Today's Day in Rock News!

AC/DC and U2 To Rock The Grammy Awards?
A report surfaced on Monday that suggested that AC/DC, U2 and Madonna have all signed on to perform during the 57th annual Grammy Awards on February 8th.

There are several media outlets that report music industry site Hits Double Daily reported in their "rumor mill" section on Monday that the three artists have been booked for the awards show that will be taking place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live on CBS.

However, as of Monday night that report could not be found on the HDD website. The article reportedly said, "Nothing official yet, but the word from sources in inside the Recording Academy is that AC/DC, Madonna and U2 have been booked to perform on the Grammys," according to Trendio.

Another report from Brave Words published this quote from the HDD report, "Each December, executive producer Ken Ehrlich makes an all-out effort to confirm a handful of performers for the show prior to the holiday break, during which it's difficult to get hold of pretty much anyone in a position of authority, and these three perennial draws are precisely the kind of act Ehrlich would typically approach."




Previously Unheard Dimebag Song Streaming Online
Guitar World Magazine has premiered a previously unreleased song from late Pantera and Damage Plan guitarist Dimebag Darrell Abbott and they are streaming the track online.

The musician's magazine is premiering the track to go along with their February 2015 issue of their print publication (out this week), which they have dubbed the Ultimate Dimebag Darrell Tribute Issue.

Though not known as a singer, Dimebag performed the vocals and all of the instruments on the song, which is entitled "Whiskey Road" and was recorded in 2001. Listen to the song, see the guitar tab and learn more details about the tribute issue here.




Foreigner's Mick Jones Reveals Health Scare
(hennemusic) Foreigner guitarist, producer and founder Mick Jones has revealed to CBS Sunday Morning details of a health scare years ago that left him in a haze and unable to play guitar.

When Jones was forced to take a year off, he publicly blamed it on a heart valve problem, but now admits it was much more than that. "I'd had a virtual nervous breakdown, brought on by a bad prescribing of medication," the guitarist tells CBS Sunday Morning. "It was a very dark time for me. I literally didn't know where I was anymore. I didn't know who I was. I mean, honestly I never thought I'd play on stage again."

The situation left Jones unable to play guitar. "I lost the ability to play chords briefly, only for a couple of months," he reveals. "And my brother brought a guitar over for me and said, 'You play guitar. Play it. You're a guitarist. Play the guitar, you know.'"

"It was terrifying," said Jones. "You just somehow try and hold on." Read more and stream the interview video here.

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Former Guns N' Roses Star Steven Adler Gets Back To Work
(Classic Rock) Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler is recording material, producer Jeff Pilson has reported. The move comes ahead of Adler's scheduled return to work following almost a year of recovering from a relapse.

Adler's self-titled solo band was derailed in 2013 following the launch of debut album Back From The Dead, when the leader fell off the wagon and began drinking again, forcing the cancellation of a US tour.

In November he celebrated 10 months sober, and said he'd wait until he'd reached the 12-month milestone before restarting his career. But Pilson recently told The Double Stop: "Steven started recording. I don't know if we're going to do a whole record - I think we're going to do a couple of songs, because why bother doing a whole record these days?

"But his juices are flowing and that's going to be great." Stream the interview here.




All-Star Tribute Randy Rhoads Tribute Album Set For Release
(Classic Rock) A tribute to iconic guitarist Randy Rhoads is to feature an array of stars from the world of rock. Tish Tone Records have announced they will release Randy Rhoads Remembered Volume 1 on January 23 to coincide with the next in a series of remembrance shows in honour of the late guitarist who made his name as part of Ozzy Osbourne's solo band.

The idea for the CD came about after former Ozzy and Whitesnake drummer Brian Tichy put on the first Randy Rhoads Remembered (RRR) show in January of this year to commemorate the contribution of his hero to rock music. The shows attracted a string of stars and, with the blessing of the Rhoads family, the idea for a CD came about.

A total of 22 musicians have contributed to the collection, including former Megadeth bassist James LoMenzo, Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal, former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach, current Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson and LA Guns man Tracii Guns.

Tichy says: "RRR Volume 1 is a great representation of the spirit of the RRR shows. The first show was so successful that five more were held in June 2014 on the East Coast with another amazing cast of players." Read more here.




Fans Convince L7 To Launch A Reunion
(Gibson) The long-awaited reunion of 90s grunge/punk band L7 looks like it's happening soon, and they're looking for help from fans to alert promoters and get the ball rolling on shows.

The band said they were surprised by the outpouring of support and requests for a reunion after they launched an official Facebook page simply as a place to share old photos and memories. "Greetings People! We want you to know that the love and support you have shown us here on Facebook this year has taken us all a bit by surprise," they wrote. "What started as a simple band page for us to post some archival photos we had been sifting through for an upcoming L7 documentary has turned into a wellspring of enthusiasm for the band. For this WE THANK YOU!"

It's been 14 years since the band's last show, and they're calling on fans to use their social media networks to let the world know they're ready to return. They've also launched a new website at http://l7theband.com where fans can sign up for email updates. Read more here.






Devon Allman's Royal Southern Brotherhood Replacement Revealed
(The Blues Devon Allman has confirmed plans to leave Royal Southern Brotherhood, following fellow guitarist Mike Zito out the door. Both want to concentrate on their solo careers. Allman will play his final show with the supergroup in April.

Zito's replacement was previously confirmed as Bart Walker - now Tyrone Vaughan (pictured), son of Jimmie and nephew of Stevie Ray, has been named their latest addition.

The latest arrivals are currently co-writing material for the supergroup's upcoming third album, to be recorded next month. Vaughan says in the introductory video: "It's the best thing in my life right about now - I couldn't ask for a better situation. It's everything I want to be involved in.

"My dad was doing it from way back and my uncle Stevie followed in his footsteps. Those guys left a huge mark on me, my family and Texas." Read more and watch the video here.




Radiohead's Thom Yorke Releases 'Angry' New Solo Track
(Prog) Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has released solo track "You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry" as a pay-what-you-want title via Bandcamp. And he's also offering recent solo album Tomorrow's Modern Boxes to the streaming platform after originally launching it via filesharing service BitTorrent.

Yorke described the initial release as an "experiment," saying: "If it works well it could be an effective way of handing control of internet commerce back to people who are creating the work." He notched up over a million downloads in the first week.

Now he says of the Bandcamp move: "It's less technical for some peeps than BitTorrent - and it works on Apple mobile devices, including streaming." Read more here.




The Darkness Announce New Member, Confirm New Album Release
(hennemusic) UK rockers The Darkness have added Emily Dolan Davies as their new drummer while confirming the follow-up to 2012's "Hot Cakes" will be released in the spring.

"She's a hard hitter," frontman Justin Hawkins tells Classic Rock magazine about Dolan, who has previously played with Bryan Ferry and Tricky. "She's got the chops and the attitude that you need to be The Darkness' drummer. She also makes us feel like dirty old men."

Dolan replaces original drummer Ed Graham, with whom the band split this fall. "Ed has had some well-publicized health problems in the past. And for one reason or another, he wasn't capable of doing his job anymore," explains Hawkins. "We're still friends with Ed. But now that we have Emily in the band, the worry is gone." Read more here.




Sebastian Bach Reveals That He Is Engaged
(hennemusic) Sebastian Bach got engaged to girlfriend Suzanne Le in West Hollywood on Sunday. The pair have been together since October, following Bach's split with model Minnie Gupta after a 2-year relationship.

"She said yes," Bach told TMZ as the pair were leaving Madeo Restaurant moments after he popped the question. "I love her, man," added the singer. "Why go out for burgers when you got steak in the fridge?"

As for the timing of the wedding, Bach says "We're still figuring that; we're still working on the big night." The engagement came on the heels of a divorce from wife Maria Bierk after an 18-year marriage. Watch the video here.




Joe Bonamassa and Mahalia Barnes Releasing Betty Davis Tribute Album
(Gibson) Joe Bonamassa has teamed up with Australian vocalist Mahalia Barnes for a new album of Betty Davis covers, and fans can get a free track from Bonamassa's website right now.

Betty married Miles Davis in the late '60s and introduced him to Jimi Hendrix. She later released three albums: a self-titled debut in 1973,They Say I'm Different in 1974 and Nasty Gal in 1975. Davis left the music biz in 1979, but a fourth album recorded in 1976, Is It Love or Desire? was finally released in 2009.

The project with Bonamassa came about when Mahalia was in the studio with producer Kevin Shirley and her dad, vocalist Jimmy Barnes (Cold Chisel, Living Loud - known as Barnsey to we Aussies): she popped on a few Betty Davis tracks as reference and soon the idea for the album sprung into being. So Bonamassa visited Australia earlier this year to track the album, titled Ooh Yeah - The Betty Davis Song Book, over three days at Freight Train Studios in Sydney. Read more here.






Ex-Skid Row Star Phil Varone Pulling No Punches In New Book
(Classic Rock) Former Skid Row drummer Phil Varone says he plans to release a book which will expose what he calls the "morons" who pissed him off in 2014. Varone, who now drums with Saigon Kick, will issue A To Zanax next year and he says he will pull no punches when it comes to targeting "useless people that have nothing better to do than bother smart people under the assumption there is no consequence."

He adds: "I'm currently writing my new book titled A to Zanax, just to purge the senseless garbage I had to endure because humans do not know how to behave.

"If you tell me that Zanax isn't spelled with a Z, you will be the first idiot purged. I know how to spell Xanax, it's called a clever play on letters and that's why I'm the one with the publishing deal. Get it?" Read more here.




Pretenders Releasing New Box Set Early Next Year
(Classic Rock) A box set featuring all eight albums released by Pretenders on the Warner label will be released next year. Pretenders: 1979-1999 is issued on February 16 in various countries across the globe including the UK, Europe (the band's official store does not list a North American release.)

In addition to the box set, all eight albums will also be available separately in digipaks that include b-sides, demos, live tracks, songs recorded for soundtracks and other rarities.

The boxset is made up of six 2CD+DVD sets and two CD+DVD sets in a slipcase box. The DVDs include promo videos and TV appearances. In total, 14 CDs and eight DVDs are included in the package. Read more here.





Napalm Death Frontman Denies Mitch Harris Rumors
(TeamRock Radio) Napalm Death frontman Mark 'Barney' Greenway has slammed rumours that Mitch Harris is no longer a member of the band. But he's also suggested they're concerned that he may not be able to return.

The guitarist began an indefinite hiatus last month as a result of "illness within his family." Since then a number of stories have circulated about him, along with the suggestion that it's already known he won't be back.

Greenway tells Decibel: "People think Mitch is terminally ill - and he isn't. They think he's left the band for some shady reason, and he hasn't. There is no weirdness.

"You have to cut people some slack. We did that from Shane Embury when he had some problems." Read more here.




John Sykes Previews Long Awaited New Album
Former Whitesnake and Blue Murder star John Sykes gave his fans a special gift on Christmas day with the posting of a preview of his forthcoming studio album.

The preview, which Sykes calls an "Audio Sampler," runs for just under two and half minutes and SleezeRoxx.com notes that the album was originally planned for release in 2013.

Sykes told fans via a Facebook posting two years ago, "new album is going well, some great musicians on board." That was the last update until this summer when it was revealed that Sykes was working on the artwork for the album cover with a designer in New York.

Take a listen to the album preview here.




Of Mice & Men Release Identity Disorder Video
(TeamRock Radio) Of Mice & Men have released a new video for their track Identity Disorder. The song is taken from the California-based band's latest album Restoring Force, which was released in January of this year.

Of Mice & Men will release a deluxe edition of third album Restoring Force in February, with three new tracks and an acoustic version of their single Feels Like Forever.

Of Mice & Men will also hit the UK next year for an eight-date headlining tour. You can check out those upcoming dates and also watch the new "Identity Disorder" video here.






KISS and Japanese Idol Band Collaboration Preview Video Surfaces
(hennemusic) A video preview of the upcoming collaboration between KISS and Japanese idol pop band Momoiro Clover Z has surfaced. The pair have teamed up for the single, "Yume no Ukiyo ni Saitemina", which will be released on January 28.

Each group will issue their own versions of the tune. The KISS edition will present three newly recorded tracks including a lead track and each off vocal version in a package totaling six tunes.

The Momoiro Clover Z edition will feature two newly recorded tracks including a lead track and each off vocal version, plus a music video of the lead track.

The pop band will open for KISS on March 3 at the Tokyo Dome, the final show of the band's 5-date Japanese tour. Watch the preview video here.




Dave Grohl Reveals Inspiration For Foo Fighter's I Am A River
(hennemusic) Foo Fighters mainman Dave Grohl revealed the inspiration behind "I Am A River", the closing track on the band's new album, "Sonic Highways," during an appearance on the Tonight Show.

Written and recorded in New York - one of 8 cities the group would visit to make the album - the song includes several local references. Grohl tells The Tonight Show that the song's opening line, 'I found a secret behind a Soho door', "is referring to the Magic Shop Studio and how it's just this one tiny door on the street… you would never know it's a studio."

"'I found a reason' - that's a Lou Reed reference", he continues. "'Beneath the subway floor' - that's talking about Minetta Creek, which is a river that runs under New York City - this song is mostly about that."

"I thought it was a beautiful idea that there's something natural and prehistoric that runs underneath something as monolithic and futuristic as New York City," says Grohl, "and maybe we're all connected by something like that."

Watch the interview and the Tonight Show performance of the song here.



Zakk Wylde Leads All-Star Black Sabbath Tribute Zakk Sabbath
(Radio.com) The McDonalds Black Sabbath tribute made headlines last week, but if you like your Sabbath covers straightforward, with an actual connection to the band, turn to Zakk Sabbath, which is led by Zakk Wylde, who has done multiple stints in Ozzy Osbourne's band since first signing on in 1987.

Wylde handles vocals and guitar, with Blasko (from Ozzy's current backing band) on bass and John Tempesta (formerly of White Zombie and Helmet, and currently with the Cult) on drums.

Of course, nothing compares to the real thing. However, for a genuine Black Sabbath experience, you will probably have to wait a little longer: Ozzy has said that the band are planning a final album and tour, but hasn't given any dates for either.

Watch Zakk Sabbath's take on "Fairies Wear Boots" here.




Nightwish Release New Studio Video For Forthcoming Album
(Prog) Nightwish have released another studio video documenting their progress on eighth album Endless Forms Most Beautiful. Tumoas Holopainen and co last week confirmed the follow-up to 2011's Imaginaerum would be released on March 30 via Nuclear Blast - and lead single Elan will appear on February 13.

It's their first with vocalist Floor Jansen, and their first with piper and whistler Troy Donockley as a full-time member of the band. Drummer Jukka Nevalainen was replaced by Kai Hahto in the studio as a result of ongoing health issues.

In the clip, Holopainen says: "I guess mixing an album could be compared to editing a movie - we have to arrange the clips into a dramatic arc, and find a balance."

Watch the video here.



The Aristocrats Preview Upcoming Live Release
(Prog) The Aristocrats, the supergroup featuring Guthrie Govan, Bryan Beller and Marco Minnemann, have released a preview clip of their upcoming Culture Clash Live CD/DVD set.

It was recorded at multiple locations during their recent Culture Clash world tour. The title is released on January 20. A second title, Secret Show: Live In Osaka, will also be launched next month.

Govan recently said: "Every time we play a song live, it seems to evolve slightly. However hard we try to capture definitive versions in the studio, the true nature of any composition reveals itself during the subsequent touring process."

The trio are preparing to record their third album, which will follow a run of shows in which they'll trial the music to be tracked, next month. Watch the preview video here.




Singled Out: amandla's Talking Sweet (Ween)
Long-time Ween drummer Claude Coleman Jr.'s solo project amandla have just released the single "Talking Sweet" from their forthcoming album, "Laughing Hearts" and today Claude tells us about the track. Here is the story:

I'm a big Lindsey Buckingham fan, and fingerpicky, gangly Buckingham guitar bits have ended up in all my songs since about forever. I had been playing the front end of the chorus on guitar for a while before any other part of the song was written. It was nice to play; the energy of it was sweet but kind beat up and sad.

Originally, the tempo was twice as fast and I cut the track live with a band at this faster tempo. I experimented and brought it way back and found the pace there. It felt more stumbling to me, like the person in the tune and better matched the anger of the verses. It was less sun - more grease and dirt. Also, it fattened up Peter Kaufmann's drums.

"Friends will laugh like lovers, then war like gangs in the heat" is something everyone can probably relate to. "So duck or run for covers, before he's talking sweet" is all about when someone acting nice becomes a signal for you to run for the hills. And it must be noted that I say "run for 'covers' not "cover" because it felt really ridiculous to sing that and mean the blankets, like "run for covers!"

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Queen To Stream New Year's Eve Concert Online
(hennemusic) The BBC has announced plans to stream Queen and Adam Lambert's New Year's Eve "Rock Big Ben Live" concert event online for fans around the globe via BBC Music.

The event at Central Hall Westminster in London - close to the iconic landmark of Big Ben - will see just 2000 fans on hand to watch the legendary band ring in 2015.

"Queen + Adam Lambert Rock Big Ben Live" will take place in the build up to the clock striking midnight to see in 2015 and continue after the spectacular, world famous fireworks display along the river Thames, which will also be shown live on BBC One. Read more here.




Carmine Appice Wants Led Zeppelin Reunion Gig
(hennemusic) Legendary drummer Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, King Kobra) says he wants to play as part of Led Zeppelin reunion.

"I would like to work with a Led Zeppelin configuration, whether it's just John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page and me and a singer," Appice tells Totally Driven Radio. "I've heard that they're talking, maybe, to Ann Wilson [of Heart]… There's a rumor that Ann Wilson might go out with them. I would love to play drums on something like that."

The late John Bonham's son, Jason, performed with a reunited Led Zeppelin during their December 10, 2007 concert at London's O2 Arena tribute concert for friend and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun.

"Everybody in that band there is legendary," says Appice. "They're old school and legendary. Jason isn't legendary, and he's not old school. He's John Bonham's son, but he don't play like John Bonham. He plays more… He plays like him. He's not John. He's got that name, but he's not John Bonham."

"I'm not John Bonham either, but I think my style might be close, 'cause I came first, and John listened to stuff I did and did it his own way. And we took 'em on their first tour. It's very close-sounding stuff in feel." Read more here.




Landmark Metallica Album Predicted By Bob Rock
(Classic Rock) Producer Bob Rock has predicted that Metallica's tenth album may be a "landmark" - but he doesn't believe he'll work with the band again. He first worked with James Hetfield and co on their Black Album in 1991, and continued through the decade on Load, ReLoad, Garage Inc and S&M.

His final collaboration was 2003's St Anger, documented in controversial movie Some Kind Of Monster.But he wasn't on board for 2008's Death Magnetic, and he thinks it's unlikely he'll return.

Rock tells the Eddie Trunk Podcast: "I don't see it happening. I think they've got to keep moving forward. With Death Magnetic they went back to their roots, which was great. I get where they went and they had to go there.

"I think they've got a landmark record in them - and it's probably brewing right now." Read more here.




Slipknot Beats Slash, Mastodon For The Best Riff Of 2014
(Classic Rock) The leading riff from Slipknot track The Negative One has been named the best of 2014 by readers of Total Guitar magazine. The piece from comeback album .5: The Gray Chapter tops a poll ahead of work by Slash, Mastodon, Royal Blood, Steel Panther and others.

Total Guitar say: "The return of Iowa's finest following the passing of founding member Paul Gray was always going to be a raw one. The Gray Chapter certainly lived up to that. It's absolutely encapsulated in The Negative One's riff onslaught - it's Slipknot at their thrilling best."

The track is also nominated for 2015's Best Metal Grammy, with the winner to be named in February. See "Total Guitar readers' best riffs of 2014" top 9 list here.




Bryan Ferry's Son Injured In Serious Car Crash
(Classic Rock) Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry's youngest son Merlin is in the hospital after a serious car crash. The 24-year-old is described as "critical but stable" after suffering multiple injuries including a head wound and fractures to his legs, pelvis and left arm.

Three vehicles including Ferry's and a lorry were involved in the incident near Shrewsbury on Tuesday. One driver escaped with cuts and bruises after his car caught fire.

Firefighters said Ferry's extraction took 45 minutes. They tweeted "Crews worked hard for 45 mins to free the man which was a difficult extrication due to the impact involved." Read more here.




Saxon's Nigel Glockler Getting Better Following Brain Surgery
(Classic Rock) Saxon drummer Nigel Glockler is making progress every day after emergency brain surgery earlier this month, his wife Gina has said in an update about his recovery.

He was rushed to hospital midway through the NWOBHM giants' winter UK tour, and later underwent an operation to address an aneurysm. A second procedure took place after the first was unsuccessful.

But in an update Gina says: "Nigel is getting better each day, and I'm hoping he can be released some time next week. There are certain things the doctors like to watch for, so they're being cautious, which is fine by me. My first and only thought right now is for his recovery."

Read more here.




Alberta Adams, Detroit's Queen Of The Blues, Dead at 97
(The Blues Blues vocalist Alberta Adams has died at the age of 97. Known as Detroit's Queen Of The Blues, she passed away on Christmas morning after a long illness.

Born Roberta Louis Osborn in 1917, she was living alone by the time she was 14, and began her performance career as a tap dancer before starting to sing alongside John Lee Hooker, Duke Ellington and others.

Chess Records signed her in the 1950s and she became a member of the Bluesettes, who toured with Tiny Bradshaw. She recorded for Savoy Records, and began an association with Johnny Bassett and his band that lasted for decades. Other collaborations included T-Bone Walker, Louis Jordan, Lionel Hampton and Red Saunders. Read more here.




Bruce Springsteen Releases Classic 1978 Club Show
(hennemusic) Bruce Springsteen has released a legendary 1978 Cleveland club show as the second offering in his new archival concert series. Last month, Springsteen launched the archival series with the release of a 2012 live set from New York's Apollo Theater.

The August 9, 1978 show at The Agora was originally simulcast in its entirety by local rock station WMMS and many other stations around the US to an estimated audience of 3 million listeners.

For years bootleg copies of the FM broadcast, in various degrees of quality, widely circulated among collectors and established The Agora '78 as a legendary performance from Darkness-era Springsteen. Read more here.




Black Sabbath Get McDonald's-Themed Tribute Band
(Radio.com) If you like your tribute bands with a culinary orientation, a la Macaulay Culkin's Velvet Underground-themed band the Pizza Underground, you might enjoy a new group paying tribute to Black Sabbath.

If the very idea of this offends you, just skip a few paragraphs. But if that sounds like the band you didn't know you were waiting for, allow us to introduce you to Mac Sabbath (via Funny or Die).

Fronted by a Ronald McDonald lookalike, the band also features an evil-looking Mayor McCheese (with tusks!) on guitar, a bass player who appears as if he's Rob Zombie's nightmare version of the Grimace. And behind the drums sits the Hamburglar.

Like the Pizza Underground, the Mac Sabbath members change the lyrics of the songs to be about their favorite subject, which in this case is McDonalds. For instance, in "Frying Pan" (their take on "Iron Man"), evil Ronald sings, "I once burned your meal/My old job was cooking veal!" Happily, he seems to be a better Ozzy imitator than grill cook. Watch the magic happen in the video here.




Annihilator Reuniting With Classic Era Singer Coburn Pharr
(Classic Rock) Annihilator mainman Jeff Waters has brought back classic-era singer Coburn Pharr for the band's appearances on a metal cruise next month. Pharr joined the Canadian outfit in time to record what remains their biggest-selling record, but he was replaced by Aaron Randall two years later. He hasn't been in contact since then.

Now it's been confirmed he'll take the mic for their shows on 70,000 Tons Of Metal, which sets sale from Florida to Jamaica on January 22 for a four-day trip.

Waters says: "Seeing as it's the 25th anniversary of my favourite Annihilator album, I thought it would be a lot of fun to invite Coburn to perform some of the songs he was part of. Read more here.





Eagles' Timothy B. Schmit Reuniting With Poco For Special Event
(Classic Rock) Eagles bassist Timothy B. Schmit will reunite with his old Poco bandmates next month for induction into the Colorado Music Hall Of Fame. He joined the band in 1969 shortly after the release of their debut album Pickin' Up The Pieces, taking over from Randy Meisner.

Meisner would go on to be a co-founder of the Eagles and when Schmit quit Poco in 1977, it was to replace the bassist again, this time in the Eagles' lineup.

Now he'll take his place beside former bandmates Rusty Young, George Grantham, Richie Furay and Paul Cotton at the induction ceremony at the Paramount Theater in Denver on January 9. They are expected to play together at the event. Read more here.





Between The Buried And Me Recording New Album With Jamie King
(TeamRock Radio) Between The Buried And Me will start recording their seventh album within the coming fortnight. The follow-up to 2012's The Parallax II: Future Sequence is expected by the middle of 2015 via Metal Blade Records.

The North Carolina outfit report: "In two more weeks we will be reuniting with the master, Jamie King, to record our seventh full-length album together. Until then, enjoy the holidays!"

In September the band launched a live companion to The Parallax II, which saw them playing the record in a studio setting. They explained: "We wanted to give our fans an intimate performance - something that made them feel a little closer to us, almost feel like they're at practice with us." here.




Down's Brutal Assault Performance Video Go Online
(TeamRock Radio) Professionally shot footage of Down's performance at this year's Brutal Assault festival in the Czech Republic has been released. The short set features the tracks Witchtripper, Lifer and Pillars Of Eternity.

They released EP Down IV Part Two earlier this year and frontman Phil Anselmo, who last week revealed he was sitting on a goldmine of material for his band The Illegals, said they would continue to issue EPs rather than albums in the future as the traditional way of delivering music was a "thing of the past."

He said: "Everyone's attention span these days is a little shorter. Honestly, for me, doing a full-length record is a thing of the past. I'm not doing it again. It's boring. If I can concentrate on making five or six songs the best I can, that's the way I would prefer to release it."





Tremonti Completes Recording Of New Album, Release Studio Video
(Classic Rock) Recording work on Creed guitarist Mark Tremonti's second album has been completed. His bassist Wolfgang Van Halen, who Tremonti recently called "the best of the best," has confirmed recording the material for 20-track record has now been finished.

He says on Twitter: "And with that last note, BVs are officially complete. Looks like we're done here. This has been such a great experience. Very happy to have been a part of this."

Meanwhile, Tremonti has issued a video showcasing studio sessions which also highlights a range of exclusive items for fans to buy from his Fret 12 page.

Included are handwritten and signed lyric sheets, guitars used on the album, autographed and framed artwork and the chance to receive a namecheck on the liner notes. View the video here.



UDO Put Out Public Call For New Member
(TeamRock Radio) UDO, led by former Accept singer Udo Dirkschneider, have appealed for applications for the role of drummer after Francesco Jovino quit the band weeks ahead of a world tour.

The German metal outfit are in need of a fully-rehearsed replacement before hitting the road in early March. They say in a statement: "Francesco left UDO due to personal reasons.

"If you feel ready to become the new drummer, feel free to mail your application to fsuepfle@itm-agency.com - please, no big attachments with sound files. If we're interested we will contact you and ask for further information." Read more here.




Citizen Cain's Stewart Bell Giving Away Solo Tracks, eBook
(Prog) Stewart Bell of Citizen Cain has offered three solo tracks and an ebook for free as a Christmas gift to fans. The opening pieces from his debut album The Antechamber Of Being Part 1 can be downloaded from the band's website.

Released in October, it's described as a prog opera based on his childhood dreams, and features guest appearances from Arjen Lucassen, Mekah Mhairi Comrie and others.

The free tracks Decoherence, A World Without Limits and Projections add up to over 30 minutes of music. Also available is the PDF version of his storybook The Cupboard Of Fear, written and illustrated by the composer. Read more and grab the download links here.




Teenage Rehab Release 'Rewind' Video
Teenage Rehab have released a new music video for their song "Rewind" on YouTube. The clip is for the track off the band's recently released 7" EP, "Break Yourself".

Alex Reject had the following to say about the making of the new video, "We had a blast filming this video, the guys are all old skateboarders but I can't skate for sh*t so I jumped on one of my daughters bikes and did some tricks.

"I took on some legitimate scrapes and bruises but the good vibes were ever present!" The new EP, "Break Yourself", was released on December 16th by Revert Records. Watch the new video here.



Furyon Release 'These Four Walls' Music Video
UK rockers Furyon have released a brand new music video for the track "These Four Walls", which is taken from their forthcoming sophomore studio album.

The band had this to say about the new song and video, "'These Four Walls' was the first song to be written for the new album. The song represents repression and is an Insight into Ones imprisoned like state.

"The performance video was shot and produced by Video Ink. Furyon want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and see you in 2015."

Furyon will be releasing the new album, entitled "Lost Salvation", in the UK and Europe on January 26th via Dream Records/Cargo Records. A North American release date is still to be announced.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Joe Cocker Dead At 70
(Classic Rock) Joe Cocker has died at the age of 70 after a battle against lung cancer. The vocalist is best known for his 1969 version of the Beatles' track With A Little Help From My Friends, featuring Jimmy Page on guitar, from his debut album of the same name.

He notched up another 21 records, the last of which was 2012's Fire It Up. In 1999 he was named as one of the top 100 singers of all time by Mojo, then in 2008 was given a similar accolade by Rolling Stone.

Cocker won a Grammy for Up Where We Belong, a duet with Jennifer Warnes used in the 1982 movie An Office And A Gentleman. He was given an OBE in 2007. Read more here.





Police Close Scott Stapp Investigation
(TeamRock Radio) Police investigating Scott Stapp's theft claim have closed the case because they can't get in touch with the wayward singer. He filed a criminal complaint in which he alleged $26,000 had been removed from his bank account without his permission, and said his password had been changed so he couldn't gain access himself.

He mentioned the claim in a video posted then removed last month, in which he said he was under attack and that he was living in his van. He then launched a crowdfunding campaign for $480,000, which also disappeared at short notice. He's since lost custody of his kids after his wife, filing for divorce, cited his heavy drugs use, aggressive behaviour and an attempted suicide in her paperwork.

Now GossipExtra report that Boca Raton police, who'd received Stapp's bank account complain, have closed the case. They'd failed to make contact with him after five attempts at calling him on the number he'd given. As a result, they say they have no information to pursue the investigation. Read more here.




Slipknot Release 'The Devil In I' Knotfest Video
(TeamRock Radio) Slipknot have released a live video shot during their Knotfest event in California in October. It features their performance of The Devil In I, the lead single from long-awaited album .5: The Gray Chapter - yesterday revealed as Metal Hammer readers' album of the year.

Guitarist Jim Root recently told how he believed late bassist Paul Gray had helped him write material for the record, saying: "I was exploring the fretboard, trying different places to play. Then I realised - that's the way Paul would work. It dawned on me that he was helping me through it.

"I'm not hugely spiritual or religious, but that made me think: people do live on through you. He's always going to be involved in everything we do." Check out the video here.




Mike Myers Resurrects Dr. Evil, Targets North Korea and Sony Pictures
(Radio.com) Dr. Evil (Mike Myers) delighted the Saturday Night Live audience this weekend as he interrupted Sam Smith's (Taran Killam) Very Somber Christmas special to address North Korea and Sony Pictures directly about their massive computer hack.

Stroking a fake version of his bald feline Mr. Bigglesworth, Myers as Dr. Evil expressed his disappointment at North Korea and Sony Pictures "have both given evil organizations a bad name."

"It's just so pathetic to see you two fight over a silly comedy," continued Myers. "It's like watching two bald men fight over a comb." Speaking to whom the U.S. government now believe is the center of the hacking, Myers fired off, "Let's start with you North Korea, you're one of the most evil countries in the world and your act of war is to kill a movie? It's easy to kill a movie. Just move it to January."

Myers is likely attempting to bring the character back into public consciousness. In August HitFix confirmed that the actor/director "closed the deal" and will once again return to the dual roles of Austin Powers and Dr. Evil, making it the fourth Austin Powers film.




The Safety Fire Lose A Co-Founding Member
(Prog) The Safety Fire have split with co-founding bassist Lori Peri - and say they may not replace him. He started the band with guitarist Dez Nagle before they completed their five-man lineup in 2006. Now he's bowed out as they begin work on their third album.

Peri says in a statement: "I would never have thought all those years ago that we'd go on to release two albums and play hundreds of shows to tens of thousands of people across the world.

"What's more important is how lucky I am to have met so many amazing people, some I'll call friends for the rest of my life. The band was started through friendship, and that's what I'm lucky enough to take away from it."

He thanks fans for their support, and says he's looking forward to becoming a fan of the band himself. He adds: "It's been the most amazing experience of my life - but everything must come to and end, and this was the right time for me to take a different path." Read the band's comments here.




Ozzy Osbourne To Appear On Debut Of The Talk After Dark
(hennemusic) Ozzy Osbourne will guest on the debut "after-dark edition" of the CBS daytime show The Talk, a series co-hosted by Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon and several others.

Ozzy will also perform on the Monday, January 12 program, which will air as a late night broadcast on CBS during the time slot previously held by The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, which just wrapped up production this past week after a 10-year run.

Last month, Sharon announced that the reality series, The Osbournes, will be returning to TV. "Ozzy has decided that he wants to do another few episodes, not a whole season, about eight episodes, of 'The Osbournes'," she revealed on the UK show, "Loose Women." "He said that for the whole three years that we did it he was drunk the whole time. But he would like to do one where he's completely sober, as he is now."

Read more here.





Def Leppard's New Album To Include Experimental Songs
(hennemusic) Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott shared an update on the band's next album during a recent interview with Metal Express Radio. On hand to promote his side project, Down N' Outz - who were in the middle of a UK tour at the time - Elliott was asked how Leppard's new project is coming along.

"We've got lyrics to write for about four or five songs," explains Elliott, "which I should be getting back to work on as soon as I get done with this tour, I will be straight back in that mode."

"We've got about fifteen songs going. Seven or eight of 'em are written. The other seven are musically written that need melodies. I will get straight back to in January."

Elliott attempted to explain the musical direction of the band's follow-up to 2008's "Songs From The Sparkle Lounge." "I don't know. It's a good question," he says. "It sounds like Leppard. It sounds like what Leppard should be doing at our age as well. It's a bit more… I don't wanna say 'mature'; that's the worst word you could ever say. But it's certainly not a childish record."

"I mean, there's a couple of songs on there that absolutely are typical Leppard anthemic things. But there's a lot of cool stuff which is a lot more musical, if you like, and a lot more experimental, if you want, without being jazz or anything like that."





Savatage Reunion May Continue Past Upcoming Festival Appearance
(TeamRock Radio) Guitarist Chris Caffery says Savatage could continue playing together following their scheduled reunion at next year's Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra man will hook up with his old bandmates for the performance. And he says there could be more to come from the outfit who split in 2002 shortly after the release of 12th album Poets And Madmen.

He tells Vanyaland: "For 12, 13 years I've been waiting for my band to play again - now we're playing again. I don't know what's going to happen after that, but there were people that were putting a fork in it, and we're getting up and not just running a marathon, we're running in the Olympics with this festival.

"I'm not going to make any predictions, but let's just say there's a possibility that something more will happen after Wacken - that's all I can say. And nothing would make me happier." Read more here.



Nightwish Reveal More Details About Their New Album
(Prog) Nightwish have confirmed their eighth album will be entitled Endless Forms Most Beautiful, and it's set for release on March 30. And mainman Tuomas Holopainen says the entire work was inspired by a quote from Charles Darwin, who spearheaded the theory of evolution.

The follow-up to 2011's Imaginaerum is the band's first with vocalist Floor Jansen, and with Troy Donockley as a full-time member. Drummer Jukka Nevalainen sat out recording sessions over health issues - he was replaced by Wintersun's Kai Hahto. The record also features a guest appearance by evolutionary biologist and writer Professor Richard Dawkins.

Holopainen cites Darwin's words in his groundbreaking paper The Origin Of Species: "There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved." here.



Pissing Razors Reunite For New Music and Concerts In 2015
(TeamRock Radio) US rockers Pissing Razors have reunited and hope to tour and release fresh material next year. The band split in 2004 shortly after the release of sixth album Evolution.

Now the original lineup of Eddy Garcia, Danny Garcia, Joe Rodriguez and Matt Lynch are back together. A post on Robbs Metal Works' Facebook page says:

"Big announcement - original Pissing Razors have reunited. New music and shows in 2015. Welcome back… the fans have missed you. See you next year."





Grateful Dead Manager Rock Scully Dead At 73
(TeamRock Radio) Former Grateful Dead manager Rock Scully has died aged 73. His brother Dicken Scully, who previously worked for the band as their merchandise manager, told the New York Times he died in hospital in Monterey, California after a lengthy battle with lung cancer.

Scully hooked up with the band in 1965 just after they changed their name from the Warlocks and was instrumental in their rise. He organised their original record deals, planned their early tours and famously demanded that Woodstock organisers pay the group up front ahead of their 1969 performance. In 1968 he masterminded a plan to smuggle the group through a group of striking students who had shut down the Columbia University campus for a show.

He was fired from his position by the band in 1984 because of his addiction to morphine and cocaine but returned to the fold in 1985. Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir paid tribute to Scully saying he was a huge part of their success and stated that together they "made history."




Marty Friedman Takes Fans To Japan With Undertow Video
Former Megadeth star Marty Friedman has release a new music video for the song "Undertow," which is a track that comes from his latest solo album "Inferno".

Friedman had this to say about the clip, "'Undertow' gives you a look at the Japan not usually seen by the typical Japanese exports like crazy TV shows, ultra-cute singers and anime. It shows a day in the life of Japan as the Japanese see it, not the stereotypical Western 'Japanophile' view of it."

He goes on to explain the concept for the video, "the 'Undertow' video attempts to show that when you see a thing of beauty, there is often an undercurrent of true sadness and hardship behind the scenes which creates the motivation to do something extraordinary."




Soto Give Fans A Taste Of 'Pissed Off' New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Former Journey singer Jeff Scott Soto has revealed details of his upcoming album Inside The Vertigo, to be launched under the band name Soto and they've launched a lyric video for their track The Fall.

It's set to appear on January 29 via earMusic, and features guests including Gus G, Joel Hoekstra, Mike Orlando and others. The label say the music includes "a neurotic blend of power metal, prog, groove-laden guitars, hooks and production."

Soto says: "The past five or more years have propelled me to a plethora of anger and frustration. I'm actually pissed off about a lot of things - this is my outlet to release the pent-up emotion.

"We realise there are a lot of folks, young and old, who may be sharing these thoughts. So this is especially for them. We're not reinventing the wheel here - we're just creating an outlet for where our hearts are. I'm just not in a 'touch your golden hair' mood right now." Read more and watch the lyric video here.


Warren Haynes Emotional About Allman Brothers Band Ending
(The Blues Warren Haynes admits he finds it difficult the Allman Brothers Band is at an end - but he still believes it was the right move. Mainman Gregg Allman confirmed earlier this year that the band's 45-year career would come to a close after Haynes and fellow guitarist Derek Trucks decided to leave. They bowed out after a final New York residency last month.

He tells UCR: "It's a very emotional time right now because it was such a huge part of my life. Especially when I was in the band, but even prior to that.

"That music means more to me than anyone could imagine. Being on the inside of it and helping keep it alive was an unbelievable experience. I hate to see it end but I think it's the right decision."

He adds: "It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and experience for me. The Allman Brothers were and are one of my favourite bands. To have the opportunity to be involved for 25 years - I have nothing but positive emotions about that." Read more here.



Cancer Bats, Kylesa and Ulver Lead Black Sabbath Tribute Album
(TeamRock Radio) Cancer Bats, Kylesa and Ulver are among the bands who will be appearing on a new Black Sabbath tribute album. The completed work is expected next year.

The project is under production via Cleopatra Records. It was revealed by Kylesa, who posted the planned playlist online, saying: "It's finally happening - Kylesa is interpreting Black Sabbath."

They'll cover Paranoid, while Cancer Bats are to tackle Into The Void and Ulver will take on Solitude. Of the 14 tracks on the unnamed album, six are from 1970, one each from 1971 and 1976, two each from 1972 and 1975, and one is from 1980.




Karnataka Reveal Details For New Album 'Secrets Of Angels'
(Prog) Karnataka will launch fifth album 'Secrets Of Angels' in March, they've confirmed. The follow-up to 'The Gathering Light' features eight tracks including the 21-minute title piece, and it's available to pre-order on CD, CD/DVD, vinyl and digital formats.

Guest musicians include Nightwish's Troy Donockley and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's Seana Davey, Rachel van der Tang and Clive Howard, who supply uilleann pipes and whistles, harp, cello and viola respectively.

Secrets Of Angels was recorded in Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios in Wiltshire, and at Quadra Studios in London. Check out the cover art and their upcoming tour dates here.



Papa Roach Frontman Talks New Album F.E.A.R
(TeamRock Radio) Papa Roach say they wouldn't be alive today if they had recorded in Las Vegas a decade ago. They headed to Sin City to lay down tracks for upcoming album F.E.A.R (Face Everything And Rise) which launches on January 27 via Eleven Seven Music - the follow-up to 2012's The Connection.

Frontman Jacoby Shaddix previously stated he was apprehensive about visiting Vegas because of his history with drugs and alcohol and feared he wouldn't be able to stay focused. And while he now says the experience was positive, he reckons they wouldn't be alive today if they had chosen to record material there when they were younger.

Shaddix tells Artisan News: "It was a very cool place to make a record. We all went there consciously knowing that we just want to focus on the music. I think if we made that record in Vegas 10 years ago, I don't know if we would have made it out alive. So I think we went there at the right time."

The frontman, who recently guested on Glamour Of The Kill track Out Of Control, also credits producers Kevin Churko and his son Kane for challenging them on the new album. Read more here.




Paul McCartney Pays Tribute To Joe Cocker
(TeamRock Radio) Paul McCartney has paid tribute to the late Joe Cocker by saying he'll be "forever grateful" to the singer for turning Beatles track With A Little Help From My Friends into a "soul anthem."

The Sheffield-born vocalist died last night at the age of 70 after a battle against lung cancer. While he scored a string of hits and a number of accolades in his career, he remains well-known for the 1968 rendition of the Fab Four song, which features Jimmy Page on guitar, BJ Wilson of Procol Harum on drums Tommy Eyre on organ.

McCartney says: "Joe was a lovely northern lad who I loved a lot, and like many people, I loved his singing. I was especially pleased when he decided to cover With A Little Help From My Friends. I remember him and Denny Cordell coming round to the studio and Saville Row and playing me what they recorded. It was just mind-blowing. He totally turned the song into a soul anthem, and I was forever grateful to him for doing that."

A number of other stars have also paid tribute to Cocker.




Heavy Metal Truants Charity Ride Returning For 3rd Event
(Prog) The next ride of the Heavy Metal Truants, a charity bicycle ride founded by Metal Hammer and TeamRock editor-in-chief Alexander Milas and Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood, is officially go. The ride, which benefits Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordoff Robbins, and Childline has raised a grand total of £167,000 to date, and everyone can join.

"This is about the rock and metal community uniting around a common cause and getting help to the people who need it most," says Milas. "The great thing about it is that it's also an awesome way to get fit, and anyone can join. And if I can do it, anyone can!"

The TeamRock-sponsored Heavy Metal Truants ride departs London on Wednesday, June 10th for a 161-mile bicycle journey through the English countryside, finishing at Download festival at midday on Friday June 12th. Read more here.






John Lennon or Paul McCartney? 550 Celebs Make Their Choice
(Radio.com) From dorm rooms to family reunions, crowded bars to podcasts, the question of John Lennon vs. Paul McCartney has been debated countless times, with only one thing for sure: Ringo Starr is probably the wrong answer (and George Harrison is maybe the most interesting take) when the subject of the best songwriter in the Beatles is broached.

Sacred Goose has produced a video with 550 celebrities weighing in on the topic over the past 10 years. For 30+ minutes, you can watch your favorite musicians, actors, and directors lay down their pick. Some answer quickly, some give explanations, some, like The Wallflowers' Jakob Dylan, simply say "nope."

Coming in on Team Lennon: The Fray, Aaron Eckhart, Jimmy Eat World, Childish Gambino, Aaron Paul, Adam Lambert, Charli XCX, Frightened Rabbit, and Gary Oldman.

And Team Macca? Aerosmith, Counting Crows, fun., Shirley Manson, Jason Priestly, and JJ Abrams.





Bernie Torme Terrified By Crowdfunding Success For New Album
(The Blues Bernie Torme admits the success of his crowdfunding campaign gave him a sense of terror at first. He asked fans to support the production of solo album Flowers And Dirt, his first studio project in 15 years.

But to his surprise, he secured the total he was looking for within a matter of days, and went on to bring in over four times what he'd originally asked for. Torme tells Sleazegrinder: "It became a double album, and I was thinking, 'Well - this is terrifying!' Because I really didn't expect to get the money at all.

"It was, 'You have to complete it.' That was great because it was just like the old days: it had to be finished. I found that really helpful because it was almost like having a gun being held to my head." Read more here.




Crazy Horse Guitarist Wants Band To Play Farewell Tour
(TeamRock Radio) Crazy Horse guitarist Frank 'Poncho' Sampedro would love Neil Young and Crazy Horse to play a farewell tour - but he doesn't think he can talk Young into it.

He's looking forward to retirement and says he's not worried about his life ending. But he accepts his colleague is a completely different type of person. Sampedro, 65, tells Uncut: "He's speeding up while the rest of us are slowing down. I feel as if I could walk out in front of my house and put up a sign that says 'mission accomplished.' But he doesn't feel that way.

"Here's the difference: Neil is ready to live until he's 100-and-something years old, and I think I'm going to die when I'm 73. I'm happy with it - I've abused myself so bad. It's cool; I've lived a great life."

The guitarist admits he doesn't know if any Crazy Horse activity is in the pipeline. But he says: "I certainly hope so. My hope is that Neil writes a bunch of songs and in January, February, we start recording, and we go on a big tour." Read more here.




21st Century Blues Documentary Released
(Classic Rock) Big Boy Bloater has put together an hour-long documentary for TeamRock Radio which investigates the blues scene. Produced by Pete Bailey, 21st Century Blues is available on demand now at TeamRock.com.

In the show, Big Boy Bloater takes an inside look at the blues scene today, how it got here, and why it's still relevant. The documentary features interviews from John Mayall, Jimmy Thomas and Mud Morganfield - the sons of Muddy Waters.

There are also appearances from the new breed of players like Joe Bonamassa, Marcus Bonfanti and Joanne Shaw Taylor - as well as a host of other stars form the blues world.

The documentary is a reflection of where the blues is at today, it's potential future, and why, after 100 years, people keep coming back to it. Read more here.




Foreigner Release Juke Box Hero Live Video
(Classic Rock) Foreigner have released a live version of the classic Juke Box Hero. Taken from the band's new collection The Best of Foreigner 4 & More, the original appeared on Foreigner 4, which sold nine million copies worldwide and spent more weeks on top of the Billboard charts than any artist in the history of Atlantic Records.

"Our music has touched a lot of people worldwide," says guitarist Mick Jones. "Unwittingly, we've weaved our music into the fabric of people's lives."

Singer Kelly Hansen says, "The idea for this recording came from the anniversary of the release as a way to celebrate. There are some tracks that were never previously performed live in this format, and it's great to be in a group with people who really 'get it' and understand how fortunate we are to be playing and performing such great material."

Today's Day in Rock News!

Phil Rudd Says He's Returning To AC/DC Despite Legal Problems
(Classic Rock) Phil Rudd has vowed he'll be behind the drumkit when AC/DC tour the world next year. He's on bail after being charged with threatening to kill and possession of drugs in November - and faces a jail term of up to seven years if he's found guilty.

But the 60-year-old tells One News that the charges are "ludicrous" and adds: "Everyone listens to the wrong people. They should listen to me. I'm a good guy - and a pretty good drummer, by the way. Ask Angus; he'll tell you."

He says of his current predicament: "This has just been a big ball of cheese, and all the rats are gathering and having a piece. That's just life. But that's not who I am."

He adds: "I'm going back to work with AC/DC - and I don't care who likes it and who doesn't." Read more here.




Rolling Stones Hint At 2015 Tour Plans
(TeamRock Radio) Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger has hinted the band are planning to follow up this year's touring with more shows in 2015. Their 29-date 14 On Fire trek launched in the United Arab Emirates in February before playing Japan, China and Singapore. A spring tour of Australia and New Zealand was moved to autumn following the sudden death of Jagger's girlfriend L'Wren Scott, who committed suicide on March 17.

There followed a summer run through Europe then the veteran outfit wrapped up in New Zealand last month - where they raised nearly US$20,000 for east London charity Community Links by auctioning a meet-and-greet at the final show.

Now Jagger says in a video message to fans: "We've had a fabulous time on the 14 On Fire tour this year. We played in 19 countries to well over one million people. Thanks for coming out to see us - and maybe we'll see you in 2015." Watch the video here.




Lynyrd Skynyrd Recording Album Concerts For DVD and TV
Southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd have announced that they will be recording two special hometown shows, where they will be performing their first two albums, for a new DVD and television special.

The band will be performing the special shows at the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, FL on February 12th and 13th. On the first night they will perform their 1973 debut album "Pronounced 'Leh-'nerd 'Skin-'nerd" which features the classic songs "Free Bird", "Tuesday's Gone," and "Simple Man".

The second night they will perform their 1974 album "Second Helping" which includes the anthem "Sweet Home Alabama". They also will be performing other classic songs during both shows, according to the Florida Times-Union.

There is no word yet when the band plan to release the live DVD or any additional details about the television special. Johnny Van Zant told the paper, "We've been wanting to go back and recreate these live records for a long time,

"We decided to come back to our hometown, Jacksonville, and play at the legendary Florida Theatre. Can't wait to rock it." Read their report here.





New Megadeth Supergroup Recruit Scar the Martyr Singer?
(Classic Rock) A new report suggests that former Megadeth members Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover have recruited ex-Scar the Martyr singer Henry Derek Bonner for their new band, but a member of the group says that the news didn't come from them.

The duo announced their departure from Megadeth last month within hours of each other and, this past week revealed they were working with an "awesome" new singer for the as-yet-unnamed project.

Blabbermouth broke the news of Bonner's addition to the lineup while fans await a formal announcement from the band. Drover has since responded to the story, telling Brave Words: "No idea where that came from. It didn't come from anybody in my camp. When we are ready, we will be making a full press release on everything."

Read more here.



Anthrax's Scott Ian Enters 'Rock Is Dead' Debate
(Classic Rock) Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian agrees with Gene Simmons that illegal downloading is responsible for the music industry's inability to support the development of new artists.

Simmons stated that rock is "dead" in a September interview with Esquire magazine, and the headlines generated by that statement overshadowed the specifics of his argument that the industry no longer has the ability to support new artists who need time and space to develop.

The Kiss bassist faced an immediate backlash from several artists, including Rob Halford, Slash, and Ian himself. The Anthrax guitarist now tells Ultimate Classic Rock: "There's a lot right in what Gene's saying. I disagree in the fact that I don't believe rock is actually dead. What he's saying about the industry will not allow for the next Led Zeppelin and things like that, I do agree with that, to an extent, because the industry is not what it was."

"There is no industry anymore that signs bands to develop them over a course of five records, like it was in the sixties, seventies and eighties, and then that all went away in the nineties. So for a band these days to get to make five albums until they… Bands don't sell records anymore, so the whole idea of that even is out the window; just the whole model has changed and it has to change, because people steal music now."

He continues: "If people still bought records, then maybe there would be labels that would be willing to spend the money to develop a band and allow a band or an artist to make five albums until they were selling gold, but it just doesn't exist anymore. And until people stop stealing music, it will never exist." Read more here.





The Scorpions Reveal New Album Details
(Classic Rock) The Scorpions will kick off their 50th anniversary celebrations in 2015 with the release of Return To Forever on February 23. The follow-up to 2011's covers album, Comeblack, marks the German outfit's first studio project in three years, during which time the group performed a farewell tour and made a decision to continue recording and performing because they simply had "too much fun" to call it quits.

The set comes on the heels of 2014's MTV Unplugged - Scorpions Live In Athens, a package compiled from three concerts in Athens, Greece at the city's Lycabettus Theatre last year.

Return To Forever features a variety of vintage Scorpions songs that were never completed back in the day. Guitarist Matthias Jabs explains: "We found tracks mainly from the Blackout and Love At First Sting days - which people consider our most creative and best time. They sound good but were never finished. They don't have lyrics or vocals, so we have to do everything new." Read more here.




In Flames Announce Tour With All That Remains and Wovenwar
In Flames have announced that they will be following up their tour with Opeth by launching a new North American headline tour leg next year with support from Wovenwar and All That Remains.

The band continues to support their latest album, "Siren Charms". The new trek is schedule to kick off on February 20th in Agoura Hills, Ca at the Canyon Club and will conclude on March 18th in Milwaukee.

In Flames' Anders Friden had this to say, "We are having such an amazing time being on tour in the U.S. and sharing our stage with our friends in Opeth that it's hard to believe how time flies and that there are only a few shows left this year.

"Therefore, its' even better to be able to announce that we'll be back at the beginning of 2015 to see all of you beautiful people again. Thanks to all of you for your support. You make us feel at home!"

Guitarist Bjorn Gelotte adds, "It's great to be back with Wovenwar. They did a great job supporting us in Europe. Therefore, we are looking forward to take them out again in their home territory.

"Having All That Remains joining us as the main support means we'll have a high energy package that we can't wait to come back to the U.S. with." Check out the tour dates here.




Flotsam and Jetsam Recruit Shadow's Fall Member
Flotsam and Jetsam have revealed that they have recruited Shadow's Fall drummer Jason Bitter to replace Kelly Smith, who is leaving the group to focus on his family.

Smith had this to say about his replacement, "In my opinion, Jason in one of only a couple of men on my short list for the job. Jason's an amazing all around drummer, a true professional, good friend, and solid stand up guy. I was humbled to hear that after first meeting Jason in 1988 in Boston that I had inspired him as a drummer."

New recruit Jason Bitter adds, "I have been a F&J fan for decades, following the band around the East Coast in the '80s and '90s. I've been lucky enough to be in the background of the F&J camp as a fan, supporter, and gear leader to my dear friend, Kelly David Smith.

"I am hard at work relearning all the classic Flotz material and can't wait to record and tour with the band in 2015. This will become my focus after the completion of the 2015 US Shadows Fall hiatus tour, which will happen Spring/Summer 2015. As they say… 'Flotz 'til death!' See you in Europe, in April".

The new lineup is preparing to begin recording their new album which they expect to release in April. Bass player Michael Spencer offered these details about the new effort, "The band already has over 20 songs in the works, so there's certainly no shortage of material to pick from.

"Conley, along with guitarist Michael Gilbert, have been engineering pre-production tracks for the album at their respective studios that include a few songs written during the No Place For Disgrace era of the band. There's a great, old school thrash vibe going on with the direction of the songs and what originally influenced the band, mixed with a little of what we like about today's sound, in metal.

"We've also just begun to look outside of the band for a producer to take this album to where we hear it sonically, so we'll see where that side of things goes."




Blink-182 Want To Try Something Different With New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Blink-182's Tom DeLonge says he wants to record the band's next album somewhere other than a studio. The band began rehearsals for the follow-up to 2011's Neighbourhoods in July. And the guitarist says they'll start recording as soon as they locate a suitable location and reveals they're looking to their untitled 2003 record for inspiration.

He tells Gigwise: "I'm not totally sure how it's going to work. The goal is to find an area or an environment that's different and not just a normal studio to be together as we architect the songs and inspire each other in ways that we did back in 2003.

"I think if we can pull off those few things we'll be in really really good shape. We've always done what we liked, and on the untitled record there was a lot of debate where we thought our fans wouldn't even like it. But I think we succeeded by sticking to what we wanted to do, and it turned out to be the one that the fans like the most." here.




Crippled Black Phoenix Future In Doubt After Public Feud
(Classic Rock) The future of Crippled Black Phoenix is in doubt after a public spat between band members. Founding member Justin Greaves says via Facebook that he is "retiring" the CBP name and brands guitarist Karl Demata a "thief" for, Greaves says, stealing the group's name from him.

The official CBP Twitter account posted a series of tweets attacking Demata, who replied to the accusations in a lengthy post on Facebook. It's not clear who runs the CBP account, which tweeted: "Karl Demata. Coward scumbag thief." Subsequent posts include: "Sad to say, CBP is done for now. The name was stolen from me and it'll take a while to prosecute. CBP will return hopefully soon."

The CBP Facebook page and website are both currently down. The band have just wrapped up a European tour in support of their recent album White Light Generator. Read more here.




Anathema's Daniel Cavanagh Launches Solo Pledge Drive
(Classic Rock) Founding Anathema man Daniel Cavanagh has launched a PledgeMusic campaign for his upcoming solo covers album Memory And Meaning. The 10-track record will pay tribute to artists who have influenced him over the years and includes his take on Pink Floyd's High Hopes, Fleetwood Mac's Big Love, Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill and U2's With Or Without You.

Those who pre-order via his PledgeMusic page will gain access to a range of incentives including album updates, signed CDs, merchandise and personalised re-recordings of classic Anathema songs.

Cavanagh says: "Like all musicians, I am part of a long chain of discovery, as influences are infused into our work and that in turn is passed on to the listener. Finally the time has come to pay tribute to a few of my key influences growing up." Read more here.




NOFX Announce UK Tour With Alkaline Trio
(TeamRock Radio) NOFX have confirmed a four-date UK tour for June and July next year, with support from Alkaline Trio. Fat Mike and co will play Birmingham, Newcastle, Leeds and London, with special guests to be announced.

Fat Mike recently announced plans for a punk musical called Home Street Home, accompanied by a 18-track soundtrack album to be launched in February.

He said: "Ever since I saw Rocky Horror when I was eight I've been intrigued by musicals. Well, not all musicals - just ones that break the mould. This is f***ing fun!" Check out the dates and ticket info here.




Joe Satriani Reveals 2015 G4 Experience Details
(Classic Rock) Joe Satriani heads up the 2015 edition of the G4 Experience, a five day guitar retreat in Southern California next summer. Satriani wrapped up his Unstoppable Momentum tour in Australia last month as he promoted his 2013 album. The spring saw the release of his autobiography, Strange Beautiful Music: A Musical Memoir, as well a retrospective 15-disc box set Joe Satriani: The Complete Studio Recordings.

Beyond his solo work, the guitarist has revealed demos have been completed for a third album by supergroup Chickenfoot - featuring Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith - and that he's optimistic more music will be made despite the challenges presented by the band members' individual schedules to move forward on the project.

On the heels of a summer 2014 edition of the G4 Experience, Satriani will be joined next summer by fellow instructors Tosin Abasi of Animals As Leaders, Guthrie Govan of The Aristocrats and Mike Keneally, alongside guests Andy Aledort, bassist Stu Hamm, Doug Doppler and Bruce Bouillet.

Satriani explains the concept of the retreat: "G4 brings together four guitar heroes from different sides of the musical spectrum and places them in a unique totally-immersive-music-camp environment with aspiring guitarists/musicians who are interested in learning from the best. Through live performances, jam sessions and clinics catering to all levels, the campers get to learn in an up-close and personal way with the focus on interaction between students and teachers." Read more here.




Aura Reveal New Album Details
(Prog) Italian prog outfit Aura have announced details of their first album in three years. Noise will launch on February 6 via Spider Rock Promotion and will be the follow-up to second studio outing Deliverance which was released in 2011.

The band say in a statement: "Noise represents a substantial turning of sound from Deliverance while retaining many of the elements that have always distinguished the band's sound.

"The turning points were determined primarily by the artistic maturity of the band members - you'll hear different influences with each listen: 70's rock to post rock, united in an amalgam of incredible arrangements moving Aura to pomp prog and art rock."

Check out the cover art and the track details here.




Leprous Working On New Album
(Prog) Leprous are back in the studio working on their fourth album and hope to release it in May, they've announced. Last month they wrapped up their Prog-sponsored UK and Ireland tour and are now working on the follow-up to 2013's Coal. And the band reveal they're doing things differently this time around.

They say in a statement: "We're super-stoked about the new material we have composed. It's not really Coal material, following our mantra about not making the same album twice.

"The writing process has been very different this time. Most of the music has been made by vocalist Einar Solberg on a computer, including almost all the guitar riffs - and Einar has no idea about how to play guitar - so the guitar players were up for a challenge." Read more here.




Immortal Get Sock Puppet Parody For Black Metal Christmas Song
(TeamRock Radio) Previously YouTuber SockPuppetParody has taken aim at Slayer and Rage Against The Machine, now they've created a special anti-festive video of Immortal.

Singing their very own black metal Christmas song (because why not?), Immortal are err immortalised as the most metal looking sock puppets on the planet.

Immortal have recently been in the headlines following legal disputes over the band's name. Check out the Sock Puppet Parody video of Immortal Christmas here.




Twin Atlantic Announce UK Arena Tour
(TeamRock Radio) Scots rockers Twin Atlantic have announced a short UK arena tour for next year. The band will play the biggest shows of their career in the four-date run across the country.

They say in a statement: "We are very excited to announce our biggest UK headline tour to date, taking place in May 2015. This year has been a milestone for our band - we've achieved things we never thought possible, and we've seen our band grow in places so far from home it's hard to comprehend.

"The release of our new album Great Divide opened up what we can do with our live show, and getting to play the album to everyone over the last few months has been so fulfilling. We've always been a band to constantly push ourselves in everything we do, so it feels right to end 2014 by pushing ourselves even further going into the New Year." Read more and see the dates here.




Nuno Bettencourt Says Playing With Rihanna Is Challenging
(Classic Rock) Nuno Bettencourt says playing guitar for pop superstar Rihanna is much more challenging than most people assume. The Extreme axeman has been part of Rihanna's touring band since 2009 and he says anyone who thinks it's an easy gig simply isn't listening closely enough.

Bettencourt tells Guitar Interactive: "Whatever people's perceptions are of whatever Rihanna is, it's definitely a different animal live - completely different. At first, even when I went to work with her, I was, like, 'Can she really sing?' A lot of times with the singers you hear now, there's a lot of that auto-tune element and you don't know who can really sing. But when I went to rehearsal, I could not believe how well she sang, and I could not believe how well she sings live.

"People ask me, 'Why would you do something that you can do with your eyes closed?' And it's a difficult gig. The hats that you have to wear, feel-wise - you go from a basic pop song like Umbrella to a reggae song to a club track to even, like, a punk song and R&B stuff.

"So the amount of different textures and feels, and to have to play along with these incredible musicians who hear everything, it's definitely not a punch-in-the-clock-type situation for me." Read more here.






Ozzy Osbourne Does Surprise Jam In Hollywood Club
(hennemusic) Ozzy Osbourne teamed up with cover band Royal Machines at The Roxy in Hollywood on Friday to perform a pair of his classic tracks and video from the performance has been posted online.

Ozzy delivered Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" and his signature 1980 solo smash, "Crazy Train", during the first of back-to-back nights for the group at the legendary venue.

Former known as Camp Freddy, Royal Machines features Billy Morrison (Billy Idol, The Cult), Chris Chaney (Jane's Addiction), Dave Navarro (Jane's Addiction), actor/musician Donovan Leitch, Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray) and Adrian Young (No Doubt).

The group's Christmas shows at The Roxy have become annual holiday season events, complete with a variety of guests. Check out the videos here.




Anthrax, Megadeth, Testament Stars Talk Black Sabbath's Heaven And Hell
The Mars Attacks Podcast have rebooted their Classic Albums Series with an all-star guest list (written and audio contributions) that look back at Black Sabbath's landmark 1980 release Heaven And Hell. The show sent over these details:

The episode features current and former members of Black Sabbath, Anthrax, Megadeth, Testament, Arch Enemy, Queensryche, Body Count, Guns 'N Roses discussing the album.

Artists such as Vinny Appice, Charlie Benante, David Ellefson, Glen Drover, Gene Hoglan, Steve Smyth, Sharlee D'Angelo, Michael Wilton, Ernie C and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, among others offer their views of the classic album.

Check out the comments and listen to the podcast here.




'Old, Creepy' Paul Stanley's Unaired Coffee Commercial Posted Online
(hennemusic) An unaired Folgers coffee commercial starring Paul Stanley of KISS filmed in 2000 has surfaced online. Stanley can be seen wandering around a circus tent while a trapeze artist flies high above and the KISS frontman sings the product's jingle.

"Life is strange," said Stanley in a 2000 interview. "I got a call asking if I was interested in singing a Folgers commercial. And, like many other things, I thought, 'Why not?' I wasn't at all concerned with who thinks it is okay or not okay, cool, not cool, rock 'n' roll or not. I had a blast doing it, and, like I said, isn't that what this is all about?"

Apparently the commercial was scrapped before it was broadcast. The uploader writes: "This commercial never aired because focus groups asked 'who is the old, creepy guy?' and the agency pulled it. Watch the ad here.




Marilyn Manson Releases Surreal Deep Six Video
Marilyn Manson has released a new music video for the song "Deep Six" which was directed by Bart Hess and comes from Manson's forthcoming album "The Pale Emperor".

The new album is scheduled to be released in North America on January 20th and it will be released in the UK on January 19th via Cooking Vinyl. Watch the video here.

As previously reported, Manson will be launching a North American tour in support of the effort the day after the album release. The "Hell Not Hallelujah Tour" will be kicking off on January 21st in Washington D.C. Check out the dates here.




Scorpions Streaming New Song 'We Built This House'
(hennemusic) The Scorpions are premiering "We Built This House", the lead single from their forthcoming album, "Return To Forever." The song is available now to fans who pre-order the album via iTunes or the band's webstore.

Due February 23 (Feb 24 in North America), "Return To Forever" features completed versions of leftover material from the early 1980s. "It will be material that was never finished," singer Klaus Meine revealed in 2013. "Songs with pure Scorpions DNA from a very exciting time."

The album's release will mark the start of the German rocker's 50th anniversary celebrations in 2015. The group recently unveiled the first series of dates for a 2015 tour, with shows starting May 8 in the Czech Republic. Stream the song and check out the tour dates here.




Foo Fighters Rock The Tonight Show
(hennemusic) The Foo Fighters performed their song "I Am A River" on NBC-TV's The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday. Recorded in New York, the song is the closing track on "Sonic Highways", which recently debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200 after opening week sales of 190,000 copies.

Produced by Butch Vig, the project was recorded in 8 American cities - Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

The Foo Fighters kick off a 2015 world tour next month with a series of shows in South America before playing dates in New Zealand and Australia in February.

A summer North American run starts July 4 at Washington's RFK Stadium before hitting 27 other cities across the continent. Watch the Tonight Show performance here.




Moetar Release Entropy Of The Century Video
(Prog) Moetar have issued a studio performance video of the title track to their second album, Entropy Of The Century. The follow-up to 2012's debut From These Small Seeds was launched in late summer, headed with a video for lead track, Regression To The Mean.

Bassist Tarik Ragab recently said: "When I began writing these songs I wanted them to form a narrative about the tumultuous political, economic, social and environmental landscape we are in - countered by the exciting advances in science and technology expanding our ideas about the nature of existence.

"I became interested in entropy, defined as a lack of order or predictability, where a system gradually declines into disorder. However, another way of seeing entropy is as a system transforming into a richer, more complex form, progressing beyond our understanding."

He adds: "The laws of thermodynamics also became a fascination for me, the idea that energy can't be created or destroyed. These two concepts and how they relate to our existence became a central theme for most of the songs that I wrote on this album."

Watch the video here.




Singled Out: Martin Callingham's Portland Square
Today Joyce The Librarian frontman Martin Callingham tells us about his single "Portland Square," which come from his forthcoming solo album "Tonight, We All Swim Free". Here is the story:

I've worked just around the corner from Portland Square for a few years now. And the studio where I recorded this track and the album it comes from is on the Square itself. I walk through it pretty much every day.

When I first moved to Bristol, maybe fifteen years ago, Portland Square was home to the homeless, to dealers and sex workers and to their customers. The Square and the streets surrounding it were a little edgy to say the least. But it was also a place where young, artistically minded folk could live cheaply. Today it is both the beneficiary and the victim of the gentrification of inner city Bristol. Where years ago squatters turned their noses up at derelict spaces on and around Portland Square, as I write this, there is a basement apartment for sale at an asking price of £665,000.

Another area rich in creativity, populated by musicians, artists, writers, DIY promoters of events is being slowly but surely eroded by market forces. The people that make an area desirable so often end up unable to continue living in it.

I wrote the song a couple of years ago and is loosely about how easy it can be to sleepwalk into prisons of our own design.

Tim Abrigg Jr. Rants/Raves:: Today's Day in Rock News!

Tim Abrigg Jr. Rants/Raves:: Today's Day in Rock News!: Today's Day in Rock Linkin Park Giving Away Their New Album The Hunting Party Christmas has come a little early for Linkin P...

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Linkin Park Giving Away Their New Album The Hunting Party
Christmas has come a little early for Linkin Park fans as the band has announced that they are offering a free download of their latest album, "The Hunting Party," for the next week.

The album is being offered as a free download to fans in the U.S. via Google Play until December 23rd. The online service is also selling other Linkin Park albums for just $1.99 each during the promotion. You can take advantage of both special deals here.

Many fans outside the U.S. shouldn't feel left out as Google Play are also offering deep discount prices on the band's entire catalog to fans in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, U.K., Germany, Italy, Australia, and France here.

Linkin Park will also be launching their North American The Hunting Party Tour early next year which will feature support from Rise Against and Of Mice & Men.

The arena tour is scheduled to kick off on January 15th in Orlando, FL at the Amway Center and will conclude on February 14th in Edmonton, AB at Rexall Place. Check out the tour dates here.



The Who Postpone Shows Due To Roger Daltrey Illness
The Who have been forced to postpone two of their concert this week that are part of their The Who Hits 50 tour after frontman Roger Daltrey came down with a throat infection.

The concerts were scheduled to take place tonight (December 17th) and tomorrow night at the O2 Arena but have been rescheduled to March 22nd and 23rd after Daltry was ordered to rest his voice by doctors.

The Who's camp issued this statement, "On medical advice singer Roger Daltrey has been ordered to rest his voice due to a throat infection. The band and their management wish to sincerely apologize to all ticket holders for the inconvenience and disappointment this has caused."

The O2 Arena dates are part of the band's current 50th anniversary tour. They are scheduled to launch the North American leg of The Who Hits 50 tour in mid-April.




Stevie Ray Vaughan Leads Next Batch Of Rock Hall Inductees
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble lead the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame class of 2015. After winning the public vote, the late blues legend and his group will be inducted next year.

Another late rock icon, Lou Reed, who had previously been inducted as a member of the Velvet Underground, will be inducted as solo artist. Other inductees for 2015 include the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Bill Withers, who had a string of hits in the 1970s and 1980s including the No. 1 "Lean On Me" and the No. 2 hit "Just The Two Of Us".

Beatles drummer Ringo Starr will also receive an honor for Award For Musical Excellence and R&B pioneers the 5 Royales will be present with the Early Influence Award.

Nine Inch Nails, who came in second in the public poll with 22.2% of the vote, won't be inducted next year, but Green Day who captured only 2.6% of the vote will. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts came in third in the vote and will also be inducted next year.




Misfits Reunion Possible If Danzig Has The Right Attitude
(TeamRock Radio) Misfits mainman Jerry Only says he would consider a reunion with Glenn Danzig if the singer promised to leave "his sh*t at home." Only's brother and former Misfits bandmate Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein said this month that he would welcome a reunion of the classic Misfits line-up and added that he was surprised it hadn't happened yet.

Any reconciliation between Danzig and Only looked dead in the water earlier this year when Danzig launched a legal action claiming Only cut him out of profits from the band's merchandise.

But Only now says all hope is not lost, as long as Danzig vows not to bring "the dark stuff to the table." Only tells Loudwire: "The thing is, I have an obligation to our fans. A lot of our fans are young and the thing is, we're a very positive organisation.

"If we bring Glenn back in and he's going to bring that dark, that real black stuff to the table, I don't want that. All the money in the world ain't gonna make me sell out my fans." Read more here.




Ace Frehley Thinks KISS Will Regret Not Playing Rock Hall Induction
(hennemusic) Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley says former bandmates Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons will regret their decision not to perform with him and original drummer Peter Criss at the band's induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame earlier this year.

"The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was a great experience for me," Frehley tells VH1. "We could have been inducted fifteen years earlier, but we finally got inducted this year, in April. I know there was a little controversy going on preceding the event. Originally we were asked to perform, and at the last minute Paul and Gene decided that they didn't wanna perform with me and Peter."

"Me and Peter were up for it," he continued. "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was insisting that only the four original members perform. Paul and Gene opted not to do it. After forty years, they couldn't give the fans fifteen minutes. Go figure. I think they're gonna regret that decision."

Stanley and Simmons have long maintained a fractured relationship with the music industry insiders who run both Rolling Stone and the Rock Hall, and have always questioned the validity of both brands. Read more and stream video here.




The Yardbirds' Current Lineup Breaking Up
(The Blues The current lineup of the Yardbirds is to split at the end of the year, drummer Jim McCarty has confirmed. He's the only member who remains from the iconic British outfit that's featured Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page among many others over the years.

Guitarist Ben King is to bow out after nine years, while frontman Andy Mitchell and bassist David Smale each end five-year stints. Second guitarist Anthony 'Top' Topham, who originally played with the band in 1963, returned last year.

McCarty says: "The Yardbirds, as a band, has continued to evolve through the years with great musicians playing all around the world. The current lineup will be parting ways at the end of the year. I would like to thank Ben, Andy, Dave and Top for all their support through the years." Read more here.




Rival Sons Forced To Stop Show After Two Songs
(TeamRock Radio) Rival Sons were last night forced to stop the final show of their UK tour after two songs. Frontman Jay Buchanan, who'd been feeling ill all day, told his bandmates he was unable to continue the concert at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.

The Californian outfit are now heading home - but they've apologized to fans and asked them to keep hold of their ticket stubs, which will be valid for a rescheduled show to be announced soon.

Guitarist Scott Holiday says: "We couldn't be more disappointed - it's the first time we've ever had to do this. We offer our extreme apologies. Jay was at an extreme deficit; just not well. He was completely unable to continue, or we would have." Read more here.




Sebastian Bach Claims He Beat Ozzy Osbourne On The Charts
(Classic Rock) Sebastian Bach says his latest solo album charting higher in its first week than Ozzy Osbourne's recent 'best of' is a major milestone in his career. The former Skid Row frontman released Give 'Em Hell in April and it reached number 72 on the Billboard chart, while Ozzy's Memoirs Of A Madman landed at number 90 in its first week after being released in October.

Bach says his album "sold more" than Ozzy's effort in week one, however according to Blabbermouth, Give 'Em Hell sold 4000 copies while Memoirs Of A Madman sold 4200.

Bach tells the Illinois Entertainer: "My ultimate dream in rock 'n' roll when I was fired from Skid Row in 1996 was to possibly some day be like Ozzy Osbourne, in that he came up with Sabbath and then had a successful solo career.

"Give 'Em Hell sold more copies the first week out than the new Ozzy Osbourne record." Read more here.




Of Mice & Men Set Release For Restoring Force: Full Circle
Of Mice & Men have announced that they will be releasing a double-disc deluxe reissue of their "Restoring Force" album that will feature new tracks, on February 24th.

Dubbed "Restoring Force: Full Circle" the foil-stamped digipack will include the original studio album as well as three new tracks and an acoustic version of the hit single "Feels Like Forever."

The band called on David Bendeth (Paramore, Bring Me The Horizon) to produce the new tracks, "Broken Generation," "Something To Hide," "Never Giving Up" and the unplugged version of "Feels Like Forever."

Fans will also be able to catch the band live early next year when they hit the road with Linkin Park for their North American arena tour on January 15th in Orlando, FL.

Of Mice & Men will also be taking part in next year's Soundwave Festival in Australia and in early March they will head to Europe to kick off their headlining tour in Paris. Check out the tour dates here.





Def Leppard Taking Advantage Of Technology To Make New Album
(Classic Rock) Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen believes there's no need for the band to spend big money on recording their upcoming album together every step of the way.

He argues that his two visits to singer Joe Elliott's studio in Ireland, combined with additional work in his home in the US, provide everything that's needed to complete the project to their satisfaction.

The band's 1987 masterwork Hysteria is thought to have been one of the most expensive recording projects in history on its release. But there's not much chance of the band repeating the feat.

Allen tells The Pulse Of Radio: "I've been to Joe's place on two occasions for extended periods. We've got a good 16 to 17 songs that, when I left, were 80, 85% done. I think I'm pretty much done with my parts."

Asked whether all five members of the band will get together over the final stages, he replies: "I don't think we need to go into that kind of expense. With technology these days, it's fantastic." Read more here.



Jimmy Page Ready To Surprise People With New Material
(Classic Rock) Jimmy Page has talked to Classic Rock in a new interview video about revisiting Led Zeppelin's studio works, the great analogue vs digital war, and new beginnings.

"I'm playing guitar at the moment", says Page. "Because I'm getting ready. Whatever I do, I don't want people to have made up their minds before I've done it.

"On the internet, people are telling me, 'you're doing this, and you're doing that', and I'm 'Am I?' Just wait and see what I do. I've got new material, and it will be surprising."

In May, Page admitted that it was time to play live again, and in October hinted that the show night be a career-spanning retrospective. Watch the interview clip here.




L.A. Guns, Poison, Cinderella Supergroup Launch PledgeMusic Drive
(Classic Rock) Supergroup Devil City Angels have made their upcoming debut album available to pre-order. The group featuring former L.A. Guns guitarist Tracii Guns, Poison sticksman Rikki Rockett, Cinderella bassist Eric Brittingham and Cheap Thrill vocalist Brandon Gibbs, have launched a PledgeMusic page offering a range of incentives to those who purchase the album now ahead of its planned 2015 release.

They say: "After years of hits with our other bands, we've joined forces to create exciting new rock music for you. We are recording our debut album with the band this winter and we're set up in a big old house in LA."

Exclusives available include a signed copy of the album, T-shirt and poster bundles, an autographed drum head and sticks, a personal video message from the band and a private martial arts lesson from Rockett, who is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Read more here.




Pink Floyd Classic Named The Leading Song For Surgery
(Classic Rock) Pink Floyd classic Comfortably Numb is one of a handful of songs recommended for surgeons as they lead medical operations. But a study by Cardiff University Hospital says Queen's Another One Bites The Dust, Bob Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door and REM's Everybody Hurts should be avoided.

While the suggestions are light-hearted, they're backed up by a serious study that's found four out of five operations are carried out while staff listen to music.

The report in the British Medical Journal says it "improves communication between staff, reduces anxiety and improves efficiency." And surgeons who listen regularly say it helps them increase performance and helps them focus.

Check out the recommended and the not recommended lists here.





Dying Fetus Planning Their Next Album
(TeamRock Radio) Dying Fetus will begin recording a new album next spring, drummer Trey Williams says. Williams says fans can expect the usual blend of "brutal, slam and death metal" and "social commentary" on the follow-up to 2012's Reign Supreme.

He tells My Global Mind: "Hopefully in the early spring we can get into the studio and start recording. Nobody has any concepts or anything. Just evolving the Dying Fetus sound a little bit. Not too drastically, but you know - add a couple of new slams into our repertoire and a couple of new technical parts.

"I think our fans know what they're going to get out of us when they buy a Dying Fetus album. You're going to get technical, brutal, slam and death metal with a double vocal attack, and we're going to bring that again." Read more here.




The Movielife Reuniting
(TeamRock Radio) The Movielife frontman Vinnie Caruana and guitarist Brandon Reilly have confirmed a reunion - and they plan to appear in the UK next year. The pop punk outfit originally split in 2003 then returned briefly in 2011. They've only announced one show so far, at New York's Irving Plaza on February 7, but more are to come.

Caruana has created a mission statement which reads: "We, as friends and lovers of music, have found that we would all like to play shows together again as The Movielife. We bear no news of a new record nor are we planning a six-month world tour. The Movielife is alive."

Caruana tells Noisey: "When me and Brandon spend time together, sometimes The Movielife comes up and sometimes it doesn't - but this time it did.

"We'd reached this point in our lives where we can be at peace and be happy, and we feel right about it for the first time in a very long time." Read more and see who else is involved in the reunion here.





The Who's 50th Birthday Bash Items Up For Auction
(TeamRock Radio) Teenager Cancer Trust are auctioning a number of items of memorabilia collected at The Who's 50th birthday tribute show at Shepherd's Bush Empire.

Items include a Gibson guitar signed by Eddie Vedder and Roger Daltrey and a signed tambourine, both of which come from Eddie's collection and were used on the night.

Other items include a guitar signed by Wilko Johnson and Daltrey, signed programmes, and a Vespa helmet signed by every artist including Liam Gallagher, Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, Tom Odell, Ricky Wilson and Rizzle Kicks. Read more here.




Anneke van Giersbergen Exited About Reuniting With The Gathering
(TeamRock Radio) Anneke van Giersbergen says her recent stage reunion with The Gathering couldn't have gone any better. The singer left the group in 2007 and embarked on a successful solo career. But for their 25th anniversary in November, The Gathering asked all of their previous members to take part in a one-off reunion show in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

She tells Carl Begai: "The first time we saw each other again we went out for sushi and the second time we were already talking about doing the anniversary show. It happened all at once.

"And the rehearsals were super weird. I did one rehearsal with them and we did songs like Saturnine and Strange Machines, which I've been doing in my solo shows for the past eight years, but when we did the songs together the guys were playing them and moving the way they did 10 years ago." here.

More on The Gathering - The Gathering Music, DVDs, Books and more - The Gathering T-shirts and Posters - The Gathering Tour Dates/Tickets
Galahad Celebrating 30th Anniversary With Remixed, Remastered Reissue
(Prog) Galahad will release a remixed, remastered version of 2007 album Empires Never Last as part of their 30th anniversary celebrations next year. The new version, completed by Karl Groom, launches on January 5 and comes with additional alternative versions of the tracks Termination and This Life Could Be My Last.

Empires Never Last: The Deluxe Edition is accompanied by a seven-song disc called Empires: A Curious Companion, featuring demos, unused ideas and pieces issued as downloads from the Galahad website.

Further releases are planned for 2015. The band report: "We're making good progress re-arranging a section of older tracks to be included on When Worlds Collide - a name we thought very apt as it'll be partly a collision of new recordings of old songs. Recording will commence shortly." here.





Eric Singer Can't See KISS Continuing Without Paul and Gene
(TeamRock Radio) KISS drummer Eric Singer has no interest in being part of the band without Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. The mainman have frequently discussed the possibility of passing their onstage characters to younger replacements - and frontman Stanley said in October that the outfit would live on long after him.

But Singer tells The Cassius Morris Show: "If Gene and Paul aren't in Kiss, I don't think I have much interest in being in Kiss. I'm not saying it's not possible - but I doubt it will be with me. I don't think I would want to do that.

"To me, Gene and Paul have always been the main cogs in the machinery. I've been around this band for 25 years, I've seen fans of all eras and all incarnations of the band. But for me, the one constant has always been Gene and Paul." Read more here.



Michael Stipe Plans to Sing Again But Not With R.E.M.
(TeamRock Radio) Former R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe says he'll sing again but it won't be with his old bandmates. The band split in 2011 and the singer has been quiet since. But he reveals seeing other artists live makes him want to perform again on stage.

He tells CBS: "When I go to see bands perform live, that's when it's hard for me. I look up on the stage and think, 'I wish I was there.' But I did that for 31 years. I gave everything I had to it - I gave myself completely and I just needed to step away for a while. I think I'll sing again."

He gives no indication when that's likely to happen but ruled out a reunion with Peter Buck, Bill Berry and Mike Mills. Stipe adds: "No, it will never happen. There's no point. I love those guys very much and I respect them hugely as musicians and as songwriters. But I just don't want to do that thing that people do. I despise nostalgia."

Read more and stream the video interview here.





Marilyn Manson Loved And Hated 'Sons of Anarchy' Gig
(Radio.com) Marilyn Manson both loved and loathed his time on Sons of Anarchy. The rocker, who appeared on the show for multiple episodes during its final season, told KROQ (a CBS Radio station) that while he enjoyed portraying Ron Tully, a white supremacist, on the series, one thing really bummed him out.

"Spoiler alerts," he said. "I knew what was going to happen. So I would only try to read my part." As he's previously noted, when taking the role, he did so knowing it'd make his father happy, since he was a fan of the show.

"I thought the show is so much about that father-son relationship and I just wanted to do something to make my dad happy, and I just thought I was gonna get a song on the show," Manson said, noting that his mom had died shortly after the news. But Katey Segal, wife of showrunner Kurt Sutter, had other plans.

"She said, 'Do you want to act?' and I said, 'yeah, that would be amazing,'" Manson recalled. "That was earlier in the meeting, when I was sort of worried about my father because he was also ill and I was trying to cheer up my dad. This is before my mother had died. So I went to Ohio because my mother had died and I got the phone call that I was going to be on the show. I said, 'Dad, guess what, I'm going to be on the show. Guess what, I'm going to play the head of the Aryan Brotherhood. Guess what, I get paid for it. Guess what, I'm in every scene, every episode that I know of.'"






AC/DC's Brian Johnson and Angus Young Discuss Upcoming Tour
(hennemusic) AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson and guitarist Angus Young say they're looking forward to hitting the road next year for a world tour in support of their new album, "Rock Or Bust."

"I think more than ever, this tour I'm looking forward to it a bit more than, I think, any other," Johnson tells BBC Radio 2's The Chris Evans Breakfast Show.

"I don't know if it's 'cause of my age and just enjoying things that I maybe took for granted once, that you just know it's a special time. It's been 40 years, and just to get out there again, and see if you can do it. You've gotta prove it to yourself that you can do it."

Angus Young had this to say, "Yeah, I do. I enjoy it. Probably, for myself, 'cause I was very young when I started. I'm just used to it. It's the life I know."

The band recently revealed the first series of dates for the trek, with a European run set to launch May 5 in Arnhem, Netherlands; a mix of arena and stadium shows are scheduled into late July with more dates expected to be announced soon. Stream the full interview here.




Lynyrd Skynyrd Rock Sweet Home Alabama On The Voice Finale
(hennemusic) Lynyrd Skynyrd performed their classic, "Sweet Home Alabama", with country rocker Craig Wayne Boyd on the Season 7 finale of NBC's The Voice on Tuesday.

Boyd went on to claim the title as fans voted him the winner of the show's latest season, finishing ahead of finalists Matt McAndrew, Chris Jamison and Damien.

The finale featured guest performances by Fall Out Boy, Jennifer Hudson, Jessie J, Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars, Hozier, Ed Sheeran and Meghan Trainor.

Boyd's win delivers coach Blake Shelton his fourth title in seven seasons. Check out video of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Boyd's performance here.




Bob Seger Makes Rare Appearance On Late Night TV
(hennemusic) Rock legend Bob Seger was a featured guest and performer on The Late Show with David Letterman on Monday and video from the appearance had been posted online.

Seger joined the host for a chat before playing "All Of The Roads" from his latest album, "Ride Out." Seger's first studio album in 8 years is the follow-up to 2006's "Face The Promise."

The Detroit rocker will wrap up the first leg of his North American tour in support of the project on Friday with a show at New York's Madison Square Garden; the second leg launches January 20 in Toledo, Ohio.

Check out video of the interview and the performance here.




Wednesday 13 Releases Keep Watching The Skies Lyric Video
(TeamRock Radio) Wednesday 13 has just unveiled a new lyric video for Keep Watching The Skies - taken from his upcoming full-length Monsters Of The Universe; Come Out & Plague.

Set for release on 12th January 2015, _Monsters Of The Universe; Come Out & Plague _will be available via Cargo Records on both CD and double vinyl. As well as a new album, Wednesday 13 and his cohorts are touring the UK in March next year.

Speaking about the forthcoming tour, Wednesday 13 says: "We have re-vamped and re-charged everything that had become Wednesday 13 over the years, especially for this new tour. The look, the stage and the sound will be on a new level this time around.

"Along with all of this, we have added an additional member to our live show too, keyboardist/percussionist, Kyle Castronovo. I really can't wait to get out and play this new album live! We are so proud of it, so get ready earthlings... the Monsters are coming!"







Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer Gets Prog Makeover
(TeamRock Radio) Hungarian prog metal band Ad Astra have released a video to accompany their cover of Peter Gabriel classic Sledgehammer. It's their second take on the former Genesis frontman's 1986 hit single after it first appeared as a bonus track on their 2012 album Open Wide.

Ad Astra explain: "Although we're still having a relaxed songwriting and gig free period, we've finished the video. The audio track receive a facelift in terms of vocal, sound and mastering to make it heavier than ever before."

Sledgehammer, from Gabriel's So album, reached number one in the US and Canada, and number four in the UK. Its memorable animated video won a string of awards, including nine gongs at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards.






Periphery Streaming New Song '22 Faces' Online
(TeamRock Radio) Periphery have streamed their track 22 Faces from Juggernaut: Alpha, one record in a twin release due next month. The complex concept album appears alongside Juggernaut: Omega on January 26 via Century Media.

The band have designed the pairing so that their music and plot aren't over-simplified by trying to compress too much into one record. They recently explained: "Although the albums are split in two physically, the story is only complete when the albums are digested consecutively. This allows the listener to recognise and hear the lyrical and musical overlapping themes."

Periphery return to the UK for three shows with Devin Townsend in March, followed by their own headline show in London. Check out the tour dates and stream the new song here.




Toundra Release Animated Video For Oro Rojo
(TeamRock Radio) Toundra have launched an animated video for their track Oro Rojo, from upcoming album IV, which will be released on January 26 via Superball. Toundra will also tour the UK in February.

The Spanish instrumental outfit's eight-track record tells the story of two foxes escaping from a forest fire, as a metaphor for humanity's effect on the environment. Oro Rojo ("Red Gold") is the final piece.

They say of Jorge Garcia Escalona's video: "We always thought the track would be a good for a video, and we're huge fans of Jorge's work. We knew he was the perfect person to envision what we had in mind - and it's obvious we were right."






Unreal City Release Lo Schermo Di Pietra ('The Screen Of Stone') Video
(Prog) Italian outfit Unreal City have launched a video for their track Lo Schermo Di Pietra ("The Screen Of Stone") taken from their second album, out next month.

Titled Il Paese Del Tramonto ("The Country Sunset"), it's to be launched on January 15 via AMS Records. The follow-up to 2013 debut La Crudelta Di Aprile ("The Cruelty Of April") is their first with new drummer Andrea Gardani, who replaced Federico Bedostri in September.

Earlier this year the band launched a crowdfunding appeal to help support a European tour - and although it fell short of its target they've lined up five dates across mainland Europe starting in February. More shows will be announced in due course.