Saturday, December 28, 2013

This Week's Top Stories In Rock News!






Here are the top stories from this past week's Day in Rock report

Pearl Jam Accountant Admits To Six-Figure Theft From The Band
(Classic Rock) A fired Pearl Jam executive has pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $400,000 from the band who employed him. Rickey Charles Goodrich, 55, was responsible for thefts totaling £380,000 in the four years before he was sacked in 2010. In total he cost the band $566,000 once investigative expenses are added to the bill.

Goodrich has admitted guilt to six counts of first-degree theft and he'll be sentenced in February. It's thought he'll go to jail for six months – but if he hasn't paid back everything he stole, the sentence could be 14 months.

He was employed in 2005 as Pearl Jam's accountant and financial officer, then became part of their management company the following year, with access to their tour and fan club funds. - more on this story



Metallica Streaming Full Freeze 'Em All Concert In HD
(Classic Rock) Metallica have fans an early Christmas present by releasing HD video of their entire historic Freeze 'Em All concert that they staged in Antarctica. Classic Rock has these details and the full 68-minute video:

It was shot earlier this month when the thrash giants embarked on a 10-day cruise to Antarctica with a boatload of competition prizewinners. On arrival on King George Island they delivered a ten-song set through headphones in order to minimise noise pollution.

Metallica say: "On December 8 we set a world record by becoming the first and only band in history to perform concerts on all seven continents in under a year. The energy in the little dome was amazing – words can not describe how happy everyone was." - Watch the show here.



Santana Reunited With Homeless Former Bandmate
(Classic Rock) Carlos Santana has been reunited with a pre-fame bandmate who fell on hard times over 40 years ago, and Santana has vowed to turn his old friend's life around.

'Magnificent' Marcus Malone was a member of the Carlos Santana Blues Band in 1967 – but wound up in trouble with the law. And by the time Santana had become a big name act they'd lost touch with the percussionist.

That changed when CNN reporter Stanley Roberts interviewed a homeless man on the streets of San Francisco, who claimed to be Malone and asked for help. Santana saw the TV report and went looking for his former colleague with no luck. Finally his manager spoke to Roberts, who arranged the emotional moment captured on camera below.

"It's an honor to be in your presence, man," Santana told his old friend after they hugged. "I always cherished you. You and your family were so gracious to us." Afterwards he confirmed: "That's him, man – that's 'Magnificent' Marcus Malone alright. His spirit is indomitable."

Santana had a lot more to say and explained how he plans to help his former bandmate - here.



Judas Priest Releasing New Album In 2014
(hennemusic) Judas Priest took to their official website on Monday (December 22nd) with a Christmas and New Year's message for their fans and also revealed they will be releasing their new studio album in coming year.

"We wish all of our fans a great Christmas and a very metal New Year!," wrote the band. "We will be releasing a new album sometime in 2014 so stay tuned!"

This past summer, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford shared an update on the band's follow-up to 2008's "Nostradamus." "The writing process is complete," Halford told Billboard. "Now it's the painstaking work of making sure that you get every single note, every single nuance of the vocal, every tiny aspect...right. We're still tracking (instruments). It's just a very laborious but enjoyable part of making the record."

Priest is producing the album itself at the moment, but Halford notes that "there's always a possibility somebody might come in to overview some of the things we're doing." - more on this story




Guns N' Roses Tease Fans With Christmas Message
Guns N' Roses released a holiday message for fans on Monday that teased fans with the news and a graphic about the announcement of a South American tour.

The band told fans, "From everyone in Guns N' Roses, to all our fans around the world – Happy Holidays! As for everything else? …yes, Jarmo is right. Information coming soon!"

Posters on a fan forum state that "Jarmo is right" is a reference to a poster on the Guns N' Roses message board that said that a tour announcement was coming soon. Along with the text, the message also included a graphic that said "South American Tour 2014".

The posting on Facebook included part of the graphic and a link to the announcement on the band's official site. But the Facebook posting also included "Its been 5 years South America… We are coming back at ya!" which had some fans on the My GNR Forum puzzled because the band toured South America two years ago.

Some of the posters speculated that the 5 could have simply been a typo or a mistake. One poster had the following speculation about the 5 years reference: "The five years thing kind of makes me think of a new album announcement, starting the tour off in South America. It's been 5 years since [the "Chinese Democracy" album was released]."

Another poster wrote, "I think the 5 years is referring to the album release? At least I hope. I'd hate to know that management can't even count."

Read the forum postings for more of the fans reaction to the "announcement announcing the announcement" and speculations - here.



Dream Theater Frontman James LaBrie Releasing Solo EP
(Prog) Dream Theater frontman James LaBrie will release a nine-track EP called 'I WIll Not Break' on January 6th, 2014 in Europe and January 14th, 2014 in North America.

It follows the launch of his latest solo album, Impermanent Resonance, which appeared in July. The EP title track is the same one that closes the full-length record, while Unraveling and Why were only previously available as bonus numbers on certain versions. Also featured are an alternative mix of Coming Home, demo versions of Jekyll Or Hyde and Just Watch Me, and remixes of I Tried, Over The Edge and Euphoric.

LaBrie says: "This digital EP will show some of the songs with alternate mixes as well as letting you hear guitarist Matt Guillory's exceptional voice with some of the songs in their demo versions.

"We had three of the songs mixed in dubstep stylings to give them a somewhat interesting flavour and twist. Hope you all enjoy this release – I personally think it is very cool."

Listen to the title track - here.




Pixies Didn't Tell Kim Shattuck Why She Was Fired
(Classic Rock) Kim Shattuck says the Pixies didn't tell her why they fired her just four months after signing up to replace Kim Deal. Bassist Shattuck was brought on board after co-founder Deal announced her departure in June, with management saying she'd "just had enough."

But the position only lasted until the end of a UK tour, after which the Pixies announced Paz Lenchantin as their third bassist of 2013. Now Shattuck tells Jonah Raydio:

"They didn't tell me why or anything – although I had some inkling why. I don't know whether I'm ready to say or not, but it wasn't to do with me as much as you'd think."

One thing she does say is that she doesn't blame frontman Black Francis: "I'm not so mad at him – he's not the problem," she states. - more on this story




Eddie Veddar Jams Stones Classic With Criminal Minds Star
(hennemusic) Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder teamed up with Criminal Minds star Jeanne Tripplehorn to perform the Rolling Stones' 1978 classic, "Shattered", at a fundraiser for Heal EB in Malibu in September, and video from the event is now available.

Vedder played acoustic guitar and handled back-up vocals while Tripplehorn sang the song in the style of Julie Andrews. Heal EB is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding a cure while raising awareness for Epidermolysis Bullosa.

Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) is a rare total body disease that causes blisters after the mildest trauma. Depending on the type of EB, the effects can be mild, disabling, or life threatening. It is not contagious because it is a genetic disease. There is currently no cure, but efforts are being made to identify new strategies for the treatment of EB. - Watch the video here.




Kings of Leon Pen Song For August: Osage County Soundtrack
(Radio.com) The guys in Kings of Leon left the electric guitars at home for their stripped-down song "Last Mile Home." Written for the film, August: Osage County, the song is also on the deluxe version of their latest album Mechanical Bull, though with fuller production.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, the band talked of "Last Mile Home" being the first time that they wrote a song not initially intended for an album. "It was important for us to create a song to complement such a beautiful film," Kings of Leon singer and songwriter Caleb Followill said. "We submitted the song, then went out on the road, then had to find a few days to record between tours. It was a tight squeeze but we made it happen."

He added that the film's story was something he could easily relate to. "The dynamic between family is always something that you look forward to, and dread at the same time. Not only are we family, but we all have very strong Oklahoma ties, so we totally relate to that 'frontier grit.'" - more on this story




Muse Not Rushing Next Album
(Gibson) Having just wrapped up touring behind last year's release, The 2nd Law, Muse is already preparing for their next studio album. Muse frontman Matt Bellamy told triple j: "I've written some good tracks, actually" said Bellamy. "We haven't had a chance to rehearse them out yet. We'll take a break next year for a little few months and then we'll get in the studio."

Regarding a potential release date Bellamy said: "If it all goes very well, the new album could well be early 2015 or late 2015. Christmas 2014 might be [when we release] our next single."

Fans of Muse's early work will be happy to hear that the band is going for a more stripped down sound with their new music, as Bellamy told Rolling Stone in a recent interview: "I want to bring it back to just being about the music that we are playing, about the instruments, the guitar, the bass, the drums and these personalities."

Bellamy continued by saying: "I have this strong feeling that the next album should be something that really does strip away the additional things that we've experimented with on the last two albums, which is electronics, symphonics and orchestral work and all that kind of stuff. I kind of feel like it will be nice to reconnect and remind ourselves of just the basics of who we are." - more on this story




Toby Jepson Giving Away Live Acoustic Song
(Classic Rock) Toby Jepson has made a live acoustic track entitled "Unwind" available for streaming and free download. It was recorded in Nottingham's Rock City Basement during his recent solo UK tour in support of new album Raising My Own Hell.

Launching lead track Shadow Boxing via Classic Rock last month, Jepson said: "Raising My Own Hell is the result of getting older – and hopefully a bit wiser. It's perhaps closer to my own kind of truth, my own kind of anger, my own kind of love.

"I've simply gathered six tunes I liked and done the best I could with them in the time available, with some cool friends who were generous enough to indulge me for a short while."

Check out the unplugged song - here.




Steve Thorne Releases 'Darkest, Bitterest
(Prog) Prog has premiered Steve Thorne's seasonal track "English Christmas." It's taken from his upcoming album Island Of The Imbeciles. And, as the title suggests, he's pulling no punches with his message.

Thorne tells Prog: "This is probably the darkest, bitterest and most truthful Christmas song ever written. Ebenezer Scrooge would have bought ten copies! But the irony is, I really like Christmas."

He says of Island Of The Imbeciles, which features guests including Tony Levin and Nick D'Virgilio: "It's been terrific fun to make. I'm really, really pleased with the songwriting and playing. I can't wait for people to hear it, which is usually a good sign." - Listen here.




Dan Akroyd Leads Lonnie Brooks 80th Birthday Celebration
(The Blues) Dan Akroyd led a host of big names through a live show to celebrate the 80th birthday of icon Lonnie Brooks at the weekend. The lineup at Chicago's House Of Blues included Otis Taylor, Otis Clay, Jellybean Johnson, Shemakia Copeland, Big Head Todd, Jimmy Vivino, Donald Kinsey, Billy Branch and others. See fan-shot video of the ensemble outfit jamming Sweet Home Chicago below.

Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richard sent a video message. The performance was paused briefly to pay tribute to rising-star bluesman Eric 'Guitar' Davis, who was shot dead last week.

Akroyd told DNA Info: "Lonnie is one of the last living, working links to the Chicago blues tradition. He started in the late 50s with Chess Records and Checkerboard Lounge.

"You've got to recognise a guy like that for his dedication, his artistry, and really for his just hanging in there for so long. He is extremely worthy of a tribute like this, and everybody is coming out because they love him. - More including video.




In This Moment Plan Special Blood In Early 2014
(TeamRock Radio) In This Moment will revisit their 2012 breakthrough album Blood with a Special Edition that is to be released on January 20th in the UK and the 21st in North America.

The original record will be packaged with a live DVD, Blood At The Orpheum, which was recorded in May and features a bonus cover of Nine Inch Nails track Closer plus behind-the-scenes footage.

The Special Edition is launched in January via Century Media, with Blood At The Orpheum appearing as a standalone digital video on February 17th (in the UK, the next day in North America). - Check out the trailer.




The Enid Releasing 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Box Set
(Prog) The Enid have begun taking orders for a limited-edition 40th anniversary box set which celebrates the opening era of their career after being formed by Robert John Godfrey in 1973.

Just 2000 copies will be available with delivery commencing at the end of January, containing two audio CDs and a DVD, presented in a DVD-sized digipak case.

Included are The Enid's first two albums, In The Region Of The Summer Stars and Aerie Faerie Nonsense, both of which are extended with bonus tracks. There's also a DVD documentary in which Godfrey talks to original and current drummer Dave Storey and recently-added frontman Joe Payne about the band's early years. - more on this story




Jonny Lang Explains His Voice Change On New Album
(The Blues) Jonny Lang says his first studio album in seven years has underlined how much he's learned since the release of Turn Around in 2006 – and that includes how to use his voice and who to make music for.

Fight For My Soul was launched in September and sees Lang delivering a vocal style very different from his early works. He tells ADN: "I don't know how to explain it. I didn't necessarily try to sound like that – it's just what came out. I've learned how to sing better, or closer to what I would like to do in my mind."

Lang says of his earlier performances: "Some of that rasp was just me destroying my voice. I used to lose my voice all the time. It's gotten more powerful but less distorted; I can still do that, but it comes with a cost." - more on this story




Eric 'Guitar' Davis Called 'The Future Of The Blues' After His Murder
(The Blues) Eric 'Guitar' Davis, who was murdered in Chicago last week, has been described as "the future of the blues" by the owner of a venue he regularly played.

Tony Manguillo, boss of the city's Rosa's Lounge, said he feels like he lost a brother in the violent altercation which left the 41-year-old – son of drummer Bobby 'Top Hat' Davis – dead as a result of two bullet wounds.

Now he's running a YouCaring memorial fund with the intention of raising $10,000 for Davis' family, ahead of a memorial concert next month. "Leslie and their six children are in need of financial support for Eric's funeral, which must be paid for upfront," Manguillo says.

"Eric was not only a musician, he was an entertainer: the future of the blues. Today we don't only mourn the loss of a friend, but also the loss of an amazing force in the Chicago Blues music scene." - more on this story




Status Quo To Headline Llangollen Eisteddfod
(Classic Rock) Status Quo have been confirmed as the headline act for the 2014 edition of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales that will be taking place next summer.

Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt and co will grace a stage previously trod by classical icons including Luciano Pavarotti, Montserrat Caballe, James Galway and the Welsh National Opera.

The annual event attracts more than 5000 artists every year for competitions and performances – and although it's closely associated with the finer end of the music spectrum, director Eilir Owen Griffiths says Quo are a perfect match.

He tells the BBC: "We've created a festival within a festival called Llanfest, and this is a great headlining act for ending the week." - more on this story




Of Mice & Men Streaming New Song
(TeamRock Radio) Of Mice & Men have released their new track Bones Exposed, which comes from their upcoming album Restoring Force. The California-based four-piece's third studio outing is set for launch on January 28th in North America, 27th in the UK via Rise Records, and follows 2011's The Flood.

Frontman Austin Carlile recently said: "What happens after The Flood? You return to normal – you find balance again. That's what we felt like we were doing with this album.

"We wanted it to bring equilibrium back to our band and music. We're letting everyone know that we're here to stay: we're Restoring Force." Listen to the new song - here.




Supersuckers Release Pushin' Thru Video
(Classic Rock) Supersuckers have released a new music video for their track Pushin' Thru. It's taken from upcoming album Get The Hell, set for launch on January 14th (January 27th in the UK).

The new album will be released via Steamhammer/SPV, their first with the label and also the first with drummer Captain Von Streicher, who joined last year.

Frontman Eddie Spaghetti recently said: "The Supersuckers have no business being this good after all these years – it's as brutal and as polished as the band has ever sounded. This record is a juggernaut front to back." - Watch the video here.




Rolling Stones Release Season's Greetings Video
(hennemusic) Rolling Stones frontmen Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are offering fans season's greetings on behalf of the band via a new video as they wind down 2013.

The group recently picked up three nominations for the 2014 Grammy Awards ceremony, set for next month in Los Angeles. The band's 2012 single, "Doom And Gloom", is a finalist for "Best Rock Song", while the band's release of "The Brussels Affair" – documenting a 1973 concert in Belgium – earned a nod in the Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package category.

The band's third nomination is for "Charlie Is My Darling — Ireland 1965" in the "Best Historical Album" category. The 56th Annual Grammy Awards will be held January 26, 2014 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast live on CBS from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).
Watch the holiday video greeting - here.




Against Me! Recall Their First Time
(Radio.com) Long before Against Me! carried modern punk's flag, the band had high hopes of their music being played to a wider audience than just their hometown Gainesville, Fl. scene.

Voracious touring helped win over fans, certainly, but early adopters at college radio helped the band reach new levels through airplay, despite the fact that their genre doesn't have a widespread presence at radio.

"I think it was 'Pints of Guinness Make You Strong' off our first record [Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose]," frontwoman Laura Jane Grace recalled of the band's on-air debut.

"It was in our first touring van, which was a Dodge Ram. It was on the local college radio station. We heard that they were getting a DJ who would actually play punk stuff so we listened. I remember it coming on."

She added: "It's one of those surreal moments where you're just like 'Whoa, that's crazy. We're on the radio!' But then it's over and we're like…'OK, so here we go.' It's cool, having yourself played on the radio. If you're a musician and you're in a band, that's cool. You're stoked." -




Gene Simmons Leads A Very Satan Christmas
(hennemusic) KISS bassist Gene Simmons stars in "A Very Satan Christmas", a new video from the team at Funny Or Die. Simmons plays Satan Claus in the seasonal video, which features his family as they gather around the dinner table for a holiday feast.

This past week, KISS were confirmed as one of the inductees into the 2014 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, along with Nirvana, Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, Cat Stevens and Linda Ronstadt.

The induction ceremony will be held at New York's Barclays Center on April 10th, 2014. The ceremony will be held at New York's Barclays Center, marking the first time the general public will be able to attend the ceremony in NYC. - Watch the video here.




AC/DC Campaign Breaks Band's Chart Record
(Classic Rock) A brave attempt to place AC/DC at UK Christmas number one for the band's 40th anniversary fell just three paces short last night, but it still gave them their first-ever top ten single.

Over 170,000 people liked the Facebook campaign to send Highway To Hell to number one. The Australian giants were beaten to the top spot by this year's X-Factor TV gameshow winner Sam Bailey, who was special guest on BBC Radio 1 as the chart results were announced live.

Over 43,000 people actually bought the track during the eligible time period while Bailey's track Skyscraper sold 149,000 copies. The Official Charts Company said:

"AC/DC have scored their first ever UK top ten single with Highway To Hell. Despite having several top ten albums here, including three number ones, the veteran rockers' previous best was number 12 in 1988 with Heatseeker." - more on this story




Ace Doesn't Want New KISS Members To Wear Makeup At Rock Hall
(Classic Rock) Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley says he hopes Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley will "do the right thing" by him and ex-drummer Peter Criss at their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

And stating that current members Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer won't be among those honored, Frehley says he'd be happy to see them take part – as long as they're not in makeup.

He tells Q104.3FM (via Blabbermouth): "I always try to take the high road and be optimistic, and hope everybody's going to come to the bargaining table and do the right thing. Sometimes I get the support.

"I have a feeling everything's going to work out. I spoke with Paul and Gene. I know they want to perform with me and Peter. I'm just not sure how they want Tommy and Eric to be involved – but since they're not getting inducted, I'm going to let that play out with the Hall, management, attorneys and all that stuff."

Discussing Thayer and Singer, Frehley says: "I don't have a problem with Tommy and Eric being there out of makeup, if I'm in makeup, because they're a big part of Kiss today." - He had more to say on that subject.




Jimmy Page Discusses Extras For Led Zeppelin Reissues
(Gibson) The entire Led Zeppelin catalog is now available for streaming via Spotify. And Jimmy Page has also been talking about his work on newly-remastered Led Zeppelin albums due in 2014.

"I've done my bit. Technology has moved on since the last set of remasters and you can hear the difference in these new versions. They're quite something," Page explains. "Obviously there's not that much material that we could add from the first two albums, but from Led Zeppelin III there is."

Alternative takes and outtakes are all apparently part of the releases. No date is scheduled yet – Page is renowned for his methodical approach – but there will be remastered Led Zeppelin out in 2014.

Led Zeppelin are already up for two Grammy awards in 2014 — "Best Rock Performance" for "Kashmir (Live)" from Celebration Day, and the album, itself, Celebration Day, in the "Best Rock Album" category. - more on this story




Eric 'Guitar' Davis Killed In Chicago Shooting
(The Blues) Blues star Eric 'Guitar' Davis, who was the son of drummer Bobby 'Top Hat' Davis, was shot and killed near his Chicago home last week, police have confirmed.

The 41-year-old, who was given his first guitar lesson by Buddy Guy, was found dead in his car with bullet wounds in his neck and torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 6am.

Davis and his band The Troublemakers has recently signed a deal with Delmark Records. Boss Bob Koester says: "He was next in line for the blues before these guys shot him." - more on this story




Former Korn Drummer Goes After Fieldy Online
(Radio.com) Despite former Korn drummer David Silveria's scattered hints that he'd like to one day re-join the band he formed, it's likely that he's just sealed his fate with a series of Facebook comments directed at bassist Reggie "Fieldy" Arvizu.

Following Brian "Head" Welch's recent tearful reunion with band in May, fans have speculated about Silveria's return. But as as Metal Injection points out, calling a former bandmate a "little b****" may reduce the likelihood of him returning.

After having read Fieldy's new book, Got The Life, a fan queried Silveria about their clashes: "He threw down his bass and called you out to fight him and after that you two never got along, what the hell happened?"

"Ha ha!! Fieldy NEVER threw down his bass and tried to fight me," responded Silveria through a series of comments. "He is a coward with a big mouth and he knows I would beat his a** like the little wimp that he is. I would love for him to talk sh*t to my face now. I would love to crush him like a b****."

"Sorry guys. Fieldy has acted like a tough guy for so long it's nice to tell the truth. Not only is he NOT a tough guy but he's a cowardly little b****. He never tried to fight me cuz he knows I would squash him like a bug. He acted like a tough guy on tour to our staff cuz he knew he could get away with it because our crew got paid well and didn't want to lose their jobs. He used that to walk around acting like he though he was a tough gangsta. Our entire crew laughed at him behind his back because they all knew he is a pussy. I would love to see him out somewhere with no security to protect the runt. He wouldn't say anything because he's totally scared of me." - What does Munky have to do with all this?




Aerosmith's Dream On In The Running For Official Home State Song
(hennemusic) Aerosmith's 1973 classic, "Dream On", is currently competing to be the official state song of Massachusetts. The track is going head-to-head with Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers' "Roadrunner" in a bill discussed Thursday at a hearing of the State Administration and Oversight Committee.

Sentinel & Enterpise reports "Dream On" was left without a single witness to offer live testimony on behalf of the song, despite being put forward by lead sponsor, D-Marshfield.

"(Aerosmith) are definitely from Massachusetts. They are a prime example of the rags to riches story that 'Dream On' encapsulates," Rep. James Cantwell wrote, adding that designating the song "will honor hard work and dreaming on regardless of life's hardships. Like Aerosmith the band, the song celebrates grit and remaining steadfastly committed to your dreams." - more on this story




John Lennon To Receive Out Of This World Honor
(hennemusic) Beatles legend John Lennon is among ten famous people who are having craters on Mercury named after them by the International Astronomical Union.

The IAU, which is in charge of planetary and satellite nomenclature, named the craters in honor of "deceased artists, musicians, painters, and authors who have made outstanding or fundamental contributions to their field and have been recognized as art historically significant figures for more than 50 years."

In addition to Lennon, the newly-named craters are: Capote, for Truman Capote (1924-1984), an American author whose short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction include the novella "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and the true-crime novel "In Cold Blood." - See who else here.




Queen and Bowie Producer David Richards Dead At 57
(Classic Rock) Queen record producer David Richards has died at the age of 57 after a long illness, it's been confirmed. He's best known for working on the band's last four albums, A Kind Of Magic, The Miracle, Innuendo and Made In Heaven, while also collaborating with David Bowie on Never Let Me Down, The Buddha Of Suburbia and Outside. Among his other credits are Iggy Pop's Blah Blah Blah and Magnum's Vigilante.

In 1975 he started as an engineer at Queen's Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland, after several years of working in London. Two years later he became its chief engineer, then bought over the establishment in 1993 and nine years later moved it to new premises in Attalens.

Queen men Brian May and Roger Taylor say in a statement: "David will be remembered by many as a good friend. He was funny and generous and great company – a talented and capable man who had an instinctive 'magic touch' in the recording studio. His creative productions will be enjoyed for years to come." - Read their full statement here.




The Cult Want To Release New Music In Unconventional Way
(hennemusic) As The Cult wrap up their Electric 13 tour dates this weekend, singer Ian Astbury is looking ahead to the prospect of releasing new material in an unusual way.

"We're playing around with the idea of putting new music out as capsules," Astbury tells Rolling Stone. "That means we'd release two new songs every three months grouped with a live recording of songs from our catalog plus visual elements. We'd do it in all formats: vinyl, digital downloads, CDs…Everything available. It'll be dropped for a limited time in a quick strike and then it's gone."

The only problem is that the group owes an album to UK indie label Cooking Vinyl. "They aren't interested in the capsule idea," says Astbury with a sigh. "They want to put CDs on shelves. I'm like, 'What shelves?' Even the shelf space at Best Buy is shrinking; I was in Whole Foods the other day and they were selling vinyl…But I'm amazed at the resistance to my idea.

"We've even tried the self-funding route, but when you're pioneering something you constantly have to go around and educate people about what this is. This a fresh perspective. The old way just isn't working." - more on this story



Within Temptation Release Howard Jones Collab Video
(TeamRock Radio) Within Temptation have released their video for Dangerous, featuring former Killswitch Engage frontman Howard Jones. It appears on the symphonic metal outfit's sixth studio album, Hydra, set for release next month.

The record also features guest appearances from ex-Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen, Soul Asylum frontman Dave Pirner and hip-hop artist Xzibit.

Guitarist Robert Westerholt explains why they named the album after a mythical many-headed beast: "It's like us – undefinable. And the record represents many different sides to our music."

Hydra will be available in standard formats and an 18-track digital premium release, featuring a video and digi-booklet plus four "evolution versions" of tracks showing how they developed, alongside commentary from Weterholt and vocalist Sharon Den Adel. - Watch the video here.




A Day To Remember Back At It Again With New Video
(TeamRock Radio) A Day To Remember have released a new music video for their track Right "Back At It Again," which is taken from latest studio album Common Courtesy

The new album was finally launched recently after a judge ruled in the band's favor during legal action with their label. Announcing the release in October, frontman Jeremy McKinnon told fans:

"If you care about what you do with your life, if you do if you do it for the right reasons, absolutely nothing can stop you from getting where you want to be." - Watch the video here.



Rolling Stones Guitarist Keith Richards Release 70th Birthday Video
(hennemusic) On December 18, Keith Richards turned 70 and celebrated his 30th wedding anniversary, and the Rolling Stones guitarist has posted a video message of thanks to fans for their messages of support.

The Rolling Stones recently picked up three nominations for the 2014 Grammy Awards ceremony, set for next month in Los Angeles. The band's 2012 single, "Doom And Gloom", is a finalist for "Best Rock Song", while the band's release of "The Brussels Affair" – documenting a 1973 concert in Belgium – earned a nod in the Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package category.

The band's third nomination is for "Charlie Is My Darling — Ireland 1965" in the "Best Historical Album" category. The 56th Annual Grammy Awards will be held January 26, 2014 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast live on CBS from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). - Watch the video here.


Def Leppard Release Christmas Video
(hennemusic) Def Leppard members Joe Elliot and Rick Savage are featured in the band's 2013 holiday greetings video message to fans. The group are set to host A Day Of Hysteria on AXS TV, as they take over the channel on December 29 to present 12 hours of concerts, including the broadcast premiere of their new live set, "VIVA! Hysteria."

Filmed earlier this year at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, "VIVA! Hysteria" includes a full, live performance of the 12-times platinum album "Hysteria", along with hits "Rock of Ages," "Love Bites," "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and more. "VIVA! Hysteria" will premiere at 8 ET / 5 PT.

The Day Of Hysteria marathon also features concerts from New York Dolls, Bon Jovi, Sammy Hagar & Friends, KISS and more…including the television premiere of "Cheap Trick at Budokan: The 35th Anniversary Performance" at 9:30 ET|6:30 PT – shot exclusively by AXS TV earlier this year at L.A.'s El Rey Theatre. - Watch the Christmas video here.




Twisted Sister Film Director Seeks Fan Funds To Complete Project
(Classic Rock) The upcoming documentary film We Are Twisted F*cking Sister! is the story of Twisted Sister's 10 years playing the bars prior to their breakout in 1983.

Director Andrew Horn has put together a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for completion. He's calling on all Twisted fans, metal fans, rock fans – and/or anyone who's just a fan of a great story told by a great cast of characters – to help support the film and get it out there.

Horn explains: "I first met Twisted Sister when I interviewed lead singer Dee Snider and guitarist Jay Jay French while researching my previous film, The Nomi Song. Jay Jay then appeared in the film describing the wild scene that erupted when Nomi, a German operatic counter-tenor and performance artist, was booked to open for Twisted Sister in a club in suburban New Jersey. - more on this story




Motorhead Plan To Finish Wacken Job Next Year
(TeamRock Radio) Motorhead have confirmed they'll return to Germany's Wacken Open Air festival to deliver a full-length set next year, after cutting their 2013 appearance short.

Frontman Lemmy Kilmister has admitted he'd gone back to work too soon after a series of health issues that saw him spend three weeks in hospital over the summer.

He hit the stage with bandmates Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee for a 70-minute set in August, but went off less than half-way through. That led to a rumour the rock'n'roll icon had died, which Campbell put down to "asshole tweeters."

Motorhead have now revealed they'll appear at Wacken's 35th anniversary event on the weekend of July 31. - more on this story




Jimi Hendrix Exhibit Opens New Hard Rock Casino
(hennemusic) A Jimi Hendrix exhibit is featured at the grand opening of the new Hard Rock Casino Vancouver. The highlight of the Hendrix gallery is a 1964 "Texas Model" Fender Guitar Stratocaster guitar. This olympic white Stratocaster features a tortoise shell pick guard and a maple neck with rosewood fretboard complete with pearl inlays. Originally owned by Gary Boyle (guitarist with Brian Auger's Trinity), Jimi used this guitar on a regular basis upon his arrival to London in late 1966.

Also on display is the green overcoat with pink flowers that was originally crafted by Dandie Fashions in London. Jimi wore this piece on a number of occasions in late 1967 through mid-1968, perhaps most notably during the September 16, 1967 event at London's Europa Hotel where Jimi received the "World Top Musician" award by Melody Maker magazine.

The modest collection is accented by a number of original photos from the likes of Barrie Wentzell, Joe Sia, Bruce Fleming, Baron Wolman and Karl Ferris; vintage concert posters; signed lithographs; many personal artifacts including Jimi's own artwork; autographed items and much more. - more on this story




Why Jizzy Pearl Is Shutting Down Love/Hate
(Classic Rock) Jizzy Pearl has announced he's going to shut down Love/Hate for good after their upcoming UK tour. He's changed the name of the band to Jizzy Pearl's Love/Hate and re-titled their mini-album Crucified as a solo release. The move is believed to be a result of threatened legal action from former Love/Hate guitarist Jon E Love.

Pearl, who'd been using the name since 2002, says in a statement: "Dealing with ex-members isn't worth the hassle. I don't want to spend thousands fighting over a band that makes hundreds.

"This isn't Queensryche or Great White – we're not talking about a band that makes $12,000 or $20,000.00 a night. But there are some people out there who still think Love/Hate is the 'golden goose.'

"Some people think Love/Hate sells shirts like Iron Maiden or Motorhead. Some people still think MTV plays videos. Unless you've gassed up the van and done the tours like I have, I guess you don't really know." - He had more to say.




James Durbin Announce U.S. Tour
(hennemusic) James Durbin has announced a series of US tour dates in support of his forthcoming album, "Celebrate." Durbin hits the road for a January 3 show at The Viper Room in Los Angeles, with shows currently scheduled to mid-February.

The American Idol rocker recently issued a lyric video for his new single, "Parachute", which is the lead track from his new album "Celebrate", which is due in April.

"Parachute was the 10th song I wrote for the new album," said James, "and as soon as we finished in the studio, I knew it had to be the first single. I can't wait for everyone to hear it." - more on this story




Black Sabbath Reveal Handwritten Lyrics To 'Live Forever'
(hennemusic) Black Sabbath have posted handwritten lyrics to "Live Forever", a track from the band's latest album, "13." This is the latest of a series of handwritten lyrics the band has posted in recent weeks.

The project was recently nominated for three 2014 Grammy Awards, including "Best Rock Album" ("13"), "Best Rock Song" and "Best Metal Performance" for "God Is Dead?"

The 56th Annual Grammy Awards will be held January 26, 2014 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast live on CBS from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

See the handwritten lyrics and the song's video - here.




Van Halen Frontman David Lee Roth Release Holiday Message
(hennemusic) Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth has posted a holiday greetings message for fans. "Happy Holidays!" writes Roth, pictured getting ready to pop the cork on some champagne in one of the rooms of his Pasadena, California mansion.

A few months ago, Roth revealed that Van Halen are in the early stages of working on a new album. "I was up at Edward (Van Halen)'s house, maybe three days ago - just before I came here to the city - and we're starting to put music together," Roth told Ozzy's Boneyard host Jim Florentine on SiriusXM. "Not to give away exactly what the package will be, it's gonna be about 18 months, I think."

"We start way, way, way in advance, 'cause we are eminently art-centric, which is a really fancy way of saying we really do generate all the artwork, the graphics, etc.," he continued. "We don't hire out and have somebody design a bunch of album covers for us and then choose.... we start from scratch ourselves. Same thing with the merchandise - if you buy a t-shirt, that was designed, literally, in my living room. On and on... stage design, lighting rig, putting the show together - it takes about a year and a half, 18 months, because any idea that you have is 85 phone calls. Anybody can go, 'I got an idea, it's a stage that's shaped like, uh, like a square on top of a circle'. Great, my question never was, 'were you able to dream up a stage design', my question is, 'are you prepared to do the 87 phone calls that are about to follow now, to make sure it came out the way we decided'. And then there's another 80 phone calls that are gonna follow that because we have to figure out how to take the f**kin' thing apart and put it in the trucks and buses. And, and, and. So if you really want to generate the ideas from scratch and bring them all the way to the finish, you're gonna have to learn a few other languages, and you're gonna have to speak those over a lot of extra phone calls. And that's usually the break point for most artists."


Read more at http://www.antimusic.com/dayinrock/#g2P0EdMkD3dBC4sG.99

Saturday, December 21, 2013

This Week In Rock News!





KISS and Nirvana Lead 2014 Rock Hall Inductees
(hennemusic) KISS and Nirvana lead the list of inductees into the 2014 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. The two rock acts are joined by Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, Cat Stevens and Linda Ronstadt as the Class of 2014.

"The spirit of rock and roll for me has always meant following the paths I choose regardless of what my critics or my peers think," says Paul Stanley. "For 40 years KISS has built an army that apologizes to no one and I'm honored to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame knowing we have remained true to ourselves and our fans."

"To the KISS Army, Ace, Peter, Eric Carr, Vinny, Mark, Bruce, Tommy and Eric Singer, Bill Aucoin, Doc McGhee and to my partner of 40 years, the ever youthful Paul Stanley...and all the members of the KISS Family," added Gene Simmons. "This honor is for you. 40 years of Rockin' and still going strong." - more on this story




Dave Matthews and Jakob Dylan Form Supergroup
(Radio.com) The Nauts is a new band that brings together folk-rock hero Dave Matthews with rock & roll progeny Jakob Dylan, best known for his work with band the Wallflowers and the fact that his dad is revered music icon Bob Dylan.

News of new band was released by Mix (via Rolling Stone), which reported that The Nauts grew out of a casual jam session with the two artists alongside guitarist Charlie Sexton, his brother Will Sexton and drummer Brady Blade At Blade's Shreveport, LA, studio. The Mix article also serves as the band's bio on the Shreveport music website UNSCENE! (rumors have the band making its live debut in Shreveport as part of the UNSCENE! concert series).

Charlie Sexton, who had a solo career as a teenager in the '80s with singles like "Beat's So Lonely," already has ties with the Dylan family, having played lead guitar in Bob Dylan's tour band back in the late '90s/early 2000s as well as sporadically from 2009 through the elder Dylan's 2013 tour. - more on this story




Slipknot Can't Explain Jordison's Departure
(TeamRock Radio) Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor has admitted to frustration over the departure of drummer Joey Jordison. He's upset at not being able to explain the situation to the band's fans, but he's not allowed to discuss it.

And he's vowed they'll record an album in 2014 as planned – although the songs Jordison wrote for it won't appear. The sticksman's move, made for "personal reasons," was confirmed in a shock statement last week.

Now Taylor tells 93X: "I can't really talk about it right now. It's still so fresh, and there's a lot of things going on behind the scenes that people don't know about. So, legally and respectfully, I can't say a lot about it.

"It's difficult. But if people can bear with us we'll cross that bridge when we can." But he did have a more positive outlook on the band's new album. Check out what he had to say - here.




Avenged Sevenfold Release Animated Series
(TeamRock Radio) Avenged Sevenfold have launched their animated series based on recent album Hail To The King. Fans can now view all six episodes online: Wager Of The Gods, Rise of Andronikos, The Crown Awaits, Traitor Amongst Us, A God Usurps and The Deathbat Awakes.

It's intended to set the scene for upcoming video game Hail To The King: Deathbat, due early next year. Last week frontman M Shadows said: "The animated series is funny stuff – we hope it gives you something entertaining to watch over your holiday break. We felt this was the best way to tell the story and give you an idea about the type of game we're creating."

The game is set to include new A7X music, although Shadows said: "These aren't metal songs – they're done in an old-school video game fashion." Watch the animated series - here.




Red Hot Chili Peppers Plan Super Bowl-Sized Pregame Party
(Radio.com) Get ready for a Super Bowl-sized pregame party with one killer soundtrack. The night before Super Bowl XLVIII kicks off at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will headline WFAN's "Big Hello to Brooklyn" show at the Barclays Center on Saturday, February 1, 2014.

New Politics, MS MR, J Roddy Walston & the Business and Basic Vacation will also play the concert hosted by New York's pioneering sports radio station (a Radio.com station).

Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith joined WFAN morning show hosts Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton to announce the concert today (December 16), the band's first show in New York in almost ten years.

"We're not on tour right now," Smith told the hosts. "We've taken a little time off, but this is a big event, it's a very exciting weekend for New York." - Ticket details and more.





Queen Planning Unreleased Freddie Mercury Music Project
(hennemusic) Queen guitarist Brian May recently revealed that the band have discovered more unreleased Freddie Mercury material in their vaults, and now he's sharing an update on the planned project.

"Well, there's something coming. I'm not really quite sure what it is yet," May tells Rolling Stone. "I don't know if there's a whole album. There's a piece of an album. We were looking at putting together a compilation of the more unusual and yet memorable Queen tracks. Things that weren't singles that have become or stayed popular through the years. That's the way it started and then we unearthed a few tapes of Freddie singing and us in the studio that we never finished off. We thought we got to the end of it with [1995's] 'Made in Heaven'. But there are a few other things which have turned up. So the album may turn out to be a mixture of some unusual things from the past and some very unusual things which no one has heard at all."

May and drummer Roger Taylor are recording new backing tracks to the Mercury material, just as they did for the "Made In Heaven" album. "Roger and I have both been working on tracks in our spare time," he says. "A couple of them have Michael Jackson on as well, which adds another layer of interest. Freddie and Michael singing together and experimenting in the Eighties."

"Michael used to come see us a lot," began May, explaining how the two camps connected. "He was a big big fan, especially of Freddie, and Freddie and Michael got on real real well. Michael was very impressed with our lighting rig, I remember. I can't remember which tour it was. We had pods of lights that moved above the stage that had pilots in them. He said, 'I'm stealing that,' and sure enough on the 'Victory' tour they had something very similar. But Michael really was very fond of Freddie and sort've idolized him. Michael really felt he wanted to be a rock star." - more on this story




Def Leppard Pour Some Sugar On The Voice
(hennemusic) Def Leppard members Phil Collen, Vivian Campbell and Rick Allen performed the band's 1987 smash, "Pour Some Sugar On Me", on The Voice Monday night, and video of the appearance is available.

The band were joined by Voice coaches Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton for the song, which kicked off Monday's show, the first of a two-part season five finale.

The 2-hour program was the final night of fan voting for Voice finalists Jacquie Lee (Team Christina) and Team Adam's Tessanne Chin and Will Champlin; a winner will be crowned Tuesday on the season's final broadcast. - Watch the video here.





Alter Bridge Announce New North American Concerts
(hennemusic) Alter Bridge have announced a pair of new dates to their 2014 US tour schedule. The band will play Chicago's House Of Blues on April 28, and The Arvest Bank Theatre in Kansas City on May 2.

The dates follow last week's news of the initial 2014 US tour schedule, which starts April 14 in Dallas. In addition, Alter Bridge have also announced their first shows in Japan. The group will play Tokyo's Liquid Room on February 18 and Osaka's Umeda Club Quattro on February 19.

The Japanese dates mark the band's first live shows of 2014. Alter Bridge recently wrapped up a headlining tour of Europe in support of their new album, "Fortress." - more on this story





U2 Reveal New Version of Ordinary Love
(hennemusic) U2 have posted a Paul Epworth-produced version of "Ordinary Love", a new song written for the movie "Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom." The British music producer, musician, and songwriter is primarily known for his work with Adele ("21"), but he has also collaborated with the like of Paul McCartney, Bruno Mars, Cee Lo Green and others.

Bono was in South Africa this past week to join those paying tribute to Nelson Mandela at Tuesday's memorial service. "In Ireland," he says, "A wake is never without humor, but it's fair to say we lean heavily on the melancholy... one thing I love about Africa is they accompany the departed with dancing, lots of it, and music full of joy."

On Thursday, "Ordinary Love" was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and the band wanted to share Epworth's new version. "We think Paul Epworth's mix is a very soulful, uplifting one and we hope our audience will agree," says Bono. "Nelson Mandela's life and times meant more to me than I can ever tell you, I would need a hundred songs to do that... but this complicated little love song to Winnie and South Africa is the one that landed on our lap. I want to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press for believing in us and the film. This is truly a great honor." - Listen to the song here.





Halestorm Bringing Influences To Next Album
(TeamRock Radio) Halestorm are gearing up to start writing what will be their third studio album and drummer Arejay Hale says it's going to be influenced by the material on their recent covers EP.

They laid down their own versions of Judas Priest's Dissident Aggressor, AC/DC's Shoot To Thrill, Fleetwood Mac's Gold Dust Woman and Marilyn Manson's 1996 for the six-track ReAnimate 2.0.

"It's really a challenge: we have to take these songs and turn them into Halestorm songs – which is almost like training for us," Hale tells Billboard. "On the first covers EP we did Slave to the Grind by Skid Row, and that inspired us to write Love Bites: 'Let's write our own song with this kind of energy.'

"So it's inspiring for us to learn other people's songs. It's great training for any band – it starts the creative juices for your own stuff." Find out when they plan to begin work on the album - here.




Geoff Tate To Rock Vaudeville Style
(Gibson) Geoff Tate will perform Rock And Vaudeville at five shows across three nights at The Triple Door in Seattle on May 1, 2 and 3. The show promises to tell the history of rock, done Vaudeville style.

"See the rock songs you love from the ones you grew up to what's paying today sung by rock legend Geoff Tate from the internationally famous band Queensryche, all while watching aerialists, burlesque dancers, go go dancers, drag queens and circus performers show their stuff."

Tate's version of Queensryche (featuring former Quiet Riot/Ozzy Osbourne bass player Rudy Sarzo) have announced a new run of dates in January for the 25th anniversary of the album Operation: Mindcrime. - more on this story




Katatonia Unplugging For Upcoming Tour
(Prog) Katatonia have confirmed they'll take Dethroned And Uncrowned, their reinterpretation of 2012 album Dead End Kings, on tour next year. Their Unplugged & Reworked trek will include two UK dates in May.

Dethroned And Uncrowned was funded by a Pledge campaign and saw the band stripping the songs from Dead End Kings back to their roots then rebuilding them to maximum prog effect. And the album, released in September, has proved so popular that the Swedish outfit are taking it on the road, playing a set which will also include new versions of tracks from throughout their career.

Guitarist Anders Nystrom says: "Many people appreciated how we dethroned and uncrowned Dead End Kings. They have been hoping – and insisting – the same should be done to our older albums." - Find out their response that fan desire here.





Beatles U.S. Debut 50th Anniversary Event Planned
(Gibson) New York City will host a four-day event this February in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' famed first trip to the U.S. The event, dubbed NYC Beatles 50, is set for Feb. 6 through 9 and will feature a collection of Beatles-friendly tribute shows at different venues around New York City.

A few of the planned shows include a star-studded concert, called "America Celebrates The Beatles, All-Star Concert," on Feb. 7 at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and a two-day event, named the "Across the Universe" Beatles Music Festival, on Feb. 8 and 9 that will feature an all-day series of performances by a variety of artists.

The folks behind the event have invited 50 bands from 50 different countries to be a part of the festivities. Admission to most events is $50 or less. Proceeds raised during the four days will go towards the Food Bank for New York City. - more on this story





Kings of Leon Rock SNL
(Radio.com) Kings of Leon took to the SNL stage for the third time in their career to perform two tracks from their latest album Mechanical Bull. The Brothers Followill rolled out the rock stomper "Temple," before slowing things down with the power ballad "Wait for Me."

The pre-holiday holiday episode featured host John Goodman, which marked his 13th time hosting the show. His first was in 1989 with musical guests The Reclines, a Patsy Cline tribute band fronted by k.d. lang.

The term "full circle" doesn't really apply, but Kings of Leon have worked more toward adding a country tinge to their sound. Just check the latest video for "Beautiful War" and see how country they've come.

Check out the replays of the SNL performances - here.





Lou Reed Remembered by Velvet Underground Bandmate
(Radio.com) It has been two months since Lou Reed lost his battle with liver disease, and his former bandmates and musicians continue to mourn. While both Patti Smith and Bono eloquently eulogized Reed back in November, Velvet Underground drummer Maureen Tucker shared her memories of the frontman and songwriter with The Guardian.

Having met Reed through her brother, Tucker said she got together with Reed and Sterling Morrison by accident when their original drummer left before a gig in New York in 1965.

"Sterling said, 'Oh, Tucker's sister plays drums.' I lived way out on Long Island and they came out there from the city to see if I could keep a beat. That's how it happened," she recalled.

Tucker said the band never formally discussed their direction, instead they just made music no one else was making.

"Lou had a reputation, for sure. He was tough and he could be grumpy and b***chy, but I've come to realize that his b**chiness came out when there was incompetence about. Didn't matter if it was a waiter or a record producer, he'd rip someone apart if things weren't up to scratch."

But as tough as he was, Tucker also remembered him being encouraging and generous. "He was a good friend through everything. We had this brother-sister type relationship in the group, and it lasted long after the group split," she explained. "It was one of those friendships where it didn't matter if you didn't see each other a lot. We'd meet up after two years or five years and it would be like we'd seen each other last week. As you get older, you come to realise that that kind of friendship is rare, so I miss him a hell of a lot. It's just dawning on me that he's not out there any more." - more on this story




Transatlantic Release Yes Cover
(Prog) Transatlantic have released their cover of Yes track And You And I as a sneak preview of what to expect on the Progressive Nation At Sea cruise next year.

The event, which stars Portnoy Sheehan MacAlpine Sherinian, Adian Belew's Power Trio, Devin Townsend Project, Kings' X, Spock's Beard, The Flower Kings and many others, is headlined by Transatlantic and former Yes frontman Jon Anderson.

They're planning to team up for a grand finale at the end of the cruise that takes place from February 18 to 22. Mastermind Mike Portnoy says: "One of the highlights is certainly going to be Transatlantic and Jon Anderson joining forces for a set of Yes classics." - more on this story





Last Of The Bihari Brothers Dead At 88
(The Blues) Modern Records co-founder and producer Joe Bihari, one of the men who discovered B.B. King, John Lee Hooker and many others, has died at the age of 88, it's been confirmed. He was the last surviving Bihari brother.

He created Modern in 1945 alongside his siblings Lester, Jules and Saul as a side-project of an already-successful jukebox business. Over the coming decade he was instrumental in recruiting stars of the future through his regular journeys through the American South.

The Biharis also discovered Etta James, Elmore James and Ike Turner and their labels expanded to include Meteor, Crown, Flair and RPM. The Washington Post notes Joe once saying: "Sometimes I travelled with Ike – I bought him a Buick Roadmaster, gave him some of my custom-made suits, a salary of a hundred dollars a week and an expense account." - more on this story




Heart Expand North American Tour Plans
(hennemusic) Heart have announced six more dates for their 2014 US Tour. The new concerts are scattered throughout the band's previously-revealed schedule, which starts January 31 in Shawnee, OK.

Heart just wrapped up their 2013 live shows with a Vancouver date and a special hometown holiday concert at Seattle's Benaroya Hall that was recorded by AXS TV.

"Heart and Friends: Home For The Holidays" featured performances by Sammy Hagar, Shawn Colvin, Richard Marx and Train's Pat Monahan. The Seattle concert will air on AXS TV on Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas) at 8 p.m ET (5 p.m. PT.) - See the tour dates.




Journey Guitarist Neal Schon Weds On Pay Per View
(hennemusic) Journey guitarist Neal Schon's wedding to Real Houseviwes Of D.C.'s Michaele Salahi happened in San Francisco on Sunday, and the event was available live via pay per view.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports the televised "Winter Wonderland Wedding and Music Event" at the Palace of Fine Arts featured performances by Journey and Tower of Power.

Among the 356 guests in attendance were Journey bandmates Arnel Pineda and Jonathan Cain, Sammy Hagar, the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, and R&B singer Brian McKnight. - more on this story




Jake E. Lee Returns to the Stage and Planning More Concerts
(Gibson) Jake E. Lee has returned to the live stage with the debut performance of his new band Red Dragon Cartel at Hollywood's Whiskey A Go Go last week and the band are planning for more live shows.

"Based on a huge buzz created by the band's very first show, our agency's phone rings all the time and we will have tons if gigs in the USA before and after the MOR cruise," the band says. "Our European tour will start in Italy on May 3rd and end at a major festival in the U.K. on June 15. After that some more USA and then Japan and Asia in middle of July, then USA again and then Europe again. RDC will be busy!"

The core band consists of Lee, Smith, bassist Ronnie Mancuso and drummer Jonas Fairley, while the album (which is due on January 27 via Frontiers Records) also includes appearances from Paul Di'Anno (ex Iron Maiden), Rex Brown (Kill Devil Hill, ex Pantera), Todd Kearns and Brent Fitz (Slash), Scott Reeder (ex Kyuss), Maria Brink (In This Moment), Jeremy Spencer (Five Finger Death Punch), Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick) and Sass Jordan (SUN). - more on this story





Cadillac Three Announce UK Tour
(The Blues) Southern rock upstarts Cadillac Three have announced that they will tour the UK starting in February, following their debut London appearance earlier this month.

They'll continue to support the release of debut album Tennessee Mojo with five dates on which they'll open for Eric Church. Frontman Jaren Johnston says:

"We had an absolute blast when we were in the UK. We had no idea how we would be received, but to sell out our first headline show was really something. Then to hear the crowd singing back our lyrics in accents we'd never heard before – that just gave us chills." - more on this story




Tinsley Ellis Offers Up Free Song Download
(The Blues) Tinsley Ellis is offering fans a free download of his new track "Peace And Love", which comes from upcoming album Midnight Blue, ahead of the album's release next month.

The blues rocker's 10-track record is officially released on January 13th in the UK and was recorded with the assistance of keyboardist Kevin McKendree (Delbert McClinton, Brian Setzer), bassist Ted Pecchio (Tedeschi Trucks Band) and drummer Lynn Williams (Delbert McClinton).

Midnight Blue is the second release on Ellis' own label Heartfixer Music, and follows his well-received all-instrumental album Get It! Check out the tracklisting and the free download details - here.




Apocalyptica Release 'Stormy Wagner' Video
(Classic Rock) Apocalyptica have released a video for their track Stormy Wagner. It's taken from their album Wagner Reloaded, recorded in Germany last year when the band were joined by the Leipzig Symphony Orchestra, ballet dancers, actors and theatrical performers in a spectacular live show celebrating the work of composer Richard Wagner.

Cellist Eicca Toppinen says: "It's complex to record a live album with an orchestra, because there are so many lines, microphones – and there's one stupid drummer who beats the shit out of the drums and creates so much noise that everything is spoiled afterwards…

"But we prepared well in advance, and Sven Helbig, the orchestrator, did a great job in making it run together. It works." Wagner Reloaded is on sale now in CD, vinyl and digital formats. Watch the new video - here.




KISS Win Rock Hall Fan Vote
(hennemusic) KISS have topped the fan voting for the 2014 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. When the public ballot closed last week, KISS led the nominees with 239,417 votes, or 17.22% of the more than 1.39 million votes cast.

Nirvana came in second (218,155 votes / 15.69%), with Deep Purple at No. 3 (165,828 votes / 11.93%), Yes at No. 4 (151,238 votes / 10.88%) and Daryl Hall & John Oates at No. 5 (112,673 votes / 8.10%).

The top five artists, as selected by the public, will comprise a "fans' ballot" that will be tallied along with the other ballots to choose the 2014 inductees. - more on this story




AC/DC No. 1 For Christmas?
(hennemusic) An online campaign to get AC/DC to the top of the UK Christmas charts kicked off this weekend and a spokesman for the band has publicly endorsed the fan initiative.

A Facebook campaign urges fans to download AC/DC's 1979 single, "Highway To Hell", from December 15 – 21 in an effort to have the song appear as the No. 1 on the UK Christmas chart, according to The Courier.

A spokesman for the group said: "AC/DC are celebrating their 40th anniversary as we speak. They formed in late 1973 and we are a few fans who thought it would be cool to see them at the top of the Christmas tree to celebrate their milestone." - more on this story




Richie Sambora Explains Why He Left Bon Jovi Tour
(Classic Rock) Richie Sambora has gone into detail about the personal issues that saw him leave Bon Jovi's world tour earlier this year, and it seems to kill off rumors of a feud with his frontman.

The guitarist insists there was "no malice" in his sudden decision to leave the band. Instead, he says he needed time away from the constant grind after 30 years.

And he says he's considering rejoining next year – although it's not a certainty. Sambora tells the Hollywood Reporter: "We were the hardest-working band in the world. You're talking 24-7 and you don't get to come home.

"I missed so much of my child's life, and you get to that place where you realise: 'Oh my god, this is so important.'"

He's spent his downtime with teenage daughter Eva and with his mum, who recently broke her hip. He says: "Everything has its time. I had some time to grow up – rock'n'roll will make you a virtual 17-year-old.

"I needed to be with the kid, go to the parent-teacher conference, take out the garbage, pick up the dog sh*t, watch her play and put on her sweet-sixteen party."

Find out how he feels about returning to Bon Jovi - here.




Ace Frehley's Home Damaged In Fire
(hennemusic) A New York home owned by original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was damaged in a fire on Saturday. No one was harmed and the blazed was ruled accidental.

Yorktown (located 35 miles from New York City) fire officials received a call about the blaze at about 11 a.m. and firefighters were still on the scene at 3:30 p.m, The Journal News.

They report that the fire burned through the roof of Frehley's stone house, which was reportedly occupied by a caretaker but no one was in the house when the fire broke out. - more on this story





Jake E Lee's Singer Apologizes For Bad First Show
(Classic Rock) The singer in Jake E Lee's new band Red Dragon Cartel has apologized to fans and colleagues after admitting he "f**ked up" their first-ever live show.

The band, whose debut track was unveiled last month, made their initial stage appearance at Hollywood's Whiskey A Go Go last week. But after a spate of negative reviews, mainly concentrating on Darren James Smith's vocal performance, he's taken the blame for their poor showing.

Smith says: "No excuses: I f**ked up. I can't believe the band is sticking with me. The most sincere apologies to the band and all the Jake fans. You deserved better and you're going to get it."

A band spokesman defended Smith via the Red Dragon Cartel website. Read that - here.




59-Track Beatles Rarities Collection Being Released
(Gibson) A generous collection of rare Beatles material is slated for release exclusively on iTunes this week. As reported by NME.com, the 59-track album will be comprised of 15 studio outtakes and 44 live BBC tracks that were not included on 1994's Live at the BBC, or on On Air: Live at the BBC Volume 2.

Various sources have reported the new album will be titled The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963, but that information is not confirmed. News of the rarities album comes fast on the heels of the announcement that the band's 13 American-version albums will be released as part of a box set called, simply, The U.S. Albums.

Slated to hit stores in North America on January 21, the box set begins with 1964's Meet the Beatles! and concludes with 1970's Hey Jude. Many of the Fab Four's American albums featured songs, mixes and album art that were different from their U.K. counterparts. - more on this story




Christine McVie Explains Why She Wants Fleetwood Mac Reunion
(Classic Rock) Christine McVie has gone into detail about some of the things that make her want to rejoin Fleetwood Mac. And she says her guest appearance with the band in London in September felt like getting back on a bike she'd fallen off.

McVie still doesn't know if the reunion will actually take place. But she tells the Guardian of her 1998 retirement: "At the time, they tried to persuade me to stay so hard, but back then I'd made my mind up that I'd done enough touring. I just couldn't live out of a suitcase any more. Whereas now I would really rather like to again."

She's attended therapy and cured her fear of flying, another issue that made it tough to remain part of Mac's hectic touring schedule. In addition, McVie has been re-energised by seeing a new generation of fans discover the band's music. "I have friends with grandchildren in their teens and they've got Rumours, Tusk, all the live stuff," she says. "And they dig it, man, they really like it!" - She had a lot more to say.





Rolling Stones Historic Site To Memorialized
(Classic Rock) The railway platform where Mick Jagger and Keith Richards met by accident is to be marked with a blue plaque. The future Rolling Stones members ran into each other at Dartford Station on October 17, 1961, a year before the band was formed.

The pair recognised each other because they'd both attended primary school in the town some years previously. The encounter led to the formation of the Stones. And Dartford Council leader Jeremy Kite says his town are proud of the link, telling the BBC: "Fate was sealed; they started talking about playing music together. They went off and recruited Brian Jones, and the rest is history."

Meanwhile, guitarist Richards admits he's never played one of the Stones' classic tracks exactly the way he thinks it should be done – and he enjoys the ever-present challenge. - more on this story




The Dead Weather Release New Song
(Radio.com) Jack White and Alison Mossheart's bluesy riff-rock are back. The Dead Weather just released into the digital sphere the new single "Open Up (That's Enough)", which will possibly appear on their new album which is slated for release in, literally wait for it, the year 2015.

As previously reported, "Open Up (That's Enough)" b/w "Rough Detective" was first released on 7-inch as part of the latest installment of Third Man's Vault subscription series. This is reportedly part of a long-term (presumably years-long) rollout campaign for the band's new album.

According to Consequence of Sound, Third Man Records states that"It's a unique long-term plan for new music from this incendiary group… The goal is that physical copies are out there first."

In an earlier press release, the label stated that these new songs "are unlike anything else the band has ever done and are both ample reminders of the ferocity of this motley collection of low-lifes, grifters and ne'er-do-wells." - Listen to the new song here.





Linkin Park and The Offspring to Headline Typhoon Haiyan Benefit Show
(Radio.com) While California rock outfit Linkin Park has evolved into one of the world's biggest bands, Chester Bennington and the gang have also become quite the philanthropists, creating Music for Relief to lead charity efforts around the world.

The group announced this week that they're again putting Music for Relief into action by hosting a benefit show in L.A. with The Offspring to raise money for those affected by the catastrophic Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated the central Philippines last month, leaving more than 6,000 dead and 1,800 still missing.

The show is scheduled for January 11 at the Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles. Music for Relief is working with the International Medical Corps on the initiative, with the latter handling much of the on the ground efforts to deliver food, water, medical assistance and more to those affected by the typhoon. - more on this story




Pearl Jam Announce Summer Tour Leg
(hennemusic) Pearl Jam have announced a summer 2014 European tour in support of their latest album, "Lightning Bolt." The month-long trek begins June 16 in Amsterdam and runs to July 11 at Milton Keynes, UK.

The tour includes two festival appearances: Poland's Open'er Festival on July 3 and Belgium's Rock Werchter on July 5. A ticket pre-sale for members of Pearl Jam's fan club is underway at PearlJam.com.

Having recently wrapped up a fall North American tour, Pearl Jam head to Australia next month for a series of dates on the country's annual Big Day Out festival; the travelling 6-show event runs January 17 to February 2. - more on this story




Van Halen Engineer Discusses Recording The Band's Debut Album
(hennemusic) Van Halen redefined hard rock with their 1978 self-titled debut, and engineer Donn Landee talks about recording the project in a new, and rare, interview.

Working alongside producer Ted Templeman, Landee describes the demo session for the album. "They cut 28 songs in about two hours," he tells Songwriter 101. "That's when we knew we had a band that could play."

On the first week of January 1978, Van Halen convened inside Sunset Sound's Studio 1. In order to capture the raw energy of the group's club work, Landee and Templeman decided on a no-overdubs approach.

"They'd barely had any studio experience," remembers Landee. "It was obvious that in time they would become proficient at making records, but at that point, we really wanted to get them before they really knew what they were doing - just have them come in and play and then get them out."

"So we spent very little time in pre-production; in fact, we treated the entire first album almost like it was a demo," Landee continues. "There are only a couple of spots where we added anything afterwards - on 'Runnin' With The Devil' and 'Jamie's Cryin' - and those were done in one take. And we didn't use very many tracks at all. Alex's drums were probably cut using only four mics total. Even when we moved over to Ed's 5150 studio, we still did the entire band on 16-track and had room left over at the end. You just don't need a lot of tracks to get a great sound." - more on this story





Paul Rodgers Streaming Otis Redding Cover Online
(hennemusic) Paul Rodgers is sharing his cover of the Otis Redding classic, "I've Been Loving You Too Long", as a preview of "The Royal Sessions", a collection of classic R&B and soul songs redone by the Bad Company singer due in early 2014.

"I had been playing in groups since I was 13 or 14, and suddenly Otis' band became my ideal band," Rodgers tells Rolling Stone. "They played from a deeper place. The one thing I loved about blues and soul was the way they taught the world how to express such deep feelings. I was brought up in a fairly emotionally repressed kind of society in Northeast England where one didn't express emotions and was expected to keep a stiff upper lip. But I felt that the part of me that was born to be a singer needed to share these kinds of emotions, and through Otis, I found a much-yearned-for outlet for this."

Recorded at Memphis' Royal Studios, historic home of Willie Mitchell and Hi Records, "The Royal Sessions" features Rodgers' interpretations of songs by Otis Redding, Albert King and Ann Peebles, among others. - Listen to the Otis Redding cover here.




Unreleased Jon Lord Song Streaming Online
(The Blues) A previously-unheard track by the Jon Lord Blues Project has been released by the late Deep Purple keyboardist's estate and is now streaming online.

The track, "As Tears Go Passing By" was recorded during a brief German tour in 2011 but wasn't included on the band's live album.

The track features Maggie Bell, Zoot Money, Miller Anderson, Colin Hodgkinson and Pete York. You can check out a stream of the song - here.




Phish's Mike Gordon Going Solo
(Gibson) Phish's Mike Gordon has posted a stream of the upcoming album's opening song, "Ether," on his official website, and the tune offers a taste of what to expect from Gordon's latest solo endeavor.

Gordon also has plans to head out on a North American tour in support of Overstep next year. The tour will kick off Feb. 28 at the Westcott Theatre in Syracuse, N.Y., and close out April 6 at Higher Ground in Burlington, Vt.

In Phish news, the jammers are slated to celebrate 2014 in New York City with back-to-back shows at Madison Square Garden. Check out Gordon's solo dates - here.




Robert Johnson and B.B. King Songs Added To Grammy Hall of Fame
(The Blues) Robert Johnson's original recording of Sweet Home Chicago and B.B. King's 3 O'Clock Blues have been added to the Grammy Hall Of Fame ahead of the 56th annual award ceremony next month.

Johnson's composition, made up from a number of other songs, was released in 1937 with the B side Walking Blues, just a year before his death. It's become one of the most frequently-covered tracks in music history.

B.B. King released his take of Lowell Fulson's 3 O'Clock Blues in 1952. It became his first hit single and also one of the top-selling singles of that year.

The Grammy Hall Of Fame has now inducted 960 recordings, which must be at least 25 years old and demonstrate considerable influence on American culture to qualify for inclusion. See who else made the list - here.





Black Sabbath Post Handwritten Lyrics Online
(hennemusic) Black Sabbath have posted handwritten lyrics online to their Grammy-nominated song, "God Is Dead?", which comes from the band's latest album, "13".

The tune is a contender for "Best Rock Song" and "Best Metal Performance" at the 2014 Grammy Awards, while "13" earned a nomination for "Best Rock Album."

Sabbath's last Grammy win was for "Best Metal Performance" in 2000 for "Iron Man" from the band's "Reunion" live album. The 56th Annual Grammy Awards will be held January 26, 2014 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast live on CBS from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

See the handwritten lyrics photo - here.





Volbeat and Red Dragon Cartel Added To Download Lineup
(Classic Rock) Volbeat and Jake E Lee's new band Red Dragon Cartel top the list of bands added to the bill for the 2014 Download festival. They're among the acts who'll perform at Donington Park on the weekend of June 13-15 under festival headliners Aerosmith, Linkin Park and Avenged Sevenfold.

The full list includes SikTH, Dillinger Escape Plan, Suicide Silence, Memphis May Fire, Battlecross, Arcane Roots, Thy Art Is Murder, The Amity Affliction, Avatar, Lonely The Brave and Feed The Rhino.

Volbeat frontman Michael Poulsen says: "2013 has been an amazing year – we had an absolutely fantastic UK tour with some of the most passionate crowds ever. We can't wait to tear up Download." - more on this story





Black Star Riders Announce Japanese Tour
(hennemusic) Thin Lizzy offshoot Black Star Riders have announced that they will be launching a Japanese tour that will include three concerts that will be taking place next spring.

In support of their debut album, "All Hell Breaks Loose", the band will play three shows in May – one in Osaka and two in Tokyo. Tickets will go on sale February 7, 2014.

Black Star Riders are currently playing dates on a UK tour scheduled to wrap December 15 in Belfast. Last month, the group released a video for their latest single, "Kingdom Of The Lost." - more on this story




Soundgarden Announces Show in Peru
(hennemusic) Soundgarden have announced a March 27 concert date at Explanada del Estadio Monumental in Lima, Peru. Tickets go on sale today, December 16th.

The Peru concert, in support of their latest album, "King Animal", marks the first live show of 2014 for the Seattle rockers, and falls two days before the band begins a series of Lollapalooza dates in South America.

Soundgarden play Lollapalooza in Santiago, Chile on March 29, in Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 1, and Sao Paulo, Brazil on April 5. The band's 2014 concerts will not feature drummer Matt Cameron, who will be touring throughout the year with Pearl Jam; Soundgarden have yet to announce a replacement for Cameron. - more on this story




Ashley Hutchings Honored With Folk Award
(Prog) Last Thursday Albion Band founder and ex-Fairport Convention bass man Ashley Hutchings was honoured with The Gold Badge Award by the English Folk Dance And Song Society (EFDSS) in recognition of his work with traditional English folk music.

A presentation was made at King's Place in north London midway through a show by Hutchings' four-piece group The Albion Christmas Band, featuring Fairport's Simon Nicol, Kellie While and Simon Care.

It's the 15th year of the Albion Band spin-off and yet another chapter in the remarkable career of the Southgate-born bandleader, now joining the ranks of artists such as composer Vaughn Williams, Norfolk farmhand Harry Cox and US activist folksinger Peggy Seeger as part of the 115-year-old EFDSS Gold Badge roll-call.

EFDSS Chairman Alan James began with a short introduction explaining that the accolade was "one of the most amazing awards that we can give, and we are proud to give it to people who help keep the traditions of England and take them forward into centuries beyond" before handing over to iconic promoter/producer and author Joe Boyd to give a citation. - more on this story




David Lee Roth Updates Commentary for Dave TV
(hennemusic) David Lee Roth has updated his commentary track on "Dave TV", his collection of videos and interviews released in 1986. Fan site the Van Halen News Desk reports the commentary was not included on his new "Greatest Hits/The Deluxe Edition" (CD+DVD) set, released last month. The Rhino collection has the full, original "Dave TV" special as part of the DVD, but without the commentary.

Roth had reportedly wanted the release to have an alternate audio track with his commentary, but for some reason, Rhino said "No" to that because of explicit language.

"Dave TV" features Roth's hugely-successful series of solo videos, including "California Girls', "Just A Gigolo/Ain't Got Nobody", "Yankee Rose" and "Crazy From The Heat." - more on this story




Black Sabbath To Play Abu Dhabi
(hennemusic) Black Sabbath have announced a May 29th concert that will take place in Abu Dhabi as part of the 2014 world tour in support of their latest album, "13."

The band will play du Arena on Yas Island, with tickets going on sale Wednesday, December 18 at 1 PM local time. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.ae, selected Virgin Megastores across the UAE

Black Sabbath are currently playing a European tour, which is set to wrap up in the band's hometown of Birmingham, England on December 22. - more on this story





Marillion Release 'Carol Of The Bells' Video
(Prog) Last week Prog revealed Marillion were gearing up to release a Christmas single. Their version of Carol Of The Bells is on sale now, and, as promised, the video is available to view online.

The band weren't originally planning to put the track on general release. They explained: "Every Christmas we give our fan club members a free DVD or CD. This year's offering included Carol Of The Bells – with a very amusing video to accompany it.

"The fans demanded an MP3 download so we decided to release it as a single. All the profits from the single will go to charity. We just thought it would be a bit of fun." -





The Harrowing Story Behind Wings' Band on the Run
(Gibson) Making an album – even a classic album – sometimes can be an exercise in overcoming adversity. Still, the monumental troubles that Paul McCartney and Wings had to surmount to record Band on the Run, easily McCartney's best post-Beatles album, easily could have served as fodder for an epic Hollywood film.

It all began with McCartney's desire to work in a locale that was off the beaten path. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately, as it turned out), his record company, EMI, had an international presence, with recording facilities based in Bombay, Rio de Janeiro, Peking and … aha! … Lagos. Enchanted by visions of sunning on the beach by day, and recording by night, McCartney decided to gather his Wings bandmates and head for the Nigerian city, nestled on the west coast of Africa. Nevermind the fact that pre-trip inoculations to prevent cholera, typhoid, polio and a host of other potential diseases were required.

One week prior to heading for Africa, McCartney corralled his fellow Wings members to rehearse some new songs. Disputes ensued, and guitarist Henry McCullough and drummer Denny Seiwell left the band. All of a sudden, Wings was a trio consisting of McCartney, wife Linda and guitarist Denny Laine. Off the three went, upbeat and confident despite the unforeseen defection of their drummer and lead guitarist.

The studio in Lagos was decidedly ramshackle. Microphones were discovered tucked away in a cupboard, the control desk was faulty and acoustic baffles used for sound separation were nowhere to be found. Heroically, however, engineer Geoff Emerick pulled together the equipment necessary to forge onwards.

A regular daily pattern ensued. Weekday mornings were spent swimming at a local country club. In mid-afternoon, the band would make the hour-long drive to the studio, where the work sometimes went on until 4 or 5 a.m. Weekends were reserved for rest and recreation, in keeping with McCartney's reasons for choosing Lagos in the first place.

As regards the sessions, McCartney, Linda and Laine were galvanized and motivated by the defections of Seiwell and McCullough. As he had often done on his solo albums, Macca himself handled most of the lead guitar and drumming duties. Notwithstanding the technical difficulties, recording was going relatively smoothly, until one evening the McCartneys decided to take a leisurely stroll. Out of nowhere, a car pulled up, five men jumped out, and, at knifepoint, McCartney was forced to relinquish all the valuables in his possession. Among the items taken were cassettes of demos of potential Wings material.

Such was the first of a series of travails that dogged the sessions. On one occasion, McCartney collapsed in the studio, unable to catch his breath. A heart attack was initially suspected, but after a period of rest, McCartney gathered himself. The episode was later diagnosed as a bronchial spasm triggered by excessive smoking. On another occasion, a local Afro-beat star and political activist went on radio and accused McCartney of coming to Lagos to "exploit and steal" African music. To placate the accuser, McCartney agreed not to enlist help from local musicians. He also steered clear of giving any songs an "African" sound.

By the end of September of 1973, six weeks into their stay in Lagos, the Wings entourage was relieved to be headed back to London. Overdubs were added at Air Studios, including terrific orchestral arrangements by Tony Visconti, best known for his production work on albums by Marc Bolan and David Bowie. On October 28, the iconic cover photo (which featured actors Christopher Lee and James Coburn, among other celebrities) was shot. Incredibly, despite the harrowing incidents that occurred in Lagos, the album brimmed with a buoyant spirit, and was rife with such classics as "Jet" (which found McCartney paying tribute to the family's Lab puppy) and "Helen Wheels" (which did the same for McCartney's Land Rover). -


Read more at http://www.antimusic.com/dayinrock/#EjCwQWDFOHm2BhYP.99

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