Crowdfunding in music industry - a Blessing or a Curse?

Hey folks,

today I want to discuss something, which is far away from reviews, interviews and all that stuff. Due to recent events I want to talk about Crowdfunding. This subject is highly topical at the moment, especially in the last few weeks where well-known bands like Crashdiet or ReVamp made use of it.

For those of you, who haven't heard about "Crowdfunding" yet: it's nothing more than a money collection campaign. Artists ask you for your money to finance one of their projects and in return you'll receive some goodies like a special T-shirt, autographed poster or something like that. It's your choice which things you want to have and how much money you like to spend, but each goodie has a fixed price. This concept is used everywhere, whether if it comes to music, movie or game industry. "Kickstarter" and "Indiegogo" are typical platforms for this.

Exclusive Interview with MAGNUS KARLSSON (Primal Fear, Allen/Lande, ...)

If you like Melodic Metal, I'm very sure you are familiar with this guy: the Swedish Axeman of the Power Metal band Primal Fear was involved in so many projects like Allen/Lande, Last Tribe, Starbreaker, The Codex, Kiske/Somerville (by the way: it's official - a second part is coming!), .... and at least one of those albums definitely found its way in your CD collection!
Finally, Magnus produced his first solo album "Free Fall", which will be released in June via Frontiers Records. So he took the time to talk to me about all his activities. Check it out!

CD-Review: Delain - "Interlude"

It seems like the Dutch Symphonic Metal band DELAIN is unstoppable. In the last years they got more and more attention from all over the world. Beside Europe and Japan they will tour together with Kamelot in the USA in September! You see, they are very busy and maybe this is the reason why they haven't the time to record their fourth regular album. In order to shorting the waiting time to their new studio album they released "Interlude" - a collection of cover songs, new versions of older Delain songs and of course live material.

CD-Review: Cream Pie - "Unsigned 2.0"

Nowadays we really get flooded with sleaze metal bands from all over the world. Since the "new wave of sleaze metal" many bands tried to find their place in this genre. The Italian band Cream Pie also wants its piece of cake (what a play on words, haha) and release their new album EP  "Unsigned 2.0" on June 20th, 2013.
Are they pretenders for the sleaze throne?

Live-Report: FREEDOM CALL (Nuremberg, 11.05.2013)

After the release of their first Best Of, the German power metal band Freedom Call wants to celebrate their 15th anniversary with the fans around the globe. So during their "Ages Of Light" tour I had the chance to see Chris Bay & Co. live in Nuremberg - their hometown. So it was some kind of a home game and I can tell you one thing: it was a fantastic "Happy Metal party"!

Live-Report: VOODOO CIRCLE / SHAKRA (Burglengenfeld, 08.05.2013)

Hey folks, here is something special for you: the first guest article on R&M4U! Huge thanks to Jessy for writing it. You are the best! :)
Only a bit more than two months have passed since the release of the new Voodoo Circle CD "More Than One Way Home". Now we all have the chance to listen to their songs live, because the band is currently touring through Germany, the Netherlands and Austria. The kick-off show of this small tour took place in Burglengenfeld. I was so happy to have the chance to be there! 

CD-Review: Timo Tolkki's AVALON - "The Land Of New Hope"

Timo Tolkki - do I have to say something about this guy? I think lots of metalheads know him as the former guitar player of the power metal band Stratovarius. Over the years he has become some kind of cult-figure in the metal genre, so many people were excited when they heard of his new project Avalon, which is supposed to be a metal opera. Timo Tolkki gathered lots of guest musicians around him to take you on a journey into the land of new hope, but lots of things have a bitter aftertaste and I'll tell you why.

CD-Review: Fair Warning - "Sundancer"

Do you remember the early 90's? The radical change within the rock genre was very difficult for many melodic rock bands. Many of them separated and others were newcomer, who didn't get the chance to get famous with their traditional rock style. The latter also includes the German melodic hard rock band FAIR WARNING. They released their debut album in 1991 and they still wait for their big breakthrough ... especially in Europe and America, because for many years now Fair Warning are celebrated like superstars in Japan. Will the band get their huge success with their new album "Sundancer"?

CD-Review: The Poodles - "Tour De Force"

The Swedish melodic metal /hard rock band THE POODLES is back! I have been following the career of these guys since their start with their stunning debut album "Metal Will Stand Tall". That was in 2007. Since this time lots of things have changed. Guitar player Pontus Norgren left the band after two amazing records and he was replaced by Henrik Bergqvist in 2009. With this line-up change also the band sound changed more and more in the following years. So, now I hold the promo of the bands new album "Tour De Force" in my hands. Can they beat their past successes with this one?

Exclusive Interview with JULIAN ANGEL (Beautiful Beast)

If you are one of those people, who think Hair Metal is dead, I'd like to introduce you to this guy: Singer Julian Angel is a very busy vocalist and businessman. Beside his band activities with BEAUTIFUL BEAST he also organized his own music conference, called MusicBiz Madness, in the last few months. 
Nevertheless Julian took the time to talk about this event, his forthcoming Beautiful Beast album and Hair Metal in general, so check this out!

CD-Review: Freedom Call - "Ages Of Light"

It was 15 years ago, when four guys from Nuremberg (Germany) decided to kick all those metalheads, which thought metal is all about evil and darkness, in their asses. I think no other band has marked the term "Happy Metal" so much, like FREEDOM CALL. It was a simple concept: more melody and good-time-feeling, less growls and lyrics about dead and violence. At this time Freedom Call showed that (Heavy) Metal can be much fun and fortunately they didn't change much of this concept in their career. With "Ages Of Light" we get the first best of and a nice cross-section of the last 15 years ... with some surprises.

Live-Report: AVANTASIA - The Mystery World Tour (Lichtenfels, 26.04.2013)

In 2008 the metal opera hit the road for the first time with a big all-star line-up. At this time no one thought this would ever happen again, but it worked and in 2010 Avantasia played their first own indoor shows with genre-veterans like Jorn Lande, Michael Kiske, Bob Catley, Kai Hansen and many, many more. Who thought this would be the peak of their live-activities was totally wrong.On their current "The Mystery World Tour" Avantasia exceed themselves. With a stunning line-up and a strong performance, which was close to 3 1/2 hours long, they set the bar very high for each Metal band out there. Before I tell you the details I can only say one thing: this whole show was a blast - one of the best concerts I've ever been to. But let's start at the beginning.

Bass-player Joel Fox Apelgren leaves DYNAZTY!

Sad news for all DYNAZTY fans: Joel Fox Apelgren leaves the Swedish Hard Rock band. He announced this on Dynazty's Facebook-Page. Read his full statement below:

CD-Review: VOLBEAT - "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies"

The Danish metal band VOLBEAT are back with their fifth studio album "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies". When I look at some review-ratings it seems like this album is controversial discussed. Some say it's too commercial, but I think commercial doesn't always mean it's bad. Read my opinion on the whole album below.

Exclusive Interview with KEE MARCELLO (ex-Europe, ex-Easy Action)

 I think many of you remember the legendary guitar solo on Europe's classic "Superstitious" and the famous man behind it: KEE MARCELLO. After breaking up with Europe lots of things have changed and during to the release of his new solo album "Judas Kiss" I had the pleasure to interview this living legend.
Kee talked about his new record as well as his appearence in the musical "Rock Of Ages", but also about some very personal things he experienced in all these years of musicbusiness. Check out this very detailed interview with one of the finest guitar players of all time!

JORN LANDE is ready to release his new album "Traveller" in June!

Many Avantasia fans were disappointed when Tobias Sammet announced that Jorn Lande won't be part of the new Avantasia record and tour. Obvious, Jorn had other plans and now it turns out that this means Jorn is busy with his solo career. His new record "Traveller" will hit the stores on June 11th 2013 in North America and on June 14th in Europe via Frontiers Records.
Jorn surprises with his new "partner in crime": guitar player Trond Holter! Most of you will know him as "Teeny", the Axeman of the Norwegian glam rock heroes WIG WAM. He also produced "The Traveller" together with Jorn. You want to hear how this fits together? Then have a look at the video below!

Exclusive Interview with Jakob Samuel (The Poodles)

The Swedish melodic metal band THE POODLES were always one of my favorite bands out there and I was very happy to hear that they are about to release their new album "Tour De Force" in four weeks. So in promoting this new record I had the opportunity to interview singer Jakob Samuel about this new piece of work as well as future plans and lots of other interesting things. Check it out!

CD-Review: Stala & So. - "Play Another Round"

Stala & So. is a Finnish glam-rock band, which consists partly of former Lordi - band members. Let me tell you one thing: this record has nothing to do with the Finnish monster rockers. If this is a good or a bad thing, you can read it below.

MAGNUS KARLSSON to release "Free Fall" in June!

Swedish Axeman Magnus Karlsson (Last Tribe, Primal Fear) is a well known name in the Melodic Metal scene. He is the man behind such great projects as Allen/Lande, The Codex, Kiske/Sommerville, Starbreaker and many more. By joining the band Primal Fear in 2008 he  finaly established as one of the best songwriters in melodic metal.
This time Magnus presents us his first solo record "Free Fall" on June 11th in Europe and on June 14th in North America. But Karlsson wasn't alone at all ... many guests joined him on this new output. You see the tracklist (with guest musicians) below.

Tracklist:

01. Free Fall (lead vocals: Russell Allen)
02. Higher (lead vocals: Ralf Scheepers)
03. Heading Out (lead vocals: Magnus Karlsson)
04. Stronger (lead vocals: Tony Harnell)
05. Not My Saviour (lead vocals: Rick Altzi)
06. Us Against The World (lead vocals: David Readman)
07. Our Time Has Come (lead vocals: Mark Boals)
08. Ready or Not (lead vocals: Magnus Karlsson)
09. Last Tribe (lead vocals: Rickard Bengtsson)
10. Fighting (lead vocals: Herman Saming)
11. Dreamers & Hunters (lead vocals: Mike Andersson)
12. On Fire (lead vocals: Magnus Karlsson)

https://www.facebook.com/magnus.karlsson.50746 
 

CD-Review: Bai Bang - "All Around The World"

Once Bai Bang was a Swedish sleaze/glam metal band, but since 2009 the band plays more melodic rock with some glam elements in it. So there was not much left from sleaze metal on the last two releases of this band. Is it the same on their new record "All Around The World"? Let's find out!

Exclusive INTERVIEW with Matthias Schenk (Shylock)

When it comes to musicbusiness we often deal with smaller bands, which need to work very hard for their success without any support from big music labels. Often these musicians deliver more outstanding records than the "big ones" in the genre, because they are doing it with much more passion and creativity.
One of those most underrated bands ever is the German melodic hard rock band SHYLOCK. Vocalist Matthias Schenk found the time to talk about his new band-album "Walking Tall", musicbusiness in general and about being just an insider-tip. Find out more in my whole interview!

RICHIE SAMBORA will not be performing on upcoming Bon Jovi shows!

Sad news for all Sambora-Fans:
Richie will not take part in the next leg of the Bon Jovi tour! This was announced on the official band page. It is not specify when or if Richie will rejoin the band. So the tour continues without him through the USA in April and later in South Africa and Europe.
The official statement just says "Due to personal issues, richie Sambora will not be performing on this upcoming leg. All shows will go on as scheduled". There is no reason or an information who will replace him yet.

In April 2011 Richie left the tour also. The reason was rehab, but this time Richie seemed to be in top form. I'll keep you up to date if there are more informations!

Update 1:
It seems there is a dispute between Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi about money and Jon's attitude towards Richie. This is reported by tmz.com.
Please keep in mind that this is just a rumor and nothing official to date!
In the meantime guitar player Phil X will handle Samboras part on stage and Bon Jovi announced that every ticket purchaser can get a refund on the tickets before show time.