Artists Who Keep/Kept Their Identity a Secret

Slipknot’s most mysterious new member has been unmasked. Lovingly referred to as “Tortilla Man,” a social media post from the Postojna Cave in Slovenia revealed that Michael Pfaff was the unknown masked percussionist that took Chris Fehn’s place following a lawsuit. The band had been refusing to divulge who Tortilla Man was, as none of the band’s members ever had an official reveal.

Like the masked members of Slipknot, there are many other bands out there that would prefer to remain anonymous, whether their identities have been revealed or not.

In honor of Slipknot's new member, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look at some of these mysterious bands. Here are seven artists/bands who started out or remain anonymous behind their masks.

1.       Iamamiwhoami: In December 2009, a mysterious electronic artist going only by iamamiwhoami went viral on YouTube, producing short bites of well-produced, genre-defying music coupled with videos that would completely conceal her and her collaborators’ identities. Diligent followers of the singer continually tried to decode who might be behind the channel, whether it was someone well-known (among the names being thrown around were Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera) or someone trying to gain traction with some brilliant marketing. Speculation came to an end in March 2010 when the video for “t” revealed the singer’s full, undistorted face, showing her to be Swedish artist Jonna Lee.

2.       Ghost: The entire idea of metal band Ghost was meant to be shrouded in mystery. Aside from their lead singer, who has gone by various stage names (Papa Emeritus I, II, III & Nihil, Cardinal Copia) over the years only to be revealed as Tobias Forge in 2017 during an intense legal battle, all of the band members are corralled into the designation of “nameless ghouls.” Each member wears identical outfits and face-concealing makeup, giving them no identity at all.

3.       The Network / Foxboro Hottubs: It’s fairly well-known at this point amongst fans that both The Network and Foxboro Hottubs feature members of perennial pop-punk favorites Green Day. However, none of their identities have ever been officially revealed. That’s especially true for The Network, who came on the scene in 2003 and released one album through Adeline Records that same year (a mistake if they wanted to remain anonymous from Green Day as the label was run by frontman Billie Joe Armstrong). The six-member band all wore masks and claimed to have been “brought together by an ancient prophecy.”

4.       Static-X: In 2019, industrial rock pioneers Static-X revealed that they would be reuniting for their first album in 11 years in memory of their late frontman, Wayne Static and to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of their breakout album, ‘Wisconsin Death Trip.’ For the tour they planned to mount, the band hired a singer, who decided to go by the name Xer0 and wear a mask designed to look like Static’s. Though people have tried to decipher who Xer0 might be (Edsel Dope, frontman for Dope and an opener for the Static-X reunion tour is generally thought to be behind the mask), his identity has not yet been revealed.

5.       PPL MVR: Dressed as yeti-like creatures, PPL MVR blew up in 2014 despite no one knowing who was behind the masks. According to their website, they are: “A band of unknown origin, the one and only PPL MVR explores myth and mystery through hefty guitar riffs and transmogrified vocals. They venture outside the selfie-obsessed waters we all willingly swim in to find solace in ritual and our pure animalistic nature. There is an ancient power in coming together to stand in a sacred place and chant, sing songs, pump our fists in the air, and venerate.” For a while it was speculated that the band could be a side project of New York hardcore band Brand New, especially when a link on Brand New’s website brought fans to a PPL MVR video. This theory may have been debunked, but my research can’t find where that information comes from.

6.       The Residents: Around since the 1960s, The Residents is as much an art collective as they are a band. Releasing over 46 works together, the group’s identities have never been known due to their signature giant eyeball helmets and refusal to grant interviews. Over the years there were many speculations about who could have been in the band, including members of The Beatles, the Dead Kennedys, Devo among them. In 2017, it was revealed that Hardy Fox, one of the band’s Cryptic Corporation crew members, was one of the primary composers for the band.

7.       Masked Intruder: One of the hottest and most intriguing up-and-coming punk bands of today, Masked Intruder keep their identities a mystery in conjunction with their convict stage personas. Instead, all four members go by the color of their ski masks.

There are many artists and bands that choose to be anonymous with the world. Some start their rise to fame this way, like iamamiwhoami, creating an air of mystery and getting people to sleuth out who they are. Others choose to continue and grow their careers anonymously by embedding it in the fabric of their act, like Ghost or Masked Intruder. Whether people end up finding out who’s behind the mask in the end or not, there is one thing that’s clear: everyone loves a little mystery.

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Find music from some of these mysterious artists and more at Vinyl Bay 777. As one of Long Island’s top independent record shops, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a wide range of genres. Browse our selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

13 Concerts in New York to Get You Ready for the 2019 Holiday Season

The holidays are fast approaching! With 11 days until the start of Hanukkah and Christmas exactly two weeks away, the festive mood continues to grow here in New York, as it undoubtedly has in the rest of the world. Why not continue to ramp up the festivities with some live music?

New York is full of great live music all year round, but during the holiday season it can’t be beat! From huge artists like Mariah Carey and annual concert events like Jingle Ball to smaller yearly Hanukkah events from the likes of Moshav and Golem, there is something for everyone. We even celebrate the winter solstice big!

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, loves live music. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of holiday shows happening in New York over the next couple of weeks. Here are 13 to get you deeper into the holiday spirit!

1.       WALK Holiday Show/Goo Goo Dolls: Long Island’s WALK 97.5 is already getting into the holiday spirit with a 100% Christmas playlist, so it would make sense that the station would be gearing up for a holiday show of their own. That happens tonight at the Paramount in Huntington. 1990s rockers the Goo Goo Dolls headline the event with Beach Slang and ‘American Idol’ alum David Cook will opening. (12/11 @ The Paramount Huntington)

2.       Idina Menzel: Actress and singer Idina Menzel is a busy women. Aside from the release of ‘Frozen 2’ a few weeks ago, she also released a new holiday album, ‘Christmas: A Season of Love,’ in October. Menzel will be ending a three-show tri-state area holiday run of shows tonight with a stop at New York’s Carnegie Hall. (12/11 @ Carnegie Hall)

3.       Pre-Hanukkah Smackdown: Looking to get into the Hanukkah spirit even before Hanukkah begins. Drom NYC is presenting their “Pre-Hanukkah Smackdown” this Thursday with a worldly list of artists that put a spin on traditional klezmer, including the Afrobeat-infused sound of Zion80 and the klezmer-bhangra fusion of Sharabi. Headlining you have gypsy-punks Golem, who’s mix of klezmer, Yiddish melodies and high-intensity performance makes for a lively show you won’t want to miss. (12/12 @ Drom)

4.       Jingle Ball: iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball has become synonymous with the holiday season at this point. The series of yearly holiday events from the radio mega network, Jingle Ball brings together some of the year’s most popular artists to celebrate the season. This year’s New York line-up is a veritable who’s-who of chart-toppers, including Taylor Swift, Lizzo, the Jonas Brothers, Camila Cabello, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan + Shay, Niall Horan, Lewis Capaldi, Halsey, Monsta X and Fletcher.  (12/13 @ Madison Square Garden)

5.       Mariah Carey: The queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey is currently celebrating the 25^th Anniversary of her first Christmas album, ‘Merry Christmas,’ and the inescapable holiday classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” The singer will be wrapping her 2019 holiday tour on Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden. (12/15)

6.       Hot For The Holidays: If you’re looking for a hip-hop holiday show, Hot 97 is gearing up for their annual Hot For The Holidays show next week. This year’s artists include Khalid, Wale, Layton Greene and The Bonfyre. (12/18 @ Kings Theatre)

7.       Lea Michele: Actress and singer Lea Michele released her first-ever Christmas album, ‘Christmas in the City,’ in October, which hit Billboard’s Top Holiday Albums chart at number 3. Catch her perform music from the album and more during a special three-night residency at the New York Society For Ethical Culture.  (12/19 -21 @ NY Society For Ethical Culture)

8.       Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Perennial holiday instrumental favorites the Trans-Siberian Orchestra are heading our way to spread some Christmas cheer. The group will be bringing their “Christmas Eve And Other Stories” show to Long Island and New Jersey next week. (12/20 @ Nassau Coliseum; 12/21 @ Prudential Center)

9.       Marky Ramone’s Holiday Blitzkrieg: Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg, featuring former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone, is set to rock New York’s Gramercy Theatre for their annual ‘Holiday Blitzkrieg.’ Like last year, the group will be joined by Bad Religion/Circle Jerks guitarist Greg Hetson.  (12/20 @ Gramercy Theatre)

10.   Make Music New York Winter: Back for its winter festival, Make Music New York will be celebrating the winter solstice with as much outdoor music as possible all over the city. Favorites such as Piano City (which features pianos placed randomly around the city for people to play), Flatfoot Flatbush (a folk music gathering) and “The Mobile Hallelujah” (traveling carolers singing Handel’s famous ‘Messiah’ movement) all return, and there will be plenty of opportunities to jump in and join a holiday parade or sing Christmas carols with your fellow New Yorkers. (12/21)

11.   CeeLo Green: “Forget You” singer and Goodie Mob member CeeLo Green is celebrating the holidays on the road for his “Holiday Hits” tour. Green will be playing songs from his 2013 Christmas album, ‘Magic Moment,’ as well as hits from throughout his career. (12/21 @ Sony Hall; 12/22 @ Suffolk Theater)

12.   Yo La Tengo: Yo La Tengo’s Hanukkah shows are a holiday tradition at this point. The band will be playing eight consecutive nights at the Bowery Ballroom starting December 22 (the first night of Hanukkah), celebrating every night with special surprise guests. All shows are sold out except the 24^th and 25^th (Christmas Eve and Christmas).  (12/22-29 @ Bowery Ballroom)

13.   Moshav: Another Hanukkah tradition: Moshav. The band will be playing their annual “Festival of Lights” show on Hanukkah night three / Christmas Eve. Soulfarm and Yimmy will be opening. (12/24 @ SOB’s)

With the holidays only weeks away, now is the perfect time to start celebrating with live music. Check out some of the shows listed above and let us know what holiday shows you’re excited to see this season in the comments below.

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Find the perfect holiday music and more at Vinyl Bay 777. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres to suit most music lovers. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Bands Who’s Members Don’t Get Along

Just because a band is together and making music, doesn’t mean that they get along. Take Van Halen for example. In a recent interview with Marc Maron on his ‘WTF With Marc Maron’ podcast Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth acknowledged that he and the Van Halen brothers (Eddie and Alex) have always hated each other. Roth also mentioned that tension was a big part of the band’s success.

Fighting between bandmates is nothing new in music. Countless bands have had distressed relationships between members. Sometimes the infighting leads to members being fired or groups dissolving all together. And while some of their icy relationships may have thawed over time, others continue their feuds for decades.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look at some of the bands whose dysfunctional relationships are as big a part of their legacy as the music itself. Here are seven whose saltiness is well documented.

1.       Oasis: One of the biggest bands to come out of the 1990s Brit-pop era, Oasis was known almost as much for their infighting as they were for their hits. Brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher were notoriously always at each other’s throats until 2009 when Noel quit the band for good after a physical altercation between the two ended in Liam smashing Noel’s guitar backstage during the I-Day Festival. The brothers continue to call each other names publicly nearly a decade after the breakup.

2.       Guns N’ Roses: Guns N’ Roses hit their stride in the 1980s and early 1990s, releasing four albums with the classic line-up of Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan. However, that all fell apart in the mid-1990s when Slash left the band due to tension and creative differences between him and Rose. For years neither one had anything civil to say about the other, with Rose even ditching the band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2012.The feud lasted for two decades, ending in 2016 with a reunion tour that is still going today.

3.       The Kinks: Decades before the hopeless family feuding that propelled Oasis, The Kinks’ Ray and Dave Davies were the epitome of dysfunctional family bands. Infighting from the time they were little gave way to infighting in the band amongst all of their members. Their public roes were one of the factors in the band getting banned from performing in the US for five years in the 1960s. Ray and Dave’s relationship remained tepid for decades, as has Dave’s and Mick Avory’s, however there is a planned reunion in the works.

4.       Simon And Garfunkel: Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were friends from a young age, meeting in elementary school and eventually started making music together when they were teens. However, the two had been at odds creatively since the beginning. Simon, who had been doing all of the songwriting, felt that Garfunkel, who sang his compositions, was taking advantage, hoping that Simon would just keep writing music while he did whatever he wanted. The disagreement led to their break-up in 1970, and although they have gotten together for a handful of reunions, the two have not performed on stage together since 2010.

5.       The Beach Boys: Another family band torn up by infighting, Brian Wilson and Mike Love have been at each other’s throats for decades. The two have sued each other numerous times for slander, writing credits or royalties. Wilson would go on to have a successful solo career while Love ended up taking over the Beach Boys name. Following their 50^th anniversary reunion in 2012, the first time Wilson had performed with the band in nearly two decades, Love promptly kicked him out of the band without warning, which led to another public squabble.

6.       Smashing Pumpkins: Billy Corgan has long been the biggest creative force in the Smashing Pumpkins. His control over the band led to tensions with bandmates James Iha and D’arcy Wretzky and their eventual firing. Iha ended up reuniting with Corgan in 2018. However Wretzky, according to conflicting reports, was either not invited to the reunion, turned it down or had her invitation revoked.

7.       Kiss: Metal legends Kiss were notoriously split down the middle when it came to their original line-up. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley had been of the belief that Ace Frehley and Peter Criss were not pulling their weight in the band and fired them. The long-standing feud carried over to the band’s 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, where Simmons and Stanley refused to perform with Frehley and Criss, even though all four were in attendance.

Music history is full of bands whose members could not get along with one another. Whether due to family squabbles or creative differences, some of these feuds are as legendary as the bands themselves. Though most of the time they lead to the band’s dissolution or members leaving/being fired, sometimes you have that rare instance where, like Van Halen, it leads to more creativity.

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Find music from these bands and more at Vinyl Bay 777. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Six Bands Who Formed During College

College campuses have notoriously been popular places for bands to form. While one’s studies are usually the main reason for attendance, college is also a place where people develop life-long friendships and relationships with other like-minded people. And for those that are musically inclined and have that special kind of chemistry, a successful band may not be too far behind.

With colleges all over the world celebrating their commencement activities this month, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look at bands that made it big out of college. Here are six whose rock star dreams became a reality.

1.       Vampire Weekend: When Vampire Weekend burst out onto the indie rock scene in 2006, they became known as “that band that formed at Columbia University.” The quartet of Ezra Koenig, Chris Tomson, Chris Baio and Rostam Batmanglij met while studying at the Ivy League school and didn’t waste any time getting music out. Their debut album was written and recorded while they were still students on campus.

2.       Coldplay: The guys of Coldplay met early on in their university careers, way before they ever had a single class in fact. Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland became friends in 1996 during orientation week at University College London. Less than a year later and with the additions of fellow classmate Guy Berryman, Martin’s friend Phil Harvey and Will Champion, the band started playing small clubs together.

3.       Queen: Brian May formed the band that would eventually become known as Queen while a student at Imperial College in London. He and high school friend Tim Staffell formed a band called Smile, recruiting drummer Roger Taylor through an ad in the college’s newspaper. Freddie Mercury, who was studying at Ealing Art College and was friends with Staffell, joined in 1970 following Staffell’s exit and that same year played their first show as Queen. That show happened to be at, where else, Imperial College.

4.       Pink Floyd: Before being known as Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Richard Wright were all architecture students at London Polytechnic playing music together as Sigma 6. Many of their early shows were played in the school’s Regent Street basement. About three years after forming, the band, now featuring Syd Barrett, would change their name to Pink Floyd and history would be made.

5.       Interpol: According to a 2003 interview with Pitchfork, Interpol formed at NYU, though they were not originally friends. Said Dan Kessler, “I approached everyone at some point or another, and started loosely jamming with our first drummer [Greg Drudy], who lived in the same dormitory as me; he was just starting to play drums, so it was very loose-- and bad. I was just happy to have someone to play with, to tell you the truth. I had a very hard time finding musicians to play with-- musicians at all, really-- and I saw Carlos in some class and approached him.”

6.       R.E.M.: Though three out of the four members of R.E.M. studied at the University of Georgia, the band did not meet on campus. Instead, mutual friend Kathleen O’Brien introduced Michael Stipe to fellow students Mike Mills and Bill Berry in fall 1979. Along with Peter Buck (who Stipe met at a record shop) the new band started playing music together in 1980. The new band played their first show at a nearby church at a gig set up to celebrate O’Brien’s birthday.

College campuses have historically been popular places for bands to form. From like-minded friends making music together to those who actively sought to recruit fellow musicians from their school or other means, the university atmosphere has bred many a band, including some very popular ones like the ones above. With the next group of college graduates heading out to follow their dreams, it is only a matter of time before the next big college band finds their way to the public eye.

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Find music from these collegiate bands and more at Vinyl Bay 777. Long Island’s top new independent record shop has thousands of titles to choose from in a wide selection of genres. Browse or selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Bands Who Are Reuniting in 2018

Last week, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, took a look at artists who have decided to retire in 2018. But for every artist that is bowing out, there are others that are looking to get back into the game.

In the last couple of months alone, there have been a large handful of bands who have decided to get back together. For some of these artists, their reunion will come in the form of a tour. For others, the members came together in the studio to record new music. Whether it’s the former, the latter or both, these reunions are enough to get rock and pop fans excited.

 We here at Vinyl Bay 777 love a good reunion. That’s why we’re taking a look at some of the reunions we have to look forward to in 2018. Here are seven that we can’t wait to check out.

1.       Smashing Pumpkins: Probably the most anticipated of these reunions, the original line-up of the Smashing Pumpkins has not released music together since 2000. But that’s about to change this year. In January, photos started to surface of Billy Corgan in the studio with James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin, which created rumors that the band was putting aside their differences and getting back together. The only person missing from the reunion is bassist D’arcy Wretzky, who says her invitation to reunite was rescinded by Corgan. There is currently a countdown clock on the Pumpkins’ website indicating that (as of writing this article) something is going to be announced or released in less than two days, presumably 11 AM on February 15.

2.       L7: In September, female punk band L7 stunned everyone when they released “Dispatch from Mar-a-Lago,” their first new song in nearly 18 years. The reunion continued this week with the release of a new song, “I Came Back to Bitch” and the announcement of a short tour (There is no New York date). No full-length album has been announced yet, though singer Donita Sparks told Rolling Stone that she has written more songs.

3.       Gaslight Anthem: 2018 marks the 10^th anniversary of the Gaslight Anthem’s debut album, ‘The 59 Sound.’ In honor of the milestone, the band has announced a handful of tour dates for this summer, which includes a set at New York’s Governors Ball Music Festival. This will be the first time the band has played together since announcing their indefinite hiatus in 2015. However, this tour will probably be all we see from the band for a while. Frontman Brian Fallon told Rolling Stone in an interview that fans should not expect new music.

4.       Spice Girls (Maybe): Rumors of a Spice Girls reunion started circulating earlier this month when “Baby Spice” Emma Bunton posted a photo on Instagram of the five members posing together. News started to snowball from there with TMZ reporting that the girl group was going to tour the US and UK this year. That rumor has since been shut down by “Posh Spice” Victoria Beckem, who said in an interview with Vogue that they were only bouncing ideas off each other. Even so, fans are hoping that more will be coming from the Spice Girls camp this year. The last time all five reunited was in 2012.

5.       The Distillers: Back in January, frontwoman Brody Dalle posted a video to her Instagram of her rocking out in slo-mo with the caption “The Distillers 2018” set to new music. Following a week later, it was announced that the band would be playing their first show in 12 years at Atlanta, GA’s Shaky Knees Festival, with an entire tour announced a week after that (There is no New York date yet). There is no word yet on if there will be a new album.

6.       Sugarland: After going their own ways in 2012, country duo Sugarland announced late last year that they would be reuniting for a new album and tour. The duo released the single, “Still The Same” in December, though no date for a full album has been announced yet. The tour, however, will take place this spring / summer, with North American dates starting on May 4 and wrapping up on September 8 with a date at New Jersey’s Prudential Center.

7.       Belly: Though 1990s alt-rockers Belly began their reunion in 2016, the band has finally announced that they will be releasing their first album of new music in more than two decades this year. ‘Dove’ is set to hit shelves on April 6.

With the extreme amount of artists that have announced that they were calling it quits in 2018, there have also been a lot of bands so far who have announced their reunion. Whether it’s for a short tour or a full album, we can’t wait to see what these bands have in store for fans in the future.

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Find music from these reunited artists and more at Long Island’s favorite new independent record shop, Vinyl Bay 777. We have thousands of titles to choose from in a wide array of genres. Browse our selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Bands That Moved on with New Lead Singers

In November, 1990s grunge stalwarts Stone Temple Pilots debuted their new lead singer, Jeff Gutt, at an intimate gig in Los Angeles. The band has now announced a full tour with Gutt, as well as the prospect of a new album, their first with a singer other than late frontman Scott Weiland.

There have been many bands who have soldiered on with a new singer once their more well-known frontperson leaves or passes away. In fact, this isn’t even the first time Stone Temple Pilots has done it, as Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington fillled in the frontman spot for two years when the band parted ways with Weiland in 2013. Sometimes the new voice is welcomed with open arms. Other times the new addition has been a detrimental career move for the band.  

Inspired by STP’s new frontman, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look at other bands who have replaced their lead singers. Here are seven who had a go with new frontmen, for better or worse.

1.       Blink-182: Co-frontman Tom DeLonge has one of the most distinct voices in pop-punk. But when he left Blink-182 in 2015, the second time he left the band, in search of alien life, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker decided to add a different voice to the mix. The band recruited Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba to replace him on 2016’s ‘California.’ The move was successful, as the album earned the band their first Grammy nominations in their 20 year career.

2.       INXS: When Michael Hutchence passed away in 1997, INXS didn’t perform regularly for nearly seven years. Then in 2004, the band decided to take part in the new reality television craze, using the show ‘Rock Star: INXS’ to find a new lead singer. The band picked J.D. Fortune and released a new album, which gave them their first top 10 hit in more than a decade. The collaboration didn’t last long as Fortune and the band parted ways in both 2009 and 2011.

3.       Live: After a two-year hiatus between 2009 and 2012, Live reunited without one key player, frontman Ed Kowalczyk. Instead, the band started touring with Unified Theory frontman Chris Shinn on vocal duty, eventually releasing a new album with him in 2015. However, once Kowalczyk and Chad Taylor started getting along again, the band decided that they would reunite the original line-up.

4.       Sublime With Rome: Sublime’s career ended almost as soon as it started. Frontman Bradley Nowell overdosed just before the release of their breakout third album. At the time it was curtains for the band, no tour or anything. But in 2009, bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh decided to perform under the name again with a new lead singer, Rome Ramirez. After a lawsuit, the band had to change their name to Sublime With Rome. Even though they still mostly play Sublime favorites, the band (sans Gaugh, who left in 2011) has two albums of new material under their belt.

5.       Three Days Grace: Three Days Grace had massive success in the mid-2000s with hard rock singles like “I Hate Everything About You,” “Animal I Have Become,” “Pain” and “Never Too Late.” But after the band released ‘Transit of Venus’ in 2012, lead singer Adam Gontier decided to leave the band unexpectedly. Three Days Grace immediately hired a new singer, My Darkest Days’ Matt Walst, and went on tour. The band has never seen the same kind of success since.

6.       Van Halen: Van Halen was able to lead a very successful career with two different frontmen. David Lee Roth helped make the band a household name in the late 1970s, but due to tentions with the band, left for a successful solo career. The band then hired Sammy Hagar to take over, helping them to earn their first number one album. In fact, the only time when the band wasn’t doing well was when Gary Cherone fronted the band for three years in the mid-late 1990s.  

7.       Black Sabbath: Everyone knows Black Sabbath as the band that Ozzy Osbourne fronted. But when Osbourne left the band, which he did multiple times, other vocalists stepped in. The most notable of these artists was Ronnie James Dio, who filled in after Ozzy’s second exit and for brief periods in the early 1990s and mid-late 2000s. Other frontmen have included Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan and Glenn Hughes, Tony Martin, Ray Gillen and Dave Walker.

There have been many bands who have continued their careers when their frontmen left or passed away. Like with Van Halen, some have success with multiple singers. Other times, like with Three Days Grace, new success has been hard to come by. Though Stone Temple Pilots definitely won’t be the same without Scott Weiland (or Chester Bennington), it remains to be seen how Jeff Gutt will do continuing the band’s legacy. He has some big shoes to fill.

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Find music from all incarnations of your favorite bands at Vinyl Bay 777. Long Island’s top new independent record shop has thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres. Browse a wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com from the comfort of your own home. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Seven Musicians Who Are Raising Money Right Now to Benefit Others

Many popular musicians are in a unique position to amplify support for important causes. When they rally around something, others follow suit, raising further awareness and fundraising efforts.

A lot has been going on in the world lately. Natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey have displaced thousands from their homes. Hate groups have made people feel unsafe just being themselves. Mental health has also become a growing issue in society today.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, recently wrote about some of the most memorable benefit concerts in recent history. Now, it’s time to look at current events happening over the next few days and months. Here are seven artists who are currently raising awareness and money for important causes.

1.       Green Day: On Tuesday, Green Day did an hour-long live stream on Facebook raising money for Americares, an organization that gives help to areas affected by natural disasters. So far, the band has raised more than $140,000 for the organization’s Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. People can still donate to the organization through the archived stream, which will remain up for the next week.

2.       Bun B: Houston rapper Bun B and Scooter Braun (manager  to Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande)  have teamed up to create the ‘Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Harvey Relief’ telethon. Airing September 12 on CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox, the telethon will feature appearances from musicians Blake Shelton, Barbra Streisand, George Strait and Houston, Texas native, Beyonce. Organizations that will receive money from the telethon include the United Way of Greater Houston, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Children, Direct Relief, Feeding Texas and the Mayor’s Fund for Hurricane Harvey Relief.

3.       Beyoncé: Aside from her appearance in the telethon, Beyonce has already raised a lot of money for Houston. Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, the singer has been working with Bread of Life and the Greater Houston Community Foundation to help with relief efforts. Donations to her organization can be made through her website.

4.       Solange: Like her sister Beyonce, Solange is also spearheading an effort to raise money for relief in Houston. The singer has announced a benefit show in Boston for September 28 with support from Sun Ra Arkestra.

5.       Dave Matthews Band: Following the riots in Charlottesville, Virginia, Dave Matthews has organized a free concert for the city’s citizens. The star-studded event will take place on September 24 at Scott Stadium at the University of Virginia and feature performances from Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande, Pharrell Williams, Chris Stapleton, The Roots, Cage The Elephant, Brittany Howard of the Alabama Shakes and more. Donations made by concert goers will go to the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation to help families affected by events of August 11 and 12.

6.        Metallica: Over the last few years, more and more people have been fighting for better mental health awareness, and in particular suicide prevention. The music world has already been rocked twice this year from the deaths of Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington. With World Suicide Prevention Day occurring this Sunday, a massive radio campaign, titled “I’m Listening,” is being organized by Entercom to “break the stigma attached to discussing mental health.” Artists involved in the campaign are Metallica, Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic, Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff, Disturbed’s David Draiman, Logic, Halsey and more. The campaign includes a two-hour special airing on Sunday.

7.       Chance the Rapper: Chance the Rapper’s generosity shows that there does not need to be a national event for someone to want to affect change. The rapper has been showing himself to be a proponent of the public school system over the last few months and has now donated more than two million dollars for the Chicago Public Schools’ art programs through SocialWorks. Chance the Rapper has also announced that he will be organizing a new event, the Twilight Awards, which will recognize “teachers, parents, principals and students that convey leadership.”

Whether it’s raising money for those who no longer have homes because of the hurricane, giving back to those effected by hate, helping those who may be suffering in their personal lives or making sure all kids have a decent education, these artists are using their fan bases right now to help others who need it. When musicians use their popularity for good, more good can happen in the world.

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