Today's Day in Rock News !

Today's Day in Rock


Steve Lillywhite Slams Axl Rose's Voice
(Radio.com) Producer Steve Lillywhite has one of the best resumes in rock and roll: he has worked on records by Morrissey, Peter Gabriel, the Dave Matthews Band, Phish, The Rolling Stones and, most famously, U2. One band that isn't on that list: Guns N' Roses. He came rather close, though, to getting the Axl Rose experience, but as he told Los Angeles alt-rock station KROQ's Kevin & Bean Show, he pulled the plug on that.
Apparently, Lillywhite was one of many producers considered for GNR's loooooong-delayed Chinese Democracy album (finally released in 2008), and he actually took a meeting with Axl Rose to discuss it.

"I was summoned to Los Angeles to meet with Axl Rose, we went for sushi, and then we went to the studio to listen to some tracks and he played me some instrumentals," Lillywhite said. "I thought, 'I can understand why he'd want me to work on this.' And then I said, 'Do you have anything with vocals on it?' He said, 'Yeah, I've got one song.'"

It was at that point that Lillywhite remembered why working with GNR would be unpleasant (besides Axl's famously volatile personality).

"I was listening to it and I thought 'Oh my God, I'd forgotten how much I hate his voice.' I'm sorry! To some people, Axl Rose is royalty. To me, it's like fingers on a chalkboard. Now, He was a very nice guy. We finished the evening – he paid – the next morning, the manager called and said, 'Steve, you're in. He thinks your fantastic. ' I said "I'm sorry, I don't think I'm the right man for this job." And that was it and I left it at that." Did Axl react?




Black Star Riders Streaming New Album In Full
(Classic Rock) Classic Rock have posted a full album stream of Black Star Riders' debut album "All Hell Breaks Loose". The Thin Lizzy offshoot record is released today in the EU, Monday (May 27) in the UK and Tuesday (May 28) in the US.

Black Star Riders were created by Lizzy men Ricky Warwick, Scott Gorham, Damon Johnson and Marco Mendozam, plus former Megadeth, Ozzy Osbourne and White Lion drummer Jimmy DeGrasso.

Frontman Warwick recently explained: "I was watching a documentary about World War II bombers and saw 'All Hell Breaks Loose' painted on the side of one of the aircraft. It just resonated with me – it seem to encapsulate the turmoil that we, as a society, are currently experiencing.

"The past few years have been such a wild ride. It sounded like a bad-ass album title that summed up what Black Star Riders is all about." Check out the stream here!




Queens of the Stone Age Plan Letterman Webcast
(Radio.com) In celebration of the release of their sixth album, ...Like Cockwork, Queens of the Stone Age will take the stage for a Live on Letterman webcast at New York's Ed Sullivan Theater the day after the album's release.

… Like Clockwork will be released June 4 by Matador Records and the show will be streamed live on CBS's site, VEVO and on Radio.com, on June 5 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

In addition to fan favorites from their catalog, viewers can expect to see performances of new material like "I Appear Missing," "My God Is The Sun," "If I Had A Tail," "Keep Your Eyes Peeled" and "Kalopsia," all three of which were part of an eerie series of animated videos released in succession.

On Monday (May 20), the band released a 15-minute album trailer featuring animation from the aforementioned videos. more on this story




Marilyn Manson Helped Avril Lavigne Bring Out Her Naughty Side
(Radio.com) Everyone knows Avril Lavigne worked with Nickelback frontman (and now fiance) Chad Kroeger on her upcoming album. But she also received a little help from Marilyn Manson.

Lavigne told MTV that Manson helped bring her out her naughty side on the song "Bad Girl," which will be on her untitled album, due out this September.

At the last minute while recording the track Lavigne texted Manson, who she's known since she was 18 years old, and just asked if he'd be willing to come by.

"He's like, 'I'll come over and I'll hear it,'" she explained. "So he came at 4 o'clock in the morning… Yes, it was one of those nights."

But this isn't the first time Manson has helped Lavigne figure something out. Read about that here.





Placebo Announce New Album and Tour Plans
Placebo has announced a September 17th North American release date for their new studio album, Loud Like Love, and their plans for a world tour.

The new album was produced by Adam Noble and will be released in five different formats including a 3D Lenticular super deluxe box set, a limited edition deluxe digi-pack version, a double 12" colored vinyl gatefold edition, in a standard CD format as well as digitally.

The band has announced their plans to tour the world including North America, Latin America, Australia, Europe and Asia and have confirmed their first European leg.

The European trek will be taking place this fall, kicking off on November 12th in Warsaw, Poland and wrapping up on December 16th in London. more on this story




Alice Cooper Guitar Taken To Summit of Mt. Everest
(hennemusic) Firefighter Todd Pendleton has climbed Mt. Everest to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and he took an autographed Alice Cooper guitar with him to the summit.

Pendleton posted a photo of himself with the signed guitar at the highest point on earth, writing, "I unveil Alice. Somebody had to carry a stratacaster to the top of Everest."

"After a week long climb, 24 hours in a tent in 60 miles winds, and 16 grueling hours on summit day - We reached the summit of Mount Everest! On May 17th at 7:30n in the morning," he wrote. See the photo here.




Don Felder Joining Peter Frampton's Guitar Circus Tour
Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder will be joining Peter Frampton's "Guitar Circus" tour for a handful of tour dates that will be taking place next month.

Felder announced that he will be kicking things off on the June 13th tour stop in Windsor, Ontario and has confirmed a total of six tour dates that will conclude on June 30th in Webster, MA.

The tour will also feature Robert Cray, Steve Cropper (Booker T. & the M.G.'s), Dean DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots), Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Vince Gill, David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), Davy Knowles, Roger McGuinn (founder/lead guitarist of the Byrds), Richard Thompson, Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Vinnie Moore (UFO) and Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick). more on this story




Warren Haynes Plots Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration Tour
(Radio.com) Between playing Allman Brothers show and the Govt' Mule tour this summer, guitarist Warren Haynes will lead a series of symphony orchestras on a tour that pays tribute to the late Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia.

"The Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration" kicks off June 18 in Pittsburgh, where Haynes will be joined by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The tour will continue with two bursts of dates throughout the summer, with Haynes being accompanied by local orchestras in each of the eight cities.

Haynes, of course, has a history with the Grateful Dead. He played in bassist Phil Lesh's band, Phil Lesh & Friends, for years, and produced Lesh's 2002 album There And Back Again. He also did some time in The Dead, which featured Grateful Dead members Lesh, guitarist/singer Bob Weir, and drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann.

Haynes organizes some annual musical events — the Mountain Jam festival every summer and the Christmas jam in December — but he says this tour wasn't his idea.

"We got a call from the people representing the Garcia Estate, saying they wanted to do a series of symphony shows doing Jerry's music, and that they were going to have a few guest performers, and they wanted to know if I wanted to be the first guest artist," he told Radio.com. "I was very honored."

It turns out, Haynes had wanted to go the orchestral route for some time, but never had the right concept, until now. "I've always wanted to do something with a symphony, but I never have, so it's a really great challenge for me, and I was really psyched. I think it's gonna be really amazing." more on this story




Mad Season Bittersweet For Pearl Jam's Mike McCready
(Classic Rock) Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready admits he found it difficult listening to his work with Mad Season – because of the bad memories it brought back. But he's also proud of the work the supergroup did in a "quick flash" of time.

They released their only album Above in 1995, then had to abandon the follow-up after the death of bassist John Baker Saunders in 1999 and frontman Layne Staley in 2002.

McCready and drummer Barrett Martin regrouped with vocalist Mark Lanegan to complete three songs that had been started at the end of 1990s, and they were released as part of a Mad Season box set earlier this year. It also featured a remastered version of Above – which was a "bittersweet" experience for the guitarist.

"I'd listened to it all the way through probably two times since it came out," McCready tells MusicRadar. "It's very sad. Baker and Layne both died, so there's a sadness that hangs over the entire record. I wasn't willing to live that again. Those couple of times I did listen to it, it was tough.

"When I went back and heard it again it was freeing and said. I cried and laughed, and felt proud. I felt a real mixture of emotions that I'd never had with any other music I'd done, because two of the guys passed away, and I miss them." A lot more from Mike here.




Alice In Chains' Jerry Cantrell Unusual Songwriting Experience For Stone
(Classic Rock) Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell started work on the new track "Stone" while he was unable to play guitar and composed it in an unusual way as a result.

Recording sessions for The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here was put on hold while he underwent shoulder surgery, and the idea for the song came to him while he was still recovering.

"I just started hearing something in my head," he says. "My arm's all f**ked up, so I grabbed the phone and started humming the riff into the phone, and that's where the song came from. I still have the voice recording – it's hilarious!" More rock news




Lord Of The Rings' Christopher Lee Goes Metal Again
(Classic Rock) 90-year-old Lord Of The Rings star Christopher Lee will be releasing his second heavy metal album Charlemagne: The Omens Of Death on May 27.

Lee, who's better known for his association with another Hammer, the cult horror movie firm, says the new record is more metal than the previous one.

He explains: "The first Charlemagne album is metal, of course, but what I sang was more symphonic. The Omens Of Death is one hundred percent heavy metal. I've done my bits and pieces, and they are heavy metal. I'm not screaming or anything like that, but it is definitely heavy metal."

The music was arranged by Richie Faulkner just before he replaced KK Downing in Judas Priest. "Most of the songs were already there," says the guitarist. "But they needed riffs, drum parts and musical parts that reflected what the guys wanted – which was a metal record with an aim to be played live by a band." More including a preview video.





Bruce Springsteen Documentary Trailer Released
(hennemusic) The trailer for the new Bruce Springsteen documentary, "Springsteen & I," has been released. The film will be released on July 22nd and was directed by music video director Baillie Walsh.

The synopsis states that the film was created for the fans, by the fans, and includes some of Bruce's most loved songs and previously unseen performances alongside the remarkable stories of those who lived by his music.

"This beautifully crafted film provides a unique insight into the powerful bond between a recording artist and those who connect so profoundly with his music," said executive producer Ridley Scott. more on this story




Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson To Bike To Download
(Classic Rock) Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson has joined the line-up for the Heavy Metal Truants Download Festival Charity Bike Ride. He will ride alongside the likes of Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood, Classic Rock Editor-In-Chief Scott Rowley, Metal Hammer Editor Alexander Milas and Prog Editor Jerry Ewing for an event that is set to help some excellent causes.

Dickinson will be flying in specially from Germany following two sold-out Maiden shows in Frankfurt so he can join the Heavy Metal Truants in cycling the final 25-mile leg of the bike ride into the Download Festival on Friday, June 14 – the day before Iron Maiden's headline appearance there in front of an expected 100,000 fans.

Dickinson commented: "Yes, maybe it's the first time the headliner has shown up on a bike, but I do use my bike to get around in London when l get the chance and have turned up at the BBC on a bike before, although the Commissioners were a bit surprised as they are too used to seeing limos!" more on this story





Foreigner To Rock Indy 500
(hennemusic) Veteran rock band Foreigner has announced that they will be on hand in Indianapolis this weekend to participate in the Indy 500 pre-race festivities.

The band will be a part of the IPL 500 Festival Parade in downtown Indianapolis on Saturday at noon, and then headline the 10th Annual Regions Festival Snakepit Ball later in the evening.

Taking place in the Indiana Roof Ballroom, the Snakepit Ball has become a race-eve tradition. The black-tie event includes red carpet arrivals by celebrities in town for race weekend and special VIP guests. more on this story





Rolling Stones' Ron Wood Opens Art Exhibit
(hennemusic) Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood's newest collection of fine art, "Ronnie Wood: Raw Instinct," has opened at London's Castle Fine Art Gallery.

The exhibition consists of 100 pieces of original art, including portraits of bandmates Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards, alongside a self-portrait.

"When I get inspired, I get almost possessed and I just have to paint," said Wood. "There is no kind of therapy like the one you have from starting and seeing a picture through to the end."

"In a secret sort of way," he adds, "I like the people that I draw to see the way I've depicted them. Unlike music, it's a solo effort. There's no one else to blame." more on this story




Supertramp's Roger Hodgson Kicks Off Tour Tonight
(Classic Rock) Former Supertramp frontman Roger Hodgson will be kicking off his six date UK tour tonight with the first date that will be taking place at the Stowe School in Buckingham.

He had the following to say about the trek, "You kept asking me to return and now it's official. I'm truly grateful to have the best fans in the world.

"I thank you for your support in spreading the word, and connecting my name with my voice and songs to those who only know my songs as Supertramp." Grab the dates here.




Bad Company To Release Live Recordings of Upcoming Tour
(hennemusic) Bad Company has teamed with the DiscLive Network to offer fans recordings of the band's upcoming 40th Anniversary tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd.

DiscLive records concerts and releases it to fans immediately after a show. The company will be releasing limited-edition triple CD sets in a digipaks.

The package will include two CDs containing the recording of the concert as well as a bonus CD that will feature a rockumentary that was produced by In The Studio host Redbeard. more on this story





Rush In No Rush Between Tour Dates
(Classic Rock) Alex Lifeson admits Rush need to take a day off after each three-hour show. He says: "we're much more conservative than we used to be – not that we were crazy party guys.

We don't work consecutive gigs any more. Those off-days are truly recovery days, especially for Geddy and Neil. Geddy tends to get up at 1pm and doesn't talk, so he can rest his voice.

"We'll go for dinner together – it's pretty subdued with a nice meal and a glass of wine. We're going to be 60 this year so we have to look after ourselves." More rock news.





Queens Of The Stone Age's Josh Homme An Evil Dictator?
(Classic Rock) Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme explains why he believes that you can't cherry-pick when it comes to decision-making. He says:

"I think people believe I'm some kind of evil dictator, but I don't much care about that. I made a lot of hard decisions in my life. Sometimes hard decisions have to be made – and sometimes wonderful decisions have to be made.

"You've got to be willing to make them all. You can't just avoid stuff that's necessary." Read more of today's classic rock news stories here.




John Lennon Lyrics and Letters Donated for Tax Relief
(Gibson) A collection of John Lennon's letters and lyrics have been presented to the British Library's Treasures Gallery as part of a new British tax relief program, BBC News has reported.

Beatles biographer Hunter Davies donated the materials – which include Lennon's handwritten lyrics for "Strawberry Fields Forever" and an early draft of "In My Life" – through an initiative that encourages citizens to give gifts to the nation in exchange for a tax reduction.

Hunter, 77, wrote and published the only official biography of the Beatles, in 1968. It's estimated the donation will reduce his tax obligation by nearly a half-million dollars.

"I want my Beatles collection to be kept together, in one place, and on public display, and the British Library is the perfect home for it," he said. "I'm really pleased the cultural gifts scheme has helped me make this a reality." more on this story







Of Earth Release Heart Of The Hard Drive Video
(Classic Rock) Of Earth have released a video for their track "Heart Of The Hard Drive." The band, fronted by UFO bassist Rob De Luca, beat David Bowie to Classic Rock's Track Of The Week in March when they launched previous video, Prototype.

De Luca is joined by guitarist Paul Casanova, drummer Rik De Luca and keyboardist Matt Baram in Of Earth. He describes the band as "more art rock."

He says, "There's a fine line where despair and hope can meet and mix. It's a powerful and profound moment. I feel our music somewhat represents that place."

He's on tour with UFO in early June, culminating in their performance at this year's Download festival. Check out the new music video here.




John Fogerty Rocks Letterman
(hennemusic) John Fogerty rocked back-to-back nights of The Late Show With David Letterman this week as part of the promotion for his May 28th release, "Wrote A Song For Everyone."

On Tuesday, Fogerty played one of the album's new songs, "Mystic Highway," before returning on Wednesday with Dawes to perform the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic, "Someday Never Comes."

"Wrote A Song For Everyone" is an all-star duets project that features Fogerty pairing with artists like Foo Fighters, Bob Seger, Kid Rock, Zac Brown Band, and others to perform tunes from his legendary songbook, including solo tracks and CCR cuts.

To launch his new album, Fogerty is hosting a special one-night-only show on May 28th at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles; the performance will be broadcast live on AXS TV.

Watch video of the Letterman appearances here.




Robert Plant Shares Another Live Video Ahead of Tour
(hennemusic) Robert Plant is sharing more live video in advance of his upcoming US tour with The Senational Space Shifters. It's the third clip Plant has shared recently.

The singer has released performance footage of "Tin Pan Valley," from his 2005 album, "The Mighty ReArranger." Plant and the band launch their US dates at the Palladium in Dallas, TX on June 20, with shows wrapping up July 27 in Brooklyn, NY's Prospect Park.

The Sensational Space Shifters include Justin Adams (guitar, bendir, vocals), John Baggott(keyboards), Juldeh Camara (ritti, kologo, talking drum, vocals), Billy Fuller (bass guitar, vocals), Dave Smith (drums and percussion) and Liam "Skin" Tyson (guitar, vocals). Check out the clip here.




Video of Aerosmith's Singapore Press Conference Goes Online
(hennemusic) Aerosmith were in Singapore to perform at the inaugural Social Star Awards yesterday, and video of the band's press conference has surfaced.

The May 23rd event at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel marks what organizers are billing as the world's first social media awards. 288 Social Stars will be handed out at the ceremony; winners are based on the data of 1.7 billion users.

One of the winning Social Stars will go on to be crowned The Social Star Almighty - the most popular social media star on the planet. Check out video of the press conference