JAMES HETFIELD and his wife FRANCESCA welcomed their second child, son CASTOR VIRGIL HETFIELD, on May 18 at 3:23 PM. The 9 lb. 6 oz. baby boy joins sister CALI TEE, born in 1998. What is it with the oddball names, Mr. Hetfield? You realize your kids are going to have to go through life with these monikers, don't you? Now cut it out before you give 'em both a complex.
POISON's BRET MICHAELS became a first-time father on Saturday, when his girlfriend KRISTI GIBSON gave birth to daughter RAINE ELIZABETH MICHAELS at 8:47 AM. "Just like her father, she arrived in dramatic form," says Michaels. "I had just arrived home from a 15 hour video shoot for 'Power to the People' (yeah, how's about going ten seconds without plugging something, Bret) when Kristi's contractions started. Her birth was amazing. Being in the room when Raine was born was as close as I'll get to heaven without dying." His 6 lb. 13 oz. daughter "has beautiful blue eyes, big fat pouty lips and lots of big hair," the proud papa describes. "A chip off the old block!" Congratulations to all the new parents!
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer SCOTT WEILAND married model MARY FORSBERG on Sunday, May 21, in Los Angeles, and MÖTLEY CRÜE's VINCE NEIL will finally marry longtime girlfriend HEIDI MARK this Sunday, May 28, also in Los Angeles.
Former RATT frontman STEPHEN PEARCY is now on the road with his new band NITRONIC (consisting of his ARCADE buddy FRANK WILSEX and the guitarist, bassist and drummer from the Nebraska band JRZ SYSTEM, MARK ZAVON, TROY JOHNSON and TODD ROBERSON), and will play the Key Club in Los Angeles this Thursday, May 25. "We're kicking some ass and having a great time," says Pearcy, noting that his "very aggressive" set includes material from Ratt, Arcade, VICIOUS DELITE and covers by bands like AC/DC. ...and I'll bet they're playing to packed houses, too... Well, 35 people at a Denny's could be considered "packed" I suppose... "Nitronic Rocks Denny's!!!"....ha.. if only.
BRUCE KULICK, now home in Los Angeles following a two month run with UNION, is recording songs for a solo album with collaborator/producer KURT CUOMO. "I'm very excited about it," says Kulick, adding that a lot of the material is from his back catalog of songs that weren't used by KISS. "I will do all the singing, and there will be instrumentals, too," he says, outlining plans to market it through his Web site. Union heads to Sweden for four shows in early June, but otherwise tour plans, which might include a trek with RATT in July, are not solidified. Kulick will do some clinics and jam with a band called SHAMELESS in Europe in October, but he'll otherwise work on the solo album and a book about his career, tentatively called Honorable Discharge, which won't be a KISS tell-all. "I'm not going to trash them," says the guitarist, who still remains on good terms with the band.
SAMANTHA 7 will perform live on the Net at the Wherehouse Lounge on May 30 at 8 PM ET at www.CheckOut.com, and frontman C.C. DeVILLE will chat with fans on May 31 at 9 PM ET at America Online keyword aol live.
According to Allstar, MOTLEY CRUE debuted a pair of songs off the upcoming New Tattoo in high style from atop the Sunset Strip on Thursday (May 18) afternoon. Bass player Nikki Sixx, singer Vince Neil, and new drummer Randy Castillo took a break from the studio to preview material from the the band's eighth album (due July 11 on Motley/Beyond Records) at the Wyndam Bel-Age Hotel in West Hollywood, Calif. Guitarist Mick Mars was a no-show at the event. According to a Crue spokesperson, producer Mike Clink made Mars stay behind to finish his guitar parts. The sounds of New Tattoo's first single, 'Hell On High Heels' and 'She Needs Rock & Roll' filled the air as exotic dancers (handpicked by the band) branded partygoers with tattoos of Motley Crue's new Asian-inspired logo, created by No Fear designer Eric Casillas. The CD includes a cover of the TUBES' classic "White Punks on Dope." The band will hit the road with Megadeth and Anthrax for the Maximum Rock Tour, kicking off June 24. Here's the final track listing for New Tattoo: 'Hell On High Heels', 'She Needs Rock & Roll', 'New Tattoo', 'Dragstrip Superstar', 'First Band On The Moon', 'Treat Me Like The Dog That I Am', 'Punched In The Teeth By Love', 'Hollywood Ending', 'Fake', 'Porno Star' and 'White Punks On Dope'.
DREAM THEATER's MIKE PORTNOY, who was named #1 Progressive Drummer (for the sixth straight year) and was also honored for #1 Recorded Performance (for Scenes From a Memory) and #1 Educational Video (for Liquid Drum Theater) by Modern Drummer's readers, is making a series of clinic appearances next month. Portnoy will appear at Rupps Drums in Denver, Colorado on June 27, at Guitar Center in Southfield, Michigan on June 28, and at Guitar Center in Roseville, Michigan on June 29.
