Today's Day In Rock!

Gene Simmons Vs Axl Rose
(hennemusic) In an interview with Music-News.com Gene Simmons of KISS was asked about what advice he would offer Axl Rose about staying at the top of his game. "You get to sleep in the bed you make," said Simmons. "It's simple. If you're lucky enough to be accepted on stage by the audience, if you're lucky enough to be able to write a song, if you're lucky enough to have charisma on stage, that's the beginning. And then you've got to be able to deliver night after night after night. And not everybody is designed to run a marathon. Because to be a rock star for decades means you're running a marathon."

"Guns N' Roses could have been the best band in the world, and the reason they're not is because of Axl Rose," he added. "I mean, the drugs, the heroin, the alcohol and all that. But ultimately, it falls on Axl's shoulders."

So, Gene, what could Axl have done differently? "A good beating would have helped," Simmons replied. "I mean, when you misbehaved as a little kid and continued to do it, there was somebody there to give you a what for. Then when you become a grown-up, who's there to set you straight?" more on this story



Rammstein Set Release Date and North American Tour
Rammstein have plotted a North American invasion, first with a new release and then a spring tour.

The 21 date date tour will be kicking off on April 20th in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and hit cities across the U.S. and Canada for before wrapping up on May 25th in Houston, Tx.

The release date for the new Rammstein retrospective, Made in Germany 1995-2011, has been set for December 13th. more on this story



Courtney Love Rants About Dave Grohl and Smashing Pumpkins
(Banana 101.5) Courtney Love's Hole took the stage in Brazil over the weekend and the notoriously opinionated vocalist launched into a tirade against Dave Grohl after a fan held up a picture of Kurt Cobain and she also claimed to have inspired all of The Smashing Pumpkins' best music.

According to Antiquiet, early in the set Love made an incoherent speech about The Smashing Pumpkins — claiming that Billy Corgan wrote all the songs on 'Siamese Dream' and 'Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness' about her.

She also alleged that the lyrics, "The killer in me is the killer in you" from 'Disarm' were cribbed directly from a letter she wrote to Corgan. A lot more here including video



Rick Rubin Got Black Sabbath To Reunite
(Rock News Desk) Black Sabbath say producer Rick Rubin should take the credit for bringing about the band's reunion.

Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward last night confirmed the long-standing rumours were true, and revealed they'll begin recording a new album, their first in 33 years, just after Christmas.

It's set for release in autumn 2012 and will tie in with a world tour, marking the first time Sabbath have played together since 2005. All four members appeared at a press launch at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, presented by Henry Rollins. Guitarist Iommi said of Rick Rubin, who was also present: "He phoned us every five minutes." more on this story



Scott Reeder To Join Kyuss Lives's Special Home Town Show
Kyuss Lives! announces former Kyuss bassist Scott Reeder will join them as a special guest as their upcoming home town show.

Kyuss Lives! are billing the event as a very special one-off homecoming show, set for Friday, November 18 at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles.

The event will see the band perform an extended two and a half hour long set showcasing songs from all of the band's records in addition to never-before-performed songs taken from the band's archive. more on this story



Prong Plan New Album Release
(Freeman) Prong have signed a worldwide recording contact with Long Branch Records/SPV for the release of their as yet untitled album, which will be released in Spring 2012.

Prong frontman Tommy Victor commented on signing with SPV: "I feel like Prong has come full circle. We have the same energy and excitement about our music that we did at the beginning of our career. With Long Branch SPV we've found people to work with who are very supportive of us and what PRONG has accomplished so far in our career."

SPV A&R representative Maria Ouellette spoke about signing Prong: "We're extremely excited to welcome Prong into the SPV/Long Branch Records fold! Tommy Victor's musical innovation and influence is far-reaching and inspirational, and exactly what we're about. We're proud that we can be part of their next musical milestone!"



EMI Split Up Between Rivals
(Gibson) Record label EMI has been split up and sold to other majors by Citigroup, who took control of the company from Guy Hands' Terra Firma private equity company earlier this year.

Vivendi and its Universal Music Group subsidiary will acquire EMI's recorded music division for a total consideration of $US 1.9 billion, while EMI Publishing will be acquired for $US 2.2 billion by a consortium comprising Sony Corporation of America, the Estate of Michael Jackson, Mubadala Development Company PJSC, Jynwel Capital Ltd, the Blackstone Group's GSO Capital Partners LP and David Geffen. Sony/ATV Music Publishing will oversee EMI Music Publishing on behalf of the consortium.

Universal Music Group chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge said the deal was an historic acquisition for UMG and an important step in preserving the legacy of EMI Music. more on this story



Hail The Villain Lose Their Voice
(Banana 101.5) Hail The Villain will be continuing as a band, but will be doing so without vocalist Brian Crouch. Word of the split comes after Crouch suffered a vocal chord hemorrhage that forced the band to cancel several tour dates.

Just as things were starting to look up for the Ontario based hard rock unit, they've been dealt what is often a career deathblow for newer bands.

Hail the Villain announced on Facebook that their vocalist Brian Crouch has quit the band. more on this story



Nonpoint Tease Fans With New Demos From New Lineup
(Banana 101.5) Just after news broke that Nonpoint would be moving forward without their guitarist and bassist, they confirmed they had already found replacements and are now showing off some new material via YouTube.

Towards the beginning of the month, Nonpoint announced the departure of guitarist Zach Broderick and founding bassist Ken MacMillan. It was immediately rumored, and confirmed just days later, that members of the Chicago based hard rock band Inn Cinema would be filling the void.

Now vocalist Elias Soriano and Robb Rivera are now joined by guitarists Rasheed Thomas and Dave Lizzio and bassist Adam Woloszyn, and are predicting their new album could be in stores as early as Spring of 2012. Read more and checkout the new demos here.



The Doors L.A. Woman 40th Anniversary Edition Coming
(Gibson) Rhino Records will release a 40th anniversary version of The Doors' 1971 classic album L.A. Woman on November 25.

The two-CD set includes a bonus disc featuring covers of Willie Dixon's "(You Need Meat) Don't Go No Further" and Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)."

According to Noise11.com, the remastered album features several noticeable changes compared to the original. For instance, the fade-out of "Love Her Madly" is 18 seconds longer than on the original album; an extra verse has been reinstated to "Cars Hiss by My Window," and the title track includes the guitar intro "My Country, 'Tis of Thee," adding an extra 10 seconds to the track. more on this story



F***ed Up Future in Doubt
(Rock News Desk) F***ed Up frontman Damian Abraham is not ready to leave the band but admits he is guilty of spreading such rumours.

Abraham reveals he no longer wishes to tour, having a wife and young son at home, but does not want to leave his bandmates in a difficult situation by quitting.

He says: "I've been talking about it a lot because I don't want to take away these five other people's livelihoods. I would love to find a way to make it into a constantly-evolving thing, where sometimes we can tour and other times it's another band involved with us." more on this story



Stevie Ray Vaughan Collaborator Doyle Bramhall Dead at 62
(Gibson) Austin, Texas, drummer and songwriter Doyle Bramhall died suddenly at home on Sunday. He was 62. The exact cause of death is not known and Bramhall's family will request an autopsy, according to dfw.com, one of the first news websites to break the story.

Bramhall was a fixture on the Austin scene and wrote or co-wrote several songs performed by Stevie Ray Vaughan, including "Dirty Pool," "Life by the Drop," "The House is Rockin'," "Tightrope" and "Change It."

Bramhall also played drums on the Family Style album by Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan. Bramhall and Jimmie Vaughan first played together in The Chessmen in Dallas, moving to Austin in the early '70s. His most recent solo album was 2007's Is it News. more on this story



Ace Frehley Scores Top 10 Debut on Best Sellers List
(hennemusic) Ace Frehley is in the New York groove. The original KISS guitarist's new book, "No Regrets: A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir," has just debuted at #10 on the New York Times "Hardcover Nonfiction" best sellers list.

Co-written by New York Times journalist Joe Layden, the book is billed as "a funny, truthful, candid memoir about a hard-drinking, drug-addicted, music-loving guitar player who lived life as a rock star and survived to tell the tale."

The book was published November 1, and Ace has been doing book-signing events around the country – and lots of media interviews – to help promote it. more on this story



Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi Scores Best Seller
(hennemusic) Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi's tale of his history with the legendary band has landed at no. 35 on the New York Times "Hardcover Nonfiction" best sellers list.

"Iron Man" chronicles the story of both pioneering guitarist Tony Iommi and legendary band Black Sabbath, dubbed "The Beatles of heavy metal" by Rolling Stone.

"Iron Man" reveals the man behind the icon yet still captures Iommi's humor, intelligence, and warmth. He speaks honestly and unflinchingly about his rough-and-tumble childhood, the accident that almost ended his career, his failed marriages, personal tragedies, battles with addiction, band mates, famous friends, newfound daughter, and the ups and downs of his life as an artist. more on this story



Red Hot Chili Peppers Kiedis' Sobering Reality
(Rock News Desk) Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis believes sobriety to be the key to his success as he enjoys fatherhood.

He explains: "The greatest thing for me was becoming a dad and not having to work or go on the road for the first two years of my son's life. I recently moved to the seashore and having this little person in my arms looking at the ocean was a reawakening for me in terms of being an elated human being.

"I wouldn't have been a dad if I wasn't sober. It's what led me to fatherhood. It's what led me to most of the great success in my life. It allows me to do my best at everything." (The Mirror) More rock news.



Remix Queen
Queen have teamed up with Talenthouse to bring remixers, musicians and producers the chance to remix 'Don't Stop Me Now'.

This will be the first time Queen have released isolated parts or 'stems', including Freddie Mercury's original vocals in order to discover a modern remix of the much loved track.

The winner will be featured on Queen's official site and across their social media channels including their Facebook and YouTube pages. They will also receive $1,000, Avid Pro Tools software and studio time with a top mastering engineer at Metropolis Studios in London* where Queen famously recorded their hit albums 'Made In Heaven' and 'Innuendo'. The runner-ups will receive Avid music software and Queen goodies. more on this story



Thy Will Be Done Finish Recording New Release
Thy Will Be Done have completed the recording process for what is to be for their upcoming EP.

The forthcoming release was engineered by the band's own rhythm guitarist Kurt Fraunfelter, who adequately possesses a Bachelor of Science Degree in Audio and Media Technology, and is currently being mixed by Zeuss (White Chapel, Suicide Silence, Chimaira) at Planet Z in Hadley, MA.

The follow-up release to 2009's 'In Ancient of Days' LP will feature 6 brand new studio tracks including the track, "You, The Apathy Divine" which the band debuted live on last year's Stillborn Fest tour with Hatebreed.



Slash and Ozzy Lead This Week's New Rock Releases
(hennemusic) Two veteran hard rockers lead this week's new rock releases as we draw another week closer to Christmas and the big guns in new music releases are starting to come out.

"Made In Stoke 24/7/11," a new live package from Slash is now available; in comes in audio and audio + DVD options.

On the heels of Friday's Black Sabbath reunion announcement comes the "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" film, in both DVD and Blu-Ray. See what else is hitting stores this week.



Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven Map Out Year End Plans
(PPR) Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven will be teaming up for their annual year-end California tour.

Cracker will follow up the dates by heading further north to Portland on December 30th for a special one-off with bluegrass jam band Leftover Salmon, where the two bands will perform their highly-lauded 2003 album O Cracker, Where Art Thou? together in its entirety.

The following night Cracker & CVB will be in Chicago for a celebratory New Year's Eve bash at Chicago's House Of Blues. Camper Van Beethoven will open, followed by Cracker ringing in the new year, and then Big Head Todd & The Monsters playing into the wee hours. more on this story



Polyphonic Spree Connected Good Records Recordings Relaunched
(Paradigm) Good Records Recordings, the independent label co-owned by The Polyphonic Spree's Tim DeLaughter and Julie Doyle and their longtime associate Chris Penn, has been relaunched as a label focused on releasing one song at a time from its stable of artists, in both digital and vinyl formats.

Each track will be available two ways: a high-quality download (with a choice of MP3 or lossless FLAC) or as a limited-edition, colored, collectible vinyl record with custom artwork and a surprise B-side not available elsewhere. Additionally, artists will create a music video for every track they release.

The relaunch sees the release of new music from DeLaughter and Doyle's two bands, The Polyphonic Spree and Preteen Zenith, as well as a previously unreleased outtake from DeLaughter's previous band, Tripping Daisy. Also on the roster are music from New Fumes and Sweet Lee Morrow (the alter egos of former Polyphonic Spree members Daniel Huffman and Jesse Hester, respectively), as well as the Texas bands Pilotdrift (who released their acclaimed debut "Water Sphere" on Good in 2005) and Binary Sunrise. And later this fall, the label will release new music from former Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle. Each month will feature new song releases from various GRR artists. See what's coming up from the label.



R.E.M.'s Stipe on Stephen Colbert's Rock and Roll Shelf of Fame
R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe made a surprise appearance on The Colbert Report last week.

During the appearance, host Stephen Colbert said goodbye to the band by putting Stipe on his Rock and Roll Shelf of Fame (literally.) They were then joined by guest Brian Eno for an impromptu acapella rendition of "Lean On Me." Watch the surreal clip here.

Stipe made the appearance to promote the release of their final album, R.E.M., Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, 1982 - 2011, was released by Warner Bros. Records today November 15th. more on this story



David Lynch Delivers His Take On The Blues
(Gibson) Legendary filmmaker David Lynch has just released his first solo album, Crazy Clown Time, a mix of blues and electronica.

Described as being "filled with foreboding soundscapes, hypnotic rhythms and enigmatic lyrics," the album is a collaboration between the influential auteur and engineer Dean Hurley. It was recorded in Lynch's own home studio.

In an interview with the New York Times, Lynch said the album's tracks typically started from jams with Hurley on drums and Lynch on guitar. "And out of the jamming comes some kind of form, like, lots and lots of garbage – you can picture a landfill – but some chunks of gold." more on this story



Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Plot North American Return
(hennemusic) Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds are wrapping up a short North American swing this week to promote their new self-titled debut.

But they'll back for more in the Spring, as the band have announced a series if 2012 concert dates through Australia, Europe and the US.

The Aussie shows in February are a part of the 20th Anniversary of the annual Big Day Out concert events across the country. more on this story



Otis Taylor Sets New Album Release
(conqueroo) Bluesman Otis Taylor will deliver his new album, Contraband, on February 13, 2012.

"When I sing, I just do what I do," Taylor says. "Whatever comes out — that's the way I leave it. And if I make a mistake, I leave it in. I like to keep the emotion." Otis Taylor's Contraband is evidence of that. Set for release February 13, 2012, on Telarc, a division of Concord Music Group, Taylor's new album finds the artist on familiar thematic terrain: love, social injustices, personal demons and war.

The album takes its title from an article that appeared in the May/June 2011 issue of Preservation Magazine about runaway slaves who during the American Civil War escaped to the Union lines at Fort Monroe, Va.. Known as "contraband," they lived in camps where conditions were often worse than life on the plantation. more on this story



The Prophets Of Addiction Reunites Pretty Boy Floyd Members
Ex-Pretty Boy Floyd's Lesli Sanders new The Prophets Of Addiction have announced a lineup change.

The group have split with guitarist Amit Lee Ron and announced Tchad Drats (Pretty Boy Floyd , City Girls Boys) as a replacement.

The Prophets Of Addiction will release their debut album "Babylon Boulevard" which was mixed by Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne, Billy IdoL) and mastered by Dave Hillis (Pearl Jam) on french label Deadlight Entertainment (Undercover Slut, Los Disidentes Del Sucio MoteL) by the beginning of January.

Their track "Self Portrait" is available for free download on the label's Bandcamp page here.



Freedom Call Set New Album Release
Freedom Call will release their new studio album, "Land Of The Crimson Dawn," in various territories in late February 2012.

The album will be released on February 24th in Germany, February 27th in Europe and February 28th in the USA/Canada.

Singer and Guitarist Chris Bay offers news to the fans: "We started in the beginning of September to record the first tracks for the new album. The band was working the past months intensely creative and did a fantastic job! Now we're happy and satisfied with the result and will finish the recordings in the next days!!

BILLBOARD REFLECTS ON VAN HALEN/INTERSCOPE DEAL:

Interesting story appeared late Friday on Billboard.com, after I broke news via Twitter that Van Halen had ditched plans to sign to Columbia and chose LA based Interscope Records instead. Read below for a little more inside information on the signing.
Here's my take - I was told the band wanted a "hipper" label - they got that - but they also wanted a LA based label to be closer to the action and the decisions that would need to be made over the next 6 months (with the album and tour etc..)
Read through the insider comments below and it seems that was indeed the case, but I was surprised to read that it was singer David Lee Roth that was making this demand, as it seems the plan is to have him front and centre for upcoming PR push.

This to me is an interesting point. The Van Halen camp want us to believe that the band is a united team....but I see this more as the Van Halen Brothers being acutely aware that they must keep DLR happy, as he is their only option to move forward and continue touring/recording...or at the heart of it...making money!
The band simply had to fulfil fan demands for the DLR partnership from 2008 to continue and (finally) record a new album after 13 years wait. Going back to Sammy Hagar certainly wasn't an option. I can't see how that will ever work again after Sammy's book and continued comments on the state of VH....plus the fact Sammy won't return without Michael Anthony.
And moving forward with a 4th lead singer, or a collaboration of various singers on one album (something we've continually heard Eddie would like to do), would cause such a revolt amongst fans (still burnt from the Gary Cherone album/tour) that any hope of making big bucks on tour would be wiped clean.

So David Lee Roth is the lynch pin in this scenario, and therefore holds all the power. Signing to Interscope is an interesting decision and I for one hope that it comes together nicely for the band. If Roth is to do the bulk of the press, one wonders if Eddie will be available at all? After all, there is a lot of questions fans and press have for him.
It will be interesting to see if this VH/DLR relationship is authentic and if there is genuine chemistry between the guys on record and on stage. I for one think that is crucial.
And one thing remains absolutely vital. This new studio record must absolutely 100% kick some serious ass. On a lighter note - as a die-hard Van Halen fan, it's nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's good to feel excited about new music coming our way.

From Billboard: Van Halen To Sign With Interscope / By Shirley Halperin, THR / www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/van-halen-to-sign-with-interscope-1005511802.story

"Iconic rock band Van Halen are set to sign with Interscope Records, says a source familiar with the negotiations. The deal is expected to be finalized next week, marking the first time in 35 years that the band will not release music through Warner Music, its longtime label home.
It had been rumored -- and reported -- that the band was joining the Columbia Records roster. In fact, an insider tells The Hollywood Reporter that the contract for the Sony deal was drawn up and approved but hadn't been signed when Universal Music stepped into the picture.
The signing was a group effort involving UMG chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge, UMG International COO Max Hole, Interscope Geffen A&M vice chairman Steve Berman and Interscope's Jimmy Iovine, who, says a source, "heard the band was available and wanted to work with them. It was decided at the 11th hour." What came next was a series of meetings that presented the band with a global plan that included extensive marketing, merchandising, touring and, of course, recordings.
So what derailed the Columbia deal? The usual rock band complications, says an insider. While the group reunited with original singer David Lee Roth in 2006, the Sony label could not come to terms with Roth, who has a separate management, legal and accounting team than the other three members, guitarist Eddie Van Halen and his son Wolfgang (who replaced bassist Michael Anthony) and drummer Alex Van Halen. The main issue for Roth? He was apparently adamant about being on a west coast label. "He was never on board [with Columbia]," says the source. "It was as complicated as anyone would imagine, when one side says black, the other says white. The label was pretty sceptical that things would work out."
It's expected that as frontman, Roth will have to carry much of the marketing burden and it seems the band members ultimately want their singer to be happy with the deal which is why they went with Universal's west coast-based Interscope.
A new album, their first studio effort since 1984, is believed to be nearly finished with the hope that it can be released in 2012. The band is expected to make a "special announcement" on Nov. 30 at the Grammy Awards nominations concert, which will air live on CBS from Los Angeles' Nokia Theater.
An Interscope rep had no comment."

AEROSMITH Lands On BILLBOARD's 'Hot Tours' Chart

Nov. 12, 2011
AEROSMITH has landed at position No. 2 on this week's Billboard.com "Hot Tours" rankings with ticket sales counts reported from three venues on the Latin American leg of its "Back On The Road Tour" that launched in late October. This week's totals include grosses from Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. The October 26 performance in Paraguay was an outdoor concert for 32,000 fans staged at the Jockey Club, a horseracing track in the city of Asunción. Two days later the band was in Argentina and played to a crowd of 38,000 at Estadio Único Ciudad de La Plata, a soccer stadium in the Buenos Aires market, grossing over $3.8 million (US$) from one performance. The last of this week's reported concerts was an October 30 event held at Arena Anhembi, an open-air concert site in São Paulo, Brazil. Attendance was just over 29,000 with a gross of $2.9 million (US$).

AEROSMITH will celebrate the 35th anniversary of its iconic 1976 album, "Rocks", with a special edition release, due out in Japan on November 23. The release will coincide with AEROSMITH's fall tour through Japan, kicking off Tuesday, November 22 in Kanazawa.

AEROSMITH entered guitarist Joe Perry's home studio (The Boneyard) in suburban Boston and the Pandora's Box (the band's main studio) in early July with Jack Douglas to begin recording its long-awaited 14th studio album. The CD will be AEROSMITH's first set of original material since 2001's "Just Push Play" and first studio offering since 2004's covers CD, "Honkin' On Bobo".

AEROSMITH and singer Steven Tyler almost went their separate ways in late 2009, but reunited and toured last year. However, Tyler then stunned his bandmates by taking a job as a judge on "American Idol", which pushed back work on the already-delayed new record.

Van Halen Signs With Interscope Records

Van Halen Store

Thursday, 10 November 2011

VHND has been hearing some solid info from our trusted sources, and it’s all wonderful news!

Van Halen has recently signed with Interscope Records (not Columbia Records as rumors stated). The album is 100% done and in the can, and fans will have it in their hands early next year. The release date is set in stone and is top secret, but will be announced very soon.

In fact, the Grammys are hinting strongly that Van Halen will make their announcement at the Grammy Nominations Concert held in Los Angeles on November 30th. Fans will be able to watch the announcement live on CBS.



“Edward Van Halen: A Definitive Biography” is a Must-Read
Thursday, 10 November 2011

Edward Van Halen: A Definitive BiographyA new, incredible Van Halen book is being released – Edward Van Halen: A Definitive Biography.

This is it! The definitive and very detailed biography of the most famous and influential living guitarist. VanHalenStore.com proclaims this book to be one of the few MUST-HAVE books on Van Halen!

In July of 1984, Edward Van Halen was the most popular musician in the world in the most popular band in the world—the band that to this day bears his own surname. As a 12-year-old, author Kevin Dodds experienced his first Van Halen concert, and it changed his life.

In this biography, Dodds takes a comprehensive look at the life of Van Halen, examining Eddie’s early years growing up in the Netherlands; his life with his mother and musician father; the family’s immigration to the United States; his lifelong trials and tribulations; and his remarkable music career. For more than a year, Dodds delved into more than a thousand different sources to compile Edward Van Halen: A Definitive Biography, the story that captures the life of a man with complex personality and character traits whose life and times has played an important role in American cultural and musical history. Dodds has also woven his personal experiences with Van Halen into this story, providing a unique perspective in the field of rock-and-roll biographies.

Kevin Dodds has been an avid follower of Edward Van Halen’s career since 1979. Dodds is a writer, semi-pro guitarist, and rock and roll historian.

Softcover, 420 pages. Size is 6″ x 9″.

Here’s a short preview:

INTRODUCTION:

It is July of 1984. He is the most popular musician in the world in the most popular band in the world, the band that bears his own surname. The Summit in Houston is sold out not for just one night, but for three nights in a row.

It’s the first night of the stand. The rockabilly opening act has come and gone without notice. The house lights have gone down and the lighters have gone up. The crowd roar is simply unbelievable—constant and deafening. Thirty to forty seconds go by with swirling white spotlights streaming up from the stage’s edge. And then I hear it. A scream—a scream from a guitar. I know that scream but my brain is laboring in disbelief. “Is this really happening?” And I wasn’t sure it was. This was bigger than Christmas, bigger than a thousand Christmases. The guitar dive bombs on the low E and a few choice licks come pouring out of the sound system.

The spotlights continue along with the butanes. I still haven’t grasped the reality. I feel like I’m dreaming because it’s dark and the lights are trancelike. It continues: the crowd roar, the wailing guitar, pounding drums, the spotlights rotating. The stage announcer steps up, sounding like a WWF wrestler, and delivers the classic Spinal Tapesque “I give you…the mighty…VAN HALEN!” Edward then immediately kicks off the show with “Unchained.” I am still in disbelief because I can only hear it and can only barely see it. Ed is backlit, silhouetted in a tight white spot. The introduction of “Unchained” continues and the opening pattern is repeated twice before the drum fill followed by the entire band kicking in. And when it does—the lights explode, and the first thing you see is Dave at the peak of his “splits” jump coming off the drum riser. It was like sleeping and being awakened by being shoved out of an airplane. The wave of applause that followed the opening hit of the lights was simply thunderous and permanently unforgettable.

The microsecond that my mind admits it—“Okay, you are at the Van Halen concert”—my eyes immediately scan the stage in search of my idol. There he is in a white shirt, patched jeans, a bandana around his neck, and red shoes. And he’s playing a red, black, and white striped Kramer guitar.

“It’s true,” I thought. “He does exist. He’s real. I can see him with my own eyes.” He is a comic book superhero and here he is saving us, 15,000 people at a time. If the roof of the Summit had caved in, I would not have been surprised if Edward were to hold it up with one hand while continuing to play with the other. Honestly, that probably would’ve just been incidental to the concert.

Permanent After-Effect

Within a week, my best friend Mike and I started a band. The first three songs we learned as a band were “Runnin’ with the Devil,” “You Really Got Me,” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love.” My buddy and I still play together to this day. This all really means something to me. Edward inspired me so greatly, I absolutely had to get to the bottom of what makes him tick. My peers demanded I do it. “You were born to do this” and “If anyone was cut out to do this, it’s you” and “You should do it because…”

Edward is one of only a handful of legitimate musical geniuses of the past 200 years. Genius is a blessing, but sometimes a curse. And the two are, unfortunately, intertwined.

Order the book now at Van Halen Store for just $19.95 and save $5 off the list price.

Today's Day in Rock

Van Halen Ink Deal and Album Ready for Release?
(hennemusic) Rumor has it Van Halen have secured their record deal. The Van Halen News Desk is reporting sources tell them VH have recently signed with Interscope Records, and not Columbia Records as earlier rumors predicted.

They report the album is 100% done and in the can, and fans will have it in their hands early next year.

The release date is set in stone and is top secret, but will be announced very soon. See hennemusic's prediction for the date here.



Metallica To Play Black Album In Full at Music Fest
(hennemusic) Metallica are the first headliners announced for the 10th anniversary edition of the Download Festival.

The three-day festival runs June 8-10, 2012 at its regular home in Donington Park. Metallica posted the news: "To help celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Download Festival, the dudes who run it asked us how we felt about playing 'The Black Album' in its entirety and we thought 'hold on, that could be really cool since it is technically the tail-end of the 20th anniversary of the release (August '91).' So come hang with us for the 2012 version of our European Summer Vacation featuring 'The Black Album,' with the exclusive stop in the UK on June 9."

2012 marks the third headlining slot for Metallica; they played in 2004 and, again, in 2006, when they performed the legendary "Master Of Puppets" album in its entirety. more on this story



Classic Dio, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest Interviews for Metal Day
Seton Hall University's 89.5 FM WSOU is joining VH1 Classic in celebrating today, 11/11/11 as national metal day with classic interviews with Ronnie James Dio, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest and you can listen online. We were sent the following details:

At WSOU-FM, it was Gabby Canella, the station's Music Director, whom knew the station had to be a part of it all and spearheaded the effort to create special programming to mark this first. "When I heard about VH1 Classics declaring a National Metal Day, I loved the idea of it," Canella says. "I wanted to take it one step further and show just how important the genre is to our staff at WSOU as well as our listeners. A lot of us here have those fond memories of discovering certain bands or songs for the first time, and just being hooked ever since. For me, metal music is a genre that brings both passion and intensity; I think the whole purpose of National Metal Day should be to celebrate this kind of music for what it is and prove whatever negative stereotypes that are out there wrong."

On Friday, November 11, to partake in National Metal Day WSOU-FM will air the following 'vintage' interviews originally recorded by station alum Sean McEneely in the late 90's:

8:30 a.m.: Interview with Dave Murray of Iron Maiden
12:30 p.m.: Interview with Ronnie James Dio
8:30 p.m.: Band Interview with Judas Priest (will take place during station's specialty show Vintage 80's) Listen here



Jeff Beck Receives Living Legend Award
(Gibson) KISS's Gene Simmons hosted the Classic Rock Roll of Honour at the Roundhouse in Camden, north London, last night.

The winners featured a host of top rock names, including Lemmy, Foo Fighters, Steve Winwood, Manic Street Preachers, Roger Waters, Jeff Beck, Queen and The Who.

According to Music-News.com, Queen's Roger Taylor presented the prestigious Living Legend Award to guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck. Aster receiving a standing ovation, Beck then performed with guests Joss Stone and Chrissie Hynde. more on this story



Axl Rose Pressured To Release Chinese Democracy
(hennemusic) A preview clip from VH1's That Metal Show's interview with Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose has surfaced. This time out, Axl is asked about the pressure he felt from media and the fans to release the "Chinese Democracy" album before he felt it was completed.

"It was a torrential downfall," says Axl of the pressure directed his way during the process. "You have people just screaming 'release it!,' and that's good that they want it, but what does it mean? I don't even know what means."

"My favorite one," he continued, "I saw a post, it was about Steven [Adler]. And they go, 'Axl and Steven are having a race to see which one could put out their album last." more on this story



The Secret To AC/DC's Classic Sound
Former AC/DC bassist Mark Evans is promoting his new book Dirty Deeds: My Life Inside/Outside of AC/DC and as a result we are learning even more about the band.

In an interview about the book with MusicRadar.com, Evans details how Angus and Malcolm Young arrived at the powerhouse AC/DC sound. Says Evans: "Like most great guitar duos, they were doing what came naturally. I think they came across the guitars and amps that they liked, and once they found what sounded good, that's what they stuck with. Malcolm loved playing his 1961 Gretsch Jet Firebird. It was given to him by Harry Vanda, who was in The Easybeats with George Young, Malcolm and Angus' older brother. Since he was 13 or 14, Malcolm's played that Jet Firebird. He also messed around with a Gretsch White Falcon for a little while. The Jet Firebird is pretty much gutted by now. It only has one pickup and one volume control. But it works for him. He plugs it straight into his amp, and there's his sound.

"As for Angus, he went for the SG because it was small and light. Angus is a tiny guy, so he couldn't have a big heavy guitar on him - he'd never get through a show. Also, he loved Leslie West, who played an SG on some recordings. [Malcolm and Angus] are not encyclopedias on guitars and amps, but they do know what works for them. When I was in the band, they both used early '70s Marshall JMP heads. They'd put those through a couple of quad boxes. They don't go in for trying to have tons of tones; they do what they do, and that's it. Guitar, cable, and amp-that's the two of them right there. And what they've done is amazing. I don't think there's any guitar combination on earth that's any better." More about the book here


(Gibson) Mick Jones, leading light of two seminal U.K. bands, The Clash and Big Audio Dynamite, has said he will play Clash songs again in concert for the first time in almost 30 years.

According to NME.com, Jones will play a string of dates in December for the Hillsborough Justice Campaign. The campaign raises money for the families of those killed in the Hillsborough soccer stadium disaster of 1989.

Jones committed to the dates after playing a benefit show in Liverpool. He told NME: "It was just a fantastic, fantastic thing. I was very pleased to be asked and it went so well, so we thought we'd might try and do some more." more on this story



Nikki Sixx Mentors 400 Music Students
(Sub) Last week, 98-7FM presented an installment of the "Musicians Institute Conversation Series" featuring Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx.

Hosted by 98-7FM Music Director Darren Rose, more than 400 MI students and fans attended the live event at the Musicians Institute Concert Hall in Los Angeles to hear Sixx discuss his personal journey through the music industry

From when he touched his first guitar, to his method for songwriting, to creating his own record label – as well as his advice and encouragement for those pursuing a career in music. Check out video of the event here.



Memorial for Gwar's Cory Smoot Takes Place Today
(Freeman) Arrangements have been finalized for the memorial service for Gwar guitarist Cory Smoot AKA Flattus Maximus.

The service will take place today, November 11th at the Bennett Funeral Home Chesterfield Chapel, located at 14301 Ashbrook Parkway in Chesterfield, VA. The private service begins at 4:00 PM. In lieu of flowers the family is asking that contributions be made to the "Smoot Family Fund". Contact Smootfamilyfund@gmail.com.

Gwar will have to cancel two performances on their current tour, so they can attend the services. Thursday November 10th in Medford, OR and Friday November 11th in San Francisco, CA are the dates that are affected. Tickets for both dates will be refunded at point of purchase. more on this story



Trivium and In Flames Winter Tour
Trivium will kick off 2012 with a North American tour with In Flames that will be hitting theaters and ballrooms.

The tour launches Jan. 12 in Milwaukee and runs through Feb. 21, circling back through the Midwest to Chicago. The tour will hit major cities over the course of several weeks, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, Denver, New York and more.

"Trivium can't wait to get out again on the road with In Flames. They are one of our all time favorite bands and together we plan on giving our best shows to the fans," singer/guitarist Matt Heafy said excitedly about the forthcoming trek. more on this story



An Evening With Corey Taylor Tour Begins Next Week
Next week Slipknot and Stone Sore frontman Corey Taylor will launch his first-ever solo tour "An Evening With Corey Taylor."

The tour will begin November 14 in Anaheim, California and will conclude on December 13th in Orlando, Fl.

This unique month-long trek will feature Corey playing acoustically, both original songs and some of his favorite covers. The evening will also encompass a spoken word performance with select excerpts from Corey's book Seven Deadly Sins… and audiences will get a rare chance to interact with the frontman during an open Q&A session. more on this story



Nickelback Comment on Thanksgiving Halftime Show
(Roadrunner) Nickelback is set to play the 2011 United Way Thanksgiving Halftime Show during the first game of the NFL's tripleheader when the Detroit Lions host the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, November 24 at 12:30 pm ET. The game and halftime show will be broadcast live on FOX.

"We are honored to perform at the United Way halftime show on Thanksgiving Day," commented Chad Kroeger of Nickelback.

"We always love playing in Detroit, our fans there have been tremendously supportive of us through the years and we can't wait to come back and celebrate an exciting day for the Lions and the city of Detroit." more on this story



The Fabulous Thunderbirds Plan New Album
(MPM) Severn Records has inked The Fabulous Thunderbirds who will begin recording their label debut CD shortly for release in early 2012.

"We are thrilled to have The Fabulous Thunderbirds as part of the Severn family and to have the opportunity to give Kim and the band's music a home," said Severn Records president David Earl. "Their style will fit in perfectly with what we do and we are looking forward to the first studio sessions in the creation of a new Thunderbirds album."

"I'm really excited about being a part of Severn Records," said Kim Wilson. "We have a great rapport with David Earl and I feel at home already. The creative family atmosphere he provides is something that is very rare in any business these days." more on this story



The Dillinger Escape Plan Jam With Mike Patton
The Dillinger Escape Plan have announced some new headlining dates and were also joined on stage last week in San Francisco by Mike Patton for the song "When Good Dogs Do Bad Things" which comes off the Irony Is A Dead Scene EP that featured Patton as the band's frontman.

The band just posted a new blog about the performance, hanging with Jello Biafra, as well as multi-camera video footage of the song shot by the band. Check it out here

The tour with Mastodon is going through the beginning of December, and the band has announced two special Headlining Shows along the run. more on this story



Coldplay Playing Saturday Night Live This Week
Coldplay will make their fourth appearance as the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live" this Saturday, November 12th where Emma Stone will be the host.

The performance comes on the heels of the release of the band's new album, Mylo Xyloto, which has charted at No. 1 in 32 countries to date.

It also hit the No. 1 spot in all 35 iTunes stores around the world, breaking the record for the highest number of download sales in one week.

Chris Martin appeared on "The Howard Stern Show" this week and Coldplay will perform on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" on Wednesday, December 7. more on this story



Townshend Says Quadrophenia Was The Last Definitive Who Album
(Gibson) Everyone has their favorites, and when it comes to Who albums, Pete Townshend's is Quadrophenia. "I'm very proud of it," he said at the media launch of the director's cut reissue of Quadrophenia this week (via Music Radar). "It's the only Who album I produced on my own. I'm amazed by what we managed to achieve with an eight-track studio. I had complete control and it proved that when I have complete control I get it right."

Townshend went on to say that The Who, "only made three landmark records: Tommy, Who's Next and Quadrophenia."

"I've always felt that Quadrophenia was the last definitive Who album," he added. "I've always regarded it as a very ambitious album, but what got away was the story… But to me, it felt to me like it was the end. The reason I've spent so much time working on this new edition is because it's an epochal record, the last great album by The Who." more on this story



Psycroptic Set New Album Release
(Fresno) Psycroptic will release their fifth studio album, The Inherited Repression, on February 7th in North America and February 10th in Europe.

Commented Psycroptic guitarist, Joe Haley, "The Inherited Repression is far and away my favorite Psycroptic album thus far - all of us in the band think this. It's the age-old cliché from bands when they talk about their current album as being the best of their career, blah, blah, but I have to say it because it's true. We wouldn't think there is a point of going on if we couldn't outdo each album prior. We are certainly not playing music for anything else than the love of creating it and performing it.

"The Inherited Repression is quite different from anything we have done in terms of song writing and structure, and we spent a lot longer writing and demoing the songs before we recorded it, which you can tell. It's a very dynamic album - the fast elements faster, the slow elements slower, and a lot of light and dark binding it together. It's a very catchy album as well - you can tap your foot, bang your head or anything else you want. Basically it has a lot of groove on it from start to finish." more on this story



The Devin Townsend Project Announce Box Set Tracklist
The Devin Townsend Project has announced the tracklisting for their forthcoming box set "Contain Us."

The release is a special tribute box-set for their epic quadrology (Ki, Addicted, Deconstruction, and Ghost) that was designed and created by Man Alive's Tom Bejgrowicz (who also conceived the classic and must-have Misfits Coffin box-set).

The box set will be released on November 29th and will contain the albums: Ki, Addicted, Ghost, and Deconstruction plus two bonus DVDs and CDs and more. more on this story



Why Robert Plant's Hair Remains The Same
(Gibson) Robert Plant is known for creating one of the most successful bands in rock history, Led Zeppelin, as well as his work with Band of Joy. But, as the 63-year-old's musical projects have changed over the years, one thing has remained pretty consistent: his long, curly blonde hair.

Speaking with GQ, Plant had a bit of fun chatting about his long locks. When asked, "How on earth have you managed to keep your hair like that?" Plant replied, "Well, I don't know. We could be quite serious about it. I just have been very lucky. My mother was a gypsy, and she had a lot of dark blood in her, and her hair was very, very thick – she couldn't even get a brush through it. So I have been very fortunate."

He added that every time he goes to cut it off, "hairdressers refuse to do it." So, the locks are here to stay. more on this story



Singled Out: Edward Rogers' The Biba Crowd
Edward Rogers released his brand new album "Porcelain" this week and to celebrate we asked him to tell us about the album's opening track "The Biba Crowd". Here is the story:

What a perfect event, seeing Mott the Hopple reform at the Hammersmith Apollo for three special shows, and I was lucky enough to be there.
The song's melody flowed into my brain right after the show, and I demoed the song that same night. The crowd was almost as interesting to me as the wonderful sound that Mott was playing from the stage.

One of Ian Hunter's lines taken from "Saturday Gigs" was "Chelsea girls are the best in the world for company," which got me thinking about the way young ladies were dressing in the early seventies and of course in London every hipster shopped at BIBA.

It was a night for tears and memories - a night to relive your past and forget for a few hours the crazy world today. The lyrics were shooting out of my head as fast as I could write them down.

I wonder where the Biba Crowd went
Were you supporting Mott that night
Saw Silver John playing on and on
Gained a little weight, but he's still getting it on
So when I left England I had this little ditty ready to be recorded. What a fun night, and as extra bonus a song that hopefully (at least in my mind) captured the feeling of the crowd of the event.

Where did all the velvet go
Matching satin oh the silver dream, ya know
Thought I'd live it one more time
Then leave the legacy behind

It's funny when we went to record this song the producer (Don ) looked at me and said are we recording a song about Justin Bieber. I never let him live it down…..have a listen and see if you can join the party. "69 was cheaper wine."

Golden days of my youth
Relived for an evening to tell a few tales
Catch up on rumours, see the the old faces
And nod to those who passed us by

Today's Day In Pop

Today's Full Report


CMA Awards Recap and Winner List
Taylor Swift took the top honor at The 45th Annual CMA Awards on Wednesday night. Here is the official recap along with the full winner list:

Taylor Swift won her second CMA Entertainer of the Year trophy. Newlyweds Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton won Female Vocalist and Male Vocalist for the second consecutive year. Jason Aldean won his first two CMA Awards for Musical Event of the Year with Kelly Clarkson, and Album of the Year for My Kinda Party. The Band Perry won their first Awards for Single of the Year for "If I Die Young" and New Artist of the Year. Kimberly Perry claimed an additional trophy for Song of the Year for penning the hit song. Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter won for Music Video of the Year. Lady Antebellum picked up their third trophy for Vocal Group of the Year, and Sugarland won Vocal Duo of the Year for the fifth time.

Swift won the Horizon Award (now New Artist of the Year) in 2007 and was named Entertainer of the Year for the first time in 2009. more on this story



Justin Bieber Under The Mistletoe Debuts On Top
(popmusiclife) Justin Bieber debuts at no 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with his holiday effort, "Under The Mistletoe."

Billboard reports Bieber led the way this week with sales of 210,000 copies of the new release.

Justin's third #1 album is also the first Christmas set by a male artist to debut in top spot in the 55-year history of the chart and just the eighth holiday album to hit No. 1. Susan Boyle's 2010 album, "The Gift," is the only other Christmas effort to open atop the list. more on this story



T.I. Reality Series Premieres Next Month
VH1 sent over word that T.I.'s new reality series "T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle," will be premiering on December 5, 2011 at 9PM ET.

Here are the details: Viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look at the most private moments of the Grammy-winning artist as he is reunited with his wife, Tameka (a.k.a Tiny), and his children following a 12 month prison sentence that was completed several months ago.

The new series follows the "King of the South" at his most vulnerable, as T.I. re-acclimates back into his life as a father, husband, son, musician, apparel magnate, businessman, actor and best-selling author (Power & Beauty). more on this story



Adele To Hold Free Theatric Event Across The World
Adele fans in 26 cities around the world will be able to watch the star's forthcoming DVD "Live At The Royal Albert Hall" on the big screen for free.

These events are free for Adele's fans and tickets can be applied for now at Adele's website www.adele.tv. On Adele's site, fans will find a specific page containing full information for all the global screenings and will be able to click on to the venue closest to them for their ticket, date and timing information.

"Live At The Royal Albert Hall" will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray on Tuesday, November 29th and features the full 90 minute performance, plus behind the scenes footage shot throughout that day. The package also contains an exclusive live CD of the entire show. This is the first time fans will be able to hear all of Adele's hits and best loved songs on one CD plus her stunning covers of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" and The Steeldrivers' "If It Hadn't Been For Love." more on this story



Michael Jackson's Estate Slam NBC Over Dr Murrary Movie
(TMZ) TMZ has obtained a blistering letter sent to NBC and MSNBC execs from the co-executors of Michael Jackson's estate, attacking the networks' ethics for giving Conrad Murray a platform in an upcoming documentary.

In the letter John Branca and John McClain grouse that Murray has no qualms about "smearing the reputation of his 'friend,'" even though he refused to testify under penalty of perjury in his trial.

In the letter, the co-executors doubt that Murray got paid only $1 for his participation in the doc. In fact, people connected with the documentary hedged when TMZ asked about Murray's payment.

And the co-executors say, the networks are using "moral loopholes" -- claiming it was shot before Murray was convicted -- "in order to boost ratings at a struggling cable network." more on this story



Zsa Zsa Gabor Rushed To The Hospital
(TMZ) Zsa Zsa Gabor was rushed to the hospital, TMZ has learned -- after blood began to spill out of the feeding tube in her stomach.

Her husband Prince Frederic von Anhalt tells TMZ, he called 911 approximately 20 minutes ago, as soon as he noticed the bleeding.

It's been less than a month since 94-year-old Zsa Zsa was last hospitalized ... for the same reason. more on this story



Rihanna Still On Top
(popmusiclife) Rihanna's "We Found Love" remains atop the Billboard Hot 100 for a second week.

The lead track from her new album, "Talk That Talk," out November 21, hit #1 last week by bumping Adele's "Someone Like You" out of the top position on the key US singles chart.

As reported last week, when "Found" became her 11th #1, Rihanna became just the seventh artist in the chart's 53-year history to tally at least 11 toppers, joining the Beatles (20), Mariah Carey (18), Michael Jackson (13), Madonna (12), the Supremes (12) and Whitney Houston (11). more on this story



12 Days of Gaga Kicks Off
(popmusiclife) Barneys New York has announced the beginning of the '12 Days of Gaga,' the official countdown to the November 21 opening of Gaga's Workshop at its flagship store in New York City.

Gaga's Workshop will include holiday windows, a dedicated Gaga interactive website, and limited-edition, exclusive products created in collaboration with Lady Gaga.

Taking over the entire 5th floor of the Madison Avenue Men's store, The Workshop will be divided into elaborate structural shops, such as a jewelry shop created out of an oversized Lady Gaga-turned-spider, and a boudoir in the shape of a giant wig. more on this story



Jackson Brothers To Take Part In Michael Jackson Fan Fest
Michael Jackson's brothers, Marlon, Jackie and Tito Jackson are all set to take part in the first ever Estate-authorized Michael Jackson Fan Fest. Here is the official word:

The three brothers will be at Fan Fest on Sunday, December 4, beginning at noon for an exclusive Q & A session for fans at the exhibition.

Scheduled for December 3-14 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Michael Jackson Fan Fest is designed to transport guests through the life of the mega-star, showcasing never before seen personal items and career memorabilia. more on this story



Lady Gaga Gets Remixed By Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
UK-based producer Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs posted his official remix of Lady Gaga's track "Marry The Night."

The remix is set to be released on Lady Gaga's forthcoming Marry The Night single package.

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs just wrapped up a North American tour following his busy week at CMJ. Check out the remix here.



Heavy D Was 344 Pounds At The Time Of His Death
(TMZ) Heavy D weighed 344 pounds at the time of his death this week ... law enforcement tells TMZ.

Officials recorded Heavy's height and weight as part of their investigation into his sudden and unexpected passing. We're told the rapper measured in at 6'4".

Heavy famously lost 135 pounds back in 2003 -- but insisted the decision to drop the weight was in an effort to get acting roles ... and wasn't health related.

TMZ broke the story ... Heavy D died after collapsing outside of his Beverly Hills condo. more on this story



Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Remix EP Coming Next Week
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. have set a November 15 release date for their forthcoming remix EP, My Love Is Easy: Remixes Pt. 2.

Featuring remixes by Memory Tapes, Tiger & Woods, Pictureplane and more, My Love Is Easy: Remixes Pt. 2 includes original tracks from their acclaimed debut LP, It's A Corporate World.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. spent most of the year of the road, completing a phenomenal second headlining tour including a sold-out NYC show, a summer festival circuit through Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits and Philadelphia's Popped! Festival, and a set of recent European performances. more on this story



Keenan Teams Up With The Oak Ridge Boys
(Webster) Teen star Keenan is going country and Grand Ole Opry members The Oak Ridge Boys are along for the ride.

In the catchy video for The Oak Ridge Boys, "What'cha Gonna Do" Keenan and the country stars lip synch, live at the Grand Ole Opry.

The video for "What'cha Gonna Do"can be viewed on Keenan's YouTube channel here.

This is 16-year old Keenan's first country music collaboration of any kind, and with The Oak Ridge Boys beside him, he's making his country music debut with one of the genre's most venerable acts.



Kick Start Tristen's Christmas
(BHM) Tristen will be releasing the Decks The Halls 7" just in time for the holidays.

Fans can help fund the production of the 7" by pledging to Tristen's "Decks The Halls Kickstarter," where they can gain access to additional options such as hand made journals, signed limited edition prints, a knitted scarf made by Tristen, and even a private concert from Tristen for friends and family in their own home. Visit the Kickstarter page at the link here

This December Tristen will tour the east coast with Justin Townes Earle, playing a few newly announced headlining gigs in between. See below for updated tour dates including stops in Brooklyn, Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Charlottesville. more on this story



Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Arrives
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and the new social gaming network Call of Duty Elite have both been officially launched. Here is the official word with all of the details:

Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 kicked off its worldwide invasion at midnight as gamers crashed launch parties at over 13,000 retailers from Sydney to London to New York City, intent on being among the first to pull the trigger on the title dubbed "the most anticipated video game in history" by GameStop's Senior Vice President of Merchandising, Bob McKenzie.

"This watershed launch extends the legacy of the franchise like no other previous release," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. "Combining the narrative punch and gameplay innovations of the next chapter in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series with the unique services of Call of Duty Elite will bring Call of Duty gamers together in a cohesive, fan-focused environment like no other." more on this story



Britney Spears' Dad Earns Big For Femme Fatale Tour
(TMZ) Britney Spears dad, Jamie Spears, got a boatload of money for managing the Femme Fatale Tour ... TMZ has learned.

We obtained court documents which reveal the judge in Britney Spears' conservatorship case awarded Jamie $537,987.37 as a base pay for his services on the tour.

In addition, the judge allowed Britney's personal manager, Larry Rudolph, to give Jamie 20% of his10% commission because Jamie did so much on the tour. Jamie does not reveal the exact amount he gets from Rudolph, but in all Jamie will rake in a 7-figure payday.

And, Jamie is asking that the judge extend his conservatorship fee of $16,000 a month indefinitely.

But here's the real story ... Jamie did the job of 5 people on the tour, and even with Jamie's fee Britney saved more than a million bucks in salaries. more on this story



Big Time Rush Announce North American Tour
Big Time Rush have announced plans for their North American Better With U Tour which will kick off in late February 2012 for the

Fans will be able to see Big Time Rush, on hiatus from their TV series, as they embark on their first-ever headlining multi-city concert tour performing new songs in support of their album, Elevate, out Nov. 21.

Big Time Rush will begin their tour in Las Vegas and will travel to major cities including a major performance at New York's famed Radio City Music Hall more on this story



Move Over Nashville, Country Music Is Bigger in New York
Nielsen Entertainment put out this interesting bit of information: New York City is the number one market for country album sales, according to Nielsen.

The Big Apple bested even Nashville when looking at the sheer number of albums sold. Nashville came in at number six, while the top three was rounded out by Los Angeles and Dallas-Fort Worth.

This year to date, 31.8 million physical and digital country albums have been sold nationwide, according to data from Nielsen SoundScan. more on this story



Graffiti6 Set New Album Release
Music duo Jamie Scott and TommyD's Graffiti6 have set a January 24th, 2012 release date for their new album, Colours.

Colours includes the first U.S. single "Free," which is currently No. 21 at AAA radio and was the most added song in its first week at the format. Currently in rotation at such influential stations such as KINK in Portland, KBCO in Colorado, WNWV in Cleveland, and KCSN in Los Angeles, "Free" was also "Pick of the Week" in USA Today, which praised the track's "melodic bassline and singer Jamie Scott's exquisite falsetto breaks." The video, which was shot in downtown Los Angeles premiered on VEVO: here.

Graffiti6 will spend December on the road as support for Latin singer-songwriter Ximena on her U.S tour. The trek starts December 5th in Birmingham, AL, at Workplay and runs through December 22nd at Schubas in Chicago, IL. Graffiti6 will also play at the Cosmopolitan Hotel November 30th and December 1st (full schedule below). Graffiti6 has spent the last few months traveling between the U.S. and Europe playing shows and festivals as they prepare for the release of Colours. more on this story



Celebrity Rehab Revisited Premiere Moved Up
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew Revisited is now set to premiere on Sunday, Nov. 20th at 9PM ET/PT on VH1. Here are the details from our previous report:

Vh1 has announced the launch of "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew Revisited" which is a series of four, "where are they now" specials with Dr. Drew and his head councilor Bob Forrest visiting patients from the first four seasons of "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew."

Featuring new interviews and home visits with Andy Dick, Rodney King, Seth Binzer, Tom Sizemore, Rachel Uchitel, Leif Garrett, Janice Dickinson and many more of the most infamous 'celebrity rehabbers' to date, these specials will offer a frank look at life months and, in some cases years, after rehab.

Today's Day in Rock

Van Halen Divided?
(hennemusic) Chickenfoot drummer Kenny Aronoff shared some info he heard about the creation of the new Van Halen album, their first with David Lee Roth since 1984, the title and year, and how the band is split into two camps, .

"I was in the studio when they were recording, I mean… I know my buddy who started producing it, John Shanks, and then I know the guy who was mixing it, Ross Hogarth, and I was hearing all kinds of stories," said Kenny.

"They played one song for me and it was good, but the thing I was hearing was stuff like, you know, it's the whole… I just heard the classic stories, my buddy finally was told to leave, the producer, and he heard about how people would get fired and he was like, 'It happened to me, too!'" explained Kenny. "And then the engineer would deliver the mixes. There was the David Lee Roth camp and there was the brothers' camp." more on this story



Rolling Stones Members Reuniting For Jam
(hennemusic) Some of the Rolling Stones are reconvening in London for a little jam session later this month.

Rolling Stone reports Keith Richards will meet up with Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts in a London studio. "We're just going to play a little together, because we haven't played for three or four years," says Richards. "You don't necessarily want to rehearse or write anything – you just want to touch bases. That's a good start: me, Charlie and Ronnie. Mick's welcome, and I'm sure he'll turn up, but right now we just want to get our chops down."

Beyond that, the Stones' plans for their 50th anniversary next year remain unclear. "I just hope we can perform live," says Wood. "It'd be great to see if that old spark is there." more on this story



Slayer To Reign In Blood Live
(Gibson) Slayer will perform their seminal album Reign in Blood live in London next May. The metal titans will be supported by Sleep and Washington band The Melvins.

The show will take place on Friday, May 25, at the opening night of All Tomorrow's Parties' I'll Be Your Mirror weekend festival at Alexandra Palace.

According to Slayer.net, All Tomorrow's Parties said in a statement:"ATP are incredibly excited to announce that this year the event starts on Friday 25th May when the incomparable Slayer will present their undisputed classic Reign in Blood live in its entirety during their headline set to celebrate its 25th anniversary! Released in 1986, it is widely considered one of the greatest albums of all time – in 2006 Metal Hammer named it 'The best metal album of the last 20 years.'" more on this story



Staind Announce North American Tour Dates
Audio Ink Radio has some good news and some even better news for Staind fans: When Staind released their self-titled album this past September without a coinciding North American tour, they promised fans a proper trek was just around the bend.

Now, the post-grunge rock band are making good on that guarantee, as they've worked up a handful of tour dates before Christmas bells start ringing.

The tour starts November 25th in Uncasville, Ct., and closing out Dec. 16 in Biloxi, Miss. With only 15 dates, it's a select tour, but speaking exclusively with Audio Ink Radio, frontman Aaron Lewis pledged the band would do a large-scale tour in 2012. More from Aaron and the dates here.



Evans Blue Lose Member
(Banana 101.5) Evans Blue announces the departure of drummer Howard 'H-Bomb' Davis and the name of his replacement — the news comes as the band is at work on their still-untitled fourth studio album.

Evans Blue announced via press release today that they will be moving forward without Howard Davis, who has played with the band since their 2007 album 'The Pursuit.' Vocalist Dan Chandler had this to say when asked about the Howard's departure: "We seemed to be moving in different directions musically, so we mutually agreed that it was time to move on. We wish Howard all the best."

The band will be joined by St. Louis native and longtime friend of Chandler's Mike McClure. Read what Howard had to say about the exit here



Sammy Hagar and Joe Satriani, Hinder, James Durbin NFL Songs Released
The NFL and Banshee Music have released the Official Gameday Music of the NFL, Vol. 1 at iTunes, which features football focused tracks from Sammy Hagar & Joe Satriani, Hinder, James Durbin, Darius Rucker and Jordin Sparks.

They put out these details: Music plays a significant role in the sporting event experience, and the Official Gameday Music of the NFL lets fans bring home the energy of the game. The inaugural release features singles from Darius Rucker, Sammy Hagar and Joe Satriani of Chickenfoot, rock onslaught Hinder, and American Idol favorites James Durbin and singer/songwriter Jordin Sparks. Sparks' father is former NFL cornerback Phillippi Sparks and her song, "You Gotta Want It," is a track destined to be heard inside NFL stadiums. Each song is loosely themed around the NFL and its teams while leaving the creative process to the individual artists.

The Official Gameday Music of the NFL can be purchased through iTunes. Additional songs that will span all genres will be released in the coming months and throughout future seasons from national recording artists. more on this story



Korn Album Release Concert
Korn will hold a special record release concert for their new album, The Path Of Totality, at the Palladium in Hollywood, CA on the night of its release December 6th.

Joining them on the bill are dubstep DJs Datsik, Downlink, and 12th Planet who also appear on The Path Of Totality, as well as Flinch. Special surprise guests are also expected according to MSO.

At The Palladium, the band will perform selections from the new album which features production from the likes of leading U.S., U.K. and Dutch dubstep trailblazers Skrillex, Feed Me, Excision, Datsik, Noisia and Kill the Noise as well as a variety of their classic hits and other tracks from their extensive catalog. more on this story



Black Sabbath Reunion Countdown Launched
(hennemusic) The Black Sabbath reunion countdown continues, as the band gets set for press conference at the Whisky A Go Go this Friday at 11:11 AM (on 11/11/11).

Sabbath have really made things official by adding a countdown clock to their website.

It is expected that the four original members - Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward - will announce their reunion at the famed LA venue where they played their first US show 41 years earlier, to the day. more on this story



Dream Theater's Jordan Rudess To Rock Solo This Weekend
Dream Theater keyboard player Jordan Rudess has announced a rare solo appearance this Saturday, November 12 at The Iridium in New York City.

Rudess--who is on a brief break from Dream Theater's world tour in support of their new album A Dramatic Turn Of Events--will be playing a mix of improvisations and covers on the piano and synthesizer.

For this performance he will also perform on his iPad apps: MorphWiz (which won "Best Music Creation App" at the Billboard App Awards in 2010), SampleWiz and his newest app, the Geo Synthesizer, which was released just two weeks ago. more on this story



80s Rockers Release Charity Single
SleazeRoxx reports that there is a new all star charity single for Red Cross Japanese earthquake/tsunami relief that features a who's who of 80s hard rock and glam. Here is part of their report:

United Rockers 4U was established by Terry Ilous, Jeff Paris and Peter Kalish in order to raise money for the American Red Cross in response to Japan's earthquake and tsunami disaster in March 2011.

"One Family" is the charity single by United Rockers 4U featuring a rock 'n roll all-star cast with Eddie Money, Bobby Kimbal (Toto), Don Dokken (Dokken), Jimi Jamison (Survivor), Terry Ilous (Great White/XYZ), Robin McCauley (MSG/Survivor), Jeff Paris, Richie Kotzen (Poison/Mr. Big), Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt), Phil Lewis (L.A. Guns), Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne/Quiet Riot/Whitesnake), Brian Tichy (Whitesnake/Foreigner/Billy Idol), Robert Sarzo (Hurricane), and Michael Thompson. Proceeds from the sale of "One Family" will go to The American Red Cross for Disaster Relief. more on this story



3 Doors Down Star Says Nobody Sells Records Like In The Past
(Banana 101.5) 3 Doors Down have sold millions of albums over the years, but if you ask bass player Todd Harrell, the band's expectations for sales have evolved quite a bit since first spitting out 'Krytonite' in 2000.

While the band's latest assortment of songs, 'Time of My Life,' entered the Billboard 200 at No. 3 and has achieved major success, Harrell says it's nothing like the numbers bands saw a decade ago, before the Internet took over the music industry. "The record [is] doing great, but times have changed in the record business," Harrell told AZ Central. "There are so many different ways to sell music. You just have to kind of roll with the changes. Nobody sells records like in the past."

How has the change in the way people consume music altered 3 Doors Down? "It definitely affects the pocketbook," he laughed. "You know, the Internet is a tool that's changed things. You can say good things and bad things about it. It is a way to get the music out there. It's kind of a double-bladed sword." more on this story



Johnny Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone Immortalized As Vinyl Ramones Figures
(Gibson) The Ramones were always into leather. One can only hope, therefore, that the spirits of the late Johnny Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone will not object to being cast in vinyl.

Punk toy company Aggronautix has unveiled the two punk icons as the latest figures in its series of punk rock toys and "throbbleheads." And yes, the 3.75-inch tall polyresinate figures do come decked in traditional Ramones leather jackets, and are featured holding their respective instruments.

As an added touch, the matching shoulder chains that bookended the notorious pair onstage are featured as well. more on this story



Powerman 5000's Spider Talks New TV Show
(Banana 101.5) Banana 101.5 spoke with Spider from Powerman 5000 about horror films, new music, his MTV show 'Death Valley,' and the possibility of a film "collaboration" with his brother Rob Zombie.

You have a new TV show on MTV called 'Death Valley,' how would you describe it for those who haven't tuned in yet? It's a horror comedy and it basically follows this group of cops called the Undead Task Force, and it's their job to contain the recent uprising of vampires, zombies, and werewolves in the San Fernando Valley. It's just completely over the top comedy and gore — so you're sort of laughing your ass off one minute and then scared to death and grossed out the next. A lot of people simply describe it as a 'Reno 911′ meets 'Walking Dead' kind of a thing. I feel slightly different than that but I suppose that is a concise way to put it.

It's very much a genre fans wet dream. You've got guns, comedy, zombies, vampires, werewolves, hot lesbians — I can see why you fought for so long to get this show on the air. Yeah look, it really was me sitting at home not finding anything to watch on TV and going, "You know what? I have to make a show that I want to watch." And you know this was over six years ago that I came up with this idea after I moved to the San Fernando Valley in L.A. and decided this would be the perfect backdrop for a monster invasion. I ran around town with a camera and a couple of friends and 500 bucks for a budget and made this test trailer of 'Death Valley' — a very early version of it — and that eventually got to MTV and they really loved it and championed the idea and here we are with a real TV show on the air. more on this story



Tom Waits Gets Satisfied With Keith Richards and Bob Dylan's Son
(hennemusic) Tom Waits has issued a new video from his new "Bad As Me" album. "Satisfied" features Tom dancing around the backyard, it's stark black and white imagery well-suited to the Waits mystique ("Down By Law" anyone?).

The video was directed by Jesse Dylan, the eldest son of Bob Dylan, and Rolling Stone Keith Richards plays guitar on the track.

"There's nobody in the world like him," Tom told NPR recently. "We wrote songs together for a while and that was fun. I had never really written with anybody besides my wife, so it was unique and a little scary at first. He doesn't really remember anything or write anything down. So you play for an hour and he would yell across the room, 'Scribe!' And I looked around. 'Scribe? Who's the scribe?' And he'd say it again, now pointing at me. I was supposed to have written down everything we said and dreamt of and played. And I realized we needed an adult in the room. I've never been the one that one would consider the adult. It was an interesting dynamic." More including the video here



Teen Students Take On Judas Priest Classic
(hennemusic) 48 students from the Aaron O'Keefe music school in Ohio hit the studio in the spring for an 8-hour marathon recording session.

A group of young teens, ranging from 11 to 17, spent a couple of hours laying down a seriously heavy cover of "Painkiller" by Judas Priest.

"On Saturday, May 7th my students traveled to Nashville, TN to record 8 songs at Starstruck Studios, a world class recording studio owned by Reba McEntire," writes O'Keefe. "This was our longest recording session to date...running from 8 am to 3 am. The students recorded Painkiller from 2 pm to 4 pm."

"Judas Priest's "Painkiller" is by far the most challenging song my students have covered," he continues. more on this story



Original Mad Max Lineup Returns For New Album Release
(Freeman) Mad Max have announced the reunion of their original line-up and the release their new studio album "Another Night Of Passion" by the end of March 2012.

Michael Voss (Lead Vocals, Lead Guitars), Jürgen Breforth (Rhythm Guitars), Roland Bergmann (Bass, Vocals) and Axel Kruse (Drums) captured the spirit of 1987 and deliver their new album worldwide through SPV / Steamhammer.

The album was recorded at the Kidroom-Studios which are owned by Michael Voss and where also albums from Michael Schenker, Vengeance and Gary Barden were produced. more on this story



MxPx Documentary Coming Next Month
Next month, MxPx will release a music documentary, Both Ends Burning, featuring footage from the band's 2008 world tour all the way to the band's sold-out Seattle show in March 2011.

In the film, MxPx finds themselves at a crossroads in their career, struggling to find the balance between full time jobs, and the life of a touring musician.

Directed by Bryan Buchelt of Snaproll Studios, the DVD will be available digitally on December 1 through most online retail outlets and the band's website (www.mxpx.com). The physical version, which includes over 20 minutes of deleted scenes, will be available December 8 through the band's website.




The Black Keys Star Works On New Tennis Album
Fat Possum Records have set a February 14th, 2012 release date for Tennis' sophomore album, Young and Old.

For the album guitarist Patrick Riley, vocalist Aliana Moore and drummer James Barone headed to Nashville to work with The Black Keys' Patrick Carney.

The first single from these sessions, "Origins," will be released on limited edition blue 7" vinyl on December 6 via Forest Family Records. more on this story



Daybreaker Announce North American Tour Dates
Daybreaker will be hitting the road in support of their upcoming split 7" with The American Scene.

The band will be out with State Champs from 11/27-Dec 3rd and with The Story So Far and This Time Next Year 12/6-12/13.

The split 7" with The American Scene is set to be released on November 29th by Pure Noise Records. more on this story



Singled Out: Lance King's Awakening
Today Avian, Pyramaze and Balance Of Power frontman Lance King tells us about "Awakening" from his brand new album "A Moment In Chiros," which is being released tomorrow 11/11/11. Here is the story:

"Awakening" is part of a concept album, I can't give the entire concept away, it would sort of ruin the point of the album which is for truth seekers to search for clues in the construct of what the music and lyrics are sharing. It's called "A Moment In Chiros" and it's based on the 11:11 time prompt phenomena, and comes out 11/11/11.

"Awakening" is a part of that concept, however it has a duplicity to it in that I used a real life story to illustrate a step of the concept.

I need to go back a few years to when the real life story was taking place, I was working on the first Pyramaze album, I'd done a lot of recording before this, but on Tape, ADAT digital tape, and hard disc recording unit's, this was my first time working with protocols on a computer, so I had a bit of a learning curve going on with the program and the best ways to use it. It was a bit frustrating actually, since my setup was not proper and I was doing it on a older iMac without a secondary hard drive, so I ended up having to record one song, bounce it all down, send the tracks to the bands producer in Denmark, and start on the next one after I made enough room to work on the computer again.

Through this process my wife's Dad got deathly ill, he was in the hospital about 90 miles away and it wasn't looking good. Of course I had a deadline to keep, and the band was pushing me on it. I missed some things I wish I hadn't while doing this record, I wasn't there for my wife when she needed me, and it certainly was one of the hardest things she's gone through in our time together. I regretted that afterwards a lot.

Back to the story and it's content… My wife was in the hospital room with her dad and some other family, and our very young daughter at that time, that had yet to speak coherent words.

She was still under 6 months old at the time. I couldn't be there that day because of my album deadline. My wife tells me that when her father passed on that day, she could feel his energy leave as the heart monitor droned a steady beeeep, and that our daughter, was looking at the ceiling… and pointed and said grandpa, smiling and full of joy.

She could clearly see him on the ceiling, she was too young to tell us exactly what she saw, but I believe he was likely waving at her and making faces like he did a lot, smiling and happy because of the joy she was showing.

This was something that of course hit everyone in the room in a meaningful way, and was a catalyst for many spiritual discussions, and soul searching, and it led to some personal discoveries, through introspection, that I will choose to keep private at this point, but suffice to say, it's deep, and it was profound and it was an "Awakening"

Today's Day In Pop

Today's Full Report


Rapper Heavy D Died Yesterday at Age 44
(TMZ) Rapper Heavy D, one of the most influential rappers of the '90s, died yesterday at the age of 44. An associate of Heavy D's told TMZ that the rapper had pneumonia. Here is their report:

Heavy D -- real name Dwight Arrington Myers -- was rushed to an L.A. hospital around noon on Tuesday ... and was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1 PM.

We've learned a 911 call was placed from Heavy's Beverly Hills home around 11:25 AM to report an unconscious male on the walkway . When help arrived, we're told Heavy D was conscious and speaking -- and was transported to a nearby hospital. He died a short time later.

Cops are investigating the death -- and so far, there are no obvious signs of foul play. Police are currently at the home.

Heavy D had several massive hits -- including "Now That We Found Love." He also wrote and performed the theme song for "In Living Color" ... and appeared as an actor in the movie "Life."

Heavy just performed at the Michael Jackson Tribute Concert in Wales on October 8. He sang "Jam" with La Toya Jackson.

Eddie F -- one of the founding members of Heavy D & the Boyz -- issued a heartfelt statement about his longtime friend ... saying, "We were only young kids out of high school when we got into the game just wanting to make fun music filled with love and excitement."

"We always had so much fun as a group. I cherish all the happy times we had together while unknowingly helping to build the movement and legacy we call Uptown Records" ... adding, "I love you Hev and we all will miss you so much."

Update: Law enforcement tell TMZ ... Heavy D had just returned from shopping and walked up some stairs when he began having trouble breathing. Adam Mills, a designer who was in the building and knew Heavy D, found him leaning against a railing and clearly in distress. Adam tells us he cradled Heavy D in his lap as others called 911. Adam says Heavy D was conscious and said to him, "I can't breathe, I can't breathe." When paramedics took Heavy D to the hospital he had a pulse. People in the building are saying he died of a heart attack, but we have not been able to confirm that. Law enforcement sources tell us ... no foul play was involved and so far they only know the cause of death was "medical." more on this story



Katy Perry The People's Choice?
(popmusiclife) The nominees for the People's Choice Awards 2012 were announced Tuesday and Katy Perry leads the music pack with seven (7) nominations.

Perry had nods across all three genres: movies (Favorite Animated Movie Voice), music (Favorite Female Artist, Favorite Song, Favorite Pop Artist, Favorite Music Video, Favorite Tour Headliner) and TV (Favorite TV Guest Star).

Beyonce and Lady Gaga had five (5) nominations each. Top TV and film nominees include "Glee," nominated for 7 awards including 6 talent nominations and 1 show nomination for Favorite Network TV Comedy, and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2," up for 9 People's Choice Awards including Favorite Movie. more on this story



Jay-Z Appears on Rihanna's New Album
(popmusiclife) Rihanna's been talking that talk, as she confirms a guest appearance by Jay-Z on the title track to her new album, "Talk That Talk," due November 21.

"Yes sir! Jigga man is on the title track #TTT " she tweeted on Tuesday. Norwegian production team Stargate actually let the news out first, as reported by Complex.com.

Describing the collaboration as a "mid-tempo banger with hard drums, dirty synths, and Rihanna and Jay at their best," Stargate producer Tor Erik Hermansen added, "We are very happy with the song and Jay's verse is crazy—same with Rihanna's part." more on this story



Michael Jackson and The Doctor: A Fatal Friendship Documentary Airing Soon?
(TMZ) TMZ has obtained an excerpt of a never-before-seen documentary starring Dr. Conrad Murray -- in which the good doc reveals some very intimate details about the singer ... some of which are not flattering.

The documentary -- titled, "Michael Jackson and The Doctor: A Fatal Friendship" -- was shot while Murray awaited trial for manslaughter ... and features a shockingly candid look at the preparation of the trial, which includes intense fighting between Murray's lawyers.

The movie is being distributed by a company called Zodiac Rights ... which says it's already pre-sold the rights to air the documentary to "major broadcasters around the world."

Sources tell TMZ ... NBC is one of the broadcasters ... and will air the doc in the United States.

As for Dr. Murray -- he signed on to the project back in 2009, following MJ's death. It's unclear how much cash Murray is set to make from the movie. more on this story



Celebrity Rehab Revisited
Vh1 has announced the launch of "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew Revisited" which is a series of four, "where are they now" specials with Dr. Drew and his head councilor Bob Forrest visiting patients from the first four seasons of "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew."

Featuring new interviews and home visits with Andy Dick, Rodney King, Seth Binzer, Tom Sizemore, Rachel Uchitel, Leif Garrett, Janice Dickinson and many more of the most infamous 'celebrity rehabbers' to date, these specials will offer a frank look at life months and, in some cases years, after rehab.

While many participants on the series have been successful with recovery, viewers will see that in some instances, not even Dr. Drew's patients are immune to the perils of relapse. "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew Revisited" premieres Wednesday, November 30th at 10pm*. more on this story



Ellie Goulding Announces Record Store Day Release and Event
Ellie Goulding will celebrate Record Store Day with a live event and the release of a live physical EP, Live At Amoeba, exclusively through independent retailers on November 25th, also known as Black Friday.

The EP — which features live acoustic performances of the British singer and songwriter's hits "Starry Eyed" and "Lights" (currently climbing the Hot AC radio chart), plus a cover of Elton John's "Your Song" — was recorded at independent record store Amoeba Music in San Francisco on April 14th, 2011, while Ellie was on the road for her first sold-out U.S. tour supporting her debut album LIGHTS.

To celebrate the EP's release, Ellie will return to Amoeba Music in San Francisco to sign advance copies on November 20th. This in-store event begins at 5 p.m. Amoeba Music is located at 1855 Haight Street, San Francisco. more on this story



fun. Set New Album Release
fun. have set a February 21st, 2012 release date for their new album which is entitled "Some Nights".

The band will launch a preorder for a limited edition 7" vinyl version of the single on November 28 through the Fueled By Ramen webstore, which will also unveil the song "One Foot" from "SOME NIGHTS" as the b-side.

The first single from "Some Nights," "We Are Young (Feat. Janelle Monáe)," is available now via all digital retailers. more on this story



Katy Perry To Make Special Ellen Appearance on Friday
(EMI) Katy Perry will make an exclusive appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show this Friday, November 11th, to debut and discuss the video for her current single about lost love, "The One That Got Away."

The video was directed by film and video director Floria Sigismondi (The Runaways), who also directed Katy's MTV Video Music Award-winning clip for "E.T." Watch a teaser trailer for the video here.

Directly following Katy's appearance on DeGeneres' show, the video for "The One That Got Away" will be available for viewing on www.ellentv.com, as well as on VEVO at 4 p.m. ET. more on this story



Michael Lohan Facing Four Years in Jail
(TMZ) Michael Lohan has just been charged in connection with his 2 most recent arrests -- involving his ex Kate Major -- and now, faces up to 4 years behind bars.

As we previously reported, Lohan was arrested twice in 2 days 2 weeks ago -- first, for allegedly bruising Major up in her Florida apartment ... second, for allegedly violating a protective order a day later, by trying to contact Major over the phone.

MiLo was charged today with 2 misdemeanors for the first arrest -- domestic violence and violation of a domestic injunction. And 2 for the second -- resisting arrest without violence (after allegedly trying to flee from police and falling into a tree) and violating a condition of pretrial release.

If convicted on all charges, Michael faces a max of 4 years in jail. more on this story



Martin Solveig Kicks Off North American Tour
French DJ/Producer Martin Solveig has hit the road for a month long North American headlining tour.

The dates get underway tonight, November 9th, at The Necto in Ann Arbor, Michigan and continue through his December 3rd marquee performance at New York City's Pacha .

The coast-to-coast tour is in support of his single release, "Big In Japan," available at all digital retailers on November 15th. The track – which sees Solveig accompanied by Canadian electropop combo Dragonette and Japanese girl group Idoling!!! – was recently featured on an episode of HBO's hit series, How To Make It In America. more on this story



American Idol Champ Scotty McCreery Sets TV Appearances
If you miss seeing American Idol champ Scotty McCreery on TV, you will have plenty of opportunities to see him this month.

We received the following details: Scotty McCreery has plenty to be thankful for this November, including his first performance on The 45th Annual Country Music Association Awards and the opportunity to participate in one of America's great traditions – the 85th Anniversary Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Of course, Scotty has a long list of blessings to be grateful for this year, including winning Season Ten of American Idol in May and becoming the youngest man in history to have his first album debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart. Clear As Day, which was released Oct. 4, also debuted atop the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, a spot it held for three consecutive weeks. more on this story



Michael Jackson Items Fetch Big Bucks
(popmusiclife) On the same day that Dr. Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson, some of the music legend's items raised big money at an auction in Ireland.

The BBC reports a set of silk pajamas and a bed in which the late singer once slept have been sold at an Irish auction for a total of 8,900 euros (approx. $12,200 US).

An American entertainment company bought the star's pyjamas for 2,700 euros ($3,700 US), while a mahogany bed he slept in was sold to an undisclosed Irish bidder for 6,200 euros ($8.500 US). more on this story



Songs For Japan Raises $10 Million
This week in Tokyo, senior executives from four major music companies, EMI, Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner Music Group, met with Japanese Red Cross Society Vice President, Yoshiharu Otsuka, to recognize the milestone of $10 million raised and donated from the global sales of Songs For Japan.

A music industry-wide initiative, Songs For Japan is an unprecedented compilation of 38 major hits and classic tracks, including 21 Billboard Hot 100 hits and five #1s from more than 30 of the biggest names in contemporary music. The collection was rush-released worldwide on March 25 – only 14 days after the earthquake struck Japan – as a digital album via iTunes, followed by the release of a physical two-CD set.

Tadateru Konoe, President of Japanese Red Cross Society, said, "The kind thoughts of the people who made and bought this album have given great encouragement to the people affected by the earthquake and tsunami. One hundred percent of the money raised goes directly to those most in need. On behalf of the Japanese Red Cross and the people affected by the disaster, I want to sincerely thank the artists and music companies for this generous support. It is much needed and greatly appreciated." more on this story



Tyler Perry Keeping Kim Kardashian In His New Film
(TMZ) Kim Kardashian has already lost one man in her life this week, but she won't be losing another -- Tyler Perry is keeping her in his new film ... despite a serious outcry for him to divorce her from the project.

It was announced last month Kim would have a role in the movie "Marriage Counselor" -- which became even more ironic when announcer her split from Kris Humphries a week later.

Perry's fans have flocked to his web site, begging him to reconsider Kim. One post reads, "... why are you even considering putting no talent, show everything Kim K in a movie. I will not support that movie ..."

But Perry is standing strong, telling TMZ any rumors that say she's out are false. He added, "She is scheduled to work as planned."

Let's hope shooting on the movie doesn't go longer than 72 days. more on this story



Nicki Minaj Added To Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Nicki Minaj has been added to the musical lineup for The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which is set to air on Tuesday, Nov. 29 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS.

Minaj released her debut album, "Pink Friday," in 2010, which was certified platinum. She became the first artist ever to have seven singles on the "Billboard Hot 100" at the same time. She has won nine BET Awards and has been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, and four Billboard Music Awards.

This performance will mark the artist's first appearance on The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. more on this story



Singled Out: John Mark McMillan's Sheet of Night
Today John Mark McMillan tells us about "Sheet of Night" from his brand new album "Economy," which hit stores this week. Here is the story:

I think "Sheet of Night" comes from looking at the people around me and wanting better for some of them. At the same time I'm looking at myself and wanting to believe that I'm the kind of person who won't give up on the people and things I believed in. I see these people who are important to me and want to believe that the thing that binds us together is greater than the gravity of our situations.

I saw this documentary on Hurricane Katrina a while back, and there came a point for many of the survivors when they had to make a decision to stay home and die or brave the elements. I want to believe that I could be the kind of person who would brave the flood for the people I love and not be content to sit back and watch us become bitter angry people.