GOOD CHARLOTTE BIOGRAPHY

Good Charlotte's frontmen, identical twins Joel and Benji Madden, were born on March 11, 1979 to a middle class family in Waldorf, Maryland. Their mother raised them with a strict Christian up-bringing. Their father left the family when the twins were 16 years old, causing financial problems for the twins, their mother, older brother, and younger sister. For a short period of time the twins had to work as shampoo boys in a salon. Benji and Joel cite their older brother Josh Madden for introducing them to rock music by bands such as Rancid and Social Distortion. After attending a Beastie Boys concert at the age of 16, Benji and Joel decided to start their very own band, although Joel had never sung before, and Benji had never played guitar. The first band they started was called "The Benji, Joel, and Brian Band,' which they started with a friend. The band was short lived. They then started Good Charlotte in 1995 when they recruited childhood friends Paul Thomas (bass) and Aaron Escolopio (drums). They soon moved to Annapolis, Maryland where they were introduced to Billy Martin by a friend.After releasing an EP, entitled Another EP, in 1999, Good Charlotte released their first self-titled album in 2000, which was not a huge commercial success. Singles that were released from that album include "Little Things" and "Motivation Proclamation," and "Festival Song".Aaron was the drummer in their debut album, Good Charlotte, before leaving the band in early 2001 to join the band Wakefield with his brother, Ryan. He was replaced with Dusty, who was just a temporary drummer, who had left the band before the recording of their second album, The Young & the Hopeless. As a result, veteran professional studio drummer Josh Freese plays for that album.2002's The Young And The Hopeless was much more popular, and marked the bands emergence into mainstream music. The single that made them famous, titled "Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous", topped charts around the globe. Singles that followed from that album included "The Anthem" ,"Girls and Boys", "Hold On" and "The Young and The Hopeless". "The Young and the Hopeless" received a 3x-platinum certification from the RIAA, landing the band on Saturday Night Live, the covers of Rolling Stone and Alternative Press, a two page feature in the New York Times, and spots on CNN and The Today Show. Good Charlotte were also hugely popular on MTV, where the Madden Brothers once served as hosts on the late night music video show "All Things Rock." Their music videos were favorites on both MTV and MTV2, with "The Anthem" going on to receive the "Viewers Choice Award" on MTV's 2003 Video Music Awards.Chris Wilson was the band's drummer for their third album, The Chronicles of Life and Death, which was released in 2004. The singles released from that album include "Predictable", "I Just Wanna Live", "We Believe" and "The Chronicles of Life and Death". This album was considered a departure from their previous 2 albums. In May 2005, Chris left the band for personal health reasons[1].Today, through non-stop touring and wide publicity, Good Charlotte has built a huge fanbase amoung young people around the world.Their most recent "Noise to the World Tour" with Simple Plan featured Dean Butterworth, who has previously played with Morrissey, as the band's current temporary drummer.

LENNY KRAVITZ BIOGRAPHY

BORN: May 26, 1964, New York, NYOn his new album, Lenny Kravitz digs deep, goes long and hangs tough to discover…himself. It's no fluke that his lng-awaited sixth album is titled, simply, Lenny. Written, produced, arranged and performed by rock and roll's quintessential renaissance man, these twelve astonishing tracks are the most innovative, iconoclastic and involving offerings of a career marked by uncompromising creative integrity. On his first collection of new, original material since 1998's breakthrough Grammy-winner 5 and the follow-up to his international smash Greatest Hits, Lenny Kravitz takes his music personally. The music of Lenny lays bare the essence of the artist—and the man. "This record has a very tough attitude," asserts the creator of the densely textured sound that roars from these tracks like a sustained act of spontaneous generation. "I like extremes and contrast and I let myself reach that edge, stripping everything back to the essentials and taking a very direct path. Nothing's wasted. Nothing's unnecessary." Recorded primarily in early 2001 at his new state-of-the-art Roxie Studios in Miami, Lenny captures that creative energy in full flower, with assured, unfettered performances and production illuminating his passionate points of view. "There's a definite theme that unites these songs," Lenny Kravitz reveals. "It's about being positive, about moving forward and seizing the day. I'm very optimistic and that's a great place to be." It certainly is. Three years ago, the release of the album 5 catapulted Kravitz to the front ranks of rock and roll's prime movers, consolidating a lifetime of music-making into a furious burst of creativity that included the breakthrough hit "I Belong To You," and double Grammy-winning follow-ups, "Fly Away" and "American Woman." Effortlessly assuming the superstar mantle, Kravitz paused long enough to release a greatest hits collection that sold upwards of eight million copies worldwide and spawned his third consecutive Grammy for the newly cut "Again" (a track originally slated for Lenny). Yet even while putting the finishing touches on the Greatest Hits package, Kravitz was already assembling the elements of his next project. "I've got a place in the Bahamas," he explains, "just a beachfront shack on an island with no distractions, where I started writing. After I got about three or four songs, I went into the studio. I never write a whole album before I start recording. A big part of what I do is discovering the direction as I go. I let the tracks take their own shape, not dictated by my ego. The music will always tell you what's going on, where it's heading and when it gets there. All you've got to do is listen." Kravitz was obviously listening. He built a seamlessly integrated sound from the ground up. "It takes a lot of experimentation, a lot of trial and error and a lot of patience," he allows. "As you add one element after the other, the dynamics of the music changes and what sounds great the first time you lay it down may not hold up when you add another layer. The way I work is to get each part in place as I go. One day I might do a bass or drums or guitar. I'll mix, balance and EQ it, then move on. I'm mixing as I go, making it work step by step. I don't believe in fixing it in the mix. If it doesn't work now, it's not going to work later." In marked contrast to all this exacting sonic science is the resulting breathtaking intimacy and immediacy. Lenny accomplishes the seemingly impossible goal of sounding virtually live, as if one extraordinarily ambidextrous individual is playing it all, and all at the same time. "If you turn it up, it becomes like a wall of sound coming down on top of you," Kravitz elaborates. "What I wanted to achieve was one big sound, a musical collage made up of many parts that all come together as a whole. Of course," he adds with typical understatement, "trying to do that by yourself makes it harder." His astonishing feat of self-expression makes it hard to imagine anyone else intruding. With Lenny, Kravitz creates a vast aural canvas on which he renders a strikingly personal, unfailingly honest and completely authentic lyrical landscape. The sentiments expressed in such standout tracks as "Yesterday Is Gone" and "Dig In" ring with the resonance of hard won truth, a spiritual wisdom that never preaches but persuades by example. The flash and roar igniting "Battlefield Of Love" and "Bank Robber Man" (based on the artist's well-publicized run-in with Miami police) convincingly underscore his mastery of real rock and roll's supercharged elements, while such key cuts as "Believe In Me," "Pay To Play" and "If I Could Fall In Love" are examples of a songwriting skill at the peak of its expressive powers. At the same time, Lenny is laced with songs that can only be described in their own terms. On "You Were In My Heart" the artist conveys a truth all the more poignant for being familiar to anyone who has ever honestly searched themselves. "A Million Miles Away" offers unflinching insights into isolation, while the album's stunning closer, "Let's Get High," is a genuinely transcendent experience in both style and substance. "It's about eliminating all exterior distractions," Lenny Kravitz explains of another album highlight, "Stillness Of Heart." "It's about making peace with yourself, about being enough. People feel inadequate unless they're validated by things like money or status. But, at the end of the day, you have to look at yourself in the mirror and deal with that person." On Lenny, this gifted and intuitive artist has searched himself, taken the full measure of his life and art, and found music that reflects a brilliant light. The album has already taken Kravitz to new heights with the artist winning his fourth record breaking Grammy Award in the "Best Male Rock Vocal Performance" category for the single, "Dig In." With previous awards for "Again," "American Woman" and "Fly Away," never before in Grammy history has an artist won four consecutive awards in this category. Kravitz also was honored this year to receive his first American Music Award for Favorite Male Artist (Pop/Rock).In an era of music where careers have become very disposable, Kravitz's remarkable decade-plus career is only beginning with his first world tour in 3 years, scheduled to kick off in Japan on April 9th.

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE BIOGRAPHY

Okay, this is the same biography but there was a few mistakes so I fixed them for you.Based in New Jersey, My Chemical Romance is an alternative pop/rock and punk-pop band that has been compared to Thursday and, to a lesser degree, Cursive. Many of their songs are loud, fast, hyper, and aggressive, but My Chemical Romance's work also tends to be melodic and pop-minded. My Chemical Romance got started in the early 2000s, when lead singer Gerard Way and drummer Matt Pelissier decided to try writing some songs together. The first tune that Way and Pelissier -- who had been friends since high school -- came up with was called "Skylines and Turnstiles" (a title reflecting the fact that Way had been working in New York City, where he was in the animation field. This is also about the 9-11 attack). Way and Pelissier both felt good about the song, and Way asked guitarist Ray Toro if he would be interested in working with them. My Chemical Romance's five-man lineup was complete when Way, Pelissier, and Toro joined forces with bassist Mikey Way (Gerard Way's brother) and guitarist Frank Iero. With that lineup in place, the band started playing all around the Northeast Corridor and made plans to begin working on its first album. In 2002, Eyeball Records (the New York-based indie that Thursday had recorded for) released My Chemical Romance's debut album,(Mikey had been working at Eyeball for an Intership) I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. The album was often compared to Thursday -- a comparison that, for various reasons, was inevitable and unavoidable. Both bands were from New Jersey, both had recorded for Eyeball, and both combined punk-pop's musical aggression with introspective, confessional lyrics. Plus, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love was produced by Geoff Rickly, Thursday's lead singer -- add all of those things up, and there was no way that My Chemical Romance was going to escape Thursday comparisons. But Thursday isn't their only influence; reviewers have cited the Smiths, Morrissey, the Cure,The Smashing Pumpkins and the Misfits as influences. And Way has even cited British heavy metal icons Iron Maiden as an influence. Lyrically, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love is as dark as it is introspective and cathartic; Way has been quoted as saying that the band's lyrics were a great way for him to deal with the problems he had been going through (which included severe depression and a serious illness in his family). The 2002 release included Way and Pelissier's first song, "Skylines and Turnstiles," and many of the album's other song titles were equally intriguing, including "Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us," "Drowning Lessons," "Headfirst for Halos," "Our Lady of Sorrows," and "Vampires Will Never Hurt You." In 2003, My Chemical Romance signed with Reprise/Warner Bros. Their Second Album "Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge" was released in late 2004. The First single "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)", a high speed anthem for the contiually downtrodden and rejected, caught America off-gaurd and put MCR (My Chemical Romance) in the spotlight almost overnight.The second single "Helena" a slow almost haunting ballat (but not really, it's also very up-beat) dedicated to Elena Rush (the Way brothers' late grand mother.) Brings to mind "The Cure", other noteworthy songs on the album are "The Ghost of You", "Thank You for The Venom" and "To The End". My Chemical Romance was also Featured on this years "A Taste Of Chaos" tour this spring and also go a half hour concert special on the "Fuse" music network.

GREEN DAY BIOGRAPHY

Childhood friends Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, vocals) and Mike Dirnt (bass; born Michael Pritchard) formed their first band 'Sweet Children' when they were 14 years old in Rodeo, California. By 1989, the group had added drummer John Kiftmeyer (aka: Al Sobrante) and changed their name to Green Day after one of their songs. That year, the band independently released their first EP, 1,000 Hours, which was well received in the punk scene. The band soon signed to local independent label, Lookout! Records (run by Larry Livermore) and their debut album "39/Smooth" was also released that year. Shortly after its release, Kiftmeyer announced that he was going to college and suggested his former drum tutor Tre Cool (born Frank Edwin Wright, III) to take over as the band's permanent drummer. Throughout the early '90s, Green Day continued to cultivate a cult following, which only gained strength with the release of their sophomore album, 1992's 'Kerplunk'.The underground success of 'Kerplunk' led to a wave of interest from the major record labels. Eventually the band decided to sign with Reprise Records and their major label debut 'Dookie' was released in the spring of 1994. Thanks to relentless touring and somewhat surprising MTV support for initial single "Longview," Dookie became a mainstream hit. The album continued to gain momentum throughout the summer, with the second single "Basket Case" spending five weeks on the top of the American modern rock charts. At the end of the summer, the band stole the show at Woodstock '94, which helped the sales of Dookie increase. By the time the fourth single "When I Come Around" began its seven-week stay at number one in the modern rock charts in early 1995, Dookie had sold over five million copies in the US alone. Eventually this figure would top eight million records sold in America, and selling over eleven million copies internationally. Along with Dookie's commercial success, the band also received critical acclaim when they won the 1994 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance. Green Day quickly followed Dookie with 'Insomniac' in the fall of 1995. Prior to the album's release they again hit number one again on the U.S. modern rock charts with "J.A.R.," (a tribute to their friend Jason Andrew Relva, which appears on the soundtrack to the film 'Angus'). 'Insomniac' performed well initially, entering the US charts at number two and selling over two million copies by the spring of 1996. However, none of the subsequent singles -- including the radio favourite 'Brain Stew/Jaded' -- were as popular as those from Dookie. In the spring of 1996, Green Day abruptly cancelled a European tour, claiming exhaustion. Following the cancellation, the band spent the rest of the year resting and writing new material. The end result is what many call the best album of their career: 'Nimrod'. 'Nimrod' was well received by fans and critics alike, managing to land at #10 on the Billboard charts having sold 80,000 copies in it's first week. However, Green Day's comeback single "Hitchin' A Ride" only made it to #5 on the modern rock charts despite being placed in heavy rotation on MuchMusic and MTV. In response to this the band released what is arguably their most successful single ever. Although it would not make it to number one in the mainstream charts (it's highest position was #2), "Time of Your Life" is now probably the most well known song Green Day have ever written. Featuring Billie Joe on acoustic guitar & vocals, and Petra Hayden (of That Dog) on violin, "Time Of Your Life" became the song to play in any remotely sad situation. The song was even used on the last ever episode of the hit TV show Seinfeld (the most watched finale in the history of TV). Along with Seinfeld, the song was also played during two different episodes of hit drama E.R, making it possibly the most heard song that year on television. Despite gaining the band more critical respect than they would have received with another Dookie or Insomniac, 'Nimrod' only sold about two million copies, and was seen as a commercial flop in comparison. During the 'Nimrod' era the band also vastly improved their live show and even one "Best Live Performance" at the Kerrang awards. After nearly two years out of the media spotlight Green Day returned in late 1999 to play Neil Young's "Bridge School Benefit Concert", their first live acoustic performance. Green Day began recording their follow-up to "Nimrod" shortly after, which would eventually become "Warning:". Early in the recording process, the band decided to fire producer Scott Litt, and produce the album themselves. This would be the first time since "Kerplunk" that anyone other than Rob Cavallo had produced the band. After they finished recording, Green Day decided to do something else they hadn't done before and headlined the 2000 Vans Warped Tour. Green Day played an amazing set and brought more fans to the tour than any other year in Warped's history (their Toronto performance alone attracted 7,000 more fans than they had any other year). Released in the fall of 2000, "Warning:" was by far Green Day's most ambitious album to date and first single "Minority" sat at the top of the Billboard Modern Rock Chart after just four weeks. Although "Warning:" contained some of the band's best songs to date (in particular the excellent third single "Waiting"), many fans didn't take too well to the band's new punk-folk sound. Although it has since been certified platinum sales status, "Warning" is arguably Green Day's least successful album. After "Warning:" the band released a greatest hits album entitled 'International Super Hits' and a b-sides compilation called "Shenanigans" as well as their first DVD 'International Supervideos" which chronicles the band's music videos thus far. The band subsequently embarked on a huge 'Greatest Hits' world tour which lead to many people believing the end was nigh for Green Day seeing as most bands only release a "Greatest Hits" albums near the end of their career. However, these rumours soon died down when after another long hiatus the band announced that a new album was in the works. "What's It Going To Sound Like?" people wondered from all over the Green Day community. "Is it going to be another 'Warning' or are they going to go back to their Punk Rock roots?". Those questions have recently been answered with the explosive new single "American Idiot" which incidentally is also the title track to the new album. For the first time in Green Day's history, Billie Joe has let loose some great politically motivated lyrics and from what we have heard of this album already it looks like Green Day might have made the best album of their career!

BON JOVI & JON BON JOVI BIOGRAPHY

The Bon Jovi story began in Sayreville, New Jersey. Where Jon and his brothers Matt and Tony were raised by they parents Carol and John Bongiovi (Jon later changed his name). By his early teens, Jon was hanging out at local clubs, convinced that one day he would be a rock star. The area's local music scene was rocking then and there, with the music of rising stars Bruce Springsteen and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes leading the pack. "Just like Seattle is hot right now, 20 years ago it was Asbury Park, New Jersey", Jon told writer Rick Petreycik. "That was so close to my backyard, and when you're 13 or 14, or 15 years old, you can't help but hear about it and have it affect you. When you went down to Asbury Park, what was the crummy boardwalk became Americana. What was splintered wood became sacred ground, and you went, 'Ooh, aah'. And those things romanticized the idea, The myth became the legend, and one thing led to another, and I think blind faith is what got me here." That, and a little help from his friends. By the time he was 16, Jon was playing clubs. It was not long before he hooked up with keyboardist David Bryan (real name: David Brian Rashbaum), who played with him in a ten-piece rhythm and blues band called Atlantic City Expressway. Jon also performed with bands called The Rest, The Lechers and John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones. Meanwhile, Richie Sambora was also performing locally with a funk and fusion outfit called Extremes, before hooking up with Alec John Such in the band The Message. After The Message broke up, Alec played with Tico Torres in Phantom's Opera. The members of Bon Jovi hade crossed paths in these early days, but the current lineup didn't come together until March of 1983 after th first Bon Jovi single, "Runaway," had become a minor hit. In one of those right place/right time/right person scenarios, Jon managed to get a job sweeping floors at a recording studio through a relative. His second cousin, Tony Bongiovi, was a co-owner of the power station in New York City. Jon had written "Runaway," and in 1980, he recorded a demo of the song at his cousin's studio, with back-up by studio musicians whom Tony had hired, including Frankie La Roca, Tim Pierce, Hugh McDonald and Roy Bittan. A local radio station included "Runaway" on a compilation tape, and the song started getting some serious airplay. The success of "Runaway" got Jon noticed, and he realized that he'd need more than session players if he wanted to capitalize on his success by touring the New York clubs to support the single. Jon gave Dave a call, who in turn tapped Alec and Tico. A succession of guitarists (including Dave "The Snake" Sabo, who went on to form Skid Row) followed, until finally Richie signed on, and the band came together as a whole. They began gigging around New York in earnest. At one show, where they opened for Scandal, the band caught the attention of record exec Derek Shulman, who signed them to PolyGram. "With Jon, I felt he had an unbelievable desire to be a star", recalls Shulman. "he had a burning desire to be huge". PolyGram toyed with the name, throwing out monikers like "Victor" then "Johnny Lightening", before Shulman anglicized John Bongiovi's name to Bon Jovi. Their self-titled debut came out January 21, 1984. Filled with the group's now-signature power ballads and hooked-filled tunes underscored by soaring guitar riffs and well-crafted melodies, the album went gold (sales of over 500,000). The album was a rugged soulful collection of songs about how tough it is being a teenager. Buoeyed by the renewed sucess of "Runaway", and backed by the follow-up single "She Don't Know Me". Bon Jovi releasead their follow-up album, 7800 Farenheit, in April 1985 wich included the hit singles "Only Lonely" and "Silent Night", it sold equally to its predecesor. Tours opening for the Scorpions, Kiss and Judas Priest had helped Bon jovi build up a considerable fan base which appreciated the band's anthemic songs and powerful stage presence. Clearly, Bon Jovi was poised on the edge of greatness. Slippery When Wet, the band's third album, provided the break-trough. Powered by songs like "Livin' on a Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive", the LP went gold and platinum simultaneously within six weeks of its six weeks of its release. By April of 1987, Slippery When Wet had sold seven million copies. The world ate and slept Bon Jovi, they won the American Music Award and People's Choice Awards as Band Of The Year, MTV gave Bon Jovi a Best Performance Award for the video "Livin' on a Prayer". Jon was asked what all this astronomical success meant, to which he answered, "Everything is bigger, and it moves twice as fast. You're recognized twice as often. This is bigger, the whole world gets bigger. You have to sell more records, be huger. You get smarter and you understand the business a little more, so it's more responsability. You understand it now, and you want to make sure everything goes right". Instead of traveling by bus, Bon Jovi went from gig to gig in a luxuriously converted Grumman G-I jet. By the time the Slippery Tour finished in Hawaii on October 17, 1987, the album had sold in excess of 14 million copies, putting it in the same league af astronomical successes as Thriller by Michael Jackson

FALL OUT BOY BIOGRAPHY

Pete Wentz / Patrick Stump / Joe Trohman / Andy Hurley"We would never have thought we would have made it this far", confessed Pete Wentz, bass player and founding member of Fall Out Boy. Here it is, one arduous year after the band's incarnation, and they are gearing up to release their debut full length, "Take This To Your Grave," on Fueled By Ramen Records. This is just the beginning for our fantastic four. Fall Out Boy was brought to life a little over one year ago but it wasn't superhero powers that got them to where they are today. The Chicago based band formed after Pete Wentz, front man of venerable hardcore troop Arma Angelus, brought about the demise of the up-and-coming band. He then joined forces with good friend and guitarist Joe Trohman and began writing pop songs for fun. The dynamic duo stumbled upon the charismatic Patrick Strump, and without ado Patrick found himself as the vocalist of the newly born band. The trio was now in search for a drummer. After many auditions and short-lived members, the band's try-fail-try method teamed them up with an old friend Andy Hurley. Fall Out Boy knew they had found the perfect combination. "We are all best friends and we wanted to play music we had grown up listening to - the stuff that first got us into punk rock" explains Wentz when asked how the band started.The group quickly recorded a 3-song demo that they plastered around The Windy City and the fans came in droves. Fall Out Boy soon released a split CD with Milwaukee counterparts, Project Rocket. By this time it wasn't just Chicago that was paying attention to Fall Out Boy. Almost immediately labels from New York to LA had their eye on them. After much consideration the band decided that Fueled by Ramen Records was where they wanted to call home.Drawing influences from a healthy wealth of rock, pop and hardcore, Fall Out Boy has constructed a distinctive sound of unforgettable melodies and quick stop-and-start breakdowns that mischievous flirt with clever lyrics and multifaceted guitar hooks. Fall Out Boy's coyly charming narratives on "Take This To Your Grave" tell the tales of the obstacles that come with true friendships and the trials and tribulations of growing up. It provides the perfect soundtrack for everyone who knows what it is like to be young and unsure of what the future holds. Fall Out Boy's captivating songwriting on tracks like "Sending Postcards From A Plane Crash (Wish You Were Here)" and the CD opener "Tell That Mick He Just Made My List of Thing To Do Today" showcase not only the bands sly wit, but their ability to write songs that burrow themselves deep into your musical cerebral cortex.Fall Out Boy's diverse roots have helped them share the stage with bands such as Taking Back Sunday, and OkGo to Rise Against and stalwart hardcore heroes Throwdown. In February of 2003 Fall Out Boy opened their touring career with a short stint with Fueled by Ramen devotees Less than Jake then quickly followed up, by dates with Keepsake and American Hi-Fi. It's crazy to think that just 6 months ago Fall Out Boy were playing basement shows and parties while trying to juggle midterms and part time jobs.Who knows what 2003 will hold for Fall Out Boy, but the quartet is ready to take a chance at their dream of the open road and captivate the rest of the world. Fall Out Boy's endearing anecdotes of the joys of youth are sure to win over any crowd and by the last note of "Take This To Your Grave" you too will be smitten with Fall Out Boy.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS BIOGRAPHY

Red Hot Chili Peppers were conceived in 1983 in a living room in Hollywood where four close buddies from Fairfax High School (Anthony Kiedis, Hillel Slovak, flea and Jack Irons) performed an acappella rehearsal for a performance to take place at the legendary Rhythm Lounge. The performance consisted of one song, "Out In L.A." which, traditionally, remained their opening song in every live show to date. [Up to November '89 definitely not for BSSM tour in '91, maybe not for '90 tour - lsh] The band soon developed a strong following in Los Angeles, something unheard of considering the fact that the band had only been in existence for a couple of months and had not yet pressed a single album.It was at this point that Hillel Slovak and Jack Irons decided to continue their prior commitment in their former band, WHAT IS THIS?, while Flea (also formerly a member of WHAT IS THIS?) and Anthony Kiedis recruited Jack Sherman (guitar) and Cliff Martinez (drums). After being signed to EMI Records this line-up recorded the band's first and self-titled debut album. In 1985 Hillel Slovak rejoined the group while Sherman pursued a career as a studio musician.The band recorded their second album, FREAKY STYLEY, in Detroit with the FUNK GOD, George Clinton, acting as producer.In 1986 Cliff Martinez was replaced by Jack Irons, reuniting the original line-up. The band's third LP entitled THE UPLIFT MOFO PARTY PLAN was released in 1987 and, as always, the "Hardest working band in show business" followed it's release with a ridiculously extensive tour. They maintained as unusually huge (sold out) live audience, considering their record company had chosen to ignore them purely because of their confusion about the band's type of music. Nevertheless, the tour was great success.In June 1988 Hillel Slovak died, leaving Anthony, Flea and Jack devastated at the loss of a beautiful friend. It was as that time that Jack Irons left the band, unable to continue with a constant reminder of such an intense loss. [He ended up playing with Pearl Jam -drexx@distrito.com (Andres Guevara)]Anthony and Flea made the choice to continue on. Anthony says "Flea and I realized that we couldn't stop because of the death of our best friend. It was going to be a permanent source of sadness in our lives, but we wanted to keep the Red Hots going because, after five years, it had become our lives."Anthony and Flea then set out to find two partners who would not only be top of the line musicians, but lifelong friends as well.Enter John Frusciante, a then 18-year old guitarist who Flea knew from impromptu jams in those recent months. Anthony happened to be present while John was trying out with another Hollywood band, Thelonius Monster. It was via this try-out the John joined the Peppers. John recalls, "Anthony heard me that day and went home to tell Flea that I should be a Pepper, not a Monster. Anthony then called me and told me the same thing and that I was now an equal member of the Red Hots.""They were my favorite band in the world. I knew every lyric, every guitar part, every solo, and bass part, and had always felt their music to be a source of peace and beauty in my life. I always felt very spiritually and philosophically connected with the band's ideals and way of life. The moment I joined the band was probably the most intense rush of pure happiness I will ever experience in my life."Finding a drummer was more difficult. After auditioning, and playing with about 40 drummers, none of whom had the mind, body, spirit, and cock that was necessary to be a Pepper, the threesome found Chad Smith. "Chad is a human power plant behind the drums" says Anthony. "He gives it all he has and looks hysterical doing it." As Flea so eloquently puts it, "He has the soul of ten thousand soul monkeys from outer space."Anthony, John, Flea and Chad jumped right into recording their most recent album, MOTHER'S MILK and, following it's release, began a nine month tour of the world and elsewhere.MOTHER'S MILK was a success, both artistically and financially, bringing the band their first Gold Album.On June 16, 1990, the band was introduced at the Greak Theater, (in L.A.) by none other than David St. Hubbins of the legendary group Spinal Tap, which the band apparently feels is the greatest honor a group could receive, in this day and age.Now that this current line-up is, as Flea puts it, "Tighter than a mosquito's asshole," they are putting their bodies, brains and sexual organs to work to write and record the best music that GOD and the cosmic forces that be will allow them to make. About their direction John claims, "The funky stuff will be funkier, the heavy stuff will be heavier, and the melodic stuff will be more beautiful. Some of it will just be out. Our lives are based on our music and vice-versa and we just want to keep expanding while retaining the energy and flame of cosmicity thatthis band has had from day one."At the time this is being written (August 1990) Anthony is spending the better part of his time with his beautiful girlfriend - Carmen, John with his cigarettes, Flea with his confusion and Chad, in the presence of the Martocci moment. Red Hot Chili Peppers is not four individuals, but one Positive Mental Octopus. It is here to spread love and peace to whoever wants it.For those of you in search of the meaning of life: find a good burrito place, eat there and be kind to your fellow man.

EVANESCENCE BIOGRAPHY

Evanescence is:Amy LeeJohn LecomptRocky GrayTerry Balsamo(and formerly)Ben Moody, William Boyd and David Hodges.Folks new to Evanescence fandom may be surprised to learn that Ben Moody and Amy Lee, the founding members of Evanescence, met at church camp. I interviewed Ben in 1998 and here's how he characterized the meeting:Several years ago Amy and myself were attending a youth camp. I was playing with the praise and worship group and Amy was a camper. During some kind of break/recreation time I was sitting in the gym watching a basketball game. On the other side of the court was a stage for plays and a piano. I was just sitting there bored to tears when all of the sudden I was given a quick jolt as my ears were filled with the sound of the piano intro to Meatloaf's "I Would Do Anything For Love."I looked over at the piano and there was this girl effortlessly displaying emmence amounts of talent. After my initial envious rage subsided I hopped to my feet and ran right through the basketball game straight to the piano and introduced myself.She then impressed me further with songs that she had written. I thought I was in heaven. But then she sang. I nearly died. coming from this tiny little youth camp reject was one of the most powerful, beautiful voicies I'd ever heard. So I somehow convinced her to never play with anyone else again and she's been mine ever since.Ben and Amy soon began recording songs like "Give Unto Me" and "Understanding" under the name Evanescence. With such influences as Type O Negative, Living Sacrifice (who, rumor has it, once asked Ben to join as guitarist, but he turned them down to continue focusing on Evanescence), Portishead and Sarah McLachlan they began to craft a unique sound that took in elements of metal, electronic music and (probably without intending it) goth rock.Brad Caviness started to play "Understanding" and "Give Unto Me" on the radio show he co-hosted on KABF in Little Rock, giving Evanescence their first exposure to the world at large.Their debut EP was released in December of 1998 at their first show (to my knowledge) at Vino's in Little Rock. The run of 100 CDRs sold out quickly that night.At some point David Hodges joined the band on keys , but I can't give you any details on that because I don't know how that transpired. I can say that those close to the band were in shock, as Ben Moody is a notorious perfectionist who has a hard time finding anyone who he feels comfortable playing music with.The Whisper EP was released around this time by the band with help from BigWig Enterprises on CDR (limited to 50 copies).In time the Evanescence live show was rounded out with such members as Will Boyd (the Visitors) John Lecompt (formerly of Mindrage, currently of Kill System) and Rocky Gray (of Soul Embraced, Kill System and Living Sacrifice).Recently David Hodges has parted ways with the band, hoping to return to his musical roots and start a new band in the Christian market. Rumor has it he and Matt Outlaw are currently writing songs for this project. John Lecompt and Rocky Gray are now considered full-fledged members of the band.This band, once only know to us lucky few, has taken the world by storm. Their major-label debut Fallen on Wind-Up Records, home to bands such as 12 Stones and Drowning Pool has gone 5x Platinum in the US alone. The overpowering sounds of Evanescence have definently set them apart from any other band in 2003, and have won them many awards to include two grammys! However with all their success, also came lots of disappointments. With the loss of Ben Moody the question on everyone's mind is with 2/3'rds of the original band now gone will Evanescence be able to pump out an even better sophmore album? I guess only time will tell!

Slipknot Biography

Slipknot's mix of grinding, post-Korn alternative metal, Marilyn Manson-esque neo-shock rock, andrap-metal helped make them one of the most popular bands in the so-called nu-metal explosion of the late '90s. But even more helpful was their theatrical, attention-grabbing (some critics said ridiculous) image: the band always performed in identical industrial jump suits and homemade Halloween masks, and added to its mysterious anonymity by adopting the numbers zero through eight as stage aliases. Add to that a lyrical preoccupation with darkness and nihilism, and an affectionately insulting name for their fans ("Maggots"), and Slipknot's blueprint for nu-metal success was set.Slipknot were formed in late 1995 in the unlikely locale of Des Moines, IA; after some early personnel shifts, the nine-piece lineup settled around (in order from number zero to number eight): DJ Sid Wilson, drummer Joey Jordison, bassist Paul Grey, percussionist Chris Fehn, guitarist James Root, sampler/programmer Craig Jones, percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan, guitarist Mick Thompson, and lead vocalist Corey Taylor. The music scene in Des Moines wasn't much to speak of, and the band's big-time ambition was usually met with disbelief and ridicule, which provided the initial spark for its mostly anonymous stage visuals. On Halloween 1996, Slipknot self-released an album called Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat., which began to build a buzz around the group once it found its way to several labels. It was picked up for distribution by the Nebraska-based -ismist label, and also caught the attention of Roadrunner Records, which signed Slipknot in 1997. Working with producer Ross Robinson, Slipknot recorded their official, self-titled debut album, which was released in 1999. They gradually built an audience through near-constant touring, working their way up to the summer Ozzfest package tour, which really expanded their audience. Their live shows were a much-discussed hit with metal fans, and the band performed with such energy that Crahan gashed his head open on his own drum kit twice that summer, requiring stitches both times. The tracks "Wait and Bleed" and "Spit It Out" got the band some airplay, but most of the buzz came from touring and word of mouth. Finally, in the spring of 2000, Slipknot was certified platinum; the first such album in Roadrunner's history.The anticipation for Slipknot's follow-up was intense, and many industry observers predicted that it would debut at number one; however, faced with some stiff competition that week, the band's sophomore effort, Iowa, bowed at number three upon its release in 2001. More heavy touring followed, including another, more prominent slot on that summer's Ozzfest. After a long spell on the road, Slipknot took a break while the members worked on side projects. The band set up its own label, Maggot Recordings, and signed a band called Downthesun, whose lead singer had served as Crahan's drum technician. Wilson, meanwhile, began DJing solo under the name DJ Starscream, and Root and Thompson both worked on solo material. Drummer Jordison worked with a side group called the Rejects, where he'd actually served for quite some time as guitarist. Taylor, meanwhile, started a side band called Superego, and also contributed a solo song, "Bother," to the soundtrack of the 2002 blockbuster Spider-Man. That May, the band got some amusing press when some of its fans discovered the website of a British crocheting group also called "Slipknot," and flooded the members' in-boxes with excessively rude e-mails. Guitarist Joey Jordison and Static-X guitarist Tripp Eisen teamed that summer for the Murderdolls project, while Taylor reformed his old band Stone Sour and released an album. By the winter, Slipknot had still not reunited and Taylor wrote a commentary on the band's website stating that they had not spoken in months, and that they'd rather break up than become "the next Gwar". The statement sparked a quickly resolved minifeud between Taylor and Gwar frontman Oderus Urungus. but it also sent many of the Maggots into a tailspin. By early 2003, Taylor had retracted his comments, and announced plans for a new Slipknot album. By August, the entire squad had decamped Iowa for LA, where they began work on the new record with famously bearded producer Rick Rubin. "Pulse of the Maggots" appeared in early 2004 as an exclusive download; it was followed by a full track listing for Vol. 3: [The Subliminal Verses], which was slated for a May release. Slipknot then embarked on a brief tour as a warm-up for their dates headlining Ozzfest that summer. The group also debuted a fully-redesigned third generation of their famous masks. On May 25th, the Subliminal Verses finally dropped, to the usual clamor of great fanfare and furious anger. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide.

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