Watch Never Before Seen Outtakes of Metallica with Michael Alago from “Who The F*ck Is That Guy” Documentary


 

Michael Alago recently released his memoir I Am Michael Alago: Breathing Music. Signing Metallica. Beating Death. (BackBeat Books), written by Alago with Laura Davis-Chanin (with a foreword by Mina Caputo of Life of Agony and John Joseph of Cro-Mags) and you can read our review here. Michael is the music industry legend that signed Metallica to Electra Records and helped guide them on the path to being the biggest band of all time. He also played a role in the careers of White Zombie, Cro-mags, Metal Church, Flotsam and Jetsam, and more. The Drew Stone documentary Who The F*ck Is That Guy: The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago (just wrapped on Netflix after an unprecedented 3 years, now on Amazon Prime and YouTube) grew awareness of him beyond music documentaries and VH1’s Metallica Behind The Music. Now you can see never before seen outtakes of Michael with Metallica after they filmed their segments for the film, posted to Drew Stone’s YouTube. Continue reading


BOOK REVIEW: Michael Alago and Laura Davis-Chanin – “I Am Michael Alago: Breathing Music. Signing Metallica. Beating Death.”


Everybody has a story.

There are many words of wisdom born from the soul of Michael Alago that he has shared in his memoir. Most know him as the music industry legend that signed Metallica to Electra Records and helped guide them on the path to being the biggest band of all time. The Drew Stone documentary Who The F*ck Is That Guy: The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago (now on Netflix and Amazon) shined a light on him that he deserved for decades. But there is so much more to his story, to the person than bands he signed, and who whom he rubbed shoulders with. The film was a terrific introduction to his life and times and why he deserves the credit he does. The book slowly peels back the years, all the wonderful and terrible things that life can bring and all the in-betweens. A lot of formative times with his family growing up in Brooklyn, dear friends, loves and losses. A terrific tapestry of experiences, stories, and reminiscences. There are many standout movements, including instances of Michael being surrounded the greats of the music and art world; Jerry Brandt, Bill Graham, Danny Fields, Bob Krasnow, Robert Mapplethorpe and many more. It’s cool enough to have met those people, but what really matters is listening and learning from greatness when it comes across your path. He did just that. Continue reading


Dumb and Dumbest Episode #353: Who The F*ck Is That Guy? It’s Michael Alago!


Michael Alago is not just famous for making Metallica a household name and signing White Zombie, he has put down a legendary career in the music on top of those highlights! His new memoir, I Am Michael Alago: Breathing Music. Signing Metallica, Beating Death is coming out March 25th. Matt and Curtis hear from Michael about his life and career on Dumb and Dumbest – Episode #353 – Who The F*ck Is That Guy? It’s Michael Alago! Dumb and Dumbest is hosted by Matt Bacon (Dropout Media, Ripple Music, Prophecy Productions), Publicist Curtis Dewar (Dewar PR) and Keith Chachkes (Ghost Cult/BDWE Media). In addition to the podcast, Matt, Curtis, and Keith all host The Music Marketing Challenges: low-cost, super high-value private training to bands and artists. And we just launched a Get hands-on practical experience to market your band like a pro today! DM Matt or Curtis at the links below for detailsContinue reading


Michael Alago Reads from His New Memoir in New York City


Music Industry legend Michael Alago, famous for signing Metallica and discovering White Zombie along with countless others, has released his highly anticipated memoir, I Am Michael Alago: Breathing Music, Signing Metallica, Beating Death via Backbeat Books. The book focuses on Michael’s early life, his experiences in the music industry, and his overcoming addictions and illness, to where he is today. Also the subject of the acclaimed Drew Stone documentary, Who The Fuck Is That Guy?: The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago, the film about Michael’s life was just renewed on Netflix, and is now available to purchase and stream on Amazon Prime Video. On Friday (03/06/2020) in New York, Michael appeared at the Bowery Electric club and read from the book, autographed books and chatted up friends and fans. Borgo Pass and Keith Roth (Frankenstein 3000/Ozzy’s Boneyard on SiriusXM) performed unplugged sets before and after Michael spoke, respectively. Check out these EXCLUSIVE photos by Omar Cordy/OJC Photography. Continue reading


CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Quicksand Released “Manic Compression” 25 Years Ago


Post-Hardcore is a sub-genre that gets tossed around today as commonplace, but in the early 1990s, it was a new little brother that the older sibling was not ready to cede attention to. As Hardcore Punk mutated into other offshoots, post-Hardcore started to gain ground. In New York City alone, the epicenter for many new waves of hardcore music, a lot of bands crossed over (see what we did there) and bands started to absorb elements of both with Prong, White Zombie, and Biohazard were all leaning more on metal vibes, Quicksand formed by members of ex-hardcore legend status bands we’re pushing towards a new sound. Heavy, but not in a tough guy way, vulnerable, but smart. By the time the members of essential musical outfits Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Beyond, Bold, Burn, and Collapse formed an anti-supergroup, released demos and the amazing Slip (Polydor) album, and toured tirelessly, fans in the scene could feel they were building to something huge. They walked in both worlds of Punk and Metal but were also world-building themselves at the same time. Continue reading


Music Industry Legend Michael Alago’s Memoir Due Out Next Spring


Michael Anthony Alago, legendary music industry A & R executive who signed Metallica To Elektra and worked with the likes of everyone from White Zombie, Flotsam And Jetsam, Metal Church, and all the way to Hall of Famers like Nina Simone, will finally release his autobiography I Am Michael Alago: Breathing Music. Signing Metallica. Beating Death in March of 2020 via Backbeat Books. Co-written with Laura Davis-Chanin. Alago was the subject of the documentary by Drew Stone, “Who the F*ck is That Guy? The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago” in 2017, which is now on Netflix. Alago’s book promised to be a no holds barred look into his life growing up in Brooklyn, his groundbreaking work in the music business surviving the Aids crisis, overcoming addiction, to his life in the present as a published and celebrated photographer and personality. You can pre-order the book from Amazon. For more about Michael, revisit our interview with him a few years back. Continue reading


Sean Yseult Is Glad White Zombie Ended When It Did


In a new interview with Mitch Lafon’s radio show “Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon”, former White Zombie bassist Sean Yseult is at peace about when the band broke up and that she was able to pursue her true calling of art and photography. Yseult had previously expressed her disappointment about the end of the group, forced by Rob Zombie, during interviews and her incredible book I’m With The Band (Soft Skull Press), back in 2010. White Zombie was one of the greatest metal bands of the early 1990s, along with their peers like Pantera, Type Of Negative, Fear Factory, Marilyn Manson and more. Continue reading


Watch The Trailer For Rob Zombie’s Astro-Creep 2000 Live Album


At Riot Fest Chicago 2016, Rob Zombie and his band performed all of White Zombie’s classic Astro Creep 2000: Songs Of Love, Destruction And Other Synthetic Delusions Of The Electric Head album. Now that performance is coming out as a live album, Astro-Creep: 2000 Live next week, and you can watch the album trailer! Continue reading


Rob Zombie: “Astro-Creep: 2000 Live” And Vinyl Box-Set Announced


Rob Zombie performed White Zombie‘s entire 1994 album, Astro-Creep: 2000 – Songs Of Love, Destruction And Other Synthetic Delusions Of The Electric Head, live at 2016’s Riot Fest in Chicago, and it will now be released as a live album, entitled Astro-Creep: 2000 Live, on March 30th via Interscope/Geffen/A&M. Continue reading


Corey Taylor Names His Top Ten Metal Albums Of All Time


Rolling Stone enlisted music writers and heavy metal icons to help out with their recent list of “The 100 Greatest Metal Albums Of All Time”, and today Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor has shared his personal list online.Continue reading