VH1 is gearing up for our inaugural National Metal Day that will see VH1 Classic host an entire day of metal-only programing. Fear not, though: This day isn’t solely for hardcore headbangers! National Metal Day will see the debut of of several revealing documentaries about the genre, and will celebrate metal’s seminal artists, both past and present. Full press release as follows:
VH1 CLASSIC AMPS UP FOR “NATIONAL METAL DAY” ON 11-11-11
Banger Films’ Groundbreaking 11-Part Documentary Series Metal Evolution Premieres Friday, November 11, 2011 at 10 PM ET/PT
11 Days Of Metal Programming Begins Tuesday, November 1, 2011 On VH1 Classic
NEW YORK, NY – October 24, 2011 – As previously announced, VH1 Classic has proclaimed 11-11-11 as “National Metal Day” and will celebrate with a slew of exclusive metal programming, including three major metal premieres: Behind The Music Remastered at 9 p.m. ET/PT, the exclusive debut of Banger Films’ groundbreaking documentary series, Metal Evolution, at 10 p.m. ET/PT and the ninth season premiere of a VH1 Classic original That Metal Show at 11 p.m. ET/PT.
Yesterday, metalheads and headbangers the world over rejoiced when news broke that the members of Black Sabbath had squashed their 30+ year beef and were already in the process of reuniting, news that made extra sense when coupled with recent reports that the band had just reached an out-of-court settlement regarding intra-band trademark issues. The Birmingham Mail reported that guitarist and songwriter Tony Iommi revealed to them that he and original Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne were not only in communication once again after a longstanding feud, but that the original members of the band were planning on recording a new studio album and touring to support it. Devil horns were raised, heads were banged, and generals gathered in their masses because BLACK SABBATH WAS BACK!
Sadly, though, it seems that Tony Iommi was misquoted by an overzealous journalist. He corrected the misreported information in a statement posted on his official website, Iommi.com:
“I’m saddened that a Birmingham journalist whom I trusted has chosen this point in time to take a conversation we had back in June and make it sound like we spoke yesterday about a Black Sabbath reunion. At the time I was supporting the Home of Metal exhibition and was merely speculating, shooting the breeze, on something all of us get asked constantly, ‘Are you getting back together?’ he said. Thanks to the Internet, it’s gone round the world as some sort of ‘official’ statement on my part, absolute nonsense. To my old pals, Ozzy, Geezer and Bill, sorry about this, I should have known better.”
Bats of the world, you’re safe for now. We repeat, for now…
DEAD JUGGALO FOUND IN OHIO RIVER AND OTHER LESS HARROWING GATHERING OF THE JUGGALOS UPDATES
The body of a 24 year-old Insane Clown Posse fan was found in a section of the Ohio River located in Western Kentucky on Sunday afternoon. He was wearing a Gathering Of The Juggalos wristband, which leads the Kentucky state police to surmise that he was attending the festival. Meanwhile, over at Deadspin, writer Emma Carmichael went undercover and transformed herself into a Juggalette and traveled to Cave-in-Rock, Illinois this weekend; she just published a hilarious and fascinating exposé of the festival largely comprised of “t*tties and drugs.” [Rolling Stone, Deadspin]
BLACK SABBATH PLANS REUNION TOUR, STUDIO ALBUM
Don’t call it a comeback! Original Black Sabbath members Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward have reunited. Since the band’s split in 1979, Geezer has actually become a geezer, which is something we suppose is both ironic and inevitable. Nobody is talking about how much money they’re getting to do this, but we imagine it’s a lot. [Birmingham Mail via The Quietus]
This Saturday, April 16, Record Store Day celebrates four years of promoting brick and mortar, non-corporate-owned music sellers. Since 2008, an increasing number of artists on both independent and major labels have concocted exclusive releases and recordings and made them available for sale only through independent record stores on the third Saturday of April, as a means of helping them continue to survive in today’s complex retail landscape (dominated by big box stores and digital downloads). In conjunction, many shops host in-store performances or giveaways. There’s always a good reason to visit your favorite local independent record store, but Record Store Day’s exclusives and artist appearances provide a hefty additional incentive.
- Britney Spears blames poor cell-phone reception for losing visitation rights to her children. Also the product of poor-cell phone reception: marrying K-Fed, shaving her head, the fall of Rome, herpes and Iggygate. Duh. [Dlisted]
- Ozzy Osbourne is something of a style icon to young stars. Tired of imitating his medicated babbling, they’ve moved on to raiding his closet. [CityRag]
- Of his relationship with Tameka Foster, Usher says: “Ours is not a typical love story.” Seriously? I thought everyone had beef with their mother-in-laws that played out first at a perfume-launch party and then in the tabloids. That hasn’t happened to you? [CONCRETELOOP]
- Rihanna seems to think that greasy = cool. Shame on her for succumbing to the common hipster pitfall. I thought she was better than that. [Jezebel]
Way to go, Christina Aguilera! The New York Post is reporting that the singer might be pregnant by her husband Jordan Bratman. How refreshingly normal. Not normal? U.K. rag The Sun says that the singer has also purchased Ozzy Osbourne‘s L.A. mansion, a home which, according to Ozzy, was something like the house in The Amityville Horror. Said the Prince of Darkness, "The house holds bad memories for me because it reminds me of the terrible time Sharon got cancer and of times when me and the kids were doped out of our minds." So . . . yeah. Good luck with that, Christina. Here’s hoping your moving crew includes a priest. In other news, The Sun is also reporting that Jack Osbourne slept with Paris Hilton. If you were looking forward to your Wednesday making sense, you’ve come to the wrong place.
From helping to invent heavy metal to romping around his reality show, our Rock Honors hero has lived a wild-assed life. Got 60 seconds to get a crazed little synopsis of the Blizzard’s tale? Sure you do.
There were lots of options for Ozzy Osbourne to choose from. The metal wildman has been making music for four decades, and the number of songs he has in his pocket is huge. But for our Rock Honors show tonight, the Blizzard and his band (which includes guitarist Zakk Wylde) chose "I Don’t Wanna Stop" and "Crazy Train." A live version of "Bark At the Moon" will be available on VSPOT as well. And Queens of the Stone Age, one of modern rock’s greatest outfits, will salute their hero with a romp through "Paranoid." Don’t miss: Thursday night on VH1.
Our ramp-up to Rock Honors (this Thursday night at 9 pm) always includes revealing chats with the music’s stars. Road Tales focuses on some the antics that go down when artists are on tour.
There’s no scenario where a tour that consists of Ozzy Osbourne and Motley Crueisn’t going to be bonkers, so when Motley’s Tommy Lee recounts how the party-hearty king of heavy metal would show up in Gestapo boots and a nurse’s outfit, consider it business as usual. And as you’ll find out, there’s a reason Mr. Osbourne was always trying to jump on the Crue’s bus.
Our ramp-up to Rock Honors (May 24) always includes revealing chats with the music’s stars. Road Tales focuses on some the silliness that goes down when bands are on tour.
Ozzy Osbourne is known for all sorts of stage shenanigans, but when he’s heaving water all over the crowd and into the PA wiring, he puts a few people at risk. How do you like your rock shows, freezing or in flames? Zakk Wylde explains.
- Britney Spears blames poor cell-phone reception for losing visitation rights to her children. Also the product of poor-cell phone reception: marrying K-Fed, shaving her head, the fall of Rome, herpes and Iggygate. Duh. [
There were lots of options for Ozzy Osbourne to choose from. The metal wildman has been making music for four decades, and the number of songs he has in his pocket is huge. But for our Rock Honors show tonight, the Blizzard and his band (which includes guitarist Zakk Wylde) chose "I Don’t Wanna Stop" and "Crazy Train." A live version of "Bark At the Moon" will be available on VSPOT as well. And Queens of the Stone Age, one of modern rock’s greatest outfits, will salute their hero with a romp through "Paranoid." Don’t miss: Thursday night on VH1. 
