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Metal Superstars Reinvent Michael Jackson’s Biggest Hits On A New Tribute Album
Performances by Danny Worsnop of ASKING ALEXANDRIA, Chuck Billy of TESTAMENT, Elias Soriano of NONPOINT, Lajon Witherspoon of SEVENDUST, Phil Campbell of MOTÖRHEAD, Doug Pinnick of KING’S X, Angelo Moore of FISHBONE, Priya Panda of DIEMONDS, Chris Jericho of FOZZY, Corey Glover of LIVING COLOUR and more!
Los Angeles, CA - Just in time for Halloween, a scarily impressive alliance of metal and hard rock luminaries has formed to create one of the most depraved abominations of musical crossbreeding in history - an all metal tribute to the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson, available on CD October 22! Never before have such quintessential pop hits as “Beat It,” “Thriller,” “Billy Jean” and “Man In The Mirror” been so completely transformed, substituting softly stylized synths with crunchy, distorted guitars, replacing the pitter patter of programmed beats with pulverizing double bass acoustic drums, and topping it off with some of the finest, most powerful vocals in metal. When completed, these reinventions pay due respect to the expertly crafted melodies and songs that made Michael Jackson one of the most beloved figures in all of music, and offer legions of metalheads a reason to simultaneously grab their crotches and throw the horns in celebration! \m/ \m/
Spearheaded by producer/musician Bob Kulick, who also helped in the arrangement of these cover versions, the project was in his words a “labor of love” for all involved. Exclaims Kulick, “We made these awesome songs kick ass while still being faithful to the original versions. Add killer players like Doug Aldrich, Billy Sheehan, Bruce Kulick, Rudy Sarzo, Tony Franklin, Craig Goldy, Bumblefoot, Phil Campbell and you’ve got some real MAGIC!” Rudy Sarzo, a stalwart of the metal scene as a member of both Quiet Riot and Queensrÿche, reflects, “Michael Jackson’s music is synonymous with iconic rockers such as Eddie Van Halen, Steve Stevens and Slash. So it’s only fitting that the rock community pays tribute to this legendary artist with Metal Mike!” And Fishbone’s Angelo Moore expresses great enthusiasm for his contribution, saying “I never thought I would hear myself doing a cover of ‘The Way You Make Me Feel,’ but it’s an honor and a dream come true. We put a different twist on it to give it a whole new light, or maybe I should say a whole new dark!”
In addition to the legends Kulick enlisted, several of today’s modern metal figures also contributed, including Elias Soriano of Nonpoint, who comments, “It was my pleasure to do this tribute to MJ. My admiration for the talent and history he has given to music overall will be hard to replace. My only wish is that I did him justice with my performance.” Jason Myers, of Icarus Witch, one of the current flag bearers in the traditional metal scene, declares, “When we were approached by Cleopatra to contribute to the Michael Jackson tribute we were honored (due to the legendary talent already on board), but a bit skeptical about how our fans would react...Choosing an unorthodox hit took a bit of pressure off and allowed us to put more of ourselves into the track.”
Finally, bassist Tony Franklin, who has worked with everyone from Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page to Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour to Whitesnake, confirms the surprise and astonishment many felt during the creation of the album, “The first thing I noticed was how easily these out and out pop songs translated to the metal genre. That is the sign of, one, a great song and, two, a great production and arrangement.” He goes on to note that it wasn’t just the songs that were transformed when Metal met Pop on these recordings; the performers themselves were transformed. He states, “It was very cool to see how the guest artists interpreted these songs as it brought out a different side of them - a side we wouldn’t usually hear.”
1. Thriller - Chuck Billy (Testament)
2. Man In The Mirror - Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria) & Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big)
3. The Way You Make Me Feel - Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake), & Rudy Sarzo (Queensrÿche)
4. Black Or White - Lajon Witherspoon (Sevendust), Bruce Kulick (ex-KISS), & Tony Franklin (The Firm)
5. Beat It - Priya Panda (Diemonds) & Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Guns N’ Roses)
6. Billy Jean - Corey Glover (Living Colour) & Phil Campbell (Motörhead)
7. Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) - Elias Soriano (Nonpoint)
8. Rock With You - Doug Pinnick (King’s X)
9. Dirty Diana - Chris Jericho (Fozzy)
10. Bad - Paul Dianno (ex-Iron Maiden) & Craig Goldy (Dio)
11. They Don’t Care About Us - Icarus Witch
12. Never Can Say Goodbye - Lonnie Jordan (War)
13. Smooth Criminal - Alien Ant Farm
Purchase the CD at Amazon: http://georiot.co/3fdt
Download the album at iTunes: http://georiot.co/35ef
'The Walking Dead' creator Robert Kirkman to appear at Peavey® Hollywood on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013
Fans can purchase a Peavey® officially licensed guitar featuring artwork from The Walking Dead™ and have it autographed by the comic book creator
Peavey Electronics®, world-renowned manufacturer of musical instruments and audio gear, is proud to announce a special event taking place at the Peavey Hollywood Store on Thursday, October 24, 2013 from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. (PST).
Fans who purchase a Peavey officially licensed The Walking Dead™ guitar will be given the opportunity to get it signed by Robert Kirkman, creator and writer of the hit comic book and television series.
Perfect for both musicians and fans alike, the guitars start at $219 and are available as the single-humbucking, entry-level Rockmaster® or the more robust, dual humbucking Predator™. The instruments feature gruesome artwork by The Walking Dead illustrator Charlie Adlard.
Entertainment will be provided by Metalachi, the world’s first and only heavy metal mariachi band. And, as no event featuring The Walking Dead is complete without ‘biters,’ participants can expect zombies to make an appearance, as well as other surprises throughout the evening.
The Peavey Hollywood Store is located at 7422 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA. This event is open to the public. For those unable to attend, the event will be streamed live at peavey.com.
Learn more about the Peavey Electronics family of products at peavey.com.
About Peavey Electronics®
Founded in 1965, Peavey® is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of musical instruments and professional sound equipment. Peavey has earned more than 180 patents and distributes to more than 130 countries. Peavey and its MediaMatrix®, Architectural Acoustics®, Crest Audio®, Composite Acoustics® and Trace Elliot® brands and affiliates can be found on concert stages and in airports, stadiums, theme parks and other venues around the world. To find out more, visit www.Peavey.com.
About Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman's success and passionate advocacy for creator-owned comics led him to become the first person invited to become a partner at Image Comics since the company's inception twenty years ago. Kirkman is the creator/writer of the Eisner Award-winning The Walking Dead, long-running Invincible, all-ages Super Dinosaur, The Astounding Wolf-Man and Thief of Thieves. In 2010, Kirkman formed his own Image imprint, Skybound, which publishes his own work and Witch Doctor, Guarding the Globe and Clone. Kirkman has earned the respect of the comic, writing and television communities and topped the New York Times bestseller list for graphic novels in 2011 and in April 2012, he took the top five spots on both the hardcover and paperback lists. He's the creator/executive producer and writer of the hit Emmy®-winning television show, AMC's The Walking Dead, the highest-rated basic cable drama of all time in the U.S., also an international success in 122 countries and 37 languages. AMC is developing Thief of Thieves as a potential series with Kirkman serving as creator/executive producer and writer. Your destination for all news and merchandise from Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead and all Skybound titles is www.Skybound.com.
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