob Dylan in the mid-'60s as he transitioned from acoustic folk to rock 'n' roll.

By 1968, Dylan had gone into semi-retirement after a near-fatal motorcycle accident, but The Hawks stayed together and became The Band. All five members were multi-talents, and in Helm they had a true triple-threat: drummer, singer and songwriter. Make that quadruple - he also played mandolin. Some of The Band's most enduring songs featured Helm singing lead, including The Weight, Up On Cripple Creek and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.

Rich Pagano, drummer and co-vocalist with The Fab Faux, says that "Helm will be remembered as a great vocalist, but drummers will remember him as an extraordinary player. Everything he played was just right - not complicated, but perfect. Just watch Up On Cripple Creek."

Pagano played with Helm on a number of occasions, most notably at some of the popular Midnight Ramble concerts that Helm staged at his barn-like studio next to his home in Woodstock, NY. "I would play drums on a second kit whenever Levon would play mandolin and sing," says Pagano. "He never told you what to do, but just by watching him, I realized the fundamentals of making playing and singing one."

Following the breakup of The Band in 1976 (documented in Martin Scorsese's film The Last Waltz), Helm continued to play and record. Without Robertson, the members of The Band regrouped in 1983 and resume touring, but the 1986 death of Manuel (he hanged himself after a club show) and the 1999 death of Danko (from a drug-related heart attack) put a definitive end to The Band.

When helm was diagnosed with throat cancer, he underwent radiation treatments which initially robbed him of his ability to sing. Gradually his voice came back, and in recent years he won Grammys for the albums Dirt Farmer, Electric Dirt and Ramble At The Ryman.

"His legacy will be as someone who was true to himself," says Pagano. "In his music and the way he lived, he expressed the essence of an artist."

Legendary percussionist Alex Acuña to perform UK clinic dates

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 08:16:00 GMT

PRESS RELEASE: Gon Bops in association with DW Drums are proud to announce legendary drummer, percussionist and teacher Alex Acuña will be appearing in two exclusive clinics accross the UK.

With his infectious enthusiasm and easy going approach Alex will demonstrate his percussive skills and techniques across a wide range of instruments ranging from cajon to congas, bongos to timbales and bells. He will also show how to transfer traditional rhythms to drum kit.

Born in Pativilca, Peru, Acuña played in local bands from the age of ten, moving to Lima as a teenager before joining the band Perez Prado at the age of 18. By 1974 Acuña had moved to Las Vegas, and was working with artists such as Elvis Presley and Diana Ross, and the following year he joined the jazz-fusion group Weather Report, appearing on the albums Black Market and Heavy Weather.

Acuña left Weather Report in 1978 and became a session musician in California, recording and playing live with artists as culturally diverse as Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Plácido Domingo, Sam Phillips, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, Beck, Roberta Flack, U2, Peter Gabriel and Blondie. He has also worked as an educator at University of California, Los Angeles and Berklee College of Music.

Clinic details

30 April

Drum Wright Ltd (Tel: 0118 944 1418)

4 Loddon Vale Centre, Hurricane Way, Berkshire RG5 4UL

Event Information

1 May

Sound Attak (Tel: 01206 368999)

Units D1 & 2, The Cowdray Centre, Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, Essex CO1 1BW

Event Information

Rush release the fiery new song, Headlong Flight

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:15:00 GMT

Ahead of the release of their much-anticipated 20th studio album, Clockwork Angels, Rush have just unleashed the first official single from the new set, the fiery Headlong Flight.

Clocking in at nearly seven and a half minutes, it's a guided tour of Rush's best assets: Alex Lifeson's expansive guitar playing, Geddy Lee's ever-adventurous bass work and Neil Peart's on-point rolls and lethal snare attack.

"Headlong Flight was one of those songs that was a joy to write and record from beginning to end," Lee told Rolling Stone. "Alex and I had blast jamming in my home studio one day before the second leg of the Time Machine tour, and I did not revisit that jam until a year later.

"Alex and I assembled the song to be an instrumental and its original title was Take That Lampshade Off Yo Head!, but once we saw the lyrics Neil had written, I knew that the spirit of the lyrics matched the instrumental perfectly and it was just a matter of making them fit and writing the melodies."

Clockwork Angels was produced by Rush and Nick Raskulinecz. You can listen to Headlong Flight over at Rolling Stone's site.

Rush fans in the UK can get the album first as part of a special edition fanpack published by our good friends at Classic Rock.

Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson comment on Levon Helm

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:31:00 GMT

Yesterday, it was revealed that Levon Helm, the legendary drummer and co-vocalist for The Band, was in the "final stages" of his long battle with cancer. Today, Helm's two surviving Band mates, guitarist Robbie Robertson and keyboardist Garth Hudson, have issued statements about the one of the greatest players in rock 'n' roll history.

On his Facebook page, Robertson writes the following:

"Last week I was shocked and so saddened to hear that my old band mate, Levon, was in the final stages of his battle with cancer. It hit me really hard because I thought he had beaten throat cancer and had no idea that he was this ill. I spoke with his family and made arrangements to go and see him.

"On Sunday I went to New York and visited him in the hospital. I sat with Levon for a good while, and thought of the incredible and beautiful times we had together. It was heartwarming to be greeted by his lovely daughter Amy, whom I have known since she was born. Amy's mother, Libby Titus, and her husband, Donald Fagen, were so kind to help walk me through this terrible time of sadness. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sandy.

"Levon is one of the most extraordinary talented people I've ever known and very much like an older brother to me. I am so grateful I got to see him one last time and will miss him and love him forever.

- Robbie Robertson"

On his website, Hudson writes:

"I am too sad for words right now. Please continue praying for Levon and family."

Chris Johnson's Rihanna drum setup in pictures

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:46:00 GMT

It was just before Christmas that Rhythm met up with Rihanna drummer Chris Johnson in a decidedly posh hotel in West London. Chris was just about to wrap up a string of sold-out nights at the O2 Arena with the controversial pop superstar.

It's fair to say that, with her provocative lyrics and outfits, Rihanna would not have met with approval in Chris's household as a child. He grew up playing gospel music in the church where his father preached in Los Angeles.

Matt Sorum issues statement on Guns N' Roses' Rock Hall Of Fame induction

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:25:00 GMT

Having performed with the the other inducted members of Guns N' Roses - along with singer Myles Kennedy, who sang in place of Axl Rose, following his decision to turn down induction - at last Saturday's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio, drummer Matt Sorum, a member of the band from 1990 to 1997, has issued a statement regarding the drama surrounding the event.

Sorum stresses that he seeks to bring some sort of "closure" to, as he puts it, "all things Guns N' Roses." His statement is as follows:

Dear Friends and Fans of Guns N' Roses,

I am releasing this statement to bring closure to the night's events at the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame, and to all things Guns N' Roses. This will alleviate numerous press statements and interviews about the subject, which I have already addressed on my Twitter.

In these last few months since getting notice about being inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame, many emotions and feelings have gone through my head and heart, as well as the original five members of GN'R: Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy and Steven. I was also chosen to be inducted, along with Dizzy Reed.

It was slightly awkward for me in some ways knowing some fans have the original five in their hearts for a reunion. I chose to say to Slash and Duff, 'Please have Steven play, and let me know what you would like me to do.'

Two days before the event. Axl made his statement known. And it was apparent he wouldn't be attending. In respect to him, that is his decision and should be honored. Also, Izzy declined. So I suggested Slash call Gilby, who was left out of the proceedings.

Gilby was a member of the band and contributing to the 'Use Your Illusions' World Tour, which took us around the globe for three years, as well as playing guitar on 'Spaghetti Incident' and 'The Live Era' albums. It felt like the right thing to do.

In fairness to the rest of the original line-up and myself, we decided to go ahead and attend. This is an honor that is once in a lifetime and couldn't be missed, especially for fans of the band. To us, it was honoring them as well. Regarding playing live, we agreed that we would share the stage together, joined by Myles Kennedy as guest singer, who did a fine job filling big shoes. Steven graciously offered 'Brownstone' and played two other 'Appetite' tracks, and I sang and joined him near the kit on 'Paradise City.'

It felt perfect for all involved.

In my speech, I made references to drugs and Steven being dismissed from the band, in which I referred to, "How could someone be fired from Guns N' Roses for doing too many drugs??"

It was meant to be light-hearted. But knowing the struggles Steven has endured all these years. I felt I needed to clarify that Steven was onstage, healthy, and ready to rock.

It is well known that the rest of the band has endured addiction and alcoholism and at this point in our lives, we are all healthy and sober. Not to make light of drugs and alcohol…we were all full-blown addicts when the band split. What started out as a party and what we believed was part of the makeup of the band turned on all of us in the end.

Many years of soul searching and reconnecting with our inner selves have brought glorious gifts: Velvet Revolver with millions of records sold and a Grammy, Steven with his new band, and more. We are now all playing music and making records on our own that is truly what we love, before any of the business of music came into play. The music has always been the passion, before anything else.

Stevens's passion for GN'R is something that no one can explain but him: it's a true love gone, but never forgotten. How many people have felt that in their lifetime?

I told Steven and the rest of the guys the night of the Induction that night was for them and what they created on the streets of Hollywood, and it can never be taken away. The music will live on. And that's what counts. Not about who was there at the Induction. That the music will always be theirs and no can ever take that away.

Also, I have much respect for my former band, The Cult. And all the musicians I have played with over the years. They have all taught me so much.

I also need to thank my dearest and closest confidante, Ace Harper, who is my fiancée' and has made me a better man. She has walked beside in times of darkness, and has been there for me when all the stage lights and backstage parties were over.

This is where life is for all of us now survivors of a Rock & Roll era you will never see the likes of again: Married men Slash with two wonderful boys, Duff with two beautiful girls, Steven happy with a beautiful wife.

Life is good, my friends…we are alive! God Bless the fans of GN'R.

Long Live Rock N Roll,

Matt Sorum

(GN'R: "Use Your Illusion 1 and 2," "The Spaghetti Incident," "The Live Era)"

MusicRadar festival guide 2012

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:00:00 GMT

Welcome to MusicRadar's guide to the best of 2012's festival action.

Whether you're after a low-key folk festival, a dance-fuelled rave, an inner-city event or a field full of heavy metal fans, we've rounded-up our pick of some of the UK's biggest and best festivals, plus a few of our favourites from around the world. Check out each individual festival's page for information on line-ups, tickets and locations.

Free Roadrunner Records 13-track Download Festival 2012 sampler

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:13:00 GMT

It's almost that time of year when we all drink too much, dance around like idiots, cover ourselves in mud and listen to music louder than a jet engine. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Download 2012 is almost upon us!

To celebrate, Roadrunner Records is offering a free 13-track MP3 sampler featuring some of the finest Roadrunner tracks of the last 12 months.

But that's not all! By downloading the sampler, you'll also be entered into a draw to win two tickets for Download 2012.

The main winner will also win one of three signed, huge Download 2008 posters. The other two posters will go to two runners-up, who'll also receive equally huge Download 2006 posters. Tasty.

The sampler features:

1. Black Stone Cherry - White Trash Millionaire
2. Soulfly - World Scum
3. Lamb of God - Ghost Walking
4. Revoker - Stay Down
5. Royal Republic - Tommy Gun
6. Kids In Glass Houses - Gold Blood
7. Trivium - In Waves
8. DevilDriver - You Make Me Sick
9. Periphery - Passenger
10. Theory Of A Deadman - Lowlife
11. Machine Head - Locust
12. Megadeth - Public Enemy No. 1
13. Opeth - The Devil's Orchard

To download the sampler and enter the draw, simply fill in your details on Roadrunner's Facebook page by clicking here...

Read MusicRadar's bumper 2012 festival guide here!

Classic Rock Presents Rush - Clockwork Angels fanpack revealed, plus artwork and tracklist

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:12:00 GMT

Rush have revealed release details of their forthcoming new album, Clockwork Angels.

The album - Rush's first since 2007 and their first on Roadrunner Records - will go on sale officially in the UK in July. However, the new record will be available from 11 June as part of an exclusive fanpack put together by our good friends at Classic Rock.

On sale a full three weeks before the regular UK album release date, Classic Rock Presents Rush - Clockwork Angels (fanpack edition) features the new album in full plus a 132 page magazine that forms the 'ultimate sleevenotes' to the new record, with extensive and exclusive interviews with Neil Peart, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson.

Inside is everything you need to know about Clockwork Angels: full track-by-track rundown by the band, an interview with producer Nic Raskulinecz, long time cover artist Hugh Syme and more - all with exclusive unseen shots.

Other features include: Gene Simmons on Rush in the '70s, Rush's live rig and set-up, plus the band's full back catalogue reappraised by former producer Terry Brown, Manic Street Preacher and superfan Nicky Wire, Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and more.

Pre-order Classic Rock Presents Rush - Clockwork Angels

Rush - Clockwork Angels tracklist:

Caravan
BU2B
Clockwork Angels
The Anarchist
Carnies
Halo Effect
Seven Cities Of Gold
The Wreckers
Headlong Flight
BU2B2
Wish Them Well
The Garden

Slash on Guns N' Roses not playing Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:41:00 GMT

It's still 11 days until Guns N' Roses are inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and already Slash is tired of talking about it - more specifically, whether the original band members will all be in attendance and might perform together at the Cleveland ceremony.

"Everyone has been asking me what's going to happen, and they know as much as I do," Slash told Rolling Stone. "I feel you're totally obligated to be present, and I would love to fucking play, but it's just something that's not gonna happen for whatever reason."

The biggest reason, it would seem, is a still unresolved, longtime feud between the guitarist and singer Axl Rose. In 2009, Rose called Slash a "cancer." According to Slash, things haven't improved since. "He hates my guts," the guitarist said. "It's over a lot of different stuff; I don't even know. There's just no communication between us."

Of the original GN'R lineup, only Slash, Duff McKagan and Steven Adler have said that they plan to attend the Rock Hall event. Former band keyboardist Dizzy Reed made a statement that original member Izzy Stradlin was going, but former GN'R drummer Matt Sorum, speaking to VH1 Radio Network, repudiated that clam.

"I asked Slash if he would do it," said Sorum, "and Slash's answer to me was that he spoke to Izzy and Izzy wasn't planning on coming. So I think that was like, if Izzy's not going to come and it's not all the original guys, then it doesn't make sense."

Starting 3 May, fans will get plenty of chances to see Slash live when he heads out on tour to promote his upcoming second solo release, Apocalyptic Love. Just confirmed is a special album release show at New York's Irving Plaza on 22 May, the same day the record streets in the US.

New drum gear of the month: review round-up (April 2012)

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 10:39:00 GMT

This is a collection of kits, percussion, accessories and more from Rhythm Magazine's gruelling testing process. First reviewed in Rhythm issue 201 and published on MusicRadar throughout March.

Watch footage of the first annual National Learn To Play Day

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:20:00 GMT

Last Saturday (31 March) saw Music For All's first National Learn To Play day, on which musical instrument shops across the country hosted free 'taster' instrument lessons for members of the public.

The video above gives a taste of the hugely successful event held by Absolute Music at its new studio complex in Wallisdown, Dorset.

For information about future events and projects from Music For All check out their website.