First off, duly note that www.illnino.com has a new look, and a new message board (and it couldn’t have come sooner). Make sure to stop by amongst your internet travels and say hello… In the meantime, we have the following update from Ill Nino drummer Dave Chavarri. The band just spent their first couple of days with producer Bob Marlette this past week, meaning the start of recording their next release is very, very close. Dave’s update is as follows: “What’s up everyone! Just writing in to let you know what Ill Nino has been up to since the band came off the road in December 2002…. After touring the world for two years and being on the road together for so long, each member of the band has really gotten to know and respect each other as friends and musicians. After 24 months of life on the road, everyone in Ill Nino is happy to be home with family and loved ones…but fucking psyched to record our second CD (THANKS TO YOU!!) and to get back to touring. We’ve been getting together six days a week in our new rehearsal studio in Union City N.J., practicing and writing new music for the new record (and FREEZING OUR BALLS OFF in the process!). I’m personally loving the new material and I’m very happy to say that Cris’s new vocals and lyrics are the bomb, and everyone in the band has completely progressed as players and writers. As for the direction of the new material, I can say with certainty that Ill Nino’s new shit is angrier, more heartfelt, more Latin, and more tribal than anything we’ve done in the past. We’re truly trying our hardest to bring you the best music Ill Nino has ever written, and the new shit is HOT… As always, thank you for supporting Ill Nino! ‘Till next time, Peace…” Dave

Last night Rumblefish played at the SXSW (South By South West) festival in Austin, Texas. About So beforehand, we caught up with guitarist Jason DeCosta for a few points of interest: Roadrunner Records: What’s the current situation? Jason DeCosta: “Sitting here with Kevin (Estrada, the bands A&R Rep) eating at the Iron Cactus on 6th Street…about a block away from tonight’s gig (Club 505).” RR: What was the flight situation to Austin from LA? JD: “Pretty cool. Thought is was gonna be bumpy. The last made us fearful of flying, but this time smooth all the way. Kevin was with us last flight, the plane made a hundred foot drop…chicks in the back were screaming…” RR: Screaming? Because of the flight or Kevin’s cologne? (everyone takes a moment to laugh)… So, what’s the Austin, Texas situation? JD: “Humid…stayed out till three am with other Roadrunner people…kinda suffering today, but will play good tonight.” RR: What’s the show situation tonight? JD: “Load in at six, no sound check. But we brought Eddie Oertell with us – he’s done sound for Slipknot and Mudvayne. We trust him. Set list will be “Far,” “Wasting Time,” “In My Head,” “First Impressions,” “Forget,” “Believe,” “Stumble And Fall.”” RR: And the New York City situation? (Rumblefish will be hitting NYC next week for an intimate show on the west side of town) JD: “Excited, so ready for it…” We thank Jason for the time, and wish him and the rest of the band all the best. As for the Rumblefish album situation (titled Exit Highland), all the mixing is complete ceptin’ for one song, “Wait.” Andy Wallace will be mixing that bad boy come Tuesday (March 18). Then it’s off to mastering. Oh, and before ending the phone call with Jason, he tells (in regards to going out next week in NYC) “we’re kind of a reformed band right now. Used to be wilder, but now more pc from getting into trouble – we went from Deicide to flock of seagulls.” We’ll just see about that come next week now, eh?

Just a quick note… if you miss Corey Taylor performing ‘Bother’ with a string quintet this Friday on Top Of The Pops at 7:30pm on BBC2, you can catch it again repeated on BBC1, at 1:30am on Monday morning: i.e. stay up late Sunday night. That’s all, drive through.

Have you ever been to the website Music Insight? No? Well, towards the end of last year, these guys did a cool interview with double Drive. In case you missed it, you can read it below… and be sure to stop by their site and say cheers. Not only that, we have a brand new E-CARD for Imprint, the first single off the forthcoming album ‘Blue In The Face’ (album out April 28). Listen to the song, and learn a bit more about the band HERE. And here’s that interview… Back on Track and Ready to Roll By BRIAN J. HEATON Rarely does a band exemplify the meaning of its name more accurately in its music and career than doubleDrive. Utilizing an anger-filled, yet soulful, melodic sound, the Atlanta-based quartet prides itself on its energetic stage presence, and is dedicated to giving fans a quality performance every time they take the stage. “The name really describes our approach to music, particularly live shows,” explained drummer Mike Froedge. We like to keep things very high-energy and intense…a stomping, loud, sweaty, over-the-top live rock show.” Contrasting with the depression-laced and brooding musical style that enjoyed widespread popularity throughout much of the late 90’s, doubleDrive’s up-beat and sold-out performances at local clubs garnered the attention of numerous record labels. The line-up of Froedge, Donnie Hambry (vocals/guitar), Troy McLawhorn (guitar), and Josh Sattler (bass) signed with MCA Records, releasing 1000 Yard Stare in 1999, and hit the road that fall with Queensr퀌Ëche to support the record. “Queensr퀌Ëche took very good care of us. Great venues, great stages, great food, great everything,” Froedge recalled. “The last show on that tour was a riot. Some of the crew and a few of the members of Queensr퀌Ëche had my all my drumsticks duct-taped together in pairs. At one point, they even ran out and taped Donnie to his mic stand! It was so hilarious we could barely play!” Although the group quickly earned the respect of its fans and peers, doubleDrive discovered that dealing with a major record label could be difficult, as administrative support from MCA dwindled, leaving the band to fend for itself. “Our first single did great, but after that, the ball was dropped,” the drummer admitted. “So after the first few weeks, we were basically on our own, just selling records and t-shirts while on tour. There was very little help from the label, and we were disappointed that the album didn’t reach as many people as we had hoped it would.” True to its name, doubleDrive kicked itself into a higher gear, using its difficulties with MCA as motivation to bring its passionate sound to the masses the old-fashioned way í¢ä‰åäóì by word of mouth and self-promotion. “It’s all about being on tour and getting in front of people who love good music,” Froedge said. “Anyone who says that they would not enjoy a gold or platinum album on their wall is either a liar or an idiot, but there was nothing we could do about it. You just have to move on.” “Moving-on” took a little longer for the band than originally anticipated. Once the members of doubleDrive realized the relationship with MCA Records was over, they disappeared from the public eye almost entirely, playing a few gigs here and there to try-out some new material…a process that has continued for more than two years. “Everything happens for a reason,” an optimistic Froedge maintained. “We wrote a lot of great new songs during that time, and it’s finally all coming together now. But if you’re young, have good songs, and have any business sense, start your own label.” Signing with Roadrunner Records in 2002, doubleDrive is confident the same promotional strategies used for label-mates Nickelback and Slipknot will work for them. Not surprisingly, the drummer had only positive things to say about Roadrunner in comparison to his experiences with personnel at MCA. “Roadrunner has been great so far,” he said. “They have a much smaller and more focused roster of acts than a “major” label, concentrating specifically on rock music, as opposed to spreading things very thin with too many artists. Roadrunner is a great rock-only label, and we are very happy to be where we are right now.” Currently in the recording studio, doubleDrive is slated to release its sophomore-effort in early 2003. Like most second offerings, Froedge feels that doubleDrive’s song writing has matured, but is adamant that the distinct power and live “feel” will remain present in the new material. As might be expected, the extended hiatus from the limelight has stirred some anger in the band í¢ä‰åäóì a trait this upcoming album will be sure to embrace. “The subject matter is a little less optimistic,” Froedge revealed. “There’s a good amount of angst and animosity on the newer stuff. I guess that’s natural, considering the limbo we were in the past couple of years. I think we have some amazing new songs, and I can’t wait to get the record out there.” Production wise, doubleDrive has chosen Mike Barbiero to produce and mix the upcoming release. A well-known staple in the industry, Barbiero is noted for his diverse work with such acts as John Lennon, Guns N Roses, Metallica, Madonna, and Tesla. Once he and doubleDrive met, everyone involved felt he was the right man for the job. “Mike has a very organic and old-school approach to arranging songs and recording, and that’s how we love to work,” Froedge explained. “The approach and vibe is critical when you’re in the studio, and Michael likes to work the same way. We record all the basic tracks live in the studio, to tape, and try to capture as much of a live feeling as possible.” When asked about the latest innovations and equipment to help the recording process, and doubleDrive’s usage of them, the drummer expressed reservations about the reliance many bands place on technology. “Obviously, this is 2002, and you want to sound modern, sonically speaking,” he admitted. “Pro-Tools and all that stuff has its uses, but too many people rely on it to create an illusion of talent. Just shut up, put the tape on the reels, push the red button and play!”

Machine Head’s live album ‘Hellalive’ was released on Monday, so what better time to catch up a little. We nailed down Machine Head drummer Dave McClain for a few quick questions… What’s your favourite track on ‘Hellalive’ and why? “The Blood, The Sweat… This is always one of my favs to play live, and the way it sounds on Hellalive just gives me a boner!” Fave five Machine Head gigs ever. Not in any order of favourites. “a. Roseland Ballroom, NYC. It was the Livin La Vida Wacko tour and we came out and killed everyone!! Then Coal Chambers Production Mgr. had the bright idea of releasing CC’s curtain while we were enjoying the fruits of our labor, and the crowd ripped it to shreds!! b. Dynamo Festival’98. Good God, we played horrible! (I think) But I had goosebumps the whole time, so I think it was good. c. Ten Ton Hammer in London, Boy that MH cover band can ROCK!!! d. We did a show that was a private show for some contest winners in Germany, it was in this little shithole of a place, but it was so much fun! It truly is things like that kinda show that reminds you why we do what we do! e. Full Force 2002, What a killer show! It was one of those nights where everything was perfect. If you check out the video for “The Blood, The Sweat, The Tears” you’ll see what I mean.” You can check out the video HERE. Fave five live albums of all-time. “1.Kiss – Alive 2. Judas Priest – Unleashed In The East 3. Rush – All the Worlds A Stage 4.Peter Frampton – Frampton Comes Alive 5.Pantera – Official Live 101 Proof” An update on the new songs for the next album? “Songwriting was very easy this time, I think we have a killer variety of stuff. It’s heavy, it’s mellow, it’s UGLY!, It’s BEAUTIFUL! A personal favorite of mine is a song called “Bite The Bullet”, Robb’s voice + some echo = Fuck Yeah!! We’ll have some video stuff of us in the practice room up on the website (www.machinehead1.com) soon, so check it out and see what we’re up to!” Thanks for the time Dave…

We’re happy to report that Murderdolls and Stone Sour will be performing at the forthcoming Download Festival at Castle Donington on May 31 (Murderdolls) & June 1 (Stone Sour) – headlined by Iron Maiden and Limp Bizkit. What was the reaction at being added to the bill? We caught up with Joey Jordison, who had the following to say: “I have just received word that the Murderdolls have been chosen to play at Donington with Iron Maiden this summer. I am blown away and speechless… I just dug out ‘Killers’ in celebration of such an honour. Being that this is the first Iron Maiden album I ever bought with my allowance – and still one of my favourites – I can’t put into words how much I am proud to be a part of this. Anyway, here’s to Iron Maiden… Cheers!” Also appearing will be Audioslave, Deftones, Marilyn Manson, Disturbed, Zwan, Less Than Jake, InMe, (hed) Planet Earth, and Ministry over the 2 days and there are still more bands to be added! Tickets are on sale now from the usual outlets. Weekend tickets are 퉌£70, single day tickets 퉌£39.50, with camping an extra 퉌£12.50. You can buy online at www.aloud.com or call the credit card hotline on 0115 912 9189.

Whilst over here recently during their UK tour, Corey Taylor popped into the Top Of The Pops recording studios to record a special version of ‘Bother’ – out last week, amd charting this weekend at #28 in the UK singles charts! What was so special about it? Instead of performing the song by himself, he brought along a string quintet – all local musicians (4 lovely ladies and a lucky chap to be precise). And now you can see it broadcast on TV this coming Friday in the usual Tops Of The Pops slot at 7:30pm – just note, that due to Comic Relief programming, you’ll find this beast on BBC2 not BBC1 this week. Enjoy.

a couple notes of interest… …Stone Sour is back in the States after a month long tour of Europe (see VIDEO section for a couple live video clips from their London Astoria show, inc new live clip of ‘Blue Study’)…they will resume touring come mid-April. Until then, you still just might be hearing them at concert venues – word has it that Stone Sour music will be played right between the acts at the US Disturbed tour throughout March and April. True. …What’s the Bruce Willis situation? “He was trained to follow orders. He became a hero by defying them,” or so tells the tagline of the upcoming movie Tears Of The Sun. In said movie, Bruce plays a Special-Ops commander who leads his team into the jungle of Nigeria. Why the hell are we mentioning this? Ill Nino’s “I Am Loco” is track played during the trailer of this movie. True. (Ill Nino is currently writing material for their upcoming second release) …Spotted earlier this week in a mini-marketing meeting at the Roadrunner US office were two of our own nerds (and we mean that in the nicest possible way) sitting side by side…both wearing long sleeve Killswitch Engage shirts, both sporting shaved heads (though, only one of the shaved heads is out of choice, the other being out of necessity). Speaking of KsE, the final video for “Fixation On The Darkness” should be in house come Tuesday (March 11) after the band puts their stamp of approval on the piece. Lookin’ mighty fine too. …and last, on Friday at Systems Two Studios in Brooklyn – where all Type O Negative albums have been recorded – the Type O Negative photoshoot for their upcoming album took place. Smile.

Earlier this week we told of troubles at the Chimaira shoot for the “Down Again” video. Well, the contingency plan has already been enacted: Chimaira’s stay in Cali was extended by a couple days. During said time, band performance footage was shot, in fact the shoot wrapped up March 6th. The band are now back in the safe confines of the greater Cleveland area. Even with the fire and delay, word has it the video will still be delivered on schedule. True. A ‘shout out’ goes out to video director Paul Brown and his crew for keeping shit in shape and for keepin’ on… Chimaira ‘The Impossibility Of Reason’ in stores May 12th.

Coming April 8th, a Fear Factory release by the name of Hatefiles should be hitting the streets. Meant for the hardcore FF fan, this album is 18 tracks of b-sides, rarities, and remixes made over the band’s 10+ year career. And now in our MUSIC section, an MP3 for the track “Frequency” has been posted…one of the 18 rarities to be found on the Hatefiles release. Enjoy. Full track listing is below: 1. Terminate 2. Frequency 3. Demolition Racer 4. Machine Debaser 5. Invisible Wounds (The Suture Mix) 6. Edgecrusher (Urban Assault Mix) 7. Descent (Falling Deeper Mix) 8. Body Hammer (Colin Richardson Mix) 9. Zero Signal (Colin Richardson Mix) 10. Resurrection (T.L.A. Big Rock Mix) 11. Cars (Numanoid Mix) 12. Dark Bodies (demo) 13. Replica (live) 14. Cyberdyne 15. Refueled 16. Transgenic 17. Manic Cure 18 New Breed (Spoetnik Mix)