This Week in Rock

Slipknot, KoЯn, Nickelback and Smashing Pumpkins are among the artists included in Kentucky senator Rand Paul’s (12/23) annual report on wasteful government spending. The report identified $900 billion in federal waste this year, including monies provided to “dozens of famous music artists” under the Small Business Administration’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant designed to “provide a lifeline to small entertainment…

Paramore – in sickness and in health Paramore’s “This Is Why” (released 2/10) debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Album Sales charts. The set held the #2 spot on the Billboard 200. It was the band’s first album in six years and featured the title track. Paramore postponed…

The Slipknot frontman had an impressive year as a solo artist. Corey Taylor scored a solo #1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, with “Beyond.” Released his sophomore solo album, “CMF2” containing the singles “Talk Sick,” “Beyond,” “Post Traumatic Blues” and “We Are The Rest.” Both Taylor and Slipknot announced tours slated for 2024. Taylor will launch…

Metallica’s “72 Seasons” was released amid a very busy year. NCAA bans Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” during the first round NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in March. The Virginia Tech Hokies use the song as entrance music.  The ban was to keep the Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum venue ‘neutral’.  No matter. Virginia Tech fans respond by loudly chanting “Enter…

Spencer Elden, who appeared as a naked 4-month-old baby swimming toward a dollar bill on the cover of Nirvana’s iconic ‘91 “Nevermind” album, can proceed with his legal claim of child pornography against the band following a federal appeals court ruling (on 12/21). The Ninth Circuit wrote “this conclusion is consistent with the Supreme Court’s…

A signed Eddie Van Halen Peavey EVH Wolfgang guitar that went on the auction block December 14th has sold for $110,000 by Guernsey’s auction house in New York City. The guitar formerly belonged to Jason Becker, a rising guitar phenom who recorded two albums and had stints with David Lee Roth, before being diagnosed with ALS…

Swedish Metalcore band Imminence will embark on a U.S. tour in April. This year alone the band issued a series of singles, the most recent of which is “Death By A Thousand Cuts.” They plan to include those singles on their upcoming album (no release date has been announced). The group consists of vocalist Eddie…

Huntley (Michael Huntley) is the Season 24 winner of “The Voice.” Over the years it has been very rare that a Rock oriented singer has made the finals much less prevail in the singing competition. Huntley, with Blues/Country leanings and known for his signature “Viking” look sang a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s…

The Final Countdown – Europe The title track from the band’s third album was based on a keyboard riff written by lead vocalist John Tempest. The song peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200 in ’86. Funky New Year – The Eagles The B-side of “Please Come Home For Christmas,” the song was composed by…

The seventh annual Metal Hall Of Fame induction ceremony and gala will take place on January 24th at the Marriott Delta hotel in Garden Grove, CA (north Orange County). Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach (pictured), former Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars, and ex-Judas Priest frontman Tim “Ripper” Owens are among the inductees. The Metal Hall Of Fame is a…