Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Ted Nugent Undergoes Surgery
Veteran rocker Ted Nugent recently underwent double knee replacement surgery and posted a message to fans this weekend that he is on the road to recovery.
Nugent posted the following on his Facebook page, "Greetings my fellow Nuge facebookers. Sorry I haven't been on much lately but the double knee replacement surgery knocked me on my ass royal!

"I should be up and dancing like a full bluntal Nugity Motown guitar animal real soon. For now it's all about pain management and retraining my new knees to ROCK!!

"Thanx as always for your support and goodwill here, and by all means, don't scare away the mindless soulless subhuman haters cuz outlandish brain-dead humor has a powerful curing effect.

"Godspeed productive Americans, damn the rest of em. Happy almost turkey season! May the bluegill slabs and thunder chickens infest your grills ASAP!"




U2 Album and Tour Delayed
U2 fans will have to wait a little longer for a new studio album and supporting tour from the band, with the album now expected next year and the tour to take place in the summer of 2015.

The Irish band was expected to deliver the album sometime later this year but Billboard reports that multiple sources told them that it and the supporting tour have been pushed back until next year.

The delay comes after the band reportedly scheduled additional recording sessions with producers Ryan Tedder and Paul Epworth. Danger Mouse remains the principle producer for the album, according to the report.

"It seems to be taking longer for them to finish an album as they get older, but the great thing about U2 is that the whole of a record is always better than the sum of its parts," a source close to the project told Billboard. "That magic that the band always seems to capture ... they have yet to capture it."

The publication also reports that they have learned that a fall tour promoted by Live Nation's Global Touring division, which was originally scheduled to be announced later this month, will now be taking place in the summer of 2015. more on this story





Motley Crue Guitarist Compares Band's Live Show To Britney Spears
Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars reportedly compared his band to popstar Britney Spears during a radio interview when he was asked about the band using backing tapes during their concerts.

Mars made the comments in a response to a question from Eddie Trunk about Motley Crue using backing tapes in concert, according to hennemusic. "That's a whole another story right there, son…," Mars responded. "That could get me in a lot of trouble. I could say there's, like, a… Let me put it this way… I'll just say two words and you'll know: Britney Spears."

"I don't like it," he continued. "I think a band like ours… I have to say '60s bands were my favorite - '60s and '70s bands - because they were real, like, three-piece bands or four-piece bands, and they just got up there and kicked it up. Made a mistake? So what? Sounded a little bit empty here or there? So what? It's the bigness and the rawness and the people that developed and wrote the songs and made them and presented them. To me, that's what I really like. I mean, I could put on a Motley CD and play with it all day long. I don't wanna do that."





Tool Deny Album Rumor
Tool has struck down reports that they have completed work on their long awaited new studio album. The rumors started after a fan misunderstood a sarcastic remark from guitarist Adam Jones before a recent concert.

The band and Jones both quickly publicly denied an online report that stated Jones told a fan at a VIP meet & greet event in Portland, OR last Thursday that the band's first new album since 2006's '10,000 Days' was "100 percent done" and that would be released later this year.

Jones address the report with the following message on his Twitter account on Friday, "FYI, 'The record's done and it's coming out tomorrow' is what I said yesterday, followed by 'just kidding'. . . ".

The band made an official statement to Rolling Stone on Friday. They told the publication, "Last night, Adam Jones, in a private conversation with fans attending the Portland Tool concert, joked that the band's new album was not only finished but coming out the next day.

"Unfortunately, his off-the-cuff joke was taken out of context. Work on the forthcoming album is ongoing and as soon as it is done, trust me, we will be the first to let everyone know." more on this story




Chevelle Premiere New Song and Reveal Album Release Plans
Chevelle have released a new lyric video for the first single from new studio album, "La Gargola" which is scheduled to be released on by Epic Records on April 1st.

The band premiered the new single "Take Out the Gunman" on their official website last week. On Friday they released the official lyric video for the track on Vevo.

The album title "La Gargola" is Spanish for The Gargoyle and frontman Pete Loeffler has the following to say about the effort, "I don't want Chevelle to sound like every rock band out there, I wanted to create something fun in a dark way." Watch the video here.




Boston Hitting The Road For Heaven On Earth Tour
Boston will be hitting the road in North American this summer to embark on the Heaven On Earth Tour, with at least one date reportedly featuring support from Cheap Trick.

The band has revealed the series of summer tour dates beginning with a concert in Hollywood, FL at the Seminole Hard Rock Live on June 5th and concluding on August 12th in Springfield, IL at the Illinois State Fair.

The veteran rock band, led by founder Tom Scholz, will be launching the tour in support of their 2013 studio album 'Life, Love & Hope,' with the trek taking the name of the album single "Heaven On Earth".

MLive.com is reporting that at least one of the dates, June 24th in DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston (Detroit), will feature support from Cheap Trick. At press time, there was no word from either band if they will be supporting other dates on the trek. more on this story





Deftones Announce Mini Tour
Deftones have announced that they will be performing a series of concerts this May across the state of Texas, in addition to their appearance at this year's Rocklahoma festival.

The band will kick off the series of dates at the Rocklahoma festival on May 23rd and conclude with an appearance at the Free Press Summer Festival in Houston on May 31st.

The tour will also include stops in San Antonio, Lubboc, Laredo, Pharr and Corpus Christi. The band continues to tour in support of their 2012 studio album "Koi No Yokan."

Deftones Frontman Chino Moreno revealed in a video interview published earlier this month that the band has begun work on their next studio album. more on this story





Geoff Tate Apologizes To Queensryche Fans
(Classic Rock) Geoff Tate has apologized to Queensryche fans for the way they discovered the details behind his dismissal from the band in 2012. The battle over the band name went to court later in the year, with both parties citing previous examples of fall-outs to support their case.

The legal case remains to be decided, with both Tate and the original members plus new singer Todd La Torre using the Queensryche title. They've been granted three continuations to reach an out-of-court settlement, but it's due to go before a judge next month if they can't finalize an agreement.

Addressing fans via the Eddie Trunk Rocks radio show, Tate says: "Thank you for all the amazing letters and support people have given me in the last couple of years - it's been inspiring.

"I feel so sorry for people that have loved this band and watched this totally distasteful situation happen in the press. It's so confusing for people. They can't discern what's hype and what's internet rumor versus what's truth and what's a court case.

"In any court case there's so much untruth that gets said because people are trying to win. The fans get caught up in the middle of it," he continues. "I'm sorry it had to play out this way. But there will be a bright side, I promise everybody - and I'm looking forward to that as much as they are." more on this story





The Allman Brothers Band Kick Off Their Final Residency
(Radio.com) The lights went down, and Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks took the stage, performing "Old Friend," the last song from the band's final album, 2003′s Hittin' The Note. "Well, I'm not an old man," Haynes belted. "But you know my time ain't long."

So began the opening night of the Allman Brothers Band's annual New York City residency at the Beacon Theatre Friday night (March 7). It will likely be their last.

In January, Haynes and Trucks announced that they are leaving the band after this year. A few weeks later, namesake and co-founder, Gregg Allman said in an interview with Relix, "This is it-this is the end of it. Forty-five years is enough and I want to do something else, anyway."

Still, it was an acknowledgement of the importance of Haynes and Trucks that they opened the show as a duo, without Allman or other remaining founding members Butch Trucks and Jaimoe. The Allmans aren't a band to speak much from the stage, but the decision to open with this spoke volumes.

After the opening number, the rest of the band - Allman, drummers Butch Trucks and Jaimoe, percussionist Marc Quinones and bassist Oteil Burbridge - joined the guitar duo on stage and launched into, appropriately, "No One To Run With" from 1994′s Where It All Begins. The song, now twenty years old, saw Allman and founding guitarist Dickey Betts, who wrote it, but was dismissed from the group in 2000, looking back at a wild life, marveling that they're still around to talk about it.

The Allman Brothers Band in 2014 are somewhere between a classic rock group and world class jazz musicians. They do play a couple of radio classics ("Midnight Rider" and "Melissa" had the entire room singing along), but the fans show up to see how the band will bend and shape their songs, which they do differently night after night. More including photos.





Mastodon Almost Ready To Unveil New Album
(Gibson) Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher has confirmed in an interview with Soundwave TV that the band are almost ready to unveil their latest album, and that we should expect even more than 2011′s The Hunter.

"I did a lot of writing on this one, and we worked really hard on keeping it simple," explains Kelliher. "There is some crazy, math-y stuff going on, but there's a lot of really strong choruses and verses. Real catchy stuff that gets in your brain so you can hum and sing along. It's cool! I really like it!"

Kelliher also confirms that regular Mastodon collaborator Scott Kelly of Neurosis will be making another appearance this time around. "We just got a track back… It sounds tough as nails. I can't wait for people to hear it." more on this story







Metallica To Headline Both Nights Of Heavy Montreal Festival
(hennemusic) Following last weeks announcement that Metallica will headline the Heavy Montreal festival this summer, it has been revealed that the veteran metal band will be headlining both nights of the event.

Set for August 9 and 10 at the city's Parc Jean-Drapeau, Heavy Montreal's (formerly known as HEAVY MTL) sixth edition sees Metallica joined by an extensive lineup that includes Slayer, Anthrax, The Offspring, Lamb Of God and many others.

The band's only North American appearance this summer will feature their Metallica By Request show; fans will be able to vote on songs for the set, following a format the group is using for their European trek this year. more on this story




Bruce Springsteen's High Hopes Film Coming To TV
(Radio.com) Being one of the biggest rock stars in the world for the last four decades, Bruce Springsteen is at a point in his career where he doesn't need to do the press circuit to promote his latest work. But in recent years, he has given fans behind-the-scenes insight into his creative process, via a series of documentaries, the latest being Bruce Springsteen's High Hopes.

The half-hour documentary, which premieres on HBO next month, will chronicle the making of his most recent album, High Hopes, released earlier this year.

The doc was directed by Thom Zimny, who has worked with Springsteen on many of his most recent documentaries, including 2010′s The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town and 2005′s Wings For Wheels: The Making Of Born To Run, and his concert videos including 2010′s London Calling: Live In Hyde Park and 2005′s Hammersmith Odeon, London '75. more on this story





Judas Priest Host Metal Edition of Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp
(hennemusic) Judas Priest recently hosted the first all-metal edition of Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and video from the event has surfaced.

"Hell Bent For Vegas" featured four of the five members of Judas Priest (guitarist Glenn Tipton was unavailable) jamming with camp attendees, along with special guests Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, ex-Ozzy Osbourne), Queensryche singer Geoff Tate, Lita Ford, Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Dio), Vinny Appice (Dio, Black Sabbath, Heavan & Hell) and Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne).

"We had a great time at the Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas," posted Judas Priest. "[We] met some great fans and had a really good time performing with all the campers bands and seeing some old friends!" Watch video here.




Thunder Release Two Live Albums
(Classic Rock) Thunder have released two live albums: Back To The Black Country and The Xmas Show Live 2013, which are both available now from the band's website.

It's yet another sign that the rock veterans aren't quitting - despite frontman Danny Bowes' best efforts. He says: "I keep saying I'm supposed to be retired, but nobody's bloody listening.

"We decided to resurrect our Christmas show concept in 2011 after an incredible gig at the High Voltage festival that summer. After being away for two years it was quite moving to see so many people wearing Thunder shirts in the crowd, singing every word of our set.

"Since then we haven't managed to get near a studio - but the Christmas shows have just got bigger and bigger, and nuttier and nuttier. Wolverhampton Civic was quite simply off the scale." more on this story





Bonafide Frontman Pontus Snibb Releasing Solo Album
(The Blues Swedish hard rock band Bonafide frontman Pontus Snibb is taking time out from the band to launch a new solo blues album entitled Wreck Of Blues on April 15.

He's mixed old-school influences including Albert King with swamp rock riffs to produce a work which he feels harks back to Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top.

"It's another chapter in my musical career but something I've been meaning to lay down for some time now," Snibb says. "I've been into the whole blues vibe since I was a kid - and if I'm honest, it will probably be that sort of riff getting played when I stop doing what I'm doing." more on this story





How Anthrax's Scott Ian Made His Mother Scream
(Classic Rock) Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian has recalled how his mother let out a science-defying scream when he told her he wanted to become a full-time musician.

She'd hoped he would focus his energies on becoming a professional practitioner - and he admits she didn't take it well when he decided to concentrate on his heavy metal ambitions.

"At five foot four, I wasn't going to make it into the New York Yankees - my other dream. Being in a band just became my complete focus at the age of 14," Ian tells Shalom Life. "I dropped out of university in my first semester because I wanted to work full-time at my father's office to make money to buy equipment."

"When I finally got the nerve to tell her, the scream she let loose is still travelling through space and time at speeds unheard by science, I'm telling you." more on this story




Talanas Launch Kickstarter Campaign For Unplugged Album
(Prog) Talanas have launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the release of a physical version of recent mini-album Asylum. The record saw the London outfit unplug for five acoustic tracks, and proved a popular seller on their UK tour with The Monolith Deathcult last month.

"It's always nice to know when someone wants a bit of you. We were convinced the physical market was dead and gone - indeed, we'd still say the reign of the standard CD is long since over," Frontman Hal Sinden explains. "So we need to ensure that if we're going to offer a hard copy of something, it had better be special."

The hardback digibook will feature over 20 colour pages of lyrics, background details and illustrations, along with a CD edition of the Asylum mini-album. more on this story





Queen and Adam Lambert Streaming Tour Press Conference
(hennemusic) Queen and Adam Lambert announced a 19-date summer tour of North America on Thursday, and the group are now sharing some video of their press conference at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Shows begin June 19 in Chicago and wrap July 20 in Washington, D.C. Queen have previously toured Europe with Lambert, the former American Idol contestant, and played the iHeart Radio Music Festival in Las Vegas last fall, but the 2014 run will give many fans their first chance to see the band for the first time.

Things have come full circle for Lambert, who auditioned for American Idol five years ago by singing Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Will Rock You." Watch the video here.




Hans Chew Releases Junker's Blues Video
(Classic Rock) Hans Chew returns with new album Life & Love, which will be released by At The Helm Records on March 31 and he has released the video for the track Junker's Blues.

Chew has been compared to artists as varied as Bob Dylan, Meade Lux Lewis, John Prine, Albert Ammons, Nicky Hopkins and The Band, to name a few.

"My grandfather sang harmony in a Nashville gospel quartet and taught me that 'high-lonesome sound'," Chew explains. "While my mother turned me on to Hendrix and the Stones, my father only listened to classical music: I knew Beethoven's Fifth before Led Zeppelin's fourth." Watch the video here.






Matt Sorum Unplugs For Radio Appearance
(hennemusic) Former Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum stopped by KLOS 95.5FM Los Angeles on Friday for an interview and performance session to promote his new album, "Stratosphere", and video of the apprearance is available.

The rocker played acoustic versions of "The Sea" and "Lady Of The Stone", two tracks from the album, which will be released March 11 under the banner Matt Sorum's Fierce Joy.

Sorum has also been sharing behind the scenes details on the project via a series of webisodes, which can be viewed online. Grab the links for those and watch the radio appearance video here.





Glass Hammer Streaming New Song Crowbone Online
(Prog) Prog have premiered "Crowbone," the first track from 14th Glass Hammer album Ode To Echo. It's a departure for the band, who for the first time have worked with an outside lyricist. The words were written by Viking saga author Robert Low, creator of HarperCollins' acclaimed Oathsworn series.

The collaboration came about after Glass Hammer's Steve Babb took the unusual step of emailing Low as a fan of his work. Babb tells Prog: "It's an interesting track, due in no small part to Rob's contribution. Hawkwind had Michael Moorcock - Glass Hammer could have Rob Low!"

The album features a stack of musically collaborators too. Babb says: "We had the unique opportunity of combining several of our best singers. Jon Davison [also with Yes] and Carl Groves met last year and agreed it would be good idea to work together.

"Of course, Susie Bogdanowicz has always been a fan favorite. Walter Moore has returned, and even Michelle Young provided some backing vocals. We're also introducing Aaron Raulston on drums." Read more and stream the song here.




Singled Out: Conan's Foehammer
Today Jon Davis of Conan tells us about the song "Foehammer" from their brand new album "Blood Eagle," which is being released by Napalm Records this week. Here is the story:

This track is all about Gandalf's sword 'Glamdring' or 'Foehammer'. The idea for the riff came after listening to Faith No More on the tour bus and I had this idea if an intro riff that kinda sounded a bit like the intro to 'Epic' by Them. When we played it live it didn't really work as a bouncy riff so we changed it to this straight forward blast and then into the main riff for the track. The break after the vocal parts was just a head down charging riff that I had on my mind and uses the same chairs as the main part of Satsumo.

The lyrics are all about the mental imagery I get when I'm watching sci fi - 'arisen Elven lords' came to me watching The Two Towers. The rest of the lyrics came to me as I was watching Conquest by Lucio Fulci.