Former KISS/current GRAND FUNK RAILROAD guitarist Bruce Kulick recently entered the studio to begin recording his next solo album, tentatively titled "BK3". He has decided to keep a studio blog to let fans follow the process of tracking the new CD. His latest entry reads as follows:
"Sorry it has been a while, but with my trip to South America and then the holidays, it has been a while since I got into the studio for recording my new solo disc 'BK3'. Here are pix from last Saturday, January 6th, when I finally was able to have my close friend and ESP (the band) partner Eric Singer cut drums for a great heavy song. I saved this one for Eric, and when you hear it you will all understand. Right now the title is just 'Rocker' as it has the classic rock vibe from my days with KISS.
"Eric had some ideas for extending the ending when I first played it for him a while back. He really got comfortable, breaking some sticks from hitting hard, sweating it out, and just overall giving the track a great feel. Like Brent Fitz back in early December, he played along with the ProTools demo session for the song. Jeremy Rubolino, my co-producer and co-writer, was quite happy and of course can't wait to cut the real guitars and bass on this track, as Eric did a perfect job of getting the vibe we wanted."
GARY HOLT COMMENT ON PASSING OF HEATHEN SINGER, SAM KRESS
EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt has issued a statement regarding the recent deaths of Sam Kress [info] (the original vocalist of acclaimed San Francisco Bay Area thrashers HEATHEN and former co-editor of early '80s underground fanzine Whiplash) and Wes Robinson [info] (founder of the legendary Ruthie's Inn on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, California — a mecca for San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal and punk acts in the 1980s). It reads as follows:
"I am deeply saddened to have heard about the passing of first Sam Kress (while we were in Europe) and now Wes Robinson. I have not yet had the chance to comment on Sam's passing, but he, along with a few others, was instrumental in introducing EXODUS to the world via tape trading and such. Without guys like him, the world would not have had such a head start on who the fuck we were.
"And now legendary Ruthie's Inn promoter Wes Robinson has passed away. The shows we did for him at gool 'ol Ruthie's were the stuff of legend. I'm talking the most violent shit the world has ever seen. I don't care what some kid says about the show he went to last year, they don't know shit. There was nothing like it. And the times we had when not playing were just as fun. My 21st birthday party there was insane!
"They will both be missed terribly, as they are very much a part of this band and EXODUS lore in general."
TESTAMENT's ALEX SKOLNICK "EVERY NOW AND THEN, LIFE TOSSES YOU REMINDERS THAT NOTHING IS CERTAIN
TESTAMENT/TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA guitarist Alex Skolnick has issued the following update:
"I haven't posted in a while, since I've been on tour with TSO, and had planned to write all about that. But last night, I got an e-mail with the awful news that the night before, Sean Webber had been struck and killed by a vehicle on his way home from school.
"I didn't know Sean well. I met him when I appeared on Eddie Trunk's radio show a few months ago and he was an intern. Later that night, we ran into each other on the subway from Manhattan to Brooklyn. We had a great talk on the ride home in which he told me all about his own college radio show and how much he was taking in as an intern for Eddie. A few days later, I went ventured to the outer edge of Brooklyn (far away from my area of Brooklyn, which is closer to Manhattan) and was a guest on Sean's show, 'The Metal Meltdown'. I truly felt that one day he would become a succesful DJ/personality like Eddie. He had talent and drive beyond his years and an incredible dedication to music.
"It's strange that there are people who have died whom I've know longer but for some reason this really hits a nerve. He just seemed so 'alive.' He just called recently about having me back on his show, once I was off the road. He's on MySpace and I'm in his 'Top Friends' list.
"On his show, we were talking about Dimebag Darrell, and how Dime passed away too soon. Who knew Sean would leave the Earth a short time later, at such a young age and with so much ahead of him?
"Ironically, I got the news of Sean's passing just after attending the funeral of a friend, Roni Abitbol, who had passed away from lung cancer. Roni was the manager of Ishtar, a world music singer who I've played guitar with. Roni had made it to an age where he recently became a grandfather, but still seemed too young to pass away.
"Everyone remembers Roni as a classic, unforgettable 'New York' character. He was neurotic, high-energy, outrageous, opiniated, infuriating yet lovable. He had his frustrations with the music business and great success always seemed just around the corner, never to materialize. Yet there among his admirers was an influential figure in the music business who learned the ropes from his experiences with Roni. This guy took time out of running one of the biggest record labels in the world so he could speak and pay his respects to his close friend, Roni.
"We're all going to miss him.
"Every now and then, life tosses you these reminders that nothing is certain. Make sure you are living your life the way you want to because you never know when your time is up."
