DOH calls on public to stop sharing Razorback drummer suicide video

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) appealed to the public on Thursday to stop sharing Razorback drummer Brian Velasco’s suicide video.

“We are aware of the video going around the internet of his suicidal act. We request for the public to stop sharing this tragic video and respect the family who are still grieving and in pain due to this unfortunate event,” DOH said in a statement.


DOH also extended its condolences to the family and friends of Velasco: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Mr. Brian Velasco who passed away Wednesday morning, January 16, in an apparent suicide.”

DOH noted that “depression is a serious health condition” hence the need to start talking about it “to end the stigma surrounding mental health because when left unattended, it can lead to suicide.”

“In the Philippines, 3.3 million Filipinos suffer from depressive disorders with suicide rates in 2.5 males and 1.7 females per 100,000,” the statement added.

Further, it read: “The World Health Organization reported that 800,000 people die due to suicide every year. It is second leading cause of death in 15 to 29 year olds.”

Persons feeling they need assistance may call Hopeline hotlines 804-HOPE (4673); 0917-558-HOPE (4673); or 2919 (toll-free number for Globe and TM subscribers). /je

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Motorhead drummer Phil ‘Philthy Animal’ Taylor dies at 61

LONDON — Heavy metal band Motorhead says former drummer Phil Taylor, an iconic metal thrasher nicknamed “Philthy Animal,” has died. He was 61.

“Fast” Eddie Clarke, guitarist with the Grammy-winning rockers, said on Facebook that Taylor died late Wednesday.

He didn’t disclose a cause of death, saying Thursday that Taylor “had been ill for some time but that does not make it any easier when the time finally comes.”

He said Taylor was “one hell of a character.”

Taylor drummed on Motorhead’s best-known albums, including “Overkill,” ”Bomber,” ”Ace of Spades” and the live recording “No Sleep ’til Hammersmith.”

His distinctive double bass-drum style on tracks like “Overkill” helped define a new genre — thrash metal.

On Motorhead’s Facebook page, the band paid tribute to “Lil’ Philthy … he who fuelled many a young boy’s punk/metal hairstyles … he who played the drums with fury and intent.”

Ozzy Osbourne called his death a “terrible, terrible loss.”

Taylor left the band in 1984, rejoined in 1987 and left again in 1992.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Metallica aren’t elder statesmen – Ulrich

Lars Ulrich says Metallica try to avoid acting like big shots backstage – although they may be guilty of having done so in the past.

The drummer insists he likes to avoid giving advice to younger bands, and reveals he still has his own star-struck moments when he meets heroes like Dave Grohl and Neil Young.

Ulrich tells The Owl: “We always try to go and hang out.

“We definitely had the days of hiding behind the big walls, and we may have been guilty doing some of that stuff in the 90s, but we really try to put ourselves out there.

“It’s more fun for us. It’s great to meet other people and immerse yourself in some of that energy.

“When I’m around Jack White or Dave Grohl or people like Neil Young, I’m like a fucking kid in the candy store myself. I went to see Muse and the Arctic Monkeys and the Black Keys – these are great experiences for me too.”

The thrash giants might be expected to be asked for hints and tips, but Ulrich says: “I give as little advice as possible, man. If somebody asks me I’ll try to answer just their sincere questions. But we don’t walk around like some sort of elder statesmen.”

Meanwhile, Mission to Lars film maker Kate Spicer has admitted she hoped Ulrich might turn out to be an “a’hole” because it could have made her movie more interesting.

The drummer has shown active support for the documentary which tells the story of Spicer’s learning-disabled brother Tom and his attempt to deal with his demons in order to finally meet his hero.

Reporting on a showing of the movie in Mexico City, which Ulrich attended, she says: “I thanked Lars for showing Tom the respect that so often learning-disabled people are not afforded.

“People asked him why he had done the film, and part of his answer was that perhaps because he’s a parent he is much more compassionate. I found it strangely touching, though it was not an unusual thing to say. He had three wristbands on – they were from a trampoline place he takes his kids.

“I said we had hoped, secretly, sometimes before we got to meet him, that Lars might turn out to be an a’hole, so that our film might have some Borat magic.”

source: classicrockmagazine.com

Kings of Leon drummer and wife expecting baby

LOS ANGELES - Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill and wife, singer Jessie Baylin, are expecting their first child, the drummer said on Twitter on Wednesday.

"I can proudly announce that me & the lovely @JessieBaylin are expecting our first child. I'm beyond excited/anxious. Life is beautiful," Followill posted.

Followill, 33, and Baylin, 28, married in 2009.

Grammy-winning rock band Kings of Leon was formed in Nashville, Tennessee, by Followill brothers Nathan, Caleb and Jared and their cousin Matthew, gaining success with songs such as "Use Somebody" and "Sex On Fire."

Front man Caleb Followill's first child was born last week and bassist Jared announced his engagement earlier this year to model Martha Patterson, sparking speculation among fans on whether Kings of Leon will take a hiatus to focus on their personal lives. The band's spokesman Ken Weinstein told Reuters that the band are just in between records at this time. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Black Sabbath's Bill Ward Officially Pulls Out of Reunion Gigs

Bad news for Black Sabbath fans: Bill Ward will not be playing drums at any of the group's three gigs scheduled this year. In a long message posted on his website, Ward explained that he was simply not able to come to terms with his bandmates. The metal pioneers are playing their first show since 2005 this Saturday evening at their hometown of Birmingham, England – and Ward claims that he first learned of the gig through an ad on the Internet.

The original Sabbath lineup announced last November that they would reunite for a tour and their first album since 1978's Never Say Die! Less than two months later, guitarist Tony Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma, prompting Sabbath to cancel the vast majority of their summer tour. Weeks later, Bill Ward announced via a Facebook that he would not participate in the group's reunion until he was presented with a "signable contract." The group vowed to carry on without him and had recently announced a headlining gig at Lollapalooza, as well as a warm-up show in Birmingham this Saturday.

In his new letter, Ward says that the group asked him to play drums on three songs during their set at the Download Festival in June, an offer that he refused. On May 9th, Ward says, Sabbath asked him to play this Saturday's gig for free without any guarantee that he'd get to perform at the other shows, which he ultimately turned down.

Here is the complete text of Ward's letter:

Dear Sabbath Fans and Fellow Musicians,

I sincerely regret to inform you that after a final effort to participate in the upcoming Sabbath shows a failure to agree has continued. At this time I have to inform you that I won't be playing with Black Sabbath at the Birmingham gig dated May 19th, 2012, nor will I be playing at Download on June 10th, 2012. Further, I will not be playing at Lollapalooza on August 3, 2012.

It is with a very sad heart that I bring you this news. I am sincerely passionate in my desire to play with the band, and I'm very, very sorry that it's fallen to this. This statement is even more painstaking to write, as I was particularly excited to play alongside Tony Iommi after the recent treatments he underwent. I wanted that to become a reality.

To express my thoughts about you, the Sabbath fans, I'm going to speak to you all through an experience my brother James had recently. My brother Jimmy lives in the U.K. When speaking with him a couple of days ago, he told me that an acquaintance had stopped him on the street and confronted him, "is your brother playing Birmingham? What's going on? I waited in line with my son and paid x amount for the concert tickets."

The man's son is a young drummer. He's going to see Sabbath, and he wants to see Bill Ward play drums. Upon hearing this news, I felt horrible. I couldn't help feeling some resentment towards the failure to reach an agreement, the failure to remember where we came from, the failure to be as brothers, as we once were. To be clear, I'm not blaming the other guys or finding any faults with them. I would think it can't be easy for them either, but this situation is just really sad. It's sad that it's come to this. "This" will surely leave a mark and be unwelcome to the memory. Hopefully "this" will heal and pass in time.

My heart sank when Jimmy told me about this young boy. I know this boy is going to be disappointed, and I don't know how to amend it, other than to put my arms around the boy and tell him I love him. Sabbath fans have a voice and a face, to me you're human, you have families and despair. You have ferocity and emotions and graciousness, and at this moment as far as I'm concerned you are also that young boy in England. I don't know how to amend my part in these failings other than to put my arms around you and say I love you and let you know I'm very, very sorry.

Throughout this process, which began over a year ago, I have had to stand up for myself time and time again. I have had to stand up for myself and in doing so realize my actions indirectly, although unintentionally, are upsetting and hurting a lot of you. I know in my heart I couldn't have done these concerts by agreeing the terms suggested. I made a solemn vow after the last European and Ozzfest concerts that I would never again enter into what was, in my opinion, a totally unsatisfactory contract. I have to stand for something, and as painful as it is, I'm doing it.

Earlier in April 2012, I'd been asked to participate "minimally" in the Download festival. I believe I'd been offered no more than three songs to play while another drummer presumably played the rest of the show with Black Sabbath. I was not willing to participate in that offer. I was not prepared to watch another drummer play a Sabbath set, while I was to play only three songs.

I found out about the Birmingham gig on Monday, April 30 through the Internet ad. I was taken aback somewhat by the date, and the fact it was Birmingham. Knowing the "signable" contract negotiations were at best in shreds, I was upset by the idea that the band was going to play Birmingham and play it assumedly without me. I had no prior knowledge of the date and location, and I felt totally excluded. We contacted the representative for Black Sabbath to see if something could be worked out. In the meantime my drum crew and I, along with our US endorsers, finished all the necessary planning for a swift departure to the UK. There wasn't a whole lot to complete; we'd all been on standby more or less since mid-January 2012. The remaining work in the UK was confirmed done by our European and UK endorsers and we were good to go by Friday, May 4 2012. There were two stress points: firstly, getting an agreement in place, and secondly, getting to England in a timely manner. Jetlag time was taken into account as well as drum practice, a drum practice room in the heart of Birmingham, accommodation, and travel arrangements were all in place to meet with any band rehearsals that may have transpired before the Birmingham show. So far everything that had been arranged was on my dime, but we didn't move ahead without a realistic confirmation.

Communications between the representative and my lawyer continued through the weekend of May 5 finalizing on Wednesday, May 9. The offer we received on May 9 was, "come to the UK, play for free and see how the first show goes." I was tempted. Playing for free would not have been a problem for me, but "seeing how the first show goes" left an element of risk which could have affected Download. My ideal thought was to play in full the Birmingham show, in full Download, and in full Lollapalooza.

I had notified the representative that May 10 was my cutoff day in order to have good lead-in time for England. On the night of May 9 I asked for a brief letter to be sent to the representative asking to find out if we were at an end. On the morning of Thursday, May 10, I received a reply in the affirmative. After consulting with my advisors and crew a decision was made to let go and stop.

I can't prioritize the Sabbath fans making one show more important than the other. I can't do that. All of you are important. It's all the gigs or none at all. I can't come to Birmingham and "see what happens" knowing there is a risk of not being able to play Download or Lollapalooza. Again, for me, it's all or nothing. I had to say "no" to Birmingham on the principle of wanting to play all the shows. Saying no to Birmingham is very difficult for me. My family grew up in Birmingham. Black Sabbath grew up in Birmingham. It's still my hometown and I resent having to arrive at such a difficult choice.

Although the statement was made that, "the door is always open" for me, as explained above, walking through that door is not always as easy as it sounds. There are many complicated issues and unseen and unspoken agendas on hand. I can assure you, my criteria for a "signable" contract is based in mindful principles, respectability, and acknowledgement of my history within the band.

I hold no malice or resentment towards the other band members. I love them; I'm tolerant of them; I'm frustrated with them, as they may be with me. My fight has never been with them. I'll love them forever. In my opinion, nobody wins this time; the band doesn't win; the fans for an original lineup don't win. Nobody wins, nobody. Even the ones who thought they did. I didn't want to make this decision, but I have to be honest and transparent. This is the statement I didn't want to write; it's the last thing I wanted to do. But, I have written it, and now it can go into the universe.

Since Spring of 2011, I've waited patiently and hopefully for a signable contract, you know the rest. I stand for the boy in the U.K., for the coming drum student, for all the drummers, who write their parts out and get stiffed on the publishing, I stand with the Sabbath fans chanting "Bill Ward" and asking "why?" and I stand with Tony and Geezer and Ozzy.

On a final note, even though I'm at an end with the upcoming announced concerts, I will remain with an open mind and a position of willingness to negotiate "signable" terms with Sabbath's representatives in the future.

Stay strong.

Stay safe.

With all my heart and strength, I love you,

Bill Ward

source: rollingstone.com

Levon Helm, Drummer and Singer of the Band, Dead at 71

Levon Helm, singer and drummer for the Band, died on April 19th in New York of throat cancer. He was 71.

"He passed away peacefully at 1:30 this afternoon surrounded by his friends and bandmates," Helm's longtime guitarist Larry Campbell tells Rolling Stone. "All his friends were there, and it seemed like Levon was waiting for them. Ten minutes after they left we sat there and he just faded away. He did it with dignity. It was even two days ago they thought it would happen within hours, but he held on. It seems like he was Levon up to the end, doing it the way he wanted to do it. He loved us, we loved him."

Photos: Levon Helm Through the Years

In the late Nineties, Helm – whose singing anchored Band classics like "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," "Up on Cripple Creek," "Rag Mama Rag," and "The Weight" – was diagnosed with throat cancer and underwent 28 radiation treatments, eventually recovering his voice. In recent weeks, however, Helm had canceled a number of shows, including one at the New Orleans Jazz Fest on April 27th and another in Montclair, New Jersey. A note posted to his website on Tuesday from his daughter Amy and wife Sandy said that Helm was in the "final stages of his battle with cancer. Please send your prayers and love to him as he makes his way through this part of his journey. Thank you fans and music lovers who have made his life so filled with joy and celebration...he has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat, and make the people dance! He did it every time he took the stage."

Born May 26, 1940 in Arkansas, Helm was literally a witness to the birth of rock & roll; as a teenager, he saw Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis in concert and was inspired to play drums after seeing Lewis' drummer, Jimmy Van Eaton. (Helm went on to play mandolin and other stringed instruments as well). In 1960, Helm joined the backup band of rockabilly wildman Ronnie Hawkins – a group that would eventually include Robbie Robertson, Richard Manuel, Rick Danko and Garth Hudson, all future members of the Band.

The musicians broke from Hawkins to form their own group – their names included the Crackers and Levon and the Hawks – but it was their association with Bob Dylan that cemented their reputation. After Dylan saw the group in a club (either in Canada or New Jersey, depending on the source), he invited Helm and guitarist Robertson to join his electric band. "Bob Dylan was unknown to us," Helm wrote in his 1993 memoir This Wheel's on Fire. "I knew he was a folksinger and songwriter whose hero was Woody Guthrie. And that's it." Robertson and Helm were in Dylan's electric band for his controversial, frequently booed show at New York's Forest Hills Tennis Stadium. Afterward, various members of the Band played on Dylan's Blonde on Blonde and toured with him in 1966. (Helm left temporary in 1965, tired of the ongoing hostility from Dylan's folk fans.)

Recuperating in Woodstock after his 1966 motorcycle accident, Dylan again hooked up with the band that would soon be the Band. Before Helm rejoined them, they recorded the landmark Basement Tapes, and the Band's crackling, homespun take on American roots music began to take shape. Rechristening themselves the Band, they signed to Capitol Records and released two classic albums, Music From Big Pink (1968) and The Band (1969). Although Robertson was the Band's principal songwriter, it was Helm's beautifully gruff and ornery voice that brought the Canadian Robertson's mythic Americana songs to life. He was also one of rock's earliest singing drummers.

In 1976, at Robertson's urging, the Band broke up after its farewell concert, known as "The Last Waltz." In meetings before the concert and as recounted in This Wheel's on Fire, Helm was adamantly opposed to the group disbanding. "I didn't want any part of it," he wrote. "I didn't want to break up the band." He begrudgingly went along, but his relationship with Robertson was never the same. After the show, Helm formed his own band, Levon Helm and the RCO All Stars, featuring fellow legends Dr. John, Steve Cropper, and Booker T. Jones, and recorded several solo albums. Helm also ventured into acting with an acclaimed role in 1980's Coal Miner's Daughter, playing Loretta Lynn (Sissy Spacek's) father. But he couldn't leave the Band behind, and with Danko, Manuel, and Hudson, he formed a new version of the Band in the early Eighties, recording three new studio albums with them.

The Band continued for a while after Manuel's suicide by hanging in 1986, but Danko's death in 1999 of heart failure ended the Band once and for all. By then, Helm was dealing with throat cancer. After his recovery, he began holding intimate concerts in his combination barn and studio in Woodstock, called the "Midnight Ramble," in part to pay his medical bills. The low-key, woodsy performances became must-see shows and attracted a rock who's who; Elvis Costello, Natalie Merchant, the Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh and Donald Fagen were among the many who joined Helm and his band. The Ramble shows led to two acclaimed Helm solo albums – one of which, 2007's Dirt Farmer, won a Grammy in the Best Traditional Folk category. "This go-round has been a lot more fun," Helm told Rolling Stone in 2009. "Now I know I've got enough voice to do it."

When the Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, Helm didn't attend, revealing that his feud with Robertson was still on. "I thought Levon was going to show," Robertson told Rolling Stone a few years later. "Then that evening they said he changed his mind and wasn't going to come. And I thought, 'Oh, God, it would have been better if he was here.'"

Helm's throat cancer had taken a toll on his singing voice. On stage and in recent interviews, his voice was sometimes strong but other times was reduced to a low rasp. But at one his last shows, in Ann Arbor on March 19th with a 13-piece band, the audience roared when he sang the Band classic "Ophelia." "I'm not the poster boy of good health," he said in an interview last year. "But I'm not doing too bad. I still got the energy to make music. As long as I can do that, I'm great."

source: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/levon-helm-drummer-and-singer-of-the-band-dies-at-71-20120419

Doobie Brothers drummer Michael Hossack dies at 65

LOS ANGELES - Michael Hossack, whose drumming underpinned a raft of hits for the Doobie Brothers, has died at the age of 65, the chart-topping California rock band said Tuesday.

"His family was by his side" when Hossack passed away Monday in Dubois, Wyoming, it said on its website (www.doobiebros.com). "Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and loved ones. We will miss him greatly."

Hossack took up drumming at age 12 with a marching band, served in the US navy during the Vietnam War, then returned to his native New Jersey where he initially planned to go into law enforcement.

Joining a band from California led him to relocate to the West Coast where he was soon recruited into the Doobie Brothers, playing on such hits as "Listen to the Music," "Rockin' Down The Highway" and "Jesus Is Just Alright."

He left the group in 1973, formed his own band and invested in a North Hollywood recording studio, but returned to the Doobie Brothers in 1987 when it reunited for a series of benefit concerts for Vietnam veterans.

Two years ago, ill health forced Hossack to stop touring with Doobie Brothers, which this summer will be co-headlining a series of concerts with fellow 1970s rockers Chicago. — AFP

article source: gmanetwork.com