When L A Music Scene first spotted actor/comedian/writer Brian Posehn it was at a Ronnie James Dio Cancer Fundraiser last May 2019. It was quite a surprise as fitness guy Jack Witt and L A Music Scene looked at each other and said isn’t that the guy that was the geologist on “Big Bang Theory” and the mailroom guy on “Just Shoot Me?”
“Who knew?” we said as Posehn headed to the backstage area to mingle with all of the Metal acts that were attending the fundraiser in order to play and pay tribute to Dio. Posehn sure doesn’t resemble the stereotyped personification of a Metal rocker, and yet there he was digging the Metal scene and having fun. Witt and L A Music Scene just sat on a bench near the backstage entrance very envious of Posehn and not believing our eyes.
Enter a press release that announces that Posehn has teamed up with Anthrax’s Scott Ian to release a Metal album titled “Grandpa Metal” and it’s said to be the “perfect unorthodox-Valentine’s Day album.” As we read it we were going “ah-ha” it all makes sense now; while this could easily have slammed others into a brick wall while going “what the” that did not know what Witt and L A Music Scene already knew…Posehn is a Metal Head.
When L A Music Scene queried Michele Coombe, Executive Assistant to Parsons at Siren Artist Management, about Posehn’s being at the Dio fundraiser in May of 2019 she said that “I can tell you that he has been a regular on that scene forever; I’m pretty sure since the 80’s. That dude is always out watching Metal bands.”
Parsons and Coombe are the ones that stage the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Fundraiser every year along with Dio’s widow, Wendy. This last one was the fifth one and was their most successful one thus far. Even Dave Grohl came that day to jam with singer Ricky Warwick, Black Star Riders/Thin Lizzy/Almighty; bass player Robert Crane, Black Star Rider/Vince Neil Band and guitar player Keith Nelson, the original Buckcherry lineup. The next one is slated for May 17th, 2020 and who knows maybe Posehn and Ian will put in an appearance and treat all the attendees to their new album…”Grandpa Metal.”
As for Coombe’s response to Posehn’s being a Metal act, she was as surprised as Witt and L A Music Scene were and said “Well, didn’t know that he (Posehn) was a musician so there you go.”
When it comes to the record “Grandpa Metal,” it’s a very tight and listener friendly piece of ear candy which is sure to please the more discerning tastes of Metal music fans. Witt, a devout Metal music aficionado, said that the tracks are “Cool enough to like. A little tongue n’ cheek which I find fun in a throwback kind of way.”
Witt added that “Scott Ian is a legend on the Metal scene and really brings some true credibility to the project. I became an Anthrax fan when John Bush from Armored Saint became their singer for awhile.”
At the time of the interview with Witt, his best friend Steve Throop had just passed away from cancer and Witt was feeling a bit a sad, but had many fond memories of the two of them attending Metal concerts while going to high school in Cleveland, Ohio during the 80s. “We saw all of the Metal bands passing through. The energy was just raucous and raw. All those bands were young and were up and coming back then and we (Witt and Throop) were young and wild.”
As for “Grandpa Metal” and its substance, it is produced by Jay Ruston and is on MegaForce Records. Guest appearances by a Metal all star line up that includes members of Slipknot, Slayer and Testament plus Weird Al Yankovic. This cannot help but entertain your funny bone as well as perk up your Metal “Bone.” “Grandpa Metal’ is slated for a Valentine’s Day release.
This truly is an aggregate of the blending of Comedy and Metal…dig it!
Also recently released and/or soon to be released are a monster list of acts that L A Music Scene hasn’t covered as well as “old” friends.
In January rapper Eminem released “Music To Be Murdered By” which has Rap that is faster than a speeding bullet and is not an older and toned down Eminen/Slim Shady. Quite the opposite.
The rapper appeared on the recent Oscar Awards Show performing “Lose Yourself” which was a pleasant detour from most of the show and gave us our “Slim Shady” singing about “Mom’s Spaghetti” from his “8 Mile” movie that won an Oscar 18 years ago, but did not appear to accept the award or perform it due to scheduling conflicts. His appearance did leave most of the Oscar viewing public and attendees a bit bewildered until it was remembered that his appearance might have been 18 years late, but at least Eminem made it…right. Thank you Eminem for a riveting performance.
Also slated for Valentine’s Day release are up and coming Lovely World’s “Edge Of Time” which features edgy chops and not much like The Scorpions’ song with the same title or “Dr.Who’s” song with the same name. More like Arctic Monkeys on steroids…it sizzles. And then there is Bryan Conner Music’s “Wild Heart” which is a smooth Country-ish song. Perfect tune for Valentine’s Day. Conner is from a Country band that we were once big on called Highway Down which had a great set list of songs that were written by Connor that were very appealing and also a few covers…no “Sweet Home Alabama,” thank heavens.
Veteran Rocker Johnny Jetson just released a single titled “Love Me For My Car” which harkens back to Marc Bolan/ T-Rex and is a cool tune that is not too complicated or too long. It is no wonder that it is getting air-play on Rodney Bingenheimer’s show on Sirius XM.
Damian Sage is set to release “Union Town” March 16 which is a score for a TV show about what else…Unions. This song really resonates and reminds one of Cat Stevens when he was politically correct in the late 60s.
All the above releases are available on Spotify, itunes and all the usual streaming channels.
Classic Country band Midland is set to release their “cheatin’ songs” from their live show at The Palomino Club on February 28. Their show at The Palomino appeared in the November 2019 L A Music Scene and is worth a reread or a first time read in you’ve never heard of these bad boys of Country Music.