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Interview: We Are The Fallen’s Bassist Marty O’Brien Excited About New Band and New Life

Jeremy Singer — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:45:36 +0000

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For a 12-year seasoned veteran free-lance bassist, Marty O’Brien is all of a sudden experiencing things for the first time now.

The Rhode Island native’s got his first real band We Are The Fallen, ergo, his first real debut album Tear The World Down, and above his first real consistent gig for the future.

He laughs when thinking this was all thanks to an unanswered e-mail he sent in 2002, to tryout for guitarist Ben Moody’s new band at the time, Evanescence.

“Funny story,” says O’Brien who’s been on three different Ozzfest tours as a free-lancer, and has rocked with A-list people like Tommy Lee, Disturbed, Kelly Clarkson and Celine Dion.

“About a year-and-a-half after I didn’t get a reply back from him, I ran into Ben (Moody) outside the Viper Room on Sunset Blvd -after Evanescence had become really popular- and I introduced myself, asking him about that e-mail. He freaked out, and was like ‘dude, are you serious!? At that time, I was living in my grandmother’s basement! When I saw your credentials, I thought that it was like a joke that a few friends were playing on me or something!’”

Not to worry though, because from that encounter stemmed a building friendship between O’Brien and Moody for years to come, where Moody would leave Evanescence in 2003, and have O’Brien play bass on all his solo-projects.

It was only a matter of time that after Evanescence members John LeCompt (Rhythm Guitar), and Rocky Gray (Drums) also left the band in 2007, that Moody would decide to bring them together along with O’Brien, grab a talented former American Idol top ten finalist Carly Smithson (Vocals), and form new talented alternative rock/metal band We Are The Fallen in 2009.

“I tell everyone,” says O’Brien, “even though the band has only been together for a year, it feels like I’ve known some of these guys for a lot longer- for like years now.”

O’Brien admits that this new experience is definitely a contrast to his days free-lancing as a bassist for party rock n’ roll tours.

“There’s a difference for sure,” he says. “With Tommy Lee, you try to go back into the bus to chill out, but wait, you can’t because there’s a huge after party on the bus. Here everyone’s married, has kids, very mellowed out. We watch movies, everyone’s in their PJ’s after the show. It’s funny.”

And although the band’s concentrated ex-Evanescence core has brought a bit of criticism that they sound like Evanescence, O’Brien says that it can’t be avoided.

“It makes me laugh,” he says. “You have to realize, these guys pretty much created Evanescence. It’s like if Led Zeppelin broke up and created a new band…obviously it’s going to sound a bit alike. How do you not sound like yourself?

“But we’re just way too happy right now to be fixed-out about it.”

Keeping them high on life is their debut album Tear The World Down -which was released by Universal Republic on May 11- and is led by their hit single Bury Me Alive, which has climbed the charts and was also used in the promo of the season one finale of CTV’s The Vampire Diaries. Also pushing the record strong are singles like Don’t Leave Me Behind, and Sleep Well, My Angel.

Originally the group was supposed to release a song every eight weeks by MySpace to build a compilation, but after the band underestimated the amount of material that they had actually written, it was agreed that they had to put it together into an album.

“When we formed, we didn’t have one song,” says O’Brien. “So you can imagine how much writing we’ve done over the last year, but we all just had a lot to say on our minds in the beginning, so we had more than enough material to write about.

“We would even all record and submit our own musical ideas form our designated instruments. It was a really creative open brainstorm.”

But surprisingly, writing wasn’t even the first issue on the agenda when the band formed. It was actually figuring out how they were gonna look on-stage.

“Ben was the first to speak to Carly,” says O’Brien, “and they clicked on their vision of what this band should look like, to the album cover, to the performance, to what they wanted to do on-stage. We have all these crazy ideas that we’re working on now.

“I can’t say anything yet, but you’ll be seeing them soon…”

The group hopes to reveal those ideas and their potential while on their current massive 28-city tour in the U.S. with Finish rock-band H.I.M, and then a 14-city solo-tour in the U.S. and Europe.

“We plan on staying on the road for a year-and-a-half, probably 18 months,” says O’Brian. “We’re determined to work this album for a long time. But we have to take this step-by-step, that’s the way to do it to reach longevity.

“We want to prove ourselves. It’s one sitting at a time, to show people what we have. But it’s a great feeling to finally have that album out.”

Tommy Lee Back in Business

Stephen Baldwin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:39:59 +0000

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The rock star turned tattooed porn star spectacle is getting back to music with his new project, Beserk, CHARTattack.com reports.

The nu-metal group will include the drummers from Velvet Revolver, Incubus and The Red Hot Chili Peppers, along with Godsmack singer Sully Erna.

Bezerk will perform on January 8th at the Guitar Center Drum-Off ’09 Grand Finals at Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theatre.
The group will highlight the $40,000 drum-off including five undiscovered drummers who will battle for money and respect through the approval of a judging panel.

Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee Back Together. Again.

Irene Ogrodnik — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:17:19 +0000

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It may come as no surprise, and we may have lost count, but Pamela Anderson and ex, Tommy Lee, are trying to make it work as a couple.

Gossip columnist Perez Hilton reports that Lee told Rolling Stone magazine: “Pamela and the kids have moved in with me. It’s awesome, man. It’s definitely working. You can tell on the kids’ faces — they’re happy when we’re together. We’ve only given it a try 800 times — 801, here we go.”

The couple divorced a few years ago and since then, Anderson, 41, has remarried twice. The Canadian star has been married to rocker Kid Rock and Rick Salomon, who is known famously for making a sex tape with socialite Paris Hilton.

Pam Anderson Declared Healthy

andPOP Staff — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:12:36 +0000

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Whatever Pamela Anderson’s secret is, she needs to share.

The blonde bombshell announced on “Larry King Live” this week that her doctor had announced her to be completely healthy.

“I’m doing really good,” she said. “Actually, I just went to my doctor, Dr Huizenga. He took all my blood work and went through all my tests. And I hadn’t really been to him in a year-and-a-half. And he said he’s never seen me healthier.

“That, he said, it’s a miracle. You know, I don’t really work out a lot. I walk and play sports with my kids. But he says, ‘You’re in the best shape I’ve ever seen you in. You’re 40 years old and your liver is in great shape, all your blood work came back really well, low cholesterol.’”

The news is amazing as Anderson has Hepatitis C. In 2003, she said that she was not expected to live more than 15 years because of the disease.

So what is Anderson doing to take care of herself? “I’m… treating it homeopathically… But I’m doing really what he (the doctor) told me… He thinks that me being vegetarian really helps me staying in such good shape.”

Rock of Love is ‘Ridiculous’ Says Tommy Lee

andPOP Staff — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:02:52 +0000

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Montley Crue drummer Tommy Lee gave his opinion on Bret Michaels’ reality show, “Rock of Love” to ew.com recently.

“They asked me to be on the second Rock of Love and I was, like, ‘Are you out of your f—– minds? F— no!. I think it’s the stupidest s— I’ve ever seen,” he said.

Lee is no stranger to reality television – his foray into the genre came a couple of summers ago when he went to college. The show was aptly called “Tommy Lee Goes to College.”

Apparently, Lee must think that was more “intelligent” than “Rock of Love.”

Ludacris And Tommy Lee To Star In Green Reality Show

Eva Lam — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:59:52 +0000

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Rapper Ludacris and rocker Tommy Lee are teaming up — or rather, facing off — to spread the word about the environment.

The two musicians have signed up to star in “Battleground Earth,” which will air on the Discovery Channel’s new network PlanetGreen.

The show will follow Ludacris and Lee as they embark on a 10-date bus tour, competing in challenges that highlight environmental issues along the way.

In the series finale, the two will band together to co-headline a concert at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre with proceeds going to Griffith Park, the second-largest city park in California.

“Battleground” is set to begin production in the next few weeks, with plans for a late July or early August premiere.

Ludacris previously supported the green cause when he took part in last summer’s Live Earth concert.

Pam Anderson Ends Third Marriage

andPOP Staff — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:33:37 +0000

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Rick Salomon is about to join rockers Tommy Lee and Kid Rock on the list of Pamela Anderson’s ex-husbands.

The Canadian starlet is seeking to annul her five-month marriage to Salomon making this her third failed attempt at lifelong marital bliss.

The couple’s union started in the city of quickie weddings. They married in Las Vegas between magician Hans Klok’s shows where Anderson was appearing as an assistant.

Almost immediately after the Vegas nuptials, rumours were rampant that the two had called it quits.

The British Columbian actress posted a statement on her website in December saying that the pair was “working things out”. A little over a month later, she filed for divorce citing “irreconcilable differences.”

Salomon shares the bad-boy image of Anderson’s previous husbands and is best known as the man responsible for exposing a now infamous sex tape featuring his ex, Paris Hilton.

Anderson, 40, has two children from her marriage to drummer Tommy Lee and has told press that she plans on shifting her focus to her boys during this time.

Pam Anderson Files For Divorce, Changes Mind

andPOP Staff — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:45:30 +0000

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This time, Pamela Anderson was married for just two months before filing for divorce from current hubby Rick Salomon.

Anderson made the filing on Friday, December 14, but by Monday 17 had updated her blog with the post-script, “We’re working things out…” This is typical of Anderson, as she has had on-off relationships with both of her ex-husbands.

Anderson married Salomon shortly after her divorce from Kid Rock. Her first husband, Tommy Lee, is the father of her two sons, Brandon and Dylan. Salomon is known only for being Paris Hilton’s sex partner in the infamous sex tape, and previously being married to Shannen Doherty.

Tommy Lee Quits Motley Crue

andPOP Staff — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 07:31:10 +0000

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Rocker TOMMY LEE has brought MOTLEY CRUE’s reunion to a screeching halt after announcing he wants to quit the band.

His decision follows an amended complaint, filed by his three bandmates,
against his manager and business partner Carl Stubner, in which the trio is
demanding $20 million (£10 million) in damages.

Mick Mars, Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx contend Stubner cost them millions by persuading Lee to turn his back on lucrative concert dates and concentrate his efforts in two reality TV shows.

In a statement released by Lee’s management company to website
Blabbermouth.net late on Wednesday (12Sep07), a spokesman for the rocker revealed he “recently informed Sixx and Mars, the shareholders of Motley Crue, Inc., that he was resigning from the band and his resignation was accepted.”

A previous statement from Lee’s attorney Barbara Berkowitz suggested the drummer was far from happy with his bandmates’ legal actions.

Berkowitz said, “Mr. Lee was neither consulted regarding this matter nor
authorised the lawsuit. Mr. Lee has not made any allegations against his
current personal manager. Mr. Lee feels fortunate to have been part of the
Motley reunion tour, as well as other opportunities outside of Motley Crue over the past several years.

“It is unfortunate that others believe that they all could have made more
money had Mr. Lee exclusively participated in the band that he co-founded in 1980.” (KL/WN/LJ)

Pam Anderson and Kid Rock Not Dating

andPOP Staff — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 12:52:49 +0000

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Buxom blonde Pamela Anderson, known for always having men fawn all over her, is currently single, contrary to reports that have her linked to former flames Kid Rock and Tommy Lee.

The rumours about Anderson and ex-fiance Kid Rock were fuelled in part by the rocker?s scheduled guest appearance tonight on the season premiere of Anderson?s sitcom, ?Stacked.? But Anderson announced on the Ellen DeGeneres Show on Monday that while she was friendly with both Rock and ex-husband Lee, she?s ?not seeing either of them.?

When asked by DeGeneres whether there was anyone else, Anderson responded that she had enough to handle. “My kids and Tommy are enough to handle,” she said.

Lee and Anderson, who divorced in 1998, have two sons, Brandon and Dylan.

Tommy Lee Injured Onstage

andPOP Staff — Sun, 16 Oct 2005 22:29:57 +0000

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Motley Cr?e drummer Tommy Lee suffered minor burns when a pyrotechnics display backfired while the band was performing in Wisconsin this past week.

The accident occurred towards the end of the show, when Lee was suspended 30 feet above the stage. According to audience members, he was injured when sparks from the fireworks display temporarily surrounded him.

After the incident, Lee managed to play one more song before the group ended the show so that the injured drummer could be taken to the hospital.

Neither the Wyoming Medical Center, nor Lee?s publicist, commented on his injuries, but he was not badly injured, said Sgt. Doug Beran of the Casper Police Department

Despite Lee’s injuries, the band, who had three more US shows scheduled over the weekend, announced they would not be cancelling any tour dates.

It’s Always Been Love for Pam and Tommy

andPOP Staff — Sun, 10 Jul 2005 23:05:06 +0000

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Motley Crue rocker Tommy Lee and former Baywatch hottie Pamela Anderson are back together after years of court battles, hepatitis accusations, a sex tape and two children.

Pam and Tommy were seen cuddling at the Four Seasons hotel in Hawaii with their two sons, Brandon and Dylan.

“They were hugging, kissing and all over each other,” said a source from PageSix.

MuchMusic reported a source had confirmed the reunion to MuchNews.

On June 30 the Lee’s were seen at the launch of Rokbar in Hollywood and seemed in love.

Close friend Courtney Love has also said, “There’s something going down.”

After four days of courting and endless parties, the two married on a beach, Pamela wearing a white bikini and Tommy wearing a set of shorts. Their marriage ended after four years, in 1998.