Do you remember last year’s awesome ROADRAGE RAFFLE? One winner at each Roadrage show won a bag of cool swag and got to hang out with all the bands with a mate? And all you had to do to enter, was put an entry slip into a box on the merch stand at the show? And then the band drew a winner onstage? Yup.. it’s back, and better than ever. This year, we’ve teamed up with the good folks at the most excellent Scuzz TV channel. Just head over to HERE to print off the entry slip, fill it in, take it to a Roadrage show, put it in the box on the merch stand (trust us, you’ll be able to see it) and keep your fingers crossed!

Today, three Roadrunner bands will be making their way to the UK – Chimaira, Ill Nino, Spineshank. The occasion? Road Rage 2003 tour in Europe. All three bands will be touring together over the course of the next month, meanwhile back stateside, touring plans are being worked out for each upon their return. Of course, once plans are confirmed, we will let you know. Cleveland to Detroit. Detroit to London. Whose travel plans are those above? If you guessed Cleveland’s finest, you are correct. Of course, we speak of Chimaira. Tells Chimaira’s Chris Spicuzza, “we depart Wednesday night, 7pm. Cleveland to Detroit…Detroit to London.” What else does he tell before the trip? We asked him 10 questions. All to be answered without hesitation. They go as follows (and we hope you enjoy): do note, interview carried out by our US office in NY Roadrunner Records – True or False (and explain answer): Real men only get tattoos on their forearm. Chris Spicuzza – False. Real men get tattoos on their necks. I watched Jason Hager (ex-guitarist) go through some serious pain on his. RR – Favorite part about coming to the UK? 1) Fried everything, 2) The rain, 3) Beer served at room temperature, 4) Telling people on the flight over who have never been, that ALL chicks are hot like Elizabeth Hurley. CS – #4. because I can’t deal with the other 3. RR – Pork rinds, Vernors, and a Dodge, or Potato chips, Schweppes, and a Chevy? Explain. CS – The options suck here…. Chipotle (see website, www.chipotle.com), Water, and a Lexus is what you’re getting. RR – Cricket vs Baseball, which sport could you actually see yourself caring about? CS – Baseball. I don’t understand Cricket, but I know David Boon rocks that shit. RR – US punk vs Brit Punk, which is better? CS – Slayer RR – discuss the merits of Fried vs Broiled. CS – Slayer RR – Tea or coffee? CS – Beer… preferably Michelob Ultra RR – If the Rolling Stones were from the US, would their success have been the same? Likewise, if Aerosmith were from the UK, would their success have been the same? CS – Makes no difference to me. I’m sure the results would be the same. RR – If you were stranded in the UK for one month, name five essential items you’d want to have. CS – air conditioning, ICE COLD beer, cell phone, laptop, high speed internet RR – Favorite album that has come out this year? And will you have it with you in the UK? CS – Deftones. Deftones is my favorite so far this year. Luckily I have my trusty Ipod for listening pleasure. Choosing which CDs to bring on tour took hours. Godspeed gentlemen. Have a great time in Europe. And Chris, we thank you for your time.

Those of you who are still wondering just what EXACTLY Clown has been getting up to with To My Surprise can buy the album from Monday Oct 6th. Available on CD for around 퉌£11.99 from the following retailers: HMV – 퉌£2 off with your ‘Download 2003’ discount card. Order you free card online here. VIRGIN – 퉌£2 off with Voucher in Kerrang! issue 24/9. MVC MUSIC ZONE & ROADRAGE Indie Stores – check here for your nearest stockist.

‘MTV2 – Headbanger’s Ball’ is a 40-track double CD for the price of a single CD! It features new music from Static X, 36 Crazyfists, DevilDriver, Soil, Unearth, Slayer & Mushroomhead + classic cuts from Marilyn Manson, Deftones, Murderdolls, Staind & Spineshank and is out on Monday Oct 6th available from: HMV VIRGIN MVC MUSIC ZONE & ROADRAGE Indie Stores

Can’t make any of Acey’s guitar clinics across the UK at the moment? Fear not, for Acey is kindly going to answer your guitar-related questions online too… If you have something to ask, email us your question to rrguest@roadrunnerrecords.co.uk, titling your email ASK ACEY, and we’ll put as many as practical to him to answer and post up the answers here!

So.. Chimaira will be in the country in just a couple of days for the Roadrage tour!! And.. coming very shortly is the brand new Chimaira video for ‘Pure Hatred’! Meanwhile, check out the following magazine coverage… * Metal Hammer – Access All Areas * Kerrang! – Pub Talk * Total Guitar – Chimaira feature * Rocksound – Soundtrack Of Your Life (out 22/10) * Powerplay – Chimaira feature Keep an eye out for our teamers at the Roadrage shows giving out free bright orange Chimaira/Spineshank Jagermeister shot glasses and Roadrage loop keyrings!

One tour winds down, and another is about to begin…Ill Nino and Spineshank just toured the US together, and now teaming up with Chimaira, all three bands will be hitting Europe this week. Spineshank drummer Tommy Decker recounts the end of this most recent US tour run: “Well, our U.S. tour with Ill Nino, 40 Below Summer and Skrape is over. It seemed way too short. We had such a great time that we REALLY want to continue the tour and hit the west coast and Florida and all the other places that we didn’t get to play. So that is a possibility after Europe (cross your fingers). Some of the shows that stood out since the last time I wrote are as follows: San Antonio. It was over sold and hot as fuck, with some of THE craziest people I have ever seen. From the second we went on, there were people crowd surfing (4 or 5 at a time) and a constant barrage of stage divers. I was smiling the whole fucking show. Cant wait to go back there. The Norva in Virginia is the best venue in America, so it’s always awesome there. The backstage area has a hot tub, a sauna, 4 showers, one of the coolest staffs ever, and a fucking basketball court!!! The crowd was great as usual and there’s even a mall across the street. Playing the Norva is like a day off. We want to be the house band there. I always look forward to playing Pittsburgh and this time was even better than I remember. we were the last band of the night and I was afraid that the crowd would be tired, but was I fucking wrong, there was a huge ass pit for the whole set. I’m glad you guys didn’t forget about us in Pittsburgh. The last day of the tour we had 2 shows – one in Boston at 3 p.m. and one in Hartford at 11 p.m. The 1st show was a radio show for WAAF (who we love). It was in a God damn hockey arena and the temperature was about 50 degrees! The show was cool (get it? I’m a regular Carrot Top), but we had to rush out as soon as we were done in order to make the next show in Hartford. The place in Hartford was packed and I was really happy to see so many people come out and support the tour. My only complaint about this show was that the security guards were standing in the pit making sure there was no pit, stage diving or crowd surfing. That was a bunch of bullshit. People kept getting thrown out for just moving the wrong way, hopefully they lighten up on the kids and let everyone have a good time next time. Before the last song, Ill Nino came out and we all did a shot of Jager together. It was a romantic moment to say the least. This was an awesome ending to an awesome tour, and I want to thank each and every person who came out and supported all the bands – you made it all possible. We love you guys. Next, it’s on to Europe with Ill Nino and our good friends in Chimaira. This should be a crazy tour, I told all of you that we would be back to reschedule the canceled dates!!!!! We start in Portsmouth on Oct 3rd and I think it’s already sold out. That’s the right way to start off a tour. see you all soon” Tommy

Nickelback “Someday.” Three facts on the recording of this song: 1. The song, if you are familiar, starts off with an electric guitar that is played with an EBow (electronic device that let’s the guitar mimic the sounds of violins, horns, etc). There is no orchestral instruments, no keyboards in the song. It’s all guitar. 2. For the rhythm guitar parts, a Gibson Flying V with EMG pickups was used. Just why, exactly? “It has such a meaty sound,” tells Peake frankly. 3. The mixing board used to record this song – actually all songs on the album, for that matter – was the SSL board that was used by producers Bruce Fairbairn and Bob Rock at Little Mountain Studios. Huh? To put this in another perspective, this is the same board that was used to record some of the biggest albums of all time – Metallica Metallica, Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet, Motley Crue Dr. Feelgood, and Aerosmith Pump, among others. In fact, Chad bought the board, and it is the piece in his home studio in Vancouver. Anyway, enough tech crap for you today. Check out Billboard.com for a review of the album…oh, and for the line where the title of this update comes from, “a disc that a pop fan can enjoy, for sure, but it would also be at home in the jukebox of a roadside bar.” Also, amongst your web travels, hit up www.nickelback.com and vote for your favorite song off the new Nickelback album.

You remember we told you that last week Eric from the Murderdolls got up on stage with Faster Pussycat, on GUITAR? No lies. Hear all about it direct from Eric himself… “Taime Downe, singer of Faster Pussycat also promotes one of LA’s most popular rock clubs, the Pretty Ugly Club, Wednesday nights at the Dragonfly… last week was his birthday party at the club…. apparently Brent Muscat had other commitments so Taime, who has been a friend of mine since I moved to LA, called me to ask if I’d play guitar for a short performance of three new songs, and a cover of Betty Blowtorch’s “Shut Ip And Fuck”… I did learn Bathroom Wall but we didn’t do it live… It was really cool playing guitar again live, and I was excited to play in front of many of my friends who hadn’t seen me play since I went off on tour over a year ago… and of course the Ghoul came out, as did Joey who brought along Paul from Slipknot. I spotted a few Murderdolls fans out there, too… the short set was over fast, and the drinking went on for much longer…..” Eric

Make sure you listen to the Radio 1 Rock Show tonight from 12am-2am to win a load of Roadrage goodies! They will be running a big competition to win tickets to each of the Roadrage dates + T-shirts, DVD’s, CD Samplers, Posters, Stickers… tune in!