Hard-Ons guitarist hospitalised after attack

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Peter Black (aka Blackie), guitarist with cult Australian punk band The Hard-Ons has been hospitalised after a brutal assault.

The attack took place while Black was driving his taxi cab.  Two teenagers (whom, according to reports are aged 14 and 16) were arrested at the scene.

The band have posted the following message on their facebook page:
“Blackie has been in hospital since Thursday night with a skull fracture and 16 stitches, swelling on the brain. We will be there for a few days still, while the docs make sure all tests are done. Thankfully he has been moved from the critical room to where they keep stable patients. He does not remember all details but he is getting better every day. Not sure when he can play music again. We will know more in the coming days. He has already been told he cannot drive for 6 weeks due to his head trauma. Please send him a get-well message through facebook , he’ll read it all when he gets out in a few days. I’m sure he’ll get better soon. He is a pretty tough cookie. I’ve known him for many years and I know he wants to get back playing music again as soon as possible, but he will go with medical advice, it’s gonna be best to give playing live for a while, so that he can fully recover and come back fitter than ever. Will keep everyone posted. By the way thanks for all those messages. I’ll pass ’em on to Blackie and I’m sure he’ll really appreciate them.”

The band, active since the mid 80s, released their 15th album in 2010.  Despite such a huge back catalogue, outside of their native Australia, they remain best known for their cover of AC/DC’s ‘Let There Be Rock’ with Henry Rollins and their 1990 LP ‘Yummy’.

EMPIRE OF ONE – Empire Of One EP

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This self-titled disc may be the first release from Empire Of One, but their frontman Wil Seabrook has been around for a while.  He has released a few solo albums and an early single achieved the “Record of the Week” accolade on BBC Radio 2.  Rather more regrettably, some of you may remember him from “Rock Star: INXS” [the talent show where the Aussie rockers refused to let their musical legacy die with Michael Hutchence, and instead chose to whore themselves on TV].  Wil performed a couple of songs before being voted out at an early stage.

It turns out that not getting the INXS job was a blessing, since he’s a clearly talented vocalist and this debut EP from Empire Of One features some great material. It’s a good example of radio friendly pop-rock played at a superbly professional level, with just enough grit to stop things ever becoming too sweet.  Empire Of One’s sound may not be immediately striking but this EP only requires a couple of plays before the musicianship and songs begin to shine.

‘If I Let Myself Dream’ comes straight out of the stalls with no intro, with Seabrook’s vocals arriving alongside a rumble of drums.  This lends an edge, which, at first, seems like it ought to fade in order to let the song’s less crashy elements shine through.  In a surprising move, the drums remain insistent throughout, giving this opening track a tough edge.  All the while, Seabrook’s crying voice ensures the track has a strong sense of melody, with the repeated line “always, always I’m with you now” providing the main hook. ‘Roam’ is a touch more accessible. Ringing guitars and more emotive vocals recall the likes of Train (in a less drippy mood) and while the music may not be edgy, the rhythms which dominate the piece give everything a slightly angular approach.  While this is already enjoyable, the song’s best elements come from the superbly played bass, which dances in the background throughout, while doing a sterling job of holding everything together.

While not stretching Empire Of One’s musical range particularly, ‘I Wouldn’t Wait’ and ‘Better Than’ bring two more slices of impeccably played radio rock.  ‘I’m Still Here’ finishes the EP on a real high, however, really showcasing the band’s talent, as another top chorus is rounded out by jangly guitars and solid work from the rhythm department.  The guitars recall mid-period U2, which combined with a slightly breathy vocal line gives this number a cinematic feel.  If you were to pick just one number as a taster for the EP, you would not go far wrong here.

Based on this short release, Pasadena’s Empire Of One are a talented bunch. Harder than Coldplay, happier than Doves and infinitely more interesting than The Killers, this short collection of songs is just about ten thousand times better than most of the limp and somewhat sorry collection of tunes presented on Train’s 2012 effort in the name of radio friendliness.  While the US isn’t short on bands which fill this musical niche, there’s always room for more…especially when they’re this enjoyable.

May 2012

New interview with alternative Christian rockers P.O.D. posted online

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On May 13th 2012, Backstage Entertainment conducted a short interview with members of P.O.D., prior to the release of their new album. You can now watch the chat below, via the embedded YouTube link.

P.O.D.’s 2012 release ‘Murdered Love’ is released on July 13th in the US on Razor & Tie Records. It will be P.O.D.’s eighth full length studio release, and amazingly their twelfth overall release. It is produced by veteran producer Howard Benson, whom as well as producing previous P.O.D. releases is known for his studio work with Bang Tango and ska-punk kings Less Than Jake.

[By clicking on the TouTube logo, you will be taken to Backstage Entertainment’s official YouTube channel where you can view other interviews]

Slash announces Australasian tour dates for August

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In support of his second “solo” album, Slash has announced dates for Australia and New Zealand as part of his lengthy world tour.

Fans in the southern hemisphere can catch the legendary guitarist in August at the following venues:
Aug 17 – Auckland, NZ – Vector Arena
Aug 19 – Addington, NZ – CBS Arena
Aug 23 – Brisbane, AU – The Riverstage 
Aug 25 – Sydney, AU – Entertainment Centre 
Aug 26 – Melbourne, AU – Hisense Arena 
Aug 28 – Adelaide, AU – Thebarton Theatre 
Aug 30 – Perth, AU – Metro City 

These seven shows are just part of Slash’s ‘Apocalyptic Love’ tour which also includes a show at the UK Download Festival in June.