THE DAMNED THINGS

DECEMBER 2010 ISSUE



was definitely never part of the equation, at

least consciously. When we started, the idea

was to keep it pretty heavy but have a point

to everything and try to not do anything any

of us had already done."

The Damned Things came together

four years ago, before Fall Out Boy went on

its current indefinite hiatus. Trohman met Ian

through a mutual friend, and despite vastly

different r?sum?s, the guitarists bonded over

a shared love of classic rock. "We met and

talked about bands we were into, especially

Clay Patrick McBride

the older rock bands that kick-started the

idea of heavy metal, like Black Sabbath and

Thin Lizzy," says Trohman, who had played

in metal groups with Hurley before Fall Out

Boy formed. "It was like, `We both like this

stuff. Oh, you're writing music? Oh, I like

writing, too. Let's do a band.'"

They had no trouble recruiting the other

members, but all three of their regular bands

were busy with other projects at the time.

Joe Trohman, Andy Hurley, Keith Buckley, Rob Caggiano, Scott Ian

It was only recently that the six musicians found time to cut Ironiclast, produced by

Trohman and Caggiano, and prepare for

THE DAMNED THINGS their first-ever U.S. tour. "We'd been trying our best to wait to unleash this band and do it properly, in a way it wouldn't be offensive

Fall Out Boy + Anthrax + Every Time I Die = a different kind of rock supergroup

to the other bands we were in or offensive to the fans," Trohman says. "We don't want to confuse people." And they don't want to

stop now. The Damned Things (named for a

THE FIRST SOUND ON IRONICLAST, rock melodies remind one of Fall Out Boy, line in Ram Jam's '70s version of Leadbelly's

the debut album from unlikely hard-rock former home to Damned Things guitarist Joe "Black Betty") will tour together through at

supergroup the Damned Things, is a monster Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley.

least the end of February, and plans are

guitar riff characteristic of six-string slingers

Trohman is used to hearing such already afoot for another album. "I troll the

Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano from thrash- piecemeal dissections, but he sees the internet like a creep, and I've seen people

metal mainstay Anthrax. The songs that band as more than the mathematical sum be like, `This better not be a one-off, or I'm

follow are fast, tight and laser-precise--kind of its parts. "It's easy to say that, because going to be pissed off,'" he says. "I like

of like Every Time I Die, singer Keith Buckley some of it's heavy, and some of it's melodic," that. I'm already thinking of how I want the

and bassist Josh Newton's veteran metal- he says. "But we wrote what we liked. We next one to sound."

core outfit. Meanwhile, the soaring modern- weren't saying, `Let's do an equal mix.' That

?Kenneth Partridge

Now that Vincent is one of the leading figures in modern time. "I made it a personal goal," says Vincent, who has focused

bluegrass, she's taking on a new challenge. She recently launched more on her vocals over the last several years--and been named

her own independent label, through which she released her new the International Bluegrass Music Association's Female Vocalist of

album, Taken. "I eliminated the middleman," she explains. "It was the Year seven times. "I've played a few pieces here and there, but

a viable route to go, though it had its challenges. When it came not every mandolin piece on an entire album."

time to write a check, it was the first time that I didn't have an

Two decades after the release of her debut album, A Dream

advance, so it was scary. But it's also very exciting. During Come True, Vincent continues to push herself artistically. "When I go

meetings, somebody would ask, `Who do you need to check with?' into the studio, I always try to make something better and I always try

And I would reply, `Let me check with the A&R department. OK, to do something we haven't done before," she says. "It's a challenge,

that's me. I say let's do this.'"

but there's always the same rule of thumb. It has to feel good in my

DECEMBERRec2ord0e1d 0withMheMr loUngStimICe b&ackMingUbaSnIdC, tIhAe NRaSge,MTakAenGAhZeaIrNt bEefore we send it off for folks to listen to." Those folks sent

features guest appearances from Dolly Parton, Richard Marx, Little Taken to No. 1 on Billboard's bluegrass chart upon its release. "It

Roy Lewis and Vincent's daughters Sally and Tensel Sandker (who told me this was really the right choice," she says. "It's like a stamp

have a group of their own, Next Best Thing). The album found Vincent of approval, something that says, `Job well done.'"

going back to basics by playing more mandolin than she has in some

?Lee Zimmerman

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