2014 METAL ALL STARS

2014 METAL ALL STARS
JAMES LABRIE - DREAM THEATER – VOCALIST
Kevin James Labrie was born on May 5, 1963 in Penetanguishene, a
town in Ontario, Canada. James' parents say that when he was
three years old, he would walk around the house singing whatever
songs were on the radio. Although he didn't get the words right,
he could sing the melodies. Inspired by his father, James started
singing and playing drums at age 5: "My parents say I was tapping
on everything so if they didn't get me a drum set, I'd ruin the
house!" When he was six years old, he was very intent on
replicating different vocal styles and techniques. It was obvious
that his voice was very mature for a six year old. When James was
in elementary school, his teacher put him in singing class to
further his training. Meanwhile, his father, uncle, and brothers
were in a barbershop quartet, which James was made a part of.
Yet James' real love was rock music which he pursued by his early
teens. By fourteen, James was singing and playing drums in
several bands. However, James knew that drums were secondary to
his true passion, singing. At eighteen, James moved to Toronto,
Canada.
At age 21, he began vocal training with the renowned vocal coach
Rosemary Patricia Burns. After working with several Canadian
bands, James became the vocalist for Winter Rose, which almost
signed with Atlantic Records. Then Pierre Paradis, who managed
the band Voi Vod, approached James regarding a solo project with
Aquarius Records. He also told James about a New York based band
called Dream Theater who were looking for a vocalist. The rest,
as they say, is history.
James' musical tastes are quite varied as he names Metallica,
Aerosmith, Van Halen, Journey and Judas Priest as well as
classical composers Mozart, Vivaldi and Beethoven as favorites.
Influential vocalists include Steve Perry (formerly of Journey),
Freddie Mercury, Sting, Paul Rodgers and Nat King Cole. James
continues to practice with Ms. Burns and encourages other
vocalists to pursue formal training.
Throughout his musical career, James has become one of the most
well-respected and admired vocalists in progressive rock. As the
voice of Dream Theater and guest performer on numerous side
projects, James has helped to define the sound of progressive
music for the next millennium. His incredible range and
distinctive, intense and dynamic vocal performances have earned
him accolades from fans and critics alike.
In addition to Dream Theater's numerous studio and live releases
(Images & Words, Live at the Marquee, Awake, A Change of Seasons,
Falling Into Infinity, Once in a LIVEtime, Metropolis Pt. 2:
Scenes From A Memory, Live Scenes From New York, Six Degrees of
Inner Turbulence, Train of Thought, Live At Budokan, Octavarium,
Score, Systematic Chaos, Dream Theater's Greatest Hit, and Black
Clouds & Silver Linings), James has also appeared on releases by
Fates Warning and Shadow Gallery, Trent Gardner's Explorer's Club
and Leonardo the Absolute Man, the first Frameshift album
(Unweaving the Rainbow), Ayreon's The Human Equation, True
Symphonic Rockestra, as well as tribute albums to Rush, Emerson
Lake & Palmer, and Queen.
In 1999, James completed and released the first MullMuzzler cd,
Keep it to Yourself to much critical acclaim. The follow-up,
James LaBrie's MullMuzzler 2, was released on September 11th
2001. In 2005, James dropped the MullMuzzler moniker (for the
more recognizable James LaBrie band) and released Elements of
Persuasion, the third and arguably greatest of his solo efforts.
James' highly anticipated fourth solo effort, Static Impulse, was
released in September 2010 and offers up brilliantly dynamic and
melodic extreme metal mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren (Opeth,
Paradise Lost).
GEOFF TATE - QUEENSRYCHE – VOCALIST
Multi-platinum selling, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Geoff
Tate is best known for his 30-plus years as the creative and
driving force behind the progressive metal band Queensryche.
Since its inception with Geoff at the helm, Queensryche has sold
over 20 million albums worldwide and has performed in upwards of
fifty countries. Geoff is regarded as one of the most skilled
vocalists in the genre with hundreds of modern popular artists
citing him and his former band as a major influence. Combining
social consciousness and expertly crafted lyrics with highenergy, melodically complex music, Queensryche with Geoff Tate at
the forefront, became internationally recognized as the thinking
man's rock band. The band's first three albums -- their selftitled EP (1983), The Warning (1984) and Rage for Order (1986) -all hit gold status selling over 500,000 units each. With the
release of their landmark concept album Operation: Mindcrime
(1988) -- which won critical and popular acclaim and comparisons
to the Who's Tommy and Pink Floyd's The Wall -- Queensryche went
on to bring their progressive music to sold-out audiences the
world over. Following the album's platinum success, Queensryche
released Empire, which quickly entered the Top 10 on the
Billboard charts, eventually generating sales of more than three
million copies. The album featured the hugely popular hit,
"Silent Lucidity," which would be the band's first Top 10 single
(#9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the Billboard
Mainstream Rock Tracks chart). Geoff and the band would
ultimately perform the Grammy nominated song live at the Grammy
awards accompanied by a supporting orchestra. In all, Queensryche
has been nominated for a Grammy four times and has had their
music featured in three feature films.
In 2006, the band released Operation: Mindcrime II, a scorching
sequel to their original 1988 tale of "Rock, Revenge and
Redemption." The band would soon hit the road performing both
albums back-to-back in their entirety in an incredible theatrical
presentation. The spectacle would be captured on Mindcrime at the
Moore, a double CD/DVD release so popular that the DVD would
debut at #1 on Billboard's Top Music DVD chart and eventually
reach gold status. Shortly after the release of that hugely
successful set, Queensryche would release another gem titled,
Sign of the Times: The Best of Queensryche in 2007 that featured
17 career-spanning tracks including seven Top 10 hits with a twoCD deluxe Collector's Edition that added fifteen rare and
previously unreleased recordings. Later that year, the band found
themselves on the fall leg of the highly acclaimed Heaven and
Hell Tour with the late, great Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi,
Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice along with other special guest
Alice Cooper. The year would culminate with the release of Take
Cover, an adventurous 11-song collection of covers ranging from
Black Sabbath to Broadway.
In early 2009, Queensryche released American Soldier (via
Atco/Rhino Records), a concept album inspired by the stories of
military veterans that examines the consequences of war from the
soldier's perspective... yet another effort that will solidify
Geoff and the band in rock history. A truly memorable experience,
the band met with, and performed for, troops in both the U.S. and
the Middle East. In the year 2010, Queensryche would once again
display their immense creativity by presenting the Queensryche
Cabaret, which was heralded as "the first adults-only rock show."
In 2011, the band would find themselves celebrating their 30th
Anniversary in rock, marking the occasion with the release of
Dedicated to Chaos (Roadrunner Records/Loud & Proud) and an
extensive support tour. At the end of 2012, Geoff released his
first solo album in over a decade titled, Kings & Thieves
(InsideOut Music), that was quickly followed by the news of a
25th Anniversary Mindcrime Tour that would encompass the United
States.
Last year would prove to be another busy one for Geoff with the
release of Frequency Unknown (Cleopatra Records). This album
features guest musicians such as Ty Tabor, K.K. Downing, Brad
Gillis, Dave Meniketti and Chris Poland, along with the members
of his version of Queensryche at the time - Rudy Sarzo, Robert
Sarzo, Simon Wright, Kelly Gray and Randy Gane.
In April, it was announced that Geoff and his band mates would be
embarking on their farewell tour as Queensryche at the end of
July, with a subsequent announcement stating that Queensryche
with original lead singer Geoff Tate would be changing its name
to "Operation: Mindcrime" in September for future tours and
recordings. The band will be entering the studio in the fall for
a trilogy project. Geoff looks forward to the musical journey
that lies ahead.
DAVID ELLEFSON - MEGADETH – BASSIST
Internationally acclaimed as the co-founding bassist of thrash
metal titans MEGADETH, David Ellefson is known for his unique,
hard-hitting style of bass playing and unwavering dedication to
his musical craft.
David has engraved a vast musical hallmark as a bassist,
songwriter, record producer, clinician and author. Together with
MEGADETH, he has been awarded 10 Grammy nominations, countless
gold & platinum records, plus continued recording & world concert
tour activity. Academically, Ellefson holds a Bachelor's degree
in business marketing and continues to lecture on a variety of
music and business related topics in his online YouTube series
"David Ellefson's ROCK SHOP."
JOEY BELLADONNA - ANTHRAX – VOCALIST
Joey Belladonna is a thrash metal musician from New York, best
known as the current vocalist for the thrash metal band Anthrax.
Joey Belladonna was the lead singer of Anthrax from 1984 to 1992,
and was considered part of the classic-lineup (also featuring Dan
Spitz, Scott Ian, Frank Bello and Charlie Benante).
Belladonna returned to the band when the "classic" lineup
reunited and toured during 2005 and 2006. His voice has been
featured on 5 studio albums and several EPs that have sold a
total of 8 million copies worldwide. During Belladonna's first
tenure with Anthrax, the band was nominated for three Grammys,
and he was voted the #1 metal singer two years in a row in Metal
Forces Magazine. The term "Thrash Metal" was first referred to by
the music press was UK's Kerrang Magazine journalist Malcolm Dome
while referring to the Anthrax song "Metal Thrashing Mad" in
Kerrang published in February 1984. Prior to this Metallica James
Hetfield referred to their sound as Power Metal.
In early 2010, Belladonna officially rejoined Anthrax in time for
the "Big Four" shows at the Sonisphere festival. Following these
and other shows, Belladonna returned to the studio with the band
to record new vocals for their long awaited album Worship Music
and for Anthrax's Anthems EP, which features all cover songs.
Belladonna continues to tour and will be entering the studio in
the fall of 2013.
ROSS THE BOSS - MANOWAR – GUITAR
Ross Friedman (born 3 Jan 1954, New York City), also known as
Ross Funicello or Ross The Boss, is a guitarist best known as a
founding member of both the punk band The Dictators and the heavy
metal band Manowar.
Ross The Boss has been a prolific musician since the early 70's
when he was just a little bit too metal and just a little bit too
skilled to find himself lumped in with the punk rock guitar
players his band The Dictators paved the way for.
Best known for his work as co-founder and original guitar player
of the legendary Manowar, he has co-written some of the most
beloved songs of the genre.
Friedman joined the New York based punk band The Dictators as
guitarist in 1973. After recording 3 albums with them Friedman
went to France and worked for one year in Fabienne Shine band
Shakin' Street. On Black Sabbath's Heaven and Hell tour in 1980
(on which Shakin' Street were the support act) Friedman met bass
player Joey DeMaio. Later in 1980 Friedman and DeMaio formed
Manowar with whom he recorded six albums before leaving the band
after the 1988 album Kings of Metal.
He returned to his old friends to play in a band called
"Manitoba's Wild Kingdom" which eventually evolved back into The
Dictators. All the members of the Dictators continue to do side
projects.
In 1994, he had a blues-rock band called Heyday and in 1999, he
vowed to put the fun back in Rock-N-Roll with The Spinatras. 2004
saw him join Albert Bouchard, the original drummer for Blue
Öyster Cult, in his band Brain Surgeons. He also recorded an
instrumental album with Dictators drummer JP Thunderbolt
Patterson. He's always writing and recording new music and
reuniting with his old bands and former band members for special
shows and projects.
CARMINE APPICE – OZZY / BLUE MURDER – DRUMMER
As drummer for Vanilla Fudge, Carmine Appice set the grooves for
the groundbreaking band’s 1967 psychedelic debut, inadvertently
inventing Stoner Rock in the process. The Fudge had no precedent.
The band was totally unique. No rock group, up until that point,
had ever so lugubriously s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d out well-known pop
tunes like the Beatles “Eleanor Rigby” and “Ticket To Ride,”
Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready,” Sonny & Cher’s “Bang Bang”
Rod Argent’s “She’s Not There” and, most famously, The Supremes’
Motown classic “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” to such hippie heights.
With Mark Stein’s mysterioso wash of Grand Guignol keyboard
theatrics, Tim Bogert’s amazing and trippy bass runs, and
guitarist Vince Martell’s era-happy soloing, Appice boomed like
no other drummer in rock history. Their debut album still stands
today as a Hard Rock classic. Vanilla Fudge went on to tour with
Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and even had Led Zeppelin as an opening act.
Post-Fudge, Bogert and Appice formed Cactus (seen as an influence
on King’s X and Van Halen). Post-Cactus, the rhythm section found
Grammy-winning Guitar Hero Jeff Beck
supergroup: Beck, Bogert & Appice (BBA).
to
form
the
first
One of the premier showmen in rock, Appice became known worldwide
for his astonishing live performances, in addition to becoming a
highly sought-after session drummer, recording with countless
artists throughout his career. In ’76, he joined Rod Stewart’s
band, touring, recording and writing two of Stewart’s biggest
hits, “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” and “Young Turks.” He left Stewart
to record his first solo album, Rockers, and tour Japan and North
America with an allstar band. In the early ‘80s, he toured with
OZZY Osbourne, Ted Nugent. In the mid ‘80s, he formed King Kobra
for two Capitol albums and international touring And in the late
80s, Carmine played on a Pink Floyd record "Momentary Lapse of
Reason and formed Blue Murder with Whitesnake’s John Sykes and
The Firm’s Tony Franklin. In the early ‘90s, he pounded away
soul-style for The Edgar Winter Group.
As an educator Carmine was the first to legitimize rock drumming
with his landmark book, The Realistic Rock Drum Method, selling
over 400,000 copies (now in video format). He was the first Rock
Drummer and Rock Musician to conduct instructional clinics and
symposiums around the world, a tradition he continues. In
appreciation for his universal appeal, Los Angeles was one of
four cities that have had “Carmine Appice Day.” In ’91, he was
forever immortalized via his induction in cement to the
Hollywood’s Rock Walk (next to his idols, Gene Krupa and Buddy
Rich).
CRONOS – VENOM – VOCALIST - BASSIST
Born in London England in the early 1960’s, Cronos was surrounded
by music when he was growing up, and he stared listening to the
controversial bands of that time like the Who and the Rolling
Stones etc. Then in the 1970’s he heard bands like Black Sabbath,
Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and many others.
His family moved up to the north of England [Newcastle] in the
1970’s, and as a teenager Cronos formed his own bands with his
school friends, playing both Rock and Punk music styles as well
as writing his own material.
After leaving school, he started working in a recording studio /
record label, where he studied as a sound engineer, working with
many different styles of music from Folk music to popular chart
artistes. The studio also gave him the job of A&R, where he
travelled around the region checking out local bands for the
label, and he soon met up with other local rock musicians and
started a new group. Many bands at this time only played cover
songs, but he was able to persuade them to play his songs
instead, which were really dark with a satanic image. He also
selected various stage names for everyone and called the band
“Venom.”
Cronos convinced the studio to give him a day of recording time
in return for unpaid overtime studio work; the band recorded
their first demo songs, which one of the resident labels at the
studio overheard. The label ‘Neat Records,’ agreed to release
their first album ‘Welcome To Hell’ which Cronos both produced
and designed the album sleeve. The major music press snapped it
up giving full stars for the release. However, it was the bands
second album ‘Black Metal’ that propelled Venom to great heights,
seeing them jet off to tour America where they invited the young
‘Metallica’ to support them, and then again on their European
tour.
As a relatively new band, it was difficult for Venom to persuade
agents and promoters to sponsor shows in the UK, so they hired
the infamous Hammersmith Odeon themselves and played to a sellout audience in 1984, with an explosive show to rival any major
band. The show was recorded and released on video entitled the
‘7th Date of Hell.’
Venom’s third album ‘At War With Satan’ in 1985 was an epic
controversial release that was banned from sale in many of the
UK’s top record stores for its OTT Satanic subject matter, with
Cronos writing the title song that took up the whole side of a
vinyl album, something totally unheard of in metal. With the
release of their fourth album ‘Possessed,’ they returned to tour
the US taking the newly formed ‘Slayer’ under their wings as
opening band, along with Exodus and a host of others.
In 1986, Venom became the first rock band to tour South America.
They knew there was a great audience eager to see live metal
bands, although this country was a totally virgin territory for
rock / metal bands, and with hostile authorities to deal with,
Venom took their chances and headed for Brazil where they asked
the young Brazilian band ‘Sepultura’ to support them on the tour.
After the release of their live album ‘Eine Kleine Nacht Music,’
Cronos decided to take some time out and formed a new band using
his stage name Cronos. They released three albums, toured
extensively between 1989 and 1994 before he decided to reform
Venom, and recorded the album ‘Cast in Stone.’ A headline show at
the Dynamo in Holland to 90,000 Legions, they continued with a
handful of festival shows for a couple of years, then Cronos set
off again to stir things up, moving over to Germany to record the
next album with a new metal drummer, and calling the album
‘Resurrection.’
In 2004, Cronos decided to truly propel the band into the 21st
century by combining the old with the new. He worked with
temporary musicians to kick-start the project and recorded the
album ‘Metal Black.’ This album received rave reviews, and after
permanently recruiting ‘Rage’ into the band on guitar, they
recorded the album ‘Hell.’
Then in 2009, ‘Dante’ took over the drums, and the unholy trio
was finally set. Heading off on another tour of South America and
headlining many of the major European festivals, they fashioned
the live set ’30 years of Venom,’ playing a selection of songs
from every Venom album spanning the entire history, to make
Venom’s greatest live show.
The album ‘Fallen Angels’ saw its release in 2011, with many
reviews calling it one of Venom’s greatest releases, the band
again set off on tour headlining Germanys ‘With Full Force’ and
‘Bang Your Head,’ ‘Party-San’ and many others.
At the Relentless Kerrang Awards in 2013, Cronos was presented
with the ‘Icon Award’ for Venom. He was at the annual event with
other award winners such as Kerry King of Slayer, Phil Anselmo of
Pantera / Down, Brian May & Roger Taylor of Queen, and many
others. Venom is currently in the studio recording their next
album, which is scheduled for release in 2014, along with more
live shows throughout the year.
KOBRA PAIGE - KOBRA AND THE LOTUS – VOCALIST
Passion…It can move mountains and change lives; ignite the
imagination and turn dreams into reality. Canadian rock vocalist
Kobra Paige has it and for her anything is possible…
As a student, her passion for singing, piano, guitar and musical
theatre would open up a path to metal, a path that would see
years of classical training giving way to a heavier genre of
music every bit as demanding and expressive in terms of
creativity, dedication and applied talent. Kobra has established
a lifestyle, a 100 per cent no-compromise commitment to the metal
world's way of life.
It was a headline show by Judas Priest at the 22,000-capacity
Saddledome in Calgary, Canada, that lit the fuse; a life-defining
moment from which there would be no turning back… Recalls Kobra,
“It was quite overwhelming. The atmosphere, the energy, the
noise, the bond between the fans, and then of course the band
themselves. I loved the twin-guitar set-up, but it was Rob
Halford that grabbed my attention the most – he’s an iconic
frontman, and he’s been truly influential in defining what heavy
metal has become."
If the number of tours under an artist’s belt measures success,
Kobra Paige with her band Kobra And The Lotus are already near
the top of the mountain. Since 2012, the band has logged several
thousand kilometres of travel, playing club, arena and festival
stages around the world. They have torn up the main stages at
major international festivals, including Sonisphere (Spain),
Download (UK), Bloodstock (UK), Hellfest (France), Graspop
(Netherlands), Gods Of Metal (Italy) and many more, and opened up
for Judas Priest at the legendary Hammersmith Apollo (London,
UK). On top of recently releasing their strongest album to date,
Kobra And The Lotus have just completed their loudest ‘n’
proudest era yet by supporting KISS and Def Leppard across North
America this summer. Having already shared stages with a wide
variety of acts over the past two years, including Sonata
Arctica, Fear Factory, Black Label Society, Steel Panther,
Buckcherry, and becoming a member of the Metal All Stars lineup
in spring of 2014, Kobra Paige feels confidently “..ready to take
my story forward as part of the next generation of metal
musicians…”
GUS G - OZZY – GUITARIST
Gus G. has spent the past decade quietly affirming his place as
one of metal’s reigning guitar virtuosos. He has recorded more
than a dozen studio albums, performed around the world as a
member of acts ranging from Arch Enemy and Dream Evil to his own
band Firewind, and has been Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist since being
personally handpicked by the heavy metal legend in August 2009.
Now, with the release of his first-ever solo album ‘I Am The
Fire’ on Century Media Records, the fleet-fingered Greek fretshredder will embark on the next chapter of his history-shaping
career.
VINNY APPICE - DIO/BLACK SABBATH – DRUMMER
Vinny Appice, has anchored the rhythm and power live and in the
studio for the music of DIO, BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN AND HELL,
WWIII, AXIS, RICK DERRINGER, JOHN LENNON and more. He has
recorded and co-written songs on over 25 albums and CDs including
many multi-platinum records. Touring the world for over 2 decades
resulted in selling millions of records!
Vinny's drumming can also be heard on numerous movie soundtracks
including "Wayne's World 2, Heavy Metal, Iron Eagle and
Bedazzled." Vinny, the author of drum instruction book "Rock
Steady" and DVD "Hard Rock Drumming Techniques" has performed
incredible powerhouse drum clinics around the globe also.
Numerous books have been written about Black Sabbath and Dio with
the authors always mentioning Vinny's unique powerful drumming
style!
BLASKO - OZZY – BASSIST
Rob "Blasko" Nicholson is a Heavy metal bassist who was born on
November 24, 1969. His influences include the metal bands Iron
Maiden, Motörhead, and Corrosion of Conformity. Rob is perhaps
best known for his performances on Rob Zombie's solo albums, and
is currently part of Ozzy Osbourne's band. Nicholson is noted for
his contribution as bassist to metal band Cryptic Slaughter
within underground metal circles.