Oh, the drama! FEAR FACTORY‘s ex-mic man, Burton C. Bell, bless his heart, is gracing the land Down Under with his presence for some spoken-word gigs he’s calling “Obsolete By Word Of Mouth.” 🗣️ Yes, you heard it right. Get ready to hear all about the album that peaked in 1998.
Apparently, Bell is going to read the lyrics and story from his “original notes” for FEAR FACTORY‘s ‘Obsolete’ album. Original notes, you say? 🤔 Were these scribbled on a napkin at Taco Bell? We demand to know! He’s also promising “first account insight.” Buckle up for some earth-shattering revelations, folks! 🤯
He’s even hand-picked “intimate venues.” Translation: small bars where you can really smell the desperation. He “politely” asks everyone to put their phones away. Because nothing screams “rock star” like begging people to ignore you for a few hours. 📵
Here are the dates, in case you want to witness this train wreck in person:
June 16 – Holy Diver Bar, Collingwood, Victoria
June 19 – Little Cooler, Sydney, New South Wales
In an interview with The Rockman Power Hour, Burton revealed the *real* reason for these events: his wife is in Australia working on a film. 🎬 (As a payroll accountant, no less. Glamorous!) So, he’s tagging along and decided to… uh… inflict his spoken-word artistry on unsuspecting Australians. Lucky them! 🦘
“Obsolete”, released in 1998, is apparently the only FEAR FACTORY album to go gold in the U.S. Thanks to “Cars”, the Gary Numan cover. So, basically, Gary Numan saved FEAR FACTORY. Let that sink in. 🚗
And because one dose of Bell isn’t enough, he dropped a lyric video for his new solo single, “Savages.” Because who doesn’t love a good lyric video? 🙄
Before that, he gave us bangers like “Anti-Droid” and “Technical Exorcism” in 2024, and a cover of RAMMSTEIN‘s “Du Hast” in 2023. We’re truly living in a golden age of Burton C. Bell content. 🏆
He’s also doing a solo tour in Australia this month. Because why not? 🤷♂️
June 11 – Brisbane – The Triffid*
June 12 – Newcastle – King St. Band Room**
June 13 – Sydney – Factory Theatre**
June 14 – Melbourne – Corner Hotel^
* With MONSTERS AROUND US (Who? 🤔)
** With MORTALITY (Sounds cheerful! 💀)
^ With THE LAST MARTYR (Oh, the drama! 🎭)
Bell played his first solo show on June 13, 2024, in Los Angeles. Finally, a dream come true! 😴
His band includes guitarist Henrik Linde, drummer Ryan “Junior” Kittlitz, bassist Tony Baumeister, and multi-instrumentalist Stewart Cararas. A veritable who’s-who of… well, you know. 🎸🥁
Bell‘s resume includes collaborations with Geezer Butler, Deen Castronovo, Al Jourgensen, and guest spots with a bunch of other bands you may or may not have heard of. He’s also in ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS and CITY OF FIRE. So busy! 🐝 And, of course, he was in FEAR FACTORY, the band he apparently can’t stop talking about. 🗣️
FEAR FACTORY “revolutionized extreme metal” with Bell‘s scream/sing thing and his “influences” from post-punk and industrial. Because nothing says “extreme metal” like THE SMITHS. 🤘 Songs like “Replica” and “Linchpin” are “modern metal anthems.” Sure, Jan. 🙄 He was inspired by Orwell, Bradbury, and “Blade Runner.” So deep. 🤓
The band toured with the big boys and took out SYSTEM OF A DOWN and STATIC-X as support. Aww, that’s nice. 🤗 After “years of turmoil and legal issues,” Bell left FEAR FACTORY in 2020. Drama queen! 👑
Apparently, he couldn’t “align” himself with Dino Cazares. We’re shocked! 😲 He’s been replaced by some Italian dude named Milo Silvestro. Good luck, kid! 🇮🇹
So, there you have it. Burton C. Bell is back, and he’s ready to bore you with tales of “Obsolete.” Don’t miss it! (Or do. We won’t judge.) 😉
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
