Park Rapids, Minnesota, USA (September 16, 2020) - After previously trying to obtain an official record title, Joseph Grisamore is now officially on the pages of this year’s book after achieving the world’s tallest full Mohican Mohawk.
Measuring 1.08 m (42.5 inches) in height, this lengthy hairdo can easily be spotted from a distance. "My favorite thing about the mohawk is just the rarity of it," Joseph said. "I’ll admit that peoples’ reactions are pretty priceless too. I’m 6’1 tall, and my mohawk is pushing 4 feet now."
"Doors aren’t over 7’ tall, ceilings 9’, and cars are impossible to get into - so I’m limited to where and how I move around when I’m all done up, but the crowd usually comes to me.”
Joseph wanted to break this record back in 2007. However he was too afraid to shave the sides of his hair, which is required for the record attempt. Since he’s been known for having long hair most of his life, he thought this was the perfect record for him to have.
After being inspired to try again, he needed to start from scratch due to his hair becoming too dreaded – so Joseph regrew his mane and actually managed to have it reach the length of four feet in just seven years! One of the most surprising elements to Joseph’s hair is that it actually does not require much maintenance.
When he’s not wearing it in a record-breaking tower, Joseph keeps his hair braided and in two knots as to avoid sitting on it. During his time in quarantine, Joseph has been an essential worker at a healthcare facility in Minnesota and has tried to look for silver lining amid the global changes.
One these includes becoming a Guinness World Records title holder and being featured in the 2021 book, a feat he is incredibly proud of. “When I was first informed that I’d become a Guinness World Records title holder, I was over the top. Having a goal become a reality is always a thankful experience."
"I’m honored to be added to a list of one-of-a-kind record holders. My wife wants me to stay humble, but instead I’m considering becoming the ‘Mohawk King’, and attempting the tallest Mohawk spike title, which is how I’d begun my journey with record-breaking in 2007."
Badlands of Indiana, USA (February 29, 2020) WHR — Told from the perspective of drummer Artimus Pyle, the film centres on the tragic Mississippi plane crash on 20th October 1977 that claimed the lives of legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his backing vocalist sister Cassie Gaines, road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray.
Powered by Artimus Pyle’s first-hand recollections of the crash, the film focuses on the hours leading up to the crash in the rented plane, and the aftermath.
The film premiered at 7.30 pm on Sunday 16th February at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival before hitting select cinemas Stateside this spring.
Artimus Pyle says of ‘Street Survivors: The True Story Of The Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash’: "This film's story — MY story — is not just about the plane crash but also about my personal relationship with the genius that was Ronnie Van Zant — whom I loved like a brother and still miss to this day."
Watch the trailer below:
Named after Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1977 album of the same name, ‘Street Survivors…’ is directed by Jared Cohn and features Cleopatra Records founder Brian Perera on production duties.
The cast includes Ian Shultis as Artimus Pyle, Taylor Clift as RonnieVan Zant, Samuel Kay Forrest as Steve Gaines, Rich Dally III as Allen Collins, Hudson Long as Billy Powell and Nick Cairo as Leon Wilkeson. Neill Byrnes and Anthony Rocco Bovo play Aerosmith rockers Steven Tyler and Joe Perry.
Principle photography on the film began in April 2017 in Los Angeles, however in August of that year, sole original member Gary Rossington and heirs of Van Zant and Gaines successfully won a court injunction to halt production of the film.
The judge decided that the film violated a “blood oath” consent order Pyle signed with his band mates in 1988, that allegedly gave individual band members permission to tell their own life stories but not exploit the Lynyrd Skynyrd name after the crash.
However, in October 2018 the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, New York overturned the permanent injunction and Cleopatra Records Inc. were free to distribute the film.
“That crash is part of the history’ of the band, but it is also an ‘experience’ of Pyle with the band, likely his most important experience,” the ruling read.
“Provisions of a consent decree that both prohibit a movie about such a history and also permit a movie about such an experience are sufficiently inconsistent, or at least insufficiently specific, to support an injunction.”
Badlands of Indiana, USA (February 1, 2020) WHR — A tribute to a legend that has passed too soon, we take a look back at Prince’s iconic Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show through a rain and wind storm.
It had not rained during the Super Bowl in over 40-years, but when Prince took to the stage to showcase the Halftime Show, it was pouring. The rain and wind didn’t stop Prince from putting on one of the best Halftime Show’s in the history of the Super Bowl.
While the electrifying performance seemed effortless and even fitting in the rain — because, honestly, what’s cooler than “Purple Rain” in the rain? — Hayes revealed that it was extremely slippery to perform in the rain and that he and some of the other performers almost fell during the show.
In fact, Hayes revealed that it was raining so hard that while the musical equipment worked during the show, the instruments wouldn’t turn on again after the performance.
‘It was as though Prince ordered the rain’.
Prince’s incredible showmanship and talent shined through the rain and when he closed out his set playing ‘Purple Rain’, the moment could not have been any more perfect.
This was truly one of the best, true performances from an artist who was not looking to promote himself, but share his incredible talent with the entire world.
Badlands of Indiana (November 14, 2019) WHR — On December 13th, 2019, TRIUMPH’s 13-track Classics will once again hit the racks (via Round Hill/Triumph Catalog), and all of the expected gems are included - “Lay It on the Line”, “Magic Power”, “A World of Fantasy”, “Fight the Good Fight” and “Hold On”.
Also featured are two special live recordings that close the set - “Never Surrender” (live at the US Festival) and “Blinding Light Show"/"Moon Child" (live at Sweden Rock).
“We are excited to showcase our career on the Classics reissue,” says the band. “It’s a beautiful package and sounds awesome!”
Comprised of drummer/vocalist Gil Moore, bassist/keyboardist Mike Levine, and guitarist/vocalist Rik Emmett, TRIUMPH formed in 1975 (hailing from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada).
With their unique blend of progressive rock, heavy metal and soaring melodies, the band enjoyed a string of rock radio and MTV hits, in the process scoring a string of gold and platinum-certified albums and selling out arenas, thrilling fans with their award-winning live shows.
And in December, rock fans will be reminded once again about the power that TRIUMPH possessed - deep in the grooves of Classics.
TRIUMPH: CLASSICS TRACK LISTING:
"Tears In The Rain"
"Lay It On The Line"
"I Live For The Weekend"
"Magic Power"
"Somebody’s Out There"
"Spellbound"
"A World of Fantasy"
"Follow Your Heart"
"Fight The Good Fight"
"Rock & Roll Machine"
"Hold On"
"Never Surrender" (Live at the US Festival)
"Blinding Light Show"/"Moon Child" (Live at Sweden Rock)
Badlands of Indiana (March 22, 2019) WHR — Even in the sex and drugs-crazed world of rock and roll, the stories about Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars and Tommy Lee were legendary. There were girls, girls, girls, alcohol-fueled riots, fist fights, car crashes, cocaine, heroin, mud wrestling and stadiums filled with screaming fans who wanted more of everything. In 2001, the band proved the rumors true in their X-rated, jaw-droppingly lascivious oral history The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band.
Working with writer Neil Strauss, the band told all — the good, the bad, the shocking, the outrageous and even the likely criminal — about themselves and one another. After releasing nine albums, Mötley Crüe had a new chart-topping hit, this time in the form of a New York Times bestseller.
Now, under the direction of Jeff Tremaine, The Dirt has come to Netflix in all its sick, slick and shiny glory. The new film features rapper Machine Gun Kelly as Tommy Lee, Douglas Booth as Sixx, Iwan Rheon as Mars, Daniel Webber as Neil and Saturday Night Live‘s Pete Davidson as the Crüe’s record executive. The Dirt largely stays true to the stories the band tells in the book — though some of them are even more scandalous than the movie depicts.
Here’s a breakdown of the facts that fuel The Dirt:
Did the band’s first show really end in a fist fight?
According to Sixx, this is true. Back in 2014, he told TIME, “The very first show, Vince and I ended up in the crowd in a fist fight! That kind of set a precedent for who we are and what we do.” The incident became a part of Crüe lore as a story of the band’s tough-as-nails, anything-goes attitude.
Did the band’s manager really punch them?
According to Doc McGhee, the band’s longtime manager, delivering the occasional knuckle sandwich was part of the job. “Sometimes punching people is the only answer. I call it full-contact management,” McGhee wrote in an article for The Guardian on his rules of band management. “I’ve had to use it on most of my bands as a last resort. But with Mötley Crüe, full-contact management happened every couple of months. It was more about survival. You’re talking about a band who would physically bite you if they liked you. You’re talking about a band who would regularly attack their own security guard — and he was head of a Hell’s Angels chapter and a black belt in karate.”
Was the band really that girl crazy?
Definitely. In an interview with TIME, Neil explained, “That’s the only reason guys get into music — because you get girls and free beer. It wasn’t about fame or anything. You want to get laid and you want to get drunk.”
Did Nikki Sixx really sleep with his record label rep’s girlfriend?
Mötley Crüe’s A&R man, Tom Zutaut, told The Guardian that he took his girlfriend backstage to meet the band before a gig and “within three minutes” Sixx had disappeared with the girl. When asked by the Guardian reporter to confirm whether the nefarious deed happened, Sixx shrugged. “I’m sure it did,” he said. “But I can’t remember.”
When was Mick Mars diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis?
While the band’s wild antics were well-known to fans, one of the biggest bombshells when the band’s book was published was Mars’ admission that he had been coping with a chronic, degenerative, painful disease throughout his years with Mötley Crüe. Mars was reportedly diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis that primarily effects the spine and makes it difficult to move, when he was 19. While the disease frequently stops its painful, debilitating progression, Mars wasn’t so lucky. “I have a rare form of the disease that hasn’t stopped, so it’s all the way up my whole back and into my brain stem,” Mars told MusicRadar in 2008. “It’s literally squeezing my rib cage together, so I’ve lost some height. And now that it’s up in my brain stem it’s hard for me to move my head in any direction.”
The chronic pain led to drug abuse and a hip replacement. But Mars maintains a surprisingly positive outlook about the chronic illness. “There are some things about this thing that I’ve got that are not so cool,” he told Classic Rock Revisited. “But there is one thing that is cool — I ended up bent. I can always see my guitar. If I’d been straight then I would not be able to see myself play.”
What was the cause of death of Vince Neil’s daughter?
One of the film’s most tragic moments is the death of Neil’s 4-year-old daughter, Skylar. According to a 1995 story in People, she was diagnosed with Wilms’ tumor, a kidney cancer that affects children. She underwent six operations, plus extensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments, but passed away four months after her diagnosis. “This ordeal is something no parent should have to go through,” Neil told People. “More than that, I wish no child ever had to go through it.”
Did Ozzy Osbourne really snort a line of ants?
Motley Crüe supported Osborne on his Bark at the Moon tour in 1984, at the height of Osbourne’s fame and depravity. In The Dirt, while the band is at a hotel during the tour, a dress-clad Osbourne (played by Tony Cavalero) kneels down on the ground and snorts a line of ants up his nose with a straw, much to the shock of the band. Sixx swears this is true. In an interview with Page Six, he said that while Motley Crüe was a “wild young band” who thought they could compete with Osborne, “you can’t with Ozzy. He won.”
Did Nikki Sixx really die temporarily from a heroin overdose?
Yes. “For two minutes in 1987 I was pronounced clinically dead from an overdose,” he wrote in a powerful op-ed in the Los Angeles Times last year. While it took him several more years to finally get sober, Sixx has become outspoken about ways to combat opioid addiction.
Who was Razzle from Hanoi Rocks?
Another tragic moment in the band’s history came when Neil, while driving under the influence, got into an accident that killed his friend, Nicholas “Razzle” Dingley, and critically injured two other people. Dingley was the English drummer of the Finnish glam rock band Hanoi Rocks. Dingley and Neil had been at a party to celebrate the band’s first U.S. tour when they decided to take a drive and Neil lost control of the car. Dingley was just 24 and reportedly had a wife who was seven months pregnant at the time of his death.
Neil was sentenced to 30 days in jail but released early for good behavior. He was ordered to pay a fine, which even Neil admits was not enough of a punishment. “I wrote a $2.5 million check for vehicular manslaughter when Razzle died,” he reportedly told Blender. “I should have gone to prison. I definitely deserved to go to prison. But I did 30 days in jail and got laid and drank beer, because that’s the power of cash. That’s f-cked up.”
Did Vince Neil really quit the band?
In the film, as the band was working on a follow-up to their 1989 album Dr. Feelgood, Neil stops coming to rehearsal, eventually storming out and announcing that he quits just as Sixx tells him he’s fired. In real life, the band released a statement saying that Neil left because his longtime hobby, car racing, had “become a priority” in his life. But this explanation, which is not depicted in the film, may not have been the truth, either. In a 1992 appearance on Dennis Miller’s talk show, Neil had a very different take on the situation, saying that being kicked out of the band was a complete shock to him. “Two days after my birthday — like, ‘Happy birthday, Vince‘ … Everybody had 25 percent input, so 75 percent voted me out. They’re great guys; they just had to do what they felt they had to do.”
Did Motley Crüe break up?
They did. In 2014, the band very publicly signed a legally binding Cessation of Touring Agreement in front of reporters that prohibits future, unauthorized performances and prevents any of the four members from touring under the band name. As Sixx told TIME, “We just wanted to have pride in the band when the band is done forever. If you put on a Crüe t-shirt and walk down the street we want someone to say, ‘The Crüe, man, those guys came in and went out on their own terms.’”
Whether or not that break-up sticks, though, is still to be determined. The band did reunite to record four new tracks for the movie. Since then, rumors have been circulating that Mötley Crüe will go on tour after The Dirt arrives on Netflix. While Sixx said there would be no one-off shows, he recently told Rolling Stone: “Sometimes I look out at my friends, like the guys in Aerosmith and Metallica, and I’m like, ‘God damn it, did we retire too soon?“ He then added, “Maybe we’ll just get together and jam in Mick Mars’ front room.”
Does the band have any regrets about their behavior?
While the film features some of the band’s wild, reckless, depraved behavior, it barely scratches the surface of the dark, twisted and even criminal behavior documented in the book. When asked about a particular story involving Lee and Sixx and a possible sexual assault, Sixx admitted that they went too far, even though he doesn’t recall the specific incident and admits he may have made it up or embellished it. “There is a lot of horrible behavior in the book,” he told Rolling Stone. “What I can tell you is that we all lived to regret a lot and learned from it. We own up to all our behavior that hurt our selves, our families, friends and any innocents around us.”
Marshall, Virginia (March 21, 2019) WHR — It’s tough to say when it began, perhaps in the 1970s. Its progression grew quietly. Then, one day the American male arose from his hirsute slumber and realized most traditional barber shops had morphed into hair salons.
Guys had lost another battle to the increasing influence of the gentler persuasion.
But still. There is something nostalgic about guys chatting away among themselves as their locks are shorn.
To their benefit, there is a shop reviving the old-time haircut, but with a modern twist.
“I started cutting hair at a salon near Akron, Ohio back in 2001. I don’t know why, but I picked up a really strong male following. I enjoy cutting men’s hair. I don’t like coloring, permanents and all that,” said Kristy Haase, owner of Rock-N-Barbers in the Marshall Center in Marshall.
“I always thought it would be neat to combine the best of a hairstylist and a barber.”
But the idea had to incubate for a few years. In the interim, Haase moved to D.C. and cut hair at a high-end male-only hair salon. “They offered a full spa with massages and adult beverages.
It was very much what I wanted to do and I spent several years researching the idea without success,” she said.
But there is more than one way to trim a head. Haase took a modified approach to her barbershop dream when she moved to Front Royal seven years ago.
Realizing a full-blown shop (pun intended) would take considerable financial investment, Haase elected to start where everything does: at the beginning.
“I said, ‘You know, I’m just gonna start small. I don’t have all this money to get a huge, fancy place with fancy chairs so I’m just going to start somewhere.’ I knew had the experience and talent and there was no one that could do what I could do.”
Confidence is what someone is looking for when they make a decision to place their hair in scissor-powered hands. It’s also why Haase’s shop has been a success from the first hairs that hit the floor.
What she has created is a traditional barbershop, catering to men but also serving women. “About 90 percent of my customers are guys. But the men will tell their wives what we do. When the women come in, they don’t see old barbers in overalls cutting hair,” she said laughing.
What they do see is a shop staffed with experienced women hair stylists who know hair from the roots up. At any given time, you’ll see Haase and one or two of her staff of four cutting or shaving while chatting away with their clients.
Rock music plays in the background and friendly banter echoes around the shop.
“I wanted a shop that was modern, but with a relaxed atmosphere. That’s why I went with a rock music theme. I’m originally from Cleveland, which is the home of rock and roll and I just thought it was a cool idea,” to create a shop called Rock-N’-Barbers.
In addition to custom haircuts, the guys get to choose their favorite rock genre if they like. Amazon’s Alexa stands at the ready to play classic rock or whatever generation of rock is desired.
“There might be Pink Floyd or Guns N Roses playing, but a customer can ask Alexa what they want to hear,” said Haase.
Clients and services
So, are the loyal customers who drop by for a trim the edgy clientele she served at the high-end D.C. shop? Not quite. Haase explains her customers range across all age groups from the very young to seniors. “I’ve had customers where it was their first haircut and, unfortunately, where it was their last one,” she said.
There are a lot of businessmen and farmers who frequent the shop along with high schoolers, reflecting the demographics of a rural location. And the dream of serving adult refreshments has been put on hold for now. Instead, there is a Keurig machine at the ready, serving coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
For a full description of the shop’s services and personal profiles of Haase and her four stylists visit www.rock-n-barbers.com
Badlands of Indiana (October 17, 2018) WHR — Music fans of all persuasions have now been invited to vote in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame’s annual Fan Vote. For the seventh year running, fans will be able to have their say in the Fan Vote, with the five artists who receive the most votes making up a “fan’s ballot” that will help determine who makes it into the prestigious Rock Hall.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Class Of 2019 – which includes first-time nominees Def Leppard, Stevie Nicks, Todd Rundgren, Roxy Music, John Prine and Devo – will also be decided by artists, members of the music industry, journalists and music historians.
The other influential acts to be nominated for the 2019 Rock Hall are The Cure, the MC5, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Rage Against The Machine, Janet Jackson and two acts previously nominated for induction in 2018, Radiohead and The Zombies. Also on the nominees list are Kraftwerk and LL Cool J, both of whom have previously received four Rock Hall nominations.
To be eligible for induction into the prestigious Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, an individual artist or band must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination.
Several of the nominees have enjoyed high profile success during 2018. Iconic Yorkshire rockers Def Leppard and Journey played an acclaimed co-headlining North American tour across the summer, performing to some of the biggest houses of their career.
Stevie Nicks
According to reports in Billboard, the two bands playing in venues ranging from 8,500-seat arenas to 45,000-capacity baseball parks.
Def Leppard have also recently announced the imminent release of an upgraded greatest hits anthology, The Story So Far, while The Cure have confirmed a series of huge festival appearances for the summer of 2019, including South Africa’s Rock On The Lawns and Malahide Castle in Dublin, Ireland.
As uDiscover Music previously reported, the winners will be announced in December 2018, with the induction ceremony taking place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, on 29 March 2019. Ticket information will be released in January. To enter, visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and enter your selections. Hurry, it ends December 9, 2018.
Sturgis, SD (November 16, 2017) — Rock the Holidays Sweepstakes winner to receive “Bad to the Bone” prize: a George Thorogood-autographed guitar and a $200 Hot Leathers shopping spree!
The Sturgis Buffalo Chip has teamed up with one of the biggest names in music and the hottest name in apparel to offer fans the chance to win a unique holiday prize.
Rock the Holidays Sweepstakes
The winner of the 2017 Buffalo Chip Rock the Holidays Sweepstakes will receive a sleek Epiphone Les Paul Special II guitar signed by none other than the legendary George Thorogood, and a $200 Hot Leathers shopping spree.
The guitar features a solid mahogany body with gloss black finish, a slim taper mahogany neck and a smooth rosewood fingerboard with dot overlays. George Thorogood signed the guitar while performing at the Chip last August, instantly turning it into a highly sought-after collectible.
“This is the chance for someone to own a piece of rock history,” said Rod Woodruff, president of the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. “This guitar should hang in a museum, but we are excited to offer it to one lucky fan for the holidays instead.
And the bonus $200 Hot Leathers shopping spree it comes with will ensure the winner looks just as cool as George Thorogood did when he played on our stage last August!”
Registration closes Dec. 14, 2017 at 5 p.m. MST.
The winner will be announced Dec. 15. The participating partners who made the Sturgis Buffalo Chip’s Rock the Holidays Sweepstakes possible include George Thorogood, Rock 106.7 in Salt Lake City and Hot Leathers.
