Metalblog

Motley Crue singer Vince Neil has finally issued a statement regarding the cancellation of his European solo tour.

At the top of his website vinceneil.net, the following statement now appears:

Vince Neil’s European tour has been cancelled due to the promoter’s breach of contract.

“I regret not being able to come over to Europe at this time due to circumstances beyond my control,”
said Neil. “I hope to be able to visit next year for a more extensive tour.”

So there it is, the statement the Metalblog complained about the lack of yesterday. Vince even used the “circustances beyond my control” that the Metalblog suggested.

Like we said yesterday, tours get cancelled all the time for one reason or another. As a fan, I would expect the artist to at least acknowledge a tour has been cancelled and hopefully give a reason why.

Or better yet, do everything possible to give the fans a show. I know of other bands that have continued with a tour despite getting dicked around by promoters. 

You dick around the fans enough, regardless of whose fault it is, eventually they will lose interest. This is the second European tour that Vince Neil has cancelled in the past couple of years. People don’t forget being let down, especially when it happens more than once.

I wonder how many Motley Crue fans will not bother buying tickets the next time Vince Neil announces a solo tour figuring that too will be cancelled.

Vince Neil, lead singer for Motley Crue, has cancelled his scheduled European tour the day before the tour was due to start.

Tours and gigs get cancelled all the time in the world of heavy metal, though Vince Neil seems to do it more often than most when it comes to touring Europe. The worst thing about the tour cancellation is that there has been absolutely no word from Vince.

That’s right, no word. No announcement the tour was cancelled, no statement about how sorry he is to disappoint his European fans, no “due to circumstances beyond our control”, nothing.

What a dickhead. 

If it wasn’t for a statement released by opening band Fatal Smile, nobody would even know the tour had been cancelled.

In happier Vince Neil news, his “other” band Motley Crue were nominated last night for the Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy Award for Saints of Los Angeles. 

A word of advice to the Grammy Award show organizers: Don’t bother inviting Vince Neil to the ceremony. He won’t show up.

It was one year ago today that the body of Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow was found dead in his Las Vegas home.

For those who weren’t around back in 1983, it was Quiet Riot’s Metal Health album that brought heavy metal into the American mainstream. Quiet Riot’s cover version of the Slade song “Cum On Feel The Noize” went to number five on the single’s chart, while Metal Health went to number one on the album chart. The song “Metal Health”, in my opinion far better than “Cum On Feel The Noize”, charted at number 31.

From 83-84 Quiet Riot was everywhere, with the songs on the radio and their videos in heavy rotation on MTV. The follow up album, Condition Critical, went Platinum in the US, but was considered a failure by comparison to the runaway success of Metal Health.

By the time of 1986’s QRIII, Quiet Riot had fallen out of the public limelight. Kevin DuBrow was fired from the band at the end of a 1987 tour when all the other band members caught an earlier flight and left him stranded in Hawaii.

DuBrow later rejoined the band and led Quiet Riot through the 90s and right up until his death, though the band never again reached the lofty success of 1983.

Here is a video of Kevin DuBrow fleading Quiet Riot through “Metal Health” during the height of their popularity at the 1983 US Festival in San Bernadino.

R.I.P. Kevin DuBrow (October 1955 - November 2007)

Today marks the 17th anniversary of the passing of KISS drummer Eric Carr.

Eric Carr, real name Paul Charles Caravello, took over the drum stool from departing KISS member Peter Criss in 1980. Eric stayed with the band as they regained popularity in the 1980s until his death from heart cancer on November 24th, 1991 (The same day Queen’s Freddie Mercury died).

KISS were still in their original makeup phase when Eric joined the band and was known as “The Fox”. Here is a video of Eric drumming for KISS in full makeup in the video for “I Love It Loud” from 1982’s Creatures of the Night album.

The following year KISS removed the makeup, released the Platinum selling Lick It Up, and the band’s popularity was back on the rise after its early 80s dip.

The last song Eric Carr recorded with KISS was “God Gave Rock and Roll to You II” for the Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey soundtrack. Gene Simmons has stated that,”It’s not just a cover song for a soundtrack, but a testament to Eric Carr, and I think a lot of people don’t realize that.” Eric provided background vocals on the song and although his health was too poor to record the drums, he does play them in the video for the song.

R.I.P. Eric Carr (July 12,1950 - November 24,1991)