Joe Lynn Turner makes life-long condition of alopecia public as he announces new album
'Belly of the Beast' is released this October
Last updated 25th Aug 2022
Former Rainbow and Deep Purple vocalist Joe Lynn Turner has made his life-long condition of alopecia public as he announces his new studio album ‘Belly of the Beast.’
The press photo accompanying Turner’s new record presents his natural likeness for the first time, and Turner has revealed he was diagnosed with the condition aged 3.
Due to the “emotional and psychological damage from cruel bullying in school”, Turner says he started wearing a wig aged 14.
“In a way, it’s a blessing and a curse,” Turner admits. “I have nothing to prove, and I can wear a wig—or not. I am free to do what I want. I’m a grown man, and I’m getting to be an older man. Many men in this business eventually come to the decision to continue to ‘wear hair’ or shave their head which is very fashionable today. Either way, it takes a lot of personal courage.
“Assholes in high school trying to kick me around made me stronger and gave me the necessary motivation and strength to rise above the rest. Anger and pain are a great tool. If applied correctly, it could develop you to become the best version of yourself. Instead of running away, I was ‘hiding in plain sight’.”
Released on Friday 28th October 2022 via Mascot Label Group, the 11-track ‘Belly of the Beast’ album sees Turner join forces with esteemed producer and songwriter Peter Tägtgren, and it embraces weighty subject matter.
“Belly Of The Beast is a phrase we’ve heard over and over again in history,” Turner comments. “You can trace the cults and corruption all over the world back to prophecies in the Bible. It feels like it’s coming to fruition these days. When you look at the book of Revelation, there it is. I’ve always dipped into esoteric knowledge, Hermeticism, Occultism, Bible research, Eclectic philosophy.
“I’ve been fascinated with discovery of hidden mysteries. We are in a true spiritual war right now. It’s Good versus Evil. We’ve all got an Angel on one shoulder and a Devil on the other. We’re in the Belly of the Beast, trapped in the System, and there’s no way out of it. The album addresses this.”
Turner met Peter Tägtgren at his brother’s birthday party in 2017, and the two soon collaborated on the track ‘Don’t Fear The Dark.’
“It happened completely by accident, but some of the best things happen by accident,” Turner notes. “I was not very familiar with Peter’s bands Pain and Hypocrisy, but when we met, I loved his personality, and I felt like we had a chemistry together. On the writing side, you have to change and grow to mature. I had this in me. As far as pushing into a heavy vein, Peter said, ‘Joe adapted his voice,’ which is the truth. It’s still me though. I kept it dirty, gritty, and metal.”
Reflecting on the album’s title track, Turner says: “It’s all about the ritual and the Serpent God of Fear, which is Lucifer who creates the spell upon Mankind.
“If you believe in good, you must believe in evil. It’s the Yin and Yang of life. They must co-exist, it’s simple physics. This track had an evil flavor, so upon listening, the story line was obvious to me. Peter sprang the double-time chorus on me, and we went for it.”
Listen to Joe Lynn Turner's 'Belly of the Beast' title track:
Joe Lynn Turner’s ‘Belly of the Beast’ track-listing:
1) Belly of the Beast
2) Black Sun
3) Tortured Soul
4) Rise Up
5) Dark Night of the Soul
6) Tears of Blood
7) Desire
8) Don't Fear the Dark
9) Fallen World
10) Living the Dream
11) Requiem
17 rock bands named after songs by other bands, including Deep Purple:
Judas Priest
British heavy metal legends Judas Priest took inspiration for their brilliant name from the Bob Dylan song 'The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest' from his 1967 album 'John Wesley Harding.' The moniker was the idea of early Judas Priest bassist Brian 'Bruno' Stapenhill who exited the band in 1970 before they had laid down any recordings.
Deep Purple
Initially called Roundabout, the rock legends initially toyed with band names including Orpheus, Concrete God and Sugarlump but eventually settled on Deep Purple; taken from the 1933 Peter DeRose piano composition. The song was a huge favourite of Ritchie Blackmore's grandmother and she would often perform it on piano throughout Ritchie's childhood.
Mr Big
In 1988, Eric Martin, Billy Sheehan, Paul Gilbert and the late-great Pat Torpey named their new band after the Free song 'Mr. Big', which appeared on their breakthrough 1970 album 'Fire and Water'. Mr. Big later covered 'Mr. Big' on their third studio album 'Bump Ahead' in 1993.
Motörhead
After being dismissed from Hawkwind in 1975 following an arrest for drug possession in Canada, Lemmy started his own self-professed "fast and vicious" band and took the name Motörhead from the final song he had penned for Hawkwind just a few months earlier, 'Motorhead'. Two years later, Motörhead re-recorded 'Motorhead' as the opening track on their eponymous debut album.
Poison
Originally called Paris upon their formation in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania in 1983, singer Bret Michaels, guitarist Matt Smith, bassist Bobby Dall and drummer Rikki Rockett wisely ditched their tame sounding band name in favour of 'Poison'; a nod to the 1981 track 'Poison' by glam metallers 'Sinner'.
Nazareth
The Scottish hard rock veterans were called the Shadettes upon their formation in the late 1960s but were unhappy with what they perceived to be a 'lightweight' name. They decided to hit a boozer to discuss a new name when 'The Weight' by The Band started playing through the bar's soundsystem. Upon hearing the opening line "I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin' about half past dead", bassist Pete Agnew suggested 'Nazareth' and the band agreed. The rest, they say, is history.
Volbeat
Danish rockers Volbeat took their name from the 1997 studio album 'Vol.Beat' by singer Michael Poulsen's previous band, the death metal act Dominus.
The Rolling Stones
Founder and original band leader Brian Jones gave The Rolling Stones their moniker after the 1950 Muddy Waters track 'Rollin' Stone'. The fledgling group played their first show as The Rolling Stones on 12th July 1962, at the famous Marquee Club in London.
Sepultura
The idea of former guitarist, singer and co-founding band member Max Cavalera, the Brazilian metallers called themselves Sepultura, which is the Portuguese word for "grave". Max took inspiration from one of his favourite songs, Motörhead's 'Dancing On Your Grave.'
Radiohead
Founded in Oxford in mid-1980s, Radiohead were originally called On A Friday in reference to their music rehearsal day at Abingdon School. When they signed a six-album deal with EMI in 1991, the imprint implored them to change their name and they ultimately took their band name from the song 'Radio Head' from Talking Heads' 1986 album 'True Stories'.
Bad Brains
Washington DC punks Bad Brains named themselves after the Ramones track 'Bad Brain', which appears on their 1978 album 'Road To Ruin'.
Lady Gaga
Stefani Germanotta's stage name is derived from the Queen classic 'Radio Ga Ga'. Producer Rob Fusari claims to have been the person who coined 'Lady Gaga' in the mid-noughties when they worked together.
At The Drive-In
Influential post-hardcore noisemakers At The Drive-In got their moniker from a line in Poison's 1987 single 'Talk Dirty To Me' – "Cause baby we'll be / At the drive-in / In the old man's ford / Behind the bushes / Till I'm screamin' for more." The name was guitartist Jim Ward's suggestion shortly after the band former in 1993.
Seether
Formed in South Africa in 1999 as Saron Gas, the band ditched the name as their US label Wind-up Records noted its similarity to the toxic synthetic organophosphorus compound, sarin gas. Ultimately they settled on Seether after the 1994 Veruca Salt single 'Seether'.
The Sisters of Mercy
When they formed 40 years ago in Leeds, the gothic rockers took their name from the Leonard Cohen track 'Sisters of Mercy' from his seminal 1967 album 'Songs of Leonard Cohen.' The Sisters of Mercy took inspiration from Robert Altman's 1971 movie McCabe & Mrs Miller thats' soundtracked by three Leonard Cohen songs.
Stiff Little Fingers
Previously called Highway Star and The Fast, the Belfast punks eventually decided to call themselves Stiff Little Fingers after the 1977 Vibrators song of the same name.
Overkill
Wisely abandoning the prospective band name Virgin Killer (a nod to the Scorpions), New Jersey thrash metallers Overkill ultimately honoured their other musical heroes Motörhead by naming themselves after the trio's 1979 album 'Overkill' and the single of the same name.
Panic! at the Disco
Although many people erroneously think that Panic! at the Disco are named after The Smiths' song 'Panic' and its chorus of "burn down the disco", former band leader Brendon Urie has said in multiple interviews that they take their name from a track also called 'Panic' by Californian emo band Name Taken. The song's lyrics read: "Panic at the disco/Sat back and took it so slow/Are you nervous?/Are you shaking?".