Today's Day In Rock!

Pantera Star Vs Uncle Sam
Former Pantera bassist Rex Brown reportedly owes the federal government $449,567 in back taxes and penalties.
The Internal Revenue Service has filed five tax leans against the current Kill Devil Hill bassist, according to USA Today.

The paper reports that the most recent and largest lien, for $210,157, was filed in his home state of Texas in January and that sixth lien for $72,695 was released by the IRS in 2008, signifying that the taxes in question there were paid. Read the USA Today report for more details.



Soundgarden Giving Away New Song
(hennemusic) Soundgarden are back with "Live To Rise," the band's first new song release in 15 years.

Billboard reports the track is NOW available as a free download on iTunes (beginning April 17) as part of the promotion of Disney's film "Marvel's The Avengers."

The iTunes promotion, which runs through April 24, includes an exclusive clip, "The Face Off," from the movie, which opens May 4. more on this story



Linkin Park and Incubus Summer Tour
Linkin Park will be teaming up with Incubus to coheadline this summer's Honda Civic Tour of North America which will feature support from Mutemath.

The tour, minus Incubus on the first two dates, will be kicking off August 11th in Bristow, Virginia and will conclude on September 10th in San Diego.

Linkin Park will be touring in support of their forthcoming album, Living Things, which is set for release on June 26th. more on this story



Velvet Revolver DVD Coming
(hennemusic) Velvet Revolver remains in limbo, without a singer and a focus, as band members continue to work on other projects but fans can relive some of the VR excitement with the DVD release next month of "Let It Roll – Live In Germany."

Due May 25, the disc was filmed at the Palladium in Cologne, Germany in March 2008 for the legendary German TV series "Rockpalast." The concert was near the end of the tour for their second album "Libertad" and came just a few days before the band went on hiatus following the departure of singer Scott Weiland.

The set draws heavily on the "Libertad" album but also features tracks from their debut album "Contraband" and covers of STP and Guns N' Roses tracks. more on this story



Santana Plans Summer Tour
(SFR) Carlos Santana has mapped out a North American summer tour in support of his forthcoming album, Shape Shifter.

The tour is set to kick off on July 7 at the Grand Casino Mille Lacs in Hinckley, MN.

Santana's new album, Shape Shifter is set to hit stores on May 15, 2012 via Carlos Santana's new label Starfaith Record. more on this story



Marilyn Manson Denies Engagement Reports
Imagine being a celebrity and reading a report to find out that you are engaged to someone you have never met. It appears that happened to Marilyn Manson.

Press Here sent out a short but sweet statement on Monday which reads: Marilyn Manson Is NOT Engaged

Marilyn Manson is not engaged as reported erroneously by Life & Style. Manson has never met Seraphim Ward and does not know who she is. more on this story



Metallica: The Early Years and the Rise of Metal Set For Release
(Gibson) A new book will chart the rise of the heavy metal movement, viewed through the prism of Metallica: their influences and the bands that they themselves went on to inspire.

Metallica – The Early Years and the Rise of Metal by music journalist Neil Daniels links the band and the American metal scene in general with the famed "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" movement in the U.K. as well as metal originators such as Black Sabbath and Judas Priest.

The book tells the story of how Metallica began their rise to global metal domination, and includes rare examples of very early memorabilia as well as interviews with fans who saw the band's earliest shows, and the NWOBHM heroes who inspired them. more on this story





Status Quo Movie Coming
(Gibson) British rockers Status Quo – who have scored over 60 chart hits in the U.K since the '60s – are finally getting some silver screen action.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the band will film a movie in Fiji. The band's Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt will play themselves alongside British TV star Craig Fairbrass and comedy actor Jon Lovitz.

Francis Rossi said: "The one thing Quo fans know is to expect the unexpected. Of course, Rick and I have already acted in Coronation Street, one of the biggest TV shows on the planet, so this should be no trouble at all – according to management." more on this story




David Bryne and St. Vincent's Annie Clark Team Up
(Gibson) Talking Heads' David Bryne and St. Vincent's Annie Clark have completed a collaboration album that they plan to take on the road in the fall.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Clark professes her admiration for her collaborator ("David Byrne is the coolest person on the planet") and says the album is inspired by the Dirty Projectors and Björk's Mount Wittenberg Orca album.

In fact, it was a charity show featuring both Björk and Dirty Projectors three years ago that led to the invitation for Byrne and Clark to embark on the project. They descended on a New York City studio and magic happened. "We just started writing and kept writing and writing," Clark says. "It just evolved to become this much bigger thing." more on this story





KISS Hoping For Monster No 1
(hennemusic) KISS continues to talk up its forthcoming album, "Monster," due sometime this year. Paul Stanley recently spoke with Fox News' Fox 411 about the project.

"'Monster', right now, is in chains, so to speak" says Stanley. "We've finished recording it. It's by far the best thing we've done in decades. I think [2009's] 'Sonic Boom' was an important album for us because it was the first time that the lineup that's been in place for almost ten years went in the studio."

"That album came in the charts at #2," adds Paul, "We tried for #1 but that's the job of 'Monster'…which should shoot to #1. It's an album that does justice to everything we've done before." Check out video here.



Paul McCartney Teams With Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman
(42 West) Paul McCartney has posted 3 brand new, self directed music videos of 'My Valentine' featuring Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp online.

McCartney premiered the three new videos at at an exclusive screening event in LA this past Friday.

'My Valentine' is one of two original compositions on McCartney's new studio album 'Kisses on the Bottom', which went to Number One on the Billboard Jazz Chart as well as Top Five across the world. more on this story



Aerosmith Drummer Launches Rockin' & Roastin' Java
(hennemusic) Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer has launched his own line of coffee. "Rockin' & Roastin'" is billed as an organic, fair trade, custom-roasted coffee.

Kramer's new blends are available in four different roasts - from regular to decaf, medium to dark, and Ethiopian to Guatemalan.

Aerosmith recently announced their summer "Global Warming" Tour; it kicks off June 16 in Minneapolis, MN with special guests Cheap Trick. more on this story



Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters Lead DeLuna Fest Lineup
Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters have been tapped to headline this year's DeLuna Fest which will take place on September 21 – 23 on the sands of Pensacola Beach, FL.

They will be joined by a lineup featuring Florence and the Machine, Band of Horses, Dwight Yoakam, Ben Folds Five, Guided By Voices, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Joan Band of Skulls, The Wood Brothers and many more.

More bands, including a third headliner, will be announced in the coming months. DeLuna Fest hosts four stages, with two rising directly out of the sand, on the water's edge of the Gulf of Mexico. more on this story



White Stripes For Tots
The White Stripes are the latest group to get a kiddy makeover with the release of Lullaby Versions of The White Stripes. We were sent these details:

Does it take a seven nation army to get your kids to sleep? Don't do the denial twist; come to the hotel yorba and chill. With the help of TTLRS you'll be saying "we're going to be friends" with peace and quiet.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star is proud to release "Lullaby Versions of The White Stripes" featuring lush instrumental versions of 12 beloved tracks. more on this story



Metallica Add Tour Dates
Metallica's mini tour of Mexico City just keeps getting bigger with the band adding additional dates after the 6 previously announced dates sold out.

The band tells fans via their website: We are overwhelmed and totally blown away by the love from our friends in Mexico City who gave us a record six sold out shows totaling over 100,000 tickets at the Sports Palace this coming August. Never in our wildest imagination did we think we would be posting this news story... TWO more shows have been added to the run!! That's right . . . eight nights in one of our favorite cities with some our craziest, most out of control fans on the planet!

The two additional shows will be July 28 and 30 and these Mexico City shows will be the world debut of our massive new stage show including elements from our entire 30 years of touring and marking the beginning of a new era in Metalli-shows... you will definitely need to see it to believe it!



Dispatch Comeback Album Release Set
Dispatch have set an August 21st release date for Circles Around The Sun, their first studio album in twelve years.

The album was produced by Peter Katis (Interpol, Jonsi, The National) and recorded at The Clubhouse (Rhinebeck, NY), Water Music (Hoboken, NJ), and Tarquin Studios (Bridgeport, CT).

Dispatch will perform this summer at Bonnaroo, Hangout and Outside Lands festivals and starting September 20th the band will embark upon the Circles Around The Sun Tour, its most extensive North American tour in over a decade. more on this story



Sirius Beach Boys Special
(SX) The reunited Beach Boys will perform a special concert for SiriusXM listeners days before the band's global "50th Anniversary Tour" kicks off, as part of SiriusXM's "Artist Confidential" series.

The "Artist Confidential" will feature the Beach Boys performing songs from their five-decade career and music from their new album, scheduled to be released this summer; and talking with SiriusXM host Jim Ladd about their upcoming "50th Anniversary Tour."

The special performance, scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 19, will debut on SiriusXM during its "Beach Boys Endless Summer Weekend," the four-day special featuring music by the Beach Boys and other sounds of summer from the 1960s. more on this story



Tommy Emmanuel Plans North American Tour
Guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel will hit the road for a 31-date North American tour on May 14th at the Ryerson Theatre in Toronto.

This tour will blanket the U.S. and Canada. To support these appearances, local PBS stations will be airing his TV special, Tommy Emmanuel and Friends: Live From The Balboa Theatre which features artists from his recent Little by Little CD including Anthony Snape, Pam Rose, Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo.

The show was filmed in HD for PBS Television, and has been airing on PBS stations in the U.S. since last June more on this story



Motion City Soundtrack's New Album A Go
(SC) Epitaph have set a June 12th release date for Motion City Soundtrack's label homecoming album, Go.

The new album is the follow-up to the My Dinosaur Life (Columbia, February 2010) and was recorded over an extended period of time this past winter at Flowers Studio in their hometown of Minneapolis, MN with Ed Ackerson co-producing alongside the band.

The first single off the new album is the characteristically catchy "True Romance" which can be heard here and will be available on all Digital Service Providers starting April 17th.



antiMusic Writer in The Market For Murder
antiMusic's very own Dawn Marie Fichera has released her new novel entitled In The Market For Murder. The book has been released on Kindle at Amazon and the Nook at Barnes and Nobel. Here is the publisher's tease!

Bad things do come in threes, even for an attractive ad agency executive living in the most desirable neighborhood in Philadelphia. Just ask Dylan Scarborough: first her father died; then her fiancé died; then her ex-boss died. Only the last one became an issue because the police don't consider murder a natural cause.

After being implicated by a close friend, Dylan is set up by a career-hungry police chief for a crime she didn't commit. Running out of people to trust she turns to her nineteen-year-old intern and an investigative reporter friend to help clear her name. Her situation takes an unexpected turn when an enigmatic FBI agent becomes involved in the case–involved in more ways than one. Staying one step ahead of the real killer is difficult enough for Dylan, but doing it while avoiding her meddlesome mother adds a whole new dimension to her problems. Grab it here.


Evocation's Complete Demo Recordings Set For Release
Century Media have set a June 26th release date for the complete demo recordings of Evocation, in a collection called Evoked From Demonic Depths - The Early Years.

The complilation will be released in North America exclusively through CM Distro (in addition to a 32-page booklet, the CD version also includes three live bootleg video enhancements), plus digitally.

Tracks 1 through 4 are taken from The Ancient Gate demo, tracks 5 through 9 are from the Promo 1992 demo, tracks 10 through 13 are previously unreleased rehearsal tracks-- and as a very special addition to this compilation, the band has also recorded the previously unreleased track "Genesis", which was written in 1992. "Genesis" was recorded at IF Studios (In Flames, The Haunted, etc.) by producer Robert Laghi. All tracks were mastered at Fascination Street Studio (Opeth, Paradise Lost, Enslaved, etc.), and the re-mastering of the demo tracks was done using the original master tapes. more on this story



Melechesh Recruit Crimson Moon's Scorpios
(Fresno) Melechesh have recruited Crimson Moon's Scorpios for what has been dubbed as a gig as their session bass player.

Scorpios has been residing in Germany for several years, and he will arrive in Amsterdam on Tuesday for intensive rehearsal sessions.

Melechesh will be releasing a digital EP entitled 'Mystics of the Pillars II,' on a unspecified date. The band has now revealed that the EP will also be made available on 7" vinyl. more on this story



Germs, Grateful Dead, Jerry Reed, Mick Fleetwood's Zoo and More in May
Real Gone Music have announced releases in May from The Germs, D?Rocs, Jerry Reed, Mick Fleetwood's Zoo, Terry Knight & The Pack, Chubby Checker, The Orlons and Grateful Dead's Dick's Picks, Volume 29. Conqueroo sent over these details:

Real Gone Music enters its first Spring with a potpourri of reissues that are definitely not garden variety, with releases ranging from hardcore punk to power pop to Motor City rock 'n' roll, doo-wop and Summer of Love fixtures the Grateful Dead, all due in late May. The only album by seminal Los Angeles punkers The Germs, (GI), will be reissued alongside the D?rocs' self-titled album, Jerry Reed's The Unbelievable Guitar and Voice of Jerry Reed/Nashville Underground, I'm Not Me by Mick Fleetwood's Zoo, plus twofers from Terry Knight & the Pack (Terry Knight & the Pack/Reflections), Chubby Checker (It's Pony Time/Let's Twist Again), The Orlons (The Wah-Watusi/South Street) and Cameo Parkway Vocal Groups, Vol. 1. And if that's not enough to put in one's pipe and smoke, the Grateful Dead's Dick's Picks series continues with the six-CD set Dick's Picks Vol. 29—5/19/77 Fox Theatre Atlanta, GA 5/21/77 Lakeland Civic Center Arena Lakeland, FL.

Named after a breed of hog known for being great producers with oversized ears and genitalia, the D?rocs were the brainchild of Scott Mathews and Ron Nagle. Mathews had played at the Fillmore with Elvin Bishop at the age of 15, formed a band (Ice) with future Journey lead singer Steve Perry, and, with the guidance of music industry legends Jack Nitszche and David Rubinson, was one of the music industry's most sought-after session men and producers. Nagle, meanwhile, had been the main singer-songwriter and keyboard player in the Mystery Trend and had released a cult classic solo album produced by Nitszche, Bad Rice. Together, the two wrote songs for platinum-certified artists and in 1979 released their own LP, which received a five-star rating in Rolling Stone and scored some European hits. For the first time, with Mathews' and Nagle's cooperation, the legendary album will be reissued on CD with no fewer than eight unreleased "bone us" tracks, complete with liner notes by Gene Sculatti. In addition, Real Gone will manufacture a 500-unit, limited-edition vinyl pressing in an appropriately porcine shade of pink with the original track listing and album packaging intact. Power pop fans will agree it's time to bring home the bacon. more on this story



Singled Out: Diatribe's I Hate Me
Today Diatribe guitarist Tristan '1690' Grigsby tells us about the song "I Hate Me" from their brand new album "Epochalypse A.D." Here is the story:

What I remember the most about 'I Hate Me' is how effortlessly and quickly it came together. One of those songs that writes itself. I tend to write in blocks. I'll come up with riffs in groups of say two or three at a shot. Now, on a Sunday, it's not uncommon while I'm watching the games to have a guitar set up in the same room and just play most of the day. After a little over one hour, I started playing what's the intro. I didn't have any way to record it, so I played it about 40 times to kinda imprint it as a muscle memory. Sliding and chugging to find the tempo and messing around with the intervals. I'd invert it, slow it down, and then put it back to see what worked the best. It was such a strong riff that it pretty much is what it is.

Fast forward about a week... Cat was at the house and he'd been working on his technique downstairs while I was hearing the previous week's riffs in my head. It's gonna sound strange to most people, yet we just have this connection. There are times when I just pick up a guitar and without saying a word we start playing the exact same song. Even though he couldn't hear me (I wasn't plugged in) he's playing something that works pretty well with what I was hearing in my head. Immediately, the song just had this energy. Completely irresistible and undeniable.

At that time, I hadn't even attempted to record the riff. I hadn't written an actual song, just a riff. I just kept messing with it informally. Another week goes by and I figure I'd better "grab it before it's gone" and I lay it down and the verse falls out while I was tracking it to adjust the original tempo. Generally, I will ALWAYS mess with something on the acoustic guitar before I go too far with it. I find it a great gauge of whether or not you have a song or just a riff. This hit so fast that it never dawned on me that the song was coming together already.

Ok, so I've got it down and then I listen back to it and find out that the first and second verses don't match! It wasn't intentional at all. I just followed the nature of the track! I kept workin' on it and then brought it to the guys. Like we tend to do, we got in a room and started to hash it out. On one of the passes, I believe Ricky and Cat stopped playing and I kept going just cause. There's a hard break and for about the amount of time you hear on the track, I was riding the chord and they both kicked back in and Jason happened to be rolling and caught it. Just like we planned it! Also, there were always two solo sections for the song. I thought of 3-4 approaches but didn't formally write a solo. I probably took a couple of passes at the solo not wanting to smooth it out.

Keep in mind that when we wrote it, Rich wasn't in the band. We kinda mapped out where we thought vocals should go. When he heard the song we discussed what we figured would make sense. He grabbed a copy and called me within a few days, "it's finished". Didn't surprise me at all. When we met up at the studio, he basically walked right into the booth and KILLED it in one take! He captured a pure raw energy in his delivery that matched the tone of the rest of disc and the song.

That's the inside... We just knocked it out one afternoon. By the time the session was over we had the entire song arranged. What could be more appropriate for that track. N-O-T-H-I-N-G!

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



B Sides


RHCP Jam With Slash, Ron Wood, George Clinton and Green Day Singer
(hennemusic) The Red Hot Chili Peppers were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland on Saturday.

The band had the honor of closing the night, and they did so with a bang: after playing a few songs from their career, the Peppers were joined by several guests for the finale – the group's cover of the Stevie Wonder classic, "Higher Ground."

The Peppers closed the show with an all-star jam including Slash, Faces (and Rolling Stones) guitarist Ron Wood, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong and funk pioneer George Clinton. more on this story



Fear Factory Tease New Album
Fear Factory are teasing fans with the release of a special trailer that is a visual preview into the story behind their forthcoming new album, The Industrialist.

Set for release June 5, The Industrialist is the second album written by vocalist Burton C. Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares since reuniting in 2009 after a seven-year split. Check out the preview here.

As previously announced, The Industrialist is a conceptual record based around a short fiction written by Bell; lyrics to the album's ten songs divulge the narrative as discussed recently by Bell with Decibel Magazine. The album will be available on three formats – standard CD, a limited edition deluxe digi-book (featuring two additional songs), and 180-gram double vinyl. more on this story



Remembering Eddie Cochran
(Gibson) On this day in 1960, Touring in the U.K., 21-year-old singer Eddie Cochran was killed when the taxi he was traveling in crashed into a lamppost on Rowden Hill, Chippenham, Wiltshire (where a plaque now commemorates the event). Songwriter Sharon Sheeley and singer Gene Vincent survived the crash. Cochran's current hit at the time was "Three Steps to Heaven." Gibson takes a look back:

Just before the birth of The Beatles and after the first angry flush of rock and roll, Cochran and Vincent reminded the U.K. that real rock and roll should be tough and dirty. No wonder George Harrison was a huge fan and Paul McCartney played Cochran's "Twenty Flight Rock" to impress John Lennon at their famous fete meeting. Aside from that rock and roll barnstormer, Cochran also had hits with all-time classics "Summertime Blues" and "C'mon Everybody."

By spring 1960, the tour with Vincent was drawing to a close and on Monday, April 11, Eddie and his girlfriend, songwriter Sharon Sheeley, arrived in Bristol for a final weeklong residency at the Hippodrome with Vincent and support acts Georgie Fame, Johnny Gentle and Tony Sheridan.

After the final Saturday show, an exhausted Eddie decided to head back to London and someone arranged for a taxi. At around 11 p.m., a Ford Consul and its driver George Martin (no, not The Beatles producer) showed up to take Eddie, Gene, Sharon and tour manager Pat Thompkins to the capital.

Thompkins rode shotgun with Eddie, Sharon and Gene sitting in the back. Taking a short cut through Chippenham, Martin suddenly realized he'd taken a wrong turn. He hit the brakes and swerved but lost control of his vehicle. The car spun into a lamppost and Cochran was pushed into the car's roof that forced the back door open and he was thrown onto the road.

The driver and Thompkins suffered only mild knocks and walked away, but Vincent, Cochran and his girlfiend lay still on the ground. Sharon was suffering from shock and Vincent from a broken collarbone, but Cochran looked much worse

Today's Day In Rock!

Bee Gees Legend In A Coma
Bee Gees legend Robin Gibb is currently in a coma in a London hospital, after being stricken with pneumonia.
The singer's website RobinGibb.com said this weekend, "Sadly the reports are true that Robin has contracted pneumonia and is in a coma. We are all hoping and praying that he will pull through."

Gibb announced in In February that he had made a "spectacular" recovery from cancer (reported to be liver and colon cancer). But in late March he underwent further surgery on his intestines, according to thestar.com. Read their report here.



Original Guns N' Roses Members Jam at Rock Hall
(hennemusic) Former Guns N' Roses members gathered Saturday night in Cleveland for their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

GNR's original lineup - Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, Steven Adler, Matt Sorum and Dizzy Reed - were honored as part of the Class Of 2012.

Following their induction by Green Day, bassist Duff McKagan kicked off the band's induction speech. "I'm so honored to have met these guys in the back alleys of Hollywood," said Duff. "We learned how to write songs together. We created the brutality, beauty and total truth all at once, but we were writing songs for ourselves. We had no audience. We played our first gigs with very few fans. And as we progressed, more and more fans came and they were relating to these songs. I don't know if they were relating to us so much or the songs. They spoke to them. I don't know if it matters who's here tonight, because it's about the music that that band created."

"We have new fans who have never seen the original lineup," said Slash, "and they're pulling for us."

Slash, Duff, Steven and Matt were joined by guitarist Gilby Clarke and singer Myles Kennedy on stage to perform three "Appetite For Destruction" songs: "Mr. Brownstone", "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Paradise City", with "Use Your Illusion"-era member Sorum sitting behind the drum kit on "Brownstone" and the man he replaced, Adler, rocking the drums for the last two songs. Check out video here.



Van Halen Release She's The Woman Video
(hennemusic) Van Halen have released the video for "She's The Woman," the second single off their "A Different Kind Of Truth" album.

The video features a combination of rehearsal and live footage from the band's current tour. "She's The Woman" has a history with the band: it was one of the tunes recorded for the Gene Simmons-financed demos in 1976, and it was re-recorded a year later as part of the 1977 Warner Brothers demos.

The original version of the song includes riffs that were later found in "Mean Street," from 1981's "Fair Warning" album. Check it out here.



Courtney Love Apologizes To Daughter For Dave Grohl Allegation
Courtney Love has once again taken to her Twitter account and this time she issued a public apology to her daughter after making allegations that Dave Grohl hit on the 19-year-old.

Frances Bean, Love's daughter with Grohl's former Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain, issued a statement last week responding to the allegation. She said: "While I'm generally silent on the affairs of my biological mother, her recent tirade has taken a gross turn. I have never been approached by Dave Grohl in more than a platonic way. I'm in a monogamous relationship and very happy. Twitter should ban my mother."

Grohl himself responded with, "Unfortunately Courtney is on another hateful Twitter rant. These new accusations are upsetting, offensive and absolutely untrue."

On Saturday, Love tweeted: "Bean, sorry I believed the gossip.. Mommy loves you"



Dream Theater Summer Tour
Dream Theater will launch a second North America tour leg this summer as part of their current world tour.

The new leg will launch their summer dates June 15 in Rochester, NY and wrap July 21 in Chester, PA. The tour includes stops at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles and the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ plus a two-night engagement at the Paramount Theater on Long Island, NY.

Joining Dream Theater, starting June 16 in Columbus, Ohio and for the rest of the tour, is special guest Crimson Projekct featuring Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto, Markus Reuter, Julie Slick and Tobias Ralph. They'll be performing the songs of progressive rock legends King Crimson. more on this story



Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Add North American Dates
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have added a second North American leg to their Wrecking Ball World Tour.

The first North American leg of the tour is currently underway and the new dates will take place in August and September.

This is the first E Street Band tour without the Big Man and the band has been augmented by a five-piece horn section, including C's nephew Jake Clemons and Eddie Manion on saxophones. more on this story



Rush Delivering New Song This Week
(hennemusic) This week, Rush will be releasing the first single from their forthcoming album, "Clockwork Angels."

"Headlong Flight" hits rock radio stations on Thursday, and the single will be available on Amazon on Friday.

The full album - the first collection of original material in over five years – is due June 12. Check out the artwork here.



Welcome to My Nightmare: The Story of Alice Cooper Set For Release
(Gibson) A new book spanning the career of Alice Cooper will be published in 2012. It's out on June 13 in the U.K., and September 1 in the U.S. via Omnibus Press. Titled Welcome to My Nightmare: The Story of Alice Cooper, it is written by Dave Thompson, author of numerous rock biographies.

The book's official description is this: "Drawing from exclusive and unpublished interviews with a variety of names and faces from throughout Alice's career, the book follows Cooper's tale from his life growing up as a preacher's son in Arizona, through the early years of struggle in Phoenix and then Los Angeles, and then onto the roller coaster ride that has been the years since then. Includes interviews with original bandmates Michael Bruce and the late Glenn Buxton, drummer Neal Smith, the late Frank Zappa, manager Shep Gordon and producer Bob Ezrin.

"It includes tributes and recollections from many of the artists who call Alice an influence – from The Damned and The Cramps, to White Zombie and GWAR.

"Session players and songwriters who have made their own contributions to the Alice story recall their days spent with this Prince of Hell-raisers. The result is a story that alternately thrills, shocks, surprises and delights. Includes full discography and bibliography." more on this story





Paul McCartney Plays Tribute to Jim Marshall
(Gibson) Paul McCartney and his band have posted a video tribute to Jim Marshall. In the clip, McCartney and his band riff on a Hendrix-ian tune before Sir Paul says a few words.

Metallica's Kirk Hammett has also paid tribute to Marshall's amplifiers. "A Marshall amp had a clarity, a punch, a low end and had a type of distortion that wasn't around before Jim Marshall invented it," Kirk said in an interview with the New York Times.

The U.K's Download festival has also named its main stage for 2012 after Marshall. Organizer Andy Copping said, "The music industry lost an innovator and a legend with the sad passing of Jim Marshall. We had to remember him in some way and having the main stage dedicated to his name seemed the perfect tribute." Check out the McCartney tribute here.





The Darkness Blending Old School And 'Luxurious Rock' On New Album
(Gibson) Having reformed in 2011, the U.K's The Darkness are on schedule to deliver their third album in 2012. Some tracks were recorded in England, some in Nashville. In a rare interview, frontman/guitarist Justin Hawkins has talked about progress ahead of live dates in Australia.

Hawkins told Undercover.fm, "We started recording it properly last April, but we had to stop recording it because we had to do all the festivals that we did last summer in Europe. So, that stopped things for a while and we got back in, on and off.

"It's been about a year or something. It's finished now and we've just got to decide which songs to include and use as bonus tracks, B-sides and stuff. One of the really good signs is that we can't decide which ones. It's pretty cool, there's a good blend of old school rock and then some more luxurious rock and then there's a big power ballad on it. We're very happy with the mix of material." more on this story





Reverend Horton Heat To Lead Revival Festival
Reverend Horton Heat is set to headline Austin's Revival Festival's fifth anniversary event, which will take place on Saturday, May 26th in downtown Austin.

"When I first had the idea for the festival in 2007, the first band I thought of was Reverend Horton Heat," says Orlando Rios, Revival Festival Executive Producer and Founder. "They were the first band I ever saw live and they changed my life for the better. Fans always request them and we are always glad to have them. Last year saw record attendance and even a nod from Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell with our own designated day."

The following bands will join the Reverend Horton Heat in Austin: Nekromantix, Lee Rocker, Three Bad Jacks, Psycho Devilles, The Smites (Tribute to The Smiths), Rosie Flores, Holy Moly!, Johnny Hootrock, and the Hot Rod Hillbillies.



Matt Sorum Calls A Guns N' Roses Press Blackout
(hennemusic) The day after the band's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, former Guns N' Roses drummer Matt Sorum is closing a chapter on his former group.

As part of series of post-event tweets, Sorum wrote, "From today forward, I will not be commenting on Guns N Roses. Or making any remarks about the future. Thank you to all the fans. The legacy continues without my commentary."

The drummer added an interesting disclaimer as part of his statement, writing, "I said I wouldn't comment to the press. I will do whatever I choose on my Twitter. Have already been offered 25 press things today and have turned them all down." more on this story



Steve Von Till, Scott Kelly & Wino Plan Townes Van Zandt Tribute CD
(ESPR) Neurot Recordings will release a special three-way split CD in tribute to late American folk music hero Townes Van Zandt this June.

The tribute will feature contributions from Scott Kelly (Neurosis, Shrinebuilder, Tribes of Neurot, solo artist, etc.), Steve Von Till (Neurosis, Tribes of Neurot, Harvestman, solo artist, etc.) and Scott "Wino" Weinrich (Saint Vitus, The Obsessed, The Hidden Hand, Shrinebuilder, solo artist, etc.).

After having performed material by Van Zandt solo and through various collaborations on stage over recent years, on solo releases and on random live collaborations, the aptly entitled Songs of Townes Van Zandt brings several songs each from Kelly, Von Till and Weinrich together in praise of his deep musical influence on them all. Through a personal contact of the artists, newly-formed label My Proud Mountain was founded specially in order to release this tribute, with Neurot Recordings handling the North American release of the album on June 12th. more on this story



Thinning The Herd Lineup Change
Thinning The Herd live up to their name by undergoing a major lineup change with the addition of two new members.

The trio is now comprised of new drummer is Rick Cimato (Nassua Chainsaw, God's Green Earth) and new bassist Wes Edmonds (Memphis Native, Engineer), rounded out by founding guitarist/vocalist Gavin Spielman.

The revamped lineup is currently writing new material with plans of recording the album with Steve Albini this July. more on this story



Matt Skiba And The Sekrets Map Out Tour
(CM) Matt Skiba And The Sekrets will be heading out for their first-ever tour this June in support of their forthcoming debut album, Babylon.

Babylon, which will be released on May 8 via Superball Music was produced by Cameron Webb [30 Seconds To Mars, Social Distortion, Pennywise].

With a large variety of musical influences contributing to the album, similarities to Alkaline Trio's trademark sound are highlighted and combined with 80s post punk elements. more on this story



Singled Out: Green River Ordinance's Dancing Shoes
Today Josh Jenkins from Green River Ordinance tells us about the song "Dancing Shoes" from their new album "Under Fire". Here is the story:

The story behind "Dancing Shoes" can be traced back to when I was about 12 or 13. While most kids were playing video games or at the movies on a Friday and Saturday night my parents would take my brother and I to sing at country oprys. An opry consists of a house band and about 12 performers that each sing 2-3 songs.

The demographic is normally over 65 and the song choice is old country classics. Needless to say I didn't feel like I was on the track to being cool. Years later, when "Dancing Shoes" was written, it was pretty evident to me that this was a song that was influenced by our upbringing in Texas. The culture of the honky tonk and country oprys had finally found its place in one of our songs. Thanks Mom and Dad.

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



B Sides


Live Kittie Webcast Tomorrow
(SR) The Rave Live will be streaming Kittie, live in concert this Tuesday, April 17th from The Rave in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Kittie will be joined by Blackguard, Bonded By Blood, and Candy Machine Guns.

This concert will be streamed live from The Rave/Eagles Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and will be available for viewing here.



Rob Zombie Recruits Clint Howard For Death Note
Rob Zombie has released his brand new TV commercial for Amdro Ant Bait starring cult icon Clint Howard.

The clip is entitled "Death Note," and fans can watch it online at Fearnet.com by clicking here.

In other news, for the first time since the early 90s, Rob Zombie and Megadeth will co-headline a U.S. tour that starts May 11. more on this story



Vince Neil Jams With Sin City Sinners at Girls, Girls, Girls Opening
(hennemusic) Motley Crue singer Vince Neil officially opened his new Las Vegas strip club, Girls, Girls, Girls, this past weekend.

As part of the festivities, Vince joined Sin City Sinners on stage for a few songs Saturday night, including the Crue tune that the club is named for, as well as an AC/DC classic.

"It's something I always wanted to do," Neil recently told the Las Vegas Sun. "So it's like a dream come true. But this will be different and unique. It will be the first rock and roll strip joint. It was a business opportunity to become a partner that was too good to pass up." Check out video of the jams here.



A Look Back at 1983
The Decibel Geek podcast celebrate the year of 1983 with their latest episode 1983: The Year in Review. In this episode, hosts Aaron Camaro and Chris Czynszak discuss the pop culture stories of 1983 as well as spin some of their favorite hard rock songs from the year.

Tracks by Metallica, KISS, Iron Maiden, and Fastway are included among others. Also in this episode are retro clips and commercials from 1983 including an advertisement for Twilight Zone: The Movie.

"This episode is a true trip down memory lane for our generation." says co-host Chris Czynszak. "Aaron and I were both kids at this time and the discussion, as well as the music, really brought back great memories for us. We hope it will for the listeners as well." Check it out here.



James Durbin Posts Higher Than Heaven Lyric Video
(hennemusic) James Durbin is preparing to release "Higher Than Heaven" as the next single from his debut album, "Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster."

Durbin performed the track on his return to the American Idol stage Thursday evening – watch the footage here.

James has also posted a lyric video for the tune, which features not only the words, but a 'mini-performance' of the song by the singer and his band on board a small private jet. Watch it here.



Remembering Dusty Springfield
(Gibson) Dusty Springfield was born on this day in 1939. Gibson takes a look back: The '60s were a pretty magical decade for Dusty Springfield. In the space of about seven years, she went from modest folk singer to a pop sensation who ruled the pop charts, helped bring Motown artists to the U.K. and was a near-ubiquitous presence on British television. And, by the end of the decade, she was considered by many to be a peer to her soul singing idols.

Dusty Springfield was born Mary O'Brien on this day in 1939. She and her older brother Dion were raised by middle-class parents who were fond of music. In fact, Dusty's father would often tap out musical rhythms on the back of her hand, and have her guess which song it was. She also loved playing soccer in the street with the neighborhood boys, and the tomboy nature helped earn Mary the nickname Dusty.

After finishing school, in 1958, Dusty joined a vocal group, named the Lana Sisters, learned how to harmonize and did her first recording and TV show appearances. Two years later, she left the group to form her own act – a folk-pop trio with her brother Dion and Reshad Field. They Christened themselves the Springfields and so, Mary O'Brien's official stage name became Dusty Springfield.

The group had some pretty successful singles in early '60s England, but the big moment for Dusty came when they traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, to record an album and hopefully capture an "American" sound. During the trip, Dusty heard tons of American pop songs, and she became less interested in folk tunes and more interested in the Motown sound and other R&B-inflected girl group music.

In the fall of '63, the left the group and went solo. Her first solo single, written and arranged by Ivor Raymonde, copped the "wall of sound" production style Dusty had so fallen in love with. It turned out that music fans on both sides of the Atlantic loved Dusty, too. "I Only Want to Be with You" proved a debut smash, and launched Dusty into a very fruitful '64, during which she was considered one of the stars of the British Invasion alongside The Beatles. She had a bevy of hits that year, including the U.K. smash "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" and the U.S. Top 10 hit "Wishin' and Hopin'" (both penned by the Burt Bacharach/Hal David team).

Springfield set herself apart from the many other female singers of the time because of her white soul (or blue-eyed soul) sound. Dusty's breathy delivery seemed to hint at a strong sexuality. In fact, many listeners thought she was a black, American performer upon hearing her records.

At the end of '64, Springfield courted controversy – but only for the best of reasons. The singer was deported from South Africa for performing in front of a racially integrated crowd, which was forbidden in the country at that time (and for some time after). The incident only enhanced her "cool" standing, and she remained an enormously popular star. more on this story





Noel Gallagher Interrupted By Earthquake
(Gibson) One-time Oasis star Noel Gallagher had a TV interview interrupted by an earthquake last week. According to the Daily Express, Gallagher was in Mexico City on April 11 promoting a series of concerts by appearing on a local TV station.

An earthquake shook the studio, stopping the interview. Gallagher blogged: "So, I'm half-way through an interview for TV when all of a sudden the lights which were lighting the room gently started to sway from side to side and the door began to rattle slightly... Now, I didn't take much notice of this until the cameraman very softly and calmly said, 'We have to leave and go to the outside... there is an earthquake happening.' Just like that!!!!!!

"So, we all get evacuated into the car park and the whole place is just gently rocking back and forth... a bit like being on a boat... mad as f--k!! 6.9 on the Richter scale it was!!!! I loved it... my first earthquake."

Top Selling Albums Of All-Time

40 million copies or more

Artist Album Released Genre Sales (millions) Source

Michael Jackson Thriller 1982 Pop / Rock / R&B 65-110 [1][2]
Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon 1973 Progressive rock 50 [3]
AC/DC Back in Black 1980 Hard rock / Heavy metal 49 [4]
Whitney Houston / Various artists The Bodyguard 1992 Soundtrack 44 [5]
Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell 1977 Hard rock 43 [6]
Eagles Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) 1976 Rock 42 [7]
Various artists Dirty Dancing 1987 Soundtrack 42 [8]
Bee Gees / Various artists Saturday Night Fever 1977 Soundtrack 40 [9]
Fleetwood Mac Rumours 1977 Rock 40 [10]
Shania Twain Come On Over 1997 Country / Pop 40 [11]


30–39 million copies

Artist Album Released Genre Sales (millions) Source

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV 1971 Hard rock / Heavy metal 37 [12]
Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill 1995 Rock 33 [13]
The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 1967 Rock 32 [14]
Celine Dion Falling into You 1996 Pop 32 [15]
Mariah Carey Music Box 1993 Pop / R&B 32 [16]
Michael Jackson Dangerous 1991 Pop / Rock 32 [17]
The Beatles 1 2000 Rock 31 [18]
Celine Dion Let's Talk About Love 1997 Pop 31 [19]
Backstreet Boys Millennium 1999 Pop 30 [20][21]
Bee Gees Spirits Having Flown 1979 Disco / Pop 30 [22]
Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. 1984 Rock 30 [23]
Dire Straits Brothers in Arms 1985 Rock 30 [24]
James Horner Titanic 1997 Soundtrack 30 [25]
Madonna The Immaculate Collection 1990 Pop / Dance 30 [26][27]
Michael Jackson Bad 1987 Pop / Rock 30 [17][28]
Pink Floyd The Wall 1979 Progressive rock 30 [29]
Nirvana Nevermind 1991 Grunge / Alternative rock 30 [30]

20–29 million copies

Artist Album Released Genre Sales (millions) Source

ABBA ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits 1992 Pop 28 [31]
Backstreet Boys Backstreet's Back 1997 Pop 28 [32]
Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet 1986 Hard rock 28 [33]
Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction 1987 Hard rock / Heavy metal 28 [34]
Spice Girls Spice 1996 Pop 28 [35]
Various artists Grease 1978 Soundtrack 28 [25]
Santana Supernatural 1999 Rock 27 [36]
Britney Spears ...Baby One More Time 1999 Pop 26 [37]
Carole King Tapestry 1971 Pop 25 [38]
Madonna True Blue 1986 Pop 25 [39]
Mariah Carey Daydream 1995 Pop / R&B 25 [40]
Metallica Metallica 1991 Heavy metal 25 [41][42]
Queen Greatest Hits 1981 Rock 25 [43]
Simon & Garfunkel Bridge over Troubled Water 1970 Folk Rock 25 [44]
U2 The Joshua Tree 1987 Rock 25 [45]
Whitney Houston Whitney Houston 1985 Pop / R&B 25 [46]
Backstreet Boys Black & Blue 2000 Pop 24 [32]
Linkin Park Hybrid Theory 2000 Nu metal / Rap metal / Alternative rock 24 [47]
Ace of Base Happy Nation/The Sign 1993 Pop 23 [48]
Oasis (What's the Story) Morning Glory? 1995 Britpop / Rock 22 [49][50]
Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP 2000 Rap / Hip-hop 22 [51]
Bon Jovi Cross Road 1994 Rock 21 [52]
Madonna Like a Virgin 1984 Pop / Dance 21 [53]
Adele 21 2011 Pop / Soul 20 [54]
Barbra Streisand Guilty 1980 Pop 20 [55]
Andrea Bocelli Romanza 1997 Pop / Operatic Pop 20 [56]
Billy Ray Cyrus Some Gave All 1992 Country 20 [57]
Bob Marley & The Wailers Legend: The Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers 1984 Reggae 20 [58]
Boston Boston 1976 Hard Rock 20 [59]
Britney Spears Oops!... I Did It Again 2000 Pop 20 [60]
Céline Dion The Colour of My Love 1993 Pop 20 [61]
Cher Believe 1998 Pop / Dance 20 [62]
Def Leppard Hysteria 1987 Hard rock 20 [63]
Eminem The Eminem Show 2002 Rap / Hip-hop 20 [51]
Janet Jackson janet. 1993 Pop / R&B 20 [64]
Madonna Ray of Light 1998 Pop / Electronic 20 [65]
Michael Jackson HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I 1995 Pop / Rock / R&B 20 [66]
Michael Jackson Off the Wall 1979 Soul / Disco / R&B 20 [66][67]
Norah Jones Come Away with Me 2002 Jazz 20 [68]
Prince & The Revolution Purple Rain 1984 Soundtrack 20 [25]
Shania Twain Up! 2002 Country/pop 20 [69]
Shania Twain The Woman in Me 1995 Country/pop 20 [70]
Tina Turner Private Dancer 1984 Rock 20 [71]
Usher Confessions 2004 R&B 20 [72]
Whitney Houston Whitney 1987 Pop / R&B 20 [73]

RUSH LOCK IN CLOCKWORK ANGELS:

Rush have announced track and cover art details for their upcoming Clockwork Angels album - due out worldwide June 11-12.
Track listing: 1. Caravan 2. BU2B 3. Clockwork Angels 4. The Anarchist 5. Carnies 6. Halo Effect 7. Seven Cities Of Gold 8. The Wreckers 9. Headlong Flight 10. BU2B2 11. Wish Them Well 12. The Garden. More details will be released shortly at www.rush.com.
There is also a short video trailer featuring a short preview of the new single "Headlong Flight": www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK9PTQzopCA.

In related news for UK fans:
Classic Rock's latest Fan Pack – dedicated to Rush's hotly anticipated new album Clockwork Angels – arrives in June. Our exclusive Fan Pack edition of Rush's long-awaited new album Clockwork Angels goes on sale on June 11 – a full month before the album's regular UK release.
With 132 information-packed pages, the album-plus-magazine Fan Pack is 100 per cent Rush-approved and contains brand new, in-depth and revealing interviews with the iconic Rush trio of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart. This must-have package includes an examination of the group's 20th studio album with help from members of Manic Street Preachers, Porcupine Tree and Mastodon, Rush producers Terry Brown, Rupert Hine and Peter Collins, and many more.
There are also interviews with the men behind Rush's award-winning documentary Beyond The Lighted Stage, and Gene Simmons talks about taking the young Rush out as Kiss's support band back in the 1970s. Additionally, the Fan Pack boasts a world-exclusive interview with Rush's long-standing art director, Hugh Syme, who created the band's legendary 'star man' logo – as originally seen on the 2112 album cover.
All of this (plus rare photographs from the group's personal archives) means the Fan Pack is a real must-have for Rush fans. The package also contains a free 'star man' key ring.

Today's Day In Rock!

Dave Grohl Recording With Krist Novoselic and Butch Vig
(Banana 101.5) Dave Grohl is back at it! It's been revealed that the Foo Fighters frontman has re-teamed with Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and 'Nevermind' producer Butch Vig in the studio.
Dave Grohl might not ever sleep. Between his work with Them Crooked Vultures and Foo Fighters, it seems like Dave has been at it non-stop these past few years. His latest project is a documentary on the legendary — yet now closed — Sound City Studios, a quiet little place in Los Angeles where legendary records like Nirvana's 'Nevermind' were recorded. Now Butch Vig has revealed that he has once again entered the studio to record Grohl and Novoselic, as well as an unidentified mystery guest.

Vig wrote ""The last 24 hours have been surreal! Had a great gig at the El Rey last night, and spent today recording with Dave, Krist and special guest!" More


Rock Hall Ignore Axl Rose Request?
Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose made headline this week when he issued an open letter to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and stated that he would not attend the induction ceremony and asked that he personally not be inducted.

Axl wrote in part "I strongly request that I not be inducted in absentia and please know that no one is authorized nor may anyone be permitted to accept any induction for me or speak on my behalf. Neither former members, label representatives nor the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame should imply whether directly, indirectly or by omission that I am included in any purported induction of 'Guns N' Roses'."

The Los Angeles Times reports a Rock Hall spokesman responded in a statement that said, "We are sorry Axl will not be able to accept his Induction in person." So it appears they plan to go ahead and induct him against his wishes. You can read Axl's full letter here.



Zakk Wylde Talks Ozzy and Friends and Dimebag Tribute
(Banana 101.5) Banama 101.5 have an extensive interview with Black Label Society's Zakk Wylde. Here are a couple excerpts:

You mentioned hitting the road for the Ozzy & friends tour, are you excited about jamming w/ the boss again?

Yeah, Without a doubt. I just saw [Ozzy] not too long ago [while] Jack [Obsourne's] wife was having a baby shower. I was there, Slash was there, Blasko and Ozzy. It was hysterical because none of us were [drinking]. The bar was right there and we're all ordering coffee, Arnold Palmer's and waters or whatever, and I go, "Wow, how things have changed." 'Cause back in the day all four of us would've been plowing booze like it was nobody's business — especially at a baby shower. Excitement is at an all time level at that thing [laughs].

There has been a lot of speculation about a Pantera tribute with the guys and you in place of Dimebag Darrell, what are your feelings about that whole conversation because it's a pretty polarizing issue among fans?

We all love our brother dime, I love [Vinnie Paul] and the guys so, if they were ever to actually do that and they asked me — of course I would do that in honor of Dimebag. Why wouldn't I? It would just be an amazingly beautiful thing to celebrate Dime's greatness and what the band achieved. And I'm friends with all the guys so if they ever did that, why would I say no? Read the full interview here.



Jack White's Helium Balloon Released Song Up For Bid
(Gibson) Earlier this month, the always-creative Jack White came up with yet another one of his kooky, unorthodox ideas to get out his music. White fastened "flexi disc" vinyl copies of his unreleased song, "Freedom at 21," to big, blue helium balloons and released them into the atmosphere. Now, those balloons are starting to surface.

Curious who scored the tune-packed balloons? Head to Third Man Records' official website, and you'll find photos of peeps who stumbled upon the deflated objects. A few examples include an older gentleman who scored White's "flexi disc" and a family that found a bunch of records in their backyard.

Of course, someone has decided to profit from the marketing trick, and eBay is currently hosting an auction for one of the discs. The seller asked for a starting price of $150, but that initial bid proved low, as in just a few days, the number has climbed to $1,853 (at press time). The bidding is set to go on for five more days, so chances are this is going to end up one very, very pricey disc. more on this story





Johnny Depp Jams With Marylyn Manson
(Gibson) Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance at Revolver's Golden Gods 2012 Awards on Wednesday night. The actor and his Gibson Les Paul Special in TV Yellow appeared on stage with Marilyn Manson.

In case anyone in the audience didn't notice Depp on stage, Manson announced: "If you don't recognize my personal friend... my personal savior, my personal guitar hero, Johnny Depp!"

Depp played guitar on Manson's "Beautiful People" and a version of the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." Check out video here.





Zao Cancel Concerts For Health Reason
Zao canceled their appearance at the Stand Together Fest in Nashville, TN this weekend as well as Sunday's show in Morgantown, WV. The band explains in a Facebook posting:

"We don't play a lot. We have known about our show at Stand Together Fest in Nashville since last fall and have been arranging the logicists or getting us there and trying to do more shows around it. We wanted to do MORE shows around it. Unfortunately, after everything was set (Van booked. Transport for the out of state members arranged. Set list decided.) we hit a major snag.

"Without going into TOO many details, we have a personal health emergency in the band. That is all we are going to say on the matter. Nobody is dying, but it is serious enough that it became very clear, very quickly that the show could NOT happen. As much as we want to play, it was not worth putting that pressure on the induvidual or the band as a whole.

"We hoped it would get better and set a very concrete deadline to see if it could still happen, sadly, that deadline has passed and it will not be doable. more on this story



Vinnie Paul Remembers Dimebag
(Gibson) It's hard to believe, but more than seven years have passed since Pantera and Damageplan guitar icon "Dimebag" Darrell met his untimely death while performing a show in Columbus, Ohio. The loss rattled the metal community, and the shock still lingers today.

Dimebag's brother, Vinnie Paul Abbott, drums in rock supergroup Hellyeah. Abbott recently chatted with Noisecreep about his brother's legacy, and he says the bottom line is that Dimebag "got off on making people happy."

"It didn't matter if it was about playing his guitar, shaking their hand, giving them a guitar pick. It didn't matter… " he said. "He got off on making people happy... He would not let you down. He was everything you wanted him to be, and then some. And we all miss him."

Abbott went on to call Dimebag the "biggest inspiration in my life." "I know he inspires these guys [the rest of Hellyeah]; I guarantee he's proud of this band," he said. "He's a part of this band. He might not be standing next to us, but I guarantee he … inspires every one of us to kick ass every … day, and we won't let him down. And that's the bottom line." more on this story





Duff McKagan Presented Slash With Riff Lord Award
(hennemusic) A couple of former Guns N' Roses members hooked up in Los Angeles Wednesday night at the 4th annual Revolver Golden God Awards.

Duff McKagan was on hand to present the inaugural edition of the "Riff Lord" award.

Duff presented the honor to Slash, who beat out Anthrax's Scott Ian, Dave Grohl, Zakk Wylde, Munky and Eddie Van Halen to take home the award. Check out video



Johnny Marr Admits Breaking Up The Smiths
(Gibson) Johnny Marr has affirmed it was he who put an end to The Smiths' reign as one of England's most acclaimed bands in the '80s.

In a wide-ranging interview with RollingStone.com, the guitarist said, "I was the lookout saying, 'Rocks ahead! Rocks ahead!' I had the foresight to see disaster looming – both for the individuals, personally, and the band, professionally. I had a lot of insight and wisdom for a 23-year-old."

Marr, who's been busy overseeing the remastering of eight Smiths CDs just released by Rhino Records, also hinted he wouldn't be averse to a Smiths reunion. "I don't know about the possibility, but what I do know is that I understand how great it would be to make so many people happy," he said. "And the other thing I know is that Morrissey and I are so very different. Those are the only things I know." more on this story





Public Image Ltd To Release First New Album in 20 Years
Public Image Ltd have set a May 28th release date for their first new album in 20 years, This Is Pil.

The album is self-funded by PiL and will be released on PiL's own label 'PiL Official' via Cargo UK Distribution. All the new material was recorded in the UK last year at Steve Winwood's studio in the Cotswolds.

The album is preceded by the release of a 4-track EP entitled 'One Drop.' It will be issued for 'Record Store Day' on April 21. The EP is comprised of 4 songs—"One Drop," "I Must Be Dreaming," "The Room I Am In" and "Lollipop Opera"—that will also be available on THIS IS PiL. more on this story



Slash Honors Jim Marshall and Jams With Alice Cooper
(hennemusic) At Wednesday night's Revolver Golden God Awards, Slash was honored as the first recipient of the new "Riff Lord" award.

The guitarist was joined by his band, Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, for a short set of tunes, which included "You're A Lie," the lead single from Slash's sophomore solo effort, "Apocalyptic Love" due May 22.

After a moment to honor the late Jim Marshall – the creator of Marshall amps – with a wall of noise, Slash brought out pal Alice Cooper and the guys ripped into his classic, "School's Out." Check out video



James Durbin Returns To American Idol
(hennemusic) James Durbin returned to the American Idol stage Thursday night. Durbin brought the rock back to Idol with a performance of "Higher Than Heaven."

Just a year ago, Durbin was slaying the competition each week as a Season 10 contestant, electrifying the show with a healthy dose of rock and roll.

Fast forward twelve months, and James is out promoting his debut album, "Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster." Check out video here.



Great Lake Swimmers Release New Wild Everywhere Video
Great Lake Swimmers have released a brand new music video for the title track to their latest album, New Wild Everywhere.

The video, set on Toronto Island, is directed by Adam Makarenko, who hand crafted a miniature city of Toronto and used CGI technology to add visual effects that showed the city being brought to life and reclaimed by nature. Watch it here

Great Lake Swimmers kick off the European leg of their major tour in London tonight before heading back to North America on May 1 for their first U.S. date in Chicago (with Cold Specks). more on this story



Artillery Touring The US For The First Time in 30 Year Career
Artillery have announced details of their 30th Anniversary concert and their very first US tour. Metal Mind sent over these details:

Artillery will play gigs in May in New York City and at the Maryland Death Fest in Baltimore. Along with the band Exumer they will then move to South America to play in Argentina, Chile and Brazil. At the end of the year the band will return to USA to play on the "Barge to Hell" cruise ship from Miami, Florida to the Bahamas (December 2012).

Year 2012 marks the 30th anniversary of Artillery. A celebration party will be held on May, 4th at Kings and Lions in Copenhagen with some special guests and prizes. The gig at Lions and Barrels will also be the last Danish gig with the founder member Carsten Nielsen who has decided to leave the band for personal reasons. more on this story



The Agonist Cancel Kittie Dates
Kittie, The Agonist, Blackguard, and Bonded By Blood tour kicked off this week without The Agonist who will miss the first part of the trek. They tell fans:

"Due to circumstances beyond our control The Agonist have been forced to miss the first 9 dates of our tour with Kittie. We will be joining up with the tour April 19th in Winnipeg MB.

"We are deeply sorry to the 9 cities we cannot visit and will be working to come back in the future. We are so anxious to hit the stage ASAP See you in Winnipeg!" more on this story



Duff Attending Rock Hall Induction For Fans
(Gibson) Whether or not Guns N' Roses do strike a chord together at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction this coming weekend, GN'R bass player Duff McKagan has some definite thoughts on the honor and what the band has meant to himself and to the fans since the mid-'80s.

He wrote the following on for ESPN Music: "The one reason that I am going to Cleveland this weekend is not to savor in some polite accolade or because an award show is that important to me. I am going because I have realized how important this is all to those many, many fans that supported us and believed in us, and showed up for us in droves.

"Music is not like sports, and hence, a Hall of Fame in music is almost a false pedestal to sit upon. There are no statistics in music and art. No band or artist is 'better' than another. Music comes from a primal place. Thin air. Dreams. And a lot of really hard damn work.

"No one worked harder than us back then, and we were very fortunate to have met each other in those dirty back alleys of Hollywood sometime in 1984. We meshed and wrote, created thunder and beauty, and parlayed our real-life experience into an album that somehow related to a whole angsty world that felt just like us right then and there. It was a brilliant time. more on this story





Rob Zombie Guitarist John 5 Gushes About New Van Halen
(hennemusic) Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 is getting set to release his new album, "God Told Me To," in a few weeks, but he's taking time out from promoting his upcoming project to rave about the new Van Halen album, "A Different Kind Of Truth."

"It's amazing!" he tells MusicRadar. "I love the new Van Halen record. Let me rephrase that: I love, love, love the new Van Halen record. It's heavy. If you really sit down and listen to it, it's totally heavy. The band isn't playing it safe at all, and that's what's so great about it."

When the album's first song, "Tattoo," was released, many folks were less than impressed. John 5, however, quickly chalked it up as a winner. "It's a wonderful song," he says. "I remember everybody going, 'Ahhh, I don't know about this Tattoo.' But I'll tell you, by the second or third time I heard it, it was in my head. And that's the mark of any great song - it stays with you." more on this story



Rock Hall Induction Hasn't Sunk In Yet For Slash
(hennemusic) Slash was in Toronto recently to do press and to perform an intimate club show, all designed to promote the upcoming release of his sophomore solo album, "Apocalyptic Love," which is due May 22.

Slash appeared on the CBC's "George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight," and the host had a chance to ask him about his reaction to being confirmed as an inductee into this year's Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

"It's a really great honor, but at the same time, it's ... it hasn't sunk in yet," said the guitarist. "I remember, I first heard about the whole Rock And Roll Hall thing, the fact that we were going to be eligible, in 2007 when Velvet Revolver played in place of Van Halen for their induction. And somebody had said, 'You know you're going to be eligible in 7, or 5 years,' and I was like, you know, sort of like, 'Wow, yeah,' right? And I put it out of my mind, so when the nomination came, it was pretty heavy. That was when it felt the most special." more on this story



Demon Hunter Singled Out Week: Dead Flowers
Demon Hunter released their new album, True Defiance, this week. To celebrate we asked frontman Ryan Clark to tells us about some of his favorite tracks from the album. Today he tells us about "Dead Flowers."

Mortality is a subject that really resonates with people. That's probably why I'm so drawn to it when writing lyrics. For those familiar with our previous work, you can see death playing a fairly large role in most of our slower songs.

For me, if I put a couple slow songs right in the midst of a heavy record (which is something DH has always done), they'll settle into the mix a little better if the vibe is more melancholy than happy. We explore a wider dynamic than most metal bands, in regard to song style, but it's still important that the album flows appropriately. Most of my favorite metal records move in the same way- they're heavy most of the way through, but there are moments where things slow into a mellower atmosphere. A record that remains brutal all the way through loses its effect about halfway through. You have to have peaks and valleys to make an album truly interesting and exciting.

"Dead Flowers" was the last song I wrote for this record. It's not uncommon for me to write the slower songs towards the end of the writing process. Usually I'll be knee-deep in "heavy mode" while I write all of the more aggressive songs, and I have to make a conscious switch into "ballad" territory.

This is another perfect example of a song that didn't seem to reach its full potential until it was completed. I liked the demo, and I thought it would make for a great song, but it really came to life with every piece we added in the studio. I think it's quickly becoming a personal favorite.

The chorus for this song probably falls into the "top five" category for me, of all Demon Hunter songs- both in melody and lyrical content. I'm extremely proud of it. There are quite a few double-meanings within the chorus, which I think packs the song full of life. Dead flowers both symbolize and commemorate a deceased loved one. The water that once kept them alive is now being begged for as a flood of cleansing- like tears from the Heavens. And the sun that nurtured the life of the flowers is also used in reference to the son of God, offering eternal life.

This is the only Demon Hunter song to date that features a key change in the chorus. I love key changes, and it's something I've often meant to do in the past, and before I know it, the song is done and I forgot to make it a priority. With this song, I was determined to incorporate a key change. The step up happens directly in the middle of the guitar solo, so the final chorus (through the end of the song) is one key higher than the rest. The 2nd half of the final chorus also features a 3-part harmony, something I believe we've only done once before.

The addition of the harpsichord to the intro and verses was another Aaron Sprinkle idea. I originally had that melody mapped out with guitar, and it's still in there, but lower in the mix to allow the harpsichord to shine. The outro was also Aaron's idea, and is not only one of my favorite parts in any song, but the perfect ending to the record.

Today's Day In Rock!

Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose Rejects Rock Hall Induction
Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose has taken a stand against the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Not only will Axl not be attending the induction ceremony, he has rejected his personal induction, preferring to look to the future not the past.
Rose issued an open letter on Wednesday, explaining his decision. Here is what he had to say: When the nominations for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame were first announced I had mixed emotions but, in an effort to be positive, wanting to make the most of things for the fans and with their enthusiasm, I was honored, excited and hoped that somehow this would be a good thing. Of course I realized as things stood, if Guns N' Roses were to be inducted it'd be somewhat of a complicated or awkward situation.

Since then we've listened to fans, talked with members of the board of the Hall Of Fame, communicated with and read various public comments and jabs from former members of Guns N' Roses, had discussions with the president of the Hall Of Fame, read various press (some legit, some contrived) and read other artists' comments weighing in publicly on Guns and the Hall with their thoughts.

Under the circumstances I feel we've been polite, courteous, and open to an amicable solution in our efforts to work something out. Taking into consideration the history of Guns N' Roses, those who plan to attend along with those the Hall for reasons of their own, have chosen to include in "our" induction (that for the record are decisions I don't agree with, support or feel the Hall has any right to make), and how (albeit no easy task) those involved with the Hall have handled things... no offense meant to anyone but the Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony doesn't appear to be somewhere I'm actually wanted or respected. The rest of his statement



Green Releasing Album Trilogy
Green Day are working on what will be an album trilogy called ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tré!, with two months spanning each release

The first album will be released on September 25th 2012, the second will follow on November 13th 2012 and the third will hit stores on January 15th 2013.

The albums are being produced by the band's long-time producer Rob Cavallo. ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tré! are being recorded in their hometown of Oakland, CA. more on this story



Rush Returning With Clockwork Angels
It's official. Rush will release their new studio album, Clockwork Angels, on June 12th. Their camp sent over these details:

Rush will herald the release of "Clockwork Angels" with a new single "Headlong Flight" landing at rock radio on April 19th. Details of a full-scale North American tour to support the new album will be announced shortly.

The recording of "Clockwork Angels" began in April 2010 with Grammy Award winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Deftones) – who also collaborated with the band on their last studio album, 2007's "SNAKES & ARROWS." Rush co-produced both records. more on this story



Dictators and Twisted Sister's Rich Teeter Dead and 61
Former Dictators and Twisted Sister drummer Rich Teeter died on Tuesday, April 10th at the age of 61, from esophageal cancer, according to The Music's Over.

They report: "Teeter joined the band following the release of their first album, Go Girl Crazy, and can be heard playing on 1977′s Manifest Destiny and 1978′s Bloodbrothers. Both are considered essential for any respectable early New York punk collection.
"Teeter went on to play in Twisted Sister in late 1980/early 1981, but never appeared on any of their albums. He did participate in later Dictator reunion shows, though not much is known about his more recent life." more on this story



Hurt Kicking Off Spring Tour This Weekend
Hurt will be hitting the road on Saturday to kick off their spring tour of North America.

The tour kicks off on April 14th in Orlando, FL at the 101One/WJRR Earth Day Festival and will wrap on May 31st in Washington, DC.

They will be touring in support of their forthcoming album, The Crux, which will be in stores on May 1st on Carved Records. more on this story



Nighthawks Frontman Mark Wenner Has Heart Bypass Surgery
(MPM) The Nighthawks frontman Mark Wenner, has undergone successful heart bypass surgery and is expected to make a complete recovery.

Because of the operation, Mark will stay off the road for approximately six weeks while he recovers, and the band has postponed the affected dates. The Nighthawks are expected to resume touring the end of May or early June.

Mark Wenner's condition was diagnosed on Monday, April 9 when he went in for an angiogram/angioplasty and doctors discovered he needed the bypass operation, which was done the following day. Because they caught it early, the doctors feel very confident that his prognosis for a full recovery is excellent. more on this story



Peter Frampton Plans Summer Tour
Peter Frampton will hit the road this summer for his 6 Days in August: Grin & Bear It Tour.

The trek follows his two year world tour which celebrated the 35th Anniversary of his landmark album Frampton Comes Alive!.

This short summer tour will kick off on August 3rd in Ostego, MN and will conclude on August 11th in Asheville, NC. more on this story



Foreigner's Alive & Rockin CD Coming Next Month
Eagle Rock have set a May 29th release date for Foreigner's Alive & Rockin', recorded at one of Europe's most popular Hard Rock fests, the 2006 Bang Your Head Festival in Balingen, Germany.

This 9-track concert, previously released on DVD only will be available for the first time on CD.

"My initial musical vision for Foreigner was to combine blues and R'n'B with British Rock and make it sound soulful and authentic," says guitarist Mick Jones. "I'd grown up in England and had the English influence but I was also inspired by many elements of American music from Mississippi blues to country. Foreigner was the vehicle to get that musical blend across." more on this story



Rolling Stones Watts To Rock With Les Paul Trio
(Gibson) Rolling Stones fans disappointed by the band's decision not to tour this year will get at least some "satisfaction" from one current and one former band member.

Stones drummer Charlie Watts has announced he will perform a series of dates at the Iridium in New York City beginning June 29. In addition, on July 2, Watts will sit in with the Les Paul Trio as part of the weekly tribute the trio performs to their late bandleader. In total, Watts will perform eight sets with his jazz band over the course of four nights.

As previously announced, former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor is set to appear at the esteemed jazz venue as well, staging a six-night run from May 9 through May 14. more on this story





God Forbid Star Launches Realjerseyguys Podcast
God Forbid drummer Corey Pierce has launched a new weekly podcast series called "Realjerseyguys" with fellow N.J. music scene troopers, Will Oblack and Sa Pace.

"Realjerseyguys" explores various manly subjects from a hilarious and unique Jersey perspective. New episodes will be posted each Wednesday.

"Our podcast is all about discussing a range of topics from a 'Realjerseyguys' point of view," said Pierce. "Our hope is to turn an eye to the everyday guy's view of life and enjoy a few laughs." Check it out



The Darkness Announce Lady Gaga Dates
The Darkness have announced dates for their trek on Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way Ball' Tour' for Summer 2012.

Invited by Gaga herself, The Darkness will provide main support for the dates across Europe. Before joining Lady Gaga, The Darkness return to Australia for the first time in six years (their Melbourne show sold out within an hour this past Friday). Next, they'll head to the U.S. in May for select dates as well as three festival appearances: Saturday, May 19 at InfieldFest (Baltimore, MD), Sunday, May 20 at Rock On The Range (Columbus, OH) and Saturday, May 26 at Rocklahoma. They'll perform festivals across the U.K. and Europe as well as a hometown outdoor headlining gig at Thetford Fest in Suffolk before teaming up with Lady Gaga.

"I've been living with my Lady Gaga secret for many moons and it's such a relief to be able to tell folk at last. I was beginning to go insane," says lead vocalist JUSTIN HAWKINS. "She is the best pop star of the 21st century bar none and we're honoured to have been selected. 2012 has been the most brilliant of years so far, and it's about to get even more magnificent!" more on this story



Timothy B. Schmit Spring Tour
Eagles and Poco legend Timothy B. Schmit is hitting the road this spring for a North American solo tour.

For the three-week trek, Timothy and his full band will perform songs from his fifth solo album Expando (2009, Lost Highway/Universal) as well as classics by The Eagles and Poco.

Timothy B. Schmit explains the impetus for the spring run of dates: "What I like best about doing solo shows is it gives me a chance to interact with the audience in a smaller, more intimate setting. But, don't get me wrong. I very much enjoy being a part of the Eagles and all it implies. For instance, as of this writing, I find myself in a hotel in the exotic city of Dubai where we (The Eagles) will end a short tour that started in South Africa. After a few more scattered shows in the U.S., I look forward to taking my own band out on the road and having a completely different experience. I'm a fortune man. I get the best of both worlds." more on this story



Baroness Releasing New Album This Summer
Relapse Records has set a July 17th release date for Baroness' new studio album, Yellow & Green.

Yellow & Green reunites Baroness with Blue Record producer John Congleton (Explosions in the Sky, St. Vincent, Xiu Xiu) following both the band's busiest period (multiple worldwide tours including stops at Coachella, Bonnaroo and Soundwave) and most luxurious year, having taken nearly all of 2011 off to freely write and demo for the 2CD/LP album.

"We had been on tour for eight years, and we decided to take a break from our adventure to dig our heels in at home and write a new record," explains John Baizley, front man for the band and the artist responsible for Baroness' now iconic album art (an article profiling Baizley as a graphic artist is in the April edition of Juxtapoz). more on this story



Walter Trout New Album and Tour Coming This Week
(SKH) Walter Trout returns to the road in the U.S. on April 25th in Solana Beach, CA, the day after Mascot Label Group release Trout's 21st album Blues For The Modern Daze.

The offering displays the contemporary guitar legend returning to his hard-core blues roots, with songwriting at a creative and personal zenith. Blues For The Modern Daze is Trout's sixth recording for Provogue Records, a division of the Mascot Label Group, and his first pure blues album in 23 years as a bandleader.

Trout's practical schooling in blues started when he arrived in Los Angeles in 1973 and got gigs behind Hooker, Big Mama Thornton, Finis Tasby, Pee Wee Crayton, Lowell Fulsom, Percy Mayfield and Joe Tex. In 1981 he joined the remaining original members of Canned Heat. But the real turning point was his tenure with British blues giant John Mayall. Trout became part of the Bluesbreakers' lineage of great guitarists along with Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor. Beginning in 1984 he shared six-string duties with Coco Montoya in Mayall's band, creating a flexible guitar dynamic that helped provide the Bluesbreakers a renaissance that returned the group to the apex of the international blues touring circuit. Trout began leading his own group in 1989 and cut his debut album Life In the Jungle, rapidly becoming a star in Europe. His first Stateside release, 1998's critically heralded Walter Trout, made him start down the road towards becoming the fixture of the American blues-rock scene that he is today. more on this story



Preteen Zenith (Polyphonic Spree and Secret Machines) Set Special Release
(Paradigm) Preteen Zenith, the new band featuring Tim DeLaughter (The Polyphonic Spree) and Philip E Karnats (Secret Machines), will release an early, limited-edition vinyl version of its debut album, "Rubble Guts & BB Eye," for Record Store Day 2012 on April 21.

The run of 2,000 copies of the album will be pressed on 180-gram, hand-thrown, colored swirl vinyl, each copy unique in its coloring and design, with one of five different silk-screened cover art prints signed and numbered by artist Nevada Hill. Each vinyl LP will also include a CD-R of the full album.

A trailer video for the Record Store Day release here shows the making of the vinyl records, from cutting the master to coloring the vinyl to hand-stamping the tracklist on each sleeve. The trailer video also includes the full-length debut of a new track from the album, "Relief." more on this story



Sites & Sounds: Music Travel News April 2012
antiMusic travel editor Kevin Wierzbicki gives us the lowdown on rock'n travel events this month including the Wild Hog Music Fest, Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Barbados Reggae Festival and Bear on the Square.

12th Annual Wild Hog Musicfest and Motorcycle Rally
You don't have to be a motorcycle enthusiast to enjoy the Wild Hog Festival; the event taking place in Helena, Arkansas (about an hour south of Memphis, Tennessee) April 26-29 has fun in store for everyone. Bikers have their poker run on Saturday, April 28 but the festival will also feature a motorcycle parade through Helena, the Ms. Wild Hog contest, vendors selling food, drink and all kinds of souvenirs, a bike show and a "dyno shootout." Musical performers scheduled to appear include Edgar Winter, Down 2 Five, R.T. Scott, the Eskimo Brothers, PULSE: The Pink Floyd Experience and Eagles tribute band 7 Bridges. www.wildhogmusic.org

Seabreeze Jazz Festival
Panama City Beach, Florida is home to the ResortQuest Seabreeze Jazz Festival and the 14th annual edition of the event will be taking place April 19-22. The sound of smooth contemporary jazz will fill the air at the city's Aaron Bessant Park, right across the street from the Gulf of Mexico and PCB's famous sugar-white sand beaches. Among the scheduled performers are: Fourplay, Dave Koz, Trombone Shorty, Mindi Abair with Jeff Golub and David Pack, Alexander Zonjic and Jeff Lorber, Brian Culbertson and comedian Alonzo Bodden. Reggae J's Island Grill will host an after-party jam on Friday and Saturday nights. www.seabreezejazzfestival.com www.visitpanamacitybeach.com

Barbados Reggae Festival
The 2012 Digicel Barbados Reggae Festival takes place at various locations around the island on April 22-29. Mr. Vegas and Baby Cham kick off the festivities at the Reggae Beach Party at Brandon's Beach on April 22 but the fun moves to the 3W's Theater for a two-night stand April 27-28 when performers will include Freddie McGregor, Glen Washington, Admiral Tibet, Buggy Nakhente, Kirk Browne, Crimeson, Fari, Lil Rick and many others. The festival wraps on April 29 with Reggae on the Hill at Farley Hill National Park featuring music from Third World, Jah Cure, Capleton, Konshens and others. American, US Airways and Jet Blue are among the carriers flying into Grantley Adams airport in Bridgetown, Barbados. www.thebarbadosreggaefestival.com www.visitbarbados.org

Bear on the Square Mountain Festival
Down home fun and good music is the order of the day at the Bear on the Square Mountain Festival taking place in Dahlonega, Georgia (about an hour north of Atlanta) April 20-22. Among the scheduled performers on April 21 are BlueBilly Grit, the Buzzard Mountain Boys, Barefoot Creek, John Lilly, Gold Rush with Neel Pender, John Grim and Beverly Smith, the Georgia Crackers and Whitepath. Georgia Pick and Bow Recital, the Rosin Sisters with Whit Connah and George Norman, Curtis Jones with Insonnia, Curley Maple and Packway Handle Band take to the stage on April 22. All main stage shows are free and there'll also be arts and crafts for sale, children's activities, open jam sessions, eclectic shopping and much more. www.bearonthesquare.org www.dahlonega.org



Hugh Cornwell To Play Classic Stranglers Album On Tour
(Noble) Hugh Cornwell plans to hit the road in October for a special a nationwide UK tour.

The concerts will be divided into two sets. The first will feature his new studio album 'Totem And Taboo'.

The second set will see Hugh playing The Stranglers' seminal 1977 second album 'No More Heroes' in its entirety with keyboards added to the lineup. more on this story



Before Their Eyes' New Album A Hit
(WMG) Before Their Eyes had an impressive debut week with Redemption, their first album since 2010's Untouchable (Rise Records).

The new LP which was released March 27, landed at #29 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart, as well as at #10 on the Alternative New Artists chart, #38 on Hard Rock and #82 on in the Independent Record Label Album chart.

The debut numbers are all the more impressive considering the act has not done a full US tour since 2009 and toured only a total of 7 weeks in 2010. more on this story



Untimely Demise Denied Entry Into The US
Earsplit sent over word that Canadian thrash trio Untimely Demise were denied access to the United States earlier this week, only several dates into their three-week tour of the western half of North America.

Having successfully blazed their way through the first five performances in Canada on their way south, Untimely Demise proceeded to the border checkpoint into Washington, and due to a logistical paperwork error involving one member, after multiple attempts, the band were not allowed entry into the country.

Frustrated, they turned around and headed home, posting a statement on their Facebook last night explaining the situation in detail and apologizing to their American fans and friends they'd planned on raging with over the next few weeks. more on this story



B Sides


Between The Buried And Me Webcast Tonight
Tonight The Rave Live will be rebroadcasting the Between The Buried And Me concert from April 25, 2011 to celebrate the one year anniversary of the band's CD "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues."

The concert was recorded at The Rave in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The webcast is scheduled for tonight, Thursday, April 12th at 9pm ET / 8pm CT / 6pm PT and will be available for free to all fans at www.TheRaveLive.com.

On Tuesday, April 17th, The Rave Live will be broadcasting a live concert from Kittie with Blackguard, Bonded By Blood, and Candy Machine Guns. The webcast starts at 8pm ET / 8pm CT / 6pm PT and will be available for free here.



Slash Rocks New and Old Songs on Kimmel
(hennemusic) The promotion trail continues for Slash as he spreads the word about his forthcoming album, "Apocalyptic Love."

Slash and his band, now known as Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators, dropped by Jimmy Kimmel's show Tuesday night to perform a couple of tunes.

The guys played the sophomore album's lead single, "You're A Lie," as well as "Back From Cali" off of Slash's 2010 self-titled effort. Check out videos of the performances



7 Horns 7 Eyes Preview New Album
(Century Media) 7 Horns 7 Eyes will be releasing their first full-length album, Throes Of Absolution, in North America on April 24th.

To give fans a preview of this upcoming release, the band has now posted an album teaser trailer that features clips of all the tracks on Throes Of Absolution. Listen here.

7 Horns 7 Eyes also recently released an instrumental version of the track "Divine Amnesty", which can be downloaded for free on SoundCloud.

More on 7 Horns 7 Eyes - 7 Horns 7 Eyes Music - 7 Horns 7 Eyes Tour Dates/Tickets - 7 Horns 7 Eyes CDs, vinyl and rarities
End Of September Premiere Isolate Video
End Of September have released their new music video for their new single "Isolated" online.

The song is the opening track from the self titled debut album from End of September. Check out the video here.

The album will be released on May 11th in Europe and on May 22nd in North America, through Ulterium Records. more on this story



AC/DC's Angus Young and the SG
(Gibson) There are few players – OK, maybe only Tony Iommi – who have done as much for the popularity of the Gibson SG as Angus Young. Sure, there have been other greats like Duane Allman, Gary Rossington and Robby Krieger who have taken the SG and made it their own, but if you show an SG to a non-guitarist, often their eyes will light up and they'll say, "Oh! The Angus guitar!" The sleek contours, devilish pointy horns and no-nonsense electronics make the SG the perfect guitar for Angus's blues-gilded rock and roll swagger.

Young adopted the SG early, preferring thin necks like on his original model (which was eventually retired from the road). "It had a really thin neck almost like a custom neck," Young told Guitar World in 1984. "I liked the SGs because they were light. I tried Fenders but they were too heavy and they just didn't have the balls. And I didn't want to put on them DiMarzios because then everyone sounds the same. It's like you're listening to the guy down the street. And I liked the hard sound of the Gibson."

Young replaced the pickups of this guitar with another set of Gibson humbuckers in 1971, and continued playing it until 1978, when it became too road-worn to go on. He replaced it with another SG, a Gibson second that had made its way to a pawnshop in New York, and with a similarly slim neck profile to his original axe.

The SG makes perfect sense, given Young's playing style. It's much lighter than a Les Paul, which suits his smaller frame; likewise the thinner neck enhances playability. The tone is more midrange-heavy than a maple-topped Les Paul, and the body bevelling makes it a particularly fun guitar to jump around with onstage. Also, the SG cooperates particularly well with overdriven tube amp power sections, whether cranking out chunky power chord riffs or kicking out screaming solos. more on this story





The Day Ringo and Keith Moon Helped Launch a Star
(Gibson) One of the most down-to-earth, accurate and realistic rock and roll movies of all time premiered on this day in 1973.

Britain's answer, in some ways, to American Graffiti, That'll Be the Day looked back fondly, but realistically at Britain's late '50s, early '60s pre-Beatle youth culture. Future pop star David Essex, in his breakthrough role (he'd been playing Jesus in Godspell on the stage), played Jim MacLaine, a frustrated teen determined to break out of the shackles of small-town life in dull, boring, bland, post-war Britain.

Essex's own life was probably a lot harsher than that of his essentially middle-class character who opts out of a cozy path to university for life on the edge instead. In fact, Essex grew up in a particularly impoverished and tough part of London, and was pals with soccer pro Frank Lampard Sr., father of current Chelsea and England soccer star Frank Lampard.

JOURNEY 2012 TOUR LAUNCHING JULY 21 IN SAN BERNARDINO, CA:

JOURNEY 2012 TOUR LAUNCHING JULY 21 IN SAN BERNARDINO, CA:
Journey is returning to the road on July 21 for their 2012 tour kick-off in San Bernardino, California at the San Manuel Amphitheatre with concert dates through December. Special guests Pat Benatar featuring Neil Giraldo and Loverboy will appear on most tour dates. Scheduled 2012 tour information is listed below.
Tickets for some concerts are already on sale with additional onsales starting Friday, April 13, at all the usual online, phone and physical retail outlets, including select Walmart Ticketmaster locations across the country. Check www.journeymusic.com for complete ticket on-sale information.

Since its formation in 1973 in San Francisco, Journey has earned 19 Top 40 singles and 25 gold and platinum albums. The band's Greatest Hits album is certified 15 times platinum, bringing Journey into the elite club of Diamond-certified album holders. Journey was awarded the prestigious “Legend Of Live Award” at the 2011 Billboard Touring Awards in honor of the band's significant and lasting contributions to live music and the touring business, and in acknowledgement of their commitment to the fans and the art of performing live. The 2011 Eclipse World Tour was of the band's most successful tours ever, drawing nearly a million fans and ranked in the Top 15 Tours of the year. 2011 also marked the 30th anniversary of the band's seminal anthem, Don't Stop Believin', which was honored as the top-selling digital classic rock song in history by Nielsen SoundScan. The group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005. For more information, visit www.journeymusic.com.

Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo changed the face of music forever when their debut album, 'In the Heat of the Night,' exploded in 1979. Pat emerged fearless, fighting and forging a path for future female rock stars around the world. With Neil's innovative vision creating the signature “Benatar” sound, hits like Heartbreaker, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Love Is A Battlefield and We Belong led to platinum album after platinum album. Benatar won an unprecedented four consecutive GRAMMY® Awards, as well as three American Music Awards, establishing her as one of America's leading female rock vocalists. With over 30 million albums and 19 Top 40 singles to their name, Benatar/Giraldo remain a rock 'n roll powerhouse today, selling out concerts and wowing audiences, after more than three decades of making music together.

With trademark red leather pants and bandanas to match their huge rock sound and high-energy live shows, Loverboy has sold more than 10 million albums and earned multi-platinum plaques for albums such as their self-titled debut LP, Get Lucky, Keep It Up and Lovin' Every Minute of It. The string of hits include the band's smash anthem Working For The Weekend, as well as Hot Girls In Love, Turn Me Loose, and Lovin' Every Minute Of It. Loverboy's continued pop culture relevance is alive and well in 2012, with recent references to the band in episodes of NBC's hit show '30 Rock' and Comedy Network's popular 'Regular Show.'

Members of Journey will be attending the premiere of Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey, a new documentary that tells the real life rock-n-roll fairy tale story of Arnel Pineda, who was discovered on YouTube to become the band's new lead singer. Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey, a film by director and producer Ramona S. Diaz, is a rare behind-the-scenes look at Pineda's early life's struggles and the challenges involved in becoming front man for one of America's most beloved rock groups. The documentary premieres April 19 at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City and also will be shown at the San Francisco International Film Festival 2012 on May 3.

VIP Packages for the 2012 tour will be available through VIP Nation, including premium seats, exclusive merchandise and more. For more information please visit www.VIPNation.com.
Journey is also teaming up with Tickets-for-Charity.com® to offer fans some of the best seats in the house for this tour to benefit outstanding charities helping to make wishes come true for children with life-threatening illnesses. These exclusive seats will be available only at www.ticketsforcharity.com.

Scheduled 2012 Tour Dates (more to be announced):
Sat 21-Jul San Bernardino, CA San Manuel Amphitheater
Sun 22-Jul Stateline, CA Harvey's Outdoor Arena
Tue 24-Jul Paso Robles, CA Main Grandstand, California Mid-State Fair
Thu 26-Jul Cheyenne, WY Cheyenne Frontier Nights
Sat 28-Jul George, WA Gorge Amphiteatre
Sun 29-Jul Spokane, WA Northern Quest Casino Amphitheater
Fri 3-Aug Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
Mon 6-Aug Sturgis, SD Buffalo Chip Campground Amphitheatre*
Wed 15-Aug Canandaigua, NY Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center
Fri 17-Aug Louisville, KY Freedom Hall
Sat 18-Aug Des Moines, IA Grandstand, Iowa State Fair
Fri 24-Aug Woodlands, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Sat 25-Aug Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion
Tue 18-Sep Youngstown, OH Covelli Centre
Fri 21-Sep Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
Sat 22-Sep Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
*This concert features Journey & Loverboy.
**This concert features Journey.



LOVERBOY WILL BE "LOVIN' EVERY MINUTE" OF JOURNEY TOUR:
Veteran Multi-Platinum Canadian Rockers Embark on Arena Tour with Journey and Pat Benatar featuring Neil Giraldo, Starting July 21 in San Bernardino's San Manuel Amphitheatre.

April 9, 2012—They'll not only be working for the weekend, but almost every night in between, as legendary Canadian rockers Loverboy return to the road and keep it up with Journey and Pat Benatar featuring Neil Giraldo for an arena tour that gets underway July 21 at the San Manuel Amphitheatre in San Bernardino, CA, running all the way through December. Scheduled 2012 tour information is listed below.
Tickets for some concerts are already on sale with additional on-sales starting this Friday (4/13), at all the usual online, phone and physical retail outlets, including select WalMart Ticketmaster locations across the country.
Founding Loverboy member Paul Dean commented: "It's great coming full circle 30 years later. We first toured with Journey in 1982 on the success of our Get Lucky album. It was an amazing package then and it's an amazing package today."

The band recently reunited with Bob Rock, who engineered their very first album back in 1980 which was produced by Bruce Fairbairn, for a new song, “Heartbreaker.” In addition, lead singer Mike Reno penned “Flying High,” the anthem for the Vancouver Canucks' Stanley Cup playoff run last spring. Last June, Loverboy performed “Working for the Weekend” live on Fox News Channel's top-rated Fox and Friends. A performance of the new single, “Heartbreaker,” was made available as an exclusive on www.foxandfriends.com as part of the program's “All American Summer Concert Series.”
Loverboy still includes original members Mike Reno on vocals, Paul Dean on guitar, Doug Johnson on keyboards and Matt Frenette on drums, with Ken “Spider” Sinnaeve (a former member of Dean and Frenette's pre-Loverboy band Streetheart), who replaced the late Scott Smith on bass.
For more information, go to www.loverboyband.com.