Today's Day in Rock
Queen To Make Big Announcement
As expected, Queen will be making a big announcement next week with Adam Lambert. Recently rumblings from the Queen camp suggest that the band will be embarking on a tour with the American Idol runner-up as lead vocalist.
Queen and Lambert have announced that they will be holding a special event at Madison Square Garden in New York City next Thursday, according to ABC News Radio, who assume that the event ties in with "some kind of concert event or series."
The event announcement follows Queen guitarist Brian May's comments to Radio 2 host Steve Wright earlier this month. "We've been talking to Adam Lambert, you know we've already done some gigs with Adam, who is amazing," he said.
"We are ongoing, we can't help it. I think we all protested too much in the sense when Freddie went and we didn't want to talk about it and didn't want to be Queen for a while."
"But after a while," he continued, "you realize that people wanna hear the songs and see us do things. So, no matter what you call it, Roger and I do do stuff, and I think we'll be doing some more stuff this summer in fact, probably in the States."
Queen's previous performances with Lambert include the legendary band joining the singer during the American Idol finale where Lambert was the runner-up to Kris Allen.
Unreleased Led Zeppelin Tapes Going Up For Sale
(hennemusic) Unreleased studio mixes from the recording sessions for Led Zeppelin's 1975 double-album, "Physical Graffiti", are going up for sale next month, and Amherst, New Hampshire-based RR Auction has posted an audio preview for interested buyers.
The auction house will sell the tapes - from the collection of audio engineer Ron Nevison - as part of its Marvels Of Modern Music auction, which runs March 13 - 20.
Led Zeppelin recorded the "Physical Graffiti" tracks in the Ronnie Lane Mobile Studio that Nevison designed in an Airstream trailer. "Nevison's Physical Graffiti tapes provide a window into the creative process behind one the greatest albums ever produced," says RR Auction VP Bobby Livingston. "An absolutely remarkable piece of modern music history."
Read more and listen to some samples here.
Slash Shoots Down Guns N' Roses Movie Idea
(hennemusic) Despite turning movie producer with the release of last year's "Nothing Left To Fear", guitar icon Slash says he doesn't want to see a biopic made about his former band, Guns N' Roses.
"I would not like to see a Guns N' Roses biopic," Slash tells the Belfast Telegraph. "It's really rare where you see actors portraying live musicians (well). I don't think rock and roll translates in the movies, I don't think they really get the gritty vibe of what it's like."
Slash played his last show with Guns N' Roses at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina on July 17, 1993 and officially left the band in 1996. more on this story
Slipknot To Begin Work On Different Kind Of Album
(TeamRock Radio) Slipknot will start studio sessions for their fifth album in the next few days, frontman Corey Taylor has confirmed. And he's revealed the main subject of the record will be the band's own history.
Last night they blacked out their official website and Facebook page, and published an empty black square on their Instagram account at the same time.
It marks the beginning of the end of a long wait for fans after Slipknot's career was thrown off course by the death of bassist Paul Gray in 2010. Last year they made the surprise announcement that they'd split with drummer Joey Jordison - a move that "shocked" the sticksman.
Now Taylor tells Kerrang the band have 17 demos to take into the studio with them, adding: "I've written lyrics for everything we have right now, and it's feeling pretty good.
"It feels like the story of the band so far, which is a totally different take on what I've been used to writing with Slipknot," he said. "But I think, because of everything we've been through, it's time to tell that story." more on this story
Ritchie Sambora Questions Bon Jovi's Legitimacy Without Him
(Classic Rock) Richie Sambora has suggested Bon Jovi aren't the real deal without him - although he accepts frontman Jon Bon Jovi doesn't agree. The guitarist says his departure from the band was his own decision. And he admits he's found it frustrating being seen a less important member than the singer.
tells the Herald Sun: "It was an unpopular decision with the fans and the band, but sometimes a man's got to do for his family. It certainly didn't come down to money - it's something I needed to do for my family and myself."
Sambora says of his absence: "At the end of the day, if you're going to buy a can of Coke you want the real thing. I know Mick Jagger wouldn't tour without Keith Richards and call it the Rolling Stones. Jon just has a different mentality." more on this story
Don Airey Streams New Song Featuring Gary Moore
(Classic Rock) Don Airey has released a stream of Mini Suite, a seven-minute, three-movement solo track which features some of the last recorded work by late guitarist Gary Moore.
It's taken from Airey's album Keyed Up, available now via Music Theories Recordings. The 12-track release includes further guest spots from vocalist Graham Bonnet, guitarist Simon McBride, bassist Alex Meadows and drummer Tim Goodyer.
His band features Primal Scream drummer Darrin Mooney, Jamiroqai guitarist Rob Harris, vocalist Carl Sentance and bassist Laurence Cottle - and every musician played their contributions live in Chapel Studios in Lincolnshire.
"The album was laid down live; no overdubs, no redoing - and we don't do filesharing," Airey says. "Being in a band like Deep Purple should be enough, but I need another outlet. There are wonderful musicians on this record. I call them 'the band that never was', as it's a true pleasure to work together, but opportunities are so limited." Listen to it here.
Deep Purple's Made In Japan Remastered For Massive Reissue
Deep Purple's landmark live album "Made In Japan" has been remastered and is set to be re-released in multiple formats on May 19th by Universal Music.
The reissue will be available in different versions including a Limited Edition Super Deluxe 4 CD+DVD+7" box set and Limited-Edition Super Deluxe 9LP box set.
It will also be offered in a Deluxe Edition 2CD version, a two disc 180g LP version, Blu-ray Pure Audio, HD Download, MFiT and in a standard digital format.
"Made In Japan" was recorded during Deep Purple's concerts at Festival Hall in Osaka and Budokan, Tokyo on August 15-17, 1972 and featured the classic lineup of the group: Ian Gillan (vocals), Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Roger Glover (bass), Jon Lord (organ) and Ian Paice (drums).
Rob Zombie Announces U.S. Tour Dates
Rob Zombie revealed that he will be performing in a dozen U.S. cities this spring with the announcement of several music festival appearances and solo headline dates.
Zombie will kick things off at the Fort Rock festival in Fort Myers, FL on April 26th and will also perform at the Welcome to Rockville festival in Jacksonville, FL the next day and at the Carolina Rebellion festival in Charlotte on May 3rd.
His headline dates will begin on April 28th in Atlanta and includes stops in Myrtle Beach, Birmingham, Louisville, Richmond, Baltimore, Port Chester, Providence and will conclude on May 10th in Camden, NJ. more on this story
Down Announce New EP and North American Tour Dates
Metal supergroup Down has revealed that they will be continuing their EP series with the release of "Down IV - Part Two" on May 13, 2014 and have announced North American tour dates.
"We wanted to back up our word as far as releasing these EPs," says frontman Philip Anselmo. "Everybody was fixated on that. This is the shortest period of time between our releases, and every one stepped it up and upped his game."
Anselso says that Pepper Keenan, Jimmy Bower, Pat Bruders, and Kirk Windstein's replacement Bobby Landgraf "all contributed some excellent riffs. Having all of this fresh input makes for a different listen and a new perspective on what Down should and does sound like. All of that yields a unique record off the bat."
Anselmo had this to say about the band's latest addition Landgraf, "He was immediately at home. Bobby had always been that guy in case of anything. Knowing his personality, he really locked in with what we do and took it to heart. He made himself belong.
"Honestly, the first day he came down he contributed a very strong riff to a key song. There's that Southern element, which is imperative. I also catch a real old heavy metal vibe from this record. I can't stress this enough. He took it all on, and he did a f***ing awesome job."
Keenan adds, "Even with the lineup differences, it's interesting how the songs still sound very Down. Bobby and I have always locked in. It's not just physically either, but mentally as well. We see eye-to-eye, and he's been watching for a long time."
And Landgraf had this to say, "It was a big deal for me. I drove ten hours up from Texas that first day, cracked a beer, and plugged in. We jumped right into the room, and I played this part. They all smiled. That was the moment for me. I'm a longtime fan, and I knew we were friends, but being a part of the writing and working towards something together was just incredible. As a guitar player, one of my goals was to be in a group like this. I want to make everyone proud."
The band will be hitting the road to support the new EP. They have announced that they will be touring North American with headline dates and shows with Black Label Society and Devil You Know. more on this story
Bill Wyman Added To Albert Lee Birthday Show
(The Blues Bill Wyman has been confirmed as one of the special guests who'll perform at two shows celebrating Albert Lee's 70th birthday. The Rhythm Kings leader will join a host of big names.
The special guests include including Gary Brooker, Dave Edmunds, Andy Fairweather Low, Joe Brown, Chas and Dave, Gary US Bonds, Marty Wilde, Bruce Welch, Chris Farlowe, Brian Bennett, Shakin' Stevens, Ralph McTell, The Robert Wells Trio and others.
Lee - who regularly tours as a member of the Rhythm Kings - will mark his milestone at the Cadogan Hall in London on March 1 and 2, with a different lineup on each night.
The first show is hosted by Whispering Bob Harris and the second by Mike Read. Advance tickets have sold out but more will be made available just ahead of the events. more on this story
Video From Rolling Stones Japanese Tour Kick Off Goes Online
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones brought their 14 On Fire Tour to Japan this week, where they played the first of three shows at the Tokyo Dome on Wednesday, and video from the event has surfaced.
Starting with their 1965 hit, "Get Off Of My Cloud", the Stones rocked the sold-out crowd with a twenty-song set that included the fan-voted track, "Bitch."
"Loved the opening show at the Tokyo Dome last night!," posted Mick Jagger. "There were some great costumes! Hope my Japanese is better next show!"
The Stones will play two more sold-out dates at the Tokyo Dome next Tuesday and Thursday before heading to Macau, Shanghai, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. Watch the video here.
Bigelf Giving Away New Song
(Classic Rock) Bigelf are giving away their track Alien Frequency free of charge, ahead of the release of highly anticipated fourth album Into The Maelstrom next week.
Mainman Damon Foxrecently described how he was close to giving, up until he made contact with drummer Mike Portnoy who wound up becoming part of the project. He told Classic Rock's sister title Prog:
"I had been keeping in close touch with Mike after his very public and difficult departure from Dream Theater. My musical future seemed quite bleak and I was very vocal to Mike about not being able to sustain the band any longer on my own.
"He implored me to carry on. His encouragement and enthusiasm meant the world to me. Recognising that I needed some new allies, I asked him if he would help fight the good fight - and he readily agreed."
Check out a behind the scenes video and grab the download link here.
Anthrax's Scott Ian Explains KISS Not Playing Rock Hall Induction
(hennemusic) Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian has come out in support of the decision by KISS members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons to pull the plug on a live performance at the band's upcoming induction into the 2014 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
"Look, I've got Gene Simmons tattooed on my leg, so whatever Gene says is what goes," Ian tells WMMS Cleveland's Rover's Morning Glory show while promoting his spoken-word tour, "Speaking Words." "I'm a fan, just like everyone else, and would I wanna see, if I was going… I'm not going to the Hall Of Fame thing, so would I wanna see the four original dudes back in makeup one more time? Of course I would, as a fan. But bands don't do things dictated by what the audience wants. A band would last about a year if that's how you worked. You have to do things the way you wanna do them."
"KISS has been around for 40 years and are bigger now than they were in 1977 because Gene and Paul make smart business decisions - that's why," continued Ian. "So, as a fan, and if you love them, you have to abide by the decisions that Gene and Paul are making for their brand and their band. So, why people get so upset over these things, I really don't understand. Like, if they decided they were playing with [current KISS members] Tommy [Thayer] and Eric [Singer], so fine. That's what they're doing. This is their band. This has been the lineup for a long time now."
"I get it - those two guys [Tommy and Eric] aren't the guys who are getting into the Hall Of Fame [with Paul and Gene], it's Ace and Peter… you know, I get it," summed up the guitarist. "So I think they made the right decision now by saying, 'We're just not gonna play. You can't please everybody. We're just gonna shut it down and just not do it.' I get it. I understand." more on this story
Crowbar Confirm New Album For 25th Anniversary
(TeamRock Radio) Crowbar have confirmed the release of Symmetry In Black, their tenth album, marking the band's 25th anniversary. It's to be launched on May 26 via Century Media Records
: "We're so proud and excited about what we have accomplished with this record - the focus, determination and attitude in the band is at an all-time high," says Kirk Windstein. "We're 100% ready to get this juggernaut rolling and never touch the brakes again. Crowbar will not be stopped."
Windstein says of the band hitting the quarter-century mark: "It's an amazing feeling to be putting all my energy and focus into something I created 25 years ago." more on this story
Duane Allman Memoir Written By His Daughter Coming Next Week
(Gibson) On Monday (March 3), a new memoir about the life of late Allman Brother Band guitarist Duane Allman penned by Duane's daughter, Galadrielle, will hit stores.
In the memoir, called Please Be with Me: A Song for My Father Duane Allman, Galadrielle opens up about her life as the daughter of the prominent musician, who died in a motorcycle crash when she was only two years old. Galadrielle also shares personal stories and new details about her father that she has gathered from years of talking with family members, his band mates and close friends.
Please Be with Me: A Song for My Father Duane Allman will be available as both a hardcover book and as an ebook. Galadrielle previews the 400-page memoir in a video trailer posted on YouTube, stating, "Duane Allman's story is more than a tragedy, it's a true romance. He fell in love with his guitar and gave his heart away."
She added, "I dreaded pursuing his story as a reporter would, asking uncomfortable questions and following every lead. I couldn't imagine interviewing my family, but I knew that if I didn't, I would never be satisfied."
For Galadrielle, writing the book was a healing experience. "Learning about him changed my life completely," she said. "A missing piece that I thought could only be had by knowing him has been returned to me, assembled from all the gathered fragments word by word." more on this story
Eddie Vedder Joins Bruce Springsteen for AC/DC Classic
(hennemusic) Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder joined Bruce Springsteen in Brisbane, Australia Wednesday night for a cover of the AC/DC classic, "Highway To Hell", and video of the performance is available.
The Brisbane show marked the final date of Springsteen's Australian tour in support of his new album, "High Hopes", and the second time Vedder joined the rocker on the trek for the AC/DC track - they also played it in Melbourne on February 15.
Vedder wrapped up a solo tour of the country last weekend, following recent shows there with Pearl Jam. Springsteen now moves on to New Zealand for a pair of concert this weekend. Watch video of the jam here.
Asia Release Preview of New Album Gravitas
(hennemusic) Rock supergroup Asia are previewing their forthcoming new album, "Gravitas", with the release of a behind-the-scenes video package on the project.
Produced and written by John Wetton and Geoff Downes, "Gravitas" introduces the band's new guitarist, Sam Coulson, who replaced Steve Howe last year following his return to the Yes lineup.
Scheduled for release on March 5th (Japan), March 21st (Europe). and March 25th (North America), "Gravitas" will be available in two configurations: a standard CD and a Deluxe Edition, that will include two bonus tracks and a DVD containing the "Valkyrie" music video, a promotional film, and footage of classic live Asia tracks such as "Heat of the Moment," recorded with the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra in Bulgaria. Check out the preview here.
Joe Bonamassa's Rock Candy Funk Party Release Live Album
(Gibson) Rock Candy Funk Party, Joe Bonamassa's funk band, have just released a three-disc live album, entitled "Rock Candy Funk Party Takes New York - Live at The Iridium."
The album was recorded at the Iridium in New York City, and contains a double CD with eight original songs as well as four covers, and a DVD or Blu-ray which contain a 30 minute documentary.
Aside from Bonamassa, Rock Candy Funk Party is made up of drummer Tal Bergman, who also play drums in Joe's solo band, bassist Mike Merritt, guitarist Ron DeJesus, Daniel Sadownick on percussion, and keyboardist Renato Neto.
The band released their debut studio album We Want Groove last year, and recently made their national television debut with an appearance on the Conan O'Brien show. more on this story
Red Dragon Cartel Release 'Shout It Out' Video
(Classic Rock) Former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E Lee's new band Red Dragon Cartel have released a video for their track Shout It Out . It's taken from their self-titled debut album, which was released last month.
The band consists of vocalist DJ Smith, bassist Ronnie Mancuso and drummer Jonas Fairley, while the album features a string of big-name guests: Paul Di'Anno (ex Iron Maiden), Rex Brown (Kill Devil Hill, ex Pantera), Todd Kearns and Brent Fitz (Slash), Scott Reeder (ex-Kyuss), Maria Brink (In This Moment), Jeremy Spencer (Five Finger Death Punch), Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick) and Sass Jordan (SUN).
Red Dragon Cartel are on the gill for this year's Download festival on the weekend of June 13-15, and before that they play a string of UK shows. Grab the dates and watch the video here.
Nightwish's Tumoas Discusses 'Awkward' Scrooge McDuck Video
(Prog) Nightwish mainman Tuomas Holopainen has discussed the "awkward" promo video for his solo track A Lifetime Of Adventure in the exclusive Prog video.
The single is taken from his concept album Music Inspired By The Life And Times Of Scrooge, based on comic-book character Scrooge McDuck and featuring artwork by original illustrator Don Rosa.
Holopainen says in the clip: "It felt rather awkward that we should do a video for a project like this. The idea came from Nuclear Blast and I understand their reason - but we're talking about a really uncommercial project about a comic-book character. How do you make a music video of that? I was out of ideas."
Watch the interview and the official video for the track, featuring Rosa himself here.
TesseracT Release Live Video
(Prog) TesseracT have released a live video, shot as they perform Of Matter, the first movement from 2013 album Altered State. The 14-minute clip showcases the band in action in London's Sphere Studios before the premises closed.
They explain: "In 2010 we filmed a live recording of Concealing Fate at Sphere with Francesco Carmeli. We enjoyed it so much that we always wanted to do it again.
"Altered State gave us the perfect opportunity. Sphere was closing to move to LA so it was especially important to record Of Matter before Francesco moved.
"As with everything TesseracT, the video shows the slight evolution of each track as we take it from the studio onto the stage."
The three remaining movements - Of Mind, Of Reality and Of Energy - will be recorded at other locations in due course. Watch the video here.
Krokus Releasing Live Album
(Classic Rock) Krokus will release a live album, titled Long Stick Goes Boom, next month. The Swiss veterans recorded it on tour last year while they supported the release of 17th studio release Dirty Dynamite - one of their best-selling ever.
That album featured the return of guitarist Mandy Meyer, while the tour marked the debut of drummer Falvio Mezzodi, who replaced Freddy Steady.
Krokus say: "For those who couldn't make it to one of the shows last year, here's the next best thing. US and Canadian residents can look forward to a bundle pre-order that also includes a one-of-a-kind shirt and sticker." more on this story
Creed frontman Scott Stapp Announces One-Off Solo Show
(Classic Rock) Creed frontman Scott Stapp has announced a one-off London show in support of his latest solo album Proof Of Life, which was was released last November via Spinefarm Records in the UK.
Proof Of Life was produced by Howard Benson (Halestorm, Papa Roach) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge (Volbeat, Rise Against). It features drummers Kenny Aronoff and Josh Freese, plus guitarists Phil X and Ken Pierce, among others.
To promote this release, the follow-up to 2005's The Great Divide, a platinum Top 20 US album, Stapp and his band will be coming to the UK for a show at the Electric Ballroom in London on April 23 - this is part of a short European run also featuring dates in Germany.
Says Stapp: "I'm really looking forward to reuniting with my friends and fans in the UK. Over the years, fans have come to me and told me how through my music they've gotten through the worst of times, and that's always really hit me hard. So now, I'm taking it back to the roots and sharing my entire musical journey from Creed through to my solo work." more on this story
Thorbjorn Risager & The Black Tornado Tease New Album
(The Blues Thorbjorn Risager & The Black Tornado have released a teaser for upcoming album Too Many Roads. The eight-man Scandinavian outfit release the 12-track work via Ruf Records on March 31.
"The songs work better than ever and the sound is the best we've had so far," says frontman Risager. "We always had producers on our earlier albums but this time we've taken the big leap of doing the production ourselves. We've put together very strong songs where blues, rock and soul melt together."
The band are currently touring Europe, with shows in Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and Norway on the schedule. Check out the album art, the teaser video and the tracklisting here.
The Chris Robinson Brotherhood Release New Song
(hennemusic) The Chris Robinson Brotherhood have released "Shore Power", the first single from the band's forthcoming third album, "Phosphorescent Harvest," and the track is streaming online.
Produced by Thom Monahan and due April 29, the project features 10 songs, including several the band has road-tested over the last few years; they've performed over 230 shows since forming in 2011.
Led by Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson, the band features guitarist Neal Casal, keyboardist Adam MacDougall, drummer George Sluppick and bassist Mark Dutton.
"The best perspective I have on what's going on in my life - good and bad - is what comes out in the songs," says Robinson. "As you move on in time, you get older, you have relationships. Some of them are good, some fail. Friends. Drugs. Life. Death. People come, people go. Songwriting is a completely different emotional response to your life and to what it means, to in some poetic nature, put it out there." Listen to the song here.
Skaters Talk Music, Pizza and Influences
(Radio.com) The members of Skaters may hail from Boston, Los Angeles and London, but they have a lot of opinions about New York pizza. So many in fact that the guys (who all have matching pizza slice tattoos) recently decided to travel to four of the five boroughs to figure out which pizza joint is officially the city's best. After the pizza crawl was all said and done and many, many slices had been eaten in the name of the cause, the guys agreed (some members more begrudgingly than others) that the winner was Di Fara's in the Midwood section of Brooklyn for its fresh take on the classic slice.
"The guy who makes the pizza is 90 years old and the style is just unique," singer Michael Ian Cummings told Radio.com over the phone a few days later. "He grows his own basil, cuts it up and puts it on the pizza. He uses two different kinds of cheese. It's very oily, and I'm not into oily, but it's amazing. It's top notch. It's just so classic."
The same can be said of SKATERS, who are putting their own twist on New York City's rock and roll standard. Barring all the grease, of course. They were so loyal to the post punk Bowery sound that after releasing their first song "I Wanna Dance (But I Don't Know How)" in 2012, NME christened them the "version of the Strokes which we all wish the Strokes were." And this is coming from a publication that named the Strokes' 2001 debut, Is This It, No. 1 on their list of Best Albums of the Decade.
But six months ago, when SKATERS played Lollapalooza-a festival they played on the merits of that same one song-they jokingly dismissed the comparison. "I love the Strokes, but f*** the Strokes," Cummings said. "I mean, they're my best friends, but f*** 'em."
Of course, that expletive-filled comment could have been all the booze talking. During that sit-down in Chicago, the guys rather drunkenly claimed that they were developing a new game that would mix Candy Crush and chess and that their debut, Manhattan (out now) would draw comparisons to Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Hall & Oates. They actually predicted people would be calling their sound "Hall and Oates meets Alice in Chains." Which people are definitely not.
But it would be unfair to cite SKATERS as a cheap knockoff of Julian Casablancas and co. even if there are similarities: the I-don't-care attitude, drunken warbling, wearing sunglasses at night, to name just a few. Cummings claims most of these similarities though have more to do with living in New York City than having a particular sound. "Whatever you do has an immediate consequence in New York," Cummings said. "Everything that this band has done is super word of mouth and it kind of developed its own thing."
Read more at http://www.antimusic.com/dayinrock/#WXcoBUjLUf9fdrsz.99
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