News From the Pit

By Eddy Metal

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great one! I sure did. Finally! After one horrible month of having Covid and post-covid related issues. I had thought that Covid was done with me by December 5, but it affected my stomach somehow immediately after (as it does to 20% of people who have had covid) and it made my life a living hell for three more weeks.

I couldn't eat or barely sleep. It was weird AF. Everything I ate gave me bad stomach pain. Freakin' butter hurt me! WTF.

I was all weak at work, struggling, and I lost even more weight than I already had. Bloomers I was barely squeezing into one year ago, are now baggy.

It's been rough. But thankfully right around Christmas/my birthday, I started to slowly feel better. I then decided not to waste what little time left that I get off work for Christmas vacation, and go somewhere I've always really wanted to go to – The Smithsonian in Washington DC.

After this shittyass Covid month, I deserve it.

I finally got to see the Smithsonian Museums (yes, several!), the Monuments, the White House and basically all the historical sights. I got a sweet room with a view overlooking the Capitol building, which at night looks way cool. Highlights of the museums were the Wright Brothers' plane, Lindbergh's Spirit Of St Louis, Van Gogh and Monet paintings, Megalodon, T. Rex, the Hope Diamond, Mummies, Meteorites, eight foot tall crystals, the seriously badass hot tub we had, etc – and just walking around the National Mall in general, was lots of fun. Everywhere you turned there was something to see and learn about. They also have a food truck extravaganza every day there on the mall, so a mofo has multiple options if hungry. And you know my ass had the munchies! Aye aye aye.

We were walking in front of our four star hotel when a lady comes up to us and asks for a light. Trying to be nice I said "sure. no problem" handing her my lighter. This bitch then pulls out a crackpipe and snatches up my lighter and starts hitting it right there! I was like … WTF. Um, we're not in Kansas anymore Dorothy. What in the world!? We were utterly dumbfounded.

DC is a lot of walking, for sure. And me not being able to eat very well for a month leading up to this last minute trip, has taken its toll out on me. I've been completely wore out since getting home. I'm just now unpacking! So sorry I'm late again. I really needed this trip, though. My mandatory overtime work schedule this whole last year has been pretty rough, with little to no breaks. But I see light at the end of the tunnel as we are now officially off mandatory overtime, and I will be getting another pay raise this month. Yay! So things aren't so bad after all. I am very thankful for getting over this covid/covid related stuff though. It was not pleasant.

The only good thing about this whole experience was the weight loss.

Well, all last year I've talked and ranted about me bettering myself as a human being, and its true that I have made great strides in this effort over the last three or four years. Be that as it may, no one is perfect (especially me!) , and there is still one area that I need to work on. I have worked on many things over the last several years, recently finally tackling and trying to do the forgiveness thing, and honestly – things have mostly worked out very well for me, but this one final task will be the hardest challenge of all.

My final task is TRUST.

Trust is an issue that many many people today have major problems with. I couldn't tell you how many times paranoid girlfriends that I adored accused me of doing stuff I was not even thinking about doing.

I can relate though. I admit I do that same shit sometimes, too. It's not good.

I aint gonna lie. It's hard AF to trust folks when you've been screwed over in life so much, especially when those you cared about the most are the ones who hurt you the worst. But that is life. You need to roll with the punches and try your hardest to not take out your issues on others. This is one thing that a lot of people need to work on very badly, including myself. But the facts are; my instincts have proven to be 99.9 percent right, so my suspicions in the past were very well founded, I am proud to say. It does not hurt to be aware, and to do what is necessary to live a peaceful drama-free life. But eventually you have to learn to trust, no matter what you've personally been through. And that is the one final thing I need to work on, to better myself.

So there it is. My final life step in becoming the man I want to be. I'm going to need some major luck on this one, though!

Yup, morals seemed to have vanished slowly over the last ten years, until we are finally left with what we have now. It's a sad state of affairs, but I'm going to do my best to bring the good back! To be a light in a dark dark world, even if I'm the only decent Mfer left standing!

I will probably bring back my infamous Rock For Kosair Children's Benefit in the fall of 2022. I have been thinking about it a lot, and I miss helping the kids, and the scene camaraderie involved with such an endeavor, and I have a great team to help me. So why not try? It should be good! We need some more positivity in our scene! Speaking of music, come see my band Year Of The Gun play on Friday February 18 at Louisville Billiards! I'm looking forward to playing out again, we haven't played out since Halloween.

I just want 'good things' in life, like peace, and stability in my old age.

No phuckin' drama! People my age are dropping like flies, so I think it's best to forgive and forget, because I do not want to take any hate or grudges with me to my grave, if something should happen.

You never know when your last day will be. I want you all to know it has been an honor to serve you, to know you, to have had so much fucking fun with you. I have been blessed.

I don't regret none of it, and I look forward to many more great times with you – our music scene! God willing.

I saw a great meme the other day that fit perfectly with how I feel going into the new year. This is it. Peace out.

"I'm walking into 2022 with a clear heart and mind.

If you owe me – don't worry about it, you're welcome.

If you've wronged me – it's all good, lesson learned.

If you are angry with me – You won, I've let it go.

If we're not speaking – it's cool, I still wish you the best in life.

If I have wronged you – I'm sorry, it was not intentional, and that is the last thing I ever wanted to do.

I am grateful for every experience. Life is too short for pent up anger, grudges, stress or pain.

Forgiveness is a gift you give to yourself.

Make 2022 a year of Forgiveness and a season of positivity."

Here's to a great 2022!

The Metal Grapevine

WIN Free Alice Cooper Tickets from Louisville Music News:

I know many of you are going through rough times, and cannot afford a show like this. So I'm doing my best to hook a few of you lucky folks up! Like the Steel Panther and Sebastian Bach tickets we recently gave away. We here at LMN love you and got your back! The good Livenation peeps always come through!

Ok, here is how to win! You already know the drill, but I'll go ahead and say it again. Pick one number between 1 and 10,000. The closest ones to the prepicked number wins! It's simple. You can either email me your number pick, phone number, name, info – or you can enter on my Facebook page under my name Duane Eddy Burke. But get this! You can only submit one number! If you do both, you are disqualified! And I'll ban your ass for cheating! So be like me, be fair, and honest! Maybe you will win!

In Email Subject Line, put "The King Of Shock."

Don't forget to include your name, email, phone number, so I can contact you ASAP if you win!

Winners will be announced on Wednesday January 26 at 6 P.M.

And don't enter if you cannot go! Or are a last minute lazy bastage. I'm not doing this so you can give me the "I'd rather stay home and pick my butt" speech! If you win, you GO. Dealio? Coo.

Hairball/Old Forester Paristown Hall Review (Pics by Carla Shields Photography) :

After a horrible month, I finally got out for a little fun. I have been looking forward to reviewing Hairball, and this new venue, so I was praying I would feel up to it. Luckily, the day of the show I wasn't that sick to my stomach. I was amazingly well enough to attend! This new venue is really neat! It's a beautiful complex, complete with an ice skating rink outside! I woulda totally went skating had it not been raining that day! That was the plan anyways. The venue itself was super nice! It is a double level building kinda like Mercury Ballroom, but with more open space. The stage is wide AF! Even Iron Maiden (notorious for demanding large areas of stage space) would be cool with that stage. The whole place is classy looking and brand spanking new. It's lovely! But how did it sound? Louisville's Wyld Ryde opened the show with some good energetic original music. It sounded pretty darn good! They had a good soundman this night, so all went well. Hairball had everyone curious though. They had never played here in Louisville, nor have they had vocalist and louisville native Dave Moody with them very long. We didn't know what it was going to be like, or how good it was going to be.

Inquiring minds wanted to know.

I am glad to say that all expectations were met, and these guys are seriously badass. Such a good show! The recreated 80's stage outfits were great! Especially the Gene Simmons and Dee Snider outfits!

The stage setup! The moves. The backup vocal harmonizing. All of it. Well done!

They have three incredibly talented singers who switch off vocal duties throughout the night.

These guys are all amazing singers! I was pretty much blown away.

Kris Vox – does Paul Stanley, Joe Elliot, David Coverdale and Freddy Mercury.

Joe Dandy – does David Lee Roth, Vince Neil and Axl Rose.

And Dave Moody does Gene Simmons (complete with axe bass) , Kevin Dubrow, Dee Snider and Brian Johnson.

The band is a well oiled machine of seasoned rockers; Happy on guitar (dude had all the 80's tones perfect) , Brian HBK on bass, and Billy Thommes on drums. These guys have been around 21 years, and were formed in Minnesota.

Hairball is the king of the Tribute bands for sure. I now see why they have become big as they are. And for a tribute band, that is just crazy and mostly unheard of. These guys are writing a new story on how to do it!

They kicked things off with a KISS block of "Detroit Rock City" "Lick It Up" "Shout It Out" "Rock N"Roll All Night" before the Van Halen songs "Hot For Teacher" "Jump" and "Panama."

Next up was Def Leppard with "Photograph" (which sounded killer!) and "Pour Some Sugar On Me" (I hate that song!) " Then Dave was singing Quiet Riot "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel The Noise." Motley Crue's "Kickstart My Heart" and "Dr Feelgood." then they did a blistering block of Whitesnake, and the singer really kicked ass on this! They did "Still Of The Night" and "Here I Go Again." Could the singer hit that super duper hard high note in "Still Of The Night?" He sure did. It was pretty amazing. I was like, dayyyuuum.

Then Dave Moody came out dressed as Dee Snider of Twisted Sister as they tore into "Were Not Gonna Take It." Then some Guns N' Roses like "Sweet Child" and Welcome To The Jungle." The singer nailed that Axl Rose stuff! Impressive. He did Axl much better than Van halen or Motley Crue. They did some Queen, which was odd, because I never considered them a hair band or even in the same realm. It sounded good though! Some Ozzy like "No More Tears" "Crazy Train" and "Mr Crowley." Hairball ended the night with AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" "Shoot To Thrill" and "Shook Me."

Seeing Dave do Twisted Sister, Quiet Riot and Gene Simmons was cool AF. I wasn't expecting all that. But he totally nailed every song.

Dave has become an excellent singer. Every single breath is a measured move with that guy. The highs, the rasp, and power he has in his voice is substantial. He is the true grit of Hairball.

Ya gotta have that rasp!

The backup singer/bassist did very well harmonizing with the vocalists. Great bassist too. Highlights for me were the Whitesnake, Kiss, Guns N' Roses and Quiet Riot /Twisted Sister.

Promoter and MERF rep Matt Mercurio did a great job setting up this show, and doing some good with this cool Musicians Benefit for people in the scene who truly need it. If I had to have just one complaint about this whole wonderful shindig, it would be that they needed more bartenders. No one could hardly get a drink. I was still not feeling 100% and needed a Sprite bad, but the lines were outrageous. Had I been a redneck drunkard, I would have been pissed and about ready to cause a riot.

No biggie though, I'm sure all that will be remedied next time.

I'm just glad the show went well and people were able to get out and have a little fun for a few hours. Some of us really needed that.

Alice Cooper coming to Louisville Palace on Feb 3:

The king of shock rock is coming once again! How does this guy find the strength to tour the way he does? It's never-ending! He must really love his job. Here is some footage from a few short months ago.

Steve Vai Coming to Old Foresters Paristown Hall!!

Put this one on your calendars! Friday March 11. Especially if you like guitar playing! Because this guy isn't human. He is an entity all in his own! I had the pleasure of reviewing him and his unreal band at the House Of Blues in Myrtle Beach in 2012 and it was out of this world. I gotta see this! YOU gotta see this! Trust me, get your tickets now! Plus you get to see the kickass new venue! Psh it's a no brainer.

Tool coming again:

Yup, they are coming again. March 4, 2022 at The Yum! I think it might be sold out. I heard tickets were hundreds of dollars. F**k that! It's good that I get in free, because these prices are way too high for the ordinary person to be able to afford. While not a big Tool fan, I did go review/photograph them last time here, and it was a real good show. I had a blast and the Yum Staff was awesome! I did not agree with Maynard hiding behind a curtain for the whole show, but I guess its just thats dudes mystique. He is different though, I'll give him that! Very different, and he can sing, it's just not for me. I find him a bit whiny and nasally. But maybe I'm just weird (duh!!) , because everyone else seems to love him (I'm anti-trend) , so if you want to go, you better jump on it now, because if by some freak accident it hasn't sold out yet, it will soon! The guitar, bass, and sick drums are what made me like Tool. The band is sick though! Just don't try to sneak onstage like this poor fool did. Maynard apparently knows some Judo!

Cannibal Corpse coming to Mercury Ballroom on March 22:

This band is just too much for the likes of me, but I know a lot of you diehard death metal fans love them, so here you go! Check out this song called 'I Cum Blood.'

Nita Strauss coming on January 18:

Alice Cooper's guitarist Nita Strauss is coming to Diamond Pub Concert Hall on Tuesday January 18. She is an amazing guitarist, and she is hot AF too, so you might want to check this show out if you get the chance! Check out her live riffage!

Sleep Aura releases E.P:

Wow! Real good stuff here. Fresh outta the recording studio! And as usual, Jordan Haynes at Earlygrayce Studios did a great job recording them. Check out this relatively new band that kicks ass. Great guys too.

Musician Of The Month for January is vocalist Jordan Carlson of Skipping Stone:

Be sure to check out his feature this month!

Wyld Ryde Video # 2:

Check out the new one! It's a cover of Juice Wrld/s "Come and Go."

Louisville Music News Live – Kentucky Music History 101!! Get me those videos peeps! Eddymetal1@aol.com

Granshaw:

Hannan:

Factor IX:

Centerfold:

Pownd:

LMN Live-Wake Up In Tsunami:

The Big Rock Show:

LMN Live – E Flat:

LMN Live – Kallus:

Eulogy In Blood:

Taylor Road:

Year Of The Gun:

LMN Live-Skipping Stone:

Wyld Ryde:

Empty Arms Band:

LMN Live-Heaven Hill:

Tom Boone and The Back Porch Pickers:

Upcoming Shows

21rst Amendment Tavern

Monday, January 10 – Guerrilla Red and DBMJ.

Friday, January 28 – Matt Jagger's Singer/songwriter night! He will be filming so come on out and jam!

AJ's Place (Glasgow KY)

Saturday, February 19 – Artwork for The Blind, Lechuga and Devil Be My Judge.

Bush's Saloon (Glasgow KY)

Friday, January 15 – Skunkfest – featuring Luther, Wolf Island Cosmonauts, and Granshaw

Carl's Tavern (New Haven IN)

Saturday, April 9 AftB, Bastard Sons Of A Judas Goat and TBA

Diamond Pub (St Matthews)

Saturday, January 15 – Wicked Sensation

Diamond Pub Concert Hall (Highlands)

Saturday, January 8 – Afroman

Monday, January 10 – Mick Foley

Saturday, January 15 – Repulsion ft. Seek, Zuni, Delek and Raydium

Tuesday, January 18 – Nita Strauss w/ Black Satellite, Abby K and Julius.

Friday, February 25 – Eulogy In Blood, Joe Grudge, 3DR, Devil Be My Judge and Artwork For The Blind.

The Fishtank (Lexington)

Saturday, January 8 – Kentucky Ugly, Totem Jones and All Saints Fade

Highlands Tap Room

Monday, January 3 – Redivider and Wretched Idol.

Louisville Billiards

Friday, January 7 – Sweet Lady

Saturday, January 8 – Trippin Roots

Friday, January 14 – Thunderstruck

Saturday, January 15 – Theater Of Crue

Friday, January 21 – Jonny D Uncovered w/ Dev and Kev.

Saturday, January – 22 Ten Zelkova and Zeroking

Friday, January 28 – Big Cuz Band

Saturday, January 29 – Taylor Road and Hidden Foundation

Friday, February 11 – Beeler Attic

Saturday, February 12 – Sabbath – The Black Sabbath Experience

Friday, February 18 – Skipping Stone CD Release w/ Boombox Poets and Year Of The Gun

Saturday, February 19 – Falls City Freeloaders celebrates Dave's Bday, Bash!

Saturday, March 19 – Empty Arms Band

Ludlow Garage (Cinci)

Friday, January 21 – Sabbath – The Black Sabbath Experience

Mac's Hideaway

Friday, February 18 – Gravel Switch

Magbar

Monday, January 10 – Baptise and Fairie Ring

Friday, January 21 The Koffin Kats w/ Piranasaurus and The Breaklights.

Saturday, February 5 – Eulogy In Blood

Friday, March 11 – Mothrog, Devil Be My Judge, Artwork for the Blind

Manchester Music Hall

Saturday, January 22 – Sabbath – The Black Sabbath Experience

Mercury Ballroom

Friday, January 21 – The Prince Experience

Saturday, January 29 – The Four Horsemen – The Ultimate Tribute to Metallica

Tuesday, March 22 – Cannibal Corpse

Old Foresters Paristown Hall

Friday, March 11 Steve Vai

Friday, March 25 – Trampled By Turtles

Thursday, March 31 – Bright Eyes

OLPH Brewery

Friday, January 7 – The Mad Taxpayers

Rockstar Lounge (Fort Wayne IN)

Friday, January 21 – Devil Be my Judge

The Thirsty Hound

Saturday, February 5 – Empty Arms Band

Saturday, March 12 – Sound Machine

TK's

Saturday, January 8 – Wicked Sensation

Two Lane Bowl

Saturday, – January 8 Empty Arms Band