STEVE RILEY

INTERVIEW AND LIVE PICS BY MARKO SYRJALA

L.A. Guns are best known as being one of the veterans of the Sunset Strip’s hair metal scene. The band formed in 1983 by guitarist Tracii Guns and after several line-up changes they found the right members and the classic line-up then consisted of Guns, vocalist Phil Lewis, drummer Steve Riley, bassist Kelly Nickels and guitarist Mick Cripps. Their late 80’s/early 90’s albums COCKED AND LOADED and HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES were highly successful. The 90’s proved to be a difficult time for L.A. Guns, as it was for many metal and hard rock bands. A great number of line-up changes and unsuccessful albums followed but the band finally got back on track with the 2001 album MAN ON THE MOON which once again included Guns, Riley, Cripps and Lewis back together. The next album WAKING THE DEAD followed in 2002 but although that album had many great reviews, and the band had some good tour offers, Tracii Guns decided to quit and concentrate on his brand new project Brides of Destruction which also included Nikki Sixx from Mötley Crue. The band lost their record deal and already booked tour but decided to carry on with a new guitar player. Stacey Blades (ex-Roxx Gang) stepped in and the album TALES FROM THE STRIP was released in 2005 and since then the band has been actively touring across the globe. The current version of L.A Guns includes: Lewis, Riley, Blades and the latest addition bassist Scotty Griffin.  The band arrived to Stockholm on late October and then we had an honor to sit down with Mr. Riley and hear the latest news and other interesting stuff as well… Read on!

 Edguy

Age Of The Joker European Tour

Kottak – Special Guest
Fullforce – Support Act
Kulturbolaget, Malmoe, Sweden
September 23, 2011

Reviewed and live pictures by: Anders Sandvall

Edguy launched their European tour at Kulturbolaget in Malmoe Sweden. I was there and saw the world premier of the new tour and it was amazing. Along with Edguy were special guests Kottak and the support act Fullforce. Read below and see what happened during the show.

Club Circus, Helsinki, Finland
The 6th of November 2011
Review and Photos by Arto Lehtinen

Machine Head have enjoyed massive loyal support in Finland since their first visit back in 1995. Since then, the legendary Bay Area groove metallers have returned to Finland for almost every tour. During the past few years Machine Head have delighted Finnish fans by giving unforgettable shows . Each time the touring packages have been extremely well received by many metal fans. The current package consisted of Devildriver, Darkest Hour and Bring Me The Horizon. The tickets sold like hot cakes. Before the doors were opened, there was a huge line weaving down the street in front of the club. Even some passersby  by wondered what people were standing in line for. Some fans had arrived several hours before the gig even started.

Opeth and Katatonia

October 11, 2011
MacEwan Hall, Calgary, Alta.

Review and photos by Monika Deviat 

Sweden’s Opeth and Katatonia teamed up for a tour of North America in October - Opeth to promote their latest release Heritage [Roadrunner Records, 2011] and Katatonia in celebration of their 20th anniversary as a band. The two bands stopped in Calgary, Alta. on October 11, 2011 to play MacEwan Hall.

Anders Nyström of Katatonia

Interview by Monika Deviat

Dark, heavy and melancholic is how Anders Nyström would describe Katatonia, the band he co-founded 20 years ago in Stockholm Sweden. To celebrate their 20^th anniversary, Katatonia has been playing headlining shows in Europe titled “An Evening with Katatonia” throughout the year. For the month of October they joined Opeth on a North American tour where they also added in a few special headlining shows around their dates with Opeth. Metal-Rules.com caught up with Nyström before their first ever show in Calgary, Alta. to talk about the tour and the anniversary.