September 25, 2000

Take a Bite Outta Rhyme (Universal), October 24th

Rock pays tribute to hip hop. Take a Bite Outta Rhyme is a collection of rock and alternative artists covering classic hip-hop songs from the '80s and '90s. The CD is a long-overdue acknowledgement of hip-hop's influence on the current phenomenon of the rock/rap hybrid.

The lead track will be Sevendust's powerful interpretation of LL Cool J's "Going Back To Cali." Staind stamp their hard and heavy sound on Public Enemy's "Bring The Noise." Lordz of Brooklyn with Everlast and Stoned Soul contribute with a soulful acoustic-based rendition of Run DMC's "Sucker M.C.'s. Take A Bite Outta Rhyme also includes the popular cover of Eazy-E's "Boyz-N-The Hood" performed by Dynamite Hack, one of this year's top requested songs on alternative radio.

A multitude of other artists, including Insane Clown Posse, Bloodhound Gang, Kottonmouth Kings and Fun Lovin' Criminals lend their talents to the album. Public Enemy's Chuck D adds his own special contribution to Take a Bite Outta Rhyme with an introductory essay that thoroughly documents the history of the rock/rap movement.

The first single off Take A Bite Outta Rhyme will be Sevendust's rendition of "Going Back To Cali", to be released to radio September 26.

Take a Bite Outta Rhyme Track Listing

Artist / Song / Original Artist
1. Staind (featuring ... ) "Bring The Noise" Public Enemy
2. Sevendust "Going Back To Cali" LL Cool J
3. Stoned Soul w/ Everlast "Sucker M.C.'s" Run DMC
4. Dynamite Hack "Boyz-N-The Hood" Eazy-E
5. Insane Clown Posse "Posse On Broadway" Sir Mix-A-Lot
6. Bloodhound Gang "It's Tricky" Run DMC
7. Kottonmouth Kings "My Mind Playin' Geto Boys Tricks On Me"
8. Fun Lovin' Criminals "Microphone Fiend" Eric B & Rakim
9. Dope "New Jack Hustler" Ice-T
10. Driver "White Lines " Grandmaster Flash & (Don't Do It) Melle Mel
11. Mindless Self Indulgence "Bring The Pain" Method Man
12. Factory 81 "Insane In The Brain" Cypress Hill
13. Nonpoint "The Tribute" Various Artists (Slick Rick, Busta Rhymes, Wu-Tang Clan)

Straight Up (Virgin), November 7th

This CD honors the memory of Snot vocalist James Lynn Straight and features vocals and lyrics from the lead singers of Korn, Limp Bizkit, Sugar Ray, and Slipknot among others. Set for release November 7 on Immortal/Virgin Records, Strait Up uniquely combines the forces of Snot's dynamic and raw music style with the lyrics and vocals from some of today's most influential rock artists.

James Lynn Strait's untimely death in the winter of '98 cut the recording of the Southern California band's second album short. Among those dedicated to keeping the memory of Snot and Lynn alive are Korn's Jonathan Davis, Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst, Slipknot's Corey (#8), System of a Down's Serj Tankian, Incubus' Brandon Boyd, Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath and Sevendust's Lajon Witherspoon, all of whom have lent their vocal and creative talents to this album.

Strait Up celebrates Strait's life as much as mourns the loss. The 30-year-old Strait was involved in a car accident that took his life, as well as that of his constant companion Dobbs, the boxer whose lemon-balancing snout graced the cover of their well-received 1997 Geffen debut Get Some. Strait was driving from his hometown of Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on December 11, 1998 to begin work on Snot's second album. Just as Snot were on the verge of stardom, Strait was gone.

"We're bringing in all the singers that Lynn had toured with and bonded with and became friends with," says former Snot bassist John "Tumor" Fahnestock. Fahnestock, along with former Snot guitarist Mikey Doling, produced as well as provided the instrumentals for this album (mixed by Rick Will and co-produced by Jim Wirt), while each of the guest vocalists provided lyrics written specifically for Strait Up. The music had been written earlier by Snot for a second album that, with his death, seemed destined never to be made. In many ways Strait Up is that second Snot album, but graced with the personal touch of all involved.

"They sang over our music, but they brought to the table the best of what they do," Tumor says. "We [he, Doling and Amen drummer Shannon Larkin, a longtime friend who helped bring Snot's East and West Coast components together] had written nine songs that we were demoing. Mikey was just finishing his last guitar track when he got the call that Lynn had passed away. A little while later, Mikey and I put our heads together and decided, 'Well, we've got these songs, why don't we have all our friends come in, sing over this and dedicate it to Lynn.'"

Strait Up is all over the musical map: from the ominous rampage of Davis' "Take It Back," the rap-core bombast of Durst's "Forever" and the turbulent tribal metal of Cavalera's "Catch a Spirit" to the punked up "Until Next Time" with RKL's Jason Sears, McGrath's power poppy "Reaching Out," Boyd's elegaic "Divided" and Witherspoon's beautiful acoustic eulogy "Angel's Son," the album's most somber moment. Snot's final recording with Strait, the rambunctious "Absent" -- a rough version of which was on the "Strangeland" soundtrack -- was remixed and serves as the album's musical finale. "The only star shining bigger than everyone on this record is Lynn," says McGrath. "And I think that's why you see such a huge representation of people doing this. When you see the turnout of people here, you can see Lynn's legacy."

The track listing with featured artists is as follows:

"Starlit Eyes" Serj Tankian (System of a Down)
"Take it Back" Jonathan Davis (Korn)
"I Know Where You're At" M.C.U.D. (hed)p.e.
"Catch a Spirit" Max Cavelera and Marcello D. Rapp (Soulfly)
"Until Next Time" Jason Sears (RKL)
"Divided (An Argument For The Soul)" Brandon Boyd (Incubus)
"Ozzy Speaks" Ozzy Osbourne
"Angel's Son" Lajon Witherspoon (Sevendust)
"Forever" Fred Durst and DJ Lethal (Limp Bizkit)
"Funeral Flights" Dez Farara (Coal Chamber)
"Requiem" Corey (#8) (Slipknot)
"Reaching Out" Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray) and Whitfield Crane
"Absent" Snot
"Sad Air" S. Mayo and Lynn Strait 3:13