THE LIZARDS WORKING ON DVD, COVERS CD, AND NEW STUDIO ALBUM
Hard rock band THE LIZARDS, featuring Bobby Rondinelli (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, RAINBOW, BLACK SABBATH) and Mike DiMeo (MASTERPLAN, RIOT), has issued the following update:
"Hello from Lizard Land. It's Randy [Pratt], the bass player. We haven't played out since our NYC show with CACTUS last year, and it's time to tell you why!
"I had a very bad car accident on 19th December. Not only did I total my beautiful purple sparkle Cadillac coupe deville hot rod (arrrgggghhh!), but I broke my left thumb and also very badly broke my right ring finger. Listen to that fast bass run on track #2 from 'Against All Odds' ('Can't Fool Myself'). Well, that's the ring finger on my right hand. After much deliberation, I opted not to operate. I was told if I tried to straighten it, it might backfire, and would surely make it stiff. My main concern of course was playing bass, so I let it heal naturally. Amazingly it seems to be well on the mend and I expect to get all my chops back. There are issues, of course... at the moment I have to wear a 'glove' when I play, to stop my fingers from rubbing against each other — and my right pinky sorta gets in the way. I also had to develop thick callouses in new places. But, hey — there's nothing else I wanna do, so I'm crawling back to you all! I've been playing for longer and longer every day, and can happily report that the practicing has paid off, and I'm now fighting fit again!
"We've actually been busy in the shadows. We edited and mixed three shows for our new DVD. Then, at our last show opening for CACTUS, we decided to put together a set with songs we rarely play live. We filmed it and, well, it came out great. So we're adding that to the DVD. We're 93% finished with it and that will be the next thing you get from us. We hope to do a small headline tour in Europe to promote the DVD in 2007. We also continue working on our 'covers' CD. Did a smokin' version of 'Thunderbox' by HUMBLE PIE, and there are covers of BAD COMPANY, URIAH HEEP, lots of cool stuff. It's two-thirds done and a ton of fun!
"We've all been busy on our own. Mike is touring with MASTERPLAN in Europe into the spring, with our blessings! I'm in the NYC BLUES DEVILS and CACTUS, and Pat performs with the theatrical 'Psycho the Clown'. Bobby keeps up a gruelling practice routine which is why his chops improve every year. He tours the drum clinic circuit regularly.
"We have five completed songs recorded for our fifth studio CD of originals, going under the working title 'Reptilicus Maximus'. Rest assured, we're pushing the envelope again, for your listening pleasure!"
Feb. 24 - Route 66 Casino - Rio Puerco, NM
Mar. 03 - Desert Diamond Casino - Sahuarita, AZ
Mar. 09 - El Volcan Monterrey - Nuevo Leon, MX
Mar. 29 - The Bogie - Utica, NY
Jun. 08 - Sweden Rock Festival - Sölvesborg, Sweden
Aug. 03 - Clearfield County Fair - Clearfield, PA
Sep. 08 - Sky City Casino - Acoma, NM
POWERMAD have been confirmed to appear at the Bang Your Head!!! festival, set to take place June 22-23, 2007 in Balingen, Germany. A new studio album is currently being recorded for a summer release.
POWERMAD 2007 is:
Joel DuBay - Guitar/Vocals Todd Haug - Guitar Jeff Litke - Bass John Macaluso – Drums
POWERMAD has been called "an innovative and often forgotten speed metal band... who infused progressive metal styles and European styles into abstract American speed metal." The group's intricate riff formulations are heavily influenced by thrash-metal acts like METALLICA and TESTAMENT, but vocalist Joel DuBay's mixture of melodic singing and high screams is reminiscent of Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST) and Tom Araya (SLAYER).
POWERMAD formed in 1984 in Minneapolis and released an EP on Combat Records. The band subsequently signed to Reprise Records and released "The Madness Begins" EP in 1988 and "Absolute Power" in 1989.
