I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day. But sometimes, I just wanna rock and roll all day and party every night. And at other times, I just wanna sleep. 🎶
Hollywood Roses Revisits Guns N’ Roses at Whisky, Feb. 14
Sure, on Valentine’s Day, you can always do the usual wine and roses thing with your better half.
However, we have a much better suggestion: the Night Train and Roses thing!
On February 14, toast the evening with some Night Train while getting your faces rocked off by the sounds of Hollywood hit-makers Guns N’ Roses at local faves Hollywood Roses‘ headlining gig at the world-famous Whisky A Go-Go!
The Whisky is located in the heart of the Strip’s Rock Row at 8901 Sunset Boulevard at Clark Street. Get more details and tickets for Hollywood Roses’ Valentine’s Day show here.
But don’t blame us if the date starts to feel a little uncomfortable should the band break out “Used to Love Her”!
Metalachi Reimagines Metallica & More at Viper Room, Feb. 6
Head to the Sunset Strip and bang your cabeza to Spanglish- and mariachi-laced covers of metal classics by icons like Bon Jovi, Dio, Guns N’ Roses, Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica when L.A.’s own Metalachi headlines Viper Room on February 6.
If you haven’t yet experienced the awesomeness of these Mexican monsters of rock, prepare for three things to happen: 1. You’re gonna hear your favorite metal songs in a whole new way. 2. You’ll LOL. And 3.) You will become an instant fan of L.A.’s most original tribute band.
Foxy Rockers The Ramonas & Black Sabbitch to Cover Metal Classics at Viper Room, Jan. 22 & 24
It’s a week of girl power and punk-metal madness when hard rockin’ female-fronted bands Black Sabbitch(pictured above) and The Ramonas (right) visit West Hollywood.
On January 22, get set to be sedated on Sunset when Viper Room brings the sounds of The Ramones to the heart of the Strip.
Straight outta London and heading to WeHo for a special late-night show are Brit rockers The Ramonas, an all-female tribute to Queens, N.Y.’s favorite sons.
Viper Room keeps the classics cranked all week long, hosting L.A.’s own all-girl Black Sabbath tribute band Black Sabbitchon January 24. The local legends will be covering the best of Ozzy and company beginning at midnight.
Viper Room is located at 8852 Sunset Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood. Get ticket details for The Ramonas’ concert here and for the Black Sabbitch show here.
The O.C. Hosts Three Nights of All-Star Tribute Concerts to Rock Gods Randy Rhoads, Bonzo, John Entwistle & Keith Moon, Jan. 22-24
Timeless hard rockin’ hits by Led Zeppelin, Ozzy Osbourne and The Who will be shaking up The O.C. from January 22 to 24, when California Music Fest hosts three nights of classic cover tunes by superstar performers from the world of metal paying tribute to late, great legends John Bonham (right), Randy Rhoads (main photo, top), John Entwistle and Keith Moon!
Past performances at the annual concert events included legendary guest artists like Skidrow rocker Sebastian Bach; Quiet Riot, Ozzy and Whitesnake bassist Rudy Sarzo and Metallica’s Robert Trujillo.
All three concerts are set to rock the roof off of Santa Ana’s The Observatory Orange County, located at 3503 S. Harbor Blvd. Get ticket details on the full concert series here.
OzzMania, Just Like Priest, Motorbreath & More are Bringing Heavy Metal Hits to House of Blues Sunset, Jan. 21
Going through Ozzfest withdrawl? Relax — there is a rock and roll reprise of sorts on the horizon.
West Hollywood hot spot House of Blues Sunset is hosting the closest thing you’re ever gonna find to Ozzfest on January 21, when OzzMania(right) brings to the Strip an arsenal of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath hits, along with four other metal-loving tribute bands!
SoCal cover band OzzMania proves you can’t kill rock and roll with a headlining night of non-stop metal that will be shaking up Sunset alongside Slayer-worshipping rockers Slaytanic; masters of Metallica, Motorbreath(right); spot-on Judas Priest imitators Just Like Priest (main photo, top); and Du Hast, which will rock out some Rammstein.
House of Blues Sunset is at located at 8430 Sunset. Get tickets and show times here.
Metal-Loving, Groundbreaking Urban Artists–and a Few Superstar Creatives–Are Turning L.A. into the Guerilla-Art Capital of the World. Eat Your Heart Out, East Village
By David Ciminelli
Hanging out in NYC’s East and West Villages in the ’80s/early ’90s, it wasn’t uncommon to spot cool and edgy urban art left by creative transplants like Keith Haring and Mark Kostabiand locals like SAMO/Basquiat and Robert Longo. (Nowadays, you can still find some of these celebrated artists’ sidewalk carvings and fading murals throughout NYC, if you know where to look.)
Take a virtual tour below of these and other artists’ amazing artwork that Sunset and Clark has stumbled upon over the past few years during our travels up and down the Sunset Strip, from the PCH to DTLA, and throughout the Southland. A few world-renown artists, including the edgy and awe-inspiring Banksy, Kenny Scharf, Retna and Shepard Fairey, also gifted the City of Angels with colorful original creations, both sanctioned by the city and guerilla-style. Check ’em out and get inspired by awesome artworks that all share a rock and roll edge.
“I’M SO HAPPY FOR HER…THE WAY THAT SHE IS JUST THIS BADASS WOMAN AND PROBABLY THE SH*T SHE HAD TO DEAL WITH IN A MALE-DOMINATED ROCK SCENE, IT’S JUST AN HONOR TO BE SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH HER.”
— BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG on fellow 2015 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee & Sunset Strip-launched music legend JOAN JETT (Rolling Stone)
READY TO RING IN SOME ROCK: (clockwise from top left): Ozzy Osbourne, Poison, Stephen Pearcy, Duff McKagan, Marilyn Manson and KISS
SUNSET & CLARK: 10 OF THE HARDEST-ROCKIN’ THINGS WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2015!
1. GETTING POISON’D
Metal fans looking for nothin’ but a good time won’t have to wait too much longer now that Poison has announced that the Sunset Strip-launched legends will be hitting the road again next year.
“It looks like it will happen [in 2015],” Bret Michaels recently confirmed to Cleveland Scene. “It’s been a few years. We just want to put together the right package and show to celebrate with everyone.”
2. OZZY OSBOURNE’S RETURN TO TV
The legendary P.O.F.D. himself is returning to reality television for new episodes of The Osbournes, which will find Ozzy Osbourne and the fam — Kelly, Jack and Sharon — giving fans another peek into their lives a decade after the hit show ended its run on MTV. This time around, The Osbournes will include, according to Sharon Osbourne, eight new episodes and will debut on VH-1 in early 2015.
3. STEPHEN PEARCY GETTING ‘SMASH’-ED
Sunset Strip legend and former Ratt frontman Stephen Pearcy is following up his recent headlining gig at the Whisky A Go Go with the release of his fourth scorching solo album, Smash, due out in early 2015.
4. CHRIS CORNELL, MIKE MCCREADY & DUFF MCKAGAN RELAUNCHING MAD SEASON
The Nineties supergroup Mad Season is reuniting — sort of — on January 30 in Seattle. Mad Season founding members Mike McCready of Pearl Jam and Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin will return with a revamped lineup that includes legendary Guns N’ Roses/Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan replacing late Walkabouts rocker John Baker, who passed away in 1999,and grunge god Chris Cornell taking the mic in place of Alice in Chains’ Layne Staley, who died in 2002.
The band, which is reportedly planning a new album, will be taking the stage with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra as part of SSO’s “Sonic Evolution” showcase. The once-in-a-lifetime concert will also feature works inspired by Nirvana and Pearl Jam, along with the world-premiere of McCready’s decidedly less grungy orchestral composition “Waking the Horizon.”
5. METALLICA DROPPING A NEW ALBUM…MAYBE
“I’m pretty convinced that 90% of the record is actually written; it’s just gotta be kind of assembled between all those riffs,” Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich revealed to Metal Zone last summer. “It’s just a matter of connecting this to this and sort of shaping it into a song. And so, I’m pretty psyched about that.”
In September, frontman James Hetfield (pictured) confirmed the long-awaited album’s progress, telling Pulse of Radio: “We’ve come up with enough material for a record, for sure…We just haven’t had the time to really focus on it and…start whittling at these masterpieces.”
Bassist Robert Trujillo, who previously reported that Death Magnetic producer Rick Rubin will also helm the new album, provided an update to RockCellar Magazine in early December.
“We’re just blueprinting everything right now,” said Truillo. “There are a lot of ideas, a lot of song bodies, you gotta go through the process. For me personally I’m really excited about what we’ve been able to jam out.”
The band has promised fans that they’ll be hearing Metallica’s tenth studio album by as early as 2015 and no later than 2016.
6. BULLETBOYS RETURNING TO SUNSET
L.A. metalheads BulletBoys are bringing the band’s awesome hard rock hits like “Smooth Up in Ya,” “Hard as a Rock,” the killer cover “For the Love of Money” and “Freakshow” to the Whisky A Go Go on March 19!
Frontman Marq Torien and most of the band’s founding lineup are still cranking out killer original rock jams, like the stellar “Symphony” from BB’s upcoming release Elefante. Get ticket details here.
7. SYSTEM OF A DOWN GETTING ‘SOUL’-FUL AT FORUM
SoCal superstars System of a Down are set to headline another hometown show in the new year, when they will rock Inglewood on April 6, bringing the band’s “Wake Up the Souls Tour” to the Forum.
8. ROCKING OUT TO A NEW KISS ALBUM
Iconic rock god Gene Simmons revealed to the Toronto Sun earlier this year that the world’s hardest-working rock band has its sights set on releasing new material very soon.
“I recently wrote a new song called ‘Your Wish is My Command,’ so the process has already started,” revealed Gene Simmons about the upcoming follow-up to 2012’s Monster.
9. MARILYN MANSON UNLEASHING ‘HELL’ ON EARTH
Shock rocker and antichrist superstar Marilyn Manson will be returning to the spotlight in 2015 to rock your face off with his ninth studio album, The Pale Emperor, which drops January 20. If the album’s kick-off single “Third Day of a Seven-Day Binge” is any indication of the weight of the new material, Pale Emperor is going to be stellar.
A day after the album drops, Manson will launch “The Hell Not Hallelujah Tour,” which snakes its way through the U.S. starting in Washington, D.C. on January 21 and ending in Vegas on February 14. The singer-songwriter will then head overseas to rock a few summer festivals. Unfortunately, Manson has not announced an L.A. date.
10. HEAVY METAL HITTING THE HIGH SEAS
Los Angeles bands Buckcherry (right) and Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society along with Limp Bizkit, P.O.D. and Filter lead a rockin’ roster of awesome acts that will be hitting the high seas February 2-6 as the star attractions of ShipRocked: The Ultimate Rock N’ Roll Cruise.
Sailing from Florida to the Bahamas and back, ShipRocked will also showcase the super-band Metal Allegiance, which includes current and former members of legendary metal bands Megadeth, Anthrax, Pantera, Testament and Dream Theatre.
The Sunset Strip welcomed in a new neighbor this week, when Angus Young landed on the boulevard in a slick new West Hollywood billboard hyping AC/DC‘s new hit album, Rock or Bust.
It’s great to see the Aussie guitar god overlooking the strip between La Cienega and Alta Loma, especially when Rock Row near the Whisky and Roxy is suffering from the urban blight of not one but two (!!) One Direction billboards featuring the boy band peering down on the intersection of Sunset and Clark/San Vicente.
‘WHEN THE WORLD GETS IN YOUR FACE, I SAY,’ “HAVE A NICE DAY,”‘ DECLARES BON JOVI IN SUNSET & CLARK’S TOP FIVE FEEL-GOOD HEAVY METAL TRACKS TO TACKLE ANY DISTRESS
Ever since the first time I heard the incredible, amp-shaking, adrenalin-pumping sounds of heavy metal–courtesy of a neighbor introducing me to KISS Alive in fifth grade–I have relied on metal music as a mood adjuster.
I crank up good ol’ hard rock to try to block out the world at times when it’s just not making sense, like when the daily headlines are over-crowded with news about riots, the recession, natural disasters and Miley Cyrus.
Over the years I have maintained a mental list of deeply therapeutic heavy metal mood setters that have always helped to make things feel a whole lot better when they just weren’t feeling right with the state of the modern world.
Here’s a list of Sunset & Clark’s five all-time greatest hard and heavy classics for dealing with any challenging situation.
“When the world keeps trying to drag me down,
I’ve gotta raise my hands, gonna stand my ground.”
When it comes to perfectly crafted feel-good anthems, Jon Bon Jovi is the grand messiah of mainstream metal. And while kick-ass classics like “It’s My Life,” “Everyday” and “Keep the Faith” are stellar and inspiring tracks that always provide an intrinsic kick, Bon Jovi‘s title track to 2005’s Have a Nice Day is hands down one of the best and most bad ass songs in the band’s expansive catalog.
Make this track the ringer for your cell’s alarm clock app and you’re virtually guaranteed to wake up empowered and ready to face the day.
“Never cared for what they say.
Never cared for games they play.
Never cared for what they do.
Never cared for what they know.
And I know.”
In HBO’s Paradise Lost doc on the West Memphis Three, the mom of Jessie Misskelley, Jr., one of the accused teens, was asked how she held on to her sanity when her innocent son was being held in jail for three child murders. She revealed that she and Jessie sang Metallica‘s “Nothing Else Matters” to one another during jail visits.
Metallica’s 1991 track from The Black Album also works well in buffering bad moods during those times when you’re forced to deal with your own less dramatic drama.
“Express yourself in the face of change.
Repress yourself, you surely seal your fate.
You got to look inside; the answer lies in wait.
Resurrect before it’s too late.”
Like Bon Jovi, the guys in Poison are also metal masters at crafting empowering anthems that inspire equal parts self-reflection and some serious fist pumping, like “Something to Believe In” and “Cry Tough.”
Should you ever find your personal integrity challenged, however, it’s the Sunset Strip-launched band’s timeless track “Stand,” from 1993’s Native Tongue, that will super-charge your confidence and make you wanna unskinny bop all night long!
“Don’t need to wait for an invitation;
You gotta live like you’re on vacation.”
Ever have a bad day that seemed to last a week? Overwhelmed by the daily grind? Fortunately, when times get tough there’s always KISS to remind us all that “it ain’t a crime to be good to yourself” in the killer KISS classic “Lick It Up.”
Vinnie Vincent‘s scorching guitar attack, Eric Carr‘s full-throttle percussion and KISS’ early ’80s harder edged sound effortlessly power up a universal ode about learning to appreciate and enjoy the here and now.
The 1983 track from KISS’ eleventh album of the same name is not only one of the most powerful feel-good gems in the band’s catalog, it’s also one of the greatest classics in the history of heavy metal.
“There’s somethin’ wrong with the world today.
The light bulb’s gettin dim.
There’s meltdown in the sky…”
Rock legend Steven Tyler penned 1993’s “Living on the Edge” in response to the ’92 L.A. Riots, and over 20 years later, the Aerosmith classic still holds up as a reliable and rockin’ reminder that you’re not the only who sometimes feels like you just can’t stop yourself from falling. And through it all, Tyler stands tough and declares: “We can tell ’em no or we could let it go, but I would rather be a hanging on.” Guess there’s still reason to dream on.
YOU WANTED THE BEST (KISS TRIBUTE BAND), YOU GOT THE BEST: PRISS AT VIPER ROOM, NOVEMBER 14
Hey,Iron Maidens, we’ve found the perfect band should the female Maiden cover group ever decide to start its own Metalpalooza festival: PRISS, a face-painted, leather-costumed, hard-rockin’ KISS tribute band that is fronted by four fierce female rockers.
The L.A. band, which certifiably kicks ass — check ’em out here — will be heading to the Sunset Strip on Friday, November 14, to bring the hits from one of the greatest rock bands on the planet to the Viper Room. The 21-and-over show also features two more really good local bands that are definitely worth checking out: Spirit in the Room and Breaking Arrows.
Even the “God of Thunder” himself, Gene Simmons, has given PRISS a seal of approval, featuring the band on Family Jewels last year, when Shannon Tweed joined PRISS on stage as “Queen Simmons.”
The ladies of PRISS not only prove that KISS’ famous costumes — and various incarnations of them — look even better on a sexy-edgy all-female band, they are also remarkable musicians that rock just as hard as the ground-breaking, multi-platinum group that inspired them.
PRISS is comprised of starry-eyed guitarist-vocalist Doll Stanley (Moa Henriksson); darling demon bassist-vocalist and “Goddess of Thunder,” Jean Simone (Andrea Zermeno); spacey lead six-string slinger Lace Frehley (Jennifer Paro); and foxy feline drummer Luda Criss (Judy Cocuzza).
Viper Room is located in the heart of West Hollywood, at 8852 Sunset Boulevard at Larrabee. Doors open at 9 p.m. and tickets are only $10. (Seriously, $10!) Get tickets and more information here.
The only reason you can possibly have for missing PRISS on the Sunset Strip is that you’re laid up in a KISS Kasket! See you at the show!
SLASH & MYLES KENNEDY SERVE UP ‘NIGHTRAIN’ ON DIRECTV, NOV. 7
Guitar Center has just released a badass sneak-peek at the upcoming Slash with Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators concert set to premiere on DIRECTV on November 7.
Taped at the Roxy on September 25, the clip features the rockers performing a scorching cover of Guns N’ Roses‘ “Nightrain.” Contrary to Slash’s shirt, the number definitely does not suck!
Catch the full show November 7 at 9 p.m. on DIRECTV channel 239.
When it came time to announce an historic rock release, Pink Floyd went right to the source where rock ‘n’ roll is always alive and well: The Sunset Strip.
A huge billboard announcing Pink Floyd’s (kinda) new album, The Endless River, overlooks the world-famous boulevard from atop local landmark Book Soup. The colorful ad, which hit the strip earlier this week, is hyping the iconic British band’s fifteenth release, which is due out November 10 and is primarily leftover instrumental tracks from Floyd’s 1994 album, The Division Bell.
Check out David Gilmour and Nick Mason discussing The Endless River below.
LED ZEPPELIN GUITAR GOD JIMMY PAGE TO TALK MUSIC & MAYHEM WITH CHRIS CORNELL NOV. 12 IN L.A.
Been a long time since you rock and rolled? Los Angeles music fans are getting a rare opportunity to witness rock history next month, when iconic superstars Chris Cornell (right) and Jimmy Page share a conversation about the 70-year-old Led Zeppelin founder’s glorious years in one of the world’s greatest bands on November 12 at Downtown L.A.’s legendary The Theatre at Ace Hotel.
The event, “An Evening with Jimmy Page in Conversation with Chris Cornell,” is being held to celebrate the release of the iconic British guitarist’s photo memoir, Jimmy Page.
Soundgarden frontman Cornell and Page will be chatting about the latter’s time in the Yardbirds and Zeppelin and showcase some private phtos from Page’s personal collection. Genesis Publishing’s 500-page book , which debuted last month, features over 650 rare photos and artwork from the musician’s pre- and post-Zeppelin superstardom and traces his career from the start right up to his 2008 stint performing “Whole Lotta Love” alongside Leona Lewis at the Beijing Olympics.
“An Evening with Jimmy Page in Conversation with Chris Cornell” starts at 8:30 p.m.; doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $100, which includes a copy of Page’s memoir, and $150, which includes the book and a poster. The Theatre at Ace Hotel at 939 Broadway. Get ticket details here.
SUNSETandCLARK.blog 