Bloody Good News: Shinedown or Bonamassa - The Bigger Asshat Is.....

They say that crisis reveals character, and if that is the case, we are definitely being exposed to the ugly interior of some of the musicians we deal with. While there have been scores of them promoting safety, and raising money for the members of their crews who aren't able to work, we've also had more than a few who are proudly putting themselves in the basket of deplorables.

Our Top Story: Shinedown made waves when they announced their plans to get their summer tour back into gear at the end of July. Their meandering statements said that they are "not afraid to play for you", and that they want to follow all safety and medical advice, despite no one saying concerts packed with fans will be a good idea at any time this year as of yet. But that contradiction was not the worst part of it, as frontman Brent Smith went on to say "you can't stay inside forever. Your immune system and everything about this virus, I want people to understand this, is that if you shelter at home for too long, it's going to deplete your immune system."

This non-scientist is saying that he doesn't want to risk anyone's health, but he wants you to pack into an arena with thousands of non-tested people to watch him sing. He will listen to all safety advice, but he won't take any of it to heart. He has bought into a conspiracy theory that staying home for a few months to avoid possibly dying is going to kill you anyway because you won't be able to fight off even a common cold.

It's disturbing, and someone freak out and told him to clean up the mess he made. Shinedown 'clarified' things by saying they will only play when it's safe. That is a clear and obvious attempt to put his stupidity back in the bottle, which is sadly going to work. People want to geat their butt-rock favorites, and they will indeed pack the shows when they start up, completely forgiving their hero for being an idiot who pretty much said fans should risk their lives to watch Shinedown. Shinedown is not worth dying.

In Other News: Shinedown are not the only musicians who don't care if you live or die, as long as they get your money. Joe Bonamassa went on a rant about California's new mask policy, mandating their use for the time being anytime someone is outside or in public. What should be a minor inconvenience to make sure the virus spreads as little as possible is instead being greeted by people like Joe as an infringing on their rights. Joe tries to make himself look more tolerant by saying he wears a mask when he goes to a store, so what is he upset about?

There is this nebulous idea of 'freedom' that populates certain segments of America, wherein it is believed that freedom means being able to do anything you want. People like Joe refuse to admit there is a social contract, where we all realize that society could not exist as it is without everyone agreeing to look out for our best interests. Putting on a mask is a small action that can save lives. 90,000 Americans have already died as a result of this virus, and we have Joe acting as if he is the one suffering the most. Life in a society is a trade-off. You can't do anything you want. You have freedom, but limited by a responsibility to help protect others. Just like you can't yell fire in a crowded theater, or own a personal nuclear weapon, for a little while you can't throw droplets of virus-spit into the air. Big f'n deal.

Joe Bonamassa doesn't care that the people transporting his multi-million dollar gear arsenal from show to show are being forced to wear seat belts. He doesn't care that the venues he plays in are forced to be up to building code. Those are abridging their freedoms too, but they benefit Joe, so he doesn't give a damn. It's only now that something very slightly irritates his daily life that he's on the FREEDOM! train, showing himself as an asshole who thinks himself more important than the lives of the people who live around him.

We should remember in the future that Bonamassa is one of those people who said it's worth you having a higher risk of getting sick just so he doesn't have to look stupid when he's walking around in public. That's the man we're dealing with. He's not a guitar hero, he's a schmuck.

The Spider Accomplice: A Deserving Band Needing Your Help

When we're talking about the music industry, we often think about a giant, soulless machine churning out faceless acts designed for nothing more than separating us from our money. While there is some of that out there, particularly with the major pop labels, the music world is so much deeper and richer than just that. Over the time I've been writing about music, I've had the opportunity to find and help several very deserving independent artists, the people who remind us that music is supposed to be about passion.

Today, there's a band like that who needs your help. The Spider Accomplice is the newest project from singer/songwriter/artist VK Lynn. They are in the process of making their new record, and without the machine behind them, they need an assist from us to get their new music out to the world. They have an IndieGoGo campaign set up for generous patrons.

The Spider Accomplice on IndieGoGo

The Spider Accomplice brings mainstream rock music back to where it's supposed to be, with rich melodic songs that have the eye of an artist, as opposed to the dark slog that much modern rock can be. VK's crystalline vocals are the star of the show, but the band backs her up with texutred songs that more than carry their weight. This is the next evolution of female-fronted modern rock, and you can get in on the ground floor. The Spider Accomplice needs your help, and you owe it to yourself to check them out.

You can listen to their 2015 EP "Los Angeles: The Trap" on bandcamp right now.

The Spider Accomplice on Bandcamp



You won't be disappointed.

News: Forever Still Announces Debut Album

If you were paying attention earlier in the year, I reviewed the latest in a series of EPs from the upcoming band Forever Still. That release was praised for its strong take on female-fronted modern rock, delivering tracks that were heavy and hooky, and showed tremendous potential. After listening to those tracks, I went back and delved into their earlier material, which reinforced my belief that this is a band that had the ability to make an impact in what is often a stale scene.

Now, we can find out for sure, as Forever Still has announced that their debut album, "Tied Down", will be released on January 15. Here's what the band says about the record:

"In 2013, Forever Still released their debut EP "Breaking Free" to extensive critical acclaim and widely toured the record throughout Scandinavia. The following year the band returned to the studio to record the first of three EPs that now make up their full-length concept album ‘Tied Down’. The record grapples with a glut of personal issues stemming from depression, anxiety, and worthlessness, through to perseverance and recovery. The first EP ‘Scars’ picked up glowing reviews, as did the second record entitled ‘Save Me’. The sophomore EP was released in April 2015 and Forever Still undertook a hugely successful European tour, which saw the rocksters headline their first run of UK dates.

Having returned from their latest tour, the band hit the studio again to lay down tracks for their third and final chapter in the EP trilogy. Forever Still now unleash their eagerly awaited debut full length album "Tied Down", which is set to drop in January, followed by extensive European touring."

If you enjoy modern rock, this is an album to keep your eyes on.

And right around the beginning of the new year, we here at Bloody Good Music will be bringing you a review of the record. It guarantees 2016 is going to get off to a rocking start.

For more, check out the following links:

www.foreverstill.dk
https://twitter.com/foreverstilldk
www.facebook.com/Foreverstill