Today's Day In Rock!

Slash Has No Idea About Guns N' Roses Rock Hall Plans
(hennemusic) April 14 is approaching and no one – including members of the band – knows what will happen with the original Guns N' Roses lineup at their Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in Cleveland.
There's been speculation from every corner of the globe on this one, as hopes are high that GNR will put aside their differences for a few hours – hell, a few minutes, really – and pull things together to accept their induction gracefully.

Slash is the latest to be asked about the Rock Hall plans, and he tells Mike Jones of Washington D.C. station DC101 that he's in the dark as much as anyone else. "I know that there's a lot of rumor about it, as always when it comes to GNR, out there on the Internet and stuff," said the guitarist. "But as it stands right this second, I have no idea what's going on." Listen to the interview here.


Lemmy Says Don't Buy Motorhead Box Set
(Gibson) Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister has spoken out against the price of his band's new box set. The new box set in question, Complete Early Years Box Set, has been priced at around $600.

According to CNN.com, Lemmy blames record company greed on the pricing: "Unfortunately greed once again rears its yapping head," he said. "I would advise against it even for the most rabid completists!"

The set focuses on the band's early recordings, which they don't own the rights to. "Motörhead have no control over what's done with these early songs, and don't want fans to think that the band is involved in putting out such a costly box set," the band said in a statement. more on this story




Rob Zombie and Megadeth Team Up For Tour
Rob Zombie and Megadeth are teaming up for a co-headlining tour and have announced the initial dates.

The tour will mark the first time the two bands have toured together and will kick off on Friday, May 11 in Holmdel, NJ and will feature stops at several rock festivals, including Rock On The Range and Rocklahoma.

Rob Zombie will headline Rocklahoma, co-line (with Incubus) Rock On The Range, and will close all shows on the Megadeth dates. The tour wraps Saturday, March 26 at Rocklahoma. more on this story


Van Halen Switching Up Rarities on Tour
It was only night 2 of the new Van Halen tour, and the band has already tweaked their setlist.

At Monday's gig in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Van Halen played a virtually identical set to Saturday's opening show in Louisville, with one change: the group switched out the rarely-performed 1979 track "Outta Love Again" and replaced it with the "1984" classic, "Girl Gone Bad."

A minor change, for sure, but interesting to see the group has some extra songs in their back pocket. Most bands rehearse a regular set and some additional material so that they can switch things up – especially if they're playing multiple nights in a city – and a change this early in a tour may just be to try a song out, adjust the flow of the show, or deal with a production issue. Check out video of the Girl Gone Bad performance.


Guns N' Roses Private Concert Streaming Online
(hennemusic) Guns N' Roses played a private show during Fashion Week in New York last week and video of the show has gone online.

The band continue their Up Close And Personal Tour across the States. The band scheduled a series of 7 intimate theatre shows this month, and added a special, private show during Fashion Week.

GNR rocked the Hiro Ballroom last Thursday to close out the event, playing before a capacity crowd of 180. Watch video from the show here.


Chickenfoot Set For The Different Devil Tour
Chickenfoot are heading out on the road this May and June for a North American tour.

The Different Devil Tour 2012 is set to kick off with a two night stand on May 4th and 5th in Lake Tahoe, Nevada and will hit major cities across North America before concluding on June 10th at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.

While the tour is named after their latest single, the tour is support of the band's latest album "Chickenfoot III." more on this story


Blur To Close The Summer Olympics
(Gibson) Blur have been announced as headliners for this summer's London Olympics' BT London Live Closing Ceremony Celebration Concert in Hyde Park.

According to the BT London Live website, Blur will be joined by The Specials and New Order, with a special guest to be announced soon.

The outdoor concert will take place in Hyde Park in London on Sunday, August 12, the day of the Closing Ceremony. more on this story




Bamboozle Add Brand New and 24 Additional Bands
Brand New have been announced as a new headliner for The Bamboozle Festival which announced 24 additional bands to this year's lineup including Volbeat and Less Than Jake.

The 10th Anniversary festival is scheduled for May 18, 19 and 20 at North Beach in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

Brand New joins previously announced headliners Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters and Skrillex along with Blink-182, and Incubus. more on this story


Hawthorne Heights Stripped Down To The Bone Acoustic Tour
Hawthorne Heights are hitting the road on April 1st for their Second Annual Stripped Down To The Bone Acoustic Tour which will feature special guests Mark Rose and Sandlot Heroes.

The band had this message for fans: Last February we embarked on our first ever full band, all acoustic tour...just for fun. The idea was to hear our songs in a different way for our own sanity, and to give our die hard fans a different type of show. We only booked it for two weeks, because we had no idea how it would go for us, or our fans. What happened in those two weeks turned out to be more than we could have ever imagined. It was an experience that was so special and powerful that we wanted to stay on the road for once. We actually didn't want to come home, which is hard to imagine when you tour so often. So this year, we decided we had to do it again. We were even able to find the time to extend it an extra week and take it one step further. Elaborating on the theme "Stripped Down to the Bone", we have also decided to choose some venues that are very bare bones as well. We wanted to take this tour to some cities that don't get shows very often, as well as try to convert some smaller places into ALL AGES concert halls, at least just for a night. We also had the idea of trying to get some dates at tiny coffee shops, so we can help turn people on to the local brew of that area. We hope that our fans will respond to this tour again, and realize that we have kept ticket prices very low because we would like to support them as well. Sometimes everyday life can get you down...and a night of music can help you forget about it just for a few hours. Keep the scene positive...help music grow. –Hawthorne Heights

We will be selling Limited Edition (and hand-numbered) Acoustic CDs exclusively on this tour. This release includes alternate versions of some of your favorite HH songs. more on this story


Bob Seger, Gordon Lightfoot and Jim Steinman For Songwriters Hall of Fame
Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Seger, Don Schlitz, Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones and Jim Steinman are set to be inducted this year into the Songwriters Hall of Fame

The 43rd Annual Induction and Awards Dinner will take place on Thursday, June 14th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Additional special award honorees will be announced soon.

"Each of our 2012 inductees has created a unique range of extraordinary contributions, a body of work that has resonated with audiences around the world, and greatly enriched our global culture," said SHOF Chairman Jimmy Webb. "We are looking forward to celebrating their craft and careers at our Annual Awards Gala." more on this story


Scorpions Don't Know Where Farewell Tour Will End
Justin Tedaldi of the Examiner.com recently spoke with Scorpions legend Rudolf Schenker about their 3D concert movie and farewell tour. Here are a couple excerpts:

When and where is the tour expected to end? I'll tell you one thing: We know a lot of things about where we play in 2012. The only thing that we don't know yet—we have a few options which I can't tell you yet—but the options are looking like it will be the end of 2012 or January 2013. Where it will be, it will be announced in, I guess, one month.

Are you going to return to the United States for one more jaunt? From our record company and also from our agency, the people badly want us back. The response of ours in 2012, I was surprised to listen to the news and read in the magazines how the American critics were talking about the Scorpions this time, it was unbelievable. They're writing something like, "Why are the Scorpions still looking so great and our bands are looking terrible? Maybe they've taken too many drugs," and all these kinds of things. I was laughing on the floor.

But anyway, the convinced us to go back to the United States and Canada. On the other hand, they didn't have to convince us so much; we always like to play America. And if you look back at our career, you can see that it's the home country, the homeland of rock and roll. It's really feeling like you are the cowboy going on the road, fantastic! In the tour bus, cruising the country and really enjoying the great scenery and the great atmosphere playing in the United States. Read the rest of the interview here.


Beck, Alberta Cross, Cage the Elephant and Passion Pit For Governors Ball
Beck, Alberta Cross, Cage the Elephant and Passion Pit (playing their first NYC show in 2 years) are all set to take part in this year's Governors Ball Music Festival.

Expanding to two days in its second year, the festival will take place on June 23rd and 24th and has moved to Randall's Island Park, on the East River, nestled between East Harlem, the South Bronx, and Astoria, Queens.

Building upon the inaugural year line-up that focused on Dance, Hip Hop, and Electronica, Governors Ball 2012 will also incorporate Indie Rock, Americana, and Pop acts. There will be a distinct vibe to each day, with Saturday mirroring the lineup featured at Governors Ball 2011, and Sunday's bill focusing primarily on the expanded genres. more on this story


Anubis Gate To Headline ProgPower Festival
Anubis Gate are set to play ProgPower Europe Festival, which is a return to the scene of their very first public gig in 2005.

This return visit to ProgPower Europe Festival, on Friday October 5th is a special occasion for the band as they return as one of the headlining bands of the festival.
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In 2005 the festival invited Anubis Gate to play what turned out to be their very first gig. "It's with much excitement that we can announce this festival date. We hope to see a lot of you in Barlo (Netherlands) this October. And we are of course especially thrilled to be back on the stage where the live side of the band started."


Red Sparowes' Marriages Premiere Debut Song
The Red Sparowes offshoot Marriages has premiered the first song from their forthcoming debut.

The track "Ten Tiny Fingers" comes from their forthcoming album, Kitsune and is available to download/stream here. The new release will hit stores and online on May 1st.

Marriages also take to the road in March with dates supporting SF black metal faves Deafheaven. The trio -- comprised of Red Sparowes members Emma Ruth Rundle (vocals, guitar), Greg Burns (bass, synthesizer) and David Clifford (drums) -- will perform at the Sargent House official SXSW showcase in Austin, TX on March 16th. more on this story


Todd Rundgren's Musical Revival Camp 2012
Todd Rundgren's Musical Revival Camp will take place July 23-27, 2012 at Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY.

Special guests at Todd Rundgren's Musical Revival Camp include Mark Volman (The Turtles/Flo & Eddie), Peter Buck (REM) and a third guest to be announced soon. Some evenings at Todd Rundgren's Musical Revival Camp will highlighted by jam sessions with Todd, bassist Kasim Sulton (Todd Rundgren's Utopia, Meatloaf), guitarist Jesse Gress (Todd Rundgren, Tony Levin Band, Guitar Player Consulting Editor) and drummer Gregg Bendian (Interzone, The Mahavishnu Project, The Musical Box), along with the guest celebrity of the day.

Todd explains how this year's retreat will differ from the last: "We are amending our concept this year to focus on the pleasures of the season. We shall take that hike which we were rained out of last summer. We shall party at the pool as we neglected to do. There will be the laying on of hands (by professionals), the volleying of the ball, the tubing of the Esopus [Creek] and perhaps even the dancing of the square."

Musical Revival Camp special guest Mark Volman of The Turtles and Flo & Eddie offers his thoughts on the upcoming experience: "There are very few artists with whom I look forward to working, in fun and in business. Todd Rundgren is one of those artists. And after touring and making records with Todd over the years, I am thrilled to have another chance to work alongside him and his fans at Full Moon Resort. I can't think of a better way to spend a few summer days." More info here.


Roadie Coming to Blu-Ray and DVD
The movie Roadie is set for home release on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on March 20 from Magnolia Home Entertainment.

A film about lost dreams and coming home, Ron Eldard plays Jimmy, a longtime roadie for the legendary Blue Oyster Cult. After touring with the band for over 20 years, he is unceremoniously fired. Broke and desperate, he has no other choice than to move back in with his mother (Smith) in Forest Hills, Queens. Soon he meets up with some of his hard-partying high school friends (Cannavale and Hennessy) who show him how little things can change.

From writer/director Michael Cuesta (L.I.E, Twelve And Holding), Roadie features music by Blue Oyster Cult, Jethro Tull, Robin Trower, The Ramones, LA Guns, and The Counting Crows (who recorded Jackson Browne's "The Load Out" specifically for the film). The ROADIE Blu-ray Disc and DVD, including bonus features such as a special behind-the-scenes look at the film and commentary, will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.98 and $26.98, respectively. more on this story



Tyketto Releasing First New Album In 18 Years
Frontiers Records will release Tyketto's first new album in 18 years on April 24th in North America.

The new album, Dig In Deep, features the original line-up of Danny Vaughn (lead vocals), Brooke St. James (lead guitar/backing vocals), Jimi Kennedy (bass/backing vocals) and Michael Clayton (drums/backing vocals).

Formed in New Jersey in 1990, Tyketto released their major label debut Don't Come Easy in 1991. The album contained the hit AOR songs "Forever Young" and "Seasons" as well as "Wings" and "End Of The Summer Days," whose respective videos, along with "Forever Young," were in heavy rotation on MTV. more on this story


Chappo Set New Album Release As They Hit The Road
(PH) Chappo will release their debut album Moonwater on May 15th and will be taking their live show on the road this week for a four-stop East Coast tour, plus performances at this year's SXSW in Austin, TX.

For the 11-song LP, the four escaped New York City for Sunhouse Studios in the serene landscape of Vermont. Moonwater was mixed by Hector Castillo (Beck, Bjork) and Steve Wall, and produced by Chappo's own drummer and of Montreal's touring musician, Zac Colwell.

A deluxe version of the LP will include four additional bonus tracks that will be available exclusively on iTunes and Vinyl. more on this story


Experience Hendrix's Bob F. Hendrix Died This Week
(EH) Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. announced the sudden passing of Robert ("Bob") F. Hendrix, the company's Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. March 17, 1946 - February 19, 2012.

As first cousin to legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, Bob Hendrix came to the support of Jimi's father, James "Al" Hendrix and his daughter, Janie L. Hendrix in 1995 to help form Seattle-based Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. and Authentic Hendrix, LLC; the companies entrusted to manage the late guitarist's music legacy. Since that time, Bob has been actively involved in day-to-day business operations recently holding the positions as the company's Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

Prior to joining the Hendrix family companies full-time in 1996, Mr. Hendrix was Vice President and General Merchandise Manager at Price Costco. more on this story


Singled Out: Galen Hartley's You and Your Mother and Father
Today indie folk rocker Galen Hartley tells us about the song "You and Your Mother and Father" from his brand new album "Good Dreams". Here is the story:

Families are a crazy. I used to say that I wrote about three things: revenge, my family, and fulfilling my personal destiny. Even when I write about other subjects, the resulting songs still seem to fall into one of those categories. Anyway, this is a family song.

Straightforward narratives aren't my strength, but what I'm trying to get across in this song is a sense of history - the stories we tell within our families, the roles we play, the way the past continues to affect the present, and all the ways things can change when the folks near to us die.

My mother and her parents all died within a few years of each other, and it was a little surreal to witness the summing up of their lives into one "way" that they would be remembered. You know? And it was tough to work against mom's new reputation as a saint while I was sorting through some of the craziness I had clearly inherited from her. And THEN I got to thinking about these seeds of craziness that just keep getting passed down the family line, and how we're lucky if we can just do a little bit better than our parents did. Sigh.

So, yeah... families are a strange and plentiful source of inspiration.

Today's Day In Rock!

Queen Team Up With American Idol's Adam Lambert
The worst kept secret in rock and roll has been confirmed: Queen have tapped American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert to front the group. They along with KISS and Faith No More are all set to headline the 2012 Sonisphere Festival in England this summer.
The English Sonisphere festival will take place on July 6, 7, and 8th at Knebworth Park. Organizers put out the following information:

Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor have confirmed the band will headline the second day of Sonisphere appearing on the Apollo stage on Saturday July 7. Knebworth was the setting for Queen's final concert with Freddie Mercury in August 1986. more on this story


Guns N' Roses Add More Intimate Shows
(hennemusic) Guns N' Roses have added more shows to their current "Up Close And Personal" tour.

Dates have been added in Philadelphia (Feb 27), Miami (Feb 29) and Lake Buena Vista (Mar 3).

The three new shows make it 9 dates on the current trip – 10 if you include the private club show that wrapped up New York's Fashion Week recently. more on this story


Ryan Adams Unplugs for Dio Classic
(hennemusic) Ryan Adams has wrapped up his spring US dates in support of his latest effort, "Ashes & Fire."

Friday night, Adams played in Los Angeles, and he threw in another of his favorite metal songs in the set.

Ryan performed an acoustic version of Dio's "Holy Diver." Adams is a big fan of early 80s metal, and he also hosts a black metal talk show on youtube called "Night Sweats."

Check out his Holy Diver performance here.


After Party Van Crash
(ESM) The After Party sent out word that they were involved in a van accident after their Boston show on Saturday night with Allstar Weekend.

While traveling through Roxbury, CT en route to Staten Island, NY, the band's van veered off the road and over a guard rail. The van was totaled, but luckily no one was injured.

As guitarist Andy Bell explains, "We were pulling an all night drive after our show in Boston to Staten Island, NY. I was driving at the time, and already really low on sleep. We were only five miles away from where we were staying, and I was starting to get really drowsy, but since we were so close I wanted to just finish the drive. I fell asleep for a split second as we came up to a curve, and we ran off the road over a guard rail. We still made it to the show in Staten Island last night. We had to cram into three different cars and literally walked on stage 20 minutes after arriving at the venue, but we made it happen." more on this story


Slash and Lenny Kravitz Rock For Muhammad Ali's 70th Birthday
(hennemusic) Slash joined Lenny Kravitz to rock the 70th birthday celebration for boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

The pair were just two of the stars that came out for the 16th annual Power Of Love Gala in honor of Ali; others on hand included Stevie Wonder, Chris Cornell, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg and more.

"Muhammad Ali is and always has been a role model & a hero to me," said Slash. "It's a huge privilege to be able to perform in his honor. He is one of the great icons of American culture and history." See video of the jam here.


DragonForce Deliver The 'Fastest Song Ever Recorded'
(Gibson) British shred metal heroes DragonForce have given fans a glimpse of their forthcoming album, The Power Within, in the form of what the band promises is the fastest song they've ever recorded.

The track, "Fallen World," is the first official release featuring the band's new vocalist, Marc Hudson, who stepped in after ZP Theart left the band in 2010. Guitarist Herman Li says the sessions for The Power Within have been the most fun the band has ever had in the studio. "Through writing, jamming and touring together, we have built this incredible energy and it has been fully captured on the new album," Li says. "This time around we've really brought our metal side to the surface and made some of the best music of our career. From the fastest song we've ever recorded to the slower songs, and some things you would never expect from us, this is by far the most diverse DragonForce album yet."

The Power Within will be released by Roadrunner Records on April 17 in the U.S. It will hit the U.K. two days earlier via the band's own label, Electric Generation Recordings, which is distributed by Essential Music. "This is an exciting new era for DragonForce with Marc joining the band, so we figured this was an ideal time to take full control of our own destiny and establish our own record label for Europe," Li said. "It's all hands on deck running it, but a great buzz!" more on this story




Metalocalype Creator Going Solo
(Gibson) Metalocalype creator Brendon Small has revealed the cover art for Brendon Small's Galaktikon, his forthcoming solo album which is due for release in April.

The album is produced by Ulrich Wild with cover art by Antonio Canobbio. In addition to producing Dethklok, the fictional-yet-real death metal band from the Metalocalypse series, Wild also has manned the desk for White Zombie, Static-X, Seether, Deftones, Pantera, Breaking Benjamin and many more.

When he last spoke with Gibson.com to introduce the Gibson Dethklok Thunderhose Explorer, Small described the album like this: "I wanted to be able to do things I couldn't do with Dethklok: make a rock album with melodic vocals. And it also has elements of metal and one big song where I can show off on guitar. I got Gene Hoglan from Dethklok to do all the drums, and I brought my old friend Bryan Beller to play bass. I'm really excited by it. It's a totally different record that blends all my different influences, from black metal to Queen to ELO to Foo Fighters. It's a rock album and it takes itself desperately seriously, in a really fun way!" more on this story




Corrosion Of Conformity Streaming New Album
Corrosion Of Conformity's new self-titled album is streaming online in its entirety a week ahead of it's release.

Set for North American release on February 28, 2012 via Candlelight Records, Corrosion Of Conformity was recorded at Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Los Angeles, the 11-track offering was produced by the band in cooperation with long-time collaborator John Custer, mixed by John Lousteau (Foo Fighters) and features artwork by Seldon Hunt (Melvins, High On Fire).

Featuring the Animosity line-up of vocalist/bassist Mike Dean, guitarist Woody Weatherman, and drummer/vocalist Reed Mullin, the album's release closes a six year recording gap and completes over a year of concentrated writing and recording for the band. Listen here

In conjunction with the record release, the Raleigh, North Carolina legends will embark on a full U.S. headlining tour this March. more on this story


Dire Straits Members Touring As The Straits
(Noble) The Straits, comprised of former Dire Straits members Alan Clark (keyboards) and Chris White (sax, vocals), plus world-class musicians Steve Ferrone (Tom Petty's drummer), Terence Reis (lead vocals, guitar), Mike Feat (bass), Adam Phillips (guitar) and Jamie Squire (keyboards, vocals), will be heading out on an 18-date European tour during March 2012.

Dubbed as The Sound of Dire Straits, The Straits kick off the European tour at Belfast's Ulster Hall on 5th March, with concerts in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, and The Netherlands, wrapping up with two UK dates at London's indigO2 on 29th March and Guernsey's Sir John Loveridge Hall on 1st April.

The Straits will perform songs from the classic albums Dire Straits (1978), Communiqué (1979), Making Movies (1980), Love Over Gold (1982), Brothers In Arms (1985) and On Every Street (1991). Expect to hear all the classics including Money For Nothing, Sultans of Swing, Walk of Life, Romeo and Juliet, Brothers in Arms, Private Investigations, Solid Rock, Tunnel of Love, and many more. more on this story


Santana and Journey's Gregg Rolie Plans Story Tellers Acoustic Shows
(Glass Onyon) Gregg Rolie, co-founder of Santana and Journey, will make two unique solo appearances on March 2 & 3, 2012 at the famed Iridium in NYC.

The Iridium has a dual history as both a jazz institution and the home of Les Paul, who performed at the venue regularly from 1996-2009. Les Paul Mondays were always an event with such iconic guitarists as Jeff Beck, Steve Miller, Todd Rundgren and Ted Nugent sitting in with the Les Paul Trio. Gregg Rolie's two-day performances at the Iridium come on the heals of his new solo EP, "Five Days".

Gregg, along with his special guest, blues guitarist Alan Haynes, will be playing selections from the new EP along with many old favorites. He'll share stories from his 40-plus year career and answer questions from the audience during the show. After his performance, there will be a meet and greet with the audience and Gregg will be on hand for pictures and autographs. more on this story


TV's House Hugh Laurie To Rock Fans On Tour
(Gibson) Hit TV show House will be airing its last new episode this spring and now the actor that plays the show's title character Hugh Laurie has announced a U.K. tour this summer, beginning at the end of June.

Laurie and his Copper Bottom Band will play the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow on June 29, the Lowry in Salford on July 1 and the HMV Hammersmith Apollo in London on July 2.

Hugh Laurie's album, Let Them Talk, which was recorded in New Orleans, picked up good reviews last summer. The bluesy album debuted at #2 on the U.K. album chart and made the Top 20 on the U.S. Billboard album chart. more on this story




Phil Collen Unplugs Def Leppard Classic
(hennemusic) With some down time in the Def Leppard camp, guitarist Phil Collen continues to work on promoting his side band, Manraze.

Manraze is a rock trio made up of Collen, the Sex Pistols' drummer Paul Cook, and Collen's former Girl band bassist Simon Laffy.

Collen spoke about Manraze and Leppard while in New York for a radio interview with Q104.3. The guitarist also pulled out the acoustic for live performances of the Manraze track "All I Wanna Do," and the Leppard classic, "Hysteria." Check it out here.


Steven Tyler To Appear on Jimmy Kimmel
(hennemusic) Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is keeping busy these days juggling his work with the band and his American Idol duties.

Tyler will be out promoting Idol as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this Monday, February 27 (which will actually air the morning of Tuesday, February 28).

Idol is still in the audition process as it whittles down its numbers to the top 12 for the upcoming live broadcast portions of the series. more on this story


Dave Alvin's Eleven Eleven Expanded To Nearly Three Hours
Yep Roc Records have set an April 17th release date for an expanded edition of Americana star Dave Alvin's album Eleven Eleven.

The expanded edition of Eleven Eleven boasts nearly three hours of music and will include three previously unreleased bonus tracks, "Signal Hill," "Never Trust A Woman," and "Beautiful City 'Cross the River," a live performance DVD, a live recording of Eleven Eleven, and a repackaging of the original full-length album.

Alvin will also be hitting the road this spring for tours in both North America and the U.K.


The Sheds and Trey The Ruler Hard As Puck Tour
The Sheds are hitting the road with Trey The Ruler for the 'The Hard As Puck Tour', which is set to kick off on March 4th in Canoga Park, CA.

The tour will lead the band into their run with I Call Fives, which is set to begin on March 25th.

The Sheds' new EP 'Self/Doubt' is currently available as a free download from Alternative Press, here. A physical verson of the EP will be available on CD and vinyl beginning April 10th from Rite of Passage Records. more on this story


Warped Tour Kick-Off Party Announced
The Warped Tour annual kick-off party will take place Thursday, March 29 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles.

The show willfeature live performances from an eclectic array of artists including rockers Falling In Reverse and Matt Toka, as well as a special record release celebration and performance by Dead Sara, followed by two iconic surprise guests, to be revealed the night of the show.

Kick-off party attendees will also be treated to a special screening of the documentary film titled No Room For Rockstars (from Stacy Peralta and the producers of Dogtown & Z-boys) before the party and concert begins. The live music will be kicked off by a set from Forever Came Calling, the group featured in the documentary, which will be available on iTunes April 2 and on DVD May 15. more on this story


Heart Set New Album Release
(Gibson) Heart will release a new studio album titled Fanatic in October. Guitarist Nancy Wilson revealed the news during an interview on The Eighties Experience radio show with JJ Buchanan on FM 88.5 KSBR in Southern California on Sunday, February 19.

It looks like 2012 will be a big year for the band. A box set and biography are in the works, and the band is booking live dates well into the year.

The box set is expected to contain classic songs as well as tracks that weren't represented on the band's major label albums. more on this story




Rise To Fall Defying The Gods in April
Rise To Fall have set a April 9, 2012 release date for their new album "Defying The Gods".

You can listen to a preview of "Whispers Of Hope" included in the forthcoming "Defying The Gods" here

The album, which includes 11 tracks, was produced, mixed and mastered by Ettore Rigotti at The Metal House Studio (Disarmonia Mundi, Destrage, Blood Stain Child, Slowmotion Apocalypse, etc...). more on this story


Green Day Go Behind The Scenes Of Their New Album
(hennemusic) Green Day hit the studio last week to start recording their next album. The band recently shared video of their first day and have now offered up two more clips featuring behind the scenes footage.

In between sessions, we see the guys at play, riding motorcycles and hanging out.

The project marks the follow-up to 2009's "21st Century Breakdown," a record that achieved Green Day's best chart performance to date by reaching number one on the album charts of various countries, including the United States Billboard 200, the European Top 100 Albums, and the United Kingdom Albums Chart. Check out the new footage here.


Downspirit Plan Next Album
(Freeman) Downspirit will enter the studios in mid-march to record their second album.

A release is expected for late summer via Metalville Records, followed by a tour in fall/winter.

The band states on their official facebook site: "We can't wait to let you hear what our second album will sound like. Being on the road a lot and having so much fun together as a band certainly made it's inspiration to the songwriting process. We're gonna have a lot of killer tunes on that album, that's for sure!! We're looking forward to get to the studio in mid-march!" more on this story


Descendents' Milo Releasing New Limited Edition Throbblehead
(Sub) The Descendents frontman Milo is once again available in Throbblehead form.

Milo V2 is limited to 2000 numbered units, stands at 7 inches tall, and is made of a lightweight polyresin. Accurately sculpted right down to the signature glasses, and new Descendents tee with bitchin' pant-grabbin' stage stance, Milo V2 is no joke.

"You can blame me for the V1 selling out," said Milo. "I told Aggronautix to only make 1000, and that they'd be lucky to unload a few hundred." See it here.


The Day Simon and Garfunkel Took The Bridge Over Troubled Water To The Top
(Gibson) On this day in 1970, Simon and Garfunkel went to no. 1 on the U.K. chart with Bridge Over Troubled Water. The album went on to stay on the chart for over 300 weeks, returning to the top of the charts on eight separate occasions and spending a total of 41 weeks at no. 1. Gibson take a look back: Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel grew up just a few blocks from each other in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, and they met in 1953 when they both had roles in their elementary school's production of Alice in Wonderland (Paul portrayed the White Rabbit, Art the Cheshire Cat). The good friends then matriculated to Parsons Junior High followed by Forest Hills High School. It was during their junior year of high school that they began performing together, under the name Tom and Jerry (Paul was "Jerry Landis", the last name coming from a girl he'd been dating at the time, while Art was "Tom Graph" – one of Art's hobbies at the time was "graphing" or charting song rankings on the music charts.)

The duo began writing their own material in 1955, and just two years later they went into the studio to record their song, "Hey, Schoolgirl," on Big Records. The song did well, selling over 100,000 copies and climbing to #49 in the U.S. Both were huge fans of the Everly Brothers, it's easy to hear that influence in "Hey, Schoolgirl." The success of the song led to Tom and Jerry appearing on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, and though they didn't have the most enviable of slots on the show – following Jerry Lee Lewis and his incendiary performance of "Great Balls of Fire" – they performed well.

Tom and Jerry's success, however, proved short-lived as follow-up efforts failed to match the success of "Hey, Schoolgirl." After high school, Simon attended Queens College, while Garfunkel went to Columbia University. A few years later, in 1963, the pair were making quite a name for themselves in the Greenwich Village folk music scene. Simon was proving quite a talented and prodigious songwriter, penning such early Simon & Garfunkel classics as "Sparrow," "Bleecker Street" and "He Was My Brother" (a song dedicated to a mutual friend and classmate of the duo, Andrew Goodman, who became a civil rights leader and was killed in Neshoba County, Mississippi, in 1964). Those songs would appear on the duo's 1964 debut album for Columbia Records, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.

The album initially tanked, and Simon and Garfunkel went their separate ways. But a funny thing happened in the summer of '65 when a number of Florida radio stations began playing a song from Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. – "The Sound of Silence." Their producer, Tom Wilson, dubbed – without permission – electric guitar, bass and drums into the original mix of the song, thereby transforming it from folk into folk-rock, and released it. "The Sound of Silence" (part deux) shot into the Top 40 in the U.S. and eventually climbed to #1 by New Year's Day of 1966. more on this story




Singled Out: Twin Berlin (Travis Barker)
Today Twin Berlin's Matt Lopez tells us about their new single "Can't Take, Take, Take," from their new EP, " There Goes My Virtue," which was produced by Blink-182's Travis Barker. Here is the story:

Unfortunately, I think I write the best when life is the worst. Around the time I wrote "Can't Take, Take, Take", I was feeling stuck in a rut. I was going to college just to keep everyone off my case, since most of the people around me thought that the only way to any manner of success or happiness was through school. During that time, I isolated myself, going straight from work to home. I'd work on songs for a few hours, drive myself to a low-key bar named Snapper Magee's, drink by myself, then go home again and continue to work on songs until I was tired enough to sleep. I was totally fed up with the way things were going.

One night, I came home from the bar and started playing the opening riff to "Can't Take, Take, Take". I recorded it on my 8-track, plugged in my mic, and started singing over it. After three vocal takes, I had the majority of the melody pieced together along with a handful of lines. In hindsight, it was probably awful to listen to, since when I sit down to write a song, I don't have a specific idea in mind - it's mostly limited to me mumbling over guitar parts, trying to establish a melody. But, inevitably, a few lyrics stick and I can expand on those. Once I'm done it comes together into a representation of my life at that moment in time.

A major theme in this song is isolation from girlfriends and friends, stemming from my attitude that things normally don't work out, so why even bother? My living situation definitely played a role in shaping that belief. I was unhappy with my situation, hated a lot of people around me, and just wanted to get out. Since I couldn't, the next best option, as I saw it, was to avoid everyone, drink, and write songs alone in my room. This sentiment eventually evolved into "Can't Take, Take, Take", and I hope people are pleased with the result, and can identify with it, despite its somewhat lonely origins.

BILLBOARD TALKS BLACK SABBATH:

An update on the unfortunate demise of the Black Sabbath tour plans: www.billboard.com/events/black-sabbath-reunion-tour-becomes-ozzy-1006224752.story.

"Three months after announcing a 2012 tour and album, Black Sabbath has reshuffled its reunion plans in light of guitarist Tony Iommi's battle with lymphoma. The hard rock legends have confirmed that they plan to play only one show on their planned European tour -- Download Festival, which takes place June 10 in Donnington, U.K. In between the lone performance, Ozzy Osbourne will head out on a 15-date tour as part of "Ozzy & Friends," which will feature special guests like Slash, Zakk Wylde and Sabbath's own Geezer Butler on select dates.
The news follows Black Sabbath's announcement in November that it would embark on a massive tour and record its first album with Osbourne since 1978. Last month, the 63-year-old Iommi, who helped form the original lineup of Sabbath in 1968, announced that he was battling lymphoma and was "determined to make a full and successful recovery." Fortunately, a press release states that Iommi "continues to make excellent progress," and that the planned, Rick Rubin-produced new Black Sabbath album is still in the works.
Meanwhile, Sabbath drummer Bill Ward, who issued a lengthy statement on his website threatening to pull out of the reunion without a "signable" contract, has sent out a new message on his website clarifying that he hopes to participate in the group's upcoming reunion. "I have not declined to participate in the Sabbath album and tour," he wrote on Friday. "At the earliest opportunity, I am prepared to go to the U.K. and record, and later tour with the band. Last week, we sent further communication to the attorney handling the negotiations to try to reach an agreement. At this time we are waiting to hear back. I remain hopeful for a 'singable' contract and a positive outcome."

Today's Day In Rock!

MC5's Michael Davis Dead at 68
Michael Davis of influential Detroit rockers MC5 died on Friday (February 17) of liver failure, after a month-long hospitalization for liver disease, said his wife Angela Davis, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 68.
Davis joined MC5 in 1964 and played on all three of the group's studio records, including their famous debut album, 'Kick Out the Jams.' He reunited with guitarist Wayne Kramer and drummer Dennis Thompson in 2003 for a show at the 100 Club in London, and they later went on a world tour under the name of DKT/MC5. You can read an extensive timeline for the band here.

Apart from his career in music, Davis was an advocate for music education in schools and founded The Michael H Davis Music Is Revolution Foundation, according to the organization's website.

Anniversary of the Great White Club Fire Tragedy
(Gibson) On this day in 2003, 100 people died after pyrotechnics ignited a club during a gig by Great White in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Great White singer Ty Longley was also killed in the accident. Two brothers who owned the club, along with the former tour manager, were charged with involuntary manslaughter. Foam soundproofing material at the edge of the stage set alight and the blaze spread quickly in the one-story wooden building as fans all tried to escape through the same exit. Great White began a tour in July 2003 to raise money for the survivors and families of victims. Gibson looks back:

It was one of the worst nights on rock and roll history. A reunited '80s rock band, eager to make a mark, played to a room of hundreds of excited rock fans. The gig started like most rock gigs – loud, raw and powerful – but the pyrotechnics that accompanied the show would prove deadly.

Great White had started out in Los Angeles in the early '80s, achieved decent early success and plenty of MTV airplay and scored a successful album, Twice Shy, in 1989. But in the wake of grunge, the '90s were tough on Great White and by 2001, two founding members (Mark Kendall and lead singer Jack Russell) had quit. But life in the solo lane was even tougher and a reunion was set for the early part of 2003.

On February 20, Great White were booked to play The Station nightclub in Rhode Island. The small club was jam-packed when the band took the stage around 11 p.m. that night. As the band launched into their opening song "Desert Moon," the pyrotechnics behind them unexpectedly caught the soundproofing foam on fire. "Wow... that's not good," said Jack Russell. In less than a minute, the whole stage was alight.

Russell later told CNN, "All of sudden, I felt a lot of heat, and I turned around, and I see the foam is on fire… So, I started trying to douse it with a water bottle thinking I'm going to put it out. And the next thing you know, the whole place is in flames. All of the lights went out, no security lights. And I'm trying to get back in to pull people out, and people are grabbing me, and I'm yelling, 'Anybody in there, anybody in there?' And they wouldn't let me get back in. I'm hearing voices, but I couldn't [get] back in because it was so dark."

Brian Butler, TV station WPRI photographer, was there that night, ironically filming a piece on safety in music venues. "It was that fast. As soon as the pyrotechnics stopped, the flame had started on the egg crate backing behind the stage, and it just went up the ceiling," he said. "And people stood and watched it, and some people backed off." more on this story



Van Halen Kick Off Tour
(hennemusic) Van Halen launched their 2012 tour Saturday in Louisville, Kentucy to rave reviews.

The 24-song set featured four tracks from the band's new album, "A Different Kind Of Truth," as well as a couple of songs they haven't played live since the early 80s.

Out in support of the band's new album Van Halen put in a "vintage performance," according to Jeffrey Lee Puckett of the Louisville Courier-Journal. You can read more and check out video here.


Bill Ward Updates Fans on Black Sabbath Reunion
(hennemusic) The Black Sabbath reunion remains in limbo, as drummer Bill Ward continues his negotiations with band management to secure a contract that he can live with while also respecting his role as one of the founders of the legendary metal pioneers.

On Friday (before Black Sabbath announced they were canceling their reunion tour due to Tony Iommi's cancer treatment) Ward updated fans: I wanted to let you know where things are at, from my point of view, as of today, February 17, 2012.

As my statement of February 2, 2012 indicated, I have not declined to participate in the Sabbath album and tour. At the earliest opportunity, I am prepared to go to the U.K. and record, and later tour with the band.

Last week, we sent further communication to the attorney handling the negotiations to try to reach an agreement. At this time we are waiting to hear back. I remain hopeful for a "signable" contract and a positive outcome. more on this story


Boston Plan End Of The World Tour
(hennemusic) Boston have announced the first series of dates for their 2012 summer tour and band leader Tom Scholz has some fun with the belief that the end of the Mayan calendar this year may signal the end of the world.

Scholz writes, "Just 10 months till the end … at least till the end of the Mayan calendar, anyway. I wonder, did they mean to prophesize the end of the world, or was the December 21st planetary alignment just a convenient place to stop chiseling stone tablets on a really long calendar project? Some people think it is the same thing, so why take a chance? If I was making a bucket list, it would definitely include going out one more time to play some Boston shows — before time runs out!"

"I don't really think the world is going to end this year," Scholz continued, "but on the off chance the Mayans were on to something, let me take a moment to thank all of you for helping make the Boston experience an awesome ride. One of the best things about Boston to me is its fans; they are some of the nicest people I've ever met, and collectively the best crowds anyone could wish to play for." more on this story


Another Lost Stone Temple Pilots Clip
(hennemusic) Stone Temple Pilots shot two videos for the single, "Cinnamon," from their 2010 self-titled release.

The first clip was done by directors Aggressive (Alex Topaller and Dan Shapiro), and then a second version was put together with director Dennis Roberts.

Neither video was ever officially released by the band. Last week, one of the clips was posted online – the second version, as it turns out. Now, the first version has surfaced, check it out here.


Benoit David Addresses Departure From Yes
Benoit David has reportedly issued a statement explaining his departure from Yes and that he learned he was out of the group indirectly. Richard Lanthier posted the "official press release from Benoit David" on the Closer To The Edge Facebook page. That was the band whom Yes recruited David from in 2008. Here is the statement:

As you all know, the final three shows of last year's European tour were cancelled due to my ill health. On my return to Canada, I was advised to cease touring, for the foreseeable future, in order to avoid further damage to my voice. Following this extremely disappointing diagnosis, I had no alternative but to inform my fellow band members that I was unable to confirm my availability for, at least, the forthcoming concerts in New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

Although there was no alternative, I did so with a heavy heart as I felt that I was letting everyone down especially those who have supported me since I had the privilege of becoming the band's vocalist in 2008. The band members were all very understanding and asked if I would mind being replaced for the April shows – I immediately agreed that this would be the best way forward and gave them my blessing. I was then pleased to learn that Jon Davison would be my replacement as he is an accomplished musician with a fine voice.

I subsequently learnt, from a band member's interview, that I had officially left Yes and that my departure was permanent. more on this story


Jack White To Play Saturday Night Live
(hennemusic) Jack White will be making the rounds to promote his April 24 release, "Blunderbuss."

White will kick things off with a March 3 appearance on Saturday Night Live, where he'll perform two tracks from the forthcoming album; the episode will be hosted by Lindsey Lohan.

A week later – on March 10 – Jack begins his first solo headline shows with a date in Chattanooga, TN. more on this story


Puscifer Telling Ghosts on Kimmel
(hennemusic) Puscifer, the side project of Tool/A Perfect Circle singer Maynard James Keenan, are headed back on the road for dates, starting February 23 in Austin, Texas.

The tour is in support of the project's latest release, "Conditions Of My Parole."

Puscifer stopped by Jimmy Kimmel's show last Thursday to perform a couple of tracks: "Toma," and the current single, "Telling Ghosts." Check it out here.


Slash's New Album Is A Band Effort Not A Solo One
(Gibson) Although Slash's new album, Apocalyptic Love, is being billed as his second solo disc, the guitar great doesn't necessarily view it that way. As far as he's concerned, the new record (due May 22) was created by a full-on band.

"I'm a band guy. Everything I touch I turn into a f---ing band," the former Guns N' Roses axeman told Rolling Stone. "I still have my name on the marquee and everything, but I'm just not a dictator, I don't want to rule anything. I like to hear what other people's ideas are and so on and so forth."

On the new album (and forthcoming tour), Slash worked with singer-guitarist Myles Kennedy, drummer Brent Fitz and bassist Todd Kerns. He wrote the new songs with Kennedy and everyone is welcome to offer creative ideas, he said. "I realized I was a band guy when I was 15 when I only knew like four licks and two chords and I started a band," Slash said. "I like working in a band atmosphere, I think something about that camaraderie. I do not want to do it all by myself. I'm like that with everything else, I don't want to do that with music. more on this story




Mars Attacks Iced Earth's John Schaffer and White Wizzard
The latest episode of the Mars Attacks podcast contains interviews with John Schaffer of Iced Earth, Jon Leon and Giovanni Durst of White Wizzard and Chris Appleton of Fury UK.

John Schaffer discusses Iced Earth's latest album Dystopia, how Stu Block has reinvigorated the band, what Jim Morris means to the band, and how he decides what ends up being Iced Earth, Sons of Liberty or Demons And Wizards, among other things. We also talk a little bit about politics and provide John with a bit of Civil War trivia that he surprisingly was not aware of!

With Jon Leon and Giovanni Durst we discuss the current state of White Wizzard, some of the issues they ran into after Flying Tigers was released, the touring line up with included Michael Gremio, C.J. Cussell and Jake Dreyer, and the possible future of the band as a studio, and touring band.

Chris gives us a brief rundown of the tour, and explains what it's like to be a supporting act for Iced Earth.

The podcast portion can be streamed or downloaded from here.


Black Sabbath Call Off Reunion Tour
(Rock News Desk) For those that missed the late breaking news on Friday: Rock News Desk reports: Black Sabbath have called off their reunion tour as a result of guitarist Tony Iommi's ongoing battle with cancer.

They'll play just one show from the planned dates, at the UK's Download Festival in June. The previously announced shows will be performed by singer Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler with guest artists including Zakk Wylde and Slash.

The metal giants announced they'd started work on the first album featuring their original lineup last year – but almost immediately ran into trouble, with Iommi revealing he'd been diagnosed with lymphoma, then drummer Bill Ward saying he hadn't been offered a contract he found "signable". more on this story


Flower Kings Frontman Releasing New Musical Companion Album
(Glass Onyon) Flower Kings vocalist Hasse Froberg and his group Musical Companion are releasing a new album 'Powerplay' on April 23rd.

About a year after the release of their critically highly acclaimed debut 'Futurepast' (Sept. 2010), the band entered the studio to cut the backing tracks for 'Powerplay' (April 2012).

The debut CD generated gigs in countries such as Sweden, Norway, Germany, Holland and Belgium. With the release of 'Powerplay', the band is now confirmed for festivals ("RoSfest", Gettysburg in USA and "Night of the prog", Loreley in Germany) as well as gigs on both sides of the Atlantic. more on this story


Jane's Addiction Already Thinking About Music For Next Album
(Gibson) Fans of Jane's Addiction can expect a faster turnaround than the eight-year wait that preceded the band's latest album, The Great Escape Artist. Speaking to Billboard.com, drummer Stephen Perkins said the group has begun thinking about new music for their next disc.

"We had a discussion on the flight home from the Super Bowl about, 'Okay, new music – do we visit it while we're touring? Do some stuff on the bus and in sound check and go that route, or do we wait 'til the tour's over and take a break and then go head-first?' We are talking about music, so that's important."

Perkins went on to say the band has song ideas left over from The Great Escape Artist, but he prefers to start fresh. "I think it's always a wrong idea to do [use old ideas]," Perkins said. "Hopefully you're different musicians and the world has changed. It's always good to do something new to see what you've been through the last year and reflect that. But a great melody and a great guitar riff stand forever. They're timeless. It's like Van Halen; if you can't find anything, go to the old days." more on this story




Warren Haynes Taking A Different Direction
(Gibson) Warren Haynes offered up a bevy of fiery electric blues on Man in Motion, the Grammy-nominated album he released last year. But for his next solo disc, the guitar great will likely to in a quieter direction.

"The next album would be coming more from a singer-songwriter direction, maybe starting with a lot of acoustic instruments," he told M – Music & Musicians. "I listen to so many different types of music, at some point I'd like to make a lot of different records."

Haynes first has his eyes on making a new Gov't Mule album, and talk is afoot of a new Allman Brothers Band studio effort as well. He went on to say his love of improvisation fueled the making of Man in Motion. "We're just playing moment by moment," he said. "Nobody knew what they were going to play until they heard what somebody else was playing. There's more jamming on that album than on the average soul record or blues record, but it's all based on call-and-response and communication." more on this story




Beatles Remasters Brought Respect To Ringo
(Gibson) One might expect Ringo Starr to be secure in the knowledge that nearly every rock drummer who has come in his wake cites him as an influence. Fact is, however, it took the remastering of The Beatles' catalog to present him in what he feels was a proper light.

"I love the remasters," he told M – Music & Musicians, in a just-published interview. "And you know why? You can hear the drums! Suddenly people [were saying], 'Oh, we better look again at his playing.' Sometimes that's been in doubt in a lot of people's minds. Of course, with Lennon and McCartney in the group, what do you expect? The first clue was when we remixed Yellow Submarine. Paul and I went to Abbey Road to listen to it, and we both said, 'Who the hell played that?' So yeah, suddenly people were saying, 'Oh, maybe he could play.' The one thing I can always look at is that The Beatles' music is great. What we did, the four of us, is incredible."

Starr's new album, Ringo 2012, was released January 31. His 13th All Starr Band tour will launch June 14 at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario. more on this story




Trixter Releasing First Album in 20 Years
Trixter have set an April 24th North American release date for their first new album in 20 years, New Audio Machine.

eaturing the band's original line-up, New Audio Machine is produced and engineered by Chuck Alzakian (Elton John, Christina Aguilera, Tesla) and includes songwriting contributions by Skid Row's Snake Sabo and Rachel Bolan and Styx's Glen Burtnik.

Trixter frontman Pete Loran commented, "After all these years playing and recording with this band, I would say I am most proud of this record!" Lead guitarist Steve Brown added, "NEW AUDIO MACHINE is everything Trixter was and everything we are now. I can't wait for the world to hear it!" more on this story


Tenacious D Bad Religion Jam
Tenacious D performed with Brooks Wackerman (Bad Religion drummer) at the "Guitar Center Drum Off" competition.

We were sent some video for you to get your rock on to. They performed "The Metal" watch that here and the classic "Pinball Wizard" watch that here.

Jack Black is back in the game as Tenacious D brings us their third album and first effort in six years, "Rize of the Fenix," set to be released in May.


Rock's Leading Women Focus of New Exhibition
(Gibson) Rock's most iconic female artists are featured in a new photography exhibition opening in London next month.

She-Bop-A-Lula will be at the The Strand Gallery in London from Wednesday, March 7 to Sunday, April 1. The exhibition will feature Debbie Harry, Chrissie Hynde, Janis Joplin, Suzi Quatro and Patti Smith.

All prints will be available to purchase at £200, with proceeds going to charity. Admission to the exhibition will be free. more on this story




Green Day's Day 1 In The Studio
(hennemusic) Green Day hit the recording studio last Tuesday to begin work on their new album.

"Happy Valentine's day! Officially started recording the new record today." tweeted Billie Joe Armstrong.

The project is the follow-up to 2009's "21st Century Breakdown." Green Day are sharing a brief video montage of Day 1 in a clip entitled "February 14th – Oakland." Check it out here.


Singled Out: Vintage Blue's Speak
Today Ben Bassett of Vintage Blue tells us about the song "Speak" from their brand new album "Strike the Mics," which just hit stores. Here is the story:

I was actually on a trip to St. Louis for an old job. I decided to bring along my guitar. As an artist, sometimes you just get a feeling. It turns out that my meeting for the next day was cancelled and I was stuck in my hotel room. I started playing around with a few different ideas and recording them on my computer. I came up with three tunes, but only one made our most recent record. That song was "Speak."

"Speak" was written about a girl I once fell for. Gorgeous and sweet with that one-of-a-kind of spark. In fact, the song used to have her name in the title! Thing was, she was engaged. The song expresses the feelings of love, mixed with the frustration of not being able to have that love. In the song I even plead "that diamond ring don't mean a thing, when you know it should be you and me."

In the studio, our producer Jamie Candiloro, who has worked with REM, Ryan Adams and Luscious Jackson, took the song to another level from the original guitar riff. By suggesting the addition of synth and some little funky guitar tricks, he helped us make it into the funky tune that has ended up being our first single.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!

Today's Day In Rock!

Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers Lollapalooza Fake
(Banana 101.5) Perry Farrell is firing back at "an anonymous Lollapalooza insider" that has been leaking the annual music festival's lineup via Twitter. The rumored lineup features Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beyonce, and more.
A Twitter account under the handle @lollaleaks began posting what it claimed would be the lineup for this year's festival earlier this month. Some of the acts "leaked" include headliners Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Beyonce along with KornGarbage, AWOLNATION, the Gaslight Anthem, The Killers, Beck, YACHT, the Big Pink, Wild Flag, Ben Folds Five, and a final performance from Sonic Youth.

Festival creator and Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell has been engaged in a Twitter war with the self proclaimed "insider," calling the leaker a "red tick," "a fraud," and more.


Blink-182 Mini Tour
Blink-182 have put together a mini tour for this May around their co-headline appearance at the Bamboozle Festival 2012 (with Bon Jovi and Foo Fighters).

In addition to Blink-182's Bamboozle performance on Saturday, May 19 at the North Beach boardwalk in Asbury Park, NJ, the band has scheduled major arena shows in upstate New York as well as New Hampshire, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Quebec City .

Hoppus, guitarist Tom DeLonge and drummer Travis Barker reunited in 2009 after a tumultuous four-year hiatus. Their new album, Neighborhoods, marks Blink-182's sixth studio effort. more on this story


Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Tour Dates
The recently reunited Beach Boys have most of the dates for their upcoming 40+ city 50th anniversary tour of North America, and also plan to release a new studio album.

The upcoming tour, the majority of which is booked into outdoor venues, gets underway April 24 in Tucson, AZ, and dates are currently scheduled through mid-July.

The band has recorded new songs for a studio album that will be released later this year. Brian Wilson is producing the set, and Mike Love is the executive producer. more on this story


Megadeth, Slash, Chickenfoot, Creed, Chevelle for Rocklahoma
Rocklahoma 2012's initial lineup has announced and the festival will feature sets from Megadeth, Slash, Chickenfoot, Creed, Chevelle and more.

The three day event will take place over Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-27, at the "Catch the Fever" Festival Grounds in Pryor, OK.

The initial Rocklahoma lineup includes: Rob Zombie, Chickenfoot featuring Joe Satriani, Kenny Aronoff (sitting in for Chad Smith), Michael Anthony & Sammy Hagar, Creed, Megadeth, Slash, Queensrÿche, Chevelle, Theory of a Deadman, Jackyl, Puddle Of Mudd, Hellyeah, P.O.D., Volbeat, 10 Years, Cavo, Adelitas Way, Black Stone Cherry, Pop Evil, Red, The Darkness, Art of Dying, Trivium, Aranda, Redlight King, James Durbin, Janus, New Medicine, Rival Sons, Anti Mortem, Gypsy Pistoleros, Wildstreet, Firstryke, Black Tora, Sunset Riot, The Glitter Boys, Fist of Rage, Switchblade Scarlett, Krank and more. Bands will perform on the Main Stage, Second Stage and the Retrospect Records Stage.

Rocklahomais located just 45 minutes northeast of Tulsa, in Pryor, OK and The "Catch the Fever" Festival Grounds. More info here.


Foo Fighters Plan Out Of This World New Album
(Banana 101.5) We're assuming Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl spent some time with Muse recently because now he says that their next album will be recorded in space.

Foo Fighters had a lengthy conversation with MTV on the red carpet at The 54th Annual Grammy Awards, where the Foo Fighters nearly swept all categories they were nominated in. The band took home five Grammys losing only to Adele — who did sweep all her categories — for "Album of the Year." "If we win them all, we'll look like dicks," joked Grohl prior to the telecast.

The interviewer also asked about the rumor — which Grohl started himself in a recent blog post — that Foo Fighters had already begun working on a new album. "We have an idea. It's kind of a really big idea," said Grohl. "[We're going to record it] in space. To tape. An analog moonshot." more on this story


Less Than Jake Release Surprise EP
Less Than Jake unexpectedly released a five-song EP called Season's Greetings From Less Than Jake.

An accompaniment to last summer's Greetings From Less Than Jake, the new EP was produced by Less Than Jake bassist Roger Lima at his studio, The Moathouse, in Gainesville and was mixed by Stephen Egerton of The Descendents, is available only from Less Than Jake's online webstore here and will also be sold at shows.

Last night the band kicked off their northeast run of tour dates with Samiam, Flatfoot 56 and Plow United. Listen to a stream of one of the tracks here.


Slash To Deliver Apocalyptic Love in May
Velvet Revolver/former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash will release his second solo album, Apocalyptic Love, on May 22nd.

The new album features Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators and will be released on Slash's own label Dik Hayd International and distributed through EMI.

Slash is currently in a Los Angeles studio putting the final touches on Apocalyptic Love and earlier this week he announced his headlining U.S. tour will begin May 3 in Baltimore. more on this story


Van Halen Family And Friends Show Footage Goes Online
(hennemusic) Last week, Van Halen continued their tradition of performing a final dress rehearsal concert at the L.A. Forum for family and friends.

The 70-minute set featured classic VH tracks and four songs from the new album, "A Different Kind Of Truth," including "She's The Woman" and the first single, "Tattoo."

New, multi-cam video footage of both of the tracks have been shared online and we have them for you here.


Jay Gordon Resurrects Orgy
Jay Gordon has put together a new Orgy lineup and is hitting the road tomorrow for the first Orgy tour since 2005 and they are working on a comeback album.

The Bad Blood Tour 2012 kicks off this Saturday, February 18 in Point Richmond, CA. The six-week trek will feature support from Faultline, One-Eyed Doll, The Attitude and various local bands.

The trek will include stops in Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, Minneapolis and Milwaukee, among many cities, before hitting New York City on Tuesday, March 6 at Irving Plaza. The band will then head south as they make their way back home for a show at The Key Club on the Sunset Strip Wednesday, March 21 before wrapping the tour in Tempe, AZ on Monday, April 2. more on this story


Switchfoot Plan American, Australian Tours, Special Release and More
Switchfoot have a lot of activities coming up this spring including a North American headline tour, leading this year's Soundwave Festival, a special Record Store Day release, a special Evening with Swithfoot and more.

The band will kick off the North American headlining tour on March 22 in Kahului, HI and next week Switchfoot heads to Australia and New Zealand, where they will headline the traveling Soundwave Festival. They'll also be capturing footage for Fading West, the San Diego-based band's upcoming surf film, which will feature numerous other incredible surfing locations Switchfoot has visited on its world tour.

On March 20, "An Evening with Switchfoot at La Jolla Playhouse." Switchfoot and producer Neal Avron (Sara Bareilles, Weezer) will discuss the making of their latest album, Vice Verses (Atlantic Records). The evening will also feature a Q&A and meet-and-greet session. a lot more here


Clutch and Hellyeah Launching Spring Tour
Clutch and Hellyeah are joining forces this Spring for a North American Co-Headlining Tour with both bands will play full headlining sets.

The tour kicks off April 13th in Providence, RI and runs through May 11th in Joliet, IL.

Throughout the tour there will also be dates that feature Clutch only and Hellyeah only as well as radio festivals and shows. more on this story


Twin Atlantic Set American Album Release and Tour
America will soon find out what rock fans in the UK have been raving about as Twin Atlantic will release their debut album, Free, in North American on March 13 via Red Bull Records.

Free was recorded in Santa Monica and produced by Gil Norton (Pixies, Echo And The Bunnymen, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World).

The album was released in the 2011 in the UK and resulted in iTunes UK naming them Best New Rock Artist of the Year. Free was the UK's best selling independent British rock album of 2011, hitting #1 on iTunes Rock albums charts and #4 on Scottish albums. more on this story


Twisted Sister's Dee Snider Talks Celebrity Apprentice
(hennemusic) Season 12 of The Celebrity Apprentice kicks off this Sunday featuring a couple of musicians, including Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider.

The contestants, as usual, will play for charity, and Snider has one that's close to his heart.

"As the national spokesperson for the March Of Dimes Bikers For Babies," says Dee, "I am inspired to get the message out and to help this charity though the Celebrity Apprentice. Two of my four children were born prematurely and, although they were both born healthy, I know firsthand from being in those neo-natal units the problems so many families have with unhealthy babies. The March Of Dimes' work is the reason there are NICU's [Neonatal Intensive Care Units] in pretty much every hospital in America." Check out the video interview here.


Alice Cooper Discusses Plans for Iron Maiden Tour
(hennemusic) Alice Cooper will be joining Iron Maiden for the band's "Maiden England" tour this summer. Alice will team up with Maiden for the first month of shows –from June 21 to July 21 – before Coheed & Cambria step in to open for the UK metal masters.

"Those guys [Maiden] are really good friends of ours," Alice tells Rolling Stone. "When you've been out for five decades on the road, there's a whole section of the audience out there that have heard of Alice Cooper but never saw Alice Cooper. So an Iron Maiden audience is a great opportunity for us to show them what Alice is all about. We do more theatrics now than we did back then."

As for his plans for the Maiden tour, Cooper says "You have to do the hits. The audience would kill you if you don't do 'Eighteen' and 'School's Out.' But then we've got to do stuff from the new album. And then you have to get what I call the underground hits – the real Alice aficionados want to hear those songs. Once in a while you throw a cover in there. We do a pretty mean 'Brown Sugar.'" Following the Maiden tour, Alice has plans of his own.


Sixx:A.M Making Live Return at Golden God Awarrds
Motley Crue mastermind Nikki Sixx's side group Sixx:A.M will perform live for the first time in four years at Revolver's Golden Gods Awards on April 11th.

As each band member has been kept busy with their other careers - Nikki Sixx is also the bassist for Mötley Crüe and a syndicated radio host; Dj Ashba is currently touring with Guns N'Roses; James Michael is a rock producer who is currently working on new records for Papa Roach, Halestorm and others.

The appearance marks the band's first chance to perform in support of their current album, This Is Gonna Hurt.


Breathe Carolina, The Ready Set and Matt Toka Tour
Warner Bros sent over word that their new artist Matt Toka will be touring this spring with Breathe Carolina and The Ready Set.

The tour kicks off on March 21st in Columbia, MO, and wraps up on April 27th in Bloomington, IN.

WBR had this to say about Toka: Inspired by the storytelling of Bob Dylan, Noel Gallagher, and Billie Joe Armstrong, Toka locked himself in his one-room studio apartment to write the songs on his upcoming debut album, which he is currently recording with his idol, producer Rob Cavallo. more on this story


Art Garfunkel 2-Disc Retrospect Coming in April
Art Garfunkel has hand-picked 40 songs for a new career spanning retrospect called The Singer which is being release on April 10th.

The two-CD collection will cover the years from the first Simon & Garfunkel album of 1964 (Wednesday Morning, 3AM) up through 2007's Great American Songbook album (Some Enchanted Evening.

In addition to curating The Singer, Garfunkel provides his own personal track-by-track annotations, which appear in the booklet in his handwritten form. The notes are as unique as Garfunkel himself. He writes of "Cecilia," the S&G hit single from 1970: "'Car!' we called in Queens. Then we stopped the game and stepped aside. I grew up where the brick houses were semi-attached with driveways in between. Punchball was king. Somehow the yelling we did as street kids found its way to 'Cecilia.' We shouted the song over a track we made from a tape loop of rhythmic hand clapping onto our blue jeans." more on this story


Dandy Warhols Releasing New Album This Spring
The End Records will release Dandy Warhols new album This Machine on April 24th.

The album was mixed Tchad Blake who also mixed The Dandy Warhols Odditorium or Warlords of Mars and Come Down. Tchad is well known for his recent work with The Black Keys, Blitzen Trapper and Pearl Jam. The album cover for This Machine was painted by local Portland, Oregon painter Hickory Mertsching.

Stand out track, "Autumn Carnival" was co authored by Courtney Taylor and David J of Love and Rockets. About the album, Courtney says, "We've been told that its our gothiest. I thought it was our grungiest so I'm really hoping its a hit with goths who are...um, really outdoorsy?" more on this story


Van Halen Top Billboard Rock Chart
(hennemusic) Van Halen's "A Different Kind Of Truth," debuts this week at #1 on Billboard's Rock Albums chart.

The first Van Halen album with David Lee Roth in 28 years sold 187,000 copies to be the week's top-selling album across all rock genres, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.

Debuting behind the veteran rockers at #2 was "Scars & Stories" by The Fray. more on this story


The Story Of Rock 'n' Roll Comics DVD Coming
MVD have set an April 24th release date for "The Story Of Rock 'n' Roll Comics" on DVD.

This documentary tells the unbelievable story of Todd Loren, San Diego-based owner of Revolutionary Comics, famous for publishing the wildly popular "Rock 'N' Roll Comics" series.

The unauthorized and often controversial comics featured biographies of music groups such as KISS, the Sex Pistols and Metallica. Loved by some (Gene Simmons, Alice Cooper, Lemmy, Metallica) and threatened by others (Axl Rose, Skid Row, New Kids on the Block), over 300 issues of Rock 'N' Roll comics were printed, embracing all music genres: Rock, Alternative, Hip-Hop, Punk and Pop and they quickly became instant collector's items. In a strange twist, Loren is found murdered in his condo in 1992, making people speculate that he may have the first victim of 'serial' killer Andrew Cunanan, leading to an absorbing mystery that still remains, UNSOLVED today. more on this story


Axe Release Axeology
Earlier this week Deadline Music released Axeology 1979-2001, a 2-CD collection memorializes more than 20 years of the classic hard rock band, Axe.

Formed in Florida in 1979, the original Axe lineup included keyboardist Edgar Riley, guitarists Bobby Barth and Michael Osborne, bassist Mike Turpin, and drummer Teddy Mueller.

The band's self-titled debut on MCA Records quickly earned attention in the rock community, but it wasn't until the third album Offering (on Atco) in 1982 that Axe hit the big time with the anthemic "Rock 'n' Roll Party In The Streets." New bassist Wayne Haner was added to the band for the album and subsequent tours with Motley Crue, The Scorpions, Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne and Iron Maiden. Sadly, while supporting a fourth album on tour with KISS, Michael Osborne was killed in a car crash which seriously injured Bobby Barth, and the band soon dissolved. more on this story


Elvis Presley's Model Teeth Up For Grabs
(Gibson) First, John Lennon's tooth went up for auction in a high-profile sale, and now it's Elvis Presley's turn.

According to ABC News, a one-of-a-kind a model of Elvis Presley's teeth together with a crown made for the star by the musician's former Memphis dentist, Henry J. Weiss, will be up for auction beginning February 25. The model – which will be auctioned via Omega Auctions in Stockport, Greater Manchester – is estimated to score a sky-high $15,000 or more.

Weiss, Presley's dentist until 1971, did all of the "Hound Dog" rocker's dental work, including the groundwork of a porcelain crown for his front tooth. As the story goes, Weiss was called upon in February of 1971 when Presley cracked his crown on a microphone while playing a gig at the International Hotel, now known as the Hilton Hotel, in Las Vegas. He affectionately called the crown the "King's Crown." more on this story




Quick Licks Gary Moore Volume 2 DVD Released
Lick Library have released the new Quick Licks Gary Moore Volume 2 DVD. Here are the details they provided:

Professional player and teacher Jamie Humphries presents the easy to follow guitar lessons, which will help you build your repertoire and technique.

The DVD takes you through over 30 Gary Moore style licks from two distinct periods in his career; 80's style hard rock and the blues. The guitar lessons illustrate techniques such as fast alternate picking, scale sequences, tremolo picking and fast pentatonic phrases and lines, a guitar jam track is also included. more on this story


The Day Bob Dylan Walked the Line with Johnny Cash
(Gibson) As mutual admirers of each other's work, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan began covering each other's songs in the mid- to late '60s. Cash appropriated "It Ain't Me, Babe" for 1965's Orange Blossom Special, and Dylan and The Band laid down quite a few versions of Cash tunes during The Basement Tapes sessions, although their versions of "Big River" and "Folsom Prison Blues" didn't end up on the official release.

When their paths crossed, the two would often engage in backstage duets – even though their voices weren't the most perfect of matches. A couple of these moments were caught on film. Their version of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" can be seen in Martin Scorsese's No Direction Home, and their take on "I Still Miss Someone" is featured in Dylan's unreleased Eat the Document.

But the two wouldn't sit down to formally record a duet until this day in 1969. Following his mid-'60s rock records, his motorcycle accident and the rustic roots inspirations of John Wesley Harding, Dylan had come to Nashville to make a full-blown country record in February of '69. Dylan and some A-list session guys had laid down the bulk of the album's tracks over a couple of days in Columbia Studios. Toward the end of the sessions, on February 17, Cash stopped by to say hello, and to take a break from recording his own album.

"I had microphones set up and stools and tapes and everything" producer Bob Johnston later remembered. "They looked at each other... got their guitars and started playing."

Cash and Dylan ended up recording together for the next two days. more on this story




Keith Moody Singled Out Week: Already Home
Keith Moody released his new album, "Dreaming Out Loud" , this week. To celebrate we asked him to tell us about some of the songs from the album. Today he tells us about, "Already Home". Here is the story:

To me this song means you can't find what you really need. What you need is something that's always inside you. The person in the song is going everywhere searching for something (which most people can relate to) only to realize that maybe he is already has it (home). I went through this realization after touring, then returning to Nashville but never feeling completely at home and realized that home is where your heart is…I should have just read those little signs they sell in truck stops I guess.

Today's Day In Rock!

Aerosmith Recording A Concept Album
Joe Bosso from MusicRadar caught up with producer Jack Douglas, engineer Warren Huart to discuss Aerosmith's forthcoming album. Here is a portion where Jack Douglas discusses the sound of the new album and we learn that it's actually a concept album:
"We're going back to the rawness. There's something special about the vintage Aerosmith vibe, and that's what we have here. It's got that '70s feel and sense of humor. It's a bit of a concept album – there's a theme running through it, but I can't really talk about that right now. But to get that edge and spirit, it made sense to capture tracks live with the band playing all out.

"The way Pandora's Box is set up, we can get that. It's a gorgeous room that was designed by John Storyk, and the board was designed by Jay Messina and myself. It's 24 tracks of Neve broadcast modules, eight tracks of API, eight tracks of old Focusrite, and then PAD built a custom eight-buss for us. So they all speak to one another. It's just like having one board – we call it 'Frankenstein.' I had a lot of my gear and my mics sent over to the place.

"Pandora's Box really allowed me to record the band like I did in the '70s. We'd sit in the production office and start with the germ of a song – just acoustic guitars and some basic ideas – and then we'd take that and go into a rehearsal room. In that room, we have small amps and keyboards, and we'll record everything we do there into my laptop. After that, once it's right, we'll take it into the big room and record it. If we need to make changes, we'll make them later."

Read the full interview and find out who Steven is working with on lyrics for the album here.

Van Halen Kept From The Top
(hennemusic) Van Halen's new album, "A Different Kind Of Truth," has debuted at no. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

The rockers were expected to battle for top spot with UK singing sensation Adele, and that's exactly how things played out.

Van Halen's album sold 187,000 copies in its debut week, while Adele enjoyed a massive sales bump due to her increased profile around Sunday's Grammy Awards, where she swept her 6 categories, including Album Of The Year for "21." Adele sold 242,000 copies during Grammy week, virtually doubling the 122,000 she sold a week earlier. more on this story

Iron Maiden and Alice Cooper North American Tour
Iron Maiden are returning to North America this year for another "history of Iron Maiden" tour, this time recapturing the set from the Maiden England concert movie filmed during the 1988 Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son Tour.

The tour kicks off on June 21st in Charlotte, NC and the first month of the trek will feature Alice Cooper as a special guest (until July 21st) and Coheed and Cambria taking over after that.

Here is the official word with the initial dates: This opening section of the World Tour is the band's most extensive visit to North America for many years and includes a number of cities the band have not played in a very long time, such as Charlotte, Atlanta, Buffalo, Indianapolis and Salt Lake City. more on this story

Pantera Reunion Rejected
The Metal Den says an unnamed source told them that Vinnie Paul has rejected a lucrative offer to take part in a one-time Pantera reunion to pay tribute to his brother Dimebag Darrell Abbott who was murdered in 2004.

Vinnie Paul had previously discounted an online campaign for the tribute show reunion by telling www.darkside.ru, "Dime was such a huge part of it that it would be just completely asinine to even consider that. He left an amazing legacy and it's going to be left untouched, it's beautiful, it's pristine and I want to leave it that way."

Now The Metal Den reports that they "learned from a source close to the camp of legendary ex-Pantera and current Hellyeah drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott that indeed a 'large sum of money' has been put on the table to reunite him with surviving Pantera members, vocalist Philip H. Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown for a one-off reunion/tribute event (with special fill-in guitarists).... This source says Vinnie Paul basically laughed the offer right off the table. " more

Green Day Start Recording New Album
(Gibson) Billie Joe Armstrong has Tweeted about Green Day, and reveals the band have officially begun studio sessions on their new album. Armstrong posted: "Happy Valentine's day! Officially started recording the new record today."

The band have previously said that their forthcoming ninth studio album will move away from the concepts of their last two records, American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown,and be more straightforward.

In November 2011, Green Day debuted a new song, "Carpe Diem," during a live show in San Francisco. The band have previously played new material at live shows, with a more aggressive sound than the pop-rock of recent albums. Working titles reportedly include "Wow, That's Loud" and "Make Out Party." The trio have been demoing material since May 2011. more on this story



Dave Matthews Band Summer Tour
The Dave Matthews Band have announced thier first North American Summer Tour since 2010.

This summer's trek will kick off on on May 18 at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Woodlands, TX.

The tour will feature numerous two-night stands, including visits at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY (June 8 & 9) and the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, FL (July 20 & 21). The group will begin a West Coast run over Labor Day weekend with three nights (August 31, September 1 & 2) at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA, where Dave Matthews Band has headlined 40 shows since 1997. more on this story

Coheed and Cambria Giving Away New Song
Earlier this week Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez leaked an acoustic version of the brand new song, "Sentry the Defiant," to their fans online.

He wrote on the youtube posting "Instead of making you wait until the album is released, I thought I'd share my excitement for this song with you now. I decided with this piece to video document it's creation."

He added, "This is literally the first time I played the song through in its entirety. His name is Sentry The Defiant."

The video has received 65,000 plays in less than 24 hours and seems to be spreading. The band is also giving away a free download to the audio of the song on their website here.

Corey Taylor Talks Possible Slipknot, Mushroomhead, GWAR, Mudvayne Tour
(Banana 101.5) It may be hard to believe but vocalist Corey Taylor says that not only is a Slipknot/Mushroomhead tour possible, he'd also like to get Mudvayne and GWAR on board.

There's always been animosity between the fans of Slipknot and Mushroomhead. During one of the Q&As on Corey Taylor's recent tour he was asked about the possibility of touring with Mushroomhead.

"I would welcome it. I'd love to do something like that, you know. Especially now. I think it'd beautiful to put something like that together and just see what f—ing happens – Slipknot, Mushroomhead, GWAR and f—ing Mudvayne. Because if it's one thing I've learned, you don't hold on to stupid s—, you let it go." But what about the rivalry?

Gregg Allman Autobiography Coming
(hennemusic) Gregg Allman's autobiography, "My Cross To Bear," will be published May 1. For the first time, the founding member of the Allman Brothers Band tells the story of his life, including the music, the band, the tragedies, and the triumphs.

One of the most entertaining live bands ever to take the stage, the Allman Brothers Band defined the meaning of live rock and roll. But despite nearly a half-century of massive success, no one has ever told the inside story of the band and the brothers behind it.

"When I got out of high school, I thought, I'll take a year or two off and play the clubs, get this out of my system, and then go to med school," Gregg said last year. "More than forty years later, I figure it's finally time to write about this crazy journey that's taken me around the world and back." more on this story

Paul McCartney Wants To Keep Touring Into His 80s
(Gibson) Paul McCartney will turn 70 this year, but the former Beatle tells Rolling Stone that he doesn't think he'll be retiring anytime soon. Macca said he'd like to keep touring into his 80s.

"I can imagine it," he said. "As to whether my imagination will come true, I don't know. The last couple of years, I've gotten into guitar – so there's all sorts of little things that crop up that entice you forward, and you go, 'Hmm, I'd like that.'"

Elsewhere in the interview, McCartney said he's in a bit of denial about his age. "I'm never going to believe I'm 70, I don't care what you say," he said. "There's a little cell in my brain that's never going to believe that… You get the argument, 'Make way for the young kids.' And you think, 'F--k that, let them make way for themselves. If they're better than me, they'll beat me.' Foo Fighters don't have a problem, they're good. They'll do their thing." more on this story



Public Image Ltd Releasing First Album in 20 Years
(Gibson) Public Image Ltd will release their first album in 20 years in 2012. John Lydon says the new album is due in May/June, with a taster EP to be released in April.

"The album's done," Lydon told BBC 6 radio. "We finished it late last summer, mastered it in September." Lydon insists this is no cash-in. He reunited PiL in 2009, and says: "Everybody thinks I made such a fortune with the Sex Pistols. Unfortunately, that is not true. To make this record we had to tour extensively for two years."

The working title for the album is apparently This Is PiL. The band will whet fans' appetites with "One Drop," a four-song EP to be released on International Record Store Day, April 21. The group's new material is "folk music," Lydon told NME. "Irish folkies … think I'm mocking tradition, but for God's sake, that's been the story of my life. It's not mockery; it's called advancement. We can't all be stuck in 17th-century ditties. more on this story



Steven Tyler and Carrie Underwood Rock Aerosmith Classics
(hennemusic) Steven Tyler recently teamed up with country superstar Carrie Underwood for CMT's Crossroad series and video is now online.

The episode was broadcast live from Indianapolis during Super Bowl weekend.

Tyler and Underwood rocked out on each other's tunes: Aerosmith fans heard tracks like "Sweet Emotion," "Love In An Elevator," Cryin'" and "Walk This Way." Check out video from the special

Slash's Valentine
(hennemusic) Slash has issued the third webisode in his series of behind the scenes looks at the recording of his new solo album. This time out, the focus is on producer Eric Valentine.

"When I was doing the last solo record," begins Slash, "I was looking for a producer and I found a handful of records that Eric Valentine had done…and I loved how diverse his tastes were. I hooked up with Eric and played him some demos and, somehow, he just managed to catch on [to] exactly what was going on in my head. So…we just clicked right away."

Slash's as-yet-untitled album is due May 22, and he begins a mini-US tour on May 3 in Baltimore, with dates booked throughout the month of May. Check out the video here.

Mars Attacks Charred Walls Of The Damned
(MAR) The latest episode of the Mars Attacks podcast contains interviews with Charred Walls Of The Damned drummer Richard Christy and John Arch of Arch – Matheos.

Richard discusses the band's latest album Cold Winds On Timeless Days, what it was like to leave Iced Earth for the Howard Stern Show, his gear, and the late Chuck Shuldiner among other things.

John Arch discusses the album Sympathetic Resonance, his past in Fates Warning, his expectations for Arch – Matheos along with a slew of other things. Check it out here.

Volbeat Go No 1 in America
Volbeat has scored their first American no 1 on the Active Rock charts with their single "A Warrior's Call."

Singer Michael Poulson shares, "I'm really honored that "A Warriors Call" has reached #1 on America's Active Rock Radio chart! We're the first Danish band to achieve that, and with a song written for boxing champ Mikkel Kessler. Going #1 and topping acts like Foo Fighters and Nickelback, we never dared to believe! Volbeat would like to thank Universal Republic, all the radio stations, listeners and fans for their support!" Universal Republic Chairman Monte Lipman offers, "Volbeat never stop working, and their tireless efforts are paying off. This is a landmark for what I consider to be one of the most daring bands in hard rock."

Beyond Hell / Above Heaven debuted at number one on the sales charts in Denmark, Finland and Sweden, and Top 10 in a half dozen additional countries. In the U.S., it continues to see strong sales on a weekly basis. Since the Danish metal quartet's formation in October, 2001, VOLBEAT has steadily risen to become one of the major attractions in the European scene. This success has followed as a headliner in the U.S., with the band selling out venues across the country including New York and Los Angeles. more on this story

Derelict Album Release Set
Derelict have announced the release date for their new album, Perpetuation, and a record release show.

"We're releasing the album on April 20th, 2012!", states Derelict vocalist Eric Burnet.

"The date coincides with our Montreal CD release show, which will kick off a run of similar events around Quebec and Ontario, followed by some tours in the Summer and Fall". more on this story

Wishbone Ash Member Releases Music Software
(Glass Onyon) Wishbone Ash drummer Joe Crabtree has developed new software for the drummer and musician.

Crabtree, who has been creating music software for a number of years, is excited to introduce the RhythMachine, OctopuSequencer, Pyramid and PolyNome.

RhythMachine is a tool for generating rhythms and melodies and orchestrating them on the drum kit or pitched instruments. It can be used for ear training, creating vamps to solo over or generating grooves and fills. "I began work on my first piece of software, the RhythMachine, back in 2008," Joe explains. "It was inspired by some lessons I took in New York with Robby Ameen. In my lesson with Robby we were playing double drums – both playing a songo groove with a left foot clave. We'd play 3 bars of groove, then Robby would keep the clave going and play a 1 bar melodic fill on the toms. We'd go around the 4 bars again and my challenge was to mimic what he had played. It was challenging and I wanted to develop some software that would replicate that scenario. I wrote RhythMachine to do exactly this." more on this story

Exhumed Tour Dates Aborted
Exhumed have been forced to cancel their dates in Brazil this week with Aborted due to visa issues.

Vocalist/guitarist Matt Harvey explains "We are totally weakened to have to cancel our Brazilian dates. Due to our visa applications getting rejected, we cannot legally enter the country at this time -- in fact, they threatened to ban us from being there for a decade.

"We are doing everything we can to reschedule these dates as soon as possible. Due to the bulls*** policies of U.S. immigration/customs and Brazilian customs' policy of reciprocity, our visas were refused by the Brazilian consulate before even being processed. more on this story

Prong with Crowbar and Witchburn Tour
Prong are hitting the road in April for a North American tour with Crowbar and Witchburn.

The tour will kick off on April 5th in Dallas, TX and runs through April 21st in Detroit, MI. T

Prong will be touring in support of their new album Carved Into Stone, which is due out April 24th in North America on Long Branch Records. more on this story

Cheap Girls Album and Tour Coming
Cheap Girls have added dates to their upcoming Spring headline tour of North America in support of their forthcoming album, Giant Orange, which hits stores next week.

The tour kicks off on Thursday, March 1, in Cleveland, OH, at the Grog Shop, the tour, which will also feature The Sidekicks on the entire run as well as The Menzingers after March 24, will take in nights at notable venues across the U.S. such as Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, NJ, on Sunday, March 4, Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY, on Tuesday, March 6, and the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco, CA, on Monday, April 2.

The tour will also include a stop at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX, during March and culminate in a performance at The Atlantic in Gainesville, FL, on Friday, April 13. more on this story

Remembering Doris Troy
(Gibson) On this day in 2004, Singer Doris Troy died. She had been a session singer with Dionne Warwick, sang on Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon and released an album on The Beatles' Apple label. She also had a 1964 U.K. #37 single with "Whatcha Gonna Do About It" and a 1963 U.S. #10 hit, "Just One Look." Gibson looks back:

Bronx-born, she broke though in the U.S. as a backup singer and hitmaker/songwriter but found her greatest success in England, signing with The Beatles' own label, Apple, at Harrison's urging.

Harrison was a fan of her 1963 hit "Just One Look." The song was covered in England by The Hollies and Troy started visiting Britain, where her profile began to grow. She played several London gigs with a young Reg Dwight (later Elton John) on piano.

She would go on to sing on The Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want," Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" and Carly Simon's "You're So Vain," and was both a writer and singer on Billy Preston's Apple album.

It was while recording with Preston that Doris first met Harrison. In an interview from 1970, George recalled, "I first met Doris on this Billy Preston session. Doris had come over to England with a few demo tapes, because she'd decided that she wanted to live in England and try and do it from here like, I suppose, the thing that Jimi Hendrix did. She came on a session, and she's been there ever since!" more on this story



Keith Moody Singled Out Week: Lay It Down Easy
Keith Moody released his new album, "Dreaming Out Loud" , this week. To celebrate we asked him to tell us about some of the songs from the album. Today he tells us about, "Lay It Down Easy". Here is the story:

This tune is simply about having courage, and not letting anyone tell you what your direction or destiny may be. The myth that Columbus was told the world was flat is a good personification of this theme, especially after writing the first verse as if it were a conversation or friendly advice. I know when I give or receive advice I like to hear a little story to help drive the point home. The tune has a good hit the road vibe to it too, which I thought was important. I wanted this song to be a personal sound track or anthem for taking the first steps to start new journeys

VAN HALEN DEBUT AT #2 IN USA:

A David Lee Roth fronted Van Halen have once again had world domination plans foiled by a long standing current #1 record. Back in 1984, the band's album of the same name just missed out on reaching number one due to the phenomenal success of Michael Jackson's Thriller opus (going on to be the #1 selling album of all-time).
Now in 2012, the band's new album A Different Kind Of Truth has been held out at #1 by the continuing stellar run by Adele with her album 21. Adele posted a 102% jump on previous weeks sales due to advance-Grammy publicity and sold another 241,000 units.
Van Halen will instead debut at #2, with 187,333 units reported sold - a little short of their label Interscope's original hopes (200-250k), but in line with revised expectations of 180k+. Nevertheless, it's the best result for a classic rock band in quite a while and something for the band to be proud of.