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Ryan J. Downey

Longtime journalist and manager, as seen and/or read: Billboard, MTV News, The Hollywood Reporter, MSNBC, Loudwire, and more.

Watch ‘Nöthin’ But A Good Time’ Hair Metal Docuseries Trailer

  Based on the book of the same name, Nöthin' But A Good Time: The Uncensored Story Of '80s Hair Metal is a forthcoming Paramount+ docuseries set to premiere September 17 in the U.S. and Canada.  Directed by Jeff Tremaine (Jackass, The Dirt), the three-part series features interviews with Bret Michaels (POISON), Stephen Pearcy (RATT), Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME), Dave "Snake" Sabo (SKID ROW), and Riki Rachtman (MTV's Headbangers Ball), among many others. "I'm honored to be part of this docuseries, named after the hit POISON song 'Nothin' But A Good Time,'" Michaels said in a statement. "I'm excited for viewers to

August 20th, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

Wage War Scores Active Rock No. 1

Wage War is No. 1 at Active Rock this week with "MAGNETIC."  The Fearless/Concord band tops the Mediabase chart dated August 12 - 18.  This week's Active Rock Top 40:  Wage War “MAGNETIC” (Fearless/Concord)  The Offspring “Make It All Right” (Concord)  Daughtry “Pieces” (Big Machine Rock)  Falling In Reverse & Jelly Roll “All My Life” (Epitaph)  Halestorm & I Prevail “can u see me in the dark?” (Atlantic)  Sleep Theory “Fallout” (Epitaph)  Seether “Judas Mind” (Fantasy/Concord)  Bring Me The Horizon “Top 10 Statues…” (Columbia)  A Day To Remember “Feedback” (FBR/Elektra/Atlantic)  Staind “Better Days” (Alchemy)  Tim Montana “Savage” (Music Knox/BMG)  Black

August 19th, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

Week of August 19, 2024

Happy Birthday wishes to Maria Ouellette (Spinefarm Records) (August 19); Justin Reich (video director), Kirsten Sprinks (Cosa Nostra PR) (August 20); Becky Black (Cosa Nostra PR), Tori Kravitz (Knotfest), Jamie Coletta (No Earbuds), Lisa Marx (ex-Kittie) (August 21); Shannon T. Moore (Activator), Mike Ziemer (Third String Productions), Monica Seide-Evenson (Speakeasy PR) (August 22); Beatrix Danko (#HAPPENS), Rachel Hacken (Roc Nation), Eric German (attorney) (August 23); Rusty Pistachio (H2O), and Bryce Hall (Photographer) (August 25). 

August 19th, 2024|Birthdays, Rock|

JACK RUSSELL, R.I.P.

Jack Russell, the former lead singer of Great White, died on August 7, 2024.  Great White's hits include the onetime MTV staple  “Once Bitten, Twice Shy," "Rock Me," and "The Angel Song."  Russell, 63, reportedly died due to complications from Lewy Body Dementia and Multiple System Atrophy. Russell's death was announced on Thursday, August 15, via the late singer's social media.  "With tremendous sadness, we announce the loss of our beloved Jack Patrick Russell — father, husband, cousin, uncle, and friend. "Jack passed peacefully in the presence of his wife, Heather Ann Russell, son Matthew Hucko, cousin Naomi Breshears Barbor,

August 16th, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

MYLES KENNEDY & DOROTHY Crack Active Rock Top 20

The latest singles from Myles Kennedy and DOROTHY cracked the Active Rock Top 20 this week.  This week's Active Rock chart sees Falling In Reverse & Jelly Roll remain in the No. 1 spot with "All My Life."  Bring Me The Horizon moves into the Top 10. The Smashing Pumpkins, The Warning, and Finger Eleven are new in the Top 40.  In case you missed it, there are recent Q&As in the INTERVIEWS section with Myles Kennedy and Badflower.  This week's Active Rock chart, according to Mediabase:  Falling In Reverse / Jelly Roll “All My Life” (Epitaph)  Wage War “MAGNETIC”

August 14th, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

30 Years of Hopeless Records

Last week, I had a great conversation with Ian Harrison, General Manager of Hopeless Records, and label founder Louis Posen. We talked about Avenged Sevenfold, All Time Low, Thrice, Book Your Own F’n Life, Fat Mike, major labels, film school, and why Bloomberg dubbed Louis “The Paul Newman of Punk Rock.” Hopeless celebrates its 30th anniversary this year with an August 24th event at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and an October stop at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas. You can listen to the podcast version at Stream N' Destroy or read the slightly edited transcript

August 13th, 2024|Interviews, Rock|

PANTERA Set First Avenue Club Show

PANTERA will play an intimate show at First Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The long-running club was featured in the classic film Purple Rain, starring one of Minneapolis' most famous residents, the late Prince.  The special performance will take place on Thursday, August 15, the night before the band opens for METALLICA at U.S. Bank Stadium. The reconstituted band features classic line-up members Philip H. Anselmo and Rex Brown alongside Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante and Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde.  First Avenue announced the show on X (formerly Twitter).  Rex asked me to write a story in the Vulgar Display of

August 13th, 2024|News Updates, Rock, Uncategorized|

AVENGED SEVENFOLD Throwback Show

AVENGED SEVENFOLD will play a special Orange County club show for their diehard fan club in October, celebrating two of their classic albums.  Billed as the opening band for long-running hardcore act Death By Stereo, A7X will perform songs from their "new albums" Waking the Fallen (2003) and City of Evil (2005) at the Observatory in Santa Ana, California, on October 25, 2024. Tickets are $25 and are only available to members of the band's Web3, forward-thinking, NFT-driven Deatbats Club.  City of Evil was the band's first album for Warner and produced the MTV TRL hit "Bat Country."  Get information

August 13th, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

Week of August 12, 2024

Birthday wishes to Jonathan King (Shelter Music Group), Dino Kourelis (FM Music Management), and Libby Coffey (Prime PR Group) (August 13); Nadia Teichmann (Welcome to Horrorwood), Steven Kleisath (Further Seems Forever), Curtis Peoples, Matt Baird (Spoken), Bret Bair (Live Nation) (August 14), Alex Shelnutt (A Day To Remember), and SuChin Pak (ex-MTV News) (August 15). 

August 13th, 2024|Birthdays, Rock|

SUBLIME On Stern

SUBLIME, now featuring 29-year-old Jakob Nowell in place of his late father, Bradley, performed four songs on The Howard Stern Show.  Rolling Stone premiered a clip of "Santeria" exclusively today.  "Santeria" appears on the band's self-titled third studio album, released in 1996 and certified 5x platinum by the RIAA in 1999.  The entire performance will hit YouTube tomorrow. 

August 13th, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

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