Michael Sweet Gives Us The Rundown of The New Stryper Release on This Weeks Focus on Metal

  Episode 473 - Even The Devil Believes

So this week we start off with some chat about drive in concert events and the new Rust in Peace book but we managed to rein in our metal chatter long enough to have another chat with Michael Sweet. Yep, Michael makes yet another appearance the show this week as we talk with him about Stryper’s latest release “Even The Devil Believes”

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always
Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Megadeth Bassist Dave Ellefson Guests on This Weeks Focus on Metal.

Episode 426 - More Life With Deth

Dave Ellefson returns this week to Focus on Metal to discuss his new book “More Life With Deth” and the accompanying album. He’ll also be busy this summer doing another round of Basstory and also doing some Sleeping Giants shows. So lots to discuss with Dave this week.

Look for the Sleeping Giants release this month

Track of the week is True Colors from Sweet Oblivion (feat Geoff Tate).

Here's another great track off the release

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always

Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Former MEGADETH Members NICK MENZA, JAMES LOMENZO offering Free MP3 Download

Famed MEGADETH alumni drummer Nick Menza and bassist James LoMenzo former MEGADETH, WHITE LION, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY is offering a free MP3 download of their version of the METALLICA classic Motorbreath with guitarist / vocalist Davor Garasic from Croatian thrash metal band Sufosia

(the download is available at link location below)

http://nickmenzamusic.bandcamp.com/releases

According to a press release, Menza and LoMenzo recnetley announced a working musical relationship that will lead into a full working, writing, recording and touring band at some point.

Their first encounter / jam session took place on June 25th at Menza's Disintegrator Studios in Studio City, CA where they cracked through some of the old Megadeth catalog along with some of their favorite Metallica and Zeppelin songs.

Nick Menza exclusively told BWBK: James is a top-notch player with a killer sound and I'm totally pumped and looking forward to creating some heavy original material with him once we officially solidified the rest of the line up. he ads, things are still in the developing stages soon as James fulfills his touring obligations with John Fogerty we will sink our teeth into this project. right now we are having some fun and collaborating with other players from around the world via the internet to see what's out there, nothing is set in stone...

James LoMenzo: I've been a fan of Nick's drumming for a long time. Nick is a great guy and he's one of Metal's stand out drummers. It's an honor and a privilege to be making music with him and I look forward to what we'll create.

Menza joined MEGADETH for the 1990 recording "Rust In Peace" and for the next ten years became associated with the band's "classic" and most profitable era.

Following the reissue of the entire MEGADETH catalog, Menza was invited to reunite with the band in 2004. Days after a reunion was announced, Menza was fired after rehearsals and replaced with Shawn Drover. Mustaine said that this was because Nick "just wasn't prepared.

LoMenzo joined MEGADETH in 2006, toured and performed on two of the groups studio albums, 2007 "United Abominations", 2009 "Endgame"  it was then announced in 2010 that original MEGADETH bassist Dave Ellefson would replace LoMenzo.

http://youtu.be/cYe3Fp6JJIs

Former MEGADETH Drummer NICK MENZA: Second 'Intense Mega Drumming' DVD Webisode Now Online

The second of six webisodes documenting the making of former MEGADETH drummer Nick Menza's first-ever instructional DVD, "Intense Mega Drumming", can be seen below. The footage shot this past March at Uberbeatz Studios in Seattle, Washington, and was produced and directed by Kari Pearson and Robert Bolger.

According to a press release, the "Intense Mega Drumming" DVD will be "educational, entertaining and will feature Menza's years of playing drums in MEGADETH with tons of tips and tricks from his arsenal to help teach anybody out there become a better player, plus rare and unseen bonus footage from the 'Menza Mega Vault.'"

The DVD is tentatively due at the end of the year.

Menza joined MEGADETH for the 1989 recording "Rust In Peace" and for the next nine years became associated with the band's "classic" and most profitable era.

Asked last September by Argentinean rock journalist Lucas H. Gordon if there is a possibility of him ever doing anything with MEGADETH again, Menza, who appeared on four of the band's studio albums, said: "You never know what can happen in the future. It's, like, I'm open to whatever. I would never say, 'I'll never join MEGADETH back up again.' But it's really up to Mustaine. I put the ball in his court."

Following the reissue of the entire MEGADETH catalog, Menza was invited to reunite with the band in 2004. Days after a reunion was announced, Menza was fired after rehearsals and replaced with Shawn Drover. Mustaine said that this was because Nick "just wasn't prepared."

Menza has been writing, recording and producing constantly but only releasing sporadic singles for years. That will all change when he opens the floodgates with the upcoming release of his memoir, Originally announced as "Megalife", Nick's book will now be titled "Menzalife". by acclaimed writer J. Marshall Craig.

He explained: "It got changed just as of recently, because I can't use 'Megalife' someone's already using that name and it's trademarked. No big deal. It's still the same content inside. It's gonna be for sale at the stores and stuff like that. A publisher is gonna put it out. I don't have a deal as of yet, but the book is really cool."

"MEGADETH was a big part of my story," Menza said, "but it was just one part. Jeff Craig has got me to talk about it all!"

Menza is currently negotiating a publishing deal for the book, which will feature rare and never-before-seen photos of Menza with every band he's ever been in, including, of course, MEGADETH.

"It's a memoir of music," writer Craig said. "But a lot more. It's a book about chasing the ultimate gig, the ultimate drum setup, the ultimate sound and, it will come as no surprise to Nick's fans, the ultimate aliens, government conspiracies and anything else his muse sees fit to lay across his path."

Menza's first performance was at the age of two on stage at the Montreux Jazz Festival when legendary jazz percussionist Jack DeJohnette (Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson) placed Nick on his kit. Thirty years later, he was stepping out on stage in front of thousands of screaming fans every night.

Menza, son of legendary jazz saxophonist Don Menza, was at the top of his game when MEGADETH started a world tour in support of its album, "Cryptic Writings", but began to suffer knee problems and escalating pain. Doctors diagnosed him with a tumor. Surgery waylaid the drummer briefly, but he was relieved to learn the tumor was benign and was eager to rejoin his bandmates, who had continued their tour with a replacement drummer. But deteriorating relations within the band exploded and Menza was replaced permanently.

Link to part 2: http://youtu.be/WSnmKvZ1q-M

Link to Part 1: http://youtu.be/GDnJj1tcQ7w

Former Megadeth Drummer Nick Menza Intense Mega Drumming DVD Footage Available

The first in six part series of webisodes documenting the making of former MEGADETH Drummer Nick Menza's first ever DVD Intense Mega Drumming can be seen below. The footage shot this past March in Seattle Washington at Uberbeatz Studio's, produced and directed by Kari Pearson & Robert Bolger 

Intense Mega Drumming DVD is going to be educational, entertaining and will feature Menza's years of playing drums in MEGADETH with tons of tips & tricks from his arsenal to help teach anybody out there become a better player, plus rare & unseen bonus footage from the Menza Mega Vault.

The DVD is expected to be released some time at the end of this year.

Menza joined MEGADETH for the 1990 recording "Rust In Peace" and for the next ten years became associated with the band's "classic" and most profitable era

Asked last September by Argentinean rock journalist Lucas H. Gordon if there is a possibility of him ever doing anything with MEGADETH again, Menza said: "You never know what can happen in the future. It's, like, I'm open to whatever. I would never say, 'I'll never join MEGADETH again. But it's really up to MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine. It's what the fans want, so I put the ball in his court.

Following the reissue of the entire MEGADETH catalog, Menza was invited to reunite with the band in 2004. Days after a reunion was announced, Menza was fired after rehearsals and replaced with Shawn Drover. Mustaine said that this was because Nick just wasn't prepared!!

New video of Nick Menza covering "Wake Up Dead"

Check out this great video of Nick Menza (Ex-Megadeth) covering the "Megadeth" classic "Wake Up Dead"

If you are lucky enough to be going to the NAMM show you can meet Nick and see him play in the Soultone booth (#2977, Hall D) at the NAMM show in two weeks, January 23-26 

Ex-MEGADETH Drummer Nick Menza Metal All-Stars Tour Promotional Video Released

Two promotional videos for the 2014 Metal All-Stars tour featuring former MEGADETH drummer Nick Menza can be viewed at the links below.

http://youtu.be/BO4hzpT8Fkg

http://youtu.be/aJcMlkr4XLg

Menza: I'm totally pumped and honored to get the opportunity of sharing the stage with some of the largest and legendary voices in heavy metal. It's definitely going to be a interesting and unique tour, something European and South American fans don't want to miss and I'm hoping it hits the states.

The Metal All-stars tour will feature "some of the biggest contributors to the heavy metal genre along with some of the most technical musicians in the industry," according to a press release.

Metal All-stars will be offering unique items and experiences to be auctioned off in order to raise funds for Ride For Dime. Ride For Dime Inc., a 501 (c) 3, charitable organization, honors the lives of guitar hero and friend, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott (PANTERA), Jeff Thompson, Nathan Bray and Erin Halk. Ride For Dime has proudly given back to charities that were of interest to Darrell during his life as well as charities he would have been proud to be a part of, like Little Kids Rock, Toys For Tots, IAVA and many more. Ride For Dime was formed in 2010 and began funding its own Ride For Dime Scholarship Fund.

Originally formed in Arlington, Texas, in 2005 by Darrell's friends and family, the organization has now grown to having six nationwide chapters. Each chapter holds its own event, and all proceeds go directly to the Ride For Dime Scholarship Fund. Their current chapters include: Texas, Philadelphia, Chicago, Florida, Wisconsin, Nashville, Minnesota and the U.K.

March 

23 - Sofia, Bulgaria - Armeec Hall 

24 - Bucharest, Romania - Rom Expo 

26 - Lodz,Poland - Atlas Arena 

28 - Gdańsk,Poland - Ergo Arena

April

3 - Stockholm, Sweden - Globe Arena 

5 - Riga, Latvia - Arena Riga 

6 - Helsinki, Finland - Old Ice Arena 

8 - Saint Petersburg, Russia - YBL Arena 

9 - Moscow, Russia - Live Arena

Confirmed artists include:

Phil Anselmo (PANTERA, DOWN) 

Nick Menza (ex - MEGADETH)

Joey Belladonna (ANTHRAX) 

Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) 

Udo Dirkschneider (U.D.O., ex - ACCEPT) 

Cronos (VENOM) 

Max Cavalera (SEPULTURA, SOULFLY) 

Brian Fair (SHADOWS FALL) 

Ross The Boss (ex - MANOWAR) 

Rob "Blasko" Nicholson (OZZY OSBOURNE) 

Jasin Todd (ex-SHINEDOWN) 

Matt Bachand (SHADOWS FALL) 

Kobra Paige (Gene Simmons Records artists KOBRA AND THE LOTUS) 

Jon Donais 

Jesse Billson (LEVEL ZERO) 

Aaron Rossi (MINISTRY, PRONG) 

Bones Elias (DEAD BY SUNRISE)

Metal All-Stars tour is expected to hit South America sometime in 2014 for more information visit www.metalallstars.com

Menza is currently at his Disintegrator Studios in Studio City, California working on his new project, ATOMIC DISINTEGRATOR.

Menza previously stated about ATOMIC DISINTEGRATOR's musical direction: "It's very heavy and I'm very pumped, And I'm making some progress with finding some other players  'Cause right now it's just me doing everything and I can't very well tour on that by myself. But I can definitely release a couple of tracks and see where it goes from there."

He continued: "I'm trying to do a cartoon with it for TV and a comic book. And it's really cool. The whole concept is THE ATOMIC DISINTEGRATOR… It's got some governmental, conspiracy, alien stuff in it. It's mostly about current stuff that's going on in the world. And the music is very metal, but more contemporary style like MESHUGGAH-type, OPETH, GOJIRA. It's heavy.

Former Megadeth Drummer Nick Menza Gruesome Power Saw Accident

A gruesome power saw accident in 2007 that nearly severed former Megadeth drummer Nick Menza’s arm and doctors weren’t sure he’d ever play again.

After a long recuperation which included some reconstructive metal plates and bolts that would make Dr. Frankenstein envious, Menza is back! And he’s back with a memoir of outrageous experiences, including his “heinous mishap,” as he calls it, in the upcoming book MEGALIFE: Countdown To Resurrection, by J. Marshall Craig.

To celebrate in the best truly HEAVY tradition, Menza is offering for one lucky superfan a once (we all hope!) in a lifetime rock ‘n’ roll artifact: The blood-stained, rusty saw blade that nearly chewed through his arm, and the original x-ray of the injuries framed behind museum-quality glass, metal frame, led lighting system and personally autographed to the winning bidder!

The auction scheduled to launch on Oct 25th at 3pm pst via www.menzajamz.com

For more information contact: bloodysaw@menzajamz.com

Menza: “It’s Halloween, dude! I have my book coming out I’m headlining a new South American tour let’s have some fun! This stuff has been on one of the walls in my studio since the accident. I’m starting a new chapter of my life and career, literally, and it’s time to move on from some of that stuff in my past but the saw blade & x-ray are pretty rad!”

Only one fan will get the blade & x-ray but everyone who buys Megalife will get to read about the harrowing experience, the remarkable recovery including the first session Nick recorded after using only one arm! and dozens of other great stories sure to test their heavy meddle!

Menza has recently teamed up with Logan Gray, AKA THRASH WOLF the up and coming inspiring Australian graphic artist who has create a 18 x 35 poster of the saw blade artifact which you could now pre-order for limited time only via bigcartel

http://menzajamz.bigcartel.com/product

Episode 144 of Focus on Metal features an exclusive interview with Nick Menza

This week we bring you an exclusive interview with former Megadeth stick wielder Nick Menza, Nick has a new book coming out this year Nick Menza: Megalife and he choose FoM as the first place to talk about it and some other stuff he's currently working on.

Check out Nick's Site at http://menzajamz.com/

Get the episode on iTunes or download or stream it directly from the episode page at Focus On Metal

Our Track of the week is from Heaven And Hell Records artist Dark Design and we bring you a track off their debut release Prey For The Future.

Hit them up at https://www.facebook.com/darkdesignband

And as always Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Former MEGADETH Drummer NICK MENZA Unveils Book Title

Reclusive former Megadeth star Nick Menza has been writing, recording and producing constantly but only releasing sporadic singles for years but now, he’s opening the floodgates with the upcoming release of his memoir, “Nick Menza: Megalife” by acclaimed writer J. Marshall Craig. The cover art is expected to be released some time next week.

“Megadeth was a big part of my story,” Menza says, “but it was just one part. Jeff (Craig) has got me to talk about IT ALL!”

The book, which was written over the past 18 months, is in negotiations for release in late 2013. It features rare and never-before-seen photos of Menza with every band he’s ever been in, including, of course, the mega-selling Megadeth. “It’s a memoir of music,” writer Craig says, “But a lot more. It’s a book about chasing the ultimate gig, the ultimate drum setup, the ultimate sound and, it will come as not surprise to Nick’s fans, the ultimate aliens, government conspiracies and anything else his muse sees fit to lay across his path.

His first performance was at the age of two on stage at the Montreux Jazz Festival when legendary jazz percussionist Jack DeJohnette (Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson) placed Nick on his kit. Thirty years later he was stepping out on stage in front of hundreds of thousands of screaming fans every night.

Menza, son of legendary jazz saxophonist Don Menza, was at the top of his game when Megadeth started a world tour in support of its album “Cryptic Writings” but began to suffer knee problems and escalating pain. Doctors diagnosed him with a tumor. Surgery waylaid the drummer briefly, but he was relieved to learn the tumor was benign and was eager to rejoin his band mates, who had continued their tour with a replacement drummer. But deteriorating relations within the band exploded and Menza was replaced permanently. 

What does Nick have to say about it all now? “Buy the book it’s all in there!”

“Nick Menza: Megalife,” by J. Marshall Craig, is due in stores, in Kindle and eBook versions in late 2013.

J. Marshall Craig is best known for his critically acclaimed work as writer for Eric Burdon's “Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood,” Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell's “Between Rock and a Home Place,” West Coast hip-hop history “Guilty By

Association” (Damizza and J. Marshall Craig). Author of more than a dozen books, his work has been translated and published all over the world.

Johnny Thrash of the "The Oath" metal radio show, which airs on the KBZS-FM / 106.3 The Buzz station in Wichita Falls, Texas, recently conducted an interview with Menza. You can now listen to the two part chat at this location

For more information visit the new official Nick Menza site, www.menzajamz.com 

Nick will be featured on an upcoming episode of Focus on Metal.