Rockit Academy—Empowering New Jersey’s Future Vinny Cecolini January 8, 2020 Buzz, Features Auditioning, especially for adolescents, can be terrifying, scarring, and demoralizing experiences. Being verbally poked and prodded by overly critical sour-faced judges can cause both established and aspiring...
Prong—Still Snappin’ Necks After All These Years Vinny Cecolini December 25, 2019 Buzz, Features It is 1991 and Prong’s singer-guitarist Tommy Victor, drummer Ted Parsons, and bassist Troy Gregory are glaring at me. We are inside the band’s dingy SoHo rehearsal space talking about their Prove You Wrong al...
Silvertomb—Back From the Edge Vinny Cecolini December 18, 2019 Buzz, Features Many Americans would say that 2009 was a difficult year for them. The country was in the throes of a horrible recession and the resulting financial difficulties led some to embracing their inner demons—drugs, ...
Come On and Celebrate the Holidays with Taking Back Sunday Vinny Cecolini December 11, 2019 Features, Interviews It’s hard to believe that it has been 20 years since Taking Back Sunday formed in Amityville, Long Island, dominated the New York City emo scene, and then quickly became an international sensation. Hampered du...
Jon Zazula—The Unconventional Icon Vinny Cecolini November 6, 2019 Buzz, Features Visionary. Innovator. Architect. Mentor. During the eighties, Jon “Jonny Z” Zazula helped redefine and breathe new life into American hard rock and heavy metal without playing an instrument or—except for a met...
Joe Elliott’s Down ‘N’ Outz: On a Roll Vinny Cecolini October 9, 2019 Buzz, Features One of the benefits of becoming a rock icon: being recognized by, and often befriending, your musical peers and idols. Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott has never hidden his appreciation of, and passion for, seventies...
Dream Theater—Throwing Arms Around a Memory Vinny Cecolini October 9, 2019 Buzz, Features I was wandering around the catacombs of Sao Paulo, Brazil’s Pista de Atletismo do Ibirapuera with assorted international media when we were greeted by an amazing sound. It was between band sets during the 1998...
Don Felder—Flying High and Free Vinny Cecolini September 25, 2019 Buzz, Features After departing the Eagles and dealing with personal issues, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Don Felder found solace by writing his 2008 memoir, Heaven and Hell: My Life in The Eagles (Wiley). The best-se...
Alter Bridge—The Sky’s The Limit Vinny Cecolini September 18, 2019 Buzz, Features In 2005, while working as VH1 Classic’s Senior Writer, I opened an e-mail inviting me to a hallway performance by a new band. These performances, which happened from time to time, featured up-and-coming artist...
Leigh Celent: Castle Black—A New Riot Grrrl Rises Vinny Cecolini August 21, 2019 Buzz, Features In 2019, a year during which pop princess Ariana Grande headlined Lollapalooza, Castle Black frontperson Leigh Celent is a welcome breath of fresh indie-rock air. Celent and Castle Black have created a new sou...
