Search Results for: guitar

Former Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby died at his Los Angeles home on Thursday morning following a long battle with AIDS. He was 42. The cause of death has not yet been determined, according to Craig Harvey, operations chief for the Los Angeles coroner’s office. One of the original members of the ’80s metal rockers known for hits such as “Round and Round” and “Lay It Down,” Crosby began speaking out several years ago about his drug use in the band’s heyday and how it led to his contraction of the deadly virus nearly eight years ago. Ratt formed in the… Read more »

There’s apparently still a little Muhammad Ali in Will Smith, who accepted his Best Actor MTV Movie Award last week in the voice of the boxing legend and later talked about his new record with equal confidence as “The Greatest.” “I don’t want to gas it up, but it’s definitely the best album that I’ve ever done,” Smith said backstage at the ceremony. “I think people are going to be really surprised, the direction that I decided to take.” Like the first single, “Black Suits Comin’ (Nod Ya Head),” the rest of Born to Reign finds the former Fresh Prince… Read more »

The final seven dates of the European Ozzfest tour have been canceled after guitarist Zakk Wylde departed due to illness. Wylde, who has been playing with Ozzy’s band as well as his own Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society, was on his way back to the United States at press time, according to his publicist, who said the specifics of Wylde’s condition were unknown. The dates affected were in Zurich, Switzerland (June 8); Copenhagen, Denmark (June 10); Stockholm, Sweden (June 11); Helsinki, Finland (June 13); St. Petersburg, Russia (June 15); and Moscow, Russia (June 16). A show was also scheduled for… Read more »

Limp Bizkit jammed with four finalists after their much-publicized guitarist audition tour, but now it looks like Fred Durst might be taking a cue from his Puddle of Mudd pal Wes Scantlin and handling both vocal and guitar duties himself. “I’ve been doing a lot of writing lately, all kinds of styles,” he posted on the band’s Web site. “I’m playing guitar, too, [and] I have a couple PRS custom guitars being made for me.” Durst added that Limp Bizkit have rented a “cheesy ’70s house in the flats” that they’ve soundproofed so they don’t bother the neighbors. “It’s pink… Read more »

Bush guitarist Nigel Pulsford’s break from touring now looks to be a permanent vacation from the band he co-founded a decade ago with frontman Gavin Rossdale. The British rockers will continue with ex-Helmet guitarist Chris Traynor instead of counting on Pulsford’s return, Rossdale said Sunday, shortly before Bush performed at Rock Im Park music festival. Traynor had been subbing for Pulsford on Bush’s tour while he spent time at home with his newly expanded family. “He didn’t get kicked out. He didn’t want to be on tour, and you can’t kick someone out that isn’t there,” Rossdale said as he… Read more »

Rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Bo Diddley was honored last week, alongside Chuck Berry and Little Richard, with BMI’s Icon Award for his “unique and indelible influence on generations of music.” Diddley also received an honor earlier this year when former Clash frontman Joe Strummer cited the legendary guitarist as his hero in Mojo magazine’s 100th issue. In the Mojo article Strummer recalled riding in a bus with Diddley, who was sitting up late at night in a chair. “So I said, ‘You know you’ve got a bunk, don’t you, Bo?’ He said, ‘Come and look at this.’ He pulled back… Read more »

Two guitars belonging to Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia were sold at auction Wednesday for about $1.74 million, the president of Guernsey’s auction house said. The auction, held at Studio 54, was put together by Guernsey’s, and featured an assortment of items from the band and from Garcia, who died in 1995. The highlights were “Tiger” and “Wolf,” the custom-made guitars that were among the few instruments Garcia used during his career. Guernsey’s president Arlan Ettinger said an anonymous buyer made the highest bid of $850,000 on Tiger. With buyer’s commission, the total price came to $957,500. Another anonymous buyer… Read more »

Five days after being electrocuted onstage in Bangkok, Thailand and rushed to a hospital, Calling guitarist Aaron Kamin returned to his spot aside his fellow band members for a gig in Melbourne, Australia on Tuesday (April 9). Kamin is in “great spirits and doing fine,” a band spokesperson said. Kamin received a jolt while soundchecking for a show on April 4-the sound equipment was “a little old and beat up,” according to Calling frontman Alex Band’s post on the group’s official website (thecallingband.com). Band says that for a brief moment following the incident, he feared the worst. “Me and the… Read more »

Thai fans of the Calling were surprised to discover the pop group canceled Thursday’s show, though they couldn’t have been more shocked than lead guitarist Aaron Kamin. Kamin was almost electrocuted during soundcheck at Bangkok’s Brew Pavilion Thursday night (April 4), according to an RCA spokesperson. He was treated at a local hospital and released and is now nursing burns to his hands. The band plans to reschedule the show in the Thai capital. The Calling’s international tour continues April 9 in Melbourne, Australia, and winds down April 30 in Copenhagen, Denmark. It wasn’t known at press time whether Kamin… Read more »

R.E.M.’s Peter Buck says he has no recollection of behavior on a Seattle-to-London flight that now finds him facing charges, including assault, in a London court, the BBC reports. Testifying on Wednesday (March 20), Buck claimed that after taking a sleeping pill on the April, 2001 flight, he felt “woozy” and “fear[ed] I had had a heart attack and was in a weird hospital in Disneyland.” When asked if he remembered details for which he is charged, the guitarist told the jury: “None whatsoever.” What Buck does remember is being in a police cell at London’s Heathrow Airport, saying he… Read more »