Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Slash Open To Guns N' Roses Reunion, Denies Feud With Axl
(hennemusic) Slash told CBS This Morning on Thursday that he is open to the possibility of a Guns N' Roses reunion and he also discussed the status of his relationship with Axl Rose.

"It's been one of those things that's been talked about by everybody but us for over the last 18, 19 years," he said. "I've got to be careful what I say there. I mean, if everybody wanted to do it and do it for the right reasons, I think the fans would love it. I think it might be fun at some point to try and do that."

Asked what those "right reasons" might be, Slash says "I mean, that's a hard one. That just starts to get into a whole complex thing… It's really between the guys in the band."

About his relationship with Axl Rose, he said, "Well, we haven't really talked in a long time, but a lot of the tension that you were talking about has dissipated," he explains. "We don't have all those issues anymore. It's not a lot of controversy. It's something that is more perpetuated by the media, more than anything."

As for a reunion of the classic Guns N' Roses lineup, Slash says, "Never say never." Read more here.




Led Zeppelin Stairway To Heaven Lawsuit To Move Forward
(hennemusic) A Philadelphia judge is allowing a copyright infringement suit against Led Zeppelin over "Stairway To Heaven" to proceed after denying a request by the group's lawyers to have it dismissed.

Bloomberg reports the suit - brought by the estate of Spirit guitarist Randy California and members of the band - claims the acoustic introduction to "Stairway" was lifted from their 1968 instrumental, "Taurus."

The two bands crossed paths during Zeppelin's first US tour, which saw the future rock legends open for Vanilla Fudge and Spirit, and that's where the Los Angeles band claims Jimmy Page was exposed to "Taurus."

The Philadelphia judge has ordered the case to be transferred to federal court in Los Angeles. The new venue, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division, is the same court where a jury ruled in March that Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke should pay $7.4 million for infringing on Marvin Gaye's 1977 track "Got To Give It Up" with their 2013 hit, "Blurred Lines."

Spirit guitarist Randy California drowned while rescuing his 12-year-old son from a rip current in Hawaii in early 1997. Last year, Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page called the lawsuit "ridiculous."





Scott Weiland Denies Heroin Rumor And Calls Out Online 'Haters'
(Classic Rock) Scott Weiland has once again denied he's using heroin after a shoddy vocal performance sent the internet rumor mill into overdrive. The former Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver frontman was recently filmed giving a lethargic rendition of STP track Vasoline while on stage with his band Scott Weiland And The Wildabouts in Corpus Christi, USA.

It came soon after he slammed Filter singer Richard Patrick, who said Weiland's fans were his biggest enablers when it came to drug abuse. And after the footage from the Corpus Christi show surfaced online, fans speculated that Weiland was once again in the grip of addiction.

Weiland tells AXS: "As for the show in Corpus Christi that didn't go well; that was due to the fact that my in-ear monitors were out completely. I could not hear myself for the entire set. It's impossible to sound good and be on key if you can't hear yourself… Without those monitors, you can't hear yourself. Not at all."

He also went after people that criticized him online, "For people that are haters, the Internet makes them think that they have a voice, and it makes them think that what they have to say is really important," he said. "There were people on there saying that I was on heroin again. I haven't done heroin in thirteen years." Read more and see the video of the controversial performance here.




Judas Priest And Twisted Sister Stars Worried For The Future Of Rock
(Classic Rock) Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford and Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French have told of their concerns over the future of rock. Nine months after Kiss bassist Gene Simmons rattled the industry with his claim that rock is dead, Halford continues to champion new acts and questions whether the genre will need big names to sustain itself moving forward.

Halford tells 1290 KOIL Radio: "We were pondering about this the other day in the van driving back from a gig. You know, will there be another great, big rock star giant like Ozzy Osbourne? Will there be another great, big rock star giant like Axl Rose, for example.

"Does that really matter? I don't know. But it's shifted, it's changed. The good news is there's an extraordinary display of talent coming from all different quarters in all different genres of rock and roll."

He adds: "Avenged Sevenfold, Five Finger Death Punch, In This Moment, Royal Blood. There's a ton of bands… Rival Sons… I can keep going and going."

French feels the situation is much more dire, questioning arena and stadium rock's future while suggesting fans better catch ageing acts now before the genre disappears for good.

He tells iradiousa.com: "It's an ageing genre. Name me any rock bands that are 25 and younger who are blowing up the charts. That's the scary part - the replenishment of the genre.

"Rock itself is an ageing medium and it hasn't replenished its ranks, and the kids aren't dreaming about being rock stars and playing air guitar and thinking they're Jimi Hendrix and all that stuff like they were in my generation." Read more here.




Def Leppard's Joe Elliott Leads That Metal Show Season Finale Lineup
Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott, Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth of Overkill, and Frankie Banali of Quiet Riot will all be appearing on the season finale of That Metal Show on VH1 Classic.

The episode airs this Saturday at 9:00PM ET/PT, repeating at 11:00PM ET/PT, and will also feature musical guest Billy Sheehan. We were sent the following details:

Joe Elliott's interview is a pre-taped interview, and his appearances book-end Season 14, appearing in the debut and finale. In the interview Joe discusses not slowing down, Def Leppard's upcoming tour and cruise, and the huge impact MTV had on their career.

Bobby and Frankie sit down together with hosts Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, and Jim Florentine live in the TMS studio as the final guests of the season.

Frankie talks about the success of the recent Quiet Riot documentary and the range of emotions he felt combing through the old footage of former singer, Kevin Dubrow.

The hosts ask "Blitz" if he ever would want to do a documentary on Overkill and he said they wouldn't. Blitz also says Overkill has gotten better with age due to his vaping of Red Bull and gasoline; and shares a hilarious story about the vitamin supplement Airborne.

Billy Sheehan tells us about the upcoming sophomore album by The Winery Dogs, how they played 101 shows on their last tour, and the bands' upcoming tour plans in October. Billy even shares a story about being asked to join Van Halen and why he declined the opportunity TWICE! Billy's playing is absolutely stellar throughout the show, and his second to last performance causes the entire panel, audience, and crew to give him a standing ovation, a "That Metal Show" first! The hosts then ask Billy to perform one more solo in lieu of "The Throw Down" to end the season, once again bringing the entire studio to a raucous standing ovation.

Billy joins guests Bobby and Frankie for "Put It On The Table". The "TMS Top 5" this week is sponsored by Just For Men © and prompts a discussion of the Top 5 Beards In Rock, in which Kerry King, John Petrucci, Zakk Wylde, and Rob Zombie all find their way into the discussion. Eddie faces some extremely difficult "Stump The Trunk" questions in the last show of the season, and for the "Pick Of The Week" the hosts pick their favorite recent reissues, and Jim Florentine didn't get the memo since his choice isn't even out yet.




Between The Buried And Me Release Making-Of Video Clip
(Prog) Between The Buried And Me have shared a scene from the making-of DVD for their upcoming album. They release Coma Ecliptic on July 10 via Metal Blade and previously explained it follows the travels of a man in a coma in search of a better life.

In the excerpt from the film, frontman Tommy Rogers says: "It's about a guy in a coma. In every song he is experiencing different past lives of his. He put himself in a coma on purpose because he found out if you're in a coma you can experience past lives and he's trying to find a better world to live in.

"At the end he realizes that was all a dream and he has been in a coma his whole life. Basically it's a coma within a coma within a coma. And then he dies."

He continues: "I liked the idea of everything being fake, like The Truman Show, The Twilight Zone. All these stories that you realise everything you've been living has not happened, I think that's a really scary thought. I felt that really fit the music, it's a very dark record.

"That was my main influence. I was thinking if I wrote a Twilight Zone mini-series, what would it be like?" Watch the video here.




New Skid Row Singer Eager To Make New Music
(Classic Rock) Skid Row frontman Tony Harnell says he's keen to start recording an album with his new bandmates as it will cement his place in the group. The former TNT man was brought into the fold following the sudden departure of vocalist Johnny Solinger, who split with the group after 14 years in April.

He tells One On One With Mitch Lafon: "The first thing I'm going to do with Skid Row as far as original music is the third EP in the United World Rebellion trilogy.

"Then there's the possibility of a full-length album maybe as soon as next year. That makes me really excited because that'll obviously make me feel much more a part of this legacy. Playing live and singing songs that I maybe co-wrote and recorded will make me feel a lot more at home."

Last month, Harnell and the band released a new version of 18 And Life which appeared on their self-titled 1989 debut with original singer Sebastian Bach. Read more here.




Halestorm, Helmet and Five Finger Death Punch To Be ShipRocked
(Classic Rock) Halestorm, Helmet and Five Finger Death Punch are among the acts confirmed for next year's ShipRocked cruise. Also setting sail from Miami to Costa May in Mexico on January 18 are Seether, Hellyeah, Nonpoint, Avatar, Islander and The Dead Deads. The event runs for five days until January 22.

Halestorm singer Lzzy Hale says: "After years of us hearing stories from all of our peers about what a great time ShipRocked is, the time has come to experience it for ourselves. It's our first time, so please don't be gentle. See all you freaks on the high seas."

5FDP guitarist Zoltan Bathory says: "ShipRocked isn't just another show. It's a music festival, and a vacation rolled into one unique experience. The whole ship is a big backstage party where every fan is invited. We are excited to return and headline the cruise in 2016." Read more here.




King Parrot Streaming New Album 'Dead Set' Online
(TeamRock Radio) TeamRock's Metal Hammer are now streaming the entire forthcoming album "Dead Set" from Aussie death metallers King Parrot ahead of its release next week.

Due for release on Agonia Records in Europe and EVP in their homeland of Australia, King Parrot have joined forces with Phil Anselmo's Housecore Records for the North American release. In fact, Phil's chosen his favorite track for us from the album:

"It's very tough for me to say which of the songs is my favourite off of Dead Set, for obvious reasons," he ponders. "But I guess I'm partial to Need No Saviour and Tomorrow Turns To Blood. Both jam, but I could say this about the whole f***ing record." Read more and stream the album here.




Ron Howard's Beatles Documentary To Screen At Cannes
(Gibson) Director Ron Howard's much-anticipated Beatles documentary will be showcased for potential studio suitors at the Cannes Film Festival later this month.

As reported by Variety, the yet-to-be-titled film chronicles the band's journey from their early days at Liverpool's Cavern Club to their last public concert at San Francisco's Candlestick Park in 1966.

Howard has voiced excitement about the project, describing The Beatles' impact on the world as "a dramatic transformation in terms of global culture and these remarkable four individuals, who were geniuses and also entirely relatable."

"I believe you're going to actually feel like you're somewhere in the '60s, seeing what it was like to be there, feeling it and hearing it," said Howard, at the time the project was announced. Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison all cooperated in the venture. Read more here.






Jenny Hval Recruits Melissa Auf der Maur For New Video
(Prog) Jenny Hval has released a music video for her track "That Battle Is Over", which comes from her upcoming third album Apocalypse, Girl which is set for release on June 8 via Sacred Bones.

The "That Battle Is Over" video was directed by Zia Anger and features an appearance from former Hole and Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf der Maur.

Anger says: "Collaborating with an entirely female creative team, with the support of a few great gentlemen, gave birth to an exploration of Jenny's song and an inquiry into the sarcasm that pulses through it." Read more and watch the video here.




John Frusciante Wanted To Join Meat Puppets
(Classic Rock) John Frusciante wanted to join Meat Puppets after he quit the Red Hot Chili Peppers, according to the group's Cris Kirkwood. Frusciante left Anthony Kiedis and co in 1992 after becoming overwhelmed by the group's rise to fame following the release of Blood Sugar Sex Magik - a move which led to a long battle with drug addiction.

And looking to find a new challenge, Kirkwood says the guitarist turned up at his house in Arizona in a bedraggled state looking to land a gig with his influential band Meat Puppets.

He says on the first of his Cris Kirkwood podcasts: "He showed up with his guitar out of its case and barefoot. We were on a major label then, we just got signed, and those guys had blown up to where they were at and John needed to get out.

He continues: "John gets to our pad and we started getting ready to play and I said, 'You want to use my tuner?' He said, 'No, I'll bend it in.' It was so far out.

"Then we jammed but it didn't come to anything. Maybe he wasn't in the right place and we were a tight little unit. It just didn't quite happen but it could have worked." Read more here.




'Let There Be Gwar' Book Coming This Summer
(TeamRock Radio) Gwar are planning to release a book which will detail their history through first-hand accounts and previously unreleased photographs. Let There Be Gwar has been complied by Bob Gorman and Roger Gastman and is expected to launch in late August/early September.

The band say: "This book is a record and testament to all that is Gwar - the band who redefined the meaning of performance in rock music with their outlandish costumes and intense theatrical performances.

"Bohabs the world over will delight in the wretched world of Gwar through the pages of this, the most monstrous book since The Necronomicon." Along with the standard 350-page hardcover release, a limited run of 150 books will be made available, each signed by all the members of the band. Read more here.




Abrahma Streaming New Album Online
(Classic Rock) French heavy rockers Abrahma have published a stream of their Reflections In The Bowels Of A Bird album, the follow-up to 2012's debut album Through The Dusty Paths Of Our Lives.

"For this new album," says frontman and guitarist Seb Bismuth, "we wanted to be a little bit more cohesive than on Through The Dusty Paths Of Our Lives, strengthen the psychedelic side of our music, as well as darkening the overall vibe. Being on the road a lot helped us build this sound and we're really satisfied by the result, so we hope you'll like it too!"

The album was produced by the band alongside Blaak Heat Shujaa and Spindrift guitarist Thomas Bellier, while guests on the album include Monster Magnet's Ed Mundell, whose guitar solo features on A Shepherd's Grief. Check out the album stream here.



Earthside Streaming Song From Forthcoming Album
(Prog) New England instrumental progressive outfit Earthside have released the song" The Closest I've Come" as a preview to their debut album, A Dream in Static. The project also sees the group joined by the Moscow Studio Symphony Orchestra.

Due for release later this year, the project introduces the work of guitarist Jamie van Dyck, keyboardist Frank Sacramone, bassist Ryan Griffin and drummer Ben Shanbrom, who explains the significance of the lead track.

Shanbrom says: "The Closest I've Come was a coming of age song for us. It was the first piece of music we wrote for the record, and in a very personal way it represents our journey, both as musicians and people, from adolescence to maturity. This track defined us on a core level and set the bar for our future output.

"It also tells our story through an instrumental medium - the feeling of pushing oneself and striving for something greater, but also longing to reach the point of fulfilment - which rarely happens in the creative process."

Earthside recorded A Dream In Static in Stockholm, Sweden, with producer and mix engineer David Castillo who has worked with Opeth, Katatonia and Bloodbath. Mixing and mastering was handled by engineer Jens Bogren, who has worked with Opeth, Soilwork and Devin Townsend. Check out the song here.




Holy Grail To Enter Recording Studio This Weekend For New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Holy Grail will return to the studio this weekend to begin work on a new album, it's been announced. It'll be the follow-up to 2013's Ride The Void and will be released by Prosthetic Records/Nuclear Blast.

Prosthetic say in a statement: "The Los Angeles-based metal powerhouse will enter the studio this weekend with Grammy Award-winning producer John Spiker to begin tracking their third album."

Vocalist James-Paul Luna, drummer Tyler Meahl, bassist Blake Mount and guitarists Eli Santana and Alex Lee hope to launch the new material this autumn. Read more here.




Singled Out: V2's Long Live Rock N Roll
V2 (pronounced V Squared), featuring 11-year-old twin brothers, are making waves with an AC/DC influenced sound. Today the brothers, Vittorio and Vincenzo tells us about "Long Live Rock N Roll" from their debut album. Here is the story:

Vittorio: My mom is a classical musician and when she was pregnant with us, sang in a classical music choir and played classical music to us. My dad is a rocker.

Vincenzo: After we were born, our mom played classical music for us in the car. When we started talking, she would tell us who the composers were and tells us about them. By the time we went to kindergarten we could name them and their songs. Our mom wanted us to play classical music and started us on acoustic guitar and piano when we were 7, but we really didn't like it much.

Vittorio: One day when we were driving with our dad in his truck, we were complaining about having to learn the piano and acoustic guitar. He told us a story about two brothers named Malcolm and Angus Young, who attended Catholic School just like we did and started playing in a band. We asked what happened to them and he said they became Rock Gods and he put AC/DC's Back in Black CD in the truck's stereo. We listened to the whole CD. The sounds were awesome!

Vincenzo: When the CD was done we told out dad that we wanted to play music like that!

Vittorio: Our dad smiled and said, "I hoped you'd say that." He then drove us down to the music store and bought us a drum kit and electric guitars.

Vincenzo: We started making noise with them and about a week later a guitar and drum instructor stopped by the house and we had our first lessons.

Vittorio: Three months later we slayed our Catholic Talent Show by playing AC/DC's Back in Black, TNT and Highway to Hell.

The first original song we wrote is called "Long Live Rock N Roll" and it tells out story. It tells how we became rockers. The lyrics are:

Before we were born, while still in her womb
Mom played the classics, filling the room
Handel, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Bach
Beethoven, Brahms, we never heard any rock

Long Live Rock N Roll

When we hit the ground, classics kept on playin'
Heavenly music, Mom was so fond of sayin'
Handel, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Bach
Beethoven, Brahms, we never heard any rock

Long Live Rock and Roll

Then one day it struck, like a bolt from the blue
We heard the Rock Gods, we knew just what to do
So we cranked up the amps, laid down the beat
Struck the power chords and started moving our feet

Now we're playing hard, now we're playing fast.
Born to be rockers, gonna' make it last.
Handel, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Bach
Beethoven, Brahms, HEAR US ROCK!

Long! Live! Rock and Roll

Vincenzo: The part about "When we heard the Rock Gods, we knew just what to do" refers to when our dad played AC/DC's Back in Black for us in his truck the day when we were complaining about mom making us learn the acoustic guitar and piano.

Vittorio: Mom was pissed off at Dad for a long time after that.

Vincenzo: Yeah, she was mad until she saw us perform at the LA Music Awards and get a standing ovation. When the LA Music Awards gave us our plaques for winning the 7 categories we thanked our mom for passing on her musical talents to us and Vittorio gave her, in front of everybody, his LA Music Awards Guitarist of the Year plaque. Mom cried a little bit.