The Band's Levon Helm Dead at 71
(Gibson) The Band's Levon Helm died yesterday (April 19) in New York of throat cancer. He was 71 years old.
Levon Helm was the much-respected drummer (and the only American-born member) of the legendary Canadian rock group The Band. He was also the lead vocalist on many of the classic Band tracks, including "The Weight," "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and "Up on Cripple Creek."
Helm also acted in several movies including The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Shooter, Smooth Talk, The Right Stuff, The Dollmaker, but it was his staggering performance as Loretta Lynn's father in Coal Miner's Daughter that he'll probably be best remembered for. more on this story
Red Hot Chili Peppers EP Coming
(BBG) Red Hot Chili Peppers are celebrating their Rock Hall induction with the release of a very special digital-only EP, entitled We Salute You, on May 1st.
It features six songs from previous Hall of Fame inductees, all of whom have influenced the band musically: The Ramones, Iggy & The Stooges, Neil Young, David Bowie, The Beach Boys, and Dion and the Belmonts.
Five of the six tracks have never been available digitally. "A Teenager In Love" was released as an international maxi-single; "Havana Affair" was released as a 7"-single and featured on the compilation We're A Happy Family: A Tribute To The Ramones; "Search & Destroy" has only appeared on a now out-of-print maxi-CD, "I Get Around" was first played during Brian Wilson's 2005 MusiCares induction speech; and "Suffragette City" was previously only available as a B-side to the band's single "Aeroplane." "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" was recorded live during Red Hot Chili Peppers' current tour supporting their album I'm With You. more on this story
Slash Explains Rock Hall Jam Lineup
(MSO) Slash and classic Guns N' Roses bandmates Duff McKagan, Steven Adler, Matt Sorum and Gilby Clarke rocked the 27th Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame crowd this past weekend by performing versions of Guns N' Roses classics "Mr. Brownstone," "Sweet Child Of Mine," and "Paradise City," on which they were joined by vocalist Myles Kennedy.
He has been the lead vocalist for Slash's band for over two years and co-wrote all of the songs with Slash on his second solo studio album Apocalyptic Love which drops on May 22 via Dik Hayd International, distributed through EMI.
"The rest of the guys/inductees suggested we get Myles to sing," says Slash, "and I thought it was a great idea."
Slash then joined in with fellow inductees past and present for the night's all-star finale jam of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" which included the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ron Wood and Kenney Jones (Faces), Billy Joe Armstrong (Green Day), George Clinton and Funkadelic guitarist Michael Hampton. "It turned out to be a very special evening," says, Slash. The 27th Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame will air on HBO Saturday, May 5 at 9:00pm EDT/PDT. more on this story
Spineshank Reunion Album Details
After a six-year hiatus, Spineshank's original line-up has reunited and recorded a new album, Anger Denial Acceptance, which will be release on June 19th in North America.
Guitarist Mike Sarkisyan says of the effort, "It was very important to us, as artists, to make this record. We felt like we had something to say as a band."
"Some of us were going through divorces, others lost people very close to them and that's what basically surrounded us during the creative process."
Rush Clockwork Angels Tour Dates
Rush will be hitting the road in September for their Clockwork Angels North American Tour.
The fall tour will visit approximately 33 cities beginning September 7th in Manchester, NH, and finishing December 2nd in Houston, TX, with stops along the way in Pittsburgh, Detroit, Columbus, Bridgeport, Philadelphia, Saskatoon, Seattle, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Tampa, as well as dates in Canada and more
"Clockwork Angels," the band's 20th studio album, will be released on June 12th. The band released the first single from the effort this week and singer/bassist Geddy Lee remarked, "'Headlong Flight' was one of those songs that was a joy to write and record from beginning to end. Alex [Lifeson] and I had blast jamming in my home studio one day before the 2nd leg of the Time Machine Tour and I did not revisit that jam until a year later. Alex and I assembled the song to be an instrumental and its original title was 'Take that lampshade off yo head!' but once we saw the lyrics Neil had written for 'Headlong Flight,' I knew that the spirit of the lyrics matched the instrumental perfectly and it was just a matter of making them fit and writing the melodies." more on this story
New Ronnie Montrose DVD Coming
(hennemusic) "Ronnie Montrose Live At The Uptown," a new DVD from the late Ronnie Montrose, will be released on May 1st.
Montrose, who took his own life March 3 following a lengthy battle with cancer, was captured in concert this past January – for the one and only live DVD recording of his career.
Ronnie and his band played the Uptown Theater in Napa, California, delivering a show that includes acoustic pieces, songs you never heard him perform before, and ones you haven't heard him do for years and years and years. more on this story
Korn Tour Leg Kicks Off Tonight
Korn will launch the third leg of their "Path of Totality" tour today, April 20th, at Lonestar Amphitheater in Lubbock, TX.
It finds the band hitting several cities and amphitheaters, which will be a mix of headlining shows and festival dates. Openers on the tour include frontman Jonathan Davis DJing as his alter ego J Devil, as well as dubstep talent Sluggo.
Korn released their new album The Path Of Totality this past December where it debuted in the Top Ten on Billboard. more on this story
Vince Neil's Motley Ghost Adventure For TV
(hennemusic) Motley Crue singer Vince Neil is set to appear in the season finale of "Ghost Adventures," the paranormal series airing on The Travel Channel.
DailyFreshies.com reports the episode, which was taped at a Las Vegas hotel, will air Friday, April 27. Vince joins the show's team of paranormal investigators — Zak Bagans, Nick Groff and Aaron Goodwin – as they investigate The Riviera Hotel, which some say is haunted. Also on board are Frank Sinatra's former pianist, Bruce Westcott, and Jamie Gold, the 2006 World Series of Poker champion.
"Built in 1955, it's one of the oldest hotel and casinos still standing on the Vegas strip," according to a synopsis of the episode. "Filled with history, the hotel has had a roster of celebrity clientele and was formerly connected to the Chicago Mafia — needless to say, the hotel has had its share of good times and bad. Perhaps its most well-known guest was Frank Sinatra, who had his own penthouse suite where he often threw lavish parties." more on this story
Ozzy's Randy Rhoads Era Record Store Day Releases Detailed
2011's Record Store Day Ambassador Ozzy Osbourne will celebrate the event this year with two releases:
Ozzy Live, a double LP set taken from 2011's Blizzard of Ozz/Diary of a Madman 30th Anniversary Collector Box, and a 7" live version of Diary of a Madman's classic Ozzy track "Believer." Both are limited-edition, numbered vinyl editions which contain never-before- published archival photos.
For the first time ever, a vinyl version of the Ozzy Live CD--recorded on the Blizzard Of Ozz tour--will be released as a stand-alone title and issued on 180 gram vinyl. Beyond the live music, side 4 of the double LP features the 2010 Guitar & Vocal Mix of "Goodbye to Romance," along with the lost Randy Rhoads guitar solo "RR."
In another first, the 7" vinyl live version of "Believer," taken from the Ozzy Live CD, will be issued as a special polka dot picture disc, inspired by Randy Rhoads' famous polka dot guitar. The track is being released to honor the 30th anniversary (March 19) of the acclaimed guitarist's passing. more on this story
Meshuggah, Baroness and Decapitated Tour
Decapitated will hitting the road at the end of the month for a North American tour with Meshuggah and Baroness.
The tour, dubbed The Ophidian Trek, is set to kick off on April 29th in Houston, TX and runs May 23rd in New York, NY.
Decapitated guitarist Vogg says of the trek: "Decapitated with Meshuggah! We're so proud and happy to be part of this amazing tour! It will be a huge honor to share one stage with such a great band! Cannot wait!" more on this story
The Cribs Set North American Tour Dates
The Cribs will be kicking off their summer tour plans with North American dates this June.
The Cribs will be touring in support of their latest album, 'In The Belly Of The Brazen Bull'.
The recording process for this album saw the band split their time between Abbey Road in London, Steve Albini's EAR studio in Chicago, and David Fridmann's Tarbox Road studio in Upstate New York. more on this story
Heart Mapping Out Tour Plans
(Gibson) Heart are slowly but surely plotting out 2012 tour dates, and thus far, the Wilson ladies and company have accumulated 20 dates on their schedule.
As for now, the jaunt kicks off June 29 in Pryor Lake, Minnesota, and runs through September 15 in Catoosa, Oklahoma.
In other Heart news, Nancy Wilson recently said "goodbye" to her pup Charlie. In a tearful message posted on the group's official website, Nancy wrote, "Its hard news to get but our wonderful one has departed the planet. He told me it was time. He was a true angel. He was my absolute angel. He was the best dog I ever knew and I have really known some insanely great dogs. Not only did he raise my kids but was my companion in a trillion hotel beds, hallways, lobbies, elevators and more than a few pools… more on this story
Blur Box Set Will Include 65 Unreleased Songs
(Gibson) Blur's guitarist Graham Coxon has overseen a mammoth box set release that will feature 65 previously unreleased tracks.
The set will be released by Parlophone on July 30 to celebrate 21 years since the band's debut album Leisure. The box set will include all seven Blur albums, 3 DVDs, a hardback book and a band interview.
For fans on a budget, all seven albums will be re-released individually, each with extra material as well. Blur also are issuing a vinyl box set complete with a download code for grabbing extra digital material. more on this story
Toadies Set New Album Release and Tour With Helmet
Toadies Play.Rock.Music, which was originally set to be released as an EP next month will now be released as a full length album on July 31st. Their camp sent over details:
The change stemmed from the vibe during the recording session says vocalist Vaden Todd Lewis: "The plan was just to record some demos with (producer) Frenchie Smith. It went so well we decided to compile the songs into an EP. But then we were having such a good time, we decided to keep the ball rolling and make a full-length record. A lot of this material was written on the fly in the studio. It was a very exciting and scary process."
To coincide with the release of Play.Rock.Music the band will be on a two month North American co-headline tour with former label cohorts Helmet (Dates TBA.) Toadies are presently out on the road with Social Distortion. more on this story
Switchfoot Set Record Store Day Release and Bro-Am Details
Switchfoot have announced details for their 8th Annual Bro-Am event and they will celebrate Record Store Day by releasing a limited edition CD entitled Vice Re-Verses this Saturday, April 21.
The EP features remixes of songs from its latest album, Vice Verses, by Paper Route's JT Daly, Owl City's Adam Young, Photek, Darren King and DandJ. A digital version of Vice Re-Verses will be released on May 1 and will include a remix of the band'snew single, "Afterlife," by Neon Feather, the winner of the Switchfoot Remix Contest
As for Bro-Am, their camp sent over the following extensive details: Dead Feather Moon The Howls, Brandon and Leah, and Jon Foreman & Friends will perform at the 8th annual Switchfoot Bro-Am at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, CA on Saturday, June 16th. more on this story
Paul McCartney Trying To Help Save Twickenham Studios
(Gibson) The historic British Twickenham film studios were responsible for hundreds of classic films including Beatles movies, A Hard Day's Night and Help!, as well as recent hits like The Iron Lady and War Horse, but recently went into administrations.
Paul McCartney is just one star who is supporting the Save Twickenham Studios campaign. He says on the campaign website: "I have many fond memories of working at Twickenham Studios, having worked on Beatles films there. It's a fine example of a British film studio and it would be a great loss if it were to have nothing more to do with the British film industry."
The director of The Beatles' movies, Richard Lester, is also supporting the Save Twickenham Studios campaign. He said: "In 1963, while looking for a studio to film the first Beatles film, we came upon Twickenham and soon realized that it provided the perfect facilities for our needs (and was only seven miles from my house). I took possession of an office there and gave it up last year, having filmed or finished all but two of twenty-some films at the studio. During that time I was able to call on the professional skills and kindnesses that the studio provided. It would be a great shame if these qualities that I enjoyed for nearly fifty unbroken years could not also benefit a new generation of filmmakers." more on this story
Alice Cooper and Slash Featured On ABC TV This Weekend
The legendary Sunset Strip will be featured in the ABC's 20/20 "Sunset Boulevard" is set to air this Saturday, April 21 from 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET.
Airing as a special two-hour edition of the hit TV documentary series, The Sunset Strip is one of the sections of the 22 mile boulevard's stretch included in the broadcast revealing some of the riveting stories and pivotal moments in the make-it or break-it world of this American dream machine.
Anchored by Jay Schadler, the special includes interviews with Johnny Depp, Slash, Keanu Reeves, Mickey Rourke, Alice Cooper and Hugh Hefner, all featured in the recent documentary Sunset Strip The Movie. Lou Adler, owner of famed Sunset Strip nightclub The Roxy, and his son Nic Adler, who currently runs it, are both interviewed and allowed ABC unprecedented access on and off stage to the Sunset Strip's most legendary and influential music venue. more on this story
1349 Launching North American Tour
(Prosthetic) 1349 are set to play their first ever dates in Puerto Rico as part of their upcoming North American tour plans.
The band – who after a short round of home shows in Norway – will be starting off their international tour on June 1st in Puerto Rico.
The band will then continue on to support Marduk on their North American tour ending with a string of dates in Mexico. more on this story
Soundgarden, 3 Inches of Blood and Mad Men Star For Metalocalypse
(Metal Injection) Metal Injection spoke with Metalocalypse creator Brendon Small on the black carpet of the Revolver Golden Gods Awards.
During the interview, Small talked about his forthcoming solo album release, Galaktikon as well as the upcoming season of Metalocalypse.
Small revealed special guest voices that are set to appear on the new season. Small revealed that members of Soundgarden, 3 Inches of Blood, Patton Oswalt, Dweezil Zappa, and Jon Hamm of Mad Men will be contributing to the show. Watch the full interview here
Revocation Kick Off Headline Tour
(Freeman) Revocation kicked off their first North American headlining tour yesterday in Allston, MA and tour runs through April 29th in Trenton, NJ.
Support on the tour will come from Cannabis Corpse and Ramming Speed. Frontman Dave Davidson spoke about kicking off the headline tour:
"What's up guys, just wanted to let everyone know that our upcoming headlining tour is fast approaching, so make sure to come check us out if we're rolling through your area. We can't wait to hit the road and play a longer set filled with songs spanning all of our records. We're also very pleased to bring out Ramming Speed and Cannabis Corpse on this run, it's going to be a rager every night for sure. Looking forward to getting ripsh*t in a city near you!" more on this story
Stryper Announce Global Tour Dates
Stryper will kick off a series of global tour dates on May 10th at Tailgaters in Bolingbrook, IL just outside of Chicago.
Stryper is one of the few bands from a decadent era that features "All Original Members".
"After almost 30 years in this business, we are blessed to be able to continue doing what we love most - making music," explains Michael Sweet, lead singer/ lead guitarist and songwriter. "God has blessed us with talents and abilities so we plan to continue on this path as long as God calls us to do so." more on this story
Waters Lines Up Dates With Nada Surf and Delta Spirit
Waters will be hitting the road this summer to support Nada Surf on the band's June/July US tour dates.
The Nada Surf tour will launch on June 19th at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA and wrap up on July 5th at Ram's Head Live in Baltimore, MD.
Waters will first re-join Delta Spirit, with whom they've been on the road since March 19th, on April 30th at the Urban Lounge in Salt Lake City, UT for two more weeks of shows, which conclude on May 13th at Belly Up in Solano Beach, CA and include a May 11th show at The Fonda in Los Angeles, CA. more on this story
Punk For Tots With KinderAngst
Press Here sent over details about an album that rockin' parents might want to check out for their kids:
KinderAngst is here to usher in a different kind of musical journey for kids and their parents. Channeling rock icons from The Ramones to The Shangri-Las to David Bowie, KinderAngst creators and respected singers/multi-instrumentalists, Palmyra Delran and Rachelle Garniez, have created a cast of vivid characters who deliver smart, witty and engaging punk rock songs for children. While messages of friendship, acceptance and patience are strewn throughout this album, these are not your typical candy-coated children's tunes. KinderAngst is a citified alt-rock album told from the perspective of children who are experiencing the universal growing pains of childhood, offering kids a way to positively work through their experiences. Of course, there are also plenty of lively choruses, crunchy guitars and eclectic musical homages that will make the most discerning fans and parents sigh with relief; there is even an exciting never-before-released track by Debbie Harry!
KinderAngst is set for release on June 5, 2012, and will be available via iTunes, Amazon, Best Buy and www.kinderangstmusic.com. Click here to listen to first single "Rat." The song is available for purchase today on iTunes here. It chronicles one child's infatuation with a cuddly rodent espied on a subway trip and features a sing-along retro girl group chorus. Head over to the KinderAngst web site www.kinderangstmusic.com for a brief preview of each song and games with the KinderAngst cast! more on this story
Make Do And Mend Set New Release
Rise Records have set a June 19th release for Make Do And Mend's new studio album, Everything You Ever Loved.
Everything You Ever Loved marks the band's sophomore full-length release and was produced by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Cursive, Minus the Bear) at Red Room Recording in Seattle, WA.
Make Do And Mend will promoting the release by performing as part of the 2012 Vans Warped Tour. more on this story
B Sides
Matt Sorum Reflects on Guns N' Roses Rock Hall Induction Event
Matt Sorum issued a statement to fans earlier this week that said in part that he was closing the door to all things Guns N' Roses. Of course, he was then quoted in an interview discussing wanting to make a Guns N' Roses biopic. Here is his statement where he recaps his experience at the Rock Hall induction:
Dear friends and fans of Guns N' Roses, "I am releasing this statement to bring closure to the night's events at the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, and to all things Guns N' Roses. This will alleviate numerous press statements and interviews about the subject, which I have already addressed on my Twitter.
"In these last few months since getting notice about being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, many emotions and feelings have gone through my head and heart, as well as the original five members of GN'R: Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy and Steven. I was also chosen to be inducted, along with Dizzy Reed.
"It was slightly awkward for me in some ways knowing some fans have the original five in their hearts for a reunion. I chose to say to Slash and Duff, 'Please have Steven play, and let me know what you would like me to do.'
Watch Rush's Headlong Flight Lyric Video
(hennemusic) Rush's new single, "Headlong Flight," hit rock radio Thursday. The track - from Rush's forthcoming album, "Clockwork Angels," originally surfaced online on Wednesday. Now, the band has posted a lyric video for the tune.
Lyrically, "Clockwork Angels" chronicles a young man's quest across a lavish and colorful world of steampunk and alchemy as he attempts to follow his dreams. The story features lost cities, pirates, anarchists, an exotic carnival, and a rigid Watchmaker who imposes precision on every aspect of daily life.
The novelization of the album is being written by science fiction writer Kevin J. Anderson in collaboration with Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. Check it out here.
The Day Aerosmith Got A Grip
(Gibson) On this day in 1993, Aerosmith released the album Get a Grip, which became their first album to debut at #1. It went on to sell 7 million copies in a two-year timespan in the United States alone and sold 20 million copies worldwide as well as winning the band two Grammy awards. Gibson takes a look back: The early '90s weren't the easiest time for established rock bands. Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Seattle's grunge scene had forged an alt-rock revolution on the radio, which left many of the '80s biggest groups in the dust. It seemed that bands had to alter their sound drastically or face the consequences of being – gasp! – unpopular.
Although Aerosmith had come to prominence way back in the mid-'70s, they had a huge resurgence in the late '80s with the albums Pump and Permanent Vacation and blockbuster singles "Angel," "Love in an Elevator" and "Janie's Got a Gun." But Pump had come out in 1989, a couple of years before Nirvana dethroned Michael Jackson on the album charts. After Aerosmith had a couple of multi-platinum successes, there was some uncertainty regarding how fans would receive the next album – Get a Grip, which would be released on this day in 1993.
Aerosmith wrote and recorded the album throughout 1992, and it seemed their (and record label Geffen's) main goal was to have as many hits on the record as possible. To optimize their chances, a bunch of collaborators were brought in to work with the band and write with frontman Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry.
The collaborators ranged from Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades (who co-wrote "Shut Up and Dance") to Mark Hudson (who helped pen "Livin' on the Edge") to Lenny Kravitz (who co-wrote and played on "Line Up"). Tyler's longtime friend Richard Supa co-wrote "Amazing," Nashville-based songwriter Taylor Rhoades worked on "Cryin'" and all-star writer/producer Desmond Child assisted on "Crazy."It wasn't a completely new approach (other writers had a hand in past hits), but the amount of collaborators was significant. In the end, only two of Get a Grip's 14 tracks were credited solely to Aerosmith members.
The approach was an unqualified success. Not only was the album their first to peak at #1 on the Billboard album charts, Get a Grip also became Aerosmith's biggest global smash – going platinum seven times over in the U.S. by the end on 1995. To this day, it remains the band's best-selling album worldwide.
It's no wonder – Aerosmith ruled the radio and video airwaves for about a year and a half after Get a Grip was released. Half of the album's tracks were put out as singles and all of them charted in one way or another. In fact, four of them peaked at #25 or higher on Billboard's Hot 100 as they dominated pop and rock radio. Between '93 and '94, it was near-impossible to tune in and not hear an Aerosmith song – from "Livin' on the Edge" to "Cryin'" to "Amazing" to "Crazy."
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