Vintage Old Metal Decal
Umlaut's Year Of The Dragon was dominated by Murder In The Front Row getting into distribution and receiving a profoundly amazing reaction from literally all over the world. The book is already well into its 2nd printing. Crazy. It was very surreal to do interviews with people in places like Sweden and South America who were so interested and knowledgeable about the original Bay Area Metal Scene. Amazing. The Murder signing events that I participated in, one in Oakland and another in Los Angeles, were both humbling and validating. Most importantly, all of the major bands featured in the book have been big supporters of Murder both publicly and privately. That's meant the most since they understand the book was not done to be exploitative, but as a yearbook to honor that sacred time from our salad days. THANKS as always to my co-author Harald O. and to Ian and Magnus of Bazillion Points Publishing. Bonded by blood! Anyway, enough of this shameless self-promotion.
I've said this many times in the past, but I rant in this space mainly to keep my mind sharp; I like putting words together. The fact that I mainly rant about bands and music is kind of secondary. I rant here for fun and I just do my own thing. Umlaut will continue to fight the hordes, sing and cry, and we will see what the next 8,760 hours bring.
I will now quote that British band: "Let The Music be your Master, will you heed The Master's call?"... and with those words, here's my 2012 scorecard:
- 01/30/12 - Graveyard / Radio Moscow - Slim's
- 02/01/12 - Ghost / Blood Ceremony / Ancient VVisdom - Bottom Of The Hill
- 02/02/12 - Ghost / Blood Ceremony / Ancient VVisdom - The Roxy [Hollywood]
- 02/18/12 - Machine Head / Suicide Silence / The Darkest Hour - The Warfield
- 02/19/12 - Testament / Hatriot - The Avalon [Santa Clara]
- 02/23/12 - Megadeth / Motorhead / Volbeat / Lacuna Coil - San Jose State Event Center
- 02/24/12 - Death Angel / Hammers Of Misfortune / Anvil Chorus - Slim's
- 03/18/12 - Jello Biafra & the Guantanamo School of Medicine / Black Cobra / Pins Of Light - Thee Parkside
- 03/23/12 - Rancid / Cock Sparrer / Noi!se - The Warfield
- 04/23/12 - Behemoth / Watain / The Devil's Blood - Slim's
- 04/26/12 - Opeth / Mastodon / Ghost - Gibson Amphitheatre [Hollywood]
- 04/27/12 - Mastodon / Ghost - The Fox Theater [Oakland]
- 04/27/12 - Montrose / Sammy Hagar - The Regency [San Francisco]
- 05/06/13 - Messhugah / Baroness / Decapitated - The Fillmore
- 05/08/12 - OFF! - The Whiskey A-Go-Go [Hollywood]
- 05/28/12 - Nasum / Landmine Marathon / Brainoil - The Metro [Oakland]
- 06/02/12 - Jane's Addiction / Silversun Pickups / Garbage - Shoreline Amphitheatre
- 06/03/12 - G.B.H. / Far From Finished / Attitude Adjustment - The Independent
- 06/05/12 - Sleep / Oxbow / Kowloon Walled City - The Fox Theater [Oakland]
- 06/09/12 - Corrosion Of Conformity / Torche / Black Cobra / Gaza - Slim's
- 06/23/12 - Metallica / Hot Snakes / Lucero / Roky Erickson / The Sword / Baroness - Bader Field [Atlantic City]
- 06/24/12 - Metallica / Landmine Marathon / Ghost / Volbeat / Charred Walls of the Damned / Liturgy / A Place To Bury Strangers - Bader Field [Atlantic City]
- 06/26/12 - Iron Maiden / Alice Cooper - Comcast Center [Boston]
- 07/01/12 - Slipknot / Slayer / Motorhead / Devil Wears Prada / Anthrax - Shoreline Amphitheatre
- 07/08/12 - Volbeat / Hellyeah - The Regency [San Francisco]
- 07/15/12 - Ghoul / Slough Feg / Gravehill / D.H. Peligro - McLaren Park [San Francisco]
- 07/16/12 - Trash Talk - Slim's
- 07/27/12 - Autopsy / Ghoul / Noothgrush / Acephalix - The Metro [Oakland]
- 08/03/12 - Iron Maiden - Shoreline Amphitheatre
- 08/04/12 - Aerosmith / Cheap Trick - Oakland Coliseum
- 08/08/12 - Redd Kross - Great American Music Hall
- 08/10/12 - Jack White - Shrine Auditorium [Los Angeles]
- 08/13/12 - Heart - Mountain Winery [Saratoga]
- 08/23/12 - Metallica - Rogers Arena [Vancouver]
- 08/24/12 - Metallica - Rogers Arena [Vancouver]
- 09/04/12 - Big Business / Pins Of Light - Bottom Of The Hill
- 09/14/12 - Anthrax / Testament - Ace Of Spades [Sacramento]
- 10/02/12 - Slash - The Fox Theater [Oakland]
- 10/04/12 - Michael Schenker Group - Rodeo Club [San Jose]
- 10/09/12 - Saint Vitus / Weedeater / Sourvein - The Independent
- 10/25/12 - Death Angel - The New Parish [Oakland]
- 11/01/12 - Death Angel - Public Works [San Francisco]
- 11/17/12 - Neurosis / Voivod / Yob - The Fox Theater [Oakland]
- 11/27/12 - Alice Cooper / Kill Devil Hill - The Warfield
- 12/07/12 - Vhol / Bosse De Nage / Lawless - Elbo Room [San Francisco]
- 12/22/12 - High On Fire / Goatwhore - Slim's
- 12/29/12 - Melvins / Pins Of Light - Great American Music Hall
- No Sleep 'Til... - Tales of falling asleep at concerts.
- Bon Scott - An epic post about meeting and hanging out with Bon Scott!
- Face The Slayer - A long lost Slayer interview that I did in 1983 featuring an astounding revelation!
- Welcome To Hell - Memories of hanging with Venom in 1983.
- Photograph - My almost 30 year search for a photograph ends.
- Over The Top - Memories of hanging with Motörhead in 1981-82.
- The Beast On The Road - Memories of hanging with Iron Maiden in 1981-82.
- Bill Graham Presents Black Metal - Bill Graham vs. Venom in 1982!
- Murder In The Library - Amazing...
- Celebration Day - A review of the new Led Zeppelin reunion concert movie by someone who attended the 2007 reunion show.
Murder In The Front Row Release Event in Oakland
[Photo courtesy of Photo Ray]
Papa Emeritus of Ghost
Landmine Marathon at Orion Fest
Hank Shermann of Mercyful Fate / Volbeat
Metallica 3D Movie Filming in Vancouver
Voivod
[Photo courtesy of Photo Ray]
The Giants win Game 7 of the NLCS in a pouring rain!!
Anyway, this has been my rambling review of 2012... THANKS for all the support, readers and friends. 2013 will mark the 9th Anniversary of this space... so let's see what happens next. I'll see you on the other side.
