Backstage Pass FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK
Words by H! Magazine 17/11/2008
FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCKLast month the AC/DC Rock ‘n’ Roll Train rolled into Spain and, as it had done in other countries of late, left it Thunderstruck. On 20 October the band released their new album, Black Ice, their first since 2000’s Stiff Upper Lip, and most shops sold out by closing time. Then, a day later, tickets for two concerts – one in Barcelona next March, the other in Madrid on 2 April – went on sale and public demand caused an internet meltdown. Several sites selling tickets crashed, leaving many frustrated fans as the majority then went to punters using the La Caixa bank service. But this happened all over the world, with tickets being snapped up before you could even sing the chorus of Let There Be Rock – a gig in Paris sold out in under two minutes!At the time of going to press there is talk of an extra date in Madrid as the band have a 12-day gap until their next concert (London on 14 April). Back in 2000 two extra dates in the capital were added to the Stiff Upper Lip itinerary due to public demand – so keep your fingers crossed. Also, there’s a good chance they will grace at least one festival in Spain next summer. And if you have never road-tripped the AC/DC Highway To Hell, do yourself a favour – several times these ear drums have been blasted by their Rock ‘n’ Roll Damnation and they are without doubt one of the best live acts ever.If there are extra dates and you want a ticket, forget the internet – go straight to La Caixa bank. For info on any extra dates check out the band’s official site: www.ac-dc.net The 2008-2009 season continues at Málaga’s Teatro Cervantes this month with New York-based DJ ANDY BUTLER’s project HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR on the 9
th and UK indie rockers STEREOLAB on the 24
th. More info at
www.teatrocervantes.comAlso in Málaga, Spanish techno-popsters OBK are at the Sala Vivero on the 27
th.Madrid this month: THE STREETS (aka MIKE SKINNER) on the 15
th; popular UK indie duo the TING TINGS on the 19
th; and next month on the 3
rd post-grungers ALTER BRIDGE, who include the guy who is rehearsing with LED ZEPPELIN, MYLES KENNEDY (see below). Tickets for all the above are at
www.ticktackticket.comSo what’s next for LED ZEPPELIN? Lead singer ROBERT PLANT currently has no intensions of recording or touring. He said, “I wish JIMMY PAGE, JOHN PAUL JONES and JASON BONHAM nothing but success with any future projects.” Meanwhile, the aforementioned are rehearsing with MYLES KENNEDY, the lead singer of US alternative rockers ALTER BRIDGE.IRON MAIDEN’s demoniacal cartoon mascot EDDIE THE HEAD has become an unofficial symbol for a political party in northern Spain. At council meetings in the town of Villava, Navarra, separatist councilors insist on hanging the Basque flag on their desks during debates, so the local Socialists put up a flag of the unforgettable face of the rock talisman. The party leader said, “The Iron Maiden flag means a lot to me. If I have to put up with their flag, they'll have to put up with Eddie’s face.”Disgraced former 1970s star GARY GLITTER had plans to travel to Spain via France but his application to leave Britain was turned down. As a registered UK sex offender he has to inform authorities of any foreign travel plans. For a change, as the great OLIVER HARDY once said, “I have nothing to say.”So unless there’s any last minute hitch GUNS ‘N’ ROSES will release Chinese Democracy on 24 November, and this has put Doctor Pepper bosses in a fizz. On 1 April a spokesman for the soda company said they’d send everyone in the US a can of their brand if the album was released this year. The company has said, “If the rumours are true, we're putting the Dr Pepper on ice.” The album, which has been 12 years in the making, has cost a reputed $30 million.So 2 December is gonna be a big day for BRITNEY SPEARS. It’s her 27
th birthday and she will celebrate it live on the US breakfast TV show Good Morning America. Her new album, Circus, is released and her new brand of perfume, Hidden Fantasy, will be in the shops. But TAKE THAT wanna spoil the party; they will release their new album of the same name on the same day. The “naked” video for Britney’s latest single Womanizer had seven million hits on its first two days on the net.US emo/pop punk outfit FALL OUT BOY have put back the release of their new album Folie A Deux from 4 November until 16 December because it clashes with this month’s US presidential election and some songs are “relevant to the candidates”. Last month they performed a special gig for their fan club in a London dungeon; they had hoped that PETE D’OH-ERTY would join them on stage but he wasn’t locked up at the time.It’s make your own joke up time – they say VICTORIA BECKHAM uses bird faeces to keep her skin clear… And, despite internet rumours, she’s not joining the PUSSYCAT DOLLS – what would they want her for anyway? A mike stand? But those hot babes have said they would “whip AMY into shape”. Is WINO still doing her Buddhist bag? Followers of the religion say that after finishing their chants they feel “enlightenment” – if that’s the case it’s a different kind of “enlightenment” than she’s normally used to. Micky is the manager and DJ at Castaways Rock Bar in Fuengirola (behind the taxi rank near the Las Palmeras Hotel). (All the information in this article was correct at the time of going to press.) Did you hear about PAUL McCARTNEY losing his head? The said item belonged to a waxwork of The BEATLES legend which was previously on display at the Louis Tussauds Museum in Great Yarmouth; the museum owner left it on a train and it was found by a tramp (no, not his ex-wife) a few days later. He got a £2,000 reward for finding it (watch it: she will want to claim her share). METALLICA have hit back at claims their new album Death Magnetic is “too loud” – I don’t know about too loud but all the songs are too long! The RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS have confirmed they will take a two-year hiatus as bassist FLEA has enrolled in the University of Southern California’s music programme in order to learn “the maths and academics” of music. And same could be happening to the SUGARBABES as KEISHA BUCHANAN plans to go to university to complete her studies. GREEN DAY update: GARBAGE main man BUTCH VIG, who produced NIRVANA’s iconic Nevermind album, will be at the controls for the follow up to 2004’s American Idiot. And the boys are considering touring with their side project, the FOXBORO HOT TUBS. JAMES BLUNT has said, “If someone is prepared to pay me enough, I’ll stop singing.” With all these money magnets trying to buy football clubs won’t one of you do the world a favour – please. This month he tours Canada – isn’t it currently the hunting season ove
