Rise to Remain’s Austin gets fatherly advice - Eric MacKinnon (RockAAA)

Austin Dickinson reveals nugget of wisdom from Dad Bruce!

Austin Dickinson has revealed the key piece of advice his world famous rock star father has given him – don’t fuck up.

The Rise to Remain frontman says his Dad Bruce, Iron Maiden singer, has been massively supportive but he insists he didn’t realize how famous his old man was when he was growing up.

He told RockAAA:

“He has told me not to fuck up enough times."

“He also tells me all the usual father stuff and he is supportive which is all I can ask. I don’t think either of us could stand it if either of us stepped into each other’s musical endeavors. Dad wasn’t in Maiden for the majority of my childhood so I didn’t have a concept of what he did although I do now of course. He was a lot more creative than active and he wasn’t touring constantly. I did tour the world when I was very young, only around one or two-years-old so I can’t remember that. So I didn’t really grow up around music in that way although it has always been a big part of my life.”

Rise to Remain have enjoyed a meteoric rise on the metal scene, scooping a series of awards while also earning slots at both the Download and Sonisphere Festivals. Now the youngsters have confirmed they have penned a worldwide deal to release the hotly-tipped and critically acclaimed band’s debut album. And Dickinson explains the band had wrapped up the album long before they went looking for a record deal.

He continued:

“We spent a good while talking to a bunch of labels. We actually recorded, mixed and mastered the album before there were any major labels in the game. We did that because it was our first album and we wanted to take our time and care with it. We wanted to rearrange the band priority of getting signed to a label first then rushing out a record. We wanted to do it the other way by doing the album first and getting a good metal record done."

“Then we sent the album to all the labels and we spoke to a lot of them but EMI were the ones who showed the most enthusiasm and excitement and had the most plans for us. The whole thing fits together really well and we are really delighted and honored to be working with EMI."

“The situation has changed now and labels aren’t so much concerned with creative control as they are with merch and the likes because of downloading. It is really up to individual bands to do what suits them but as it was our first we really wanted to sculpt and hone it.”

The first fruits of the partnership can be heard with the release of a free track entitled ‘The Serpent’ which was released on March 22 and is available from the band’s website

Ulrich: I’ve Taken My Slaps on the Wrist - RockAAA

Metallica drummer accepts band got out of control – but says they still do what they do for themselves

 Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich says the band have accepted the “slaps on the wrist” they received from the rock and metal community over the years.

He understands people think the thrash giants lost their way, especially in their troubled period around the late 90s. But they still enjoy making music – and importantly, they still do it for themselves.
He tells FasterLouder: “It got out of control in the 90s. We were putting an album out every half an hour or something. We’ve certainly got our wrists slapped a couple of times by the community when we’ve gone too far.

“I’m not going to give you the crap about doing it for the fans – we do it for ourselves. But the best thing about music is when it’s a shared experience. So that’s why we’ve tried to give the fans so much access.

“If you’re going to give them access, don’t control the level of it depending on how your hair looks, what kind of mood you’re in or how many you had to drink the night before. If you’re going to open the door, open it wide.”

But Ulrich admits the door was perhaps opened too wide in their infamous 2004 documentary movie Some Kind of Monster.

“Maybe it was too much access,” he says. “I know people thought it was too much, and I appreciate and understand. But from a creative point of view it has authenticity – and I’m proud of that.”

As they reach the end of their two-year Death Magnetic world tour, with rumours of a Big 4 world tour alongside fellow thrash icons Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax, Ulrich says his band are content with the way things are now.

He explains how far they’ve calmed down: “I’m not in the business of saying anything bad about anybody. I did that in my 20s and 30s. Our rider has fat-free milk, fruits you’ve never heard of, organic yoghurts – I don’t even think there’s a bottle of Jack Daniel’s in there.”

He’s even comfortable enough to describe his admiration for U2 – something he’d never have dreamed of doing fifteen years ago: “I’m the hugest U2 fan – I’d borderline call myself a groupie. I would play in a parking lot just to open for U2. I feel a lot of kinship for a band who have been going 30 years like us. They’re inspiring to me – I love their music, their thinking, I love the way they reinvent themselves and it works on all levels.”

In summary Ulrich says: “At some point along the way you figure out what kind of band you are. we’re a band who enjoy people having access to us. Metallica sits in a really good place right now. We actually hang out sometimes and we enjoy each others’ company. What’s not to love?”
  
Metallica -Lars Ulrich Interview - Australia 2010

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