Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Arrests Made Over Club Fire
(Classic Rock) Three people have been arrested as a result of the fatal Brazil night club fire from this weekend.
The fire killed 233 and injured more than 100, with most victims between the ages of 16 and 20.

One of the Kiss Club's co-owners and its head of security are behind bars, along with a member of the band Gurizada Fandangueira, whose pyros caused the blaze. Police are searching for the club's other owner. more news.



Clapton Enlists Paul McCartney, JJ Cale, Steve Winwood On New Album
Eric Clapton has set a March 12th release date for his new studio album, which will be entitled "Old Sock."

The album will feature special guests including Paul McCartney, JJ Cale, Steve Winwood, Chaka Khan, and Jim Keltner.

"Old Sock" will features Clapton's interpretations of some of his favorite songs as well as two new original songs "Every Little Thing" and "Gotta Get Over."

The bulk of the album is made up of Clapton's new versions of songs from Leadbelly, J.J. Cale, Peter Tosh, George Gershwin, Hank Snow, Gary Moore and Taj Mahal.

Old Sock was produced by Eric Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II, Justin Stanley and Simon Climie and Clapton will be releasing the effort, his 21st studio album, through his new label Bushbranch.

Clapton enlisted longtime collaborators Steve Gadd (drums), Willie Weeks (bass) and Chris Stainton (keyboards) for the recordings.

JJ Cale provides backing vocals and guitar on the track "Angel", Chaka Khan is backing vocalist for "Get On Over," Steve Winwood plays Hammond B3 Organ on "Still Got The Blues," Paul McCartney adds bass and vocals to "All of Me," and Jim Keltner plays drums on "Our Love is Here To Stay". more on this story




Paramore Launching North American Spring Tour
Paramore have released the initial dates for their upcoming North American tour which will be taking place in April and May.

The tour is set to get underway on April 25th with the first stop in Houston and will feature support from the band Kitten.

At this point dates have been announced that will have the band on the road through mid-May with stops in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Boston and New York City. The band is expected to announce additional dates soon.

The band will be hitting the road in support of the April 9th release of their new self-titled studio album. more on this story




Muse Plan To Perform With Full Orchestra And Choir
(Radio.com) Muse has revealed big plans for their performance during the upcoming Brit Awards, where the band is nominated for Best British Group and Best Live Act.

"We're going to perform there hopefully with a full orchestra and choir to do a full rendition of 'Supremacy,' which is the first song on the album," singer Matt Bellamy said during an exclusive interview with Radio.com in regards to the latest single from the band's most recent full-length, The 2nd Law. "It'll be nice to perform that with an orchestra.

"The Grammys are a bit more high-brow," Bellamy continued, comparing the prestigious British music awards ceremony to its American counterpart. "It feels more serious, a bit more like the Oscars or something. The BRITS is a bit more pop. Not as formal, I'd say."

"The Brits are more like the Golden Globes when compared to the Oscars," added the band's drummer, Dominic Howard. "Everyone's sitting around, eating dinner, drinking, chatting. You watch the Golden Globes, and you can't hear what the presenters are saying because everyone's just chatting in the background. The Brits are a little bit like that." Check out a stream here.




Geoff Tate Names New Queensryche Lineup
(Gibson) Geoff Tate's Queensryche - not to be confused with the Todd La Torre-fronted version of the band which features original members Michael Wilton, Scott Rockenfield and Eddie Jackson - has signed a worldwide deal with Cleopatra Records the LA indie which has released albums by everyone from James Brown and Motorhead to William Shatner and Orson Welles.

The band will be hitting the studio shortly, with a new line-up which differs from that announced a few months ago. Still on board are bass player Rudy Sarzo (Dio/Whitesnake/Ozzy/Quiet Riot), guitarist Kelly Gray (Queensrÿche 1998-2001) and keyboard player Randy Gane (who has toured and recorded with Queensrÿche in the past). Gone are drummer Bobby Blotzer, who will return to his 'day job' in Ratt, and guitarist Glen Drover, who walked a few months ago.

In their place are drummer Simon Wright (Dio, Rhino Bucket and AC/DC) and guitarist Robert Sarzo (Quiet Riot/Hurricane). Blotzer will still make a guest appearance on the album, as will former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing and King's X guitarist Ty Tabor.

The band will hit the road in early April to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Operation: Mindcrime. I try to surround myself with the best players available and feel our longtime fans deserve nothing less," Tate says. "I expect the forthcoming effort to be one of our best yet." more on this story






Van Halen Celebrate Debut Album Anniversary In The Studio
(hennemusic) Van Halen's monster self-titled debut album celebrates its 35th anniversary this year and is featured on the latest edition of In The Studio.

Joining host Redbeard are the four members of the classic VH lineup: brothers Eddie and Alex, David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony.

Recorded in 1977 with producer Ted Templeman and released on February 10, 1978, "Van Halen" sold over ten million copies in the US alone, becoming one of the most successful debuts by a rock band.

The album both introduced and propelled Van Halen into rock's mainstream, with instant classics like "Runnin' With The Devil", "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" and the cover of the Kinks' "You Really Got Me." more on this story




Bob Geldof Reuniting With The Boomtown Rats
(Classic Rock) The Boomtown Rats will reunite for a set at this year's Isle of Wight Festival, it's been confirmed.

Bob Geldof and co split in 1986 after six albums plus memorable hit singles I Don't Like Mondays and Rat Trap.

Now the frontman has lined up with original members Pete Briquette, Simon Crowe and Garry Roberts. Geldof says: "I've always fancied playing the Isle of Wight Festival, ever since I hitched there in the good/bad days when I was a kid."

Promoter John Giddings believes the Rats will fit perfectly in a bill that includes Bon Jovi, Little Angels, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, Hugh Cornwell, The Blockheads and more. more on this story




The Who Expands Quadrophenia Tour Plans
(Classic Rock) The Who will bring their live version of classic album Quadrophenia to the UK in June.

The 10 arena shows will include a performance of the full 1973 double-album plus a number of the band's other classic tracks.

Guitarist Pete Townshend and frontman Roger Daltrey are joined by Zak Starkey, Pino Palladino, Simon Townhsend, John Corey, Loren Gold and Frank Simes in a stage show directed by Daltrey.

The band explain: "This new concert version of Quadrophenia focuses on the original album. It replaces the narrative used in previous stage versions with powerful imagery projected on an array of massive screens, designed to support, complement and propel the musical content of the work by setting it in the context of the history of the band." more on this story




Corey Taylor Hints At More Dave Grohl's Sound City Players Gigs
(Radio.com) Dave Grohl's Sound City Players blew the roof off of Park City Live in Utah earlier this month at the Sundance Film Festival (January 18), and they will rock the Hollywood Palladium after the film's L.A. premiere later this week.

As of now, that is the only concert that the all-star group has on their schedule, but it looks like they might be hitting a few other locations, including New York and South By Southwest.

One of the group's vocalists is Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor; at the Sundance show, he performed "From Can To Can't," a song he recorded for the film's soundtrack, and a handful of Cheap Trick covers.

Taylor told Radio.com that the gig gave him a "fanboy-gasm," and that he's looking forward to the super-group's L.A. gig this week. And although a Sound City Players show at SXSW hasn't been announced, he reveals that he's flying into Austin for the event — which will feature Dave Grohl as a keynote speaker.

After mentioning that "It's gonna be kind of 'hell on wheels' for me, I'm gonna fly in for (the L.A. premiere) and then fly back to the (Stone Sour) tour," he added, "I'm gonna do South By Southwest with everybody, that's in March."

Because of his touring commitments with Stone Sour (touring for their House Of Gold & Bones Part 1 album, Part 2 is due in April) that's all he'll be able to do with the S.C. Players for now. More including a stream




Another Lineup of Black Flag Form New Group
(Classic Rock) Black Flag's founding frontman Keith Morris and bassist Chuck Dukowski, along with later drummer Bill Stevenson, will tour in 2013 under the title Flag.

The news comes soon after founding guitarist Greg Ginn – the only member to feature in all Black Flag lineups – revealed his own iteration of the band and announced they'd play at the UK's Hevy Fest in August.

Morris' edition of the hardcore punk pioneers have confirmed shows in Europe and the US. The band is completed by guitarist Stephen Egerton, who played in the Descendents and All with Stevenson.

The band say in a statement: "Morris, Dukowski, Stevenson and Egerton, spurred by a crowd reaction to a surprise set in 2011, have formed Flag as a vehicle to continue performing the hardcore progenitors' repertoire. more on this story




The Strokes Change Up Their Sound With New Release
(Radio.com) Revered early-'00s New York rockers the Strokes surprised fans by releasing a new song last week, "One Way Trigger," offering it as a free download on the band's official website.

Bearing little resemblance to the band's spiky, angular hits like "Hard to Explain" and "Juicebox," the new song features a jaunty synthesizer riff and unexpectedly light, falsetto vocals from the band's singer Julian Casablancas.

Closer in tenor to Casablanca's 2009 solo album, Phrazes for the Young, "One Way Trigger" eschews the Strokes' trademark downtown grit for something much catchier and poppy, especially considering the song's main melody striking a strong resemblance to A-Ha's '80s smash hit, "Take on Me."

The song is the first new music from the Strokes since the release of 2011 full-length Angles, which peaked at #4 on the U.S. Billboard Album charts, hitting #1 in the Alternative and Rock categories. Check out the song




Mark Lanegan Records Vocals For New Queens Of The Stone Age Album
(Classic Rock) Mark Lanegan has recorded vocal tracks for the next Queens Of The Stone Age album.

This means the musicians who made classic record Songs For The Deaf will all be heard on the release.

Mainman Josh Homme, who already recruited Dave Grohl and Nick Oliveri for sessions, reports: "Lanegan came by. He didn't say much, but he sang good." More rock news.




Bon Jovi To Mix It Up On Upcoming Tour
(Radio.com) In support of their new album What About Now, Bon Jovi will be embarking on a lengthy tour that will ensure fans receive what they have come accustomed to: a show consisting of all the hits and a few surprises.

"For us it enhances what we do, and we've got some really cool tricks up our sleeve," keyboardist David Bryan told Billboard of the tour. "It's really looking cool."

The tour begins in Uncasville, Connecticut on February 9, six weeks before the release of What About Now on March 26. The timing between the start of the tour and the unleashing of their twelfth studio album is a bit unusual, making the shows' setlists a bit unique for attendees who haven't heard most of the band's new songs.

"We'll give you the title of the song first," said guitarist Richie Sambora. Frontman Jon Bon Jovi has already begun rehearsing the new material and the band will "work 'em in" while fans familiarize themselves with them. Each night's show will also be unique as the band travels from city to city and will have the ability to audible as Jon Bon Jovi sees fit.

"There's extra ones on the side he'll call, so we're always ready," Bryan said. "And we know there's a stable we as fans would want to hear, so we always give them, then we change up a bunch of songs and throw in a couple new ones." more on this story




Book About AC/DC's Early Years with Bon Scott Set For Release
(Gibson) Rock biography writer Neil Daniels will release AC/DC: The Early Years with Bon Scott on February 22.

The book charts the history of the band from their early days, beginning with their formation in Australia in 1973 and including their two Australian albums and five international studio albums.

It also examines other releases featuring Bon Scott, who was also in the rock band Fraternity, which later featured Aussie vocalist Jimmy Barnes (Fun trivia: Barnes collaborated with Joe Bonamassa on a cover of his Aussie hit "Too Much Ain't Enough Love" on Joe's latest album, and played in the band Living Loud with Dixie Dreggs/Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse and Ozzy Osbourne's early rhythm section of Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake).

The book includes a forward from Uriah Heep's Mick Box (read our interview with Mick Box here), and it also includes a bonus chapter on Back In Black, the classic album the band used to introduce new vocalist Brian Johnson after Scott's 1980 drinking binge death. more on this story






Thin Lizzy Spinoff Black Star Riders Complete New Album
(hennemusic) Former Thin Lizzy members, now known as Black Star Riders, have completed the recording of their debut album.

"Album is done" was the message posted by the band Monday, just three weeks after the group entered the studio with producer Kevin Shirley.

After touring the past few years as Thin Lizzy, the lineup adopted the new band name to start the project with a clean slate, and out of respect to the legacy of the late Phil Lynott.

The band has been sharing updates from the studio over the course of the sessions, during which they were recording a track per day. more on this story



Glenn Hughes Releasing Double Live Album
Glenn Hughes has set a February 12th release date for his new double live album, Live In Wolverhampton.

The 2-CD set was recorded in June 2009 over the course of two nights in Hughes' English hometown of Bilston, Wolverhampton.

The first night features songs from Hughes' time as lead vocalist in Deep Purple. "Crave," "Muscle & Blood," "Don't Let Me Bleed," and "Mistreated".

The second evening, which was called "You Are The Music: An Evening Of Trapeze," featured Trapeze songs "Touch My Life," "Black Cloud," "Coast To Coast," and "You Are The Music". more on this story




Def Leppard Excited About Writing New Music
(hennemusic) Def Leppard will be writing and recording some new music during their upcoming spring residency in Las Vegas.

"That's the really exciting thing for us," guitarist Vivian Campbell tells KLOS. "I mean, as much as we are really looking forward to the shows, we're only doing three shows a week — Wednesday, Friday and Saturday — so the days off in between, we're actually gonna write."

"So it's different for us," he continues. "When we're on tour, we don't get in a writing mode, because you're in a bus every night and travelling. It's not very often that the five of us in Def Leppard are in one place together with time on our hands, so we've got a little Pro Tools rig and we're just gonna actually record in our hotel room while we're there — get some new ideas for some long-overdue new Def Leppard."

The band takes over the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for an exclusive nine-show run entitled "VIVA Hysteria!" between March 22 and April 10 at The Joint. Stream the video interview here.




Stone Sour Offer Comic Bonus
(Radio.com) Corey Taylor, James Root, Josh Rand and Roy Mayorga aren't afraid of trying something new. And that's just what they did with House of Gold & Bones Pt 1 & 2. Taylor (who also fronts another Iowa-based hard rock band, Slipknot) wrote all 23 tracks for Stone Sour's latest two-part series, the first of which hit stores in October.

As if two discs aren't enough, this release offers a twist. Accompanying the dual disc set is a four-issue comic book series, a graphic novel and if the singer has his way, a screenplay. According to Taylor, the two albums are meant to be played back to back, creating a cohesive, linear story.

Adding yet another dynamic to the release, the guys would call on Rachel Bolan, songwriter and bassist for '80s hair-metal legends Skid Row.

"For a band like us, we're very aware of his body of work," explained Taylor in an interview with Radio.com. "I think Rachel is one of the most underrated bass players out there."

"We had a couple of guys' names," recalls guitarist Josh Rand, who went on to explain that the person originally lined up for the bass fell through due to scheduling conflicts. After going down a wish-list of names, he and Taylor arrived at Bolan.

Rand explained that he'd been thinking of Bolan the whole time. "I love the (Skid Row) album Slave to The Grind. Everything that everybody's mentioning about what they want out of the bass, he's done in one record. So I asked everyone, 'what if we asked Rachel Boland to come in?'" Taylor proceeded to track down his number and phone him the very next day. More including a stream here.




Estate Offering Fans Chance To Buy Layne Staley's Car
(Classic Rock) A Pontiac Firebird Trans Am owned by late Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staley is up for sale.

The car, built in 2000, has 26,000 miles on the clock and personalized extras including an upgraded sound system.

AIC crewman Travis, who's managing the sale on behalf of Staley's estate, says: "We want to give fans the first option." More rock news.




Steve Stevens Collaborating With Sebastian Bach
(Gibson) Steve Stevens is collaborating with former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach on new music, with Bach aiming for a 2013 release.

In a statement, Bach said ideas were just beginning to take shape for his next studio release, with at least one track so far from Stevens for the record.

Bach describes it as "a kick-ass rock 'n' roll song that I guarantee will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Just how I like it." The pair will continue to work on new music for the album, and Bach's new guitarist Jeff George is also contributing songwriting ideas which will be demoed soon.

"We are really going to get cracking on the new material right away and have a new studio album out sooner than you think," Bach says, adding "I am so happy to collaborate with Steve; he has always been one of my favorite guitar players! We are going out rock this bitch down to the ground in 2013, mother truckers!" more on this story






Queen Fan To Donate Freddie Mercury's Rolls-Royce
(hennemusic) Legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury's 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow recently sold for a record £74,000 at Autosport International in Birmingham.

Now, the new owner - Verka Serduchka, Ukrainian pop-idol and silver winner of Eurovision 2007 - has come forward to reveal her plans for the famous wheels.

"I bought the car not to drive it, but to preserve it to fans of the Queen!" said Serduchka during a recent press-conference.

She will give the Rolls-Royce to the Queen museum that will be opened this year. Before that, the car will be exhibited during the show of Verka Serduchka & Band in Moscow on March 9 and 10. more on this story





Green Day X Games Documentary Screening Q&A Goes Online
(hennemusic) Green Day screened their new documentary, "¡Cuatro!", at the X Games in Aspen over the weekend.

Bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool were on hand for the premiere at Aspen's Wheeler Opera House as part of the X Games Film showcase, and took part for a post-screening Q&A to take audience questions.

"¡Cuatro!" goes behind the making of the band's new album trilogy, "¡Uno!," "¡Dos!" and "¡Tré!" The film pulls back the curtain and takes fans inside the world of Green Day, from the various spontaneous live performances in select cities across the U.S. to the chronicling of their creative process while conceptualizing and recording their current trilogy.

Green Day return to the road in 2013 for a 2-week series of North American shows that start March 28 in Chicago. Check out Q&A video here.




Motorhead Preview TV Commercial
(hennemusic) Motorhead recently launched their new line of Motorheadphones at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Prior to making their US debut, Motörheadphönes had unprecedented success throughout Europe.

Now, the band is previewing a new commercial that will begin running on Swedish Kanal 5 for three months starting in February.

In addition to the brand, the headphones Bomber and Motörizer will be shown with a unique live video recorded during Motörhead's gig at the Sweden Rock Festival in summer of 2012.

No brands in the headphone segment have ever invested in Swedish TV advertising like this before