Down is a band that is basically a Pantera/Crowbar/Corrosion of Conformity super group. Phil coming from Pantera, Kirk Windsteen and Pat Bruders of Crowbar, and even Pepper Keenen from COC. It’s a blend of metal awesomeness!

Formed in 1991, Down is a mixture of Sludge Metal, Heavy Metal, Stoner Rock, and Southern Metal. The first record they released was named NOLA, which came out in 1995. The most recognized track from the NOLA record was “Stone the Crow.” They have had 3 albums, and are expected to release a new EP very soon!

Rex Brown of Pantera also joined Down for a period of time, which was pretty cool to see Rex and Phil on the same stage again. Recently, Rex left the group to form KILL DEVIL HILL.

Down will begin touring on May 18th, and make a stop at Rock on the Range in Ohio! Gonna be a sweet show!

Albums to check: NOLA……the first…..the best!

When did the band get together, and how?
In 2006, AC had a band that was looking for a guitarist, and Nate had a band that was looking for a singer. Through fliers at guitar shops, AC’s band ended up contacting Nate, and he showed up for an audition. There have been a few people come and go throughout the years, but AC and Nate have been the songwriting foundation since the beginning. We’ve added members that we’ve recruited from other bands (Rich and Tony) and our singer, Joe, was a longtime friend of Nate’s. That’s how the group we have now came together.

How would you describe your music to someone?
We take all the elements we like in hard rock, metal, hardcore, and experimental and interweave them together in high energy songs.

Who are some of the bands that influence your music?
I think for everybody in the band it’s different, but we all grew up listening to bands like Korn and Deftones. We draw from a wide variety of influences today. We listen to everything from hip-hop to hardcore. I would say our sound ranges from styles like Breaking Benjamin to Killswitch Engage to 36 Crazyfists or Sevendust. We draw from all sorts of music though, and every member would have a different answer for you.

What other bands have your members been/are in?
Fead, Ajeira, Before the Fire, Dirty the Shame, Label, 8th and Amsterdam, Klynch Fyst, Keyo Theory, Orange October… there were probably more haha

What other local bands would you recommend people check out?
There are so many good ones out there, and we’re sorry if we miss any of them. Check out The Severed Process, Wilson, Know Lyfe, State of Havoc, Stone the Manic, Dead Silent Orchestra, Crackjaw, Lakeland, Skee-Town Stylee, Infinite Design, Kill Tomorrow, Bury the Silence, & Dead Against.

Where is your favorite place to play in Grand Rapids?
Hmm… it’s a toss-up between the Orbit Room and The Intersection.

Where can we catch you performing next?
Crickets Pub in Muskegon June 30th.

Hellyeah – Band of Brothers

Evanescence – The Other Side

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In May of every year, Playboy announces their Playmate of the Year. Each Playmate of the Month from the previous year battles for the honor by campaigning for reader votes, but it’s ultimately Hef who decides. Last week, he unveiled this year’s PMOY – Miss April 2011 Jaclyn Swedberg.

Jaclyn grew up in Chino Hills, California where she graduated from high school in 2008. In college, she plans to major in Communications and wants to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. She’s already off to a good start, having appeared on four shows on Playboy TV: “Badass”, in which she does crazy stunts in the nude, ‘Playboy Beach House’ in Malibu, ‘Playboy Trip: Patagonia’ in Argentina, and ‘Camp Playboy’, which is like ‘Salute Your Shorts’ only with less Donkey Lips and more… D…S… lips.

You might think that’s a full plate, but Ms. Swedberg’s like the Ryan Seacrest of hot models — she’s also a host on a martial arts TV network called BlackbeltTV.

As far as interests and hobbies go, Jaclyn loves reading mysteries and thrillers, baking cupcakes and banana bread, yoga, Scrabble, and traveling – she’s been to more than 20 countries and her favorite place is Greece (maybe she could help out their economy?).

Congratulations, Jaclyn! It looks like we might have another Sara Jean Underwood in the making.

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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was a night of celebration for the attending members of Guns N’ Roses, but Duff McKagan says that after having some separation from the big night, he’s also a little sad about how things went down with his onetime group.

The bassist says in his Seattle Weekly blog, “Watching that HBO special made me sad — for the very first time perhaps — that the original GNR didn’t somehow stay together. It would have been a miracle if we did. If I’d known then what I know now, I would have done my part to try and rid that band of the caustic resentments and outside inputs that finally wore us down to a nub from what we once were, and what we could have come back from. Alas, it just wasn’t in the cards.”

McKagan reflected on what it meant to be inducted with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a band they opened for a few times in their Los Angeles-based early years, and the Beastie Boys, a group he calls “the hardcore East Coast counterpart to what we were oozing over on the West Coast.” Duff says there were even rumors at one point of them and the Beasties brawling against each other at a club, but he marks that up to testosterone.

The bassist says he was awestruck at the reaction not only of the fans, but also their peers as they went into the Rock Hall. He also reveals that a plan was in place for Green Day‘s Billie Joe Armstrong, who inducted the group, to sing whatever was needed if needed. In the end, a last minute decision was made to get Slash’s solo band vocalist Myles Kennedy and former GN’R guitarist Gilby Clarke to join the festivities, but Armstrong was prepared to step in.

Source: Loudwire.com

Sir Taz McGillen is a young gentleman scholar who allegedly found himself in the illegal possession of alcohol… probably a fine aged scotch.

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Twenty one year old actress Sarah Hyland is best known for outwitting the awesome Ty Burrell as his rebellious mallrat daughter, Haley, on ABC’s ‘Modern Family’. She’s cute, she’s funny, and she’s tough: Hyland just revealed that she underwent a successful kidney transplant late last month.

We’re happy to report that Hyland came out of the surgery looking happy, healthy and more determined than ever, and she has no plans to put the brakes on her acting career, which is great, because her big, smokey green eyes and gift for physical comedy would be sorely missed on ‘Modern Family’ (You can’t expect Sofia Vergara to do all the … er … heavy lifting).

Hyland is a native New Yorker who started acting when she was four-years-old. After a spate of soap opera, voiceover and guest TV spots (one of our favorites was her turn as “Famous Person” on Comedy Central’s ‘Children’s Hospital’), she landed the role of Haley on the hugely popular sitcom in 2009. She’s been stealing scenes from TV vet Julie Bowen, who plays her uptight moms, ever since.

As ‘Modern Family’ slowly crosses over into hate-watch territory (The show has only been on for three seasons and has already recycled countless tired jokes, plotlines and “Oh my gawd, look at the chubby gay guy in the super gay outfit” sight gags), Hyland is making a play for the big screen with roles in two upcoming indie flicks, ‘Struck by Lightning,’ co-starring Christina Hendricks (nom nom) and written by ‘Glee’ star Chris Colfer, and ‘Gay Dude,’ with Nick Offerman, Dreama Walker, Megan Mullally and Gary Cole.

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One of the music’s greats, bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn, passed away over the weekend and the tributes have been pouring in ever since. Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament is one of the latest to offer his thoughts on the legend that was one of his bass idols.

In a posting at Pearl Jam’s website, Ament writes, “Five years ago, I made a list of my favorite and most influential bassists, and after much editing, decided to put their names on the back of my new favorite bass at the time and the first name on the neck is Duck Dunn. In 1993, the band was lucky enough to open a bunch of shows in the U.S. and Europe for Neil [Young] and his band of Booker T., Steve Cropper, Jim Keltner, and Duck. Our band watched every minute of this all-star band and lessons were delivered nightly. I learned more about how to ‘play songs’ in a band than in my previous 12 years of playing. Duck played deeper and with more economy than most and profoundly effected how I play with PJ.”

Ament thanked Dunn in his note for “the education,” echoing the sentiments of Flea, Nickelback and many more. Dunn was a session musician for the Stax Records label in the ’60s, playing on great soul recordings from Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, and Sam & Dave, while also starting his run as a long-time member of Booker T. & the M.G.’s. He would later find success playing bass on rock records from Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Neil Young, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Tom Petty among others, but may be known to many of today’s generation for his role in The Blues Brothers band and films. He passed away Sunday (May 13) at the age of 70.

Source: Loudwire.com

SuicideGirls

Meet AnnaLee – a 28-year-old bookworm who’s addicted to expensive chocolate and loves listening to 80′s heavy metal power ballads and the ‘Blade Runner’ soundtrack. Unlike that movie’s ending, moments with her are anything but “tears in the rain“.

Name: AnnaLee Suicide

Age: 28

Stats: 5’4”, small

Fantasy: A responsible world. For all living things to have a fair chance at life. An end to prejudice and greed. My family to be happy. To live by the sea and grow all my own food and be in peace away from most people. To visit Russia, India and Japan and everywhere in between but always have a nest to come back to.

Makes me happy: Orson Welles’ voice, lochs, rivers and anything wet and unusual encounters with other creatures.

Vices: Book buying. That’s probably not too unhealthy. I’m also addicted to expensive chocolate. That is ever so slightly unhealthy.

SuicideGirls is a community that celebrates alternative beauty and alternative culture from all over the world. Since 2001, tens of thousands of models have submitted millions of photos to their website hoping to becomeSuicideGirls.

SuicideGirls

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Tom Lawlor made his way to the UFC in 2009 by way of, what else, The Ultimate Fighter program. For all intents and purposes, his career in the premier mixed martial arts promotion has been middling to say the least.

That doesn’t stop him from being a fan favorite, though. And if there is one way to catch our attention here at WGRD, it is with an extravagant walk out and drawing attention to yourself.

We already talked about getting attention in MMA in a previous post and it appears Lawlor has been a proponent of this for years, albeit a bit more dramatically.

He may be only 4-3 in his short time in the UFC, but the middleweight sure knows how to captivate a crowd with pop culture references and extreme over-acting. Evidently, if you don’t have a realistic chance at ever making a serious dent in the MMA world, you can easily keep your career on national television by extravagance.

While this video has some of his best entrances and walkouts, Lawlor promised his most ridiculous walkout in his history at his most recent bout on Fuel TV.

As described in the description of the video, who else could possibly provide references to Olivia Newton John of Grease fame, Apollo Creed from the Rocky films and MMA legend Dan Servern? We can only hope Tom Lawlor will stick around for a while to keep us entertained, at least outside the octagon.

Any walkout of a certain fighter your favorite? What is your favorite of Lawlor’s references? Let us know in the comments below!

There is a Russian MMA promotion called M-1 that is probably more corrupt than the NYPD in almost every fictional police drama movie. Anyway, they have a championship that was held by a guy by the name of Vinny Magalhaes. As anticipated, things were not so rosy between Magalhaes and the promotion so a tense split occurred with Magalhaes deciding to not honor his contract.

Without a promotion to call home, Magalhaes was left with nothing but his very own championship belt. What else would you do with a now worthless MMA championship belt that isn’t exactly encouraged dinner attire? Why, EBay, of course!

That is right, Vinny cashed in on his overly gaudy belt by selling it online. At least, he was planning on it.

After opening the listing at $.09 and receiving bids more than $2,500, the listing is now closed with the item apparently “no longer available.”

For our money, opening your checkbook is a far better option than having to work for years and dedicating yourself to the cause and training to fight some of the best athletes in the world. Plus, just think about all the women you can pick up with a real live championship belt and not just that one you overpaid for at a wrestling event!

Ladies do love accomplished athletes, no matter how those “accomplishments” happened!

What authentic MMA gear would you buy online? Let us know in the comments below!

The Texas Hippie Coalition retired ultimate supreme Rocktagon Champions last week, so we brought Serj back for another go against Hellyeah!

Hellyeah – Band of Brothers

Spider Rockets – Going Down

Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com

While rock may be a male dominated world, when the women speak, they do so loudly. Two great examples of that are Amy Lee and her band Evanescence and Lzzy Hale with Halestorm. The two leading ladies have been crossing paths lately and have nothing but kind and supportive words for each other.

In a recent interview with 106.5 The End at last weekend’s Carolina Rebellion (May 12), Amy Lee raved about Hale and her masterful pipes. “I love her voice, she has a beautiful voice,” Lee said. “I had heard their [Halestorm] music. I went to check her out live to see if it was the real deal and she’s the real deal. She has a voice like … power! She’s powerful.”

With not a lot of female fronted bands on the rock circuit Lee talked about the experience of seeing Halestorm live. “I look forward to it,” she expressed. “I can get juiced up and inspired.”

Lee and Evanescence, currently out on tour in support of their latest self-titled disc also dished on the rules of the road. As seasoned vets, they definitely have some insight. “Always carry baby wipes, because some days you just can’t catch a shower,” reports Lee. “Hydrate, you have to drink a little or else you’re not going to be able to rock like you need to.”

When asked who they were most looking forward to seeing that day, Lee couldn’t name just one band, “We have friends here,” she admitted. “We love Korn. Chevelle – who we know, we’re going to tour with the later this year.” Evanescence will be overseas through the beginning of July. The tour with Chevelle has not yet been officially announced so fans certainly have that to look forward to.

Watch the Full Evanescence Interview [via 106.5 The End]

Source: Loudwire.com

The Babe Spot/ModelMayhem/piyanuchchanphet.com/ModelMayhem/Tumblr/Facebook.com, LovellyBones

Babe of the Month may still be raging on, but that doesn’t mean we can forget about all the other hot chicks vying for your attention.

There are six luscious beauties eying the Babe of the Week crown, but it’s up to you to choose. Will it be GuySpeed lover and model Alba Verdugo, the “clumsy Chicago girl” with the big rack (i.e. Wendy Fiore), or will it be one of the other competitors?

There’s also the hot Thailand native Piyanuch Chanphet, international model Joanna Tuczynska, Hooters girl Danielle Houghton, and entrepreneur Amanda Elayne to consider.

We know a lot of boobs can be overwhelming, which is why you should click on each of the babes below to get a closer look at their photo galleries. We wouldn’t want you making any rash decisions.

Alba Verdugo

The Babe Spot

Wendy Fiore

ModelMayhem

Piyanuch Chanphet

piyanuchchanphet.com

Joanna Tuczynska

ModelMayhem

Danielle Houghton

Tumblr

Amanda Elayne

Facebook.com/LovellyBones

Here’s the deal: At the end of the week, each Babe of the Day will compete for your votes and the winner will become Babe of the Week. Each week’s winner will then face off to become Babe of the Month, and those winners will then duke it out for – you guessed it – the Babe of the Year title. Only those lucky ladies will be inducted into GuySpeed’s Hall of Fame, an honor reserved for the hottest of babes.

Source: GuySpeed.com

Welcome to the midst of an epic battle between mammaries known as Boobie Bouts! TWO challengers (Well, FOUR technically) battle it out in a jiggly sea of destruction. In this bout it’s frozen boobs vs side boob!

You choose the victor between these two TIT-ans.

Stephanie “Slush Puppies” Wilson

Even though Stephanie’s shirt is cold, her opponents agree that she is hot!  Her signature moves include “The Shirt Shrinker” and “The Deep Freeze.”

Fanny “The Flannel” Farenheit

Fanny is from the deep south… emphasis on deep! She is quick to temper and will crush any opponent using her finishing move “The Southern Charm!”

Vimeo: James Winters

Get ready to have your minds blown, Beastie Boys fans, because the classic video for the tune ‘Sabotage’ has been re-enacted by little kids. In a loving tribute to the recently deceased Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch, the kids in this video for ‘Sabotage’ don awesome wigs, chase down criminals, bet on games of Connect Four and get thrown off buildings.

‘Sabotage’ is one of the Beastie Boys’ most celebrated songs, with the music video known as an imperishable piece of both rock history. As a cornerstone of the MTV music video era, ‘Sabotage’ was the first single released from the group’s 1994 album, ‘Ill Communication.’ The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award, was ranked No. 19 on VH1′s ’100 Greatest Songs of the ’90s’ and made Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.’

This hilarious video tribute reminds us of how great the ‘Sabotage’ video really was while hitting that soft spot we all have for Brooklyn’s finest. Shot in the same high-energy, shaky and awesomely corny fashion, it isn’t much of a stretch to say that if this was the actual video for ‘Sabotage,’ the fan reaction may have garnered a similar response to the video we all know and love.

Check out the reenactment of the Beastie Boys classic ‘Sabotage’ in the video below.

Beastie Boys, ‘Sabotage’ Recreated

Source: Loudwire.com