Today's Day in Rock News !

Today's Day in Rock


Stone Temple Pilots Team Up With Linkin Park's Chester Bennington
(Radio.com) KROQ's Weenie Roast always brings a surprise guest, and Saturday's (May 18) show was no exception. The concert put together two huge names for an unexpected performance: Stone Temple Pilots with Linkin Park's Chester Bennington. The group premiered their new single, "Out of Time," on stage.
During the show, the group opened with "Vasoline" and went on to perform hits including "Big Bang Baby," "Wicked Garden," "Sex Type Thing," "Interstate Love Song" and "Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart," as well as the B-side "Dead and Bloated."

Bennington, the singer of Linkin Park, previously performed with the STP on the single "Wonderful," circa 2001. In an exclusive sit-down interview with Stone Temple Pilots and Bennington after their Weenie Roast performance, KROQ morning show favorites Kevin & Bean got a sneak peak at the band's backstage compound of sorts, hidden away from the other artist trailers. Secrecy was very important to Bennington and the members of Stone Temple Pilots, whose gear was purposely mislabeled backstage.

Bennington assured that the Weenie Roast performance would be "the first time but not the last" that he'd appear with STP. (Obviously not – he'll also join them Sunday (May 19) at Live 105′s BFD in San Francisco.)

"Every band has its own kinda vibe," Bennington explained. "Stone Temple Pilots has this sexier, more classic rock feel to it. Linkin Park is a very modern, very tech-heavy type of band. It was kind of nice. I got to use my voice tonight. I got to sing and show my range a little bit. I still got to through a little scream in here and there but it's really just so much different. I grew up listening to these guys. When this opportunity came up, it was just like a no-brainer."

So what's the next step for the foursome? "We're gonna go out to lunch together because we haven't been able because we haven't been able to be seen in public together. So, we're probably going to go hang out as friends," confessed Bennington. More of the interview plus the download link for the song!



Pogues' Phil Chevron Has Fatal Cancer
(Classic Rock) Pogues guitarist Phil Chevron has announced that he is battling cancer for the second time and he's admitted that the cancer will be "lethal" in this case.

He was sidelined from the Pogues and his pioneering punk band, The Radiators From Space, in 2007 after being diagnosed with cancer of the head and neck. In 2011 he was given the all-clear. But now doctors have confirmed it's returned after finding another tumour last year and surgery is impossible due to the associated risks.

A statement says: "In August 2012, Philip and his doctors noticed a new tumour in a position whereby treatment is seriously ill-advised, and would almost certainly cause a stroke or worse.

"The cancer is, in short, inoperable, and will prove fatal in time, though it is at present impossible to measure life expectancy." more on this story




Tim Lambesis' Attorney Blames Steroids For Murder Solicitation Plot
As I Lay Dying frontman Tim Lambesis was successful at having a judge lower his $3 million bail to $2 million at a bail hearing on Friday. He stands charged of allegedly soliciting the murder of his estranged wife.

The hearing also provided more details about the case including the revelation from a forensic psychiatrist who consulted with the defense that claimed Lambesis got "roid rage" after using steroids, according to NBC San Diego.

Lambesis attorney Anthony Salerno had previously made allegations of a setup by a police "snitch", but media reports citing another attorney for Lambesis from Friday's hearing, Thomas Warwick, who reportedly changed tactics and said that the singer had become engrossed with the gym culture and ultimately began taking steroids.

"His thought processes were devastatingly affected by his steroid use," Warwick said. And the lawyer said that as a result, that Lambesis "was not the same person. He was irritable and lost God."

The judge decided in the hearing to reduce Lambesis' bail amount to $2 million from $3 million. However, his attorney reportedly said that Lambesis' family still could not raise that amount, so the singer will remain in jail.

Read more details about the case and Friday's hearing here.




Paul Stanley Delivers Rock Hall KISS Off
KISS frontman Paul Stanley didn't hold back his feelings about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and took at jab at Rolling Stone Magazine and Rock Hall founder Jann Wenner in a new interview.

Stanley was asked if he thought that KISS would ever be inducted into the Rock Hall after years of being snubbed in favor of far less successful artists. "Well, it depends on who lives longer, us or Jann Wenner," Stanley replied to the Huffington Post who went on to place some of the snub blame on Dave Marsh, who reportedly plays a "key role" in selecting inductees and admitted that he has helped keep the band off the ballot.

March was reportedly once asked by MTV about KISS and replied, "Kiss is not a great band, Kiss was never a great band, Kiss never will be a great band, and I have done my share to keep them off the ballot."

Stanley went on to question the Rock Hall's legitimacy, "Look, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is marketing," he said. "You've got a bunch of faceless people in a back room who trademark a name that sounds very official. Well, if you had thought of it first, you would have been the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

He was even asked his opinion of non-rock artists getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and responded, "I am one of the biggest Laura Nyro fans. I still listen to that stuff incessantly. Laura Nyro does not belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Songwriter Hall of Fame? Absolutely," he said.

But if KISS were ever to get inducted, Stanley says he would accept the honor because of his fans. "I would certainly accept on their behalf because it seems to be a major sore spot for them," he said. "But I don't need the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." Read the rest of his thoughts on the rock hall here.




Dave Grohl Jams With The Rolling Stones
(hennemusic) Dave Grohl was the featured guest Saturday night in Anaheim as the Rolling Stones played the sixh stop on their "50 & Counting" arena tour.

The head Foo Fighter joined the Rolling Stones for a jam of the classic song "Bitch," which comes from the Stones' 1971 album, "Sticky Fingers."

The Stones continue to switch things up with their setlist: for the first time on this tour, the group played "Shattered" and "You Got The Silver." Check out video of the performance here.




Robin Finck Returns To Nine Inch Nails
(Classic Rock) Nine Inch Nails have recruited former member Robin Finck in place of bassist Eric Avery, who bowed out last week, saying he'd been "overwhelmed" by the amount of tour dates the band was amassing.

Multi-instrumentalist Finck previously played guitar with Trent Reznor's outfit, but fellow member Josh Eustis can also play a number of instruments.

Nine Inch Nails will be playing the Leeds and Reading festivals in August. Read more of today's top rock news stories including KISS, Beatles, Whitesnake and more here.




Black Keys and STP Surprise Lead Weenie Roast
(Radio.com) With tens of thousands of rabid fans packed into Los Angeles' Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, the spirit and undeniable power of radio was on full display at the annual KROQ Weenie Roast on Saturday (May 18).

From the clutch of emerging bands that performed early in the day on the side stages through the marquee headliners that graced the main stage, the songs of summer 2013 galvanized the diehard crowd of Southern Californians through the day-long extravaganza that was highlighted by the unexpected return of a '90s alt-rock favorite with a surprising new face fronting the band.

While the Black Keys and Thirty Second to Mars were the undeniable headliners, it was the Stone Temple Pilots, who delighted the sold-out show with a surprise set of their enduring radio hits like "Vaseline" and "Interstate Love Song."

But instead of the embattled Scott Weiland at center stage, Stone Temple Pilots emerged with Chester Bennington from Linkin Park on the mic, admirably leading STP with spot-on vocals and even imitating some of Weiland's signature serpentine stage moves.

With no announcement of Bennington's presence on vocals, some audience members seemed confused by the unexpected pairing, but soon word rippled through the crowd that it was indeed the Linkin Park singer performing with STP, eliciting a barrage of camera flashes as people tried to capture the inspired pairing. The band played a number of STP hits and debuted a brand new track titled "Out of Time" which is available now as a free download exclusively at Radio.com.

The Black Keys charged through a stomping set of their down and dirty blues-rock, storming through crowd favorites like "Lonely Boy" and "Gold on the Ceiling" with a vengeance, determined to leave an impression on the already bedazzled audience.

Thirty Seconds to Mars pulled out all the stops during their bombastic show, with frontman Jared Leto starting the proceedings from the middle of the crowd to sing "Birth" as he traversed through excited fans to the stage while a drum corps clad in Spring Breakers-style ski masks pounded away with the band. more.




Thirty Seconds To Mars Make Big Live Return
(Radio.com) For California natives like Thirty Seconds To Mars, KROQ's Weenie Roast — even more so than Memorial Day — marks the unofficial start of the summer season. So it's a real honor for the guys to return to Weenie Roast six years after they made their debut in 2007, this time as the night's headliners alongside the Black Keys and Vampire Weekend.

Jared Leto remembers going to the show when him and his brother (and bandmate) Shannon were just kids. "It's a real treat to be back," Leto told Radio.com in our new video interview.

Weenie Roast will also be the first big show the band has played in a year and a half. "It's going to be interesting," Jared said with a laugh. "It's going to be much different than the Church of Mars."

For the last month, the guys have been playing shows in churches across the United States, making stops in cities like Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and New York. Each show only fits about 200 to 800 people, but for the band it's been a way to say thank you to some of their biggest fans.

With the release of their fourth album, LOVE LUST FAITH + DREAMS (out May 21), the band looks forward to showing off their new music in a festival setting, especially the record's lead single, "Up In The Air," which has been a hit with the Church of Mars crowd.

"Everyone has a great time on this small scale so I can't imagine what it's going to be like on the big scale," Shannon said. More including a stream of the video interview.




Free Whitesnake Song Download
(hennemusic) In support of Whitesnake's show in Sheffield, England on Monday, May 20, the Sheffield Telegraph is offering a FREE download of a live track from the band's new "Made In Japan" release.

Fans can download "Love Will Set You Free" from the paper here. The Sheffield show is part of Whitesnake's current UK tour with Journey and openers Thunder.

"Made In Japan" captures the band in concert at the Loud Park festival on October 15th, 2011 at Saitama Super Arena in Japan during their Forevermore World Tour. Check out the song here.




How Thin Lizzy Became Black Star Riders
(hennemusic) Ricky Warwick of Black Star Riders, the new band formed from the final Thin Lizzy lineup, explains in a new video how the group chose their new band name.

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

"It's a tough thing to name a band, certainly in the strange situation that we'd just come out of," explains singer Ricky Warwick. "We knew we needed something that was a little bit different, a very strong kind of anthemic name, something that summed up the gang mentality."

Based on the band's common interest in western films, Warwick turned to 1993's "Tombstone" (starring Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer and others) for inspiration…and he found it.

Check out the video for Ricky's story. more on this story




Megadeth Release Their New Song: Kingmaker
(hennemusic) Megadeth have released their new single, entitled "Kingmaker" the song comes from the band's forthcoming studio album, "Super Collider."

"Kingmaker" is the second track released from the new album, which is due June 4, and it follows last month's online debut of the album's title track.

"Super Collider" will be available as a limited-edition CD with a 3-D cover and bonus tracks, regular CD, regular LP, limited LP plus seven-inch vinyl, and as a digital download. Check out the new song here.




Deep Purple Guitarist Struggled With New Album
(Classic Rock) Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse says that he struggled during recording sessions for the veteran hard rock group's latest album Now What?!

"One of the challenges was trying to make Bob Ezrin happy," he says. "For me, it isn't easy. I think he's used to David Gilmour's style of ultra-melodic playing and I stick in more technical riffs between any melodic thing I do.

"He wanted me to sound more melodic and he really pushed it." But he adds: "It worked. That's why I was in favour of Bob being involved." More rock news




Jon Says Richie Sambora Welcome Back in Bon Jovi
(Classic Rock) Jon Bon Jovi says the door is open for Richie Sambora to rejoin the band any time he feels ready. He still won't discuss what led to the guitarist's non-appearance at the start of Bon Jovi's latest world tour leg – but he insists it's not about money, and the pair haven't fallen out.

"We were all in Calgary. Richie was going to turn up on show day, but we went the night before because it's a long flight," Bon Jovi tells the Mirror.

"At 3.30pm on show day the manager said: 'Guess what?' He didn't even have to finish the sentence. Because we had been through it before we performed that night. We couldn't let down the fans."

He admits he hasn't set eyes on his bandmate since that moment. "I talked to him once – once in six weeks and 18 shows. He's not fired, we didn't have a fight, it certainly isn't about money. He can return when he is ready to die every night, the way I walk on stage. No one's mad, no one's sad."

Bon Jovi is still reeling over his teenage daughter's overdose.




Bob Dylan Honored by Academy of Arts and Letters
(Gibson) Bob Dylan is now officially an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Henry Cobb, president of the Academy, praised the 71-year-old Dylan for his contributions to the creative arts.

The citation reads: "For more than 50 years, defying categorization in a culture beguiled by categories, Bob Dylan has probed and prodded our psyches, recording and then changing our world and our lives through poetry made manifest in song - creating relationships that we never imagined could exist between words, emotions and ideas."

Virginia Dejani, executive director of the Academy, said the legendary singer was designated an honorary member because the Academy couldn't decide which category – art, literature or music – he best fit into. Dylan was unable to attend the ceremony, which took place in Manhattan, but he did issue a statement.

"I feel extremely honored and very lucky to be included in this pantheon of great individual artists who comprise the Academy of Arts and Letters," he said. "I look forward to meeting all of you some time soon." more on this story






AC/DC Limited Edition Beer Released
(hennemusic) AC/DC and Karlsberg Brewery have released a limited Canadian edition of their AC/DC Beer. The product is an absolute rarity for collectors since this edition will only be sold in Canada.

The edition differs from the normal version by its smaller size (500ml) and the French/English imprint on the top of the can: Hardrock Australien / Australian Hardrock.

The standard edition of "AC/DC Premium Lager Beer" is 568mL of "true German Premium Lager." more on this story




Damage Inc TV For Metallica Fans Tonight
Metallica fans will have a very good reason to stay home tonight because they will be able to witness a heavy dose of Mandatory Metallica tonight on AXS TV.

The cable and satellite music network will be featuring a recent live performance from Metallica tonight when they air the Golden God Awards starting at 6:25 PM.

The Golden Gods Awards will be followed at 11:PM with the live telecast of latest episode of The World's Greatest Tribute Bands with will feature a performance from Metallica tribute band Damage Inc live from the Roxy Theater on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood. Check out the promo for the show here.

Earlier in the evening, the metal night will kick off with a look at the making of a legendary metal album, Judas Priest's British Steel. That will air at 5:55PM.

If you prefer the mellower side of rock, The World's Greatest Tribute Bands will be featuring tribute bands for U2 and Fleetwood Mac early next month.





Singled Out: Zed's Desperation Blues
Today Zed guitarist Greg Lopes tells us about the title track to their brand new album "Desperation Blues," which is set to be released tomorrow (May 21st). Here is the story:

Desperation Blues is the Title track to our new album and as I remember it, it was last spring at band rehearsal when Mark Aceves (bass player) came up with this killer riff, and as usual our drummer Rich Harris added his heavy groove to it. Being a fan of that heavy groove style of course I had to add a little wah, and as the rhythm progressively came together Pete Sattari our singer/guitarist started to ramble off lyrics looking for the melody. This seems to be the way we work, and probably why we work well together.

As the moment came where we knew we were going to change gears the lyrics "every time I try to hang myself, you are the one holding the rope" just flowed out and that was the beginning of the song "Desperation Blues". Originally the song was titled "Hang Myself' mainly because it was a great hook and catchy title, but when we decided on an album title, we thought the name fit well with the track.

Lyrically, Pete had come up with a concept that deals with how a person can be their own worst enemy. The metaphor for the phrase "hang myself" could be what many people do to sabotage themselves because they are either afraid or don't want to admit a truth. At the end the day we all need to hold ourselves accountable and understand our own truth. Like the lyrics say " don't lie to yourself " because life is too short to live a lie…..

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!



Queens Of The Stone Age Reveal Three More New Videos
(Classic Rock) Queens Of The Stone Age mainman Josh Homme seems determined to slam home the message that his band are back. They'll release new album …Like Clockwork on June 3, but in the space of a week they've released five animated videos from the record.

The latest is My God Is The Sun, which followed If I Had A Tail – view them below. Also below is a clip of QOTSA's performance on Later With Jools Holland, which also took place last week.

Homme spent several months hinting that the follow-up to 2007′s Era Vulgaris was something especially dark and personal. He's hinted the record charts the difficulties behind its own making, and says the title is a sarcastic reference to how badly things went.

…Like Clockwork features guest appearances from Dave Grohl, Elton John, Trent Reznor and others. QOTSA appear at this year's Download festival. Check out the new video here.



Black Sabbath Release Behind The Scenes Video For 13 Cover
(hennemusic) Black Sabbath are sharing some behind-the-scenes video of the creation of the cover for their forthcoming reunion album, "13" which will be released on June 11th.

"13" is the group's first full studio project with frontman Ozzy Osbourne since 1978's "Never Say Die" was produced by Rick Rubin. Sabbath recently released the album's lead track, "God Is Dead?"

The band have completed the first series of shows of their 2013 world tour, playing dates in New Zealand and Australia. Check out the behind the scenes video here.




Primus Bridges Gap Between Rush and Public Enemy
(Radio.com) At the show-closing jam at last month's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, an unprecdented supergroup took the stage to perform Robert Johnson's "Crossroads." Among them Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart of Rush and Public Enemy leader Chuck D.

What do the prog-rock giants and the hip-hop legend have in common (other than membership in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame)? Well, probably not much. But, believe it or not, both bands have toured with San Francisco rockers Primus.

Primus was the opening act on the genre-crashing Anthrax/Public Enemy co-headlining tour of 1991. The following year, they played arenas opening for Rush. So Primus frontman Les Claypool is one of the only musicians to spend time on the road with both groups, and he says that both are fully deserving of the accolades that they received at the induction ceremony in Los Angeles last month.

The members of Primus have always worn their Rush influences on their sleeves; like the Canadian group, they are a power trio led by a bassist with an unusual singing voice who are influenced by hard rock and progressive music.

Claypool told Radio.com, "One of my first introductions to music as a teenager was Rush records."And it showed, particularly early on in their career. Primus' debut EP, 1989′s Suck On This, opens with 36 seconds of the band covering Rush's classic instrumental "YYZ" before launching into their own "John The Fisherman."

And while it is often said that you shouldn't meet your idols, he reports that bonding with Rush has been a great experience for him and his band. "When I was 16, if you told me I'd be friends with Geddy, Alex and Neil, I would have s*** myself right there, literally," he said. "To work with these guys and be friends with them, and to still be friends with them after all these years, it's a pretty spectacular thing." more on this story




What Does The Stooges and Fleetwood Mac Have To Do With Star Trek?
(Radio.com) The latest Star Trek flick, Star Trek: Into Darkness, is out now, giving us a perfect excuse to put together a Trek playlist. Since Trek doesn't feature rock music, we figured we'd go with rock stars who have actually appeared in Trek (what, you missed Mick Fleetwood's turn as a fish-like creature in Star Trek: The Next Generation?), as well as famous fans of the series.

The Stooges – "1969″: The Stooges debuted in '69 with their classic self-titled LP, which featured this skull-crusher. "Another year for me and you, another year with nothing to do!" Well, there was nothing to do after June 3 of that year, at least if you were a Trekkie (a term which hadn't yet been coined): That was the date that the show was cancelled. Years later, in 1997, Stooges frontman Iggy Pop appeared on the third Trek series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as Yelgrun, an "overseer" for the Dominion (those were the bad guys, for non-DS9 fans).

The Mamas & The Papas – "Monday Monday": Though Star Trek aired on Thursday nights at that time that "Monday Monday" hit No. 1 in 1966, there's a line here that rings true: "Can't trust that day!" Or at least NBC couldn't, moving the show to the dead zone of Friday nights instead of just cancelling it. The cancellation moment came two season later, with the show returning nearly 20 years later in 1987 via Star Trek: The Next Generation. And you know who was there? Mamas & Papas singer Michelle Phillips, who played Jenice Manheim (Captain Picard's ex-girlfriend) in the first season of the show. Boom. Circle complete.

Fleetwood Mac – "The Chain": Like Star Trek, Fleetwood Mac has proved remarkably enduring. Although the lineup (like Trek's Enterprise) has gone through many staff changes, like the Federation, drummer Mick Fleetwood (along with bassist John McVie) has remained a constant. While you can't miss Fleetwood's commanding presence behind the drums at the Mac's concerts, you'd be forgiven for missing his appearance on the Next Generation season 2 episode "Manhunt" in 1989. First off, he shaved off his omnipresent beard for the role. Second, his prosthetics rendered him unrecognizable. In this scene, he plays an Antedean dignitary who looks like a fish. Is that politically incorrect? Well, we got the idea from Lwaxana Troi, who exclaimed, "Delegates! Last time I saw something like that, it was being served on a plate!"