Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Ozzy Osbourne Cancels Festival Due To Surgery
(hennemusic) Ozzy Osbourne has cancelled Ozzfiesta, a 5-day event scheduled for this May in Mexico's Mayan Riviera, due to an upcoming surgery. What type of surgery the Black Sabbath frontman is scheduled for has not been revealed.

Organizers revealed the news in a released statement, saying "Cool Breeze Concerts regret to inform you that Ozzfiesta is cancelled. Like you, we were very excited about the event.

"However, Ozzy is having surgery, scheduled for May, following his South American tour. He requires at least four weeks of recovery time. We are very disappointed that we need to cancel.

"We will be offering refunds which will be processed in the next 4-6 weeks. If you decide that you would still enjoy an all inclusive vacation at the Hard Rock, Riviera Maya, Mexico please send us an email, and we can make the arrangements." Read more here.



Gene Simmons Slams U2, Stones For Something KISS Also Did
(hennemusic) Gene Simmons is slamming artists that use pre-recording backing tracks in performances, despite the fact that KISS have done so at least twice in the past six months.

"I have a problem when you charge $100 to see a live show and the artist uses backing tracks," Simmons tells Australia's News.com.au. "It's like the ingredients in food, if the first ingredient on the label is sugar that's at least honest. It should be on every ticket - you're paying $100, 30 to 50 per cent of the show is (on) backing tracks and they'll sing sometimes, sometimes they'll lip synch. At least be honest. It's not about backing tracks, it's about dishonesty."

"There's nobody with a synthesiser on our stage, there's no samples on the drums, there's nothing," he added. "There's very few bands who do that now - AC/DC, Metallica, us. I can't even say that about U2 or the Stones. There's very few bands who don't use (backing) tracks."

65-year old Simmons and KISS have performed with backing tracks twice in recent months. Last month, KISS admitted to using backing tracks while performing its new single, "Samurai Son", during a 5-date Japanese tour. Read more here.




Original Guns N' Roses Breakup Sparked By Michael Jackson?
(Radio.com) Guns N' Roses' former manager Doug Goldstein alleges in a new interview that Axl Rose and Slash's long-running tension reached a breaking point when the guitarist agreed to play a concert with Michael Jackson, reports Radio.com.

"In 1991, we were on the road, and Slash went to my office and said 'I'll be leaving tomorrow to play with Michael Jackson on a tribute concert,'" Goldstein recalled in the interview with Rolling Stone Brazil. "I told him not to do it because Axl was molested by his father when he was two and he believed the charges against Michael Jackson."

Goldstein also discouraged Slash from playing the show because he felt that Jackson's compensation wasn't fair. "Everyone knew Eddie Van Halen received $1 million to play in 'Beat It.' So I asked Slash, 'how much are you receiving? Can I manage this to you?' and he said, 'I'll just receive a big screen television.' When Axl found out Slash was gonna play with Michael Jackson and that the payment was a big screen TV he was devastated. He thought Slash would support him and be against all abuse. From Axl's point of view, that was the only problem. He could ignore the drugs and the alcohol, but never the child abuse."

Twenty-four years later, Goldstein believes that Rose and Slash's friendship could still be mended with an apology. 'Slash would have to apologize for the Michael Jackson episode," Goldstein said. Read more here.




Judas Priest's Rob Halford Releasing Anthology
(Classic Rock) A Rob Halford anthology featuring some of his work outside Judas Priest will be released next week. The 30-track set, entitled The Essential Rob Halford, is issued on March 31 as part of the singer's deal with Sony Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings.

The contract gives Sony access to Halford's side projects since 1992, including Fight and Two as well as his solo work. Next week's release will be followed by a Playlist collection and a definitive Complete Albums Box. Video releases are also expected.

Alluding to the new deal with Sony, Halford said last month that he would be open to making more music with Fight, saying: "My solo back catalogue is being put back out there. And, if the opportunity arises, I would love to do that again." Read more here.





System Of A Down Have Written Music For Possible New Album
(TeamRock Radio) System Of A Down have written material for their long-awaited sixth album and they could start recording work soon. But bassist Shavo Odadjian says the band are trying to avoid revealing information about the follow-up to 2005's Mesmerize and Hypnotize records.

Odadjian tells Madcap Music Review: "There's a very good chance. We've written some songs. We're keeping it to ourselves - we're getting back to the bullsh*t of being together."

Last month he said SOAD wouldn't reveal a timescale for the project, adding: "I don't want to be false. But when it's ready, people will hear it." Watch the full interview here.




Ringo Believes Beatles Could Have Reunited
(Classic Rock) Ringo Starr believes the Beatles would have reunited if only all four of them had discussed it together - instead of only talking in pairs. The Fab Four officially split in acrimony in 1970, but speculation over a return persisted after John Lennon and Paul McCartney settled their differences several years later.

The chance of a return ended with Lennon's murder in 1980, while George Harrison died in 2001. Starr tells Rolling Stone: "We did it in twos - we talked about it.

The stumbling block was sitting around and saying, 'Okay, let's do it.' I think if we'd just relaxed behind it long enough, we still had the songs and we could still play. We could have put it together." Read more here.




Decline Of Western Civilization Box Set Coming This Spring
(Classic Rock) Penelope Spheeris' iconic Decline Of Western Civilization documentaries focusing on the US punk and metal scene are to be released as a box set in on June 30.

The original Decline Of Western Civilization was released in 1980 and highlighted the hardcore-punk scene in Los Angeles. Second installment The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years followed in 1988 featuring artists including Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Faster Pussycat, Poison and Kiss.

The film famously featured W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes drinking in his mother's pool and Ozzy Osbourne cooking bacon in a leopard-print dressing gown.

The final film followed 10 years later and concentrated on homeless gutter punks in LA. The anthology will be released on DVD and Blu-ray via Shout! Factory and comes with a bonus disc. Read more here.




Dave Grohl Reaches Out To Dying Foo Fighters Fan
(Classic Rock) A Foo Fighters fan with terminal cancer looks set to get his wish to meet the band after Dave Grohl heard his story. Australian Ken Powell, 56, put meeting the band on his bucket list when he was diagnosed with melanoma in 2009.

The band toured Australia recently, but cancelled all meet and greets due to a bout of food poisoning. Ken had tickets for all six Australian dates and was devastated when he didn't get the chance to meet his heroes.

But by chance, one of his friends works for Qantas airlines, and was on board the Foos' flight home. Grohl was moved after being told Ken's story - and he's sent a personal photo greeting as well as a bunch of merchandise.

He's also offered him VIP passes for a show in Los Angeles, which Ken is now raising funds to attend. Read more here.





Rush Announce 'The Art Of Rush' Book
(Classic Rock) A book celebrating the relationship between Rush and artist Hugh Syme is to be published on May 1, it's been announced. The Art Of Rush: Serving A Life Sentence will feature original illustrations, paintings and photos by Syme, who's designed all the band's artwork since 1975's Caress Of Steel.

The 272-page coffee table volume was penned by music journalist Stephen Humphries and includes interviews with Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart, along with Syme himself.

The book will be available in three versions: a Classic Edition, a signed, individually numbered Special Edition limited to 250 copies, and a Roadcase Deluxe Limited Edition featuring custom slipcase, signed lithograph and metal-plated casing. Only 100 of these will be available and all will be autographed by Syme and band. Read more here.




Pentangle Founder John Renbourn Dead At 70
(Prog) Pentangle founder John Renbourn has died at the age of 70. His body was found Thursday morning at home in Hawick, Scotland, after he missed a concert in Glasgow Wednesday night. It's suspected he suffered a heart attack.

Renbourn began his career as a solo artist before starting work with Bert Jansch in 1963. They put Pentangle together four years later along with Jacqui McShee, Danny Thompson and Terry Cox.

His manager, Dave Smith, said: "John was larger than life - game for anything. He was just finishing off a tour with Wizz Jones and looking forward to the next. He was always running weekend workshops all over Europe." Read more here.




Dave Ellefson Lays Out Megadeth's New Album Plans
(Classic Rock) Dave Ellefson says having unexpected free time in the coming months will make Megadeth's next album even better. The band lost drummer Shawn Drover and guitarist Chris Broderick last year and rescheduled a string of tour dates as a result. But the setback will likely mean their new material is given more attention than usual in the studio.

The bassist tells Hot Metal Online: "We're just returning to the studio, rehearsals are continuing before the final stages of the pre-production. The writing is pretty much done - that can always change in the studio.

"We'll go into the recording, probably, in early May. We had some tour dates in August. Those tour dates got moved, which quite honestly is a good thing because it frees us up and gives us time to make the record with a schedule that's a little more appropriate for how we want to make a great record.

"So some time within the next year, we will get the Megedeth record out. I'd like to think it's not going to be a stinker. I'd like to think it's going to be a pretty kick-ass record. There are a couple of things on there that are very heavy but they're very forward-thinking for Megadeth - in a good way. Not some sort of pop right turn or anything like that." Read more here.




AC/DC's Malcolm Young Buys $10M Waterfront Home
(hennemusic) Retired AC/DC guitarist Malcolm Young and his wife, Linda, have reportedly purchased a AU$10 million waterfront home in the Sydney suburb of Palm Beach.

The Daily Telegraph reports the five-bedroom home is on an absolute beachfront site of about 520sq m and is among many multimillion-dollar properties in the street.

The sale is the biggest on the northern beaches this year. Palm Beach is Sydney's northernmost stretch of sand, a 50-minute drive from the Sydney city centre. here.




Nightwish Explain New Album Concept And 24 Minute Song
(Prog) Nightwish album Endless Forms Most Beautiful is only a concept album in the loosest sense, says mainman Tuomas Holopainen in an exclusive Prog interview video.

In the interview video, he explains that while the follow-up to 2011's Imaginaerum was inspired by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, there's more to the 11-track release than that.

Holopainen says: "Not all the songs deal directly with the issues of nature and science. But there is a pro-life thread going through the album." He, Floor Jansen and Marco Hietala also explain why the final track, The Greatest Show On Earth, had to be 24 minutes long. Check out the video here.




Abbath Disbands Immortal and Launching New Band
(TeamRock Radio) Immortal's founding member Abbath has given Metal Hammer the exclusive announcement regarding the future of Immortal, a forthcoming record and London show.

He says, The name of Immortal, for the time being, will rest; the essence, the power, the music - and Abbath - will not." He says that he "has been writing and rehearsing fervently, with a deluge of new material ready to be recorded; unable to come to an agreement in order move forward with the other members of the band, he has formed a new line up. Whilst grateful and respectful for the contributions of Demonaz, Horgh and Apollyon, the time is now right for Abbath to present his art to the world and continue to evolve the legacy.

"The next two years will see the release of a new album alongside select live performances - the first of these to be announced is The Forum in London on Friday 18th September. This will be Abbath's first time back on stage in the UK since triumphantly headlining Bloodstock Festival in 2011 alongside W.A.S.P and Motörhead. Following this, February 2016 will see a return to playing on home soil as the headliner for the prestigious Blastfest in Bergen - on top of a 100% Norwegian line up." Read more here.




Therapy? Postpone Tour Kick off Due To Illness
(Classic Rock) Therapy? have postponed the first two dates of their UK tour as mainman Andy Cairns recovers from illness. The show at The Marble Factory in Bristol on March 27 has been moved to May 9 while the gig at Gloucester Guild Hall on March 28 will now take place on May 8.

All tickets for the original dates will remain valid and returns are available from point of purchase. The band say: "As lead singer and guitarist Andy Cairns is suffering from a combination of flu and a chest infection he has been advised bed rest for the week by his Doctor. Accordingly Therapy?, with regret, must postpone the first two shows of their forthcoming tour.

"Therapy? of course regret having to take this action and apologise for any inconvenience it may cause, but we look forward to an exciting and rocking Disquiet tour which will now start at The Concorde in Brighton on March 31." Read more including the rescheduled tour dates here.




Van Halen Preview Two More Classic Songs From New Live Album
(hennemusic) Van Halen have released previews of their performance of their 1984 hit, "Jump", and the cover of The Kinks classic, "You Really Got Me", from their forthcoming live album "Tokyo Dome Live In Concert", ahead of it's March 31st release.

The lead single from the band's sixth album, "1984", delivered the band their first and only US No. 1 hit, which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for five weeks, leading the album to sales of more than 12 million copies in the States alone. Check out the preview here

"You Really Got Me", the super-charged lead single from Van Halen's groundbreaking 1978 self-titled debut introduced the California band to the world, delivering a US Top 40 hit on its way to selling more than 10 million albums in the States alone. Check out the preview here.




Judas Priest To Receive Honorary WAMI Hall Of Fame Induction
(hennemusic) Judas Priest will be inducted into the Wisconsin Area Music Industry Awards (WAMI) Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee on April 19.

The event, which recognizes achievements in 34 music categories, will see Priest honored as the first recipient of a Global "Honorary" WAMI Hall Of Fame induction.

"In keeping with WAMI's mission to promote music and the accomplishments of musicians," says WAMI President Zoy Begos, "we're stepping beyond state boundaries by recognizing Judas Priest's contributions to the local, national and international music scenes.

"WAMI is proud to have Judas Priest as our first ever Global Honorary inductee into the WAMI Hall of Fame. When I contacted the band several months ago, their reaction was enthusiastic. We'll formally acknowledge their induction during the 35th Annual Awards Show, April 19 at Turner Hall." Read more here.




Tarja Turunen Previews New Live Package
(Prog) Former Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen will release Luna Park Ride on May 29, she's announced. The performance was recorded by fans in Buenos Aires in March 2011 - and she's issued a trailer for the live package which will launch on 2CD, 2LP, DVD, Blu-ray and on digital formats via earMusic.

A statement reads: "Imagine an enchanted audience in front of an enormous stage in Argentina. Thousands of fans screaming just for her. Having their cameras and cell phones ready to film what will become one hell of a performance, Tarja finally appears. Let the show begin."

Along with the 15-track performance, the CD, DVD and Blu-ray editions come bundled with over 70 minutes of bonus material taken from her live gigs between 2010 - 2014, including her appearance at last year's Summer Breeze festival in Germany. Check out the track details and the preview trailer here.




Palm Reader Will Play Five Shows On The Same Day
(TeamRock Radio) Palm Reader will play five shows in one day as part of what the band call their "most ambitious challenge yet." The British hardcore outfit release second album Beside The Ones We Love in the spring and have just completed a headline tour of the UK.

Now they'll play five venues in and around London on the same day - Bank Holiday Monday, May 4. They will be joined by various guests acts at each show.

Frontman Josh McKeown says: "Everything about this band revolves around us pushing ourselves and this insane day will encapsulate our approach. It's by far the most ambitious challenge we've ever set ourselves and is undoubtedly one of the hardest things we'll ever try to pull off as a band. That said, it's going to so much fun, so get your Oyster cards topped up and we'll see you there." Check out the details for the shows here.




Exodus' Souza and Gary Holt Have Mended Fences
(Classic Rock) Steve 'Zetro' Souza says his relationship with Exodus mainman Gary Holt has never been stronger. Almost a decade after his second spell in Exodus came to an end, the singer was brought back into the band to replace Rob Dukes as they were recording latest album Blood In Blood Out last year.

And while he admits tensions were high between himself and guitarist Holt for a long time, he says the pair's respect for each other has grown in the year since his return.

Zetro tells The Great Southern Brainfart: "There was about 10 years of mudslinging back and forth but Gary and I have a really great relationship now.

"We can tell each other anything. Being back in Exodus, there's a lot more respect between everyone. We're all pretty much into our 50s now. I think with age we've come to respect who we are as musicians and being in the business."

Zetro believes that with age comes maturity and he says he's happy to accept the decisions made as a group. Read more here.




The Helmholtz Resonators Streaming New Song 'Vermillion Hue'
(TeamRock Radio) London-based psychedelic garage rockers The Helmholtz Resonators will release their album, 'The Mystery Of Woolley Mountain' on April 13 via Proving House Digital.

The album will be preceded by a single, Vermillion Hue, on April 6 - but you can listen to an exclusive stream of the track online. Say the band of the single: "The tumbling clouds filled with a halcyon vermillion hue, and the lonely trees standing solitary in the vast rolling fields. Just makes you think doesn't it? Reminisce and think of times gone by; sacred moments in your life…The profundity and hopeless enormity of it all...

"Vermillion Hue is a feeling experienced by Garland Vanderbilt, one of The Helmholtz Resonators, whilst aboard a train, on a physical and spiritual journey from the musical adventure; The Mystery Of Woolley Mountain.

"The music echoes the emotion and sentiment felt - a mesmeric bassline flows hypnotically along the drum track, like the train rumbling gently along its rails, as electronic droplets of rain trickle across its path." Read more and stream the song here.




ZZ Top Now Understand Method To Rick Rubin's Madness
(Classic Rock) Billy Gibbons says producer Rick Rubin's notoriously painstaking approach to recording made ZZ Top's last album the best it could be. Work on La Futura began in 2008, but the album didn't see the light of day until 2012 - a delay of nine years since 2003's Mescalero.

In 2011 the guitarist admitted: "The band is wondering, 'When is this thing? When do we hear it?'" Previously, Graham Nash had accused the producer of ruining an abandoned Crosby, Stills And Nash album, while Slipknot's Corey Taylor said he'd never work with the producer again.

Now Gibbons tells Shepherd Express: "Rick is in no way going to get set into motion, when it may be hasty or hurried. He really is sincere when he works with any artist.

"Rick said, 'Let's keep working on it until it's right.' You find yourself returning to a particular track - it may be months tucked away in the can - and you say, 'Let's come back to that.'"

He admits Rubin's approach presented issues, saying: "It can be challenging to listen to the same song for two hours and then say, 'I want to sing it again.' Then you say, 'Would this word be better here? Let me sing it again.' After a full day you're just toast."

But he adds: "I really think Rick is one of the rare individuals who's willing to let the material develop and reach a logical zenith." Read more here.




Matt Skiba And The Sekrets Announce New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Matt Skiba And The Sekrets will release their second album on June 1st in Europe and June 2nd in North America, they've announced. Skiba has replaced Tom DeLonge for Blink-182's live dates in the US and will return to Alkaline Trio for their upcoming run of shows - but he's still found time to record Kuts with AFI bassist Hunter Burgan and drummer Jarrod Alexander.

He says: "The writing style and entire approach to this was a stronger desire to do something fairly different from my other band. We used sounds hugely influenced by early David Bowie and took more chances.

"I knew that the playing of Hunter and Jarrod would bring new elements to the songs that would help shape them and influence ideas I would never have thought of on my own." Read more here.




The Fall Of Troy, Judge and Ignite Added To Hevy Fest
(TeamRock Radio) The Fall Of Troy, Judge and Ignite lead the latest additions to the bill for this year's Hevy Fest. They'll appear under headliners The Dillinger Escape Plan, Coheed And Cambria and Thrice at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park on August 14-15.

Also added are A Wilhelm Scream, Teenage Bottlerocket, Arcane Roots, Crooks, Broken Teeth, Hang The Bastard, Black Peaks, Blood Youth, Trash Boat, Youth Man and Press To Meco.

Reunited trio The Fall Of Troy's original lineup are to perform 2005 album Doppelganger in full, 10 years to the day since its release. Other special sets include Thrice's only UK appearance of the year, Coheed playing In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3 in full. Read more here.




Radiohead Classic Added To Library Of Congress Recording Registry
(Prog) Radiohead's classic album OK Computer has been added to the US Library Of Congress National Recording Registry as a result of its cultural importance.

Featuring the singles Paranoid Android, Karma Police, No Surprises and Lucky, the chart-topping follow-up to The Bends received almost universal critical acclaim on release.

The album has been compared to the Beatles' Sgt Pepper album and Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon in terms of musical concept and influence. Read more here.




Singled Out: The Singularity's Wetter
Today electro-rocker The Singularity aka Julian Shah-Taylertells us about the song "Wetter" from the recently released "Weta" EP. Here is the story:

I had just moved to LA after a 5 year on again off again continual tour with my old band "Whitey" in the UK, a series of unproductive stints working with Courtney Love, Joaquin Phoenix followed courtesy of an introduction from Alan McGee who was considering managing either or both of the projects so I had gone into a kind of studio hermit phase writing songs for films and being a backroom guy collaborating with friends and writing for other artists.

A friend of mine, David Maurice introduced me to JC Chasez, ex NKOTB with whom he was writing an album. We got into the studio together to write, and the enthusiasm that JC exhibited was so infectious and joyful, that I went back to the studio I was living in and wrote the basic track and lyric in 15 minutes on a nord lead, borrowed from my housemate "Jawnee" of "that noise" and my other band "Piel" in Koreatown, LA with the intention always of presenting the tune to JC for inclusion on his album, although when Tiki (my other housemate and the utterly brilliant singer/songwriter in Piel) heard it, it became clear that I should not even think of sharing it with JC.

My mind always wants to twist the meanings of things, and convey something beyond and behind the lyric, so I wanted it to come across as a terrible creepy Hollywood party predator in one of the Hollywood hills parties that we had been attending regularly where everything is provided, and the girls are either insanely beautiful and a little vapid, or brilliantly strange and paradisiacal.

The norm in those circles is this odd cocaine fueled personality which overruns any sense of humanity. It is sad to say depending on your perceived "status", you can use these hackneyed old pick up lines and awful creepy come ons to persuade certain of the girls to join you for whatever debauched ideas you might have.

The video we made intends a certain creepy feel, and the dancing girls are these ghostly shades captured from the ether by my central lothario/alien spirit.

The final thing is the water theme which was inspired by the ubiquitous pools in la, and my sign, which is water. The symbol of sexuality, and the eternal feminine from which everything is born. I also sweat a LoT on stage!