Music journalist Randy “Rocket” Cody is an undisputed legend in the world of heavy metal. His band articles have surpassed one million page views worldwide, with 250,000 ‘views’ alone coming at metalunderground dot com – where starting in early 2006, over 100 Rocket interviews and reviews were published exclusively for a total of 13 months.
Metalunderground is the most viewed metal news site in the world today, recently taking in seven hundred and eighty three thousand global page views just in the month of May/2010! It is Rocket’s immense popularity as a writer that ultimately helped metalunderground dot com become the # 1 ranked heavy metal news site on earth.
Rocket departed metalunderground dot com in February of 2007. He next started up a site
for his original creation on MySpace called The Metal Den with partner Eddie Karam.
As creator of the only site that also promotes “unsigned” metal talent, Rocket’s ability to write about hot upcoming bands and then showcase them in the news that‘s tied to the top mainstream metal names in the world today, has served as a great mentorship for literally hundreds of upcoming musical acts around the globe. His work has helped these bands achieve a better image, sound and overall marketing strategy while in their pursuit to become a successful underground heavy metal music act that can go on to open for national acts and even one day strike a record deal.
Pantera/Down/Superjoint Ritual vocalist Phil Anselmo said it best:
“The pulse of heavy metal lies in the underground.”
If there were ever a crown awarded for supporting underground metal, it would surely be worn
by Rocket Of The Metal Den.
The Metal Den’s Hope Cody recently conducted an EXCLUSIVE interview
with Rocket of TMD for all the loyal Den Headz around the globe.
Hope: 2010 has been one helluva year for you and The Metal Den. How’s it going?
Rocket: Let’s just say that I’m feeling pretty damn frisky.
Hope: Haha! Congrats on your March interview with legendary PANTERA/DOWN vocalist Philip H. Anselmo. That’s got to feel real good… not to mention all the other great personalities in metal you’ve interviewed at TMD.
Rocket: Yes, the interview with Anselmo is definitely an honor. It’s more of an honor that DOWN also featured the interview on their band site too. Makes me get all kinds of warm and fuzzy inside!
Hope: You have definitely been on fire, Rocket. Let’s talk about the viewership at your official
site for The Metal Den.
Rocket: Well, for a site that is a complete outsider to begin with… and still does ZERO paid advertising, my site TMD racked up 100,000 page views this year between the months of March and April. We are pacing over half a million for the year.
Hope: That is simply incredible.
Rocket: My TMD site has been featured on over 100 rock news/radio sites all over the globe
in that time… names like Gibson.com, Artistdirect.com, USAToday online, to name a few.
Hope: You seem to have fun “unearthing’ a lot of all the cool old demos, film footage and recordings from
bands like Metallica, Ozzy, Kiss, Van Halen, Slayer, and so many others. Do you plan on doing more of that?
Rocket: I plan on doing whatever it takes to be an educator of the youth that are coming up and
trying to makes sense out of what exactly metal music is. You could call me the only heavy metal journalist/historian and promoter on the planet. When you’ve got so many screamo bands
still being labeled “Metal”… well, I’m here to help the kids understand what came before.
Hope: I understand many of the top labels now submit their news directly to your site… can
you tell me more about that?
Rocket: Sure. Many – if not all – of the top metal labels (including Metal Blade for one) have now
been regularly sending in their band press to be considered for publishing at my site TMD. It feels good.. but then again, I knew it was coming. With my worldwide fame at its height right now, every one and
their mother wants to work with me. I understand it though… and I appreciate it for sure. TMD
has taken 5 years of blood, sweat and tears to build to this point. Nothing was handed to me!
Hope: You just launched a new cool service for bands. It’s a band bio service, right?
Rocket: Yes, any metal band (unsigned or signed) can pay $100 for a nifty band bio written by me. I will throw in a cool quote for your MySpace page or other marketing materials for an extra $50. Basically,
there’s a shit ton of bands out there trying to make a name for themselves in a seriously over crowded worldwide arena. Point blank, a killer bio and/or quote from a famous journalist like me will help push you over the top.
Hope: You also just signed on as an official sponsor for Rock For Life’s The Undeground Music Fest going off July 9 and 19 in Pennsylvania. Tell us more.
Rocket: Yeah, I just hooked that up. Thanks to my bro Greg Bowman at Level Nine Entertainment for asking me and TMD to be part of it. They’ll be doing tons of advertising via Best Buy in that region too.. and the bill is gonna destroy those in attendance. Also, Rock for Life is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children with cancer. So that makes me feel good to be part of something that’s helping others who are less fortunate.
Hope: Again, how did you initially start The Metal Den?
Rocket: After Dimebag was killed, I was in my rehearsal studio in early ‘05, snorting the dreaded meth and bleeding on my bass guitar. I had first picked the bass up when I was much younger at nineteen after having realized I couldn’t find satisfaction any longer from being a vocalist. Anyway, I had at this point been up for the last 18 days in a row of the past 20. No sleep. Just me, this pic of Dime up on the wall, and my serious problem with snorting that shit up my nose while jamming my bass guitar out of a big amp. I had this really strange thing happen to me. Call it what you will, a moment of ‘divine intervention’… but all the sudden I was drawn to this Guitar magazine on the ground flipped open to this old Dime interview… and his words in there about being let down by friends on drugs… it all just kind of punched me in the gut. Almost like he was talking to me. It even felt like Dime’s spirit was in that room with me.
Hope: Wow, that’s so inspirational.
Rocket: It made me straighten up for a second and think, you know what I “can” do something else good with my life… and my passion for metal music – instead of killing myself with drugs – and that’s when the idea for The Metal Den just popped into my head. I had this utter conviction that I was going to create the best metal news site of them all… to help promote the music I love. I’ve been writing and doing promoting for the worldwide heavy metal music scene ever since. I am also now three years clean of meth! Thank God!! Stay away from it… and any friend who offers it up ain’t no friend at all!
Hope: That is so awesome for your readers to learn. So when exactly did The Metal Den.com first launch?
Rocket: I actually launched the site in late 2006 with my partner Eddie Karam of Red Rocket Entertainment, while I was still writing exclusively for MU. Eddie’s company manages a slew of top underground metal acts like WITHIN CHAOS, EKOTREN, and FROM THE THRONE. Eddie is a great guy to work with and is an important part of TMD’s site design and overall function.
Hope: Your tribute article on Randy Rhoads in 2007 achieved worldwide acclaim,
having been featured at every top metal news site on the planet. It’s received well
over 30,000 page views since publishing. What does it feel like to have achieved such great success around the world with your work?
Rocket: It humbles me to know that something I did means so much to people.
Randy Rhoads was my favorite guitar player as a kid.
Hope: Of all the interviews you have conducted over the years, which one is your favorite?
Rocket: I’m gonna go with Anselmo’s interview. I’m still blown away by it!
Hope: You hosted the infamous 2006 TMD Networking Party at The House of Blues
On Sunset Strip with a whole bunch of legendary names in metal that attended… like SACRED REICH producer Bill Metoyer, Ex-MEGADETH great Nick Menza, and so many others. What were some of your favorite moments from that event?
Rocket: Meeting one of my heroes in life, ex-MEGADETH drummer Nick Menza. He was a really cool, down to earth dude. At one point later that night, I even saw Dan Aykroyd eating dinner in the foundation room, which is a series of big luxury rooms we rented out, and I thought to myself, “Damn, I even have a Blues Brother chilling at my party!”
Hope: When is the next TMD Networking Party going to happen?
Rocket: We are in the planning stages for doing one later this year in 2010. It’s going to kill!
Hope: What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to a person with the dream of
becoming a successful rock n roll journalist?
Rocket: Simple. Go out to shows in your local club scene and listen to the music. Have beers. Then always go back home immediately after and type up about six to ten sentences on your computer, reflecting on what you just saw at the show. Then post it on your own blog. There you have it, you’re now a rock critic!
Hope: Who are some of the hot upcoming metal bands you think people need to
keep an eye out for right now?
Rocket: Hostility, Deliver Us From Evil, Downspell, Orphaned To Hatred, Sedna, to name a few… so many to mention. I could go on all day! Ha! Please check www.themetalden.com for the latest news updates and upcoming metal band articles!
Hope: What are some of your favorite heavy metal albums released in 2010 so far?
Rocket: It’s a tie right now. The two best metal albums I have heard to this point are Fear Factory and Kingdom of Sorrow, though I love the new Ratt, Keel’s new one rocks hard too. People need to pay attention to these old rockers from the 80’s… cause they are making a serious comeback. It has nothing to do with hairspray and eyeliner now. These acts have something to prove musically. Keep your eyes out for my end of the year “Best Metal Albums of 2010”.. it’s gonna rock your faces off.
Hope: I understand you are also taking new pre-orders for 50 limited edition TMD T-shirts. Where can your fans order the shirt and how much does it cost?
Rocket: We will soon have this promotional offer up on TMD’s site. This will be a great collectors item to have. Trust me on this one! But… I fully intend to offer other TMD products beyond the shirts as well. This bad boy is getting ready to blow up big time!
Hope: Also, congrats on being married to me for 2 years as of this coming July 22!
Rocket: Rock on, baby doll. You are my world… as are my Den Headz. I love you all!
Hope: And you’re getting ready to turn 40 on July 16. How’s that feel?
Rocket: Hey, man… 40 is the new 20! I feel great about getting older and wiser. No worries here.
Hope: What’s next for Rocket and The Metal Den?
Rocket and Den Head G in 2007
Rocket and Hope Cody’s wedding day on July 22nd, 2008
in Santa Barbara, California
Rocket: World domination. I plan on finishing my straight up takeover of the heavy metal world… and I’m halfway done!
Hope: Thanks for rocking this out with me, Rocket! Go ahead and give thanks to your biggest supporters.
Rocket: I want to thank you, my lovely wife, my family, my partner Eddie Karam, almighty God, Pastor Joel Osteen, along with every single Den Head reader across the globe who follows my work at The Metal Den. Without any of you, my work means absolutely nothing. Support underground music!
http://www.myspace.com/themetalden
More Stories
ROCKET Interviews Vince Meal
ROCKET Interviewed by FM Rock Radio Station WQEE 99.1 (6/5/2024)
Rocket Interviews Eric Smith of MR. GREY