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Quite cool isn’t it.

The Christmas number one is a big thing over here. Every year, even if you didn’t normally listen to the chart show, people would tune in on their radio to find out what the UK Christmas number one was.

Since 2005 however, Simon Cowell and his popular TV show The X Factor has stolen Christmas and the number one spot with the TV show’s winner’s single. This year the show was won a week ago by a young lad called Joe McElderry and has released his first single “The Climb” (originally Miley Cyrus) in the hopes of fulfilling the X Factor tradition and be the fifth X Factor winner to steal the Christmas number one spot.

To some people this has taken some of the magic away from Christmas, and so a Facebook group has been campaigning to get people to buy none other than Rage Against The Machine‘s 1992 track “Killing In The Name” in the hope of getting it to the Christmas number one spot and being the “David to the X Factor’s Goliath” as Tom Morello has commented.

It started as an unrealistic idea to protest against Simon Cowell and his stranglehold on the UK charts, but soon captured the nation’s attention and right now the group currently has nearly one million members! The Christmas number one battle is back, and has been one of the top national stories all week.

The Rage Against The Machine song was at a slight disadvantage by only being available via download, where Joe’s single was in every shop in the country as well as available for download sales.

And we did it! The people of the UK have made themselves heard as we made Rage Against The Machine and “Killing In The Name” Christmas number one 2009 and stopped Simon Cowell’s run of the charts he has had for four years.

The Facebook campaigners can be proud of themselves for bringing the rap/funk metal anthem back into the spotlight and certainly making headline news tomorrow morning. History has been made this evening, the people have spoken!

Tom Morello has promised a free headlining Rage Against The Machine show in the UK next year to celebrate. Zack de la Rocha has commented that the money made is going to be going to a shelter charity, and confirms the band will do a free show here next year.

Also making a one-off appearance in the top ten was Journey, with their 1981 hit “Don’t Stop Believin’” at number nine after a similar, smaller campaign to stop The X Factor single reaching number one.

source: www.metalstorm.ee

All good things take time and delicate “sound” flowers of the likes of Krokus need special care – especially when they are expected to climb the charts like an artillery of thundering tanks!

For two years Krokus worked diligently on their highly anticipated comeback album. For the first time, the Swiss rock royalty from Solothurn sheds some light regarding their forthcoming release!

«Hoodoo» is the name of the new album, with which Marc Storace, Chris Von Rohr, Fernando Von Arb, Mark Kohler und Freddy Steady put you under their spell and prove once again that they are indeed ageless. You will be spellbound on February 26th, 2010, when the new cd is released.

Swiss boulevard paper “Blick” asked original founder Chris Von Rohr the question that was on most people’s mind: why did the fans had to wait that long for this new release? «We are only together for about two years in the original line-up and a killer song – much less an entire album – cannot be written, recorded and produced over night. The material needs to evolve, mature like a fine wine and one needs to be critical with one self, set the standards high and allow only the best material to make it on the album. No fillers – no compromises».

When it’s all said and done, the masterpiece should sound like a mixture of yesterday and tomorrow. Adds Chris: «It was my responsibility as producer to bring out of each musician their individual strength and to continue sound wise where we left off with ‹Metal-Rendez-Vous› and ‹Headhunter›. Back to the roots – but with today’s power, unstoppable like a steamroller!»

It is no wonder that expectations are high. Next spring, when the Krokus namesake tough flower breaks through winter’s ice and starts blooming, Krokus fans will witness firsthand what «Hoodoo» is all about. Describes guitarist Fernando Von Arb: «It’s gonna be an avalanche like, uncompromising, straight forward rock. Fasten your seatbelts, enjoy the ride and rock on!». Adds vocalist Marc Storace: «Definitely a one of a kind original Krokus album that will please fans». Bassist and producer Chris Von Rohr sums it all up: «To keep the end result top quality, it was ok that during the process of writing songs and recording them occasionally tempers flared within the band. We are no lame pussycat rockers; instead we stay true to ourselves. All the blood, sweat and painstaking effort during this 2-year journey was worthwhile!»

Drummer Freddy Steady and guitarist Mark Kohler, along with Chris, Marc and Fernando promise: «2010 will be a Krokus-Year – we will put a spell on everyone. “Hoodoo” style, one at a time! »

Source: http://krokusonline.seven49.net/

The most popular American grunge band of the nineties come to the UK in 2010 to headline Hard Rock Calling.

Seattle’s own Pearl Jam will rock the stage on the opening night of the much-anticipated three-day concert festival. Earlier this year, the sold-out Hard Rock Calling festival featured stellar performances by headliners Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, Neil Young and The Killers, supported by more than a dozen top acts, such as Dave Mathews Band, The Pretenders, The Gaslight Anthem and more.

Pearl Jam recently toured North America, Australia and New Zealand in support of their ninth studio album, Backspacer.

When Esquire magazine awarded Pearl Jam “Best Live Act” in 2006 they called the rockers “the rare superstars who still play as though each show could be their last.”

source: www.hardrockcalling.co.uk

Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax will all share the same stage for the first time EVER! Look for the four of us at the Sonisphere shows in Warsaw, Poland and Prague, Czech Republic on June 16 and 19, 2010 with a few more of the festival dates still in the works, you can be sure these shows won’t be the only ones.

“Official” press release below:

* METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH AND ANTHRAX TO PERFORM TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY *

* THE BIG FOUR CONFIRMED FOR SONISPHERE POLAND AND CZECH REPUBLIC *

* MORE BIG FOUR APPEARANCES AT SONISPHERE SHOWS PLANNED *

The world wide web has been abound with speculation on a possible “BIG FOUR” tour for several months. Now, SONISPHERE can exclusively reveal that METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX will play together for the first time in history, in a move that will have metalheads across the globe frenzied with excitement.

Says LARS ULRICH/METALLICA of this historic announcement:
“Who would have thought that more than 25 years after its inception, thrash metal’s big 4 would not only still be around and more popular than ever, but will now play together for the first time…what a mindfuck! Bring it on!”

“It’s about fucking time this happened,” declares SLAYER’s KERRY KING. “and about time the fans finally get what they want. This is fucking awesome.”

ANTHRAX guitarist SCOTT IAN agrees, commenting on the enormity of the announcement.

“People have been talking about these four bands playing together since 1984. That’s twenty-six years of expectation!!! And the thing is, I believe not only will we live up to the expectations, we will shatter them!! No other four bands as influential as the four of us have ever done this. Imagine if The Beatles, Stones, The Who and Zeppelin had done shows? Or Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, Motorhead? Well, I may be getting into some rarified air here but as a fan, that’s how big I feel this is.”

The metal giants have never before all shared the same stage, despite huge demand. But on 16th June 2010, METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX will take to the SONISPHERE stage at Bemowo Airport, Poland, to make the dreams of headbangers the world over become a reality.

For more info, check out the Sonisphere Festivals site.