ZAKK WYLDE wraps production on Metal God movie

ZAKK WYLDE just wrapped work on the (to-be-retitled) Metal God movie, and calls it the easiest and best paying gig he's ever had, "minimum input for maximum output." But he's not about to give up his day job, music--on June 1 he starts rehearsing for his tour with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY in support of Stronger Than Death, which launches June 23 in Anaheim, California. "But if MARK (WAHLBERG) wants me to be in his next movie, I'll do it," adds Wylde. It's only fair. Wahlberg is in the video he shot for "Counterfeit God." The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced 29 artists eligible for the first time to become nominees for the 2001 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. To be eligible, an artist had to have had their first album released at least 25 years ago (1975). Some of those 29 artists or groups are: PETER GABRIEL, HEART, ANGEL, JOURNEY, LITTLE RIVER BAND, NILS LOFGREN, RAINBOW & THE TUBES. AC/DC's VH1 Behind the Music will premiere on June 18. And for those who want to see it one more time, the POISON Behind the Music will be repeated on May 27 at 9 PM ET/PT and June 11 at 12 AM ET/PT. RATT, WARRANT, and UNION will embark on an 8 week tour; Probably hitting smaller venues, theaters and outdoor festivals. It's also possible that Ratt might head to Europe later in the year with new vocalist Robert Mason, while former singer Stephen Pearcy is in an alley somewhere sucking off bums for beer money (although there's absolutely no proof of that). HAIR OF THE DOG begins touring to support Rise this week, kicking off a run of dates in Dallas, Texas on May 26. They're playing some dates on their own, and some with other bands like L.A. GUNS, MOTORHEAD and NASHVILLE PUSSY. See www.hotd.com for the itinerary. Providing the perfect marriage of artist and audience, KID ROCK will hit the World Wrestling Federation's Monday night ratings powerhouse "Raw" later this month for a special appearance. While many artists tested their mettle in the pro wrestling ring in recent years (including Master P, the Insane Clown Posse, the Misfits, and others), Kid Rock vows that his May 29 appearance on the USA Network's "Raw" will be a low-impact affair. The appearance gives Kid Rock an audience with the millions of fans who will tune in to "Raw" on the night before his "The History Of Rock" hits stores on May 30. And of course, for the WWF, the move gives the fed's weekly show the added star wattage of a man who sold more than 8 million copies of his last album. Kid has already made plans to support the album on the road with METALLICA, KORN, POWERMAN 5000, and SYSTEM OF A DOWN when those bands launch their hard rock cavalcade on June 30 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. After that Summer Sanitarium run wraps on July 17, Kid Rock says that he hopes to launch a headlining trek of his own, but has yet to pin down opening acts or dates. Ozzfest is still more than a month away, but STATIC X are already making post-Ozzfest plans, including work on a new album. After Ozzfest 2000 folds its tents on September 2 in San Bernadino, California, the band plans to take a bit of a vacation before hitting the studio in November to begin work on the follow-up to 1999's gold-selling "Wisconsin Death Trip." The group's record label, Warner Bros., notes that Static-X's new album is then expected to arrive in April of next year. Despite the nonstop tour schedule that the band has followed since the March 1999 release of "Wisconsin Death Trip," frontman Wayne Static and company have managed to write and record a slew of new material while on the road, and Warner Bros. noted that the band has already recorded demos of five new songs. Static-X has yet to settle on a producer for the new album, but the band has remained very close with Ulrich Wild (POWERMAN 5000, DEFTONES, INCUBUS, WHITE ZOMBIE), who manned the boards for "Wisconsin Death Trip." The producer even recently turned up (along with his wife) in Static-X's video for "I'm With Stupid."