Today's Day in Rock
Scott Weiland Vs Stone Temple Pilots No More
While discussing the forthcoming Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts album "Blaster," in a new interview Weiland revealed that legal battle between him and his former band Stone Temple Pilots is over.
Speaking to Ultimate Guitar, Weiland was asked how he felt about Stone Temple Pilots replacing him with Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington and he responded, "Umm, I really don't think about it that much. It's like our legal suits we had going are way behind us now. They're doing what they're doing and I'm doing what I'm doing and I wish them luck."
Weiland also reiterated that he was never an official member of the supergroup Art of Anarchy, which features Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal, Disturbed's John Moyer and twins Jon and Vince Votta.
Echoing his previous comments on the group and their debut album, Weiland said, "Uh, yeah. It's just something I kinda got into when I wasn't doing anything else and just wrote some melodies and lyrics to.
"I sang over these stereo tracks and then sent it back. But I'm not in the band. It will be cool once they find a lead singer so check 'em out when they play live. But it's not something I'm a part of."
Read the full interview where Weiland goes in depth about the new album, here.
Def Leppard, Styx and Tesla Announce Summer Tour
Def Leppard has announced that they will be launching a massive North American summer tour with Styx and Tesla. The trek will follow Def Leppard's spring tours in Canada and Europe.
The summer tour is scheduled to kick off on June 23rd in Tampa, FL at the Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre and conclude on October 4th in Bismarck, ND at the Bismarck Civic Center.
Def Leppard has also previously announced two separate tours this spring. On April 15th they will kick off 13 date tour of Canada in Penticton, BC and on May 15th the will launch a mainland European tour in Minsk, Belarus. See all the tour dates here.
The Animals' Danny McCulloch Dies From Heart Failure
Eric Burdon & The Animals' Danny McCulloch died from heart failure on January 29, 2015, according to his children Natasha Brearley, Nina McCulloch Kent, Tara Mcculloch and Alistair Temple.
McCulloch was a member of the band from 1966 through 1968 and appeared on three albums with the group "Winds of Change" (1967), "The Twain Shall Meet" (1968) and Every One of Us (1968).
His children wrote a tribute to the musicians which was published by NME. They write, "Danny McCulloch died suddenly on the morning of Thursday the January 29, 2015 from cardiac heart failure. At age 69 this 'giant amongst us' departed doing what he loved until the end, though he still had more to give in life and in music.
"Although best known for the earth shattering riffs played with Eric Burdon and the Animals, giving depth and vitality to Burdon's vocals, there was much more to his individual composition and passion for the raw music.
"In the summer of '68 a blessing presented itself in the form of Danny's realisation that he was, in fact, an animal no more, which meant that he could write the music that he wanted to, the way that he wanted to. The legacy that he leaves us with today are thought-provoking and quietly humble arrangements." Read the rest of the tribute here.
Bumblefoot Clears Up Scott Weiland Supergroup Confusion
(Classic Rock) Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal has moved to clear up the "confusion" surrounding Scott Weiland's involvement with supergroup Art Of Anarchy. The Guns N' Roses guitarist formed the group with brothers John and Vince Votta as well as Disturbed bass player John Moyer. Former Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver frontman Weiland agreed to do vocals on the band's debut album, due out in the spring.
But Weiland later insisted he was never part of the band and that he was simply hired to sing on the record - nothing more. Bumblefoot tells Icon Vs Icon: "I know that right out of the gate there was a little bit of, I wouldn't say controversy, but maybe some unnecessary confusion about things.
"However, it is about the music, about the album and putting the album out. Anything beyond that remains to be seen. We don't know what is going to happen. We don't know if, after the album comes out, people are going to want to see something live.
"If they do, Scott is very clear that his focus is his solo stuff and mine is too. Scott wants to just do his solo thing and isn't looking to do any live dates with this.
"Then we would find a new singer, if we did any live shows. Who knows what would happen with that new singer and if it would become a permanent thing or if it would just be for the live setting. We don't know." Read more here.
Another Rocker Thinks Rock Might Be Dead
(Classic Rock) Gene Simmons has finally found an ally to back his claim that Rock Is Dead - in Anvil frontman Lips. The Kiss bassist repeated his often-used comment on the music industry last year in an interview with Esquire magazine, suggesting that it is almost impossible for new artists to make a living from songwriting.
The headlines generated by 65-year-old Simmons' soundbite created an uproar from several corners of the rock world - including Dee Snider, Slash and AC/DC, among others.
Anvil have been fighting the good fight in metal's name since forming in Toronto in 1978. The band have released 15 albums through the years, and had their career re-energised following the success of the 2008 documentary Anvil! The Story Of Anvil, which recounted their struggles in the hard rock music industry.
Frontman Steve 'Lips' Kudlow tells Horns Up Rocks that he's unsure how he would launch Anvil as a new band today given the current state of the rock industry.
He says: "I don't know how you make it. Maybe Gene Simmons is right. Maybe rock is dead. I don't know. Certainly the business of rock is dead. But I really don't know you would tackle getting known in today's day and age. I just don't know.
"I don't think there's anything that can be done differently. You know, there is no music industry as such. Starting out today, you might as well not bother. There's no industry. How can you start? I don't even know. I wouldn't even know how to begin tackling that problem today." Read more here.
Steely Dan Announce Summer Tour With Elvis Costello & The Imposters
Steely Dan has announced that they will have added a summer leg to their Rockabye Gollie Angel Tour which will include support from Elvis Costello & The Imposters.
The summer trek will follow Steely Dan's spring tour leg which will kick off on April 7th in Santa Rose, Ca at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts and conclude on April 18th in San Diego, CA at Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay and includes sets at this year's Coachella Festival on April 10th and 17th.
Steely Dan will then take a couple of months off before kicking off the summer tour on July 6th in Denver at Red Rocks and they will stay on the road until August 12th when they close out the tour in West Palm Beach, FL at the Cruzan Amphitheatre. See the tour dates here.
Bob Dylan Announces U.S. Tour Dates
Bob Dylan has announced that he will be launching a tour of the United States and has revealed the initial 20 dates for the trek which will be taking place this spring.
The initial dates will be hitting the east coast the southern U.S. including stops in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas.
As of right now the tour is scheduled to begin on April 10th in Atlantic City, New Jersey at The Borgata and concludes on May 7th in San Antonio, Texas at the Majestic Theatre.
Dylan is launching the tour in support of his new standards album, "Shadows In The Nights," which is currently in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 album chart. See the tour dates here.
Coal Chamber Announce Release Of Comeback Album
Coal Chamber has announced that "Rivals", the recently reunited band's first new studio album in over thirteen years, will be released in North American on May 19th.
The band's frontman Dez Fafara had the following to say about the album, "This record was over 13 years in the Making and I promise this record won't disappoint and will be worth the wait!
"Rivals is solid through and through, there's maturity and growth in the music while still maintaining the true Coal Chamber sound and delivering track after track of killer tunes! We had a great time working together on this record and I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!"
The band will be launching a North American tour in support of the album that will feature support from Filter, Combichrist and American Head Charge.
The tour will be kicking off on March 6th in Tempe, AZ at the Marquee and concluding on April 12th in Dallas, TX at Gas Monkey Live. See the tour dates and the album's tracklisting here.
Doobie Brothers Announce Tour Dates With Don Felder
The Doobie Brothers have announced some additional North American tour dates that include a handful of dates with former Eagles Guitarist Don Felder this spring.
The new dates with Don Felder are focused mostly across Texas and will kick off on April 22nd in Midland at Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center and will conclude with the only non-Texas date in Alpharetta, GA on May 2nd.
The Doobie Brothers have also added a number of tour dates this summer including stops in Francisco, Oregon, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and an appearance at the Lockn' Festival in Arrington, VA on September 10th. See the new tour dates here.
Mike Portnoy His First 'Full-Blown' Metal Album
(Classic Rock) Drummer Mike Portnoy has revealed he's been recording his first "full-blown" heavy metal album. Details of who he's recording with haven't been officially confirmed, although he recently posted a picture of himself with Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick and Megadeth bassist David Ellefson on Facebook.
And the sticksman says his live appearance with members and former members of bands including Anthrax, Slayer, Sepultura and Death Angel under the Metal Allegiance banner sparked his idea for his latest project.
He tells Mike Portnoy Warriors: "There's another album I just finished the drums and the writing on - and it's my full-blown first full-on metal album. We wrote it in December and January, I tracked my drums in January, and we're about to do the guitar and bass tracks.
"It's pretty obvious that it's stemming from my Metal Allegiance experience. I'm getting to do double-bass shredding drumming that I've only been able to hint at with Dream Theater, Avenged or Adrenaline Mob." Read more here.
Doug Aldrich Calls Twisted Sister's Dee Snider 'A Total Jackass'
(Classic Rock) Guitarist Doug Aldrich has hit back at Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider after the singer questioned the axeman's contribution to Whitesnake in an online posting.
Aldrich quit David Coverdale's band in 2014 after 11 years with the outfit and was replaced by Joel Hoekstra. But despite being an integral part of Whitesnake for over a decade, Snider has called out the guitarist on Twitter.
Snider says: "Question: What Whitesnake album of importance did Doug Aldrich play on? I'm just sayin'. I'm tired of musicians who joined famous bands after their heyday claiming they are from those bands. They had nothing to do with success!"
Aldrich responded: "Dude, I just did my best to keep the band moving forward. Was blessed to compose 30 tunes. You are a total jackass though. Haha!"
Snider was then forced to issue an apology saying: "It was wrong for me to single you out. I'm sorry. My point is valid, but I shouldn't have singled you out." Read more and see the twitter exchange here.
Yngwie Malmsteen Inducted Into Swedish Music Hall Of Fame
Legendary guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen was inducted into the Swedish Music Hall Of Fame according to an announcement from the organization on Thursday (February 12).
They released the following from the Hall of Fame Jury: "The boy who would become known as Yngwie Malmsteen used to lock himself in his early-70s bedroom in Hässelby with his electric guitar. His mother passed in trays of food now and again. The boy's plan was not to come out again until he had mastered his instrument as well as Paganini, the Italian violin virtuoso who played so well it was rumoured that he had sold his soul to the devil.
When Yngwie eventually emerged from his room, he brought with him albums such as Rising Force, which were to take the world by storm. Yngwie Malmsteen, with his dazzling technique and neo-classical metal style, has influenced electric guitarists on seven continents. Like a Paganini with smoke bombs and long hair, he has - in his own words - 'unleashed the f***ing fury' and redefined Swedish music.'
Yngwie posted a photo of the plaque here.
Steve Hackett Releases Video Teaser For New Album Wolflight
(Classic Rock) Steve Hackett has issued a teaser video for his upcoming album Wolflight. It's due to launch on March 30 and will be the former Genesis man's first original solo work since 2011's Beyond The Shrouded Horizon. And he insists Wolflight is the pinnacle of his career so far.
He says: "I feel it's the best thing I've done and I've been making albums now for a very long time. There's tons of energy and I feel, unlike the other albums, it doesn't wander off the plot too much."
He's joined on the record by guest musicians and longtime collaborators, including keyboardist Roger King, drummers Gary O'Toole and Hugo Dagenhardt, saxophonist Rob Townsend, bassist Nick Beggs and singer Amanda Lehmann. Also joining Hackett on the project is Yes bassist Chris Squire, who plays on the track Love Song To A Vampire.
Along with a standard CD, Wolflight will also launch on double vinyl and as a digital download. In addition, a special edition CD and Blu-ray mediabook will be released featuring interviews and two hours of bonus material. Read more and watch the teaser video here.
Danko Jones Release 'Do You Wanna Rock' Video
(Classic Rock) Danko Jones have released a video for "Do You Wanna Rock," taken from the band's forthcoming "Fire Music" album, the follow-up to 2012's Rock and Roll Is Black and Blue.
"Do You Wanna Rock? has a lot of cowbell," says Danko. "We wouldn't want it any other way. Use it to start parties, create conga lines, and plain ol' boogie oogie oogie."
In November, the band released a video for Gonna Be A Fight Tonight, a track later selected to be the official anthem of last month's WWE Royal Rumble in Philadelphia. Watch the video here.
Riot V Release 'Ride Hard Live Free' Lyric Video
(Classic Rock) Riot V have issued a lyric video for Ride Hard Live Free, the second single from their 2014 album Unleash The Fire. Released last October via SPV/Steamhammer, the project is dedicated to the last original member, Mark Reale, who founded the band in New York City in 1975 and passed away in 2012 following a lifelong battle with Crohn's disease.
Riot V's current lineup includes singer Todd Michael Hall, guitarists Mike Flyntz and Nick Lee, bassist Don Van Stavern and drummer Frank Gilchriest.
Hall spoke with Grande-rock.com about how Reale's death affected the band and the direction they took on Unleash The Fire. He says: "I feel like I have an outsider's perspective on this type of question, because I did not know Mark. I can tell you that Donne, Mike, and even Frank talk about Mark a lot, which makes the loss very apparent. In some ways, I feel like I know Mark now because I have met his father and heard so many stories about him.
"We definitely talked about the need to create an album that would make Mark proud and we are concerned about shedding a positive light on his legacy. As for the song writing, I think Mark's passing gave Donnie and Mike inspiration to include other types of songs that spanned the career of Riot and not just to stay just within the 'Thundersteel' sound for this album."
Scorpions' Virgin Killer Set For Limited Edition Vinyl Reissue
(Glass Onyon) Audio Fidelity have announced that they will be releasing a limited edition 180gm vinyl reissue of the Scorpions' classic 1976 album "Virgin Killer" this April. An exact release date has not been announced.
We were sent the following marketing message about the special reissue: "'Virgin Killer' is the first of four studio releases that really defined the Scorpions and their highly influential urgent metallic sound. It was released in 1976 and was the first album of the band to attract attention outside Europe. The album was a step in the band's shift from psychedelic music to hard rock. For the first time in the band's career the line-up stayed the same with Klaus Meine on vocals, Uli Jon Roth on lead guitar, Rudolf Schenker on rhythm guitar, Francis Buchholz on bass, and Rudy Lenners on drums. The nine tracks were laid down with Dieter Dierks producing.
"The band is in top form and churns out some melodic yet blistering heavy rock. 'Virgin Killer' is full of heavy songs and exceptionally, fast, innovative guitar leads by Uli Jon Roth. These songs are infectious and the Jimi Hendrix comparisons are endless, especially the sound of the thunder-heavy riffs and grooves on Uli's 'Polar Nights' guitar solo that make it a classic.
"'Virgin Killer' should have made the band superstars, but since metal was still very much an underground movement, the Scorpions would have to wait until the 1980's when the band cranked out their first hits. The metal is so clear cut and state-of-the-art on this historic recording and distinctly draws the line of what was classic hard rock and true heavy metal.
"'Virgin Killer' is simply essential listening; a landmark album for the genre's development that made Uli Jon Roth a guitar legend." See the tracklist here.
Slash's Les Paul Award Acceptance Speech Video Goes Online
(hennemusic) Slash was honored with the Les Paul Award at the 30th annual NAMM Technical Excellence & Creativity (TEC) Awards in Anaheim, California on January 24, and video of his award presentation and acceptance speech has surfaced.
The Les Paul Award - named for the revolutionary inventor and esteemed musician - honors individuals or institutions that have set the highest standards of excellence in the creative application of audio and music technology.
Instituted in 1991, the honor has been awarded to influential artists including Pete Townshend, Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, Todd Rundgren and Peter Gabriel.
Hosted by comedian Sinbad, the 2015 event honored individuals and companies for outstanding achievement in professional audio technology and production.
On the road in support of "World On Fire", Slash just completed a series of concerts in Japan and now heads to New Zealand for two shows next week before hitting Australia for the Soundwave Festival.
Watch the video of the awards ceremony and Slash's speech here.
Cannibal Corpse Pass Two Million Album Sales Milestone
(TeamRock Radio) Cannibal Corpse have praised their fans after they were honoured for selling two millions records. The death metal veterans were presented with a plaque by their record label Metal Blade Records ahead of a show in California to commemorate the milestone.
And while they're thrilled with the accolade, both singer George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher and guitarist Rob Barrett are quick to hail their fans for sticking by them.
Fisher tells Metal Sanaz: "I think it says a lot about the fans of death metal. It goes to show what we've always been saying, death metal's not even close to dead.
"It was pretty crazy when we went past a million and now it's two million plus. Not to downplay it, but I think those are things you reflect on later on. It's not like we dwell on it much, we're still on tour.
"We've got shows to play. I don't sit around and dwell on it. But of course it's awesome, it's a pretty big deal. Especially for a death metal band." Read more and stream the interview here.
Whitesnake Release Teaser Video
(hennemusic) Whitesnake have issued a video teasing an upcoming announcement on February 25. The band may reveal details on that date regarding their first project with former Night Ranger guitarist Joel Hoekstra, who replaced Doug Aldrich following his exit last spring.
"One of the first, if not the first, guitarists to put his name forward after hearing that Doug Aldrich had left the band, was an exceptionally talented musician whom we had met briefly last year when his band opened for Whitesnake in Arizona," revealed Coverdale last August.
"Everyone was very impressed by him, not only for his ability to play amazing guitar, but, also, his very agreeable personality & he was definitely foremost in our minds when we began to search for Doug's replacement in Whitesnake."
"We jammed together & were mutually impressed enough to ask him to join Whitesnake on the spot," he added. "This was May 30th. 2014." Watch the video here.
Thunder Release Live Video Of New Song
(Classic Rock) Thunder have released a live video of Black Water, filmed before an invited audience at London's Brooklyn Bowl last November. The studio version of the song comes from the band's Wonder Days album, which is the follow-up to 2008's Bang!
Live versions of two other new tracks recorded on the same night appear on the free CD that adorns the cover of the current issue of Classic Rock. Thunder, Live At Brooklyn Bowl, London will only be available while the magazine is on sale.
Thunder first detailed Wonder Days in November, before releasing a live video of the title track filmed in Tokyo. Wonder Days will be released on Monday. Watch the video here.
Dragonforce Announce Live Release Plans
(TeamRock Radio) Dragonforce will release their first live DVD this summer, they've confirmed. In The Line Of Fire will launch on July 10 and was recorded at last year's Loud Park festival in Tokyo.
And guitarist Herman Li says the reason the band waited so long to launch a live recording was because they wanted to have a wide range of material to showcase.
He explains: "We always held the opinion that if we ever did a DVD we wanted to do it properly. Now, having released six studio albums, we thought we had a great cross section of material to pick from and we knew the facilities at Loud Park made it a great place to film a show.
"Everything just came together and we're very pleased with the results and hope the fans will be also." The DVD package will feature an audio CD of the gig and will also be available on Blu-ray. The band have also issued a video for "Three Hammers" from the concert, check it out here.
Escape The Cult Release Clandestine Video
(TeamRock Radio) Escape The Cult have released a music video for their track Clandestine, which comes from the band's debut album All You Want To which launched in August last year.
The supergroup is the brainchild of Kamlath bassist Peter G Shallmin. He's joined in the project by Primus and former A Perfect Circle drummer Tim Alexander, King Diamond and Mercyful Fate guitarist Mike Wead along with Uneven Structure singer Matthieu Romarin.
The band collaborated with Belgian-based director and artist Pasquale Baseotto of FrictionMedia for the shoot, and Shallmin says Baseotto managed to create a "dark atmosphere" which worked perfectly with the song.
He says: "This time we are going into mysterious characters and occult symbolism in seven scenes, seven different worlds, seven spaces, seven secrets, seven demons and seven sins.
"We are happy to work with Pasquale. His impressive personal input and professional approach turned into a wide video novel with lots of details, epic dark atmosphere and sophisticated interlacing the images and visual elements with the lyrics." Read more and watch the video here.
The Gentle Storm Release New Studio Video
(TeamRock Radio) The Gentle Storm have released another behind-the-scenes clip from recording sessions for their upcoming album The Diary. The collaboration between Arjen Lucassen and The Gathering singer Anneke van Giersbergen launches in Europe on March 23 via InsideOut.
The clip shows Lucassen playing a variety of instruments and highlights his guitar solo on the track Endless Sea. an Giersbergen says about the Ayeron mastermind: "I love his dedication and sense of humour and now that we did a whole album together I can see how he pulls off these enormous projects that he became famous and loved for.
"It was a real pleasure and an honour to do an album together - it's already one of the highlights of my career and I can't wait to share The Gentle Storm with you all." Watch the video here.
Therapy? Reveal New Album Details
(Classic Rock) Therapy? will release their 14th album next month to coincide with a full UK tour. The band issue Disquiet on March 23 via Amazing Record Co and hit the road a few days later.
The follow-up to 2012's A Brief Crack Of Light comes on the heels of a last year's 20th anniversary reissue and tour - including a show at The Scala in London - celebrating the band's 1994 breakthrough album, Troublegum.
The 11-song Disquiet was overseen by Royal Blood and Turbowolf producer Tom Dalgety and recorded at Blast Studios in Newcastle. Frontman Andy Cairns explains the project sees the band moving forward with a nod to their past.
Cairns says: "In constructing Disquiet, we went back to the old-fashioned way in which Troublegum was written, whereby I'd take my guitar, play a song, record it on my phone and then send the song to the guys 'finished,' in terms of lyrics, melody and guitar chords.
"We started with 19 songs, recorded 18 of them and then worked with Tom to select the ones that best represented what we were trying to do with this record. And we're genuinely delighted with how things have turned out." Read more here.
The Vintage Caravan Announce New Album
(Classic Rock) The Vintage Caravan have unveiled plans to issue their third album, Arrival, on May 15 via Nuclear Blast. Hailing from the Greater Reykjavik area, Vintage Caravan features singer/guitarist Oskar Logi, bassist Alex Orn and drummer Gudjon Reynisson.
The band - who toured the UK with Blues Pills in November, including a show at The Dome - recorded the follow-up to their self-titled 2011 debut and 2014's Voyage in an isolated Fjord where they set up a studio in an old ballroom and worked again with producer Axel 'Flexi' Arnason.
Vintage Caravan say: "The songwriting sessions have been going on since around October 2012, when our album Voyage had been out in Iceland for a month. We immediately started writing at that point, so some of the songs are quite old for us; because of that, we have a bit too many songs but we intend to make this album around 10 tracks so we can put what we think are the best tracks on the album." Read more here.
More Bands Added To Ramblin' Man Fair
(Classic Rock) Ramblin' Man Fair has added further names to its main stage line-ups. The festival, presented by The Rock Collective and TeamRock, will bring the best of Classic Rock, Progressive Rock, Country and Blues to Mote Park in Maidstone, Kent over the weekend of 25th and 26th July 2015.
Announced today are American bluesman Seasick Steve, blues rockers The Temperance Movement, Geordie legends The Quireboys, Icelandic metallers Sólstafir and up-and-coming multinational act Blues Pills. All are playing on Ramblin' Man's man stage on Saturday, while rising UK rockers Toseland will be performing on the Sunday. More acts are still to be announced.
Already announced for Ramblin' Man are Scorpions and Gregg Allman (both acts' only UK shows of 2015), four artists who won't be performing at any other UK festivals this year - Camel, Marillion and Dream Theater - plus Saxon, Blue Oyster Cult, Ian Anderson, Pendragon, Anathema, Haken, Alcest, Knifeworld, Anna Phoebe, Unto US, Riverside, The Pineapple Thief, Messenger, and more.
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