According to organizers of Rocklahoma, Pryor’s annual hard-rock festival, attendees may not bring the following to the event, to be held May 27-29:

• instruments
• knives/weapons, including pocket knives
• chains/chain wallets
• bota bags
• drugs and/or drug paraphernalia
• glass containers
• powdered substances
• metal chairs of any kind
• flagpoles (outside of camping areas)

For those plotting to spend the weekend listening to the likes of Mötley Crüe and Poison while sifting flour, towing vehicles, playing musical chairs and/or claiming the land for an invented country of your own making, you’re out of luck. The complete list of dos and don’ts is available here.

Check out the May 25 Gazette for Rocklahoma coverage, including an interview with Electric Touch.—Rod Lott   

Black Label Society — helmed by veteran metal musician and Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde — is just one of many big-name rock acts making its way to Pryor this weekend for Rocklahoma. The four-piece appears at 9:45 p.m. Sunday, between famed addiction rockers Poison and famed addiction rockers Mötley Crüe. (Too bad about that “no powdered substances” policy.)

1. Zakk Wylde is the stage name for the metal icon, who was born with the decidedly un-metal name of Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt.

2. When deciding on a godfather for his son Jesse, Wylde showed a slight lapse in judgment, selecting Ozzy Osbourne to assume the role.

3. If there is anything Wylde loves as much as metal, it’s hot sauce. He’s got his own line of “Berserker” hot sauce products with Blair’s Sauces and Snacks.

4. Black Label Society has higher turnover than telemarketing. The four-piece has run through eight other members in its 13-year existence.

5. Last year, Wylde guested on fellow Rocklahoma act My Darkest Days’ track “Porn Star Dancing” with Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger and Ludacris, but no porn stars. —Joshua Boydston

Hey, remember when VH1 was awesome?

I don’t, because I’m 23. But somebody at ACM@UCO clearly does, as the school recently announced that Eddie Trunk will be teaching a master’s class on Oct. 5. Trunk hosts “That Metal Show,” which is currently in its eighth season since 2008. Regulars on the show include members of Anthrax, Pantera, Anvil, Black Sabbath and plenty of other bands that are likely to headline next year’s Rocklahoma festival.



English musician Simon Raymonde, most famous for playing bass for the Cocteau Twins in the ’80s and ’90s, will teach Sept. 27. His production work would ultimately prove influential on shoegaze music, so you probably owe Mr. Raymonde a serious debt of gratitude if you’ve ever enjoyed The Jesus and Mary Chain, Beach House or chillwave.



Previously ACM@UCO masters class instructors include Jackson Browne, Roger Daltry, Livia Tortella (Warner Bros. Records president), Joe Bonamassa and Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips. At this point, they’re just showing off.

Having covered Pryor’s Rocklahoma for certain competing publications in the past, I am both highly aware of and terrified by the sort of person who eagerly attends the festival, which is sort of an amalgamation of sweaty, cock-rocking big-billers of the past with the most vulgar alt-rockers of the more recent past and more modern rockers who aren’t quite pretty enough to get on the Warped Tour. 

That said, here’s this year’s lineup, announced at 8 a.m. today. Note that The Darkness (yes, that The Darkness) is included in the May 25-27 bill. Road trip, to northeast Oklahoma, anybody?

• Rob Zombie
• Chickenfoot featuring Joe Satriani, Kenny Aronoff, Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar
• Creed
• Megadeth
• Slash
• Queensrÿche
• Chevelle
• Theory of a Deadman
• Jackyl
• Puddle of Mudd
• Hellyeah
• P.O.D.
• Volbeat
• 10 Years
• Cavo
• Adelitas Way
• Black Stone Cherry
• Pop Evil
• Red
• The Darkness
• Art of Dying
• Trivium
• Aranda
• Redlight King
• James Durbin
• Janus
• New Medicine
• Rival Sons
• Anti-Mortem
• Gypsy Pistoleros
• Wildstreet
• Firstryke
• Black Tora
• Sunset Riot
• The Glitter Boys
• Fist of Rage
• Switchblade Scarlett
• Krank
• and more

Can’t make the trip to Pryor for Rocklahoma this weekend? Bang your head in the air-conditioned comfort of your own home, as HDNet brings the metal to you.

Seven hours of live coverage from the sixth annual music festival will be beamed starting at 4 p.m. Sunday. That means HDNet viewers can catch performances by Rains, Blackstone Cherry, Charm City Devils, Puddle of Mudd, Jackyl, Art of Dying, Queensrÿche, Hellyeah and Chickenfoot. Oklahoma City’s own Aranda pictured also is part of that lineup.

In Oklahoma, HDNet can be found on the following channels:
• AT&T U-verse, 1105
• Charter, 770
• DirecTV , 306
• DISH, 362
• Suddenlink, 771

Air-guitar without shame, viewers. —Rod Lott

Hey! Read This:
• Aranda interview 
• Rocklahoma 2012 feature