Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Band To Play In Iron Box Until They Suffocate
(Radio.com) British death metal band Unfathomable Ruination will squeeze themselves and their instruments into a sealed iron cube and play an "intense and brutal" set until they run out of air.

The performance art is part of internationally recognized Portuguese artist João Onofre's touring sculpture titled Box Sized Die. "In each location the sculpture travels to, Onofre invites a local death metal band to play, on this occasion Unfathomable Ruination," says the City of London's official website.

"The box is soundproofed, determining and restricting the performance's duration to the length of time in which the oxygen is expended. Outside the cube, viewers observe its strange vibrations, only viewing the band's entrance and exit to the performance space."

Onofre's iron box is part of London's free art exhibition, Sculpture in the City, a collaboration between the City of London Corporation, local businesses and the art world to create open-air art exhibitions around the city, explained Culture24.org.

Unfathomable Ruination will perform outside Gherkin July 3 and 4 at 6 p.m. local time, assuming the band isn't hospitalized after their first go-round. This isn't the first band to try this.




Red Hot Chili Peppers Giving Away New EP
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are living up to the lyrics of one of their hits and giving away a live digital EP and the band have also released the live recordings from their Isle of Wight appearance last month.

Although it doesn't contain the song "Give It Way", the band are giving away a new live EP featuring performances that were captured during the 2012-2013 I'm With You tour.

Drummer Chad Smith selected the five free tracks that make up the EP. The tracks include "Breaking the Girl", "Wet Sand", "Snow", "Power of Equality" and "Strip My Mind". You can download it here.

The band has also released a new digital live album from their Isle of Wight Festival appearance that took place on June 14, 2014. The live 17-track set was recorded and mixed by Jason Gossman. You can preview and purchase that album here.




Atreyu Reunite
Atreyu announced that they have ended their hiatus and will be reuniting for their first live performance in three year when they take the stage at this year's Aftershock festival.

The reunited lineup includes vocalist Alex Varkatzas, drummer Brandon Saller, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel and bassist Marc Mcknight and they will perform on the main-stage at the Sacramento, CA festival on September 14th.

Saller had this to say about the band ending their hiatus, " The time has come. We have been spending the last few months planning this moment. Writing new music and thinking about the future while also reflecting on the past. We all came to the conclusion that it was the right time.

"Our history is too powerful to ignore forever. Our fans have given us too much. The void of Atreyu, in the world and within ourselves, had existed for long enough. We are happy to announce that after almost 4 years, the beast has risen!"

Frontman Alex Varkatzas adds, "To say we are looking forward to Playing this years Aftershock Festival is an understatement. It's been 3+yrs since we have rocked the stage as brothers, and to be playing with all these high caliber bands, in the state that we call home, is truly awesome."




Judas Priest Streaming New Album 'Redeemer Of Souls' Online
Judas Priest have been teasing fans with short previews of songs from their new album, "Redeemer of Souls," but now the band have opted to give fans a chance to hear the full album ahead of its release.

The new album doesn't hit stores until next Tuesday, July 8th, but fans can logon to iTunes Radio to hear the full album right now. Check out the iTunes preview here.

The band also recently announced that they will be launching a North American tour in support of the new album. The trek will be taking place this fall and will feature support from comedy metal band Steel Panther.

The Redeemer of Souls Tour will be launching in Rochester, NY on October 1st at the Main Street Armory and will conclude on November 18th in Salt Lake City, Utah at the Maverik Center. more on this story





Deep Purple Releasing New Album Next Year
(Classic Rock) Deep Purple have confirmed they will release a new album in 2015. Frontman Ian Gillan previously revealed the band were holed up in a studio in Portugal. And bass player Roger Glover has announced the follow up to 2013's Now What will arrive next year.

Glover says the writing session in Portugal produced a number of ideas for new songs. Ahead of their performance at Hellfest in France, Glover tells Rock Meeting: "What happened with 'Now What' is we had a writing session in Spain for about a week or so, and then we had another writing session, and then we recorded the album. And it was eight years between albums. We can't live that long to do another eight years.

"We had a writing session a couple of weeks ago in Portugal, and we've got about a dozen rough ideas and jams, some of which will make it. We'll have another writing session later in the year and I think, probably, I don't know when next year, but sometime next year, there'll be another album."

Stream the press conference here.





Michael Monroe Says Hanoi Rocks Will Never Reunite Again
(Classic Rock) Michael Monroe says that Hanoi Rocks will never reunite again. Monroe, who fronted the group during two separate spells, believes that here's no need to do so because his current solo group is "more of a band" than the unit that Hanoi became during their second incarnation.

The singer spoke on behalf of Hanoi Rocks whilst collecting an Inspiration award at Metal Hammer's recent Golden Gods ceremony. "This is the band's first ever award, and I flew in especially to accept it," he enthused. "Hanoi Rockss are still one of the best-kept secrets in rock'n'roll, but it's great that some people still remember us as a very special band."

Monroe insists that although the band reunited for a second eight-year spell in 2001, a third run is out of the question. "Hanoi broke up [first time around] when Razzle died and Nasty [Suicide, guitarist] left the band - it was more important to save the integrity of what we were doing than to push on for the sake of it," he says. "Nobody could replace Razzle or Nasty. For Hanoi, none of the usual rules applied, getting rich and famous really wasn't what it was about. So we stopped." A lot more with Monroe here.





Jack White Covers Kanye West's 'Black Skinhead'
(Radio.com) Jack White has made it very clear that he wants to work with Kanye West, but for some reason 'Ye won't return his calls. Perhaps this new cover will pique his interest.

White kicked off a recent show in Dublin - yes, that same one where they pulled the plug on him, but he just kept on playing - with a cover of Kanye's "Black Skinhead." The few second instrumental tribute is pure White, giving Yeezus that bluesy downhome feel we didn't know it was missing.

The cover eventually melds into White's Lazaretto track, "High Ball Stepper." Later in the show, White teamed up with The Kills, a band that features his Dead Weather bandmate, Alison Mosshart, for "Love Interruption" and "Goodnight, Irene."

During the World Cup (and every other recent sporting event) you might have heard the crowd chanting the White Stripes "Seven Nation Army," White is aware of this too, and says that's when he realized it was a hit. He told KROQ (a Radio.com station) that it had become a soccer anthem years ago in Europe.

"A friend of mine was on his honeymoon. And sat on the beach, and there was a cruise ship, and the passengers on the ship were chanting it. He wrote me a letter and said 'I can't believe what just happened,'" White explained. "That year, the president of Italy chanted it from a balcony in Rome, because Italy won the World Cup. So those were a couple of moments where I said, 'I think the song is connecting with people.'"

Watch White Cover Black Skinhead here.




Justin Moore Releases Video For Motley Crue's Home Sweet Home Cover
(hennemusic) Country rocker Justin Moore has released the video for his version of "Home Sweet Home" from the forthcoming album, "Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute To Motley Crue."

Joining Moore on the track and in the clip is Crue frontman Vince Neil. Due August 19, the project sees a variety of country artists covering Motley Crue tracks as the rockers prepare to launch their farewell tour.

"Nashville Outlaws" features performances by Rascal Fatts, LeAnne Rimes, Florida Georgia Line, Darius Rucker, Gretchen Wilson and more. Watch the music video here.





Slash Helped Lemmy During Recovery From Surgery
(Classic Rock) Slash was a regular visitor at Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister's house as he recovered from his recent health problems, the Motorhead man has revealed.

As he prepares to play with Motorhead at Hyde Park this week, Lemmy says Slash turned up at his Los Angeles home as he worked back to health following surgery to implant a heart defibrillator.

Slash had his own heart problems following his lifestyle while in Guns 'N' Roses. Lemmy tells Rolling Stone: "He was at my house more than he's ever been before, encouraging me. He's a really f***ing good guy." more on this story






David Coverdale's Home Invaded By Bear
(Classic Rock) Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale's Lake Tahoe home was raided by a black bear at the weekend. The singer, who was at home at the time, bravely confronted the unwanted intruder.

"It must have weighed 450-500 lbs", Coverdale tells Classic Rock. "It took out two armed screens, opened the fridge, ate his fill, then took a HUGE poop. I came upstairs and interrupted him. I shouted like crazy as I couldn't find my air horns. Thank God, he remembered where he entered.

"I quickly looked around as I saw the mess and couldn't see where he gained access, then he headed for some sliding doors that we leave open when it's hot. They're only open five or six inches, and we have ' bear poles' that prevent anyone or thing opening them. But I saw with my own eyes the creature rear up on its hind legs and squeeze out, taking an antique Tiffany lamp out as it escaped. Heartbreaking". See the photo here.





Nikki Sixx Talks Motley Crue Farewell Tour, New Song, Alice Cooper
(hennemusic) Motley Crue launch their farewell tour tonight (July 2nd), and on the eve of their final opening night, bassist Nikki Sixx released a message to fans saying the band is ready to go.

"It's been a f***ing crazy rollercoaster ride deciding to end Motley Crue's career after over 3 decades and go out on top," writes Sixx. "The preparation started over a year ago and is just ending with the final assembly of the biggest show we've ever had. I would say this show reflects our love of being extremist…"

"The new song, 'All Bad Things', sounds great in the set alongside the classics and deep fan favorites," he continued. "The vibe of the tour is really f***ing positive…It's a celebration and the band is tighter than we've been in years."

"It's also an honor to have Alice Cooper as our support act on this run," says the bassist. "I can't imagine a better set of songs from the beginning of Alice to the final bow of Crue. Opening night is tomorrow….Here we go……." more on this story






Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' Video Casting Call Goes Online
(Radio.com) If you've ever wondered how the disaffected kids in the bleacher stands were chosen for Nirvana's iconic "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video, take a look at this casting call.

Consequence of Sound has posted an image of the casting call for the video, which was shot in 1991.The band was searching for 18-25 year olds in logo-less clothing who could "adapt a high-school persona, i.e. preppy, punk, nerd, jock…" for the video, which took inspiration from The Ramones' musical comedy Rock 'n' Roll High School.

Little did they know they'd be subjected to having to hear "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on repeat for hours to make their boredom more realistic. As the story goes, after 12 hours of shooting, the extras became so restless they trashed the set - reportedly with Kurt Cobain's blessing, who had been clashing with director Samuel Bayer over his narrative-driven approach. More including the image of the casting call.





Renaissance's Classic Gets Limited-Edition Gold Hybrid SACD Reissue
(Prog) Renaissance's classic Scheherazade And Other Stories is the latest prog album to receive the Audio Fidelity treatment - it will be released as a limited-edition gold hybrid SACD.

The boutique label specialize in delivering 24-carat gold CDs which deliver "the ultimate sound of a classic recorded performance without the irregular plated surfaces of standard aluminum discs."

Audio Fidelity describe the 1975 four-track masterpiece as the band's magnum opus, adding: "The work is unique, because it represents a rare example of musical collaboration between Michael Dunford and the rest of the group.

"Renaissance is a band that went through various permutations, the best known being the lineup featured herem who shine throughout the album - Annie Haslam's soaring, pure vocals; John Tout's considerable piano prowess' Jon Camp's imaginative bass; Dunford's guitar and Terence Sullivan's drums." more on this story





King Diamond Working On Deeply Personal New Album
(TeamRock Radio) King Diamond, who had a triple heart bypass in 2010, revealed he and his band are working on a deeply personal new album for which he already has a title.

He tells Rolling Stone: "We've done a lot of stuff. We are going in some new ways that are going to be amazing. I've been building a studio so I can do my vocals at home. Once it's completed, we can start recording.

"I have a title for a new record, but I won't say it. It will encompass the things I need to write about after what I went through. But I can't say much about it because I haven't talked to the rest of the band about it." more on this story





Jon Larsen Had To Literally Dust Off Drums For Volbeat
(Classic Rock) Jon Larsen recalls having to dust off his drum kit when the chance to join Volbeat came along. The drummer had played in small bands in Denmark as a youngster, but put his kit into storage after getting a regular job and giving up on music.

Luckily for him, old friend Michael Poulsen immediately thought of Larsen when he was putting Volbeat together. Larsen tells Mulatschag: "After playing in local bands that never really amounted to anything, it was like 'Okay, been there, done that didn't get the t-shirt but hey, I did that.'

"I got a regular job and didn't really pay too much attention to playing music. Then one day I got a phone call from Michael saying 'I need someone who can do two and four.' I said I hadn't played in a couple of years, but he said 'Don't worry about it.'

"It is actually a true story, I dusted the kit off in the basement and took them out. It took a while to get back but I must have been doing something good because he kept me."

In the rest of the interview, Larsen talks about his influences and admits he's not a Led Zeppelin fan, although he respects John Bonham's playing. Watch it here.





AC/DC and Iron Maiden Rumored as Next Glastonbury Headliners
(Classic Rock) Iron Maiden are the bookies' favorite to headline next year's Glastonbury festival but there is also speculation that AC/DC could be a headliner in 2015.

Metallica's triumphant performance topping the bill on the main stage at Worthy Farm on Saturday has opened the door for other heavy metal acts to play at Glasto, with the rumour mill in full flow as to who might follow in James Hetfield and co's footsteps.

Metallica were the first metal band to headline the famous festival's Pyramid Stage, and now William Hill has made Maiden the 7/1 favorites for the slot in 2015. William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams says: "All the money has been for Iron Maiden today whilst U2 were very well backed yesterday."

Meanwhile, the Independent says AC/DC are the band being lined up for the main stage next year. The newspaper quotes festival boss Michael Eavis as saying he has already spoken to three acts about headlining in 2015.

More details about that speculation here.







Guns N' Roses Release Live Welcome To The Jungle Video
(hennemusic) Guns N' Roses are premiering a performance of "Welcome To The Jungle" from their new package, "Appetite For Democracy 3D: Live From The Hard Rock Casino - Las Vegas."

Appetite For Democracy 3D was just released on DVD and Blu-ray and the set features the band filmed in concert on November 21, 2012 during their first residency in Las Vegas.

The Blu-ray includes the complete concert film in both 3D and 2D plus an interactive 3D photo gallery, and the standard DVD presents the 2D version of the film.

Check out the video here.





The Black Keys Full Glastonbury Performance Goes Online
(hennemusic) The Black Keys played the Glastonbury Festival on Sunday, and video of their complete performance is available for fans to stream online. Playing second a bill headlined by Kasabian, the band played a set that mixed songs from their catalog alongside tunes from their new album, "Turn Blue."

Upon its release in May, the group landed their first US No. 1 album as "Turn Blue" debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart with 164,000 copies sold in its first week, narrowly beating out the new release by Michael Jackson, "Xscape."

The Glastonbury stop is one date on the band's current European tour; shows wrap up July 22 at the Paleo Festival in Nyon, Switzerland. Check out the festival performance here.





Kix Release Lyric Video For First Single From Comeback Album
(Classic Rock) Kix are back in action with the upcoming release of their new studio album and they've launched a lyric video for lead track Love Me With Your Top Down.

Their seventh studio record, their first new album in 20 years, is entitled Rock Your Face Off, will be released on August 5th in North America and August 4th in Europe via Loud & Proud Records.

Frontman Steve Whiteman recently said of their first release since their 2003 reunion: "It's still hot women, fast cars, and great moments. I want everybody to end up on their feet – you can party to this one."

Watch the video here.




Singled Out: A Bad Think's On and On
Today Michael Marquart of A Bad Think tell us about the first single "On And On" off of their 5th album called "Sleep" which was released on Tuesday, June 17th. Here is the story:

On and On is the new video and single. It was one of the last songs written for the new album "Sleep". It almost wasn't completed in time. It came to me very fast as I was sitting in my backyard in Los Angeles with a glass of wine in one hand, and my Martin in the other. Most of the album was done and already at mix but I wanted to include this track on the album so I scrambled to get it done. I was surprised to see the video director (Derrick Borte) had turn me into a bad guy, which wasn't the plan. We were going to do the title track (Sleep) but Derrick came to me two days before shooting and wanted to change the song to On and On. I freaked out because so much work had gone into the other track, but I trusted him on this, and he was right.

It talks about how the nature of how things tend to go on and on, like good versus evil, the cycle of life, the need for love, how the sun always sets in the west and so on. I just like how the words worked together. This track is one of the only ones I did not play any guitar on. Ralph (voodooman) Bruner played all the leads and Mark Woerpel played all of the other guitar tracks.

I really like the simple guitar riff, and the melody came easy. I'm a finger picking guy. I don't use a pick very often. I have way more feeling just using my fingers. I did have to change the key to put it in a range I could sing. It's one of my favorites on the album.