Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Bobby Womack Dead at 70
(Radio.com) Bobby Womack, one of the most enduring spirits of soul and R&B, has died. His label, XL Records, has confirmed the news, but has not yet released the cause of death. He was 70.

Born in Cleveland, Womack cut his teeth early on when he joined with his siblings Cecil, Curtis, Harry, and Friendly Jr. to form the gospel quintet the Womack Brothers.

From there, under the tutelage of the forefathers of soul music like Sam Cooke, Sly Stone, and Wilson Picket, Bobby Womack's talent grew. It was the heyday of American soul in the '60s music, and success found Womack after he penned the song "It's All Over Now," which was swiftly picked up and made famous by the Rolling Stones. Soon after, controversy brewed when Womack married Cooke's widow, Barbara Campbel. He became a pariah in the R&B community, seen as an opportunist to cash in on Cooke's success.

Undeterred, Womack continued playing guitar for major artists in the late '60s, including Ray Charles, Joe Tex, King Curtis and Aretha Franklin. He embarked on a solo career in the early '70s with his debut Communication followed by a string of successful albums including 1972′s Understanding and Across 110th Street.

He would admit in his 2007 memoir Midnight Mover that cocaine addiction took over his life in the late '70s, and reached a low point after the sudden death of his son in 1976. While still putting out classic albums, his career wavered in the '80s and '90s as Womack adjusted to the shifting musical landscape. more on this story





Man Detained By Police After Mentioning Nickleback In Public
(Radio.com) While Canadian rockers Nickelback might be one of the most popular (not to mention divisive) bands in the world, mentioning the group's name in public could be cause for police detention, interrogation and being handcuffed.

That was the case in Idaho recently, when two officers overheard 23-year-old Dylan Swinford and 22-year-old Riker Morrow talking about the band, but mishearing it as "nickel sack," which the officers considered a marijuana reference.

Morrow recorded the incident, which can be seen in a YouTube video. The situation seems almost comical, until it escalates to the point of Swinford being taken out of the vehicle and placed in handcuffs.

The incident occurred in the city of Cour d'Alene, where the influx of media attention has resulted in the detention being examined. "It's being internally investigated. It's a personnel issue," Lt. Stu Miller told CDA Press. "We take this type of thing very seriously and we tell our people all the time to do their job as though someone is always watching, and they are always watching."

More including the video here.




Metallica's Full Glastonbury Festival Set Goes Online
(hennemusic) Metallica made history on Saturday as the first metal band to headline the legendary Glastonbury Festival, and fans can now watch video of their full performance.

Metallica opened their 14-song set with the 1984 classic, "Creeping Death", blazing through songs spanning their full career. A pair of encore tunes included "Whiskey In The Jar" and "Seek & Destroy."

In the weeks leading up to the event, the band faced some backlash from traditional Glastonbury supporters who felt heavy metal didn't fit in with the vibe of the festival, and frontman James Hetfield addressed the issue early in the show.

"Metallica is grateful to be invited to such an event as the Glastonbury Festival," said Hetfield. "We are very proud to be here and be representing, shall we say, the heavier sides of music. I know it's all represented here, so why not heavy rock/heavy metal, huh. It's about time."

Watch the performance here.




TesseracT Reunite With Singer Daniel Tompkins
TesseracT had big news this past week with the announcement that they have reunited with vocalist Daniel Tompkins following the departure of Ashe O'Hara.

The band put out this statement: "We have amicably parted ways with Ashe as we have found ourselves in different places, creatively. Ashe is a fantastic talent and will continue to be successful in his career and we wish him the absolute best!

"Moving forward for TesseracT - Daniel Tompkins will be rejoining us as a full time member of the band. Starting from our main stage performance at Sonisphere, UK on 05.07.14. We are also looking forward to starting writing and recording album three with Daniel, which will begin later this year."





Designs Of Chaos' Chris Crammond Killed In Accident
(TeamRock Radio) Designs Of Chaos drummer Chris Crammond has died in a tragic accident at work. Crammond, who turned 40 last Monday, was fatally injured in Kent on Thursday while carrying out his work as a telephone engineer.

His death has left the other members of Designs Of Chaos "shattered" as they try to come to terms with his passing. The London band had only just completed the recording of a new EP and they featured on the cover CD of the July edition of Metal Hammer Magazine.

Singer Jay Shields says: "We don't really know what happened, all we know is there was an accident at work and he's gone. We got a message yesterday telling us that.

"We're all absolutely destroyed and shattered. He was heart and soul and backbone of the band. Chris was a giant, the gentlest giant with the biggest heart." more on this story





Michael Schenker Denies Trying To Take Over Aerosmith
(Classic Rock) Michael Schenker has denied attempting to "take over" Aerosmith. The German guitarist auditioned to replace Joe Perry back in 1979, but he claims that both parties were too spaced out to make anything of the liaison.

According to Tyler in the official Aerosmith book Walk This Way, Schenker strolled into the rehearsal room and greeted himself, guitarist Brad Whitford, bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer with the immortal announcement: "Hello, I'm taking over. Before I join your band, I want it clear I'm taking over right now. Here - my jacket - take and hang up."

"No, no, no… it wasn't like that at all," he protests. "I wasn't trying to take over their band. How could I do that? This is Aerosmith. They have Walk This Way, it's an all-time great rock song. They're fantastic.

"What happened was that Peter [Mensch] flew me to New York. Steven wasn't doing so good at the time, and I wasn't in the best shape either. I ended up sat in my hotel room for five days waiting for something to happen. And when it did… it was worthless. Nobody was in a fit state to make it work.

"But later, when I started the Michael Schenker Group [in 1980], Joey Kramer and Tom Hamilton wanted to be my rhythm section," he continues. "We did some rehearsals but then just as we were getting somewhere Steven got better, so they went back to Aerosmith." More.





Duff McKagan Open To Being Velvet Revolver's Singer
(Classic Rock) Duff McKagan says he would consider fronting Velvet Revolver, but admits he'd rather bring in a specialist singer. The bass player revealed the band - in which McKagan and former Guns 'N' Roses colleague Slash both star - are still looking for a replacement for Scott Weiland, who was sacked in 2008.

McKagan sings in his own project Loaded and wouldn't rule out taking over main mic duties in Velvet Revolver too.

He tells TotalRock Radio: "I would consider it, but I think it's the type of band that it's best if we have a lead singer. I like rocking with Slash. When we play, I like rocking with the guitar players and the drummer and being able to fly around.

"When I sing with Loaded, I can't move at all. I'm playing guitar and I'm singing. I wrote too many lyrics in the songs. There's just too many goddamn lyrics, and you can't ever move away from the mic, except when I jump into the crowd, and then the band's playing and I get back up and I have to sing more."

More including a stream of the interview here.





Defiant Jack White Plays On After Power is Cut
(Radio.com) Your silly curfews and speakers cannot contain Jack White. The rocker recently performed a long, career-spanning set with The Kills at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin, Ireland, that saw him play on well into the night - so late, in fact, that he ran up against the venue's curfew.

In he and his band's final song, a cover of "Goodnight, Irene," White brought out Kills frontwoman Alison Mosshart and dived into the classic tune. But in the middle of the song, the venue finally pulled the plug on the late show, cutting all power to the speakers - something that might cause most acts to finally give up the ghost and thank the audience for coming.

White, however, did not flinch. As the power cut out, White and band instead continued to play, the frontman stepping out to the front of the stage, strumming his guitar and belting out the final lines of the song at the top of his lungs.

Watch the video here.





New KISS Related TV Series Coming This Summer
(hennemusic) KISS members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are featured in a new AMC series, "4th And Loud", which focuses on the launch of the pair's Arena Football League team, the L.A. KISS. The show will premiere on AMC on Tuesday, August 5 at 10/9c.

The 10-episode series will follow the duo, along with fellow co-owners, long-time KISS manager Doc McGhee, managing partner/owner Brett Bouchy and president/owner Schuyler Hoversten as they and the players and coaches work to turn L.A.'s first professional football team in years into a winning franchise.

As part of the 14-team Arena Football League, the L.A. KISS are the fourth AFL team to represent Los Angeles and the second to play at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

"We are thrilled to partner with AMC in bringing our show to the viewing public," says Stanley. "Anyone who knows Gene and I know we have never played by the rules. This opportunity to see the making of our team of rebels, the LA KISS, from behind the scenes will once again show everyone that we play to win."

Check out a preview here.





Aerosmith's Joe Perry Says Slash's New Album Is Really Rockin'
(Gibson) Aerosmith's Joe Perry just had a tough week, with the band having to cancel shows in Turkey and Ukraine. The latter was due to security concerns due to civil unrest in the country. Perry said that show is the first one Aerosmith have ever had to cancel "because of politics".

But Perry is looking forward to Aerosmith's tour with Slash band starting July 2014. Perry told 100.7 WZLX, "I've seen Slash's shows, and I've heard some of the new album - it's really rockin'" Slash famously credits Perry with inspiring him to play guitar because of Aerosmith's Rocks album.

Steven Tyler recently revealed on Ellen that the history between the two camps goes back further than you'd imagine - a drawing of Aerosmith made by a young Slash can be found on the inside of the group's most recent album. Perry had previously teased the upcoming tour and the announcement of the planned dates by spray-painting a number of walls in Los Angeles. more on this story







Robert Plant's Glastonbury Set Streaming Online
(hennemusic) Robert Plant performed at the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday, and video of his full set is available online. Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters' appearance featured a mixture of Led Zeppelin classics and solo tracks, including two tunes from his forthcoming album, "lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar."

Due September 5 in Europe, September 8 in the UK and September 9 in North America, the project was recorded at Helium Studios in Wiltshire and Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios in Bath, UK.

The Led Zeppelin singer has just released "Rainbow" as the lead single from the album. Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters are currently on the road playing shows across Europe this summer.

Watch the performance here.





Jerry Only Moves To Have Danzig's Misfits Lawsuit Dismissed
(Classic Rock) Misfits bassist Jerry Only has called for Glenn Danzig's lawsuit against him to be dropped, arguing it has no basis in fact. The pair's years-long argument over merchandises rights went to court last month after Danzig filed papers claiming he'd created the band's Fiend Skull character, but had been bypassed when Only trademarked the device and cut his own merch deals.

Describing himself as the "creative heart of the Misfits," Danzig also stated that a 1994 contract between he and Only meant he was entitled to a share of all merch income.

Only's lawyer recently said: "Danzig's lawsuit can only be described as a sour-grapes tantrum based on outrageous allegations - the majority of which are completely false, while others a ill-conceived and grossly misguided."

Now Re-tox.com reports the bassist has filed a motion to dismiss the complaint "with prejudice." More details.






Metallica's Lars Ulrich Is The Ringo Of Metal Says A7X Drummer
(TeamRock Radio) Avenged Sevenfold drummer Arin Ilejay has hailed his Metallica counterpart Lars Ulrich as "the Ringo of metal" - saying he's one of the most underrated musicians in the world.

And his appreciation of Ulrich's approach served him well when he joined A7X and was asked to "dumb down" his performance for latest album Hail To The King.

Ilejay tells MusicRadar: "In so many ways Lars really is the best metal drummer. He doesn't have the crazy chops but he has the best stage presence. He's out of his mind, but writes incredible parts for the music. Ringo and Lars get the least amount of credit, but they're absolute geniuses."

He admits that he and A7X fans had expected to hear him go crazy on Hail To The King, following in the footsteps of late drummer Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan and stand-in Mike Portnoy. "But the band wanted me to create my own sound and legacy," Ilejay says. "They wanted me to dumb it down and play caveman-like. I was bummed at first - but it helped to have heard drummers like Lars." more on this story





Alice Cooper Debuts New Guitarist Nita Strauss
(hennemusic) Alice Cooper debuted his new guitarist Nita Strauss during a series of three solo dates in Michigan as he and the band warm up for the launch of the Motley Crue farewell tour in Grand Rapids on Wednesday.

Formerly of the all-girl tribute band The Iron Maidens, Strauss recently replaced Orianthi in Cooper's band and the Crue trek will be her first with the group.

Earlier this month, the shock rocker released the new documentary film, "Super Duper Alice Cooper." Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Deluxe Limited Edition box, the project tells the tale of how preacher's son Vincent Furnier went on to strike fear into the hearts of parents as Alice Cooper.

Watch video of Nita performing with Alice here.






Accept Release 'Stampede' Video
(Classic Rock) Accept have released a video for their track Stampede - the first to be revealed from upcoming album Blind Rage. It's set for launch in July via Nuclear Blast, and guitarist Wolf Hoffmann recently said it had a more classic feel than their previous two outings with vocalist Mark Tornillo.

"Something happened to us - something subliminal and impetuous. It's wild and scary, and it's called Blind Rage," Hoffmann reported. "Wherever we go, whenever you turn on the TV there's blind rage in the works - natural catastrophes or man-made madness."

The German veterans' 14th studio album will be released in standard formats plus a limited-edition digipak including a full live concert from last year. Watch the new video here.





Danko Jones Reunite With Producer Eric Ratz For New Album
(Classic Rock) Danko Jones have reunited with producer Eric Ratz for their seventh album, due next year. Ratz oversaw their breakthrough 1999 EP My Love Is Bold, which earned them a Juno nomination - and they were the first band to work with them at his Vespa Studios.

Jones says: "Working with Eric again has been a long time coming. It's been a great reunion, something we all wanted to do again. It's been most fortuitous to record some of the best songs we've written with him at the helm."

Ratz adds: "I've always felt they were one of the best hard rock bands to come out of Canada. Danko has amazing stage presence that fuels their live shows - our goal is to capture that with this recording." more on this story





Foreigner Unplug For TV Appearance
(hennemusic) Foreigner stopped by Good Day New York! on Friday to promote their current tour and to perform an acoustic version of their 1977 smash, "Feels Like The First Time."

Guitarists Jeff Pilsen and Thom Gimbel joined singer Kelly Hansen for the TV appearance. The Soundtrack Of Summer Tour sees Foreigner, Styx and Don Felder playing shows across the US this summer.

The three acts released a companion CD of the same name to support the run; the package includes a newly-recorded version of The Eagles' "Hotel California" (which Felder co-wrote) featuring all three artists.

Watch the TV performance here.





David Lee Roth and the Kabuki Orchestra Get The Blues
(hennemusic) Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth has posted video of an acoustic blues performance recorded at a studio in Tokyo, Japan. Billed as "The Oo-oka River Blues", Roth can be seen playing slide on his acoustic guitar while sitting on the floor of Onkio Haus studios, interspersed with footage of the rocker performing some of his martial arts moves.

The song is attributed to David Lee Roth and the Kabuki Orchestra. Roth became a resident of Tokyo in 2012; he continues to maintain homes in New York City and Pasadena, California.

Reports indicate Van Halen are actively working on a new album, the follow-up to 2012's "A Different Kind Of Truth." In a recent episode of The Roth Show, the singer revealed that he has been working on a secret Van Halen project.

"Doing some catching up here, a little bit of a scrapbook," said the singer. "We've been doing a lot of travelling. [I've been] working on a great Van Halen project - can't announce anything … or I'd have to come find you and swear you to secrecy."

Watch the new acoustic performance here.






Jack White's Entire Glastonbury Set Streaming Online
(hennemusic) Jack White played the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday, and video of his complete 75-minute performance is available online. White's 16-song set featured a mixture of White Stripes tunes, solo tracks and cuts from his new album, "Lazaretto."

The festival was the second stop on a week-long series of dates the rocker will play across Europe before kicking off a US tour on July 19 in Louisville, Kentucky.

On Thursday, White performed a show at Dublin's Royal Hospital Kilmainham alongside The Kills. The event made headlines when the power was cut during White's set due to local bylaw curfew issues, and the singer was forced to finish his set without it.

Watch the Glastonbury performance here.




Singled Out: Not In The Face's Brass Tacks
Today Not In The Face lead singer Jonathan Terrell tells us about the title track from their brand new "Brass Tacks" EP. The band is currently on a U.S. tour in support of the release. Here is the story:

I went to a Christmas party and ran into, Stephanie, the drummer of the Black Angels. They were toying around with starting a new side project with a few of the members and bringing in some outside people in from the local Austin scene. I left the party with them and went to a rehearsal space. We jammed until the early hours of the morning and when we went our separate ways, my homework was to write a song for the band and if they liked it, then we'd move from there.

I was working as a valet at the time and I have kinda long legs, so the beat came from my long stride when I was running to get cars. I came up with the whole song that night and wrote it on 2 valet tickets. I knew I wanted it to push and pull and feel really greasy. "I want to see the look on your face when you find out that love is a lie" I don't know. I remember the words just kind of flowing out with the rhythm while sitting in some strangers car. The Angels we're just finishing up the album Phosphene Dream at the time and they took off for several tours so the side band and the song never happened. We recorded a version of it on our 1st LP, "Bikini" but wanted to give it a real shot when we teamed up with Bob Ezrin and GGGarth Richardson for this EP. Garth felt like it needed one last verse.

We were in rehearsals with him and he sent me off to write the last verse. I retreated to the bathroom to do my business and hashed out the last of the lyrics on a paper towel. I washed my hands.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Jeff Beck Cancels Tour For 'Emergency Medical' Reasons
(hennemusic) Jeff Beck has cancelled his European summer tour dates after seeking immediate medical attention which will see the guitarist undergo an unidentified hospital procedure requiring six weeks of rest.

"It is with the greatest regret that Jeff Beck has been forced to cancel the forthcoming European dates of his worldwide tour, set to begin in Austria on 27 June," posted the rocker's team on his social media sites.

"Following many months of international touring and after seeking emergency medical attention, Jeff will now undertake a short hospital procedure and his doctors have instructed a complete break from performance for a total of six weeks. Following the treatment, Jeff will fulfill his US tour commitments beginning in Missoula MT on 8th August."

"He sends his profound apologies to those fans who had bought tickets for the European concerts," continued the statement, "and very much looks forward to playing for his American audiences after he has completed his treatment." more on this story




Judas Priest Announce American Tour
Forget the previous claims that Judas Priest were heading into retirement. The band announced on Thursday that they are launching a North American tour in support of their new studio album.

The veteran UK metal band will be launching the Redeemer of Souls Tour on October 1st in Rochester, NY at Main Street Armory and wrapping up on November 18th in Salt Lake City, UT at the Maverik Center. They have tapped comedy metal band Steel Panther as support for the entire trek.

The tour takes its name from the band's new studio album, "Redeemer of Souls", which has a new release date and is now scheduled to arrive in North America on July 8th.
The album and tour come after Judas Priest embarked on their farewell tour and Full Metal Jackie recently spoke with frontman Rob Halford about the band's change in status.

Halford was asked why they changed their minds and he responded, "It's got to be the fans. We went out there in all genuine honesty, saying that this was a farewell tour but if we could have picked a better word than 'farewell,' I wish we could have found one. That should have been my job, being the lyricist. I suppose 'farewell' isn't really goodbye, it's like, 'see you next time.'

"What we were trying to explain as we moved along was, that we will be going out again but it won't be these two-year treks around the world that naturally become a little bit more challenging when you get to a certain stage in your life. We never want to compromise ourselves, we want to be able to go out onstage, wherever it might be on the planet and give you everything we've got. If there's a way of kind of readjusting the touring scheduling where we can do that, and go in the ring and give you everything, then that's what we intend to do.

"We've just been discussing, while we've been together in New York, the first time we've been together as a band in three years, ironically enough. We saw each other in and out of the studio, but we were never all there at the same time. So, for the first time we were together recently, and we discussed about the touring. We started to put down setlist ideas. It looks like we'll be going out in the fall, in America. So you'll be getting us towards that time of the year. We'll be kicking the tires, as they say, getting the engine reved up and play live to our fans again." more on this story





Led Zeppelin Returned To Scene Of Shark Episode
(Classic Rock) The former boss of a Seattle hotel has told how Led Zeppelin sneaked back in - eight years after they'd been banned for life as a result of the notorious "shark episode."

Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and co had been kicked out in 1969 after an incident in which a fish was used in a sex act at the Edgewater Hotel on the bank of the Puget Sound.

But former premises manager James Blum has revealed the band returned in 1977 - and although they didn't cause problems on the same scale, they were still enough of a handful.

He tells his story in retired radio boss Beau Phillips' book I Killed Pink Floyd's Pig. Blum says: "Somehow Led Zeppelin reserved rooms in the Edgewater and we didn't catch it. There were no computer systems back then, and the band didn't use real names when booking, so it got past us."

He decided he couldn't throw them out once they'd checked in, but also wanted to make sure they knew they were being watched. Find out what happened next.




Duff McKagan, Rob Zombie, Steve Jones Lead Johnny Ramone Event
The details for the 10th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute event have been revealed by Johnny's wife Linda Ramone, who organized the August 24th event at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Rob Zombie will be pulling double duty for the event. He has signed as the host and will also be leading the all-star jam that will also feature Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver and Loaded star Duff McKagan, Sex Pistols Steve Jones and other surprise special guests who will play tribute to the Ramones star.

Zombie will be present a special outdoor screening of the film "The Devil's Rejects" along with an autograph signing session with stars from the film, and Metallica guitarist Kirk "Von" Hammett's special collection of horror movie memorabilia will also be displayed.

According to the announcement, Fred Armisen (Portlandia, Saturday Night Live) will also be appearing at the tribute and will bring along his punk rock alter ego, Ian Rubbish, to the festivities.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Johnny Ramone Foundation and Dr. David Agus, USC. Check out the event poster here.






Megadeth, Stryper, Dokken, Whitesnake Supergroup Gets A Name
(Classic Rock) Michael Sweet has revealed the likely name of his new supergroup featuring George Lynch. The Stryper frontman is teaming up with Lynch, of Dokken and Lynch Mob, as well as former Megadeth bass player James Lomenzo and one time Whitesnake drummer Brian Tichy on the project, to be known as Sweet Lynch.

An album will be released in the coming months. Sweet tells Guitar International: "It looks like we are going to go with the name Sweet Lynch. We were debating that for a while and the label was pushing it for it.

"I co-wrote the songs with George. I called Brian Tichy and James Lomenzo to put the band together. You'll start to hear about it in September with the first single and video. It's an incredible combination of classic 70s and 80s. You will hear some flavours of Journey, Bad Company, Dokken, Van Halen, and Stryper. more on this story





KISS and Def Leppard Pick Veterans For Roadies of Summer Tour
(PMKBNC) As previously announced, KISS and Def Leppard recruited two military veterans to act as roadies on their North American coheadlining tour and the bands revealed who those veterans were during the kick off of the tour in Salt Lake City on Monday night. We were sent these details:

Kayla Kelly and Bill Jones were chosen by the bands after submitting their resume through Military.com. Thousands of applicants applied for the position and Military.com assisted the band in narrowing the field to the final candidates. The winners of the two coveted roadie spots were announced between the bands' performances by Sterling Poulson, Chief Meteorologist for CBS in SLC and a veteran of the United States Air Force, after 27 years of service.

The bands will be donating to two local charities in honor of each roadie being hired. Def Leppard will be donating to the Utah Guard Charitable Trust and KISS will be donating to Veterans Mothers.

"It is our privilege to draw attention to the obligation we all have to the brave men and women who volunteer to risk their own lives to protect the liberties and freedom that we all take for granted. We should all jump at any opportunity to provide any assistance needed by our warriors. Heroes deserve jobs!" said Paul Stanley, lead vocalist/guitarist of KISS.

"Having our own wounded warrior in Rick Allen, we've always had a close tie with the military," said Joe Elliott, lead vocalist of Def Leppard. "To carry on and further our contribution by giving a little back, and hopefully helping fulfill a dream or two, we're more than happy to show our support."

T McCreary, President of Military.com and a retired Navy admiral said, "We were proud to take part in helping these two great bands choose their roadies for the 2014 summer tour. Our veterans have diverse skill sets that virtually any organization can use and this is proof of that. I think these two veterans may have the coolest post-military job ever. "

Throughout the course of their tour, the bands will be donating to charities including the USO, Project Resiliency/The Raven Drum Foundation, Augusta Warrior Project, Hiring Our Heroes, and Wounded Warrior Project.





Why Pearl Jam Covered Frozen Hit 'Let It Go'
(hennemusic) Pearl Jam turned some heads last Friday in Milan, Italy when they performed a snippet from "Let It Go", the smash hit from the animated Disney movie Frozen, and now frontman Eddie Vedder is sharing the story behind the band's cover.

A close friend of Vedder's, cartoonist Tom Tomorrow, tweeted the details on the rocker's behalf, writing, "So that clip of Pearl Jam doing the song from Frozen? That was a request -- from Eddie Vedder's five year old daughter."

"Just got off the phone with Ed and he told me I should tweet that," he added, with a final follow-up, "He also wants everyone to know that his daughter sings it better."

More including video of the performance here.





Iron Maiden Singer Sparks Controversy With Punk Comments
(Classic Rock) Punk icons of the Dead Kennedys and the Damned have bitten back at Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson's recent dismissal of their genre as "rubbish."

Earlier this week the vocalist argued there was a world of difference between heavy metal and punk, telling the Guardian: "The closest the art establishment ever came to embracing metal was punk. The reason they embraced punk was because it was rubbish.

"The reason they embraced rubbish was because they could control it. They could say: 'Oh yeah, we're punk, so we can sneer at everybody. We can't play our f***ing instruments - but that means we can make out this whole thing is some enormous performance art.'

"Half the kids that were in punk bands were laughing at the art establishment, going, 'What a f***ing bunch of tosspots. Thanks very much - give us the money and we'll f*** off and stick it up our nose and shag birds.'

"What they'd really love to be doing was being in a heavy metal band surrounded by porn stars."

Read some of the punkers reaction to Bruce's criticism here.




Eric Clapton Releases First Video From J.J. Cale Tribute Album
(hennemusic) Eric Clapton has released a video for "Call Me The Breeze", from an upcoming tribute album of the same name the guitarist has organized to honor one of his musical mentors, J.J. Cale.

Due July 29, "Eric Clapton & Friends: The Breeze, An Appreciation of JJ Cale" features a collection of 16 Cale tunes revisited by Clapton, Mark Knopfler, John Mayer, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Derek Trucks and Don White.

"I would like people to tap into what JJ Cale did - that's the point," said Clapton. "I'm just the messenger; I've always felt that that's my job. I try to interpret things so that the public at large, or at least the people who listen to what I do, will become intrigued about where I got it from."

Cale passed away from a heart attack in La Jolla, California on July 26, 2013 at the age of 74. Watch Clapton's new video here.





Quiet Riot Releasing Album With Jizzy Pearl and Kevin DuBrow Vocals
(Classic Rock) Quiet Riot are digitally releasing an album called 10 today, June 27, featuring six tracks with new frontman Jizzy Pearl and four with late singer Kevin DuBrow. The live DuBrow songs are the last pieces of professionally-recorded music he made before dying of an accidental drug overdose in 2007.

Drummer Frankie Banali recently told Loudwire that DuBrow would have approved of the band continuing, saying: "He knows why I do things and how I do things. The choices I made for the four live songs would be the ones he agreed with.

"With the new songs, I know he would get it. There's one song in particular which is my personal farewell to Kevin, and very tongue-in-cheek - and don't expect it to be a ballad."

More including a trailer here.




Motley Crue Preview Country Cover of 'Girls, Girls, Girls'
(hennemusic) Motley Crue are previewing country rocker Brantley Gilbert's version of "Girls, Girls, Girls" from the forthcoming album, "Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute To Motley Crue."

"He played this one pretty close to the original," says singer Vince Neil. "Sometimes you want to stay close to it; you don't want to screw with something like 'Girls, Girls, Girls' that much."

Due August 19, the project sees a variety of country artists covering Motley Crue tracks as the rockers prepare to launch their farewell tour this summer. "Nashville Outlaws" features performances by Rascal Fatts, LeAnne Rimes, Florida Georgia Line, Darius Rucker, Gretchen Wilson and more.

Check out the preview here.




Joe Perry Reacts To Aerosmith Canceling Show Over Politics
(Radio.com) Aerosmith are just about finished with their European tour, which has seen them playing in front of huge audiences in Russia, Germany, Finland, Denmark and Italy, among other countries. But, unfortunately, they weren't able to play all of their scheduled concerts.

The band had to cancel their May concert in Turkey after a mining disaster that killed over 300 people, and their upcoming July 2 show in Kiev has also been called off due to civil unrest.

Kiev's National Corporation of Entertainment released a statement confirming the cancellation, saying, "With much regret we have decided to cancel the Aerosmith show in Kiev on July 2nd. It is impossible to produce this show in Ukraine while there is civil war. We can't ensure safety to the artists, crew and the audience. We can't ensure safety of the equipment."

Aerosmith's Joe Perry called into Boston classic rock station WZLX's host Carter Alan, to discuss the tour. He said that, cancellation notwithstanding, he enjoyed being in Turkey, and noted that Istanbul is his favorite European city.

"It was a drag we couldn't play because of the mining disaster, it was a national day of mourning," Perry said. "But it was a really amazing experience."

As for the Kiev show, Perry notes that, "It was the first time we've had to cancel because of politics." more on this story




Lenny Kravitz Announces New Album And Tour
(hennemusic) Lenny Kravitz has unveiled the tracklisting for his forthcoming album, "Strut", and announced an extensive fall tour through Europe, the UK and Russia.

Due September 23, "Strut" is Lenny's tenth studio album and first since 2011's "Black And White America." As always, Kravitz plays guitar, bass, keyboards and drums and percussion on the album, and produced and arranged it as well.

"This record brought me back to a place of what I love so much about music, back to the feelings I had when I was in high school," he explains. "It's a real rock & roll record - it's raw, it's got soul and it came together really quickly."

In the past week, Kravitz has revealed the album's cover as well as issued a lyric video for the project's lead single, "The Chamber." The rocker will kick off his Strut World Tour on October 22 in Moscow, Russia. Grab the dates and the album track details here.





Slade's Noddy Holder Receives Home Town Honor
(Classic Rock) Slade icon Noddy Holder has been awarded the freedom of his home town of Walsall, making him honorary freeman of the borough - and he hopes it raises the profile of arts in the Black Country.

Holder, 68, who retired from the band in 1992, was told by Mayor Peter Smith that he'd been granted the honour "in grateful recognition of service to the entertainment and music industry of the last 50 years."

Smith told the BBC: "Noddy is a down-to-earth guy and proud of his Walsall roots." Holder himself said: "I think I've flown the flag for the West Midland and the Black Country. It has some of the best artists, produced great bands, comedians and dancers - but people outside don't recognise them." more on this story





Fearless Vampire Killers Launching Social Network
UK rockers Fearless Vampire Killers revealed this week that they will be giving fans a special advance listen to their new studio album via their new social media network, "The Obsidian Bond".

The new album was completed earlier this month and this week the band announced that they will be launching the new social media network on July 17th, 2014. We were sent over these details:

Combining aspects of profile based sites such as Facebook and Feed based sites such as Twitter, fans of FVK will be able to interact with each other real-time, earning a series of achievements as they go. The band will also be streaming their second album track by track, exclusively to members of the service.

Singer Kier Kemp had this to say, "We're super excited about this release... I mean this kind of thing has never been done to the extent we're about to do it, apart from maybe "Insane Clown Posse" but ours is certainly more modern! This is for the fans of our band that need to know everything... and believe me when I say I don't think a stone has been left unturned!"

Lead Guitarist Barroné adds, "I don't actually think I've slept since we had this idea... I'm not even a developer but I've had to take a crash course! I think we're all really proud with what we've come up with though".

Fearless Vampire Killers will also be playing the Main Stage at new UK Festival Alt-Fest this summer, along with Amen and Marilyn Manson. Visit the band's website for more details here.





Slash Explains Why He Hired Myles Kennedy
(Classic Rock) Slash recalls being blown away by Myles Kennedy's voice, versatility and attitude the first time they met. The guitar icon releases the second album with Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators - World On Fire -in September.

The relationship started when Slash was writing his 2010 self-titled solo album and asked the Alter Bridge frontman to sing one of the tracks, called Starlight.

Slash tells Rocksverige: "I had never met him before, I had just heard about him. I didn't even know what he sang like. I asked him to sing a song on my solo record with all the different singers, and he was f***ing great. Then we met, he came to LA and we recorded the studio version of Starlight.

"I just really liked him, he's very laid back and cool. At that point I asked him if he wanted to do a tour with me to support that album. I guess it was obvious to me somehow that he could sing the bulk of the material from that solo record and it was just a gut feeling he could sing all the Guns 'N' Roses, Velvet Revolver and Snakepit stuff, which is a tall order."

More including a full interview stream here.





Mr. Big Reveal One-Off Show Plans
(Classic Rock) Mr. Big have announced that they will be staging a one-off UK show in October and the band's frontman Eric Martin has also lined up a string of British dates.

The LA supergroup will play at London's Koko on Friday, October 17 as part of a European tour, after Martin plays solo dates in Ahoghill, Northern Ireland, and Nottingham.

And Martin will be back in December for a run of solo shows starting in Edinburgh on Thursday, December 4. Mr Big's last album was 2011's What If..., which was followed up by a live release, 2012's Raw Like Sushi 100. more on this story






Extreme Release Video Of Aerosmith Jam
(hennemusic) Extreme bassist Pat Badger has posted video of the band singing backup vocals with Aerosmith's Steven Tyler on their 1993 classic, "Livin On The Edge", at Hellfest in France last weekend.

Extreme played earlier in the day and stuck around to watch Aerosmith's headlining set from sidestage, when Tyler wandered over and had them join in on the song.

"That was the ultimate Aerosmith experience," said drummer Kevin Figueiredo after the show. The Hellfest show was one stop on Aerosmith's Let Rock Rule European tour, which will wrap up at the Heineken Festival in CVenice, Italy on July 3.

Watch the video here.






Alice Cooper Shares Motley Crue Farewell Tour Rehearsal Photos
(hennemusic) Alice Cooper is sharing photos from his rehearsals for the upcoming farewell tour by Motley Crue. Alice has posted images of the band in rehearsal, including shots of guitarists Ryan Roxie, Tommy Henriksen and new addition Nita Strauss, formerly of the all-girl tribute band The Iron Maidens.

Strauss recently replaced Orianthi in Cooper's band and the Crue trek will be her first with the group. Motley Crue's "The Final Tour" will kick off on July 2 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Earlier this month, the shock rocker released the new documentary film, "Super Duper Alice Cooper". Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Deluxe Limited Edition box, the project tells the tale of how preacher's son Vincent Furnier went on to strike fear into the hearts of parents as Alice Cooper. See the photos here.






Singled Out: Lords of Ruin
Today Lords of Ruin vocalist Lauren Boquette tells us the story behind their new single "Ghost Of Finneran" as well as the story behind the previous single "The Darker Side of Life". Here is the story:

Ghost Of Finneran: Back in 2009 my longtime friend/ singer songwriter Gary Finneran (Ex-Idools, She Died, Tuscarora) killed himself in a motel room in Santa Monica CA. The news shocked all of us in the Southern California music scene that knew him but knowing him as we did, none of us were surprised that it finally happened. As one of the greatest songwriters any of us ever knew, many of Gary's songs were about dying or wanting to die. The theme resonated so deep within his music that a collection of death related songs titled "Goodbye" was given out at his service. It was a horrible situation and this world lost yet another incredible artist.

A few years later my wife and I were in a bar in Huntington Beach CA and I saw Gary clear as day sitting on a bar stool. It was insane! There his was in all his glory holding his guitar as he had done many many times before. I immediately grabbed my phone, found a quiet section of the bar and sang into its recorder "I don't know where you are tonight, I'm out here at it again...somewhere in the bar tonight I swear i saw the Ghost of Finneran" That moment was the beginning of this song.

Shortly after, my band, Lords of Ruin were invited by producer/ keyboardist Ronnie King (Tupac, Pennywise, Mariah Carey, Rancid, Pepper) out to his place in the middle of the California desert to write and create new music.. We began to jam and this music sort of wrote itself, after a few hours of jamming, I grabbed the mic and began with the same lyrics that I had sung into my phone months prior….the song continued to develop into something powerful. Late that night after a long session of drinking and jamming an alert on my phone came on that said "R.I.P Gary" in a bizarre coincidence the song was written on the anniversary of his death! This was not planned, I showed the boys and we stood there stunned. What a night.

We eventually recorded & released the song and here it is. I do believe Gary gave it to us.

Sleep well Gary & Thank you!

The Darker Side Of Life: This song was written about the emotional transition from darkness to light.

The majority of my life was spent in a very dark place. I didn't realize I was in it but people who grew up like I did tend to stay in this broken headspace that they are completely unaware of. We gravitate towards other messed up people and find a comfort in dark music, film, and other dysfunctional situations. It's really no way to live but when you're in it, it all seems totally normal.

I look back on the things that I have written and recorded over the years and realize that I was really lost deep in it for a very long time and never even noticed that I had transitioned out of until this song was done.

One night the band and I were jamming in our guitarist Jimmy Craig's studio in Orange CA and we began to pound out this dark really heavy sort of Sabbath /Alice In Chains-ish groove and then chorus came to me "You want to know about loss? I know what lost is, I've seen the darker side of life"

It took us a few more weeks to figure out the arraignment and for me to finish the lyrics but it is a nod to the broken ones out there, those of us who have traveled through the darkness and eventually found the light. All I can tell you is that things do eventually change as long as you allow yourself to grow and truly feel what it is to be alive. This life really is a wonderful thing once you tap into the beauty in it.

"You want to know about loss? I know what lost is, I've seen the darker side of life, the darker side of life, You want to talk about life? I've learned what love is and I've never felt so alive, never felt so alive than right now"

This band understands the hurt and pain that this life can bring but we also see the beauty that is all around us. Keep on breathing, things do get better!

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Aerosmith Cancel Show Due To Unrest
(hennemusic) Aerosmith have pulled the plug on their July 2nd show in Kiev, Ukraine due to the ongoing political upheaval in the country, according to event promoter National Corporation Of Entertainment.

"With much regret we have decided to cancel the Aerosmith show in Kiev on July 2nd," announced the. "It is impossible to produce this show in Ukraine while there is civil war. We can't ensure safety to the artists, crew and the audience. We can't ensure safety of the equipment.

"We're facing many economic and technical difficulties and in a state of civil war those difficulties are impossible to resolve. Therefore we just can't carry out the show on July 2nd and are very sorry for that."

"We all did our best to present the show in Kiev but we have no option but to cancel," they added. "We hope that Aerosmith will be able to perform in Ukraine at some time in the future when there is peace and more stability in Ukraine. We are arranging refunds for ticket-holders". more on this story




McQueen Street's Derek Welsh In A Coma
(Classic Rock) McQueen Street frontman Derek Welsh is in a medically induced coma after injuring his head in a fall on a tennis court. Welsh fell and hit his head and is being cared for in the Intensive Care Unit at the University of Tennessee Medical Centre, according to his friend and former bandmate Richard Hatcher.

Hatcher says: "Derek and I then started the Rat Race. I loved every minute of playing music with him. We parted ways in not so good terms, but I still consider him as a true friend. I wish I could have changed things but that is the past. Now he and his family need our prayers. He is in the ICU unit in UT Knoxville, Tennessee."

Welsh was playing tennis with Devin Johnson, owner of Alabama-based B&D Custom Guitars, when the accident happened. Johnson says: "He has massive swelling to the brain and is currently in a medically induced coma. This is a very bad situation for him and friends and family. more on this story





Steve Perry Addresses Journey Reunion Talk
(hennemusic) Former Journey singer Steve Perry is commenting on rumors regarding a possible reunion with his old band following his return to the live stage last month after an 18 year absence.

In the past weeks, Perry teamed up with alternative rock band EELS for shows in St. Paul, Minnesota, Washington, DC and Los Angeles, creating a major buzz and fueling speculation that he and Journey may reconnect.

Current Journey frontman Arnel Pineda added to the headlines when he said that Perry should reunite with the group. A fan tweeted Pineda a link to video of Perry's St. Paul performance, to which he replied, "He should come back. His voice is still there. [I] missed that voice." The dialogue continued, with Pineda offering up more thoughts on the subject. "It will be cool if [Steve would] come to one of your shows and just come up and sing with you guys. That will definitely be epic, wrote the fan. "He can take over too," replied Pineda. "It's his righteous place anyway. [I] wanna see them happy together."
Asked for his reaction to Pineda's comments, Perry tells Fan Asylum, "I don't know who or what would make Arnel want to say such a thing. He's their lead singer and I only wish him all of the very best! There is no reunion." more on this story





Iconic Songwriter Gerry Goffin Dead at 75
(Radio.com) Gerry Goffin, a songwriter who co-wrote a veritable cornucopia of pop music classics, died Thursday (June 19) at his home in Los Angeles, according to CBS Los Angeles. He was 75.

He was the former husband of singer/songwriter Carole King, and together they were one of the most successful songwriting teams of all time, penning hits including "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," "Take Good Care of My Baby," "Chains," "Keep Your Hands Off My Baby" and "The Loco-Motion."

The couple divorced in 1968, with King going on to become a superstar singer/songwriter after releasing the 1971 album Tapestry, which has sold 25 million copies worldwide (and which features three King/Goffin compositions, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," "Smackwater Jack" and "[You Make Me Feel Like] A Natural Woman.")

Goffin remained a behind-the-scenes songwriter after the divorce, co-writing hits including "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" (recorded by Diana Ross), "Saving All My Love For You" (a hit duet for Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., later popularized by Whitney Houston) and "I've Got To Use My Imagination" (a hit for Gladys Knight and the Pips).

Earlier this year, Goffin, looking frail and using a walker, attended the Jan. 12 opening night of the Tony Award-nominated Beautiful: The Carole King Musical on Broadway; the Goffin/King relationship was a big part of the show. However, he was unable to attend the NARAS MusiCares tribute to King a few weeks later (many of their co-writes were performed at the show).

Carole King said in a statement: "Gerry Goffin was my first love. He had a profound impact on my life and the rest of the world. Gerry was a good man and a dynamic force, whose words and creative influence will resonate for generations to come. His legacy to me is our two daughters, four grandchildren, and our songs that have touched millions and millions of people, as well as a lifelong friendship. He will be missed by his wonderful wife Michele, his devoted manager, Christine Russell, his five children, and six grandchildren.

"His words expressed what so many people were feeling but didn't know how to say. If you want to join his loved ones in honoring him, look at the names of the songwriters under the titles of songs. Among the titles associated with me, you'll often find Gerry's name next to mine." more on this story





Avenged Sevenfold Video Game To Feature The Rev
(TeamRock Radio) Avenged Sevenfold's upcoming mobile video game will feature late drummer Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan as an unlockable character, frontman M Shadows has revealed.

Hail To The King: Deathbat is based on the themes of their sixth album, which was launched last year with new permanent sticksman Arin Illejay appearing for the first time.

Shadows tells Revolver the band were deeply involved in developing their own characters including that of Sullivan, who died of an accidental overdose in 2009 aged 28, Shadows says: "With the blessing of his parents we put The Rev in the game. Once you unlock his character you can use him as your comrade to help you through the levels." more on this story





Judas Priest's Rob Halford Explains Why He Trademarked 'Metal God'
(Classic Rock) Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford has explained why he trademarked the phrase "Metal God" in 2009 even though he is uncomfortable applying the label to himself.

He took the legal step to ensure the description couldn't be used in commercial ventures like computer games. But he's previously said he's not fully comfortable with using it himself.

Appearing on Later With Jools Holland, Halford recently told the host: "I would never put myself on that pedestal. That's the title the fans started to give me after the British Steel album.

"It's something I really cherish - I don't want anybody else to be the metal god but me." more on this story





Fear Factory, SOAD, Lamb Of God Supergroup Crowdfunding Album
(Classic Rock) A host of metal stars including members of Fear Factory and System Of A Down have launched one of the most ambitious crowdfunding initiatives ever.

Project Rogue has set a target of $70,000 to create an album called Titans that will feature Lamb Of God's Chris Adler, Napalm Death's Mitch Harris, Cynic's Paul Masdival and Rob Barrett of Cannibal Corpse.

SOAD bass player Shavo Odadjian and Fear Factory's founding drummer Raymond Herrera are also on board, along with many more existing and up-and-coming metal musicians.

Various levels of contribution are available, from a digital copy of the album at $10 to a $10,000 package that will see one of your compositions worked into the album - as well as many others in between. more on this story






Foo Fighters Play Stones, Van Halen, Queen Classics at Firefly Fest
(hennemusic) The Foo Fighters closed out their set at the Firefly Music Festival in Dover, Delaware on Friday night by performing an encore featuring covers of classics by Van Halen, The Rolling Stones, Alice Cooper and Queen.

"We're gonna do something we've never done before," said head Foo Dave Grohl. "I tell you what, I love rock and roll as much as the next guy … maybe even f***ing more than the next guy. I love being in the Foo Fighters … but tonight for the next 4 or 5 songs, we're a f***ing bar band called the Holy Sh*ts that plays classic rock songs."

The Foos then cranked up a timely version of Alice Cooper's "School's Out", followed by "Miss You" by the Rolling Stones, "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" by Van Halen, and the Queen/David Bowie collaboration "Under Pressure."

Check out video here.





Own A Piece Of Led Zeppelin History
(Classic Rock) Led Zeppelin fans are being offered the opportunity to own one of two guitars built on specifications provided by Jimmy Page with proceeds going to a good cause.

The Gibson Les Paul Customs are identical to Page's iconic 1959 Les Paul 'number two' guitar, used throughout his Led Zep career - even down to the dents, scratches and wear marks.

Only 25 of the 'aged and signed' Les Pauls were built, each of them played personally by page to ensure they matched his original guitar. Each has been signed and numbered by the man himself. Of the 25 created, Page kept #1 for himself, with the remaining 24 becoming instant collector's items.

More details including the charity that will benefit here.





Supergroup Escape The Cult Tease Debut Album
(Classic Rock) Escape The Cult have announced details of their debut album, All You Want To, and unveiled a teaser video. The band features former and current members of Primus, A Perfect Circle, King Diamond and Kamlath.

Escape The Cult is the brainchild of Kamlath bass player Peter G Shallmin. He is joined by drummer Tim Alexander, formerly of Primus and A Perfect Circle. Mike Wead of King Diamond and Mercyful Fate is on guitar duties while French singer Matthieu Romarin, from Uneven Structure, completes the line-up.

Shallmin says of recording the album: "It was dynamic and exciting start, with blood, sweat and tears shed throughout the process and a long exhausted preparation for the attack. Every day was worth it to make it real. We were sincere in our ideas that are embodied in our debut."

Watch the teaser video here.





Stones, Bad Company, Quireboys Stars For Frankie Miller Tribute Album
(Classic Rock) Quireboys frontman Spike has finally confirmed the release of his labor-of-love tribute album to Frankie Miller. The Scots singer-songwriter's career was cut short in August 1994 when he suffered a brain hemorrhage while working on material with the Eagles' Joe Walsh. Since then he's been confined to a wheelchair.

Longtime friend Spike has brought together a supergroup consisting of Ronnie Wood, Ian Hunter, Andy Fraser and Simon Kirke, Bonnie Tyler and others. The resulting record 100% Frankie Miller features material he'd written but never recorded - and it's launched on September 8, almost exactly 20 years since his health attack.

Spike says: "Frankie doesn't want sympathy - he just wants his music to be heard. These songs have been recorded with Frankie's blessing. They would have been lost if it wasn't for the desire of a group of his closest friends and biggest fans to do them justice."

More including artwork and tracklisting here.





David Coverdale Addresses Whitesnake Guitarist Search
(hennemusic) Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale is updating fans on the status of the band's search for a new guitarist following last month's departure of longtime axeman Doug Aldrich.

"I see there's all kinds of interesting posts and some 'demands' about whom I should work with," posted Coverdale on the group's website. "As always, I sincerely thank you all for your generosity, but, with all due respect, I'll be making the decision who the band and I are going to work with."

"It's a very simple process," he continued. "I guarantee it will be a very gifted guitarist who plays great and sings great, works well in a team, someone who appreciates Whitesnake music and a player whom we feel will help us take Whitesnake to the next level in as many ways as possible... without unnecessary distractions. I hope you can appreciate this fact."

"We've had an amazing array of exceptionally gifted musicians who have applied for the gig," added the singer. "Once again, we are in such awe that so many talented people want to play Whitesnake music with us. We're very close to making our decision". more.






Mitch Lucker Memorial DVD Difficult to Watch For Suicide Silence
(TeamRock Radio) Suicide Silence guitarist Mark Heylmun says he struggles to watch footage of the 2012 memorial concert for late singer Mitch Lucker. But he adds that he is proud of the show, which was held to honor their fallen friend and raise money for his young daughter Kennedy.

The Mitch Lucker Memorial Concert was held in December 2012, a month after he died in a motorbike crash. A host of guest stars took part and the event was later released on DVD, with funds going to Lucker's family.

Heylmun tells Music Frenzy the following about watching the footage, "I would say I'll never forget it but it's honestly a hard thing to really remember. It was such a traumatic time for me." more on this story





Anthrax's Scott Ian Recounts Paul McCartney Encounter
(Classic Rock) Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian has described meeting Paul McCartney as like "being in the presence of a god." He's only encountered the Beatles icon once, but remembers being blown away by the experience. He also reports that spending time with Jimmy Page, Ronnie James Dio and Gene Simmons have a huge effect on him.

Ian tells Mulatschag: "I got to meet Paul McCartney one time. I didn't have a conversation, but I shook his hand. It's the closest I could compare to, like, gods that are walking the earth with us.

"Granted, I know they're just humans that f***ing bleed the same color I do, but the sh*t they've done and they've experienced in their lifetimes, it just can't be touched."

Check out the full interview, including his thoughts on Dio here.





Pearl Jam Perform Frozen Hit 'Let It Go' During Concert
(hennemusic) Pearl Jam performed a snippet from "Let It Go", the smash hit from the animated Disney movie Frozen, during their show in Milan, Italy on Friday and video of the performance has been posted online.

The tune appeared during the extended jam section of 1993's "Daughter", one of the songs featured in the first set of encores. Recorded by Idina Menzel, "Let It Go" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 86th Academy Awards in March.

Pearl Jam are currently playing shows across Europe in support of their latest album, "Lightning Bolt." The tour includes two festival appearances: Poland's Open'er Festival on July 3 and Belgium's Rock Werchter on July 5; the month-long trek runs to July 11 at Milton Keynes, UK.

Check out the video here.




Graham Bonnet Made Peace With Yngwie
(Classic Rock) Graham Bonnet says he and Yngwie Malmsteen are on talking terms again. The pair worked together in Alcatrazz until Malmsteen left in 1984, much to Bonnet's disappointment.

Bonnet tells Metal Rules: "We went through some bad times, but he's turned around now and all that bad blood's gone. He's once again my friend, I'm glad to say.

"He was a young man, he was 19-years-old and could see that everybody loved him. He left the band because he was a great guitar player, he is a great player. He became a little bit trippy and out there." more on this story





Kix Detail Comeback Album
(TeamRock Radio) Details of the first Kix album in almost 20 years have been revealed. The band from Maryland, USA, will release Rock Your Face Off in August. It will be their seventh album, and first since 1995's Show Business.

A single, Love Me With Your Top Down, is set to be released later this month. Guitarist Brian 'Damage' Forsythe says: "When we first played Love Me With Your Top Down live just a few months ago, it went over like gangbusters with the fans. It's a catchy little tune with classic Kix flavour, a perfect choice for the first taste of the record."

Frontman Steve Whiteman says of the album: "It's still hot women, fast cars, and great moments. I want everybody to end up on their feet, whether they're working out or stuck in rush hour traffic. This is a release, something to lift your spirits when you need it. You can party to this one." more on this story





BB and the Blues Shacks Release New Album
(The Blues German blues outfit BB & the Blues Shacks launched seventh album Businessmen on June 20 - and they believe it's their most confident record to date.

The follow-up to 2012's Come Along contains 15 tracks and features new drummer Jochen Reich along with the No Show No Blow Horns. A statement says:

"Blues with a capital 'B' might be a suitable headline for this production. With confidence, competence, and power, BB & the Blues Shacks are presenting themselves as a straight blues band with some soul notes, and showing their enthusiasm and their attention to detail." more on this story





Loverboy Releasing Unfinished Business Next Month
(Classic Rock) Loverboy will release Unfinished Business, their first fully-new album in seven years, on July 15th. In 2012 the Canadian veterans launched Rock n'Roll Revival, featuring nine re-recorded classics plus three new numbers.

Its follow-up contains 10 previously unheard songs, although some of them are older than others. "Come Undone "was written 40 years ago, guitarist Paul Dean reports.

He explains how the record was named: "We put the song titles up and explained to the fans that this album was 40 years in the making. It was a fun thing; some of the titles they came up with were hilarious, but perhaps a little inappropriate for Walmart. No question - Unfinished Business was the one." more on this story






Vandenberg's Moonkings Release Good Thing Video
(Classic Rock) Vandenberg's Moonkings have released a new music video for the song "Good Thing" which is the second single to be taken from the band's debut album.

Led by former Whitesnake guitarist Adrian Vandenberg, the band included a cover of Whitesnake classic Sailing Ships on the record, featuring guest vocals from David Coverdale.

Taken from the album Moonkings - which was released back in February of this year - "Good Thing" is the follow up to first single, "Breathing." Watch the video here.






Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Stream Classic Live Recording
(Classic Rock) Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young have released a stream of their 1974 live version of Pre-Road Downs. It's taken from the fabled CSNY 1974 box set, which finally hits shelves on July 7 via Rhino Records.

The label recently said: "It captures the band's one-of-a-kind harmonic alchemy during its remarkable outdoor stadium tour - a trek that spanned more than two months and included 31 concerts in 24 cities, with combined audiences of over a million people.

"Produced by Graham Nash and Joel Bernstein, the box set mirrors the electric-acoustic-electric format the band followed each night on stage, representing an idealized version of a show from the tour."

Stream the song here.




Singled Out: Allegaeon's Dyson Sphere
Today Allegaeon guitarist Greg Burgess tells us about the song "Dyson Sphere" from their brand new album "Elements Of The Infinite," which is being released by Metal Blade this week. Here is the story:

Well our latest single Dyson Sphere is one of those tunes that you hate yourself for writing. You hate yourself because you have to turn around and play it live. This song went through so many different variations before this version came to pass, and this is by far the best one.

I'm obsessed with Devin Townsend, and all things Devin Townsend. This song was me basically trying to write a song like Almost Again from Strapping Young Lad. That song blows my frickin' mind!! What I love most about it is the constant guitar motion, it feels like it never stops, a musical journey that just keeps getting more and more intense. Well my original version of Dyson Sphere kinda had that vibe, of never stopping.

The only problem I foresaw was how the hell are we going to put vocals over it? A lot of people heard the demo and said "just make it an instrumental". Anyway I straightened what I imagined to e the verse out, and then it had some semblance of being an Allegaeon tune.

After that in the studio we slowed it down and made it a little bit more groovy, my original idea was that it was blasting right out of the gate. This turned out to be one of my favorite songs on the album, and definitely one of the more groovy ones.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Radio Legend Casey Kasem Dead at 82
(Radio.com) Casey Kasem, legendary host of the American Top 40 radio program that counted down the hits for American audiences every week, has died. He was 82. Kasem passed away Sunday (June 15) after a lengthy illness and battle over his conservatorship by his family member, CBS News reports.

A judge ruled earlier this month that Kasem's daughter Kerri had the right to withhold food, fluids and medication from her father, a process that began earlier this week, Billboard reported. Kerri Kasem and Jean Kasem, the broadcaster's wife of 34 years, had been locked in a battle for control over the decision to keep him alive.

Forbes reported that, after the ruling in Kerri Kasem's favor on Wednesday (June 11), Jean Kasem stormed out of the courtroom, announcing, "You have blood on your hands!"

Kasem had suffered from Lewy body dementia since last year, a condition similar to Parkinson's that had rendered him with trouble speaking. He had also been bedridden for some time, and had been hospitalized with bedsores and sepsis. more on this story




The Birthplace of Black Sabbath May Be Lost
(Classic Rock) The Birmingham pub where Black Sabbath began has been sold to developers - and the landlady has been ordered to get out by next Monday. The Crown played host to the fledgling outfit when they were still known as Earth, and long before they became one of the biggest bands on the planet.

Plans to turn it into a permanent museum while still operating as a cafe, pub and club had been discussed for some time. But now owners Admiral Taverns have sold the premises to a Japanese firm - and licensee Collen Andrews, who took over nine months ago, has been given her marching orders.

Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has spoken of his regret at the sale, saying: "The Crown was hugely important to the Black Sabbath story," he says. "It was where we cut our musical teeth as a blues band."

Iommi continues, "The Crown is also one of the grand old buildings of Birmingham. It may have seen better days, but I would have thought it was important for the city to preserve the heritage that is all too quickly disappearing from our streets.

"It is a matter of concern, too, that music pubs are getting thin on the ground. Back in the 60s and 70s these were the places where today's big groups started out. Where are the opportunities for new bands to get their act together?"

Jim Simpson, Sabbath's first manager, says: "The Crown was the birthplace of the band, where Ozzy Osbourne faced a crowd for the first time." more.




Foo Fighters Fans Succeed
(hennemusic) The Foo Fighters will return to Richmond, Virginia for the first time in 16 years to play a concert after fans took things into their own hands and launched a crowdfunding campaign to make the show happen.

The campaign was launched in March by Andrew Goldin, who sought to bring the band back to one of Dave Grohl's former hometowns for their first show since 1998, according to Rolling Stone.

Goldin and his fellow organizers, Brig White, John McAdorey and Lucas Krost, launched the campaign with a goal of selling 1,400 tickets at $50 each to the hypothetical concert in order to convince the band to return.

Fans' credit cards would only be charged if the show sold out, and the contributions would be returned if the band didn't agree to play at the concert. more on this story





Linkin Park's Shinoda Thinks Rock Has Gone Disney
(Radio.com) Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda knows that 2014 isn't the best climate for them to re-emerge with a new album. "We've been around long enough that music trends have gone away from us and come back," he tells Radio.com.

"And right now, they're away. Rock music has gone in this direction that's like indie pop jingles. It's like songs that could be on Nick Jr. and the Disney Channel. I can't see myself writing music like that. I don't want to follow that trend. Forget it!"

He's quick to point out that he enjoys some of the big indie pop artists of the moment. "Bands like Chvrches and Haim to Vampire Weekend, I like those records, I like those bands, I always cite those bands when I talk about this subject. I like that style of music. But there was a point at which that was fresh and new, and they were making it because it was part of their identity and they were making something different. And now it's a different situation. None of these bands are indie bands, they're all major label bands. So if you think they're not, you're mistaken."

The thing that he felt was missing? Loud guitars. And his own band was guilty of that as well. "On the last two albums, there was not much guitar. "And the guitar that was there, I usually wrote and played." The band's other guitarist, Brad Delson, was more involved in the song arrangements.

Shinoda recalled an important conversation with his fellow guitarist. "I said, 'Look dude, I need to hear some guitar and I know that I can't write the things that you can write. [Bassist] Dave [Farrell] told me that when he first met you, he told me you were one of the best guitar players that he had ever met. Do you think our fans know that?' He doesn't like to be a very showy guitarist. I asked him, 'What do you think the 14-year old Brad thinks of you right now? What would he say if he heard your music right now?' That kid was listening to really heavy metal and shredding in his room all day. 'That's the kid you want to impress, to inspire to be a better guitar player, or be a guitar player at all.'" And so Delson plugged in and turned it up, pointing the album in a much heavier direction." more on this story





Def Leppard Have 15 Songs For New Album
(Classic Rock) Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen has confirmed the band's next studio outing will be an album rather than an EP. The change of plans comes after an incredibly successful songwriting session at frontman Joe Elliott's studio in Ireland - and the experience was fuelled by a vegan diet.

Collen reports: "I just got back from a very productive and creative Def Leppard session in Dublin. We got about 15 songs started. What we thought was going to be an EP has now definitely turned into an album of new Def Leppard material.

"The whole time we were there, the incredible gourmet chef Jeni Cook put the band on a raw vegan food diet - no, it's not just lettuce. We were treated to some of the tastiest foods I've ever had in my entire life." more on this story





Rock Has Never Recovered From Grunge Says Rob Zombie
(Classic Rock) Rob Zombie insists it would be impossible to stage a festival like Download in the US - because the 90s grunge explosion has left a deep wound in the rock scene across the Atlantic.

And he blames the movement that come out of Seattle for opening the door to the mainstream for rap music. Zombie tells TeamRock Radio: "When the grunge rock thing hit with Nirvana and all that, everybody thought it was cool to be anti-rock star.

"They sort of anti-rock starred themselves right out the door - because the rap guys came in and said, 'F*** it. We'll be the rock stars if you guys are going to wear flannel shirts and stare at your feet.'

"US rock music has never recovered from that. A whole generation of kids thought, 'Rock music is boring. Let's go listen to rap music.'" Check out the full interview here.





Letlive's Jason Butler Injured On Stage
(Classic Rock) Letlive frontman Jason Butler was forced to perform at the Download festival this weekend on crutches - and he's accepted that an onstage accident was a long time coming.

He injured his leg during a recent show after leaping in the air and landing in a pool of water he'd thrown on the platform himself. Butler tells TeamRock Radio: "The stage was really wet - because of me - and I jumped off of something with something in my hand. It prevented me from putting my hands down. When I slipped coming down, my legs went the opposite way. It popped something.

"I tore two ligaments in my knee. I think it's alright, but I've got to be really, really careful." And he admits: "It was years in the making - I've been being an a**hole for quite some time." more on this story




Slash Streaming New Single 'World On Fire'
(hennemusic) Slash featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators, has revealed a full length stream of his new single and title track to his forthcoming album "World On Fire".

Due September 16, the new album was produced by Michael "Elvis" Baskette. The guitarist's third solo album is the follow-up to 2012's "Apocalyptic Love", which earned the guitarist his two first-ever No. 1 US rock radio hits: "You're A Lie" and "Standing In The Sun".

Slash and the band will be on the road this summer across North America with Aerosmith for the Let Rock Rule tour, with dates starting July 10 in Wantagh, New York. Check out the song here.





Smashing Pumpkins Lose A Member
(Classic Rock) Smashing Pumpkins mainman Billy Corgan has confirmed drummer Mike Byrne is no longer part of the band. The 24-year-old appeared on 2009's Teargarden by Kaleidyscope at the age of 19, and then 2012 follow-up Oceania.

Corgan recently announced the launch of two albums next year, then revealed that Motley Crue's Tommy Lee had recorded all the tracks on one of them. Now he tells Music Radar: "Let's just say that Mike, like Elvis, has left the building. Tommy Lee is the drummer on Monuments To An Elegy."

He hints that he felt the need for change after Oceania, saying: "It's still about excitement, right? So what is my version of 'excitement' at this point in my life? I don't think it's that same old formula - I don't see where people would listen to it." more.




Avengers Star Lands Role as Hank Williams in Biopic
(Gibson) London-born actor Tom Hiddleston is set to play the most iconic American country singer of all time, Hank Williams, in an upcoming biopic. Hiddleston is best known for portraying the supervillain Loki in The Avengers.

According to Deadline, Hiddleston will not just learn Williams' Alabama accent but master his music too. And unlike Andre 3000's recent turn as Jimi Hendrix in All Is by My Side, producers have secured the rights to several legendary Williams songs, including "Your Cheatin' Heart," "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," and "Hey Good Lookin'."

Titled I Saw The Light, the movie is based on Colin Escott, George Merritt and William MacEwen's 1994 book, Hank Williams: The Biography. Director Marc Abraham adapted the screenplay himself and he aims to begin shooting in Louisiana in October 2014.

Hiddleston Tweeted a photo of June 12 with the simple message: I saw the light. See it here.







King 810 Members Arrested At Airport For Alleged Assault
(TeamRock Radio) King 810 were forced to cancel their Download appearance after vocalist David Gunn and bassist Eugene Gill were arrested as they began their journey to the UK.

Cops detained them at a US airport on Thursday and jailed them in connection with an assault during which a man was "critically beaten" in Flint, Michigan, last year.

The 28-year-olds will appear in court next week to answer the charge of "assault with intent to do great bodily harm." They said: "As we drove into Detroit Metro Airport for the flight to London, the Michigan State Police Fugitive Team arrested David and Eugene, and took them away in handcuffs. They remain in jail for an alleged assault from last year." more on this story





John Garcia Previews Solo Album Songs
(TeamRock Radio) Vista Chino and former Kyuss frontman John Garcia has released a series of clips from his upcoming self-titled solo album. It's due on August 1 via Napalm Records and contains 11 tracks - plus a guest appearance by Doors guitarist Robby Krieger.

Garcia says: "To have Robby on my first solo record was surreal. To be the first artist ever to record in his brand-new studio made it even more special. I'm honoured, humbled by his talent and professionalism, and I'll never forget the experience. It truly made the song Her Bullets Energy better, not to mention the entire record."

Vista Chino, renamed from Kyuss Lives, launched debut album Peace last year. Garcia's bandmate Brant Bjork last week confirmed his own solo record, Low Desert Punk, was being readied for launch.

Check out the clips here.




The Offspring Look Back At Smash's Impact
(Classic Rock) The Offspring admit the massive success of their hit album Smash left them feeling "a little uncomfortable." They headlined the Zippo Encore Stage at Download this weekend, performing the album - the best-selling independent release of all time - in its entirety to mark its 20th anniversary.

And while they are proud of everything Smash achieved, they don't want to accept the credit it was given for reviving the punk scene. Guitarist Noodles says: "Kurt Cobain had just passed away - I think they found his body the day our record came out."

He adds: "The Ramones were still alive and playing shows, and not getting the respect or the listenership at the time that we were. That was just weird to us; that was wrong. But at least The Ramones were still around. We lost Cobain but we still had The Ramones." more on this story





Zakk Wylde Inspired By Jimmy Page's Work Ethic
(Classic Rock) Zakk Wylde says his hands-on approach to running Black Label Society was inspired by Jimmy Page's work ethic. And the Black Label Society mainman believes anyone who needs pointers on running a band need look no further than the Led Zeppelin maestro.

Wylde, who hit the main stage at Download yesterday, tells TeamRock Radio: "You wanna play music for the rest of your life, right? Well, make the band your job, because that's the coolest job you can possibly ever have.

"It's like Zeppelin with Jimmy Page - he said, 'Led Zeppelin is my whole life.' It's all-consuming. Even today he's coming out with the re-issues. All his time is invested in what he loves."

Wylde is committed to remaining "involved with everything" when it comes to BLS, and compares himself to a football boss by way of illustration. "If I own Manchester United, I'm involved with not just the trades we're making and the players," he says. "I'm involved with the way the field looks, the way the stadium is, the way concessions are - everything." more on this story






Bury Tomorrow Lucky Escape From Their Own Fans
(Classic Rock) Bury Tomorrow bassist Davyd Winter-Bates was forced to make a swift retreat during their Download set on Saturday after vocalist and brother summoned the crowdsurfers - and received an incredible response.

The band admit they weren't flavor of the month with festival security staff, but they're still reeling over the success of their main stage set. Davyd says: "When you're band that pride yourself on intimate shows… that's the biggest crowd I felt like I could interact with people. During Lionheart I got down and walked up and down in front of the crowds.

"Then Dan called for so many crowdsurfers I got kicked in the head about three times, and decided to go back on the stage! Security swore a lot after our set. They were laughing, but apparently they were not happy." more on this story





Red Dragon Cartel Tour Drama May End Up in Court
(Classic Rock) Jake E Lee is watching his words over last week's tour dramas - because there's a chance the disagreement could go to court. His latest band Red Dragon Cartel became embroiled in a "Spinal Tap moment" argument with agent Denise Dale, leading to the cancellation of a show shortly before doors were to open, and throwing their other UK appearances into doubt.

They found another agent and salvaged the rest of their visit across the Atlantic, and they'll play at Download today as planned. Lee tells TeamRock Radio: "I'm not sure what I can say because someone wants to bring this to litigation.

"The booking agent was trying to hurt us, but who you're really hurting is the fans. She tried to punish us for personal reasons. We managed to salvage the shows and Download - she tried to stop us from doing that too." more on this story





Judas Priest Streaming New Song Dragonaut
(hennemusic) After teasing fans with a short preview, Judas Priest are now streaming "Dragonaut", one of the tracks found on their forthcoming album, "Redeemer Of Souls."

Due July 8 in North America, "Redeemer Of Souls" will be issued in a standard version and a deluxe edition with five bonus tracks. Here is what the band had to say about the song stream: "Dragonaut is a great opening track, you know," says bassist Ian Hill.

"It's a heavy one, for sure," adds drummer Scott Travis, "so we're proud of that. It's a great way to introduce people to the new Priest record." Check out the song stream here.




Yes Preview New Song 'Believe Again'
(Prog) Yes have launched a 90-second clip of Believe Again, the lead track from Heaven & Earth - their first album with Jon Davison. It's set for launch on July 21 in the UK, July 18 in Europe and July 22 in North America.

The eight-track album - the band's 21st studio outing - is described as a continuation of their classic prog sound, but also featuring a "timelessly fresh and innovative" edge.

Davison recently revealed recording work had been finished with just days to spare before they left for another tour, saying: "We were doubling up in the studio. Chris Squire and I were working on background vocals and Steve Howe was finishing guitars. Geoff Downes was in Wales, Alan White was in Seattle and they were both sending tracks."

But he added that the band were left with more material than they needed, and some of it could appear in a future release. Check out the song preview here.




Megadeth Working On New Music
(hennemusic) Megadeth bassist and cofounder David Ellefson has released a new update for fans on the band's latest activity in the studio as they work on some new music.

"Dave [Mustaine] and I are in the studio this week in California working up some of the new riffs," posted Ellefson. "We're having fun, just throwing it down and keeping it chill. These are essentially writing demos at this point so just grinding out the tunes like a metal band should. More to come...."

Drummer Shawn Drover recently shared news that he and Mustaine were working on demos, as well. The band have been touring in support of their latest album, 2013's "Super Collider." more on this story





Killswitch Engage's Jesse Leach Humbled By Post Breakup Job
(Classic Rock) Returned Killswitch Engage frontman Jesse Leach won't forget the humbling experience of being identified by fans as he worked in a bar serving drinks.

He left KSE in 2002, and moved away from music altogether, working a string of jobs including bakery assistant, paralegal and woodcutter. Five years later he formed Times Of Grace with KSE's Adam D, and eventually made peace with the rest of his colleagues, paving his way for his return to the mic in 2012 - and meaning he could leave his job as a cocktail waiter in Manhattan.

Leach tells TeamRock Radio: "For me, the most humbling thing about being a barman is having someone recognise you when you're wiping their glass down, getting ready to serve them." more on this story






Volbeat Focused On The Road, Not Next Album
(TeamRock Radio) Volbeat are trying not to get too creative on new music - in case it distracts them from delivering the best live shows possible, says guitarist Rob Caggiano.

The former Anthrax man joined Michael Poulson's band last year after being invited to produce fifth album Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies, then enjoying the experience so much that he signed up full-time.

They're currently concentrating on supporting that release on the road - and Caggiano says they don't want anything to get in their way. He tells TeamRock Radio: "We've started bits and pieces during soundchecks, but we've not really started work yet. I guess at the end of the year we might start looking really seriously into doing some new stuff." more on this story




All The Slayer Fans Love Tesla
(Classic Rock) Dave Rude says Tesla always fear being bottled at festivals - but they've always escaped the worst excesses of violent crowds because even fans of extreme music end up enjoying the band's classic rock vibe.

The guitarist has got used to finding his band sandwiched between much heavier acts on the summer circuit. He tells TeamRock Radio: "Sometimes we'll be on bills like Download, when there's a lot of really heavy bands.

"We did a show in Germany last week with Testament and f***ing Annihilator and all these hardcore bands. Every time we're about to get onstage at those festivals I think, 'Man, we're gonna get bottled - it's gonna be nuts.'

"But no: there's dudes with leather jackets and upside-down crosses tattooed on their faces, going 'Love will find a way!' All the Slayer fans f***ing love Tesla." more on this story





The Temperance Movement Hope To Meet Rolling Stones During Tour
(Classic Rock) The Temperance Movement are nearing the end of their European tour with the Rolling Stones - but they've never been given the chance to speak to Mick Jagger and co.

That hasn't ruined the rising-star blues-rockers' experience of playing their biggest shows ever during the summer. Speaking to TeamRock Radio ahead of their Download appearance on Friday, bassist Nick Fyfe said: "It came up so quick. It sort of blindsided us, and suddenly it was happening. We've played some amazing venues in front of a lot of people."

And he lives in hope of shaking the Stones' hands: "I think they've penciled in a window to meet up with them on the last show," he says. "We've had glimpses of them. It's been amazing - a real honor." more on this story






Anathema Breaking New Ground With New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Anathema's Daniel Cavanagh credits Opeth frontman Mikael Akerfeldt with helping him through a tough time in 2012 - although he won't discuss the details.

Cavanagh tells TeamRock Radio: "I got to know Mike and to like him a lot on our tour in 2012. He was really there for me when I particularly needed somebody. I've never forgotten it and I never will - I'm looking forward to saying hello to him later on."

Anathema released tenth album Distant Satellites last week, and Cavanagh is certain it marks a high point in the band's career. He says: "It's breaking new ground for us. We've had a good chart entry in the UK, Germany and Europe.

"It's a good time - we have new management, we have a great relationship with the record label. We've got the best crew; we're so lucky. The dynamic in the band is so good."

Stream the full interview here.





Sebastian Bach Performs as LMFAO
(hennemusic) Sebastian Bach teamed up with comedian Jon Lovitz to perform as LMFAO on the season finale of the new ABC-TV reality series, "Sing Your Face Off."

The pair sang the hip hop duo's massive 2011 hit, "Sexy And I Know It." Bach had been eliminated after four weeks of competition that saw him perform as Lady Gaga, Willie Nelson and Queen's Freddie Mercury.

The series features five celebrity contestants taking on the identity of an iconic music performer each week. Hosted by actor John Barrowman ("Torchwood", "Arrow"), "Sing Your Face Off" saw Bach compete alongside Lovitz, Toronto Raptors basketball star Landry Fields, singer China Anne McClain ("A.N.T. Farm") and actress Lisa Rinna ("Days of Our Lives"). Check out the video here.






Singled Out: The Kut's Make Up
Today The Kut's lead vocalist and guitarist Maha tells us about the title track from their brand new 'Make Up' EP, which was released by Criminal Records this summer. Here is the story:

Make up was one of those tracks that was around as an idea for a long time before it hit paper. It was a collection of different emotions and feelings that were probably bottled up but recurring in my life at that time. The lyrics explain the way that whilst words can build us up, that the emotions aren't the same as the words said to convey them - they are totally separate, and sometimes they conflict or are just a face for something that isn't actually there.

The riff is pretty grunged up, I guess, but the mood also kind of goes through a number of emotions. The verses talk about dark mood swings, feeling unsettled and how sometimes the people around you can have a negative impact on how you feel. It was also about being alone in the world and somehow feeling that it was nothing new or special, and actually quite detached from every day emotions or how you appear to the onlooker.

But that's not to say that everything was totally bleak in the track, even in the most broken times it was swaying in summer beauty, and you can just suppress it to the back of your mind and watch it all fade out. It talks about the seasons, in the summer sun, the trees and then in the fall it's all bare, but it was never about the seasons, just about emotion cycles and a lack of emotion, like it was always on a switch.

The end part is almost the breakthrough, the realisation that some of it stems from the frustration of giving so much of your life for something that hasn't or doesn't seem to be materialised yet. The solo was just an explanation of the future and the unknown. The song asks what then? but that part is unwritten and it's for the time that's coming to decide your fate or future…

It's a great feeling to be finally get the track out there on the EP now though. We had some great reactions to our No Trace single this year and have just started shooting our Mario music video, so it's all go x