Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Paul McCartney Jams New Song With Nirvana Members
Paul McCartney was joined by the surviving members of Nirvana at New York City's Madison Square Garden Wednesday night during the 12-12-12 concert.
The former Beatle and Nirvana's drummer Dave Grohl, guitarist Pat Smear and bassist Krist Novoselic performed a new song called "Cut Me Some Slack."

The song is set to be the first song from Dave Grohl's "Sound City" documentary according to a tweet on the Foo Fighters Twitter account.

You can watch video of the McCartney/Nirvana jam here.



Metal Star Arrested in Drug Sting
Former Nile and Divine Heresy bassist Joseph Payne was reportedly arrested in a drug distribution sting in North Carolina.

Charlotte, NC television station WSOCTV ran a report about the arrest of Joseph Payne and a 23-year-old man who were charged with felony possession with the intent to sell and deliver marijuana, felony possession of marijuana and maintaining a vehicle.

The sheriff's office said that the two men were arrested following an investigation into "marijuana being transported from the Charlotte area and distributed in Iredell County." They also said that they seized over 6 pounds of marijuana, three handguns and more than $5,000. more on this story




Zakk Wylde Teams With Sevendust, Candlebox Members For Sandy Relief
Infinite Staircase announced that they are teaming up with Black Label Society's Zakk Wylde and JD Deservio, Sevendust's Morgan Rose, Candlebox's Kevin Martin on a new song that will benefit Hurricane Sandy relief.

The band, who are currently recording with Sevendust's Morgan Rose producing, posted the announcement on their Facebook about the song release which they plan to release on January 8th at iTunes.

The recording studio Architekt Music and recording engineer Mike Ferretti are offering their services for the charity project. The announcement did not disclose which charity relief effort(s) that the proceed might be given to. Read the announcement and see a photo here.




Dave Grohl Won't Be Touring With Queens of the Stone Age
(Gibson) Although he is playing drums on the upcoming new release from Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl has revealed that he won't go on tour with the band.

He has however said that another tour with his side project Them Crooked Vultures is a possibility. Them Crooked Vultures consist of Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age singer and guitarist Josh Homme, and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.

Speaking to New York's 101.1 WCBS-FM Grohl said: "It was one of the highlights of my life when John Paul Jones said, 'Now I've been in two great bands.' That was a huge deal for me... We've talked about it, I know that someday we'll get back together and do stuff, because we love playing with each other." more on this story






Fleetwood Mac Reveal Rumours Reissue Details
Fleetwood Mac have revealed the details for their deluxe reissue plans for their 40 million selling album, Rumours.

35th anniversary reissue of Rumours will be released January 28/29 by Rhino as an expanded edition and the deluxe edition.

The expanded edition's three CDs includes the original album and the b-side "Silver Springs," a dozen unreleased live recordings from the group's '77 world tour, and an entire disc filled with unreleased takes from the album's recording sessions. more on this story




Alter Bridge Plan New Album and World Tour
Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti announced that the band is making plans for their 2013 activities.

The guitarist, who has focused this year on promoting he debut solo album, posted a Twitter message to fans on Tuesday that said, "Had a meeting today with Myles, Flip, our managers and myself. Starting to plan 2013!"

The band's official website posted an update on Wednesday that confirmed the band are planning a new album and world tour in 2013. Read the update here.




Deep Purple Set New Album Release But Title Still In Question
(hennemusic) Deep Purple will release their 19th studio album on April 26, 2013 but the title is still unknown, even to the group.

After various songwriting sessions in Europe, the band recorded and mixed the project in Nashville with producer Bob Ezrin.

The group's first album since 2005's "Rapture Of The Deep" is rumored to be the perfect match from the original spirit of 70s Purple and a fresh and modern production. "The title of our new album is still a question mark to all of us," says singer Ian Gillan. "We have recorded a new album, and it's a fantastic collection of songs. At the moment that's the only affirmative point we can offer..." more on this story




Aerosmith's Tom Hamilton Plans Autobiography
(hennemusic) Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton has revealed plans to begin work on his autobiography.

"I always thought, 'OK, if you have two or three band members already having their book out, who wants to read another one?'", Tom tells Zoiks! Online.

Two Aerosmith bios are currently on book shelves, including drummer Joey Kramer's "Hit Hard: A Story Of Hitting Rock Bottom At The Top" and Steven Tyler's 2011 memoir, "Does The Noise In My Head Bother You?". more on this story




Marilyn Manson Launching Winter Tour
Marilyn Manson will be returning to the road in mid-January for a North American headline tour.

The tour will begin on January 18th in Milwaukee and conclude on February 21st in Los Angeles.

Marilyn Manson has also been nominated for his fourth Grammy Award, this time in the category for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for his album Born Villain's lead single "No Reflection." more on this story




Ben Orum Leaves All Shall Perish
All Shall Perish guitarist and co-founder Ben Orum has left the band so that he can focus his energies on his family and his new project Oblivion.

He explained the decision to fans with the following: "I have given over 10 years of my blood, sweat, and tears to pursuing my dream which you all have helped fulfill. Being in All Shall Perish has been the best experience in my life, outside of being a father. While I am deeply saddened by my decision to leave the band it is necessary at this point in my life. As you know I have a family and obligation to provide for them and be here. Unfortunately, I could not fulfill my duty as a touring musician any longer.

"While I am done with touring, I will never stop writing music. I am joining the extreme metal band Oblivion as a bassist and contributing songwriter. Oblivion's debut album will be released on January 1st, 2013. We are beyond excited to unleash it onto the metal world. I've always been into death metal and extreme music, this is my return to TRUE Death Metal. What makes Oblivion unique and sets us apart from the pack is the fact that our primary songwriter is a world-renown classical composer and professor of music, Dr. Nick Vasallo. His voice gives the music a subtle refinement with the craftsmanship of the compositions. more on this story




Robert Plant Wants To 'Chill For A While'
Between reuniting with Led Zeppelin, collaborating with bluegrass singer Alison Krauss and doing a covers album (2010′s Band Of Joy), it's been a busy few years for Robert Plant. And despite the news that he has written one new album with his backing band The Sensational Shape Shifters and another with singer/songwriter Buddy Miller, Plant says he's going to take it easy for a while.

"I think I might just chill for a while, to be honest," he tells CBS Local. "I'm enjoying life and spending more time in America now. I really enjoy it. I'm becoming way more aware and opinionated and stimulated by these new adventures. Everybody says I'm workaholic, and I just keep going and going. And I will do that (again). But I want to explore more. When I think about how I was writing when I was a kid, when I was 20 or whatever, it was all about travel and journey and stimulus. I'm getting on a bit now, but I have to look at more stuff to be able to write cohesively."

One reason that he's spending more time in America is his relationship with singer/songwriter Patty Griffin, who was part of his backing group on his Band Of Joy tour. more on this story




Matt DeVries Joining Unearth For Upcoming Tour
Unearth have recruited Matt DeVries (Fear Factory, ex-Chimaira) to fill in for bassist John "Slo" Maggard on their upcoming tour with Whitechapel and Emmure.

The tour is set to being on January 8th in Knoxville, TN and conclude on February 11th in New York, NY.

Frontman Trevor Phipps had the following to say about the lineup change for the tour: "John 'Slo' Maggard will unfortunately be sitting out the Brothers of Brutality Tour (Whitechapel, Emmure, Obey the Brave, The Plot In You) this coming January/February. His absence is simply to take care of personal matters at home and is only temporary. Slo will remain a member of Unearth moving forward and is actively involved in the writing process for our next album, which we plan to record and release some time in 2013. more on this story




The Airborne Toxic Event Plan Spring Tour
The Airborne Toxic Event has mapped out some North American tour plans that will take place next spring.

The spring trek will kick off on March 30th in San Diego, Ca and wrap up on April 11th in San Francisco, CA.

The band also plans a New Year's Eve show at the Metro in Chicago, IL, and will at New York City's Webster Hall on January 15th and 16th. more on this story




Thin Lizzy Plan Headline Shows in Australia During KISS Tour
(hennemusic) Thin Lizzy is scheduled to tour Australia with KISS and Motley Crue in late February and March, and now the Irish rockers have filled out their plans with some dates of their own.

In September, the band announced that they will start recording a new album, to be released under a new name , and that they will cease touring under the Thin Lizzy brand after going out on one last tour this fall.

The KISS/Motley Crue tour was announced following the band's UK plans being made public. more on this story



Fit For A King and The Overseer Launching Coheadlining Tour
Fit For A King and The Overseer are teaming up to launch a North American coheadlining tour.

The tour will kick off on January 18th in Temecula, Ca and will conclude on February 2nd in Fort Worth, TX.

The Overseer is touring in support of their 2012 debut, "We Search, We Dig" and Fit For A King will be releasing their Solid State Records debut next year. more on this story




Classic Queen Concert Released in Various Formats
Hungarian Rhapsody: Queen Live In Budapest has been released as a DVD, Blu-Ray, 2CD+DVD Deluxe Edition and a 2CD+Blu-ray Deluxe Edition.

Originally filmed in 1986, this concert movie has been re-mastered in high definition and superb 5.1 surround sound. Also included on the DVD and Blu-ray is a new 25 minute documentary feature entitled "A Magic Year". This follows Queen from just after their historic show–stealing performance at Live Aid, London, on July 13, 1985, through the year leading up to the epic concert in Budapest. Using archive footage from rehearsals, interviews with the band in the studio and on the road during the Magic Tour - some of which has never been seen before - this fascinating feature has been specially created for this new release.

As part of the hugely successful 1986 Magic Tour that, poignantly, was the last to be played by the band with Freddie Mercury, Queen were for the first time able to include Hungary on the tour schedule. With three years to go before the fall of the Berlin Wall, this was the largest concert ever staged at the Népstadion, Budapest, and the first Western Rock Concert staged in a stadium behind the then Iron Curtain. It was of such significance to the Hungarian authorities and film industry that a group of the country's top film cameramen and technicians were brought together to film it for posterity. more on this story




Xul Offering Free Album Download
Xul are offering fans a free download of their debut album, 'Malignance,' as they work on a new EP.

Levi Meyers, the vocalist for the Canadian death metal band, had this to say: ""We are excited to offer our debut album, 'Malignance' for free (or by pay what you want donation) to our fans as a token of our appreciation for the endless support they offer us.

"We are currently writing an EP, which will be due out sometime in 2013." You can download the album here.




Frightened Rabbit Announce New Album and Tour
Frightened Rabbit have set a February 5th North American release date for their new album "Pedestrian Verse."

The band will be supporting the album release by launching a headlining North American Spring tour.

The trek will kick off on March 8th at Seattle's Showbox at the Market and continue through April. more on this story




Say Anything Sideband XO Plan New Release
XO featuring Say Anything guitarists Jake and Jeff Turner are keeping things in the family with the project by signing to Anything frontman Max Bemis' imprint label Rory Records.

XO first release on Rory Records/Equal Vision Records will be a 7" single, expected to be out in early 2013.

Bemis had this to say, "Though it seems obvious for us to finally be working with Jake and Jeff because they play in Say Anything, the amazing thing is how unique XO is in that context. The band has made a huge creative leap recently - despite already being really awesome - and it's something we're really proud to display in our roster with our other Rory Records artists. They are making a hell of a record." more on this story




Terra Stigma Recruit Disturbed Member To Produce New Album
Terra Stigma will be headlining into a Philadelphia recording studio in January with producer John Moyer (Disturbed, Adrenaline Mob).

"We are thrilled to have a chance to work with such an accomplished music industry veteran on this record" said Terra Stigma's Shawn Stuart.

"We look forward to finally getting our new songs out there as they are our most meaningful, powerful songs to date, we look forward to sharing them to the world." more on this story




Nocturnal Graves Change Lineup and Begin Work On New Album
Nocturnal Graves have announced a lineup change and have begun work on their second album and will begin recording in two weeks at I-HQ Recordings in Australia.

The band promises "around 35 minutes of explosive, violent death/thrash metal which Nocturnal Graves are known for." The album will be the first released under their new deal with Hells Headbangers.

Nocturnal Graves have also recently had a change of line-up, and have enlisted Shrapnel (ex-Destroyer 666) on lead guitars And L. Wilson (Denouncement Pyre) on drums. more on this story




Earl Greyhound Releasing New EP Next Week
Earl Greyhound will be releasing their new EP, "Besides Seasides," on December 18th.

The EP marks the band's first release of new material in over 2 years, but is actually the very first recording the band ever made, back in 2003, when Christopher Bear (Grizzly Bear) was the band's drummer, and has up until now remained unreleased.

The four songs feature the band at its most raw, and contain the seeds they'd sow to later become one of the most lauded hard rock bands to emerge from Brooklyn since Anthrax released "Persistence of Time". The album cover artwork is a painting by Railroad Jerk founder and New Yorker magazine artist, Marcellus Hall, a close friend of the band's. more on this story




King Conquer Launching Eat Your Heart Out Tour
King Conquer will be kicking off 2013 by headlining the first annual 'Eat Your Heart Out Tour'.

King Conquer will be supported on the trek by The Last Ten Seconds Of Life, Adaliah, and Sworn In.

The tour is set to kick off on February 1st in Spartanburg, SC and will conclude on February 26th in 26 Tampa, FL. more on this story




Mysticum's In the Streams of Inferno Being Reissued
Peaceville Records have set a February 26th release date for the reissue of Mysticum's debut album, In the Streams of Inferno.

The reissued version of In the Streams of Inferno will feature an extensive remastering, courtesy of Tom Kvålsvoll at Strype Studios in Oslo, Norway, two bonus songs and bonus DVD.

The packaging also contains new artwork made in close association with the band to fully reflect the intended vision, plus liner notes and additional lyrics. The release will be available in both CD and vinyl format. more on this story





Video From Rolling Stones New York Concert Posted Online
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones rocked New York on Saturday with the first North American concert (and third to date) of the band's "50 & Counting" tour, which kicked off recently with two shows in London.

The two-hour set at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn featured hits taken from every decade of their career plus two new songs from the "GRRR!" greatest hits package – "One More Shot" and "Doom And Gloom."

Reprising her role from opening night in London, Mary J. Blige joined the band on stage for "Gimme Shelter", while Gary Clark Jr. jammed on "Going Down." Watch video from the show here.




Lacuna Coil Release End of Time Video
Lacuna Coil has released a new music video for their song "End Of Time," which comes from their latest album Dark Adrenaline.

The video was produced by K48 and directed by the Italian director Saku, who had worked with the band for previous videos such as "Spellbound" and "I Won't Tell You". He also directed the mini-movies that were featured on the bonus-DVD included on the limited editions of Dark Adrenaline. Watch it here

Lacuna Coil recently announced that they will be touring the US in February 2013 with Sevendust. more on this story




Imagine Dragons Recruit Lou Diamond Phillips For Bizarre New Video
Imagine Dragons have released their latest video and although "It's Time" was nominated by MTV in 2011 for Best Rock Video, today's offering could be their best yet.

With the help of a young woman and her little pink stuffed animal, the boys in Imagine Dragons are freed from captivity as they wait to be thrown into a cock fight-style ring. Except there are no birds fighting in this ring.

An evil Lou Diamond Phillips presides over the ring where a menacing Muppet-like animal destroys his opponents paying betters in big cash. That's just the beginning.




Van Halen's David Lee Roth Travels Back To 1984
(hennemusic) Van Halen's David Lee Roth has released episode number 6 in his new series of videos under the banner "The Roth Show."

This time out, Roth shares some stories and video footage from his October, 1984 trip to New Guinea.

The adventure took place following Van Halen's hugely successful "1984" tour. Roth traveled to New Guinea with the Jungle Studs, a group of 14 adventurers consisting of lawyers, accountants, and doctors that the singer formed in 1980.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Rush and Heart Lead Rock Hall Inductees List
(hennemusic) Rush and Heart lead the list of 2013 inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and will be inducted on April 18th, 2013 at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles.
Joining the rock legends are Public Enemy, Donna Summer, Randy Newman and Albert King.

"It's a terrific honor and we'll show up smiling," Rush's singer and bassist, Geddy Lee, tells Rolling Stone. "It made my mom happy, so that's worth it." Lee is especially happy for Rush's army of hardcore fans. "It was a cause they championed," he says. "I'm very relieved for them and we share this honor with them, for sure." more on this story




Jimmy Page Plans Solo Tour
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page says in a new interview that he plans to launch a solo tour next year.

Guitar World interviewed Led Zeppelin about their 2007 reunion show that was the basis for their new Celebration Day release. In the cover story, Page revealed that he is planning a solo tour, according to Ultimate Classic Rock.

"This time last year I intended to be actually playing by now in a live outfit," Page tells Guitar World. "So that will have to be postponed now into sort of next year, tail end of next year. But I definitely want to be doing that."




New Blink-182 Streaming Online
With diehard Blink-182 fans counting the days until the Dec. 18 release of their new Dogs Eating Dogs EP, the band has delivered an early holiday present by unveiling the first song from the record, "Boxing Day."

Backing up earlier claims that the EP would feature a folksier side of the band, the Christmas-themed "Boxing Day" is a break-up song reminiscent of older tunes like "Adam's Song," delivering gentle, emotional melodies powered on acoustic guitars and an understated beat from the usually hyper-kinetic drummer Travis Barker.

"Dogs Eating Dogs will be nothing like Neighborhoods, but it's also not just a return to the band's early releases," the band's singer and guitarist Tom DeLonge explained to Billboard. " Read more and listen to the song here.




Ravi Shankar Dead at 92
Sitar legend Ravi Shankar, best known in the west for his influence on the Beatles, died on Tuesday in a San Diego area hospital. He was 92.

Pandit Ravi Shankar, whom George Harrison dubbed the 'godfather of world music,' was also the father of singer Norah Jones.

His family released this statement on his website: As you all know, his health has been fragile for the past several years and on Thursday he underwent a surgery that could have potentially given him a new lease of life. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the surgeons and doctors taking care of him, his body was not able to withstand the strain of the surgery. We were at his side when he passed away.

We know that you all feel our loss with us, and we thank you for all of your prayers and good wishes through this difficult time. Although it is a time for sorrow and sadness, it is also a time for all of us to give thanks and to be grateful that we were able to have him as a part of our lives. His spirit and his legacy will live on forever in our hearts and in his music.

The Daily Mail has an in-depth article about his career and legacy that you can read here.




Album That John Lennon Signed For His Killer Goes On Sale
This past weekend marked the 32nd anniversary of John Lennon's assassination on December 8, 1980. Disturbingly enough, the album Lennon signed for the man who would shoot him five hours later, Mark David Chapman, is up for sale.

As the story goes, Lennon signed a copy of his then-new album Double Fantasy for Chapman near his home at the Dakota on NYC's Upper West Side, as documented by this photo that circulated widely following the assassination.

The signed LP was later found in a flower planter outside Lennon's apartment building and used as evidence against Chapman, whose fingertips were all over the cover and sleeve more on this story




Volbeat and Danko Jones Tour
Volbeat have announced the dates for their upcoming North American spring tour.

The tour is set to kick off on March 6th in Dallas, TX and will conclude on April 11th in Philadelphia.

Danko Jones also announced that they will perform as direct support throughout the tour. more on this story




Stacey Blades Leaves L.A. Guns
Stacey Blades has announced that he has left L.A. Guns due to "extenuating circumstances and musical differences," according to Sleaze Roxx.

"This isn't an easy announcement but as of this month I will no longer be playing guitar for L.A. Guns," says Blades in a statement published by Sleaze Roxx. "I dearly wish Phil, Scotty and Steve much continued success. It's been a crazy ten year ride filled with some amazing tours, albums and memories to last a lifetime! Due to extenuating circumstances and musical differences I have decided not to continue with the band. L.A. Guns was a dream come true but life is full of new beginnings and journeys. I will be taking some time off and have some different things lined up that I will share with you in the near future. I would like to first and foremost thank the fans for allowing me into your hearts! You guys Rule!! Hope to see you all soon!"

Blades filled the guitarist void in the group when the band's namesake Tracii Guns left due to commitments with Brides Of Destruction (which also features Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue). more on this story




Rammstein Deliver Six-Track Digital Release
(Sub) Rammstein have released a new six-track digital single of the Mutter track "Mein Herz Brennt" on iTunes.

The release includes a digital booklet along with the previously unreleased track, "Gib Mir Deine Augen."

Two new videos for the single have also been filmed which fans can purchase on iTunes. A piano version of "Mein Herz Brennt" debuted online last week (watch it here) and will be available on iTunes soon. more on this story




Metric Forced To Unplug
When Metric's equipment failed to arrive from Miami for Friday's Night 1 of LIVE 105′s Not So Silent Night at Oakland's Oracle Arena, it didn't stop them from performing.

"For some reason that we will never understand the freight company just didn't put it on the plane," explained Metric's Emily Haines.

Joked guitarist Jimmy Shaw, "Our gear is still partying in South Beach." Not to disappoint fans, Metric and LIVE 105 staff scrambled to find acoustic instruments including a baby grand piano for the band to use. Haines and Shaw hit the stage a wowed concert goers with stripped down, intimate acoustic versions of some of Metric's signature tracks plus a cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." more on this story




Hollywood Undead Plan Underground Tour
Hollywood Undead will launching a tour of North American small clubs early next year.

'The Underground Tour' will launch on January 8th, the release date of their new album, Notes From The Underground.

The new studio album was produced by Griffin Boice, Sam & Sluggo, and Danny Lohner. more on this story




Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger Delivers Top 10 List On Letterman
(hennemusic) Mick Jagger made a special guest appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman Tuesday night.

The Rolling Stones frontman was on hand to deliver the nightly Top 10 list based on "10 Things I, Mick Jagger, Have Learned After 50 Years In Rock N' Roll."

Keith Richards was originally billed to join Jagger for the visit, but the singer arrived at the show on his own.

Mick walked onto the Ed Sullivan Theater stage to wild applause while Paul Shaffer and band played the Stones classic, "It's Only Rock 'N Roll (But I Like It)". Watch video here.




The Who Taking Vintage Trouble On Tour
Vintage Trouble will be joining The Who for the second leg of the rock legends' Quadrophenia and More North American tour.

The band says that response to the initial 5-week run was so strong that the trek has now doubled with this second leg to become a 10-week national tour.

Vintage Trouble is on the road in support of their self-released debut, The Bomb Shelter Sessions. more on this story




Rush Respond To Rock Hall Induction
(hennemusic) Rush were announced Tuesday as inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's Class of 2013.

Rush have been eligible for the Rock Hall since 1998; artists are considered for inclusion 25 years after the release of their first recording.

"We are honored to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame," said the band. "The 3 of us are especially appreciative of our loyal fans whose support and dedication has gone a long way to making this possible. P.S. And special thanks to our moms for voting 6000 times!" more on this story




Misery Index Releasing Limited Edition Live Album
Misery Index will be releasing a limited edition live album in February that is entitled "Live in Munich".

The album was recorded at Backstage in Munich, Germany on February 18th, 2012.

It will be released on February 15th in Europe and February 19th in North America as hand-numbered die-cut LP, strictly limited to 500 copies worldwide. more on this story




Godflesh's Hymns Expanded For Reissue
The End Records have set a February 19th release date for the deluxe reissue of Godflesh's 2001 album "Hymns."

The reissue will come as a Special Edition 2CD Deluxe Remaster with bonus tracks, liner notes, lyrics and never before seen photos and images.

In addition to the remastered studio album, the seven-track bonus disc features demos of several of the album tracks. more on this story




Acoustic Basement Tour With Thursday and I Am The Avalanche Members
The Acoustic Basement Tour will take place in February and feature Geoff Rickly (Thursday), Vinnie Caruana (The Movielife, I Am The Avalanche), A Loss For Words, Koji, and Brian Marquis (Therefore I Am).

The tour will kick off in New York, NY on February 1st, and will conclude in Boston, MA, on February 23rd.

Here is a little information on the formation of the tour: After the breakup of his band, Therefore I Am, Acoustic Basement producer and performer Brian Marquis approached Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman with the idea of an acoustic stage in the fall of 2011. He hoped to find a new home for artists wanting to showcase their music in a more stripped down setting. The stage was a hit, garnering crowds of up to 1000 people at each date of the Vans Warped Tour. more on this story




Ben Folds Five, Hoobastank On New Season of Guitar Center Sessions
The new season of Guitar Center Sessions features Ben Folds Five, Hoobastank, Skylar Grey, Jimmy Cliff and more.

Ben Folds Five will star in the next episode which airs this Friday, Dec 14th. The season is set to until early March

The performance and interview television series is created and executive produced by Guitar Center and airs exclusively on DirecTV at 9pm in 2D hi-definition on DIRECTV's The Audience Network (channel 239). more on this story




Heart's Ann Wilson Shock By Rock Hall Induction
(hennemusic) Heart were among the honorees announced Tuesday for induction into the 2013 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

Joining the Seattle rock legends are Rush, Public Enemy, Donna Summer, Randy Newman and Albert King.

Ann and Nancy Wilson discussed the Rock Hall honor in a new session with Rolling Stone. "I wasn't quite sure this was real when I got the news," revealed Ann. "We've just had this long running joke about it for so many years. But I got the text while I was at the airport and it took a little while to sink in. We were just getting back from the Kennedy Center Honors [where they performed as part of a tribute to Led Zeppelin] and we were caught up in all that. Then I got the news. I went, "Holy sh*t! Really?" more on this story





Jack White Rocks Conan
(hennemusic) Jack White stopped by Conan O'Brien's TBS show Monday night to perform "I'm Shakin'" from his solo debut album, "Blunderbuss."

White's project has been nominated for 3 Grammys, including "Album of the Year" and "Best Rock Album", while the track "Freedom at 21″ is nominated for "Best Rock Song."

The 55th Annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 pm ET/PT on February 10, 2013. Watch the Conan performance here.




Lynyrd Skynyrd Release Good Teacher Lyric Video
(hennemusic) Lynyrd Skynyrd have released a lyric video for "Good Teacher," the latest single from the band's latest album, "Last Of A Dyin' Breed."

The project debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart, the highest charting for a Skynyrd album since 1977.

The band kick off their 2013 live dates on January 15 at the Beacon Theatre in New York. Watch the video here.




Metallica Release Damage, Inc Video From Quebec Magnetic
(hennemusic) Metallica has issued footage of the "Master Of Puppets" track, "Damage, Inc.," from their new live package, "Quebec Magnetic."

"Quebec Magnetic" includes 26 songs plus bonus material, with over three hours of footage recorded live at Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City, Quebec on October 31 and November 1, 2009.

Filmed by director Wayne Isham, "Quebec Magnetic" is the first project to be released by Metallica under their own label, Blackened Recordings. more on this story




Frightened Rabbit Release The Woodpile Video
Frightened Rabbit have released a new music video for the track "The Woodpile" from the band's forthcoming album "Pedestrian Verse," which will be released February 5th in the U.S.

The album was recorded at the famed Monnow Valley Studio in Rockfield, South Wales with producer Leo Abrahams (Brian Eno, David Byrne, Grace Jones) and mixed by Craig Silvey (Arcade Fire).

Singer Scott Hutchison says of the new album, "The title is taken from a lyric in 'State Hospital.' I felt it was a nicely faceted title, with enough layered meaning to remain open to interpretation. Above all though, it was a gauntlet I threw down for myself. If you call your album 'Pedestrian Verse,' you can't settle for any old lyric. It forced me to better myself. In fact, I think we all stepped up on this album and I believe that our producer Leo Abrahams had a major role in that step. He threw our music into areas we had not previously imagined. More than any other record we've done this has been a genuine journey of discovery into new ways of working in order to develop and fully realize each of the songs. As a result, I think 'Pedestrian Verse' is the strongest and most interesting record we've made to date." Watch the video here.




The Fuzz Drivers Deliver Discordia Song Lyric Video
Portuguese rockers The Fuzz Drivers have released a new lyric video for their "Discordia Song".

The track comes off the band's self-titled debut album, which will be released on January 31, 2013 on CD, vinyl and digital. Watch it here.

"Our main goal now is to present our band to the world and find a label who can represent us and release our music in Europe and the rest of the World, so we can focus on what we do best, play live and kick some serious a**!" more on this story




The Killers Release Miss Atomic Bomb Video
The Killers have release a new music video for the song "Miss Atomic Bomb," which is billed as a companion to "Mr. Brightside."

Part traditional animation, part live action; it reunites the cast of the "Mr. Brightside" video almost a decade later. Watch it here.

The band is currently touring behind their latest album, Battle Born, with support from Tegan and Sara. more on this story




James Durbin Releases Lyric Video For Elvis Christmas Song
(hennemusic) Last month, James Durbin released a cover of Elvis Presley's "Santa Claus Is Back in Town." Now, Durbin has issued a lyric video for the holiday-themed tune.

"One day while we were writing and recording the new record in Nashville, and we sat down with our producer James Michael and started jamming on this song," explained Durbin. "We found this killer, Van Halen-esque punk hybrid sound, and decided to record."

"Except for the background vocals, it's all one take, hence my cough and [drummer] Jeff Fabb's opening line, 'One take, come on,'" adds James. "We just hope everyone has as much fun with the song as we did, and has a very Merry Christmas." Watch the video here.




Wikimetal Discuss Maiden, Deep Purple and Judas Priest's Japan Shows
Wikimetal is figuratively travelling all the way across the world for this week's episode.

The show focuses on a country that has many stories related to Heavy Metal History: Japan.

Since, one of the show's hosts, Rafael Masini is traveling to Japan, they decided to talk about legendary bands and their memorable concerts in Japan. Bands such as Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Judas Priest and much more.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Rolling Stones To Jam With Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga and The Black Keys
The Rolling Stones will be joined by special guests Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga and The Black Keys at their final "50 and Counting" concert.
The concert will take place at The Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on Saturday, December 15th. And for fans out of the area or that do not have tickets, the concert is set to be broadcast as a live pay-per-view event starting at 9pm EST/6pm PST.

"We're excited these extraordinary artists, Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga and The Black Keys, have agreed to help celebrate our 50th Anniversary as we share the night live with our fans all over the world. Now the fun begins of trying to figure out the best songs to perform together," said The Rolling Stones. more on this story



The Breeders Reunite For Last Splash 20th Anniversary
(Gibson) The Breeders are back. Kim Deal (The Pixies), Kelley Deal, Josephine Wiggs and Jim Macpherson first performed together in June 1992. Two days later they were supporting Nirvana, and just over a year later they released Last Splash featuring the hit "Cannonball."

According to Noise11, Kim texted Jim and Josephine to ask if they'd be interested in playing the Last Splash album in celebration of its 20th anniversary.

The band reconvened in November to run through the material, and they will perform Last Splash live in its entirety in June 2013 at the ATP festival in Camber Sands in the U.K., which is curated by Deerhunter.

A deluxe edition of Last Splash will be released in April 2013, titled LSXX. more on this story






Joe Perry Not Sure if Aerosmith With Make Another Record
Noisecreep spoke with the members of Aerosmith about their new album, Music From Another Dimension!, and guitarist Joe Perry says he doesn't know if Aerosmith will make another record.

Noisecreep asked, "It has been 11 years since an album full of new Aerosmith material. Was there some stuff that amassed over the years that made it a little easier to build the album?" Perry responded: "We always have cool things lying around, and our attitude was, we knew we had another record in us, despite what many said, and I make no bones about it, I don't know if we're gonna make another record. But this is how we used to make records.

"On this record there are some songs I don't play on, but that's how it's always been. There are songs on the first couple of records I didn't play on, it was fine; it was just how we did the songs. That's how this record went. Everybody had a little piece to say, it was important that everybody got something on it. It was just the next Aerosmith album. And this was also a statement. We did not phone this in. We worked our asses off on this record.

The interview covers a lot more ground. You can read the full interview and find out which Aerosmith albums Perry doesn't like here.



Linkin Park Announce Only 2013 North American Show and Free Song
It appears that Linkin Park will be taking it relatively easy next year with the announcement that they will only be playing one North American concert in 2013.

The band plan a tour of New Zealand and Australia in late February and early March but prior to that tour they will be playing a one-off show at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas on Saturday February 16th.

The band are ending 2012 by giving away a free song as part of the launch of StageLight music software. Details here.




Yes Plan Three Album Tour
A lot of bands are playing one of their classic albums in full during recent tours but Yes are upping the stakes with plans to perform three of their classic albums in their entirety each night on their upcoming tour.

The progressive rock legends plan to perform their 1971's The Yes Album, 1972's Close To The Edge and 1977's Going For The One albums in full during most of the stops on their 2013 tour.

Steve Howe says, "These albums we all easily agreed on--they are complete works in themselves," adding that several of the songs have rarely been performed live. "I believe the only song not performed in concert is 'A Venture' from The Yes Album," says Chris Squire. "And probably the most tricky of all the songs planned for this set is 'Turn of the Century' from the Going for the One album." Alan White believes "This is a great opportunity to show the growth of Yes in these different eras--and to relive the memories of these times." more on this story




Shinedown and Three Days Grace Plan 2nd North American Tour Leg
Shinedown and Three Days Grace have added a second leg to their North American tour plans.

The tour featuring special guests P.O.D. will kick off on February 1st in Moiline, Il and conclude on February 20th in Lowell, MA.

After a short break the newly announced second leg will begin on March 9th in Orlando, FL and wrap up on Fargo, ND. more on this story




Daughtry and 3 Doors Down Add New Tour Leg
Daughtry and 3 Doors Down have added a second leg to their coheadlining North American tour that will take place early next year.

The new tour leg is set to kick off on January 25th at the Verizon Theatre in Dallas, and continue in to March, 2013. The tour will feature support from Aranda.

The current leg of the tour is set to wrap on 12/15 at Anaheim's Theatre at the Honda Center, with Fresno, CA at the Save Mart Center on 12/13 and a national live AXS TV appearances in Broomfield, CO at 1st Bank Center tonight, 12/11. more on this story




Sebastian Bach, Johnny Depp and Don Felder Jam With Alice Cooper
(hennemusic) Alice Cooper hosted his 12th annual Christmas Pudding concert on Saturday at the Comerica Theater in Phoenix.

Proceeds from Christmas Pudding go to Alice Cooper's Solid Rock — a nonprofit organization founded by Alice dedicated to enriching the lives of teens through music, dance, and self expression.

Among the performers joining Alice for the show were actor Johnny Depp, Sebastian Bach, L.A. Guns and Don Felder of The Eagles. Check out video here.




Boysetsfire Announce Lineup Change and Album Plans
Boysetsfire are carrying on despite a recent lineup shake-up and the band has announced their new lineup (including the return of a previous member) and plans for a new album and touring.

They had this message for fans: "BoySetsFire has been a band for nearly two decades. In that time we have played hundreds of shows to anyone that would watch us, from basements to festival audiences. We lived through the terror of rap-rock, the tyranny of nu-metal, and the dark days of pop-punk. We were around before the internet. Truth. We made demo tapes. We have recorded 4 LPs, EPs, CDs, and even a Cassingle. We have played Rookie over 1,000 times. We have fallen off more stages than most people have stood on. We have been signed and dropped and signed and dropped. Frankly, most would have given up years ago.

"We tried. Like the most well-meaning addict we swore it off, made our amends, and tried to rebuild our lives without BoySetsFire. But the lure was too much. We soon found ourselves in the same situations making the same decisions that lead to so much pain. more




Megadeth Part Ways With Roadrunner Records
(hennemusic) Megadeth have wrapped up their deal with Roadrunner Records and are moving on.

Dave Mustaine tweeted the new on Sunday, writing, "Today marks the end of an era with Roadrunner @rrusa. Hopefully we can finish strong with a #Grammy."

Megadeth's last album was 2011's "Thirteen"; the track "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)" is nominated in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category at the 55th annual Grammy Awards, which will be held on February 10 in Los Angeles. more on this story




Lynyrd Skynyrd Headlining Chopper Live: The Revenge Special
Lynyrd Skynyrd will be headlining Chopper Live: The Revenge tonight on the Discovery Channel.

The biker build-off special will feature American Chopper stars Paul Teutul Senior and Paul Teutul Junior, Outlaw Garage star Jesse James, and Fast 'N Loud stars Richard Rawlings and Aaron Kaufman.

The band will be performing the title track from the new album as well as their hit "Sweet Home Alabama" during the show which airs tonight, December 11th at 9pm ET/PT. more on this story




Jason Newsted Explains New Band Name and Musical Direction
Jason Newsted was interviewed on the 'Friday Night Rocks' radio show last month about his new post Metallica band and why he decided to simply call it Newsted Heavy Metal Music and his open-ended vision for the musical direction of the group.

He told the show this about the band name, "I've thought about this for a long time, putting my name on a project other than just coming up with a clever name, like Echobrain or Papa Wheelie or something. We have a lot of cool names for projects, but this is the first time with my name and really trying to get out to the people that I played for by the millions in the past with Metallica."

He also spoke about the musical direction from the new group, "Whatever it ends up being — if it's five songs, 20 songs, 50 songs … I don't even know what the heck I'm gonna do. I have so much music from over the years. I have a bunch of new stuff … I'm just trying to figure out exactly what I wanna unleash on everybody first. That's kind of what it's coming down to — the timing of things and how I wanna hit people with it." Blabbermouth has more from the interview here.




Blackmore's Night Release Box Set
UDR have released the new velvet box set of Blackmore's Night - The Beginning.

The box set, which was released in Europe this week, features the first two Blackmore's Night albums "Shadow Of The Moon" and "Under A Violet Moon" as well as rare video footage of their early tours "Live In Germany 1997-1998" and "Under A Violet Moon - Castle Tour 2000". Available for the first time on DVD and only in the "The Beginning" box.

The footage from various concerts from the "Shadow Of The Moon" and "Under A Violet Moon" tours is enriched by interviews with Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night, as well as backstage footage, rehearsal footage and medieval fight shows. more on this story




Kreator Recording Concert For Upcoming DVD and Blu-Ray
Kreator plan to record their homecoming concert in Oberhausen, Germany on December 22, 2012 for a future DVD/Blu Ray release.

Mille Petrozza gives fans these details: "The Phantom Antichrist world tour is among the most successful and amazing tours in the history of Kreator, thanks to all of you - the fans! So we have decided to record a new live Album/DVD/Blu Ray at our homecoming show in Oberhausen on December 22nd.

"The show will be recorded with 24(!) cameras and in 5.1. sound. We are trying to produce the ultimate Kreator concert experience for you to enjoy in your living room! So whoever wants to be a part of the spectacle, there are still tickets available for Oberhausen, but better hurry up: tickets are selling fast!"

The band also has a number of dates across Europe and other parts of the world, you can find them here.




Caravan Plan 'For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night' Anniversary Tour
Caravan will be marking the 40th anniversary of one of their most celebrated albums by launching a UK tour early next year.

The 10-date UK tour is set to kick off on January 8, 2013 at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall and will feature special guest Garron Frith.

The tour celebrates the 40th anniversary of the band's 1973 album, For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night. Led by founding member and chief songwriter Pye Hastings, Caravan will also perform songs from the album In The Land Of Grey And Pink, plus other classics from their career. more on this story




Dave Grohl's Sound City Set For Release
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has been keeping very busy, most notably directing Sound City, a rock documentary detailing the rise and fall of the Van Nuys, California, recording studio of the same name.

After releasing the film's official trailer this week, it's now been revealed that the movie's digital release date is February 1, 2013.

"As a first time director, I am humbled to be able to share my passion for songwriting and storytelling with this incredible cast of legendary musicians," he said. more on this story




Ronnie James Dio Cancer Fund To Donate Another $100K
The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund will soon contribute the final $100,000 of their $300,000 pledge to the TJ Martell Foundation, in their goal of helping to hopefully, one day find a cure for the same illness that took the life of Ronnie James Dio.

The Dio Cancer Fund, upon its formation two years ago, pledged a total of $300,000 to the TJ Martell Foundation (an organization founded by music industry senior executive Tony Martell - who lost a son to leukemia - which raises funds for cancer research) and had already donated $200,000 to the Foundation.

The remaining $100,000, which will be presented shortly, is earmarked for the gastric cancer research efforts at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, TN. These monies were raised from the Dio Cancer Fund's recent annual Awards Gala and Celebrity Guitar Auction. more on this story




The Scorpions Release Christmas Cards
(hennemusic) This year The Scorpions are selling their very own official band Christmas cards.

Each package features a holiday version of the band's "Blackout" album cover printed on six cellophane wrapped A5 cards, with envelopes; the inside reads, "Hope Your Christmas Rocks Like A Hurricane" and the cards feature a Scorpions logo on the reverse.

The Scorpions are currently playing the remaining few dates of The Final Sting tour. Learn more and see a photo of the cards here.



Moody Blues InTheStudio For Seventh Sojourn Anniversary
The latest episode of the InTheStudio syndicated radio show celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Moody Blues best selling album, Seventh Sojourn.

They sent over these details: One of the crown jewels in progressive rock's peak era, Seventh Sojourn was a #1 worldwide best seller and resulted in the longest international tour in music history up to then, from which the original band never returned, figuratively.

Justin Hayward and John Lodge guest InTheStudio for the back story which is complex, set to the classics "Lost in a Lost world", "You and Me", "Isn't Life Strange" and "I'm Just a Singer in a Rock and Roll Band".

Moody Blues bass player/singer/songwriter John Lodge shares with program
host Redbeard how the album was conceived. "When we were working on the Seventh Sojourn album, we always had discussions and meetings to talk about what the album should be about, what we would like the album to reflect. And I think we realized that we had come to the end of a journey, and the album suddenly became Canterbury Tales." Listen to the episode here.




Singled Out: Koncrete Kite
Back in December of 2006 our very own Mark Hensch was singing the praises of the five rocking brothers of Koncrete Kite and their album, The Joy of Bee Stings. Fast forward to now and the band has just released their latest album, "Full of Bull," and to celebrate we asked Rich Bove to tell us about one of the tracks:

Let's see…Of all the new songs to decipher for the reader, I could have gone with our new single, "Button Fly", and the self-aggrandizing that comes with being the band's preferred rockin' track for keg parties and spirited air guitar competitions…

Or perhaps, the fan favorite, "Banana Bread", with its psychedelic, don't-eat-the-brown-acid, Beatle's nod to 60's peace, love, and dope smoking (or in this case, baked goodness)…

But NO! I am singling out the darkest track this band has ever put out in 15 years. Taken from our latest release, FULL of BULL, the song "Pinky Swear" is based on several accounts of an out-of-work husband and father who decides the fate of his family in the most irrational way.

Although most of Koncrete Kite's other song lyrics can be deciphered various ways depending on the listener, "Pinky Swear" is as cut and dry as it can get: father loves son, father loves daughter, father can't support family anymore, family goes bye-bye.
When I initially wrote the lyrics to this song, it was in first person. I figured, what the Hell; if Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan and countless others can take on the role of a character and sing about their plight, why not us? Unfortunately, I am not the lead singer of this band, and when presented with the words, my brother Joe (who has graciously helmed the majority of vocals for this group) thought I was absolutely insane. "I'm not going to sing this. This is horrible. It would be a bad omen to me and my family!" is all I remembered before sulking away. Whether it was a case of "lead-singeritis" or against his moral compass, I was determined to get these lyrics recorded.

After a much heated debate - with cooler heads prevailing - we decided to compromise. The lyrics would retain the same meaning, but written in third person. Therefore, Joe would be absolved of singing any wrongdoing while I held onto the integrity of the theme. The lead vocals were cut in one take.
What makes this track morose are not just the words – "First choice and a last kiss" – but the guitar playing on it. Chris (aka Smokey Butts) is the bass player in the band, but does tackle guitar solo on a couple of tracks. On this song, we decided to go with something dirty-grungy, but yet melodic. Chris stepped up and laid down a solo that sounds like the afterbirth of a Neil Young – Kurt Cobain offspring. Brilliant!

The coda for this song is what makes or breaks it for the listener. After the line, "Heaven in a heartbeat, swear we'll all live (on)", the band stops. A cacophony of feedback swells into a deranged symphony devoid of any structure. The only thing keeping this beautiful mess together is the 4/4 timing on the hi-hat and the four separate crashes of the cymbal. Each crash represents a gunshot blast. A song for our troubling times.

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!



Richie Sambora Highlights From Craig Ferguson Week Now Online
(hennemusic) Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora was featured last week as the first house band in the history of The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson and if you missed it you can see highlights online.

Richie began the week playing the program's theme live with Ferguson, before rocking up the nightly "Tweets and Emails" jingle.

Sambora played a song each night, beginning with his current single, "Every Road Leads Home To You," followed by other tracks from the new album. A version of Bon Jovi's smash "Wanted Dead Or Alive" was featured on Thursday, while Sambora closed the week with Ferguson handling vocals on "Sugar Daddy" from the new release – listen closely for the riff from Led Zeppelin's "How Many More Times" as the song draws to a close. Check out the video highlights here.


Slaves On Dope Release Christmas Song and Video
Slaves On Dope have released their new digital Christmas single, "All I Want For Christmas."

The band has also released a new music video for "All I Want For Christmas", which can be seen here.

The group will be performing a handful of concerts this month with shows set for Toronto, Buffalo and Clifton Park, New York. more on this story




Hatebreed Release New Album Trailer
(R&T) Hatebreed has released a new album trailer for their forthcoming studio album, The Divinity of Purpose.

In the trailer, frontman Jamey Jasta discusses the meaning behind the band's new album cover. You can watch it here.

The album will be released on January 29, 2013 in the U.S./Canada on Razor & Tie and on January 25th in Europe/Ireland and on January 28th in the U.K. more on this story




Metallica Release My Apocalypse Video From Quebec Magnetic
(hennemusic) Metallica are sharing full song footage of the "Death Magnetic" track, "My Apocalypse," of their new live package, "Quebec Magnetic."

"Quebec Magnetic" includes 26 songs plus bonus material, with over three hours of footage recorded live at Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City, Quebec on October 31 and November 1, 2009.

Filmed by director Wayne Isham, "Quebec Magnetic" is the first project to be released by Metallica under their own label, Blackened Recordings. Check out the video here.




Lzzy Hale Found Out About Grammy Nomination While On Stage
(Gibson) Lzzy Hale has revealed that she found out her band Halestorm had been nominated for a Grammy while she was in the middle of performing on stage.

In an interview with The Pulse Of Radio, Hale said the band was preparing to perform a piano ballad when guitarist Joe Hottinger ran across the stage to tell her the good news. "He's like, 'We got nominated for a Grammy!'" Gibson signature artist Hale said. "And I'm like, I mean, I must have had at least 30 seconds of just pure, like, shock on my face. 'Really? Are you serious?' I still can't wipe this stupid grin off my face, I'll tell you that. But it was a very cool moment for all of us."

The nomination is for the song "Love Bites (So Do I)" from the band's second album, The Strange Case Of... The song, which is up against tracks by Anthrax, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Marilyn Manson and Lamb of God, spent time at #1 on the Active Rock chart, the first time in history that a female-fronted rock act snagged the honor.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Stone Temple Pilots Fire Scott Weiland?
(hennemusic) Scott Weiland has been fired from Stone Temple Pilots, according to his former Velvet Revolver bandmate Slash.
In a new interview with Minneapolis/St. Paul radio station 93X, Slash was asked about Weiland's recent comments that he was "completely open" to reuniting with Velvet Revolver.

"That's because he got fired from STP," said Slash, adding, "I think, all things considered, because these things always catch me by surprise, too, because I only find out about it through the media. I'm on the road in another country and I start hearing all this stuff, so I inquire within, and that's what I was told." Listen to the interview here.



Jason Newsted Finishing Album With New Band
Former Metallica bass player Jason Newsted has revealed that he is almost finished recording an album with his new self-titled band.

Newsted gave fans a hint of his return to the music scene recently when he launching a new website but now he has followed up with a Facebook message about his new band and album.

He writes: "I am very happy in my life now! I have a new band that bears my own name. We're just finishing our first record. I'm feeling strong again playing bass and singing lead vocals and you all will be hearing it in one month's time!!! New year, new band, new life!!! Bless you all and I can't wait to share my music with everyone!!! I'm entrusting all of my friends to get the word out!!! Jason's back!!!" more on this story




Hawkwind Guitarist Huw Lloyd Langton Dies
Hawkwind guitarist Huw Lloyd Langton died on Thursday (Dec 6) after a battle with cancer.

The band broke the news to fans with the following message: "It is with immense sadness that we have to let you know our great friend of many years and fellow musician Huw Lloyd Langton passed away peacefully last night.

"Huw had been bravely fighting cancer for a couple of years, but was determined not to let the battle affect his day to day life. He continued to play his guitar, laugh, joke and share the great love he had in his heart, with all who knew him.

"As he wished, he was at home when the time came, with his ever strong and loving wife Marion at his side.

"Huw was one of the great guitarists with an individual style and character. He is gone but never forgotten by any of us. He will live on in our music and in our hearts." The band followed up with details about the funeral.




RHCP's Flea To Announce Rock Hall Class of 2013
Red Hot Chili Peppers bass player Flea is set to reveal the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2013.

Flea was inducted into the Rock Hall last year as a member of the Red Hot Chili Pepper, and now he was announce the next round of inductees on December 11th at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The class of 2013 nominees include Rush, Deep Purple, Procol Harum, The Meters, Public Enemy, N.W.A., Albert King, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Kraftwerk, Randy Newman, Heart, Donna Summer, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Chic. Read the Hollywood Reporter story here.




State Department Not Helping Randy Blythe Fight Manslaughter Charge
The U.S. State Department has responded to a fan initiated petition to the White House to respond to Lamb of God singer Randy Blyth's arrest for manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic. But it doesn't appear they will do anything to help him.

Blyth was arrested when his band visited the country in June on manslaughter charges stemming from the death of a fan who died two weeks after being allegedly injured at the band's concert in Prague in 2010. He was later released and returned to the U.S. but was formally indicted on the charges last week (see story here)

At the time of his arrest fans used the petition system on the White House website asking for an official response and finally Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor has issued one.

Here is the response: We appreciate your inquiry about the case of D. Randall Blythe, who was released from detention in the Czech Republic on August 3, 2012, and returned to the United States shortly thereafter. Mr. Blythe has publicly stated his intention to return to the Czech Republic to face trial for the alleged manslaughter of a Czech man at a concert in 2010. He recently told MTV, "It's the correct thing for me to do ... this poor young man's family deserves some answers." Pending Mr. Blythe's trial, we cannot discuss the details of his case. We are closely monitoring the progress of his trial. more on this story




Rolling Stones To Present Letterman Top 10 List
(hennemusic) Rolling Stones legends Mick Jagger and Keith Richards return to the Ed Sullivan Theater stage in New York when they present the "Top Ten List" on the Late Show with David Letterman on Tuesday, Deecember 11.

Jagger and Richards, who first graced the Ed Sullivan Theater stage when the Rolling Stones made their first of many performances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on Oct. 25, 1964, will be making their first visit to the Late Show.

The Stones are currently celebrating their 50th anniversary with recently completed sold-out "50 & Counting" shows at London's O2 Arena in late November. more on this story




Motley Crue's Vince Neil Lands New Reality Series
(hennemusic) Motley Crue's Vince Neil learns to fly in a new reality series. "Vince Neil Escapes" will follow Neil in his dream to finalize his pilot's license, for which flight training occurred on-camera during Season three of the popular PBS aviation program, "The Aviators."

Episodes will accompany Neil and his girlfriend, his manager, and his mentor/flight instructor as they embark on various whirlwind flights across North America and the Caribbean, enjoying rock-star level treatment along the way.

Throughout the season, Vince battles FAA regulations to earn the right to fly on his own due to a long history of DUI convictions, including a fatal 1984 collision where Vince's actions killed Hanoi Rocks drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley. more on this story




Hirax Plan Next Album And Tour
Hirax will enter the studio early 2013 for a new album release in September under their new worldwide deal with Steamhammer/SPV. The album will be followed by a world tour.

Hirax front man, Katon W. De Pena, on signing to SPV: "We are honored to now be a part of the SPV Records family and we appreciate their total support of our thrash metal music. Together we are going to bring the heavy metal music world one hell of a skull crushing album in 2013".

Steamhammer/SPV A&R Olly Hahn adds:" It´s an honor to have Katon and Hirax on our label. Through all the years Katon held the flag of metal high and also played places of the earth where nobody would. It´s time for another raging violence!"




Avenged Sevenfold To Rock in Rio With Iron Maiden
Avenged Sevenfold reprinted a short interview on their official site with Q1 where frontman M. Shadows confirms the band will take part in Rock In Rio and shares his excitement about sharing the stage with Iron Maiden and also says there is a possibility that they might put together some additional shows with Metallica and/or Iron Maiden.

When asked about playing with Iron Maiden, he said, "I love Iron Maiden. We've done some touring with them in Europe. We are part of that case that each one has its specific fan base, but there are many people who like both the bands, who have the passion for metal [and] like this kind of sound. [We] can't wait to be part of this festival. Luckily, I know the Brazilian fans of Iron Maiden like our music."

He was then asked about the possibility of playing additional shows in Brazil and responded, " We're talking to Metallica and Iron Maiden to know what they will do before and after the Rock in Rio. So, there's chance to take the fall and make at least two more shows. We are still seeing this …" more on this story




Thin Lizzy Memoir Sells Out Again
(hennemusic) Last month, Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham published his memoir, "The Boys Are Back In Town."

Now, the group is sharing news that, after the swift sell-out of the first edition of the book, the reprint has now practically sold out as well, so much so that publishers Omnibus Press have ordered a second reprint as fans are anxious to get their hands on the book, the exclusive story of the band's rise, fall and rise again.

A North American release date of May 1, 2013 has been confirmed for the rock memoir. more on this story




Eddie Van Halen Visits His Giant Guitar
(hennemusic) Eddie Van Halen stopped by Universal CityWalk on Sunday to check out the giant replica of his Frankenstein (or "Frankenstrat") guitar at the Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood.

Eddie's son, Wolfgang, tweeted a photo of the visit, writing, "Today was his first time actually seeing it in person! @eddievanhalen #finally #citywalk"

The Hard Rock updated the guitar display in November of 2011 as a salute to Van Halen's iconic homemade instrument. See the photo here.




Bruce Springsteen Photographers for Sandy Relief Effort Launched
(Sub) Rock Photographer James Shive of the ShiveArchive.com, noted for his collection of classic rock and roll images, is among the photographers donating images of Bruce Springsteen in a fundraiser Shive jumpstarted – aptly named "Photographers for Sandy Relief" – to raise money for victims of last month's Hurricane Sandy.

"Photographers for Sandy Relief" took a huge leap forward when Bruce Springsteen posted the credible effort to his Facebook page.

Shive, a native of New Jersey who was on the west coast when the storm hit, was already resolved to do something to aid the Garden state by time he returned back east, immediately reaching out to friend Eric Meola, author of the recent book "Streets of Fire" and infamous for photographing Springsteen's "Born to Run" album cover. Together, the two contacted their mutual friend Chris Philips, editor at "Backstreets Magazine," and in a short time every major Springsteen photographer came forward with contributions, among them Danny Clinch, Lynn Goldsmith, David Michael Kennedy, Joe Lopez, Neal Preston, Barbara Pyle, A. M. Saddler, Pam Springsteen, and Frank Stefanko, in addition to Shive and Meola. more on this story




Finntroll Begin Recording New Album
Finntroll have started recording their next studio album and are offering fans a listen to some of the demo recordings for the album tracks.

The band has entered the Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki to record the album and expect to release it in late March 2013.

The band had this to say: "Combining our trademark sound with even more influences from non- traditional genres in metal music, we have created 11 songs which show you everything we want to offer. And boy, wasn't that one of the hardest tasks for some time. After all, how do you keep your sound fresh, yet familiar, after 6 albums and 15 years?

"At some point, we were afraid that the songs are not melodic enough. Then we started to fear they became too melodic. Then we let the songs rest for a while and molded them more in a way that the non-melodic stuff got something to hum with, and the cheesy pop songs were arranged more stripped and aggressive. We were confident, yet sometimes scared what will people think of the stuff we've been doing so hard. What if they hate it? That would be fine, but if they would hate it because the material was uninspiring, boring and done-to-death, that would be a huge disappointment. So, we kept pushing and tried to keep it fresh all the time, while still having the 'this has to be Finntroll because no other band sounds this insane' - grinning going on." The band posted a demo preview video here.




Guitar Wizards Book Series Coming
Versailles Records plan a Spring 2013 release for the first 2 volumes of their new series 'Guitar Wizards Book I/II and III/IV'.

The series is said to showcase many of the top guitarists including solos from such rock/metal greats as Damon Johnson (Brother Kane, Thin Lizzy), Jake E Lee (Ozzy Osbourne Band, Badlands), Keri Kelli (Alice Cooper Band, Ratt, LA Guns, Slash's Snakepit, etc), Jimmy Crespo (Aerosmith), Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake), Blues Saraceno (Poison), George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob), Gilby Clarke (Guns N Roses, Heart, MC5), Ira Black (Metal Church, Lizzy Borden) on a track that also features Chris Slade (AC/DC), and Chris Poland (Megadeth), Glen Alvelais (Testament), and Jan Hammer (Miami Vice Theme Writer) among others.

It will also include lead solo-heavy originals from a collection from players around the world, including Richard Kendrick, Gary Schutt, David Reffett, Leaving Eden, Chris Johnson, Sean Gill, Soupbone, Arnold Marfoglia, Edward DiMenna, Eric J. Gosselin, Vid Payne, Mezzy Shredder, Aaron Seals, Atomick Cocktail, Blakenstein, Rob Burzon, The Beer Brothers, Monkeysoop, Leon Muhutdinov, Arctic Flame, MYSTIC FORCE, Erling Solem, Wicked Sins, Dead Man's Wake, Fredi Handshoe, Jason Rain, Peter Tripp, One World (R)evolution, Tony Rossi, Todd Gilmore, Scarlet Presence, Thiago Trinsi, Chris Garcia, Steve Pugh, Jason Daugherty, Richard Reynolds, Kevin Samuel, Authur Benitez, Eight Feet Deep, Jeff Terraglio, Vanja Tadic, David Russo, The Tequila Killers, Mike Stevenson, Jon Monter, Chuksingh, Michael Martinez, Robert Bussey, Nathaniel Villarreal, Conrad Swartz, Jeff Marcello, Shane Young, Stacy Noll, The Process, Steve Gregory, Mark Stowe, Don Denson, Bad Motherf#cker, Dana Roselli, Ernesto 'Xtone' Gerena, Ronny Gutierrez, Tom Kopyto, Dan Crenshaw of Garden of Eden, and Pete Pachio. more on this story




Suffocation Releasing New Album
Suffocation have set a February 15, 2013 European release date for their new album, "Pinnacle of Bedlam."

The album was produced by the band and tracked at Full Force Studios in New York by longtime collaborator Joe Cincotta. The mixing and mastering was handled by Zeuss (Hatebreed, Arsis, Suicide Silence). Cover artwork for Pinnacle of Bedlam was created by artist Raymond Swanland (Deeds of Flesh, Psycroptic).

The album features 10 tracks and also marks the return of drummer Dave Culross, who played with the band previously on their Despise The Sun EP. more on this story





Metallica Release Four Horsemen Video From New Live Release
(hennemusic) Metallica have offered up the third full song preview of their forthcoming live package, "Quebec Magnetic."

The band is sharing footage of their classic 1983 track, "The Four Horsemen," from the project.

"Quebec Magnetic" includes 26 songs plus bonus material, with over three hours of footage recorded live at Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City, Quebec on October 31 and November 1, 2009. Read more and watch it here.




Guns N' Roses and Van Halen hennemusic Rock News Awards Finalists
(hennemusic) Guns N' Roses and Van Halen lead the list of finalists for the 2012 hennemusic Rock News Awards, which recognize the biggest rock news artists and stories of the year.

Guns N' Roses, Van Halen and KISS are all up for the hennemusic Rock News Artist Of The Year, while stories on Van Halen and Guns N' Roses are contenders for the hennemusic Rock News Story Of The Year.

Finalists for the 3rd annual hennemusic Rock News Awards are chosen by readers: winners are determined by the combined total page views of the top 50 hennemusic rock news stories of the past twelve months. more on this story




Mary J. Blige Jams With The Rolling Stones
(hennemusic) R&B superstar Mary J. Blige was one of two special guests who joined the Rolling Stones at New York's Barclays Center Saturday for the first of three area shows marking the band's 50th anniversary.

Reprising her role from the "50 & Counting" tour's opening night in London last month, Blige handled vocals with Mick Jagger on the band's classic track, "Gimme Shelter."

Blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr. joined the Stones for "Going Down." Noticeably absent from the first US date were former Stones Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor, who played both UK concerts.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Motley Crue's Vince Neil Takes Swing At Fan
(TMZ) If you're going to sit front row at a Vince Neil concert ... you better know how to duck ... because he might try to punch you in the face.
TMZ has obtained video of the Motley Crue singer taking a closed-fist, rage-fueled swing at a front row concert-goer during a show in New Mexico over the weekend.

Neil had just started performing "Kickstart My Heart" when the fan did something that angered him. Vince stopped the song and started yelling at the guy to "get the f--- outta here!"

When the guy started getting mouthy back at Neil, the singer reached back and tried to punch the man in the mouth ... but the fan ducked ... and Neil totally whiffed.

Security then rushed in and escorted the trouble-maker out of the show ... and Vince got right back into the song like nothing ever happened. more on this story



Steven Adler Auctioning Guns N' Roses Platinum Plaques
Steven Adler is offering fans a chance to own a Guns N' Roses platinum plaque for a cause close to his heart.

Fur & Feather Animal Sanctuary announced via Facebook that Adler is auctioning off personalized platinum plaques for the two Guns N' Roses albums that he played on, "Appetite for Destruction" and "Lies. "

These are not Adler's personal awards given to him for the RIAA million copies sold certification of the albums, but new plaques that Adler will order in the auction winner's name and once he receives them, he will personally autograph.

You can see the eBay auction for "Appetite for Destruction" here and the auction for "Lies" here.




Paramore Releasing New Album
Paramore will be returning with a new self-titled album that they will be releasing on April 9th.

The band broke the good news to fans with the following: The time has come Paramore fans, friends, and family... And for that matter, the time has come for the rest of you as well. We are ready to spill the beans about what we've been doing over the last *coughYEARcough*. With the most pride and passion we could ever possibly express, we would like to announce that this album, our fourth freaking album... Will be self-titled, 'Paramore'. It has been self-titled through nearly the entire process. In fact, what usually takes us weeks on end to sum up and put a label on only took us a five minute conversation this time around.

The whole making of this album was a rediscovering of ourselves as a band and as friends. It was a process that allowed us the freedom to explore new territory artistically and to liberate ourselves as musicians, singers, as people! Sincerely, we feel that the best way to give it a name is just to call it what it is. This album is us. more on this story




Rolling Stones To Stream New Jersey Concert
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones December 15th concert in New Jersey will be streamed online via Yahoo Music.

The online access, which will cost US fans $40, is in addition to the live pay-per-view signal distributed by WWE.

The concert is the fifth and final date of the band's "50 & Counting" tour which kicked off recently with two shows in London. more on this story




Metallica Bury Napster Hatchet By Joining Spotify
Metallica's war with Napster made headlines but now the band has released their entire catalog on a music service that involves Napster's co-founder Sean Parker.

The band announced the launch of their catalog on the streaming service Spotify on Thursday and their official website included a photo of drummer Lars Ulrich sitting with the company's founder Daniel Ek, as well as Spotify investor and former Napster foe Parker. (Ulrich was the most outspoken member of Metallica during the showdown with Napster.)

This move comes less than a week after the band's announcement that they have obtained control of their entire catalog and launched their own record label, Blackened Recordings.

You can read Metallica's comments on the addition to Spotify and see the photo here.




Godsmack Taking 2013 Off
Godsmack had a busy 2012 on the tour and the band plan to take 2013 off according to frontman Sully Erna.

"We're going to take some time away now because we just ran for the last two years," Erna told Artist Direct. "It's time for us to take a break and get away from the markets for a little bit so we don't overplay them. We're taking 2013 off."

As for a return to work, he says, "Maybe towards the end of the year or early 2014, we may start getting into the studio and writing. Now, we're going to lay low."

"We may pop up once in a while to do a radio festival or something. I'm going to take all of 2013 to focus on my solo stuff and see any doors I can open along the way," he added. Read the full interview here.




Alice In Chains Involve Fans In New Song Premiere Roll Out
(hennemusic) Alice In Chains have completed recording their new album and will debut a new song online in two weeks.

The band revealed the news on Thursday, writing, "Every day for the next 10 days, a new lyrical phrase from our brand new song 'Hollow' will be posted at @aliceinchains on Instagram.

"We want you to create an image inspired by or featuring a single word or phrase from those lyrics. Next, share those photos on Instagram or Twitter tagging #HOLLOWAIC." More details here.




In Flames, Demon Hunter, All Shall Perish and Battlecross Plan Tour
In Flames will be launching a North American headline tour in February that will also feature Demon Hunter, All Shall Perish and Battlecross.

The band has announced the dates for the first leg of the trek which is set to kick off on February 2nd in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

In Flames had this to say about the tour, "We are excited to be coming back to North America once again. On this tour we hope to see some old fans and some new fans from cities we have never played before, look forward to seeing you soon." more on this story




Fleetwood Mac Expanding Rumours For Deluxe Reissue
Members of Fleetwood Mac have commented that they may release some new music to coincide with their upcoming 2013 tour, but we also learn that their most successful album will be expanded for a deluxe edition reissue.

Lost in the excitement of the tour announcement, the band promised that "a new deluxe reissue of Rumours with previously unreleased studio and live tracks will be released in early 2013 from Rhino."

The tour will be kicking off on April 4th in Columbus, OH and will feature most of the Rumours lineup of the group: founders Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, as well as Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks who joined the band in 1975. more on this story




Queen Extravaganza Tour Coming To America
(hennemusic) Queen tribute touring act The Queen Extravaganza have announced the first leg of their 2013 North American tour.

Two of Queen's original bandmates and songwriters – guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor – are the masterminds behind The Queen Extravaganza.

Shows will kick off January 11 in Tarrytown, NY and are currently scheduled to run into early February; more dates will be announced soon. more on this story




Ed Cassidy of Spirit Dead at 89
Ed "Cass" Cassidy the drummer and co-founder of the legendary psychedelic rock band, Spirit, died yesterday (Dec 6th) at the age of 89.

The Music's Over reports: With his stepson, Randy California at the helm, the Los Angeles band formed in 1967 and went on to score a top 25 hit with 1968′s "I Got A Line On You," one of the era's most durable songs.

In 1964, he formed the Rising Sons with Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder. That was followed by the Red Roosters who morphed into Spirit in 1967. Read more and watch video here.



KISS Kruise III Set To Sail
(hennemusic) KISS have announced the third annual KISS Kruise which will take place over an extended Halloween weekend in 2013.

KISS Kruise 3 is confirmed for October 28 - November 1, 2013 on board The Norwegian Pearl sailing from Miami, Florida to Key West, Florida and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas.

Last month, KISS completed its second annual cruise. As usual, KISS played a sailaway concert as the ship left the Port of Miami. In addition to KISS, the 2012 line-up also featured Skid Row, Adler, Yacht Rock Revue, Big Rock Show and many others. Watch video here.




Broadway Calls Launching North American Tour
Broadway Calls will be hitting the road in January for a headlining tour of North America.

The tour will also feature Silver Snakes as well as various dates with Red City Radio and Mixtapes.

Broadway Calls will be touring in support of their forthcoming album, Comfort/Distraction, which will be released in North America on February 5th. more on this story




Kromosom Set New Album Release
Kromosom have set a January 22nd, 2013 North America release date for their new album, Live Forever. Here is the official word:

Born in the smoldering wake of now defunct Australian crust acts Schifosi and Pisschrist, and featuring current members of Leprosy, Bloody Hammer and fellow Southern Lord mercenaries Nuclear Death Terror, Kromosom have kicked a massive dent into the international crust/punk/hardcore circuit working under the band doctrine: "Noisier, nastier, rawer."

Through several vinyl-only indie releases and steady waves of international touring since their 2010 inception the band caught the attention of Southern Lord who now confirms the first CD release in Kromosom's discography with Live Forever. The bruising fifteen-track assault captures all of the band's material previously only available on vinyl, including their self-titled 12", tracks from the Hardcore Pollution split 7" with Isterismo, and the Paranoid 7," all mastered for maximum pandemonium by Jack Control (World Burns to Death, Severed Head of State). If this doesn't get you raging it's time to hang up your boots and join the rest of the sheep. more on this story




Heaven's Cry Reissuing Their First Two Albums
Heaven's Cry have set a January 8, 2013 release date for the reissues of their first two albums, "Food For Thought Substitute" and "Primal Power Addiction".

The albums will feature revamped artwork and have been newly remixed by Yannick St-Amand (Despised Icon, Beneath The Massacre, Kataklysm) and remastered by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia, Symphony X).

"I'm having a blast listening to our music the way we imagined it back then," says vocalist/guitarist Pierre St-Jean. "Our music has multiple layers where guitars and bass play different parts to create textures, and since our music is less riff-oriented than what most rock and metal bands do, it's important to hear every detail, every instrument clearly. That is now possible, thanks to Yannick and Jens." more on this story




Raindance Launching Winter Tour
Raindance plan to hit the road at the end of the month to launch a North American winter tour.

The tour will kick off on December 28 in Providence, RI and will conclude on January 30 in Altoona, PA.

They will be touring in support of their new EP, New Blood, which was recorded by Jay Maas at The Getaway Group (Defeater, No Trigger, Have Heart). more on this story




Paul Gilbert Plans Another Great Guitar Escape
Paul Gilbert has announced details of his second annual Great Guitar Escape, which will take place July 8-12 at Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY. We were sent these details:

Paul says, "The Great Guitar Escape is built around world-class seminars, concerts and jam sessions. It's a chance to learn and be inspired by some truly amazing musicians. And it's just a great way for everyone to hang out together in a beautiful place. The Full Moon Resort makes a perfect location to soak up some serious guitar music."

Featured guest guitar instructors at Paul Gilbert's Great Guitar Escape include: Andy Timmons (Danger Danger, Simon Phillips, Paul Stanley of KISS, Olivia Newton-John, Paula Abdul), internationally renowned jazz guitarist/composer Mimi Fox (Stevie Wonder, Charlie Byrd, Diana Krall, Branford Marsalis, Joey DeFrancesco), Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston Scotty Johnson (Paul Gilbert, Robben Ford's Fords and Friends, The Ford Blues Band, The Blindside Blues Band), acclaimed rock/blues/slide guitarist Tony Spinner, and Adam Fulara who specializes in two-handed contrapuntal tapping. more on this story




Joe Satriani In The Studio For Surfing's 25th Anniversary
(hennemusic) In The Studio marks the 25th Anniversary of guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani's groundbreaking album, "Surfing With The Alien."

Few guitarists possess the technical skill and melodic taste of Joe Satriani, affectionately called "Satch" by friends and fans. As his pupils (rock notables Steve Vai and Metallica's Kirk Hammett, to name just a couple) became famous, Satriani became recognized in his own right.

Satriani's 1987 multi-million-selling "Surfing With The Alien" album rewarded the guitar instrumentalist, putting him in a unique class of gifted axemen and providing huge opportunities to spread his musical wings. more on this story





Singled Out: All The Right Moves
Today Brandon Daly from All The Right Moves tells us about the first single, "Choke, " from their brand new album "When Your Compass Breaks". Here is the story:

Choke is one of those songs that almost didn't make it to the album... but then ironically ended up becoming the single off the album. It was the night before the band was planning to depart Minneapolis to drive out to New Jersey and begin recording our new full-length album, "When Your Compass Breaks" with platinum producer Rob Freeman (Hit The Lights/ Cobra Starship/ Gym Class Heroes). I had been working on demos for two weeks straight, toying around with different song ideas on Reason & Pro Tools. I was running out of ideas, energy and beer by 5am that morning but I was determined to write another song before we left. I was lying on the ground of my practice space, drunk, frustrated and nearly asleep and then suddenly a melody came rocketing into my head out of nowhere that sparked me up like the 4th of July. I heard the chorus line "Your heart's as big as the ocean, darling, Your soul's as deep as the sea, and it's drowning me". The lyrics, the melody; It all kind of came at once. I think it's the fastest I've ever written and recorded a song. I tracked piano first, then guitar, bass, vocals, and MIDI violin in two hours time and I stayed up until 8am chugging coffee and saw the sunrise that morning as I was finishing mixing the demo tracks to "Choke". I remember being so amped about the song when I met up with the rest of the band the next day I immediately put the song on the stereo of the van for the rest of the band to hear.. It had one of the catchiest choruses I feel like our band has ever released. When we got to the studio and showed Rob Freeman all our song demos... he turned around during Choke and said, "Ok... This one HAS to go on the record!" Choke was the first song we recorded with Rob and it is the first single off our new album.

"Choke" is all about smothering someone you're totally infatuated with. So much to the point that the person you are chasing is "choking on the fumes" from the heat of it, causing them to run away in any direction, just to catch their breath. So to parallel the violent theme of the single, we decided to smash all of our music equipment with an axe and set an upright piano on fire in our music video to "Choke", which can be seen here.

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




Rival Sons Release Until The Sun Comes Video
Rival Sons have released the new music video for their song "Until The Sun Comes" online.

The clip is the second video from the band's new album, Head Down, and was directed by Simon Gesrel-- a protégé of Michel Gondry (White Stripes, Bjork). Watch it here or read on for more background information about it that we were sent.

The video is a freaky desert action clip, with crazy motorcycle sand dune racing, with the hills of the desert as a motif for the double entendres of the woman in the song. Rival Sons frontman Jay Buchanan says, "I really dig this video; it's a completely new direction for us. Filming videos can be very awkward for me, but this time I got to ride a dirt bike out in the desert where I'm most comfortable; it just felt so natural for the song. We're all pretty good on a bike so we just took turns doing tricks and trying to outdo each other. We ended up with some sweet footage. Nice." more on this story




The Gaslight Anthem Perform on Conan
The Gaslight Anthem appeared on Conan's TBS talk show last night and Team Coco sent over a link for fans that may have missed it.

The band was on the show on Thursday to perform the song "Here Comes My Man," from their new album 'Handwritten.'

The band will be playing a show in Oakland tonight at Oracle Arena and a concert at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City (Los Angeles) tomorrow (Dec 8th). Watch video of the Conan performance here.




2012 hennemusic Rock News Awards Set To Be Announced
(hennemusic) The 2012 hennemusic Rock News Awards will be announced on Monday, December 10. The 3rd annual event recognizes the biggest rock news stories and artists of the year.

Finalists for the hennemusic Rock News Awards are chosen by readers: winners are determined by the combined total page views of the top 50 hennemusic rock news stories of the past twelve months.

In the tradition of the weekly hennemusic Hot 10 chart, the site will countdown the top 10 Rock News Stories Of The Year and the top 10 Rock News Artists Of The Year.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Santa Vs The Killers
(CBS Local) The Killers fear Santa's wrath in their new "I Feel It In My Bones" Christmas music video.
A maniacal Santa Claus, played by former tour manager Ryan Pardey, singles out the band as being the naughtiest of the naughty, despite their best efforts to get on the "nice" list.

St. Nick, incensed by the thought of the band bestowing children with music and spreading their message of joy, becomes enraged and goes after the band with a serial killer-like thirst for blood. No Rudolf here, Santa gives up his reindeer and cookies for a Harley and a cigar. After forging his own weapons from steel, he heads out on the road to settle the score. Watch it here.



End of the World Tour
Motley Crue fans can celebrate the countdown to the end of the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2012 with a little music.

Motley frontman Vince Neil is kicking off his End of the World Tour tonight in Orlando, Fl with special guest Slaughter.

The tour will include three additional dates, two in California with Great White and then the finale on Dec 21st in Detroit with Queensryche, Great White and Slaughter. more on this story



Metallica Release Master of Puppets Video From New DVD
(hennemusic) Metallica are haring footage of their classic 1986 track, "Master Of Puppets," from their forthcoming live package, "Quebec Magnetic."

"Quebec Magnetic" includes 26 songs plus bonus material, with over three hours of footage recorded live at Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City, Quebec on October 31 and November 1, 2009.

Filmed by director Wayne Isham, "Quebec Magnetic" is the first project to be released by Metallica under their own label, Blackened Recordings. Watch the video here.




Stone Sour Announce North American Tour
Stone Sour will be kicking off the new year of 2013 by launching a North American tour.

The tour will begin on January 20th Bethlehem, PA and conclude on February 17th in Denver, CO.

Stone Sour will be touring in support of their new release, House of Gold & Bones Part 1, which the first installment of their two album series. more on this story



Masters Of Reality Plan Rare Performances
(Sub) Masters Of Reality frontman Chris Goss and album cover artist/drummer John Leamy will perform live and sign copies of the limited edition re-release of Master Of Reality's classic debut and live albums on Saturday, December 15th, 2012.

The event will be held at the new Delicious Vinyl Record Shop on Sunset Boulevard. And at 10pm that night, Goss and co. will perform an intimate live set at The 3 Clubs in Hollywood.

These performances celebrate Delicious Vinyl's release of a Master Of Reality double-disc pack combining their 1988 debut album Masters Of Reality with 1997's How High The Moon: Live At The Viper Room. more on this story




Porcupine Tree Frontman Steven Wilson Releasing New Album
Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson has set a February 25, 2013 release date for his new solo album, The Raven that Refused to Sing (and Other Stories). We were sent these details:

More than merely a collection of songs, Wilson's third solo album is an audio experiment in time travel. Recorded in Los Angeles, in 2012, the six song set channels an early 70's aesthetic from the dawn of progressive rock and jazz fusion. The result is a sonic adventure through dynamic suites and rhythmic complexities.

Recorded using most vintage gear, and inspired by stories of the supernatural, The Raven that Refused to Sing (and other stories) also features several notable nods to 'the age of the album,' – Wilson's lush arrangements, Alan Parsons engineering and the appearance of the legendary Mellotron used to record King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King. more on this story




Texas Is The Reason Plan Final Shows and Anthology Release
Texas Is The Reason will be reuniting for final shows and releasing a new anthology collection.

Texas Is The Reason will play their final North American live shows starting in Chicago, IL, for Revelation Records' "REV 25" festival on Sunday, January 6 and continue in February and March with performances in major markets such as Washington, DC on February 15, Philadelphia, PA, on February 16, San Francisco, CA, on March 29 and Los Angeles, CA, on March 30.

Texas Is The Reason will also be releasing of their entire discography titled Do You Know Who You Are?: The Complete Collection. more on this story




Trey Anastasio To Play Intimate Venue Dates
Phish frontman Trey Anastasio will be hitting the road in January with his solo band for an intimate venue tour.

The tour will be kicking off on January 18, 2013 with a show at Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, ON

The seven date trek will be in support of Anastasio's most recent solo album, Traveler. more on this story




Shadows Fall's Jason Bittner Issues Health Update
Shadows Fall drummer Jason Bittner has checked in with fans about his recovery from acute pancreatitis with the following:

Well, I'm happy to say that I'm feeling much better, back to playing, and almost feel 100% - too bad my insides are still not 100% but they're healing nicely primarily due to me staying off the road and resting.

I have another round of bloodwork next week, in which the docs think I should be back to all normal internal functions by then, but they still are prohibiting me from leaving until after my endoscope on Dec. 18th (they need to hopefully find the cause of the pancreatitis, and whether or not anything else is going on as well - but I feel pretty confident that I'll be ok). more on this story




KISS Release Box Set Trailer
(hennemusic) KISS released "The Casablanca Singles 1974-1982" box set this week in North America (it will be available around the world in January) and are promoting it with a new two-minute online trailer.

"The Casablanca Singles 1974-1982" covers KISS' eight-year stay on the label, from their very first, "Nothin' to Lose" b/w "Love Theme from KISS", from their self-titled debut to their very first charted 45, "Kissin' Time". The band's subsequent string of hits included "Dressed to Kill"'s live version of "Rock and Roll All Nite" (#12 on Billboard's Hot 100), "Destroyer"'s "Shout It Out Loud" (#31) and the Top 10 ballad "Beth", "Rock And Roll Over"'s "Hard Luck Woman" (#15) and "Calling Dr. Love" (#16), "Love Gun"'s "Christeen Sixteen" (#25), Ace Frehley's solo hit, "New York Groove" (#13) and "Dynasty"'s "I Was Made for Lovin' You" (#11).

"Even I haven't heard some of this stuff, but this is all part of our master plan to celebrate KISS at this milestone in our careers," says Gene Simmons. "This box set represents us at the very beginning of our career, and documents the band's early success and subsequent growth." More details and the trailer.




Atheist Reissues Coming With Bonus Tracks
Season of Mist announced that they will be reissuing Atheist's first three albums digitally and physically.

The three albums "Piece of Time" (1989), "Unquestionable Presence" (1991) and "Elements" (1993), will include bonus tracks.

The label did not give a firm dates, they simply said that the three studio albums will be released digitally before the end of the year, and physical versions will follow in spring 2013. more on this story




Vanna Begin Recording New Album
Vanna have entered the studio to begin recording their new studio album, The Few And The Far Between, which will be released in 2013.

The band is working at Getaway Recordings in Boston (Haverhill) Massachusetts with producer Jay Maas. Maas also produced Vanna's first Artery Recordings release, their 2010 EP The Honest Hearts.

Vanna lead vocalist Davey Muise had this to say, "With all the touring we've done especially this past year and all the time away from home, not only did it make for great writing time and lyrical ammo, it made us want to do the next record at home. For the sound and direction we were going Jay was a no brainer for us. Doing The Honest Hearts EP with jay was so easy and comfortable; we wanted to see what a full record with our dude would be like. We are psyched to see what Jay and the band will do with TFATFB. We will have a full recording blog with pictures and videos all on vannaboston.com so everyone can follow along with this record as it comes alive." more on this story




Stones, Dylan, Sex Pistols and More For Not Fade Away Soundtrack
The Not Fade Away soundtrack will feature music from The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Moody Blues James Brown, The Rascals, Sex Pistols and will be released digitally on December 18th.

We were sent the following film synopsis and soundtrack details: Not Fade Away, the feature film debut from The Sopranos creator David Chase is an ode to the transformative power of rock 'n' roll. In 1964, the Rolling Stones appear on television and three best friends from the suburbs of New Jersey decide to form a rock band. The film stars John Magaro, Jack Huston, Will Brill, Bella Heathcote, Brad Garrett, Christopher McDonald and James Gandolfini.

Because music is so central to the film, Chase worked closely with executive producer Steven Van Zandt in compiling recordings that are evocative of the era and propel the narrative of Chase's screenplay. Van Zandt played Silvio Dante in Chase's The Sopranos over the course of the groundbreaking series' six seasons on HBO and in 2002, created "Little Steven's Underground Garage," a nationally syndicated rock radio show on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. He is a long-standing member of the E Street Band. more on this story




Dave Grohl's Sound City Movie To Premiere at Sundance
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl's directorial debut, Sound City, will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next year.

Grohl, who will travel to Sundance next month along with select artists featured in the film and its forthcoming soundtrack album had this to say, "As a first time director, I am humbled to be able to share my passion for songwriting and storytelling with this incredible cast of legendary musicians, as seen through the extraordinary story of America's greatest unsung recording studio, Sound City. Being included in this group of artists is a true honor, and the Sundance Film Festival is the perfect place to premiere a film about craft, integrity, and passion for art. I am over the moon!"

Sound City, the film, was conceived by Grohl after purchasing the legendary custom-built Neve 8028 recording console from Sound City Studios last year. The board, built in 1972, is considered by many to be the crown jewel of analog recording equipment, having recorded such artists as Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Cheap Trick, Guns N' Roses, Fear, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Slipknot, Nine Inch Nails, Metallica, and countless other musical legends over the past 40 years.

If you missed yesterday's report, you can check out the trailer for the film here.




Lasorda Streaming New Album Online
Lasorda (featuring members of The Get Up Kids, fun., The New Amsterdams, Kevin Devine and The Goddamn Band, and Ghosty) are giving fans an early listen to their entire new album.

Lasorda includes Suzannah Johannes, Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids, The New Amsterdams), Nate Harold (fun., Koufax, The Honorary Title, Waking Ashland), Dustin Kinsey (The New Amsterdams, White Whale, Higher Burning Fire), Mike Strandberg (Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band, Brian Bonz and the Major Crimes), and Josh Adams (Ghosty).

Lasorda's self-titled debut album comes out on 12/11 and is streaming on Spotify with two bonus tracks. Listen here.




Exhumed Announce Impromptu Tour
Exhumed have added a week of new headlining tour dates after being sidelined on their way home from their tour with Napalm Death and Municipal Waste.

The new dates will kick off this Friday in Lafayette, Louisiana and will conclude with two California shows next which are still to be announced.

Elaborates vocalist/guitarist Matt Harvey explains: "Since our van decided to blow up and we're stuck in Alabama for a week, we figured we had time to book some fill-in shows for our longer-than-expected ride home. So come on out and rage with us — last chance in 2012! We look forward to making the most out of this opportunity to melt your faces one last time before we f**k off and get ready for 2013." more on this story




Castle Announce U.S. Tour
Castle will begin 2013 by launching their very first headlining tour of the United States.

The tour will kick off on January 5th in Ventura, Ca and will conclude on February 10th in Las Vegas.

Castle have also announced that drummer Rae Amitay (Mares of Thrace, Woods of Ypres, Thrawsunblat) will be playing with them on the upcoming tour. Says Davis, "We had the chance to play together on a bill in Chicago and were blown away by her drumming." more on this story




Hawthorne Heights' Australian Tour Begins This Week
Hawthorne Heights will be kicking off their Australian tour on Friday with Sydney's Sienna Skies and a host of locals joining them in each city.

Hawthorne Heights are touring in support of their new release Hope, the 2nd release in their EP trilogy. Sienna Skies also have a brand new release of their own to celebrate, with The Constant Climb out now via Artery Recordings.

Hawthorne Heights will also deliver a short acoustic instore set at Fist2Face Records, Ringwood, from 2pm on Saturday 8 December, before their full show at Bang later that night. more on this story




Michael Schenker Adds Temple of Rock Date
Michael Schenker has added a new London concert date to his 2013 Temple of Rock UK Tour.

The new show will take place at London o2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on Friday May 31st.

Schenker will he touring in support of Temple of Rock: Live in Europe CD, DVD, Blu-ray and Ltd Deluxe Collector's Edition, released by inakustik on Monday December 10th. more on this story




Osada Vida Recording New Album
Metal Mind Productions will be releasing Osada Vida's new studio album next spring.

The band's bassist says: "We've just started recording the album. The drum parts will be recorded first and, for us, it's the most important element of the new album. We want to have a lot of space in the drum parts and we want them to be dynamic.

"Later in December we will record the bass guitar and the keys. That's all for this year. Guitars and vocals will be handled in January and, hopefully, our new material will reflect the recent changes in the band well." more on this story





Rolling Stones Remix Doom And Gloom
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones have released a remix of "Doom And Gloom," one of two new tracks on the band's greatest hits collection, "GRRR!"

The song was remixed by DJ and producer Benny Benassi, best known for his summer club hit "Satisfaction", in 2002.

The original "Doom And Gloom" single was recorded in Paris and produced by longtime Stones producer Don Was, who has worked with the band on five previous albums (Voodoo Lounge/ Stripped/ Bridges To Babylon/ Live Licks/ A Bigger Bang). Listen to it here.




State Radio Release Big Man Video
State Radio have released a new music video for the song "Big Man" from their album, Rabbit Inn Rebellion.

Of the video's subject matter, director Michael Gill says, "the video is aesthetically inspired by dystopian sci-fi movies like Brazil and Metropolis, and it is intended to satirize the myth that the wealthiest 1% of America are 'job creators'...and to just generally indict the exploitation of the working class."

While he's always brought it on tour, State Radio frontman Chad Stokes is seen playing the handmade 6-string African oil can guitar, also know as a ram kiekie. A gift purchased on the streets of Capetown, South Africa, the alternative to store-bought guitars is made from a Castrol oil can, bottle tops, plastic and salvaged copper. Nicknamed "Fidel Castrol," the guitar often appears on album tracks. more on this story




Eels Release Peach Blossom Video
Eels have released a new music video for the song "Peach Blossom" from their forthcoming studio album, Wonderful, Glorious.

The video is directed by Los Angeles-based dirctor and photographer Andrew Van Baal, known for his feature documentary Largo which premiered at the 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival and featured artists including Fiona Apple, Louis CK, Aimee Mann and Sarah Silverman. Watch it here.

To celebrate the release of Wonderful, Glorious, out February 5 on E Works/Vagrant Records, EELS will embark on a world tour kicking off February 14 in Santa Ana, California and include dates across the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Europe. The tour will wrap up on April 24 in Paris. more on this story




Johnny Depp Jams With Aerosmith
(hennemusic) Aerosmith are in the final week of the second leg of their Global Warming tour.

On Monday, the Boston band rocked the Staples Center in Los Angeles with some help from guests Johnny Depp and Izzy Stradlin.

Depp joined Aerosmith for covers of Fleetwood Mac's "Stop Messin' Around," and The Beatles' "Come Together."