Los Angeles metallers WHITE WIZZARD have revealed the artwork for their third full-length album, "The Devils Cut", due to be released on June 3 in Europe via Earache Records and June 25th in the USA through Century Media/Earache. The CD features artwork by Cameron Davis, who is known for as the lead character designer and illustrator for the Guitar Hero video game series.
Comments WHITE WIZZARD bassist and mainman Jon Leon: "It was great to work with the amazing artist Cameron Davis again, who also did the art for our album 'Over The Top'. Cameron and I live in the same building here in L.A. and he is a really talented guy. When he presented me the piece for the album cover, I knew right away it was the one. It has amazing imagery and depth and is very artful, while making a tongue-in-cheek statement poking some fun at organized religion, which is something I feel strongly about.
"Some of my lyrics on this album and previous albums focus on not letting religion and the cult of group belief blind you from the preservation of thinking for yourself and being an individual, so it ties into that very well, as the statement of the piece is how religion is imprisonment for the soul and how, even within its own confines, it forces its believers into blind group submission. I think any of us that went to catholic school as a child can relate to that nun!!! It has 'classic metal cover' all over it and it just blew my mind.
"I look forward to this imagery being out there and am proud to have it be a part of WHITE WIZZARD. To have art of this quality to convey the visual aspects of the band is just fantastic."
A video of WHITE WIZZARD taking part in a photo shoot with Cameron Davis, including an audio clip from the new album, can be seen below.
"The Devils Cut" was once again produced by Ralph Patlan (MEGADETH, UFO, MICHAEL SCHENKER) at Phase Four Studios in Tempe, Arizona.
I'm the lost one chasing colors to the sun
Colors bleed but never fade
et pour rester dans la même lignée, ils ont viré leur chanteur en cours de tournée Grosse embrouille ci-dessous.
Il est remplacé par le gars qui chantait pour Warlord au Keep It True.
White Wizzard has posted the following message online via Facebook about splitting with the band's vocalist mid-tour and seeking a fan to replace him:
"So fans of the Wizzard in London here is the deal. Joseph Michael fucked off our gig in Cardiff and left us screwed, sat in a bar and refused to perform the show.
"Though Peter and Jon came through and saved the day and sang some tunes, and actually had an amazing memorable gig... if there is anyone that can bring it on some Wizzard tunes that wants to get up and do 5 or 6 songs tomorrow night we will give you the chance.... Jon and Peter will handle some tunes and we will make it a party.
"If we find a guy good enough.... hey you can do the euro tour. Here is a chance for a fan that can sing... if not we may get a few guys up and just have fun with it. Yes our luck with singers is legendary and yes this is spinal tap but hey fuck it. We will carry on.
"The 4 of us are determined to not let it stop us. We thank every fan and will bring it tomorrow we assure you. Thanks for all your support. God help us find a decent singer that is dependable and a good guy!! That is all we ask. Here is to hoping and if anything one memorable night upcoming in London."
After apparently splitting with the band's vocalist in the middle of a tour last night, White Wizzard has now issued the following statement about the situation and who will be stepping in for vocal duties:
"White Wizzard want to release a brief statement on singer Joseph Michael. Last night in Cardiff Wales, Joseph Michael left a crowd of fans sitting in the venue waiting to see White Wizzard, sat in a pub across the street and refused to perform the show for extremely selfish reasons.
"The band soldiered on with Peter Ellis and Jon Leon handling vocals. It was hugely unprofessional on his part. Due to these actions, we have secured another singer for mainland Europe named Giles Lavery.
"Sadly, due to this any many other problems over the past several months, it is without question we must move on and immediately make a change. Joseph is making very false and erroneous claims on his Facebook site unfortunately about Jon and the band, but without getting into a war of words we will just simply say he is lying and making a desperate attempt to hurt the band and Jon to cover up his very unprofessional actions.
"The rest of us are determined to move on, and we all assure you we are united and everything is fine within the rest of the group. We will do our best to move on. See ya out there! Thanks for all the fans support last night and beyond."
Joseph Michael also posted this message (apparently the one referenced by White Wizzard above) about the situation on his own personal Facebook page last night:
"Here is the real story on White Wizzard. Jon has been stealing money from us. From indie gogo fund and out on tour and i called him out on it.
"He then fired me last night on the night off... Then announced that i was refusing to sing... It's all lies...
"I was fired and he couldn't find someone to sing so he begged me 5 minutes before they went on...
"Jon Leon is a Con man and has not honored one word he has said since i have joined this band... After i sang on White Wizzard - Devil's Cut he threatened to forbid Earache Records from releasing it with my vocals if I didn't sign a new contract giving no rights and a far worse deal... After the work was done...
"If it wasn't for Will Wallner and Jake Dreyer Standing up to this criminal he would have left myself and filmmaker Don Adams stranded in the middle of nowhere...
"Jon Leon has paid for nothing on this trip and has acted a child the whole time. Please Do not Let him rip you off if you Purchased From Indie Go Go... Goodnight."
I'm the lost one chasing colors to the sun
Colors bleed but never fade
D'ailleurs ils ont fini par annuler purement et simplement la tournée, ça s'est fini en eau de boudin :
UPDATE on 08.10.2013: Parting ways with a vocalist mid-tour is usually not a good idea as White Wizzard discovered. Following the drama involving their former singer Joseph Michael who was fired from the band, the heavy metallers have made the decision to cancel the rest of the European tour they had planned for this month. The accusations between the two parties continue. Furthermore, Joseph Michael is planning to sue Jon Leon for slander and defamation.
Jon Leon explained the decision: "Well everyone this really pains me to put up this press release. Due to Joseph Michael refusing to perform and numerous other issues once again with a lead singer, the 4 of us and the band Monument have decided it is best to bow out of this current tour and cut our losses. This cancellation is the 100 percent fault of Joseph Michael and his refusal to perform with us for his own selfish reasons. I have also determined that he has been lying to everyone about his relation to Ronnie James Dio. It is a flat out lie. Plain and simple. We have had numerous issues with him over the past year, but lying about that is a huge deal to me and led to the arguments I had with him on this current tour which snowballed into this... and of course his refusal to perform 2 shows for his own personal reasons and games when a crowd of fans is waiting were just too much to deal with."
"He is probably spreading a ton of lies about me as we speak, to which I say believe what you want. The guy is full of stories. No money has been stolen I assure you. The rest of the band can attest to that. I understand this sucks for the fans. This band has been spinal tap and I know since it is my band most will blame me, but there is plenty of blame to go around over the years I assure you. I am an easy scapegoat though. I think at this point our priorities will be to fulfill the indie gogo now that we will be home early and take some time off. We will be including an extra shirt for every fan for the delay. We really appreciate those of you that have stuck with us over time. Thank you to all the fans especially in Cardiff and London for kicking ass in support on that difficult night. We love you all. The future of the band shall be determined over some time off."
And that was our show.
I'm the lost one chasing colors to the sun
Colors bleed but never fade
Musicalement très bon mais alors le chant, on sent la différence avec l'excellent Joseph Michael. Le gros point faible de ce titre... j'espère que Leon va recruter un vrai chanteur pour le prochain album.
Looks like White Wizzard is back in action, as Jon Leon just issued the following announcement about bringing back a former member and working on a new album:
"White Wizzard is proud and excited to welcome back original founding lead guitarist and ex-Holy Grail/Vindicator guitarist James J Larue. A new album is still in the works and we hope to have some more surprises for you in the coming months leading up to its release.
"James J Larue played a very important part in the early formation of White Wizzard. He was there investing with me and pushing hard every step of the way. His guitar contributions to the high speed GTO song and EP are world class and I have personally never played with a better guitarist and musician.
"The chemistry is stronger than ever and we look forward to the new album in 2016."
I'm the lost one chasing colors to the sun
Colors bleed but never fade
Et au passage, Jon Leon et James J. LaRue ont fondé un autre groupe.
New Band OCTANE GYPSY has released their first single Starsweeper and you can click the you tube and band camp links below to hear and buy the track!!
OCTANE GYPSY is a collaboration between original White Wizzard founders Jon Leon and James J LaRue.
New album due out in 2016.
R.I.P Ronnie James Dio !
"La culture, c'est comme l'amour. Il faut y aller à petits coups au début pour bien en jouir plus tard."
Pierre Desproges
C'est un retour au line-up d'origine, avec un single :
Heavy metallers White Wizzard are back and they have a new single to show for. They have released a new single and video for the track "Break Out". You can watch the clip directed by James J. LaRue below. The band will also be reuniting its original 2008 line up of singer James Paul Luna, guitarist James J. LaRue, bassist Jon Leon and drummer Tyler Meahl to play an exclusive show at the Frost and Fire festival in Ventura, California on October 8th, 2016, including performing the original High Speed GTO EP.
Founding member Jon Leon comments: "Having James J LaRue laying down leads for our new single 'Break Out' is just fantastic. He is a superb player and I am very excited to have him back in the band as a permanent member. He was there at the beginning when I started this and it's only fitting he returns to see the band into the future. The song is about staying true to yourself and questioning the Establishment - be that religion, the government or anything else which constrains the human spirit. Of course, in typical WW tradition, our video is a very tongue-in-cheek take on that message and we had a real blast making it!
"We are further excited to be joining up with James Luna and Tyler Meahl to play Frost and Fire festival in Ventura Ca. We'd been talking about doing something together for some time now, however existing commitments had made it impossible, so it's great that we can finally get together in October. We will perform the original High Speed GTO EP along with some other songs from that era, and maybe a couple of covers, and depending on how everything goes, we may look at doing more stuff together. White Wizzard is an evolving entity of myself and James J LaRue that will keep making music, while staying open to all possibilities and we are excited for the future, whatever that may hold."
I'm the lost one chasing colors to the sun
Colors bleed but never fade
