Korn

The band formed in the early part of the 1990s in Bakersfield, California, and originally consisted of five members: singer Jonathan Davis, bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu, guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer, drummer David Silveria and guitarist Brian “Head” Welch.

An Unsettling Debut:
In 1994, the band released their self-titled debut. Korn found Davis expressing his alienation in often-upsetting terms, incorporating low groans and demonic recitations of childhood nursery rhymes to suggest a society’s loss of innocence. His words were matched by the band’s metallic guitar textures, although on a track like “Shoots and Ladders,” Korn also wielded unconventional instruments (such as bagpipes) to unsettling effect. While there was unquestionably an immaturity in the group’s approach to their disturbing messages, Korn set into motion the sound and themes the band would refine during their career.

Picking on Mr. Rogers:
While Korn was not a massive success, the band didn’t let its lack of commercial impact inform their follow-up. If anything, 1996’s Life Is Peachy was even darker than its predecessor. Again, Davis juxtaposed happy childhood images with enraged adult angst, notably on “Mr. Rogers,” a song about the famous children’s television host. Notably, Life Is Peachy also brought the band’s interest in rap music to the fore with their cover of Ice Cube’s “Wicked.” Despite its hostile, moody material, Life Is Peachy hit the Top 10 of Billboard’s album chart, suggesting that there was an audience for Korn’s brand of misanthropy.

Papa Roach

'Papa Roach' is a four-piece alternative rock band from Vacaville, California. They broke into the mainstream with their three times platinum major-label debut album 'Infest' (2000). The group's success continued with later releases 'Lovehatetragedy' (2002) and 'Getting Away with Murder' (2004). The group's fourth major album, 'The Paramour Sessions', was released on September 12, 2006. Their newest album, 'Metamorphosis', will be released on March 24, 2009. Papa Roach has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. - Band history - - Papa Roach's early years (1993-1998) - The formation of Papa Roach began in January 1993, when Jacoby Shaddix (vocals) and Dave Buckner (drums) met on the Vacaville High School football field during an intense match, where the two ended up talking about music. They were later joined by Will James (bass) and Ben Luther (trombone) completing Papa Roach’s first ever line-up. They decided to enter the school's talent show, where they performed a cover ...

Muse

The beginnings of the band came when Matt, Dom and Chris formed Rocket Baby Dolls and entered a “battle of the bands” competition. "I remember the first real concert we've ever made was for a band competition,” says Matt “We were the only real rock band; all the others were pop or funk-pop, kinda Jamiroquai if you want. We knew we had no chance to win - we were not the best musicians - it was a matter of 'fitting'. So we did the best we could, we took advantage of our feeling of being 'different'. We came on stage with make up all over our face, we were very aggressive, we played very violently and then we broke everything on stage. All that to say that the will, the attitude meant a lot to us. So we won. And I think that psychologically it changed many things in our heads. Because we came to lose, we expected to lose. And we were angry somehow. And we had just realized at this time that we could replace lots of things. We realized that emotion, the vibrations that you create are as important as your technical skills. We had just discovered something: music is a matter of emotion." Rocket Baby Dolls was then renamed Muse.

As a band, Muse were often asked to play covers. They didn’t like that and were determined to play their own music. The number of gigs started to decline. Then, in October 1995, Dennis Smith discovered them playing in a Cornish village. Dennis Smith: “Matthew has an incredible range of thoughts. He’s got such an imaginative and creative mind, which was obvious in those early days, always challenging and wanting to get into very deep conversations that took 20 years of adult life to come to terms with. An older head on much younger shoulders is how I’ve always seen him.” It wasn’t until 1997 that Dennis offered them free studio time.
First EP, the record deal and Showbiz

In 1998, Taste Media got in touch and a self-titled EP was released on the ‘Dangerous’ label. A few specialist shows were set up in the USA. After strong interest, Madonna’s record label, Maverick, signed them on Christmas Eve 1998. Another EP followed before they released their first single ‘Uno’. It charted just inside the top 75. After the success of the second single ‘Cave’, Muse’s first album (produced by John Leckie who produced Radiohead’s ‘The Bends’) called ‘Showbiz’ was released in October 1999. Early comparisons were being drawn to Radiohead with some critics and music lovers describing them as mere copycats. But it did not stop their success – ‘Muscle Museum’ and ‘Sunburn’ were released as successful singles with ‘Unintended’ being the first Muse single to hit the top 40. The album sold 700,000 copies worldwide and still counting. Muse also released two box sets – The Showbiz box set (released only in France, includes all the copies of their singles) and the Random 1-8 box set (eight b-sides released only in Japan). A successful year for Muse was sealed with a Brit nomination for Best New Act but they didn’t win it.

John Leckie then returned with Dave Botrill (Muse asked him to produce the album with John) to produce the second album, ‘Origin of Symmetry’. Matthew explains the change in direction. "When we did the first album we'd only done a few gigs in London, no major tours. We've learned so much about how we want to be from touring with other bands because of the way they are on stage. If we recorded them in the way other bands do I'd be worried that it would sound the same as them. We've used wind chimes to set up entire backdrops... bits of bones, Llama claws and bubble wrap. It sounds much more atmospheric." Their first single off the new album, ‘Plug In Baby,’ reached number 11, the highest chart placing yet for any Muse single. Their second single ‘New Born,’ also charted top 20.


The album was eventually released soon after to a bag of mixed reviews. However, Muse were on a roll and won the Best British Band award at the Kerrang Awards and were nominated for three Q awards (Best Album, Best Live Act and Best Producer) but didn’t win any. ‘Bliss’ and the double A-side ‘Feeling Good/Hyper Music’ were the last singles from the album. What followed in 2002 was a massive world tour promoting the album and a CD and DVD called ‘Hullabaloo’. The DVD featured Muse playing in ‘le Zénith’ in Paris in October 2001. The CD featured a selection of b-sides on one CD and the concert in Paris on the other. Another double A-side called ‘Dead Star/In Your World’ was released. An EP was also released in France called ‘Dead Star/In Your World’ and a second Japanese and French box set were also made. Muse won the ‘Best Live Band’ at the Kerrang Awards for the second year running topping off a successful period for the band, which saw 1.3 million copies sold.


Then they took another break to record the third album but this time they dropped John Leckie and worked with Paul Reeve, John Corfield and Rich Costey. Matthew explains "He was the man we originally thought of working with for the rock tracks. He'd previously mixed some great rock records -Audioslave, Rage Against The Machine's ‘Renegades’, The Mars Volta - but in the meantime he'd been sending us discs of other people he'd worked with like Philip Glass and Fiona Apple and was trying to convince us that he should do the whole album. We reworked Apocalypse Please with a more aggressive sound, without too much over-production, and it sounded better. In the end he did do pretty much all the album, and mixed it as well. He understood what we were trying to achieve. The main thing with Rich was that his mixing technique was pretty precise. Every cab would have about 10 microphones on it and they would all be placed with mathematical precision. I remember spending a whole day playing the guitar and seeing Rich outside with a measuring tape and a spirit level! He was making the slightest adjustments, millimetres at a time to get it so there was perfect phase."

The album was going to be uplifting but then the US and the UK went to fight Iraq in the Gulf and everything changed. "We started off with a full orchestra, experimenting, pushing it right over the Queen mark - 98 backing vocals, 32-piece orchestra and all sorts! We did two songs like that and kinda lost our minds,” says Matthew. “We ended deciding to get back to basics. We re-recorded some of the stuff with the orchestra, toned it down a little bit. It sounds a lot harder now than I expected. In terms of general context, the world's changed in the last year, the world events of the last year and a half. It's not that we're a political band but I think it's impossible to avoid those things. I think there's a lot of apocalyptic stuff going on in a lot of the songs. While we were recording all the war (with Iraq) was coming out and we were in the process of recording while watching that. The direction definitely took a pretty harsh change in the middle of it all. In relation to the album it's come across more as a general fear and mistrust of the people in power. It's about moments of extreme fear, and a fair bit of end of the world talk.”

Matt also explains how it is different from ‘Showbiz’ and ‘Origin of Symmetry’. “In the past I was layering guitars quite a lot but this time I wanted to get just one guitar part to stand out and be just perfect. On the last album [‘Origin of Symmetry’] for example, on songs like ‘Citizen Erased’ or ‘Micro Cuts’, I did a lot of multiple guitar parts. But when I went to do it live, I actually found myself simplifying the guitar parts and found that the simple parts were much more effective and much more powerful sounding. So in making this album, instead of recording the songs in layers, I was actually working on the parts a lot more before I recorded them.”


‘Stockholm Syndrome’ was released as a download only single to give fans a taste of what was to come on the third album, now called ‘Absolution’. It proved to be not only popular but also one of the most popular download singles ever. Muse then started to play warm-up gigs ahead of the release of the album and a huge European tour. Their next single, ‘Time Is Running Out’, was the only Muse single to feature in the top 10 of the UK chart. Shortly after the European release of ‘Absolution’, Muse won the Q Innovation Award and ‘Absolution’ also topped the album charts in the UK in the process and in December they won the Best British Rock/Indie Band award at the Interactive Music Awards and their third single, ‘Hysteria’, also charted in the top 20 to end a memorable year for Muse.
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2004 was full of drama for the Muse. They were again nominated for a Brit Award, this time for Best Rock Act but lost to the Darkness. They also went on tour in Australia, France, Japan (in which Chris lost his wedding ring that was eventually returned to him) and the USA. Matthew injured his mouth whilst performing in Atlanta. Matthew explains the pain: "I didn't feel any pain at first. Then I spat out this liquid and there were gushes of red stuff spurting out all over the microphone. I ran backstage and started puking up. At first you could feel the stitches stretching my face as I sang but now the only problem is that they seem to be disappearing into my lip.” Dominic also noticed that Matt was injured. "I knew it was bad as soon as he turned around, there was blood dripping everywhere."

He recovered and Muse continued touring America and Canada whilst ‘Absolution’ got critical acclaim, making them one of the British bands that have the potential to crack America like Coldplay. ‘Absolution’ was also only the second album to be released in America because ‘Origin of Symmetry’ was never released there following a dispute with Maverick. ‘Sing for Absolution’ was then released as a single on the eve of their huge European festival tour, charting in the top 20.

Matt has a very interesting habit whilst touring; poker. "I'm really into the mind games of poker", he explains. "I'm more ruthless than the other two so I've been taking all their money. It can get boring. In Barcelona I had to go to a casino to play with some pros. I still made around 500 euros. You know the Channel 4 poker programme Late Night Poker? My ambition is to appear on that. But the stake is £1500 and I'm not quite good enough yet."

Muse confirmed their status as one of the world’s best rock bands by playing a fantastic set at Glastonbury. But it was marred by tragedy as just hours after coming off, Dom’s father, died of a heart attack after seeing his son play live. "It was the biggest feeling of achievement we've ever had after coming offstage", Bellamy says. "It was almost surreal that an hour later his dad died. It was almost not believable. We spent about a week sort of just with Dom trying to support him. I think he was happy that at least his dad got to see him at probably what was the finest moment so far of the band's life."

More drama would unfold at the Cure Curiosa Tour in America as half-way through the tour, Chris injured his wrist, throwing many festival dates in doubt. However, they managed to recruit a temporary replacement in Morgan Nicholls, bassist for UK hip-hop act The Streets, and, with Chris playing on keys and providing backing vocals, delivered a storming show at the V Festival in August 2004, rounding a mad year since the release of ‘Absolution’.

System Of Down

“I think we're ahead of the game,” says guitarist/songwriter Daron Malakian. “I just feel like this band will be more respected ten years from now when people finally figure out what we’re really doing.”

Malakian, singer Serj Tankian, bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan, bonded quickly as friends but also shared Armenian ancestry and mutual disdain for perceived limitations. Their disparate tastes – Jaco Pastorious, Slayer, The Beatles, Faith No More, traditional Armenian folk music – assured from the onset that this would be a band less ordinary.

Malakian says,“We started this band to show people, ‘Look, not everything has been done before.’”

Tankian says, “Humans have been on the earth for millions of years, yet we don’t believe man began thinking until he started building walls. And what good have these walls ever done us?”

System’s 1998 self-titled debut, produced by bearded board whiz Rick Rubin (Slayer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Public Enemy), was an achievement in pastiche overdrive, a dark carnival of moods punctuated by breakneck tempo shifts and progressive structures. That year, radios rung to the visceral fury of “Sugar” and the spooky tension of “Spiders,” each a fiery baptism for listeners weaned on predictability and rote rhyme schemes.

Serj favors abstract, existential poetry, peppered with politics and personal religion. He says, “No one ultimately knows what they’re saying anyway. Are we really making art? Art doesn’t belong to us. It doesn’t belong to people, it belongs to the universe. It comes FROM the universe. It comes THROUGH us. When I write something, I think I know what I’m saying, but I never pretend to know the full meaning of the words.”

The singer’s quaking wails were the perfect compliment to Daron’s schizoid noodling, Shavo’s inventive lines and John’s potent jazz-cum-thrash rumble. Their first salvo found an instant cult and was heralded as a revolutionary diamond in the homogenous crush of Nü Metal…a label that clearly didn’t (and still doesn’t) fit this foursome.

John says, “I don’t think we sound like anybody else. I consider us System of a Down.”

Shavo says, “You can compare us to whoever you want. I don’t care. Comparisons and labels have no effect on this band. Fact is fact: We are who we are and they are who they are.”

Two years of hard touring followed (OzzFest et al) before the band re-immersed themselves in the studio in late 2000. With Rubin again at the helm, they set about crafting a sprawling blitzkrieg of sounds, one that invited an even wider array of influence and experimentation to the table. Melodies expanded. Riffage went mad. Structure and timing were eviscerated. Deeper lyrical levels were mined and the resulting gems were strewn onto thrashing anthems and careening frenzies of fuzz.

Rubin says, “They really set out to reinvent themselves, to be bigger and better than they were last time. I think they're very proud of their first album and all the touring they did. They wanted to grow from those experiences and expand. They really wanted to write lots and lots of songs and reach in all different directions.”

In August of 2001, System of a Down emerged with their second album, “Toxicity.” As critics scoured their thesauri for ample superlatives, radio and MTV heavily rotated the first single, a harmony-drenched slab of whiplash rock called “Chop Suey.” With the cult of System exploding nationwide, the foursome took to the road where manic throngs of Systemites old and new awaited.

In May of 2002, with the title track from Toxicity in heavy rotation and a third single, “Aerials” fast gaining steam, System accepted the coveted headlining slot on the annual OzzFest circus. The thinking man’s metal troupe aim to give Ozzy’s mobile headbangathon an intellectual facelift.

Shavo says, “It’s time for the bands these kids are listening to to deliver something deeper than just ‘let’s party.’”

Now one year after the triumph of “Toxicity,” System of a Down find themselves in an elite class of rock acts who’ve managed commercial hugeness with dignity in spades and nary a compromise on their resume. They’ve engendered a sound transcendent of trends or labels, a propulsive hybrid destined to flourish in any radio climate from here to forever. What sonic twists await us only they know, but we can rest assured knowing that their next offering, like those that have proceeded, will be born from a primal need to evade classification and emote loudly.

Slip Knot

Slipknot's mix of grinding, post-Korn alternative metal, Marilyn Manson-esque neo-shock rock, and
rap-metal helped make them one of the most popular bands in the so-called nu-metal explosion of the late '90s. But even more helpful was their theatrical, attention-grabbing (some critics said ridiculous) image: the band always performed in identical industrial jump suits and homemade Halloween masks, and added to its mysterious anonymity by adopting the numbers zero through eight as stage aliases. Add to that a lyrical preoccupation with darkness and nihilism, and an affectionately insulting name for their fans ("Maggots"), and Slipknot's blueprint for nu-metal success was set.


Slipknot were formed in late 1995 in the unlikely locale of Des Moines, IA; after some early personnel shifts, the nine-piece lineup settled around (in order from number zero to number eight): DJ Sid Wilson, drummer Joey Jordison, bassist Paul Grey, percussionist Chris Fehn, guitarist James Root, sampler/programmer Craig Jones, percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan, guitarist Mick Thompson, and lead vocalist Corey Taylor. The music scene in Des Moines wasn't much to speak of, and the band's big-time ambition was usually met with disbelief and ridicule, which provided the initial spark for its mostly anonymous stage visuals. On Halloween 1996, Slipknot self-released an album called Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat., which began to build a buzz around the group once it found its way to several labels. It was picked up for distribution by the Nebraska-based -ismist label, and also caught the attention of Roadrunner Records, which signed Slipknot in 1997. Working with producer Ross Robinson, Slipknot recorded their official, self-titled debut album, which was released in 1999. They gradually built an audience through near-constant touring, working their way up to the summer Ozzfest package tour, which really expanded their audience. Their live shows were a much-discussed hit with metal fans, and the band performed with such energy that Crahan gashed his head open on his own drum kit twice that summer, requiring stitches both times. The tracks "Wait and Bleed" and "Spit It Out" got the band some airplay, but most of the buzz came from touring and word of mouth. Finally, in the spring of 2000, Slipknot was certified platinum; the first such album in Roadrunner's history.

The anticipation for Slipknot's follow-up was intense, and many industry observers predicted that it would debut at number one; however, faced with some stiff competition that week, the band's sophomore effort, Iowa, bowed at number three upon its release in 2001. More heavy touring followed, including another, more prominent slot on that summer's Ozzfest. After a long spell on the road, Slipknot took a break while the members worked on side projects. The band set up its own label, Maggot Recordings, and signed a band called Downthesun, whose lead singer had served as Crahan's drum technician. Wilson, meanwhile, began DJing solo under the name DJ Starscream, and Root and Thompson both worked on solo material. Drummer Jordison worked with a side group called the Rejects, where he'd actually served for quite some time as guitarist. Taylor, meanwhile, started a side band called Superego, and also contributed a solo song, "Bother," to the soundtrack of the 2002 blockbuster Spider-Man. That May, the band got some amusing press when some of its fans discovered the website of a British crocheting group also called "Slipknot," and flooded the members' in-boxes with excessively rude e-mails. Guitarist Joey Jordison and Static-X guitarist Tripp Eisen teamed that summer for the Murderdolls project, while Taylor reformed his old band Stone Sour and released an album. By the winter, Slipknot had still not reunited and Taylor wrote a commentary on the band's website stating that they had not spoken in months, and that they'd rather break up than become "the next Gwar". The statement sparked a quickly resolved minifeud between Taylor and Gwar frontman Oderus Urungus. but it also sent many of the Maggots into a tailspin. By early 2003, Taylor had retracted his comments, and announced plans for a new Slipknot album. By August, the entire squad had decamped Iowa for LA, where they began work on the new record with famously bearded producer Rick Rubin. "Pulse of the Maggots" appeared in early 2004 as an exclusive download; it was followed by a full track listing for Vol. 3: [The Subliminal Verses], which was slated for a May release. Slipknot then embarked on a brief tour as a warm-up for their dates headlining Ozzfest that summer. The group also debuted a fully-redesigned third generation of their famous masks. On May 25th, the Subliminal Verses finally dropped, to the usual clamor of great fanfare and furious anger. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide.

Saosin

California-based Saosin burst onto the post-hardcore scene in March 2003 with their explosive screamo-tinged debut EP, Translating the Name, on Death Do Us Part. For the recording, the band was comprised of vocalist Anthony Green, former Slayer guitar tech and drummer Pat McGrath, guitarist/vocalist Justin Shekoski (ex-As Hope Dies), and former Open Hand members bassist Zach Kennedy and guitarist/vocalist Beau Burchell. The band's name comes from a Chinese proverb that means "small heart," as in love cautiously. Shortly after the EP's completion, Kennedy exited (going on to join Ashlee Simpson's band) to be replaced by Chris Sorenson, and since McGrath had been enlisted solely to play drums on the album, Saosin weren't solidified until that July with the addition of permanent drummer Alex Rodriguez (also formerly of Open Hand).

Even though Translating had been out since March, the band didn't make its on-stage debut until June. Their powerful live performance and heavy Internet presence were coupled with high praise for their EP (comparing them to the emotional catharsis of Glassjaw), cultivating an impressive underground following. The guys hit the road nationwide that summer with Boys Night Out and Anatomy of a Ghost. Green parted ways with the band in February 2004 for personal reasons, later going on to front the emo/post-hardcore outfit Circa Survive. The other bandmembers pressed on without him, however, and though they had yet to find a permanent replacement, stayed true to their Warped Tour obligation with Story of the Year's Phil Sneed taking the mike. By the summer's end, Cove Reber had become the band's new singer. Saosin spent time on winter's Taste of Chaos tour before hooking up with Capitol Records in March 2005. After numerous compilation appearances, a self-titled EP of demos and live cuts appeared that August; summer was spent on co-headlining dates with Anberlin. Saosin continued work on their eponymous full-length debut with Howard Benson, finally releasing the long-awaited disc in September 2006. Plenty of touring followed well into the next year, including dates with bands like Senses Fail, Bleeding Through, A Static Lullaby, and Poison the Well. In March 2008, Saosin released Come Close, a live CD/DVD. Corey Apar, All Music Guide

Disturbed

Heavy metal band Disturbed came together through the matching of a band with a singer. Longtime friends Dan Donegan (guitar), Mike Wengren (drums), and Fuzz (bass) played together in Chicago for some time before hooking up with singer David Draiman around 1997. Draiman had grown up in a religious family against which he rebelled, being expelled from five boarding schools in his adolescence. His anger found an outlet in the thrashing sound of Disturbed, and the band built up a following on Chicago's South Side before a demo tape led to their signing to Giant Records, which released their debut album, The Sickness, in March 2000. The band gained more fans and exposure playing the main stage of the 2001 Ozzfest, then breaking away to do their own self-described "victory lap" around the U.S. that fall. Also during this period, they managed to record a vicious new version of wrestler Steve Austin's theme song that was so good it managed to receive radio play, and they were one of the many bands announced to work on a high-profile Faith No More tribute album.

Disturbed stepped into the studio after stepping off of the road and began work on a new disc that would reflect their growth as a band. Feeling experimental, the bandmembers worked with producer Johnny K and mixer Andy Wallace in order to create an album that could compare to other classic metal records they admired. Amplifying their fondness for groups like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Pantera, and Soundgarden, Believe was released in the fall of 2002 and was recognized as a heavier, more varied, and ultimately superior record to their debut, ultimately reaching the top of the Billboard 200. After completing a tour to support the album, Fuzz left the band and was replaced by former Union Underground member John Moyer. The tour document Music as a Weapon II appeared in 2004, followed by the ambitious studio full-length Ten Thousand Fists in September 2005 and Indestructible in 2008. William Ruhlmann & Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide