News From the Pit

By Eddy Metal

Hello my friends n' haters! Pshhhh! Ha. That's my new thing. Ed Bassmaster is the man. My column will be extra short (of course it's short, ain't shit going on foolio!) until the 11^th of July, because I have a lot of very important stuff going on that has to be remedied ASAP. So check back around the 11^th to see what I've been up to (bares evilish grin).

I have finally gotten out to see some live music for the first time since February 29 , and I had a blast with my peeps up at Louisville Billiards. I went up to see 2 Pump Chump, and Ashton Blake. Those guys at Billiards got an outdoor stage set up and will be trying like hell to ressurrect this dying scene as best they can, so do us all a favor and support all these businesses for trying to keep things alive!

Now is a critical time to support the venues, for some may never open back up!

It was good seeing old friends in 2 Pump Chump still kicking ass after all these years! And I gotta say, they sound better than ever. That new lead guitarist, Dave Muscutt, is a talented cat, and as nice a person as you could ever meet! We both drive jeep Wranglers, so we talked about that quite a bit. Dude was wailing on that axe, and singing pretty hard shit at the same time. Skills! They made a great choice recruiting that guy! Dawg was killin' it. The new drummer Scott Ballinger did well also! I went up there after a longass day on the lake with a bunch of friends on LSD (of course I didn't do any;), and I had a blast watching those guys rock out, and seeing friends in the music scene once again! My friends were so funny that day on the lake! I've been going to the lake, and Red River Gorge quite a bit, recently. I love nature, and to me, it's what life is all about. Being in beautiful surroundings with those you love! It's relaxing as hell. And just what the doctor ordered after all this retarded stressful bullshit we have been subjected to these last four months. There is light at the end of this shitty tunnel though, so just keep positive and try to make the best out of a shitty situation. Hopefully, venues will start booking shows soon! I was upset that my big show opening for Hinder was cancelled! It was my first national show in a year-and-a-half, my guys were stoked AF, and then the MF'er gets cancelled?!

Aye aye ayeeeee! Doody.

I do have a show coming up at Metalfest at the Boondocks on July 24/25! It's an outdoor concert to raise money for battling cancer. I play on Friday night about 8 PM, so please come up and see me jam! Hell, it might be my only show this year! That's ok though, even if I never play another show again the rest of my life, I have made my mark, and rocked this Mf'ing town ten ways from tuesday, MY WAY! With MY music. Not playing RATM or Nirvana or any other top 40 garbage. People won't soon forget my name either way, like me or not.

I'm satified. I have had one hell of a run, and memories you wouldn't believe.

So that's it for me for now. Check back with my column around the 11^th of July! Hopefully, I'll have more musical shit to write about/promote.

Until then. I love you all, and God Bless!!!

The Metal Grapevine

Metalfest 2020 Lineup:

Be sure to attend Metalfest and support the fight against cancer! Metalfest is Friday July 24 and Saturday July 25 at the Boondocks in Shepperdsville.

This years band list is solid and ready to go Friday gates open at 6pm and at 7:55.

COLD STEEL RAIL will kick us off followed by......

SHOVELHEAD

DEACONS OF DOOM

TWO PUMP CHUMP

KROSJOINT

JUKE JOINT REVIVAL

OVERLOAD

FUDGEKNUCKLE

SxWxP all outside Friday

Inside Friday

ABBY HENDERSON

CLOVER CREEK BASTARDS

DEAD LETTERMEN

GRAVEL AND SPIDERS

Outside Sat July 25^th

DUSTIN SWAGGERT

NIGHTSHADE

(Ashland Ky)

CELLESTRIAL SERPENT

NOTHINGS WRONG

HIDDEN SOLACE

CALL ME MONSTER

DEVIL BE MY JUDGE

BASTARD SONS OF JUDAS GOAT

AUTUMN LIES BURIED (Nashville Tennessee)

E-FLAT

UNTIL THE DEAD WALK

CREATURE OF EXILE

(Lexington Ky. Area)

EULOGY IN BLOOD

GRANSHAW

(Glasgow Ky. Area)

Sat indoors

BILL SIDDONS

DOUG PINSON

SPRINGLINER

FBA

RESFERBER

THE DEADLY DARES

DEATH MOUNTAIN SPIDERS

STRAIGHT LACED

New Feature- Dude, You Gotta Hear This Story:

I'm going to make this a monthly thing. Every month I will feature at least one good story about the region's rockers experiences, both good and bad. I want to hear it all:

The time you fell off the stage during mid song, cuz you were hammered:

The time you had a big booger on yer nose for half the set. The time yer fly was open and you didn't have undies on:

Stuff like that. If it's good, I'll use it, probably. You gotta impress me though. One rule is- you have to be an active musician playing out within the last few years:

Any clown with a guitar cannot submit. Sorry. Send to Eddymetal1@aol.com

I have added one of my own stories at the end. It's a trip! Enjoy!

Louisville’s Last Sabbath playing Middletown, Ohio.

Pix by Mark Spencer.

Joe Bain – of the coverband Mooseknuckle:

I started playing in the music scene in the early 90's and witnessed everything from loss of teeth and being nicked by a 38 cal bullet to broken down stages and pieces of crap band buses. I first played the Toy Tiger at age 20 and was the bassist of an original band called TKO. As we were performing our set the stage started to separate and teetor out of balance. The sections slid apart and we looked like a couple of monkeys trying to balance on floating ice glaciers that would tip up if we didn't balance it by standing in the center. It was pretty hilarious because we were an energetic band and the stage was virtually separating and flopping at the same time. Big D, the bouncer got a lot of exercise that night trying to help out. The piece of shit Peavey amp I purchased, used, had an electrical issue with the ground lift, it would knock the hell out of you if you dared to touch your strings and put your lips on the mic to sing. You could actually see the arc as it popped you. LMAO. No shit, it hurt like hell. Just ask a few other fellas that I had warned about, if they decided to use our stage equipment to do their sets. My bandmate and drummer Mike Kelly witnessed an event one night where I got shocked so hard we still talk about it to this day, I catch myself saying "man, did you see the lights and sound shut off when it happened?" in which he would respond "Man nothing nothing blinked at all when it happened bro! It was just you that dimmed!" Seriously, it would knock the shit out of you. Another crazy memory that is forever replayed in my mind was at a show we did in Ohio. When I was singing, a big, rubbery dildo bounced up on stage! I'm assuming it came from a bachelorette party that previously lost it. Our bassist at the time, Alan Chadwell, snatched that thing up and slapped his bass during the song (with this rather large slong.) It was hilarious to say the least. Dave Moody was the bassist of a band of ours in the late nineties called three sided box. We made a regular rotation to a small club in Vevay Indiana. Dave was always good with removing his shirt during our performances, and it was a hit with the ladies. One night during the drunken last set, Dave staggered to remove his shirt, with the bass strapped over him, and he slammed back and hit the ground. The girls thought it was a prime opportunity to bum rush the stage while he was down, and about four of them proceeded to unbutton and remove his pants. Without Dave missing a beat, he proceeded to play the rest of the set butt ass naked, ding-dong and all! Sadly, it's a sight that haunts me to this day. Another moment that happened in the nineties took place at "The Sahara Club" a club over in Hikes Point. At the time of us playing, there happened to be a man who was being a sore loser over a game of pool. A fight broke out due to the pettiness, and he was removed by the bouncers, all while kicking and screaming. Maybe half an hour goes by and at this point we're all on break. I was sitting and chatting up my buddies when five rounds of a .38 busted through the outside wall (which was nothing but aluminum sealing) and one of the shots grazed the back of my right shoulder. It hurt and burned like hell. As everyone hit the floor for cover, I was freaking out thinking I got shot way worse than just a graze. My friends were screaming and crying, thinking I was at death's door. You could actually see the residue from the bullet as it spun a semi-twist on the white shirt I was wearing. All it left behind was a fist size bruise and a slight burn on my back, luckily with very little blood. Live Rock N Roll.

Pat Gibson- guitarist for Lexington's Graveyard Romeos:

When I joined Shatter Messiah with Curran Murphy and Robert Falzano from Annihilator. Talk about pressure! I took a 5 hour trip from Lexington, Ky to Akron, Ohio to meet with Curran in Akron to see if I would be good enough to join the Dallas or Die Tour with Shatter Messiah! I was welcomed by Curran with here is the most intense riff from God Burns Like Flesh!!?!? Ok keep in mind I have never played a 7 string guitar ever! And this is all in 7 string chaotic wtf to me?!? I had heard that Curran had been auditioning guys for the past 4 months! And as I heard the songs I wasn't surprised! This is very technical I was given the 15 tracks they wanted to play that tour sponsored by Strictly 7 Guitars. FUCK!! I never played 7's before!! I was given 11 days to learn those kick ass songs on a 7 I've never played? FUCK ME! Curran did give me videos of play thru's. I learned and played and had doubt I could do it! When i got back to Akron to start tour rehearsals i was given the Curran guitar camp!! And to this day the best i've been given!! I learned so much more than the vids!! These dudes are professional in every class!! It was go home or stand up!! I stood, reached, learned and played my ass off to be on that level! I made that tour, I made it into to band by playing my guts out! I've played my way on stage with Curran Murphy , Robert "Bobs"Falzano Kelly Conlon"yes from Death" and Michael Duncan! I'm still to this day like WTF?? I played with those guys? To a nobody like me , when you look across the stage and see Kelly, Curran, Bobs and Mike!! Holy Shit!! I ended up recording 2 smacking records with Shatter Messiah! Hail the new Cross and Orphans of Choas!

All on 3 stages and ready for a great time and a great cause!!

2 Pump Chump outdoors at Louisville Billiards. Ashton Blake inside.

Pix by Eddy Metal

Buz Pile- vocalist of Krosjoint/formerly Rathbone & Dogwater: 1994...I believe, I was playing in Rathbone, a Bluesy/Hard Rock band of Louisville. We got the gig to open for Ace Frehley on his two-year, Bar Tours, getting him physically Ready for the KISS Comeback Tour of '96.

It was at the Toy Tiger, and before the shows, they would serve catered food and drinks for the bands and their families. Of course the kids and the spouse always came.

I got there a little late, while my family were already there eating. As I came through the front, and opened the door into the stage area, Ace was standing right there! Of course, I said "Hey, Big Fan, and told him I'm in the band opening the show". He said "Cool...Me n the guys are needing directions to Electric Ladyland"... I proceeded to give him directions as we walked toward the side entrance door, and he politely interrupts me and says, "Just hop in the van here and come with us"! I hadn't even said anything to the kids or my girl, when I told him I'd better stay there...How Freakin' Stupud was that Chit!! I wasn't totally totally thinking straight, but slightly made up for it after the show!

Eddy Metal- Vocalist for Inhuman: Once, a million years ago, back in my youth when I was a vocalist, I had a gig at the Toy Tiger. Before the show, a friend backstage offered me some cocaine. Little did I know, this cocaine was almost scarface-like pure, and was strong AF. I was getting ready to go on and sing to a packed house! Anyways, as soon as I took a few lines of this incredibly potent shit, my throat siezed up and it felt as if a wool sock was stuffed down my neck! I was totally numb and high AF!! My voice then proceeded to go up octaves somehow, and I could barely talk, my shit was so freakin' numb! I was freaking out. So I had no choice but to get up onstage and sing the worst vocals I had ever sang before. I sounded like a high pitched mf'ing cartoon! It was a Nightmare, and I vowed never to do that shit again before a show, and I never did. My Point- Drugs are bad kids! I haven't done that stuff in 900 years! But it was funny because I made a bad choice and it messed me up bad, and made me sound like Tweety Bird from Looney toons cartoons! Not good.

Thunderstruck to play Saint Edward Catholic church in J-town on Saturday July 25:

This sounds like a fun time for a good cause. I might cover this one for the paper! Support these guys, they are the best AC/DC tribute I've ever seen.

Krosjoint to play final show at Metalfest with Buzz Pile as Vocalist, Krosjoint now SEEKING NEW VOCALIST:

Our show at Metalfest will be the last show with Buzz Pile as singer. Buzz now lives in Campbellsville and cannot drive 80 miles one way to practice. I wouldn't either for real. Plus he has a lot going on these days watching his grandson, so it was time for him to go. I understand, and we wish him the best! But...the guys are not wanting to quit, so we will be searching for a NEW singer to take over Krosjoint's mic! Someone fresh and with power and range! Krosjoint will be reborn as a phoenix. Interested vocalists contact/text me at 502-609-1696. Luckily, I've always managed to find some very talented singers to work with, so I'm feeling pretty positive about this. Let the search begin!!

SxWxP Heading to Europe in a few months:

Local southern metal rockers SWP are still going to be able to head to Europe to tour this November. It wasn't looking good for a moment, but as of now, it's still a go. The band will be hitting Germany, Slovenia (watch out, I saw Hostel!!) & Croatia. Good luck to those guys and congrats on getting the opportunity to do something not many unsigned local bands get to do! Awesome!

Year Of The Gun News:

Vocalist Steve Sawyers has been having trouble with his voice/throat for several months, so he will be going to the Doctor very soon to see what the problem is, therefore we will be on a 'Medical Break" for a little bit. We have no intention of calling it a day. Hopefully its nothing bad, and a quick surgery will heal him. Steve will always be vocalist for YOTG, but we may get a temporary 'fill in' just for fun and to keep our chops up musically while Steve heals. Steve is a cool dude, and he was the one to suggest it. The singer I've been talking to that wants to possibly fill in, is a well known cover band musician. I can't tell you who it is just yet! Ha.

This temporary collab could be a lot of fun! Get well soon Steve, and "hurry back foo."

Created To Kill has a DVD now:

So cool! I wish my bands had a DVD! You can find Created To Kill's DVD "Worship Or Drive" on youtube, or on chop block TV, and it is available on amazonfire and Roku for FREE! Check it out here at Louisville Music News!

Some Kind Of Saint:

Will be playing Diamond's St Matthews on July 11 from 10-2am.

Bottom's Up:

Will be playing Diamond's St Matthews on July 18 from 10-2am. Be there, this is another good band of great dudes! Show tha love!

Mad Alice:

Check out Mad Alice at Kingfish in Jeffersonville on July 18^th. Good music, good food, you can't go wrong! I love me some Kingfish! Those onion rings are the fire!

From The Ash/Tetrasteede/Juke Joint Revival:

Live in action Saturday September 5 at the Trailer Court Cartel Headquarters in Greensburg Indiana. 8 P.M! It's located on 95 N county rd 745 W. Greensburg, IN. Be there foo.

Zeroking w/ TBA:

Live at the 21rst Amendment tavern on August 1.

Wyld Ryde/Gotcha/Catch 22/Goodnight Carnage:

See these rockin' bands on saturday July 4 at the Trailer Court Cartel Headquarters in Greensburg Indiana. 8 P.M! It's located on 95 N county rd 745 W. Greensburg, IN. 7 P.M.

Get Well Ryan Preston:

My friend, and fellow metalhead rocker Ryan Preston, guitarist/shredder/guitar demon of Overthrone, is battling cancer. They found a spot on his neck and he is getting treatment. He seems to be doing pretty well though, so that is good! Get well soon my friend. I love this guy! He is golden.

R.I.P Jeremy Robertson, guitarist of Incursion:

The Louisville music scene lost a metal legend recently. Guitarist of the Louisville metal band Incursion has passed away. This guy has been active almost as long as I have in the scene, and that is a long ass time! I met Jeremy a long time ago when he worked at Kroger. He was a good dude. Somehow along the way we had a falling out (I don't even remember why, to be honest), but even though we didn't talk anymore, there is no denying his talent, and contribution to this metal scene. Jeremy unleashed a mile-high wall of metal destruction on guitar the likes this town has rarely seen. His guitar style, brutal and uncompromising! He did things his way, or he wasn't going to do it. I respected the fuck out of that, and that is the one thing we always had in common. Jeremy had a bunch of personal demons to deal with, as well as a recently severely damaged finger that would have probably ended his playing days. He felt alone, and very depressed. What he didn't know, was that he had a multitude of folks who loved the hell out of him! It's sad that only when it is too late, that such people come forth. And come forth they have. It's been a great loss to many in our scene, and I really wish we hadn't had that falling out. Jeremy, if I ever did anything to piss you off, bro, I apologize, and hope you forgive me. My heart goes out to Jeremy's friends, family, and bandmates. This is a huge loss for our true metal scene. Here is Incursion's ultra cool video featuring Jeremy in action! Enjoy and think of him when you listen. Such good riffs! Rest In Peace my metal brother!