'Into the Pit:' Alter Bridge's Myles Kennedy

If one were to speak with Myles Kennedy specifically about the special songs he's had a hand in crafting over the years, the conversation would take hours. That's because the Alter Bridge singer/guitarist, who also more than dabbles as the vocalist for Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash's band Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, has put his stamp on a variety of not only hits, but tracks that carry meaningful weight to his fans.

Older tunes such as "Brand New Start," "Isolation" and "Come to Life" still resonate today. The uplifting message of "Rise Today," a flat-out rocker such as "Metalingus" (the one-time theme entrance for World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Famer Adam "Edge" Copeland) and the always inspiring "Blackbird" mesh with newer tunes such as the presidential election inspired "Show Me a Leader," demonstrating how much Kennedy's talents have made their way across five Alter Bridge studio albums and live efforts such as Live at Wembley and the two-month-old Live at the O2 Arena + Rarities.

A founder of The Mayfield Four, Kennedy received a big boost within the public eye by virtue of an appearance in 2001's "Rock Star." The movie, inspired by the journey of Tim "Ripper" Owens' assignment in rising from relative obscurity to replacing Rob Halford in 1996 as the vocalist for Judas Priest, featured Kennedy unveiling his vocal talents when his character was brought on stage by the character played by Mark Wahlberg.

While Kennedy mixed duties with Alter Bridge and Slash, he also found time to write songs with Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham and had an opportunity to be part of Slash's other group Velvet Revolver, which never materialized. His oft-forgotten jazz background has even inspired his forthcoming solo album Year of the Tiger that will be released next year and features Kennedy playing a variety of instruments.

But first, Kennedy joins guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips when they kick off a U.S. tour today in the group's home base of Orlando, Florida. The trek comes to the Aztec Theatre on Sunday, Dec. 3 with All That Remains and Sons Of Texas (tickets here), a visit that will mark Alter Bridge's first San Antonio appearance since it headlined the Aztec on Sept. 25, 2016.

Kennedy phoned Alamo True Metal on Tuesday, just prior to Thanksgiving, to discuss as much as we could in 20 minutes. Click here to listen to our conversation. For last year's chat with Phillips, click here.

'Into the Pit:' Ministry

As one of the innovators and mainstays of the industrial metal scene, movement and lifestyle, Ministry burst onto TV sets and airwaves three decades ago with songs such as "Thieves," "New World Order (N.W.O.)," and "Jesus Built My Hotrod." Not to mention the track that arguably conjures up images of charismatic and politically outspoken frontman "Uncle" Al Jourgensen the most: "Just One Fix."

With Jourgensen orchestrating and driving the Ministry machine since Day 1, his bandmates have come and gone. The dearest one to his life, guitarist Mike Scaccia, collapsed on stage in December 2012 in Fort Worth while playing with Rigor Mortis during vocalist Bruce Corbitt's 50th birthday performance. Scaccia died the next morning, leading to Jourgensen stating that 2013's From Beer to Eternity would more than likely be Ministry's final album, as he discussed with Alamo True Metal last year (listen here).

Alas, Ministry has finished AmeriKKKant, a new record slated to be released next spring. But the first order of business was the conclusion of the group's U.S. tour Sunday night at the Aztec Theatre, which included the unveiling of two new songs: "Antifa" and "Wargasm." Prior to taking the stage, a scheduled 1-on-1 interview with guitarist, El Paso native and former Pissing Razors axeman Cesar Soto morphed into a full-blown conversation with the rest of Jourgensen's troops.

Click the video box to watch ATM's exclusive chat with Soto, bassist Tony Campos (also of Static-X, Soulfly and Fear Factory), new drummer Derek Abrams, keyboardist John Bechdel (Prong, Killing Joke) and guitarist Sin Quirin (Revolting Cocks) as we discuss several topics past, present and future regarding Ministry and some of their other works.

Stay tuned for coverage of the gig for AXS.com with more video footage.

Bach at the Box: Voice of Skid Row basks in Jarzombek's homecoming

Whenever Sebastian Bach plays the Alamo City, the original vocalist of Skid Row comes close to being overshadowed, or at least equaled, by his own drummer. And he doesn't mind one bit.

The latest instance came Friday night at The Rock Box, when Bach turned it several times into "The Bach Rox" and entertained fans of his late '80s/early '90s metal outfit with a 1 hour, 26-minute performance.

Not to be outdone, of course, was the return of San Antonio native Bobby Jarzombek, who drummed on the same stage in mid-August with Fates Warning. This time, Jarzombek didn't have to worry about complicated time changes in a progressive metal band. Instead, he returned to his staple of placing and frequently mashing two cymbals behind his head, a setup he doesn't use with Fates Warning, because Bach's band affords him the chance to simply rock out.

As he did during last year's visit next door at Alamo City Music Hall, Bach peculiarly began the show in warmup mode, featuring four songs (as opposed to six last year) in which he toned down the tempo and mood, particularly while opening with the odd choice of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing." Also joined by guitarist Brent Woods and UFO bassist Rob De Luca, Bach's frequent references to needing a warmup included a track from the vastly underrated Subhuman Race, the third and final album he recorded with Skid Row in 1995, in "Breaking Down." Two of his most popular tracks from Skid Row's self-titled 1989 debut, "18 and Life" and "I Remember You," rounded out the initial portion of the show, though the latter would've better served as an encore.

Even with the sizable crowd geared up following those two tracks, the concert didn't feel as if it had officially begun until Bach changed jackets and the band took it to another level with arguably Skid Row's heaviest track, the title tune to 1991's Slave to the Grind.

Bach recounted stories of first playing Texas in 1985 in Madam X, a band that not only remains active today but was formed by original and current Vixen drummer Roxy Petrucci and her guitarist sister Maxine Petrucci. He also shared tales of drinking with the late Pantera and Damageplan guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott -- without mentioning that Pantera opened for Skid Row on a memorable 1992 tour -- as he introduced solo-album headbanger "American Metalhead" (which inexplicably said "Florida Metalhead" on the printed setlist under "San Antonio, Texas) and Skid Row ballad "In A Darkened Room (ATM footage of both below).

"American Metalhead," a track Bach came up with on 2007's Angel Down with Halford guitarist "Metal" Mike Chlasciak, required two takes because Woods' guitar shut down at the start of the tune (ATM footage here), causing a six-minute delay. The other connection is Chlasciak and Jarzombek continue to be members of Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford's solo band Halford.

The Skid Row hits kept coming (setlist in slideshow) with "Sweet Little Sister," "Piece of Me" and "Monkey Business," which morphed into a dead-on mini-rendition of Rush's "Tom Sawyer" book-ended by the 1991 classic.

Bach introduced his mates at what appeared to be the end of the performance, with the usually reserved Jarzombek becoming even more animated than when he was surprisingly vocal after last year's concert, this time offering: "My good friend Sebastian fucking Bach! San Antonio, he is the original and only voice of Skid Row!"

The four members saluted the crowd and basked in the cheers, before Bach and Co. returned for one more cover in AC/DC's "T.N.T." 

Though Bach didn't play anything from his two most recent solo albums, the latest of which was 2014's Give 'em Hell, he isn't exactly touring in support of a new record, book or career milestone.

He's simply on the road to put the fun back in Rock N' Roll. And there's nothing wrong with that. Especially when it provides another chance for San Antonians to recognize one of their own talented musicians to boot.

The original voice of Skid Row restarts a 2007 solo song after the guitar of Brent Woods went out for six minutes (Take 1), then follows with a Pantera story of Dimebag Darrell's favorite Skid Row song.