Slash Announces Soundtrack To His Debut Film Release
(hennemusic) Slash will release the soundtrack album for the first-ever motion picture he has co-produced, "Nothing Left To Fear", on October 4, the same day the film opens in select theaters.
Slash had this to say about the soundtrack, "It's been equally intriguing for me to be involved with producing, writing and performing the music in Nothing Left To Fear.
"Film scoring prompts me to engage different styles of writing and guitar playing that don't always present themselves when I make Rock n Roll records."
The "Nothing Left To Fear" original motion picture soundtrack was written and produced by Slash and Nick O'Toole. It includes the film score plus two original songs: "Nothing Left To Fear", which features vocalist Myles Kennedy, and the instrumental "Welcome To Stull".
"Nothing Left To Fear" is the first film from Slash's production company Slasher Films, and was written by Jonathon W.C. Mills and directed by Anthony Leonardi III.
"As a longtime fan of the horror genre, I want to produce films that are in an older tradition of the genre," says Slash. - More including a video promo
Slipknot's Shawn 'Clown' Crahan To Direct Film
(TeamRock Radio) Slipknot percussionist Shawn 'Clown' Crahan will be entering another entertainment realm by making his movie director debut with his adaptation of graphic novel Officer Downe.
The film, written by comic author Joe Casey, tells the story of the "perfect cop" who gets reanimated by his masters every time he's killed in the line of duty.
Clown – who's directed a number of his band's videos over the years – recently said Slipknot will release a new album next year after coming to terms with the death of bassist Paul Gray in 2010. - Find out when fans can expect it.
Rob Zombie's Current Tour Being Filmed For DVD
(hennemusic) Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 says the rocker is filming his current run of concerts for an upcoming live DVD release, which will be Zombie's very first live DVD release.
"This is big news. I haven't talked about this," John tells Absolute Punk. "30 years, Rob Zombie, White Zombie – never done a live DVD. We're doing one this year. The show's so big. It can't get much bigger, so I'm like, 'We better record this!'"
Zombie is currently on the road headlining the 2013 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival; he's playing the shows to promote his latest album, "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor." - more on this story
Ozzy Osbourne In Shock That Black Sabbath Went To No. 1
(hennemusic) Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne says he and the band were in shock when their new album, "13", debuted at the top of the charts in several countries last month.
"I can't believe it," Osbourne told Sky News at the time. "We were number one all over the place: America, England, Germany, New Zealand, Canada…it's amazing. I don't know what suddenly turned this around. We were all in shock here."
"13" is Sabbath's first studio album with Ozzy since 1978's "Never Say Die," and the singer explained why it took so long to get off the ground. "It's been in the cards for many years but for some reason or another it's never materialized," says Ozzy.
"I've been doing my solo stuff and they've been doing whatever they've been doing. I knew in the back of my mind that one day I wanted to do this. But it's probably the best thing that ever happened to us, to break up all them years ago. This proves that we had something going for us." - Watch the video interview here.
Peter Frampton Helps Philharmonic Reinterpret Fleetwood Mac's Rumours
Peter Frampton is a special guest on London's Royal Philharmonic's new album where they reinterpret Fleetwood Mac's monster hit album "Rumours" in its entirely.
Glass Onyon sent over these details: Recorded at the historic Abbey Road studios, this release marks the first time the RPO have taken on an entire album, from opening note to closing refrain.
The roughly 50+ musicians who comprise the orchestra were aided in their quest by the guiding hands of arrangers James Graydon and Richard Cottle as well as very special guest appearances by the legendary Peter Frampton and steel guitarist Sarah Jory.
Released in 1977 and considered the high water mark not only of Fleetwood Mac's extraordinary career but of '70s rock in general, Rumours produced a string of hits including "Go Your Own Way," "Don't Stop," "The Chain," and "Gold Dust Woman." - more on this story
Scorpions' Moment Of Glory Coming To Blu-Ray
(hennemusic) The Scorpions 2000 release, "Moment Of Glory," is coming to Blu-ray on July 30. The project captures the Scorpions backed by the world famous Berliner Philharmoniker Orchestra in concert during Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany.
In addition to the concert, part of Berlin's millennium celebrations, the Blu-ray includes bonus band interviews and director's cuts of "Hurricane 2000", "Moment Of Glory" and "Here In My Heart."
The setlist features a variety of the band's hits, including "Still Loving You," "Big City Nights" and "Wind Of Change." - more on this story
AFI Release First Song From Forthcoming Album
(Radio.com) AFI are teasing fans with "I Hope You Suffer," the first single from their upcoming as-yet-untitled ninth album, due out in September. The industrial-influenced song, which was posted to the band's website on Thursday (July 18).
The new song comes nearly four years after their last effort, 2009's Crash Love. Frontman Davey Havok provides emotional lyrics over an unconventionally punchy drum rhythm, while big guitars and deep bass fill out the chorus.
Havok dedicates his vocals to an ex-lover, singing, "I faced destruction and you just killed me and walked away/I gave my heart to the cruel now it will not beat again/I hope you do/I hope you suffer/I hope you do/Just like I suffered."
Screaming vocals and abstract layers of synths give a harder dynamic to the track, which is a far cry from Crash Love's pop-rock attitude. "I Hope You Suffer" is a dark love ballad, echoing the albums of AFI past like 2003′s Sing the Sorrow and 2006′s Decemberunderground, which initially thrust the group into the spotlight with singles like "Girl's Not Grey" and "Miss Murder."
Drummer Adam Carson delivers a beat more Nine Inch Nails than Fall Out Boy, while guitarist Jade Puget's chords race through the four-and-a-half minute song with '80s metal influence. - Listen here
God Forbid's Doc Coyle Seeks Guitarist For New Project
God Forbid's Doc Coyle has teamed up with Phyllotaxis' Ravi, drummer Moe Watson and multi-instrumentalist Aden Oxenreider for a new as-yet-unnamed band, and they are looking for a guitar player.
Coyle had this to say, "I started working on material with Ravi almost 2 years ago by trading files over the internet. I was tied up with God Forbid, but now we finally have the time to put together a full band. We've included a small music sample and you will hear that it is not metal, although there are some heavy overtones.
"I am very picky about what kind of guitar player I want in this project, so I will lay out some guidelines. You need to live in the area between New York City, Central New Jersey, and Philadelphia. Rehearsing and playing gigs will require travel so the person must have a car. You need adequate and professional equipment including effects. The band is very ambient and will need someone who understands and likes to create soundscapes. There are some technical aspects to the music as well so you will need some chops. I have to emphasize that this is a rock band, not a metal band. I would prefer a non metal guitar player, but I'm fine with anyone as long as you understand it's not about sweeping picking at 220 BPM and playing 8 string guitar breakdowns. Our influences for this band are Tool, Muse, Deftones, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Karnivool, etc.
"It's also important that I emphasize that this is a passion project. We are here for music and art first, and being signed or getting on the radio takes a back seat to doing something that is meaningful and being part of something that is special."
If you are guitarist and are interested, you can send a written or video statement about yourself, a photo of yourself, along with any examples of any music you've created or videos of live performance if these requirements apply to doc4bid@gmail.com -
Virtual Smashing Pumpkins Concert Set For This Weekend
The Smashing Pumpkins will be hosting a free virtual and interactive concert this weekend from their upcoming "The Aeroplane Flies High" CD/DVD release.
Fans will be able to check out the online concert for 24 hours on-demand, starting at 6:00PM PDT/9:00PM EDT on Saturday, July 20 on the band's Facebook page here.
The stream will be powered by Milyoni's #SocialVideo Platform which will offer fans the ability to connect with other viewers for an interactive experience featuring live chat and time-released Social Widgets, delivering exclusive images, trivia, polls and video clips that can be shared via social networks.
The stream will feature the fully re-mastered July 4, 1997 concert from Belfort, France, and the online event is to celebrate next Tuesday, July 23rd released of the deluxe reissues of the 1996 box set "The Aeroplane Flies High."
The new version of the box set will be released in four separate versions, all fully remastered. The configurations include a 6-CD +1 DVD version, a 5-LPs version plus Deluxe Digital and Standard Digital editions. -
Making Of Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon Blu-Ray Coming
(hennemusic) The Classic Albums special, "Pink Floyd: The Making Of Dark Side Of The Moon," will see its release on Blu-ray on August 27. Originally released in 2003, the program traces the creation of Pink Floyd's iconic 1973 album, which went on to become one of the biggest selling records in music history.
Classic Albums features interviews with Pink Floyd band members Roger Waters, Richard Wright, David Gilmour and Nick Mason, engineer Alan Parsons, the late designer Storm Thorgerson, and others involved to unveil the creative process behind the project.
Bonus features on the Blu-ray include 40 minutes of additional footage not seen in the original 50-minute television version and - more.
Sex Pistols Frontman To Receive Icon Award
(Gibson) Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd frontman John Lydon is being honored for his legacy as a songwriter. BMI will present the veteran rocker--also known by his Sex Pistols stage name, Johnny Rotten—with its prestigious Icon Award at its BMI London Awards ceremony in October.
"John Lydon is a true icon whose influence on music, fashion and art has been felt around the world," said Del Bryant, president of BMI. "We are very pleased to recognize his impact on popular culture and his outstanding musical contributions with the BMI Icon Award."
Previous recipients of the award include Ray Davies, Van Morrison and Bryan Ferry. The awards ceremony will take place at London's Dorchester Hotel on October 15. - more on this story
Rolling Stones' Stones In Exile Film To Be Released on Blu-Ray
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones documentary, "Stones In Exile," will see its release on Blu-ray on August 27. Directed by Stephen Kijack and originally issued in 2010, the film chronicles the story behind the Stones' monumental "Exile On Main Street" album.
Recounted in the band's own words, the documentary explores the spring of 1971, when the Stones fled the UK as tax exiles, settled into Keith Richards' French villa Nellcôte in Villefranche-sur-Mer, and proceeded to create the double-album masterpiece.
The Blu-ray includes extensive bonus footage, interviews with all band members (as well as some well-known Exile fans) and a featurette of Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts visiting Olympic Studio and Jagger's Stargroves country house, where most of the early work on the album was done. - more on this story
Robert Plant To Headline Bluesfest
(TeamRock Radio) Robert Plant and his Sensational Space Shifters, Bobby Womack and Van Morrison are the lead names on the bill for the third annual Bluesfest London at the Royal Albert Hall.
Festival director Leo Green says: "I'm thrilled the lineup includes some true icons of blues and soul, as well as some of the greatest artists the following generations have to offer."
Also listed are Georgie Fame, Dr Feelgood, Marcus Bonfanti, Chris Rea, among many others. - Check out the full lineup and ticket information.
Skid Row Cancel Show And Announce Tour With Ugly Kid Joe
Skid Row have been forced to pull out of their concerts in Panama City this weekend for an undisclosed reason and the band have also announced a European co-headline tour with Ugly Kid Joe for this fall.
Skid Row frontman Johnny Solinger explained the canceled shows, "Well mi Amigos, due to issues which could not be resolved, the Panama City, Panama shows this weekend have been pulled (cancelled).
"We are definitely bummed out, but rest assure it had nothing to do with the band. These things sometimes, though rarely occur. Major apologies to those disappointed and who planned to travel and attend these shows.
"So, an unexpected Summer Weekend off it shall be. Laze by the pool and have some laughs... grillin' too. Be safe everyone."
The Skid Row and Ugly Kid Joe co-headline tour of Europe will kick off in England on October 22nd and will conclude on November 26th in Austria. - more on this story
Asking Alexandria Release Stream of New Song Killing You
(TeamRock Radio) Asking Alexandria have released new track "Killing You" from upcoming studio album From Death To Destiny, which is set to be released on August 5th.
Guitarist Ben Bruce recently admitted it had "taken long enough" to finish the album. He said: "It wasn't because we were being lazy, but because we wanted it to be perfect."
They've already launched a ten-minute album preview featuring clips from all 13 tracks – but Killing You is the first song to appear in full. - Check out the new song here.
Kyuss Lives On With Vista Chino, New Song Streaming Online
(Classic Rock) Vista Chino, formerly known as Kyuss Lives, have released a new track entitled "Barcelonian", which comes from their upcoming studio album Peace.
John Garcia and Brant Bjork's upcoming album Peace is due out on September 2nd, ahead of a UK tour starting the following month.
The name change came about after legal action between the former Kyuss bandmates and ex-frontman Josh Homme, who was happy for them to tour as Kyuss Lives but didn't want them to record under the title.
Check out the song, album tracklist and tour dates - here.
Rise Against Streaming Their New Journey Cover Online
(Radio.com) Rise Against have announced a September 10 release date for Long Forgotten Songs: B-Sides & Covers 2000-2013, a 26-song collection that includes previously unheard music that dates back to before the band signed a record deal with label Fat Wreck Chords.
The album even includes their punk rock cover of Journey's 1980 hit, "Any Way You Want It," which the band has made available to listen to via an online stream.
"In the last thirteen or so years Rise Against has put out six records, each one we are proud to put our name on," Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath said in a press release.
"But we are just as proud of these 26 songs that slipped through the cracks and never ended up on any of our full lengths. In various ways, most of these songs saw the light of day at some point, but we thought we would spare you the digging and put them all on one record." - Listen to the Journey cover here.
Serj Tankian, Isahn and Devin Townsend Release Charity Song
(TeamRock Radio) Serj Tankian, Isahn and Devin Townsend have released a new collaborative song entitle "We Are," a charity single, under the title Revolution Harmony.
System Of A Down frontman Tankian and Isahn recorded vocals while Townsend laid down a guitar solo. The music was created by Ray Holroyd of 12 Ton Method and Needleye.
We Are is on sale now, and all proceeds will be donated to Buskaid, an organisation which provides instruments and music lessons to underprivileged children in South Africa. - Check out the song here.
Remembering Duane Allman
(Gibson) Few musicians affected those close to him as profoundly as Duane Allman did. Time and again, surviving friends and musician-peers remember him not just for his prowess on guitar, but also for his personal charisma, his leadership skills and his devotion to those who comprised his inner circle. Below we've collected some of the more incisive remembrances about Allman and his lasting impact.
Johnny Sandlin (producer/musician), on Duane's ability to bring out the best in his fellow musicians (as told to Swampland.com): He was one of the most interesting, exciting and alive people that I ever knew. He was one of the most intelligent as well. Most of the time he was great to be around and he was so dedicated to music and it was a central thing in our lives. Whenever anyone played with Duane he would bring out the best in them. Not that it was a competition, but he was an inspiration. He was one of the best that there ever was.
Dickey Betts (guitarist), on how Duane developed his style on slide guitar (as told to Jasobrecht.com): Well, Robert Johnson. You've heard that name a million times, but he's influenced so many people. I guess that he was probably one of the biggest influences on Duane. [And] who's the guy, the slide player? Elmore James! He got really into Elmore James a lot for the electric part of it. You know, Robert Johnson never played any electric, of course. So Elmore James was a big influence on his electric slide.
Tom Dowd (producer), on Duane's diplomatic skills in the studio (as told to Swampland.com): [Duane was] a pussycat, an absolute humble, soft spoken, brilliant leader. He never provoked anyone in the band. He was never demonstrative, but he was in charge and he got everyone to go the right way, whether he did it by playing them something or saying something to them.
John Hammond (guitarist), on what it was like to record with Duane (as told to HittinTheNote.com): Everybody just fell all over themselves for Duane, you know. He was their idol. All of a sudden these [session] guys knew exactly what I wanted them to do. From having not understood a thing before, everybody understood what the deal was. Duane was the catalyst completely for that. To play with him was like feeling almost invincible, because he played everything right. He was just terrific. It was more inspirational than actually learning notes and stuff. He was a good friend. - more.
Lemmy From Motorhead 'On The Mend'
(hennemusic) Motorhead guitarist Phil Campbell has issued an update on the band following the cancellation of a series of summer concerts while frontman Lemmy deals with some health issues.
"Hey everyone out there," posted Campbell. "Better prepare yourselves big time, cos our mindblowing new record 'Afterschock' will be coming out! Lemmy is on the mend and we are gonna be touring our asses off!!! Business as usual real soon!"
Motorhead canceled the remaining shows on their summer European festival tour following doctor's orders as Lemmy recently suffered a haematoma (where blood collects outside of a blood vessel) and needed to address the issue; the bassist had previously been fitted with a defibrillator because of heart problems. - more on this story
Lamb Of God, Killswitch Engage, Testament Tour
The rumors turned out to be true as Lamb Of God and Killswitch Engage have announced that they will be teaming up for a North American tour this fall.
Lamb Of God and Killswitch Engage will be joined on the 28-date trek by thrash legends Testament and Huntress (except at the Hollywood Palladium where Testament will be not be on the bill and another act will be announced soon.)
The tour is set to kick off on October 22nd in Toronto at Kool Haus and will be concluding on November 26th in Silver Spring, MD at The Fillmore Silver Spring. - more on this story
Megadeth's Gigantour Derailed By Extreme Weather
(hennemusic) Megadeth were forced to cancel their Gigantour set Tuesday night as Oklahoma City was hit by extreme weather. Intense rain and lightning forced Device to skip their set, and then shortly before Megadeth were to take the stage, a bolt of lightning struck an Oklahoma City transformer, cutting power to the Zoo Amphitheatre entirely.
Dave Mustaine kept fans up to date on Twitter, writing, "OKC just can't get a break. It's pouring down rain & lightning is everywhere. Device was pulled. This sucks!"
"I give up...lightning hit a city transformer and the city went dark," wrote Mustaine later, followed by "We are trying to wait it out, but they say it will be hours, if not days until it's fixed."
After a 45-minute wait, the audience was advised that Megadeth would be unable to perform. - more on this story
Stone Temple Pilots Explain Why They Fired Scott Weiland
(Banana 101.5) Stone Temple Pilots' DeLeo brothers, Robert and Dean, were recently interviewed by Banana 101.5 out of Flint, Michigan and covered a lot of topics including their new singer Chester Bennington, their new music, and why they parted ways with Scott Weiland. That part of the interview is below:
The DeLeo brothers were asked, "I know you probably don't want to talk about Scott much, but I was curious as to what the final straw was that made you guys decide to bring it to an end with him?" and Robert responded, "Well, I think it's a well publicized series of events…" to which Dean added, "Twenty years worth [laughs]." Then they both went into more details:
[Robert] I think you get to a point in your life where your BS meter starts running down to a certain kind of tolerance. It wasn't just a musical decision or a business decision it was a quality of live decision and that really what it's about. That's where we wanted to be. Chester is a person that's really surrounded by good fortune and that's something you want to be around. It's no longer three guys in a room, trying to make a record or trying to get a tour together – it's four guys in a room.
[Dean] We want to be able to fulfill our commitment through the band too. Robert, Eric and I, we want to be able to come to town and give you everything we've got and it was getting to a point where we were unable to do that.
[Banana 101.5] Scott Weiland came here to Flint on the first night of his solo tour, just two days after you parted ways with him, and I think you guys made the right move because Chester is going to come out and deliver every night and, as much as I love Scott, I can't say that he did that when he was here.
[Robert] We're gonna be able to do material that we weren't able to do and I think from seeing what you saw with Scott — I think you know what I mean. We're gonna be able to perform stuff that we've been dying to perform for a long time.
[Dean] I don't know if the fans want to hear this kind of stuff, they probably want to hear more about music, but our band means a lot to us. It never wavered or diminished in any way. Robert and Eric and I are really filled with gratitude. There's a lot that comes along with being in a successful band and it's all luxurious. Really. It really is. With that said, it means so much to us and it's such a big part of our life… I'm gonna say it doesn't define us, but it's a big part of our life. It comes into our homes! It really lives and resides in our homes — in our bedrooms, around our children and when a toxic orbit or environment steps into my house… would you wanna do that?
[Banana 101.5] No.
[Dean] It's like what Robert said, man. It's more about quality of life. You know, I'm gonna say something that's not slighting Chester in any way, but I would've loved for [the Scott Weiland] lineup to have gone on forever [or] until we were taken out by our elbows and heels, but it just… we did not dictate where we're at now. By any means. - Read more of the interview or stream it here.
Kings of Leon Return With New Song
(Radio.com) After a tumultuous hiatus, which included a cancelled 2011 tour, Kings of Leon is back with "Supersoaker," the first single from their upcoming album, Mechanical Bull (due out September 24).
Their latest single–their first since releasing Come Around Sundown in 2010–is a return to their early days of energetic, kick drum heavy country rock. On the chorus, Caleb Followill growls,"I don't mind sentimental girls at times," as his bandmates join in, guitars a blazing.
Mechanical Bull was recorded at the group's home studio in Nashville, TN, and was produced by longtime KOL collaborator, Angelo Petraglia. "I thought we were going to make a really mature album but I'm amazed how youthful it sounds," bassist Jared Followill told NME. "It's like a mix of Youth & Young Manhood and Because Of The Times."
As for the record's album title, Caleb says it was inspired by the wild, wild, west. "Every record has to have five syllables," he told Norway's NRK P3. "For some reason we kept watching all these old cowboy clips when we listened to our songs and it was just kinda something that was sticking in our heads and I felt like the further we got into the record, the more tracks, it really did feel like it was a bit of a roller coaster ride."
He added, "A lot of the time we like our record titles to be a bit of a thinker - for people to try to decode. But for this [album] it was like, 'Man, we're havin' fun with this record. It feels like something that should be fun so let's just go against the grain and go against what we normally do and call it that.'" - Check out the new song and read more here.
Alice Cooper Says Current Generation Is Not Rock
(Gibson) Veteran shock rocker Alice Cooper doesn't understand how this new crop of acoustic performers can be, well, so safe, and still be under the label of rock.
"I just feel like this whole generation maybe all need to eat a steak," Cooper said in an interview with Fuse. "Maybe they need to quit eating…vegetarian food and get out there and get some blood pumping in their system."
He added that being a rock musician means that "you're an outlaw" and that rock 'n' roll comes from your guts as opposed to your brain. "It's sexual," he said. "It's tribal."
He added that, "rock bands don't have accordions or lutes or flutes, unless, maybe, you're Jethro Tull." - more on this story
Nine Inch Nails Plan Four Different Covers For Hesitation Marks
(Radio.com) With Trent Reznor's current Nine Inch Nails revival in full swing, the band's mastermind has revealed four separate album covers for Hesitation Marks, the group's first new studio release since their 2008 full-length, The Slip.
All four mixed-media images (including actual blood on two of them) were created by artist Russell Mills, who's no stranger to making art for Nine Inch Nails, having crafted the cover art for the group's famed 1994 release, The Downward Spiral.
Each piece is specific to a particular album format: "Turn and Burn" (digital), "Cargo in the Blood" (deluxe CD), "Time and Again" (standard CD) and "Other Murmurs" (vinyl).
"The artworks, (30 mixed media pieces) that I eventually produced towards uses in the Hesitation Marks releases, evolved out of lengthy exchanges between myself and Trent and in response to the conceptual ideas that thread through the tracks and to the sonic territory that the album explores," Mills explained in a statement on the official Nine Inch Nails website.
"I've tried to lock into the album's prevailing mood and echo the album's essence. The ideas are not communicated in a literal or easily digested form, as this would be boring for me and would insult the intelligence of a potential audience. I've tried to make works that obliquely allude to the essence of the subject matter, to its emotional core." - Check out the artwork here.
U2's Bono Receives France's Highest Cultural Honor
(hennemusic) U2 frontman Bono has received France's highest cultural honor for his contribution to music and commitment to humanitarian causes, according to the BBC.
Bono was presented with the Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters by French Culture Minister Aurelie Filippetti in Paris. Bono said the award belonged to his band. "I've got the biggest mouth and the loudest voice but the music we make comes from each other," he said.
Mr Filippetti praised the singer saying: "You committed yourself and dedicated your fame and career to wage some of the greatest wars of our time. Not for charity's sake but in the name of justice." - more on this story
Johnny Marr Kicking Off Solo Tour On Halloween
Johnny Marr, the former guitarist for The Smiths, has announced plans to launch a North American tour this fall in support of his recently released debut solo album.
Marr will be launching the tour on Halloween, October 31st, in Anaheim, Ca at the House of Blues and will stay on the road for the month of November before concluding the trek on November 26th in Fort Lauderdale, FL at Culture Room.
The tour follows Marr's performance at this year's Coachella Festival and includes a new festival stop, this time at the Fun Fun Fun Festival in Austin, Tx on November 8th.
Johnny is hitting the road in support of his debut solo album, The Messenger, which was released earlier this year by Sire/ADA. - more on this story
Wilko Johnson Wonders 'What's The Point' About Final Album
(Classic Rock) Wilko Johnson sometimes find himself wondering "What's the bloody point?" when he thinks about his final album. The terminally-ill guitarist is working on one more batch of new music before he bows to the inevitable, after confirming in January that he'd decided not to undergo chemotherapy for his pancreatic cancer.
He was forced to cancel the last few shows of his farewell tour earlier this year due to an unrelated illness – but after realising he felt more healthy than he'd expected to, he's added more live dates. He performed in a home crowd at Southend-on-Sea at the weekend.
Wilko tells the Guardian: "I thought I should try to get an album out before I die. But this is a rather indeterminate time for me, so sometimes I do wonder what the bloody point is.
"The last songs, strangely enough, contain a lot of metaphors for death. It's not too heavy, though – don't worry." - more on this story
Slade Having Trouble Finding A New Singer
(Classic Rock) Slade are struggling to find a replacement for outgoing frontman Mal McNulty, they've admitted. He wants to bow out because he doesn't feel able to deliver the kind of performance the glam rock icons need.
And since there's no chance of persuading Noddy Holder to return to the mic, guitarist Dave Hill and drummer Don Powell have been engaged in a series of auditions with other singers.
"It's the hardest job in the world to fill because Noddy was such an incredible singer," Powell tells the Birmingham Mail. They'd tried to secure the services of Almost Slayed tribute vocalist Danny Devil, who's regarded as a "carbon copy" of Holder, but it hasn't worked out because he's based in Australia.
"On paper it sounds great," says Powell, "but his partner is in the band and he's in Australia. in reality it's a bit silly. It may have caused too many problems." - more on this story
The Almighty Expanding Albums For Reissue
(Classic Rock) The Almighty will re-release their first two albums in September, with another batch due early next year. And the band haven't entirely given up on plans to write new music, and possibly even tour.
Ricky Warwick, now fronting Black Star Riders, co-formed the Scottish-based outfit in 1988. They split in 1996, then again in 2002 after a reunion.
During their first stint they released five acclaimed studio albums: Blood, Fire And Love, Soul Destruction, Powertrippin', Crank and Just Add Life. They later added a self-titled record in 2000 and finally Pyscho-Narco in 2001.
The first two will see the light of day on September 30 under the title Re-F**kin'-Issues. Each album will come complete with bonus material including additional tracks, liner notes and commentary. - more on this story
Bob Dylan Bootleg Series 10th Installment Details
(Gibson) Bob Dylan is set to release the 10th installment of his Bootleg Series on Aug. 27, and the set will celebrate the musician's performance period from the late-1960s into the '70s.
The Bootleg Series, Vol. 10 -- Another Self Portrait (1969-1971) offers a mix of never-before-released demos and additional recordings around the release of Dylan's studio albums Self Portrait and New Morning.
Another Self Portrait will arrive as a two-CD set and a four-disc collection, the latter that also includes a re-mastered edition of Self Portrait and a CD of Dylan's Aug. 31, 1969, performance with the Band at England's Isle of Wight Festival.
The Bootleg Series, Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969-1971) [Disc One]: "Went to See the Gypsy" (demo)
"In Search of Little Sadie" (without overdubs, Self Portrait)
"Pretty Saro" (unreleased, Self Portrait)
"Alberta #3" (alternate version, Self Portrait)
"Spanish Is the Loving Tongue" (unreleased, Self Portrait)
"Annie's Going to Sing Her Song" (unreleased, Self Portrait)
"Time Passes Slowly #1" (alternate version, New Morning)
"Only a Hobo" (unreleased, Greatest Hits II)
"Minstrel Boy" (unreleased, The Basement Tapes)
"I Threw It All Away" (alternate version, Nashville Skyline)
"Railroad Bill" (unreleased, Self Portrait)
"Thirsty Boots" (unreleased, Self Portrait)
"This Evening So Soon" (unreleased, Self Portrait)
"These Hands" (unreleased, Self Portrait)
"Little Sadie" (without overdubs, Self Portrait)
"House Carpenter" (unreleased, Self Portrait)
"All the Tired Horses" (without overdubs, Self Portrait) - Check out the rest of the tracklisting here.
Elvis Presley's Last Two Recorded Concerts To Be Auctioned
Tapes containing footage of the very last known time Elvis Presley ever appeared and performed on camera with hours of never-before-broadcast material are set to be auctioned.
The tapes will be part of the inaugural Mecum Celebrity Items Auction that will be taking place on July 26-27 in Santa Monica, California, which will feature more than a dozen Elvis items. We were sent these details:
The original video and audio footage comes from Elvis' last two recorded live concerts - including one in Omaha, Neb., on June 19, 1977, and one in Rapid City, S.D., on June 21, 1977. The tapes include Elvis performing live onstage as well as footage from backstage and behind-the-scenes. Following these two live dates, Elvis would go on to perform a handful of additional shows, with the final curtain call coming at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis on June 26. Not long after these shows Elvis would unexpectedly pass away on August 16, 1977.
The uncirculated tapes, totaling approximately four-and-a-half hours, contain the unedited, multi-camera professionally filmed concert footage with the original audio mix. The electricity and excitement is utterly phenomenal during two concerts that include approximately 27 different songs sung by Elvis. The tapes also include intimate backstage scenes, candid dressing room footage and hallway shots of Elvis, his then-girlfriend, Ginger Alden, and his father, Vernon Presley. The Elvis tapes are being sold solely as a cultural collectible intended for the personal enjoyment of the successful bidder. View the lot details for the tapes here.
The Mecum Celebrity Items Auction also includes the sale of several additional pieces of Elvis Presley memorabilia and history. Highlights include Elvis Presley's personal vehicle, a 1972 Cadillac Custom Estate Wagon (Lot S119), 1958-1960 U.S. Army Induction and Discharge Papers (Lot S207) and a 1958 lot of rare Presley photographs in the Army (Lot S200). Additional items for fans of 'The King' include rare autographs from the late 1950s and early 1960s; slides of Presley at his Graceland mansion in 1958; photos of Presley on active duty in Germany and at play with the Memphis Mafia in Paris. -
Joe Satriani To Publish His Musical Memoirs
(hennemusic) Joe Satriani will publish his first book, "Strange Beautiful Music: A Musical Memoir", next spring. "I'm excited for my fans, through this musical memoir, to get a deeper look inside my creative process in the studio and the stories behind the songs," says Satriani. "We have a great publisher in BenBella and I look forward to the book hitting shelves next year!"
Published by BenBella Books and told over hours of firsthand, exclusive interviews, the book is co-written by Satriani and award-winning music biographer Jake Brown (Heart, Motorhead, Kenny Aronoff, Rick Rubin) and takes fans on their first authorized tour of the story behind his climb to worldwide stardom.
Featuring a foreword by legendary Queen lead guitarist Brian May, this memoir is filled with pages and pages of never-before-seen photos as well as exclusive, firsthand interviews with former student and fellow guitar icon Steve Vai, Chickenfoot bandmates Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Chad Smith, legendary producers Glyn Johns, the late Andy Johns, AC/DC producer Mike Fraser, and Satriani/Dead Kennedys producer John Cunniberti, among others. - more on this story
Freddie Mercury Gorilla Returns After Facelift
(hennemusic) The Freddie Mercury gorilla has returned to Norwich following a facelift requested by the estate of the late Queen singer. The gorilla has retained his original clothes but his face has been changed to resemble that of a real-life gorilla, according to Norfolk Eastern Daily Press.
The Freddie gorilla was removed last week after organizers of Go Go Gorillas! were contacted by the Freddie Mercury Estate; the two parties have since been in discussions to resolve the situation.
"It will be nice to have him back out there," said organizer Martin Green. "We have worked with the Freddie Mercury Estate to make some alterations.
"Our artist has carried out the work and design which was agreed by all parties, and we have got the best outcome possible which considers the wishes of the Freddie Mercury Estate." - Check out before and after photos here.
Soundgarden's Live From The Artists Den Performance Goes Online
(hennemusic) Soundgarden are featured on the latest episode of the public television series Live From The Artists Den, and video of the full program has surfaced.
Soundgarden were filmed in concert at The Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on the final date of the first leg of their North American tour in support of "King Animal."
The February 17th performance mixed brand new songs with classics, radio hits, and rarities. If you missed the broadcast you can watch the episode online - here.
Rob Zombie Releases American Band Lyric Video and Calls On Fans
(hennemusic) Rob Zombie has released a lyric video for his cover of the Grand Funk Railroad classic, "We're An American Band, " from the "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor" album.
Zombie is asking fans to be a part of the video for his cover of the track. "We want singers, bands, cheerleaders, athletes, hard-working, hard-drinking, hard-rocking people!" Your submission just might end up in a special fan version of the "American Band" video created by Rob Zombie."
Zombie worked on the album with producer Bob Marlette; it's the first release on Rob's new label, Zodiac Swan, through T-Boy Records/UMe. - more on this story
Metallica Release Welcome Home (Sanitarium) Video From Orion Fest
(hennemusic) Metallica have released video footage of their performance of the classic track "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" at last month's Orion Music + More festival.
The tune, from the band's 1986 album, "Master Of Puppets," was featured in Metallica's headlining set, which closed out the festival at Belle Isle in Detroit, MI.
The group have also released video of "For Whom The Bell Tolls" , "…And Justice For All" , "Harvester Of Sorrow" and "I Disappear". - Check out the video here.
Five Finger Death Punch Almost Fired Singer Over Alcoholism
Five Finger Death Punch frontman Ivan Moody reveals in a new interview with Revolver Magazine that he came close to being fired by the band last year over his alcoholism, reports Team Rock Radio.
"When I sang, I was a totally functional alcoholic," Moody said. "I could do my job. But then half of the tour for 'American Capitalist', I couldn't even tell I had been onstage. I would literally wake up the next day and say, 'Where the hell are we? What did we do last night?' And someone would go, 'Well, we played a show in front of 20,000 people.' And I'd go, 'F**k, I wish I remembered.'"
Things soon became so bad that it that his bandmates were running out of patience and had even threatened to replace him with another singer, according to Blabbermouth.
"While I was drinking myself into oblivion, I lost all contact with my three kids and my family," Moody said, "God, I can't believe I'm telling you this. I got to a point where I wouldn't wake up in the day at all. I'd just sleep through it and then wake up and go to the bar and then go back to bed. I had just gotten divorced, so I was going through women like water and it just turned into a pattern. I felt gross. I felt like a junkie. My own bandmembers wouldn't return my calls and I lost multiple tour managers, crew members. I can't tell you how many friends stopped talking to me. It's really sad sometimes that you have to go to that extreme bottom to find your way back up, but it's true."
However, Moody explains that it was Korn frontman Jonathan Davis, who had his own struggles early in his career, that helped him come to his senses. "I went on his bus and he sat there," Moody said. "He lit me a cigarette and he looked me in the eyes and said, 'First things first, dude. You need to get off the juice. You've got the most talented band and you're a great performer, but you're f**king up and I've been there.' What he was saying was so potent because he was someone I had looked up to my entire life. I was crying when I walked off the bus. It hurt me because I knew he was right." - Read the Team Rock Radio report here.
Avenged Sevenfold, Deftones and Ghost Announce Fall Tour
Avenged Sevenfold have revealed some of the details for their upcoming North American Fall headline tour that the band will be launching in October.
The arena trek will feature support from Deftones and Ghost (aka Ghost B.C.) and Avenged Sevenfold have revealed the dates and cities for the tour but have yet to release venue information.
Avenged Sevenfold will be launching the tour, their first full North American tour since 2011, in support of their new album, Hail To The King.
The new album was produced by Mike Elizondo and is set to be released on August 27th and yesterday the band gave fans a taste of what is come by releasing an online stream of the album's title track here.
Avenged Sevenfold have also announced a special free Hail To The King record release show on August 26th at the Hollywood Palladium. The band will be releasing information about how fans can obtain tickets to show soon. - more on this story
How Linkin Park's Chester Bennington Joined Stone Temple Pilots
(Classic Rock) Stone Temple Pilots guitarist Dean DeLeo didn't realize how easy it was going to be to persuade Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington to join the band.
He'd known that Bennington was a fan – but he didn't know how much of a fan. And after Bennington had accepted the role that became available when STP sacked Scott Weiland, he told DeLeo the whole story.
The guitarist tells Nikki Sixx on his Sixx Sense radio show: "I was on a European tour, in my room, late at night. I turn on the TV and there's Linkin Park doing this massive festival, and Chester's hitting it with a Stone Temple Pilots shirt on. It put a smile on my face, it brought me back to home, and I could feel my heart again.
"When the time came to think about a singer we reached out to him."
Bennington, who readily describe accepting the invitation as a "no-brainer," went on to record the track Out Of Time with STP, who launched it in May as their first musical act without Weiland.
It was around that time the singer told DeLeo: "When I was dating my wife, about eight, nine years ago, I said: 'One day, they're going to call me to be in the band.'" - more on this story
Mazzy Star Releasing First New Album In 17 Years
Mazzy Star have set a September 24th, 2013 world wide release date for their first new album in seventeen years, and fourth studio album overall, Seasons Of Your Day.
The band is teasing the album's release with an online streaming preview of the first single "California." Mazzy Star will be releasing a music video for the track in August, but you can listen to it right now at this location.
The new album features the original Mazzy Star lineup and will also feature special guest appearances including My Bloody Valentine's Colm O'Ciosoig and the late Bert Jansch (Pentangle).
Seasons Of Your Day was produced and co-written by David Roback and Hope Sandoval and will be released on their own label, Rhymes Of An Hour Records, in CD, 180g vinyl double LP, and digital download formats. - more on this story
The Cult Reuniting With James Stevenson For Electric 13 Tour
(hennemusic) The Cult have announced that guitarist James Stevenson will be joining them on the band's upcoming Electric 13 tour. Stevenson, who previously toured with The Cult in the mid-90s, is replacing Mike Dimkich, who has left the band to play with Bad Religion.
The Electric 13 tour, which kicks off in San Diego on July 25, coincides with the release of the new 2-disc set, "Electric Peace", on July 30.
"We stared of rehearsals as a trio with me, Chris [Wyse, bass] and Johnny [Tempesta, drums] as we felt like we just wanted to get a bit of the rust off as we haven't played together for a while," says guitarist Billy Duffy.
"Obviously, 'Electric' is very much a two-guitar album, one rhythm and one lead, so with Mike moving on, we've decided to welcome back James Stevenson back into the fold to play rhythm for the tour. As a Cult alumni of 94/5, James was the obvious choice."
"The plan is to play the 'Electric' album in order then break and play a bunch of other stuff from the other eras, similar to the 'Love Live' tour from a few years back," added Duffy. - more on this story
Dave Grohl Takes Part in Grease Sing-A-Along
(Radio.com) At famed Los Angeles venue the Hollywood Bowl, the Grease Sing-A-Long has become an annual tradition, with fans packing the amphitheater to belt out the hit songs from the enduring 1978 movie musical starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. This apparently now involves Dave Grohl.
To mark the film's 35th anniversary for the 2013 event (July 13), the Hollywood Bowl secured actress Didi Conn (she played "Frenchie" in the original movie) and the band Sha Na Na, who were cast as the band Johnny Casino and the Gamblers in Grease and are featured on six songs from the soundtrack.
During Sha Na Na's warm-up set, the Foo Fighters frontman, resplendent in a shiny red blazer, joined the band on drums during a cover of Little Richards' 1957 Grease-era hit, "Lucille."
In fan-shot video from the moment, Grohl can be seen rocking out with the band, with singer John "Jocko" Marcellino shouting-out Grohl's jacket at the song's conclusion. - more on this story
Panic! At The Disco Announce Album and Fall Out Boy Tour
Panic! At The Disco has announced an October 8th release date for their forthcoming studio album, "Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!" and they will be launching two tours prior to the release.
The album's first single "Miss Jackson," was released exclusively to iTunes this week and the band premiered the music video, which was directed by Jordan Bahat (Grouplove, Fitz and The Tantrums) and stars 30 Rock's Katrina Bowden. You can watch the clip here.
Ahead of the album release, Panic! At The Disco will be hitting the road for a short North American headline tour that will be visiting intimate venues and they will then hit the road with Fall Out Boy.
The headline tour will be kicking off on August 4th in Norfolk, Va at Jewish Mother and will conclude on August 24th in Salt Lake City, UT at the Gallivan Center.
The band will then begin the Fall Out Boy Save Rock And Roll Arena Tour 2013 on September 5th in Uncasville, CT at Mohegan Sun. That tour will conclude on September 29th in Tampa, FL at the USF Sun Dome.
Panic! At The Disco's new album, "Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!," was produced by Butch Walker and Urie offered up these comments about the effort. "I had these sounds in my head," he said. "I just had to figure out how to get them out.
"So I just kept writing, writing, and writing until eventually we had all these songs and I was like, 'This is it. This is the record I want to make.' I knew it would happen, and finally it's here." - more on this story
Vivian Campbell Reclaiming Dio Heritage With Last In Line
(Classic Rock) Last In Line is all about reclaiming lost heritage for guitarist Vivian Campbell. The Def Leppard axeman has reunited with fellow founding Dio members Vinny Appice, Jimmy Bain and Claude Schnell. Together with singer Andy Freeman they're gearing up to tour the UK, playing the tracks they wrote as part of the late Ronnie James Dio's band.
And Campbell – who was fired by Dio in 1986 – asserts the move to reclaim material he co-created is long overdue. He tells Classic Rock: "I've got a different way of looking at it now than I've had for almost 30 years.
"I was fired, then I was portrayed as the one who'd turned my back on the band. It wasn't true: I never wanted to leave Dio," he said. "I will admit that, at the time, I was experiencing growth and I wanted to try different kinds of music.
"That obviously rubbed Ronnie the wrong way. Perhaps that's what he construed as me not wanting to be in the band – but I certainly did not want to leave."
As a result of the experience, Campbell turned his back on the music he'd written with Dio, and he's still upset about the way he and his bandmates were treated. - more on this story
The Joy Formidable Announce Fall Tour With Passion Pit
The Joy Formidable will be celebrating the release of their new EP by extending their upcoming live plans into the Fall by joining Passion Pit on the road.
The North American tour will be kicking off on September 29 in Charlottesville, VA and will be concluding on November 10th in West Palm Beach, FL.
The Joy Formidable will be embarking on the tour in support of their brand new "The Silent Treatment EP," which they released digitally yesterday (July 16th).
The new EP features 4 tracks, including a new mix of the title track done by William Orbit (Blur, Madonna, Pink), a live version of "Tendons" recorded at London's Roundhouse, and previously unreleased song "All This Promise" from the sessions that produced the band's most recent album, Wolf's Law. - more on this story
Elvis Costello, Glenn Hughes, Dave Matthews On New Gov't Mule Album
(Radio.com) "Gov't Mule is almost finished with a new release that we're hoping to have out in September. The upcoming tour is called 'Prepare To Shout,' the record is called Shout. I also think–at the risk of sounding cliche–this is possibly the best record we've ever done. The band feels great, sounds great. The significance of the title, Shout, is that we are going to create a bonus disc with alternate versions of the same songs with a bunch of different singers. The alternate versions will be someone other than myself singing."
When Gov't Mule frontman Warren Haynes told us this a few weeks back, we were certainly curious over the identities of said guests. If a band could pick any artists to cover them, who would they pick?
Not that Haynes would reveal his big secret — and for good reason. The guest list, as Gov't Mule just recently revealed, is a formidable one, including: classic rock legends Elvis Costello and Steve Winwood, reggae icon Toots Hibbert of Toots & The Maytals, New Orleans royalty Dr. John, along with Ben Harper, former Deep Purple member Glenn Hughes, Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge and also Slash's band, Dave Matthews, Grace Potter and Ty Taylor of Vintage Trouble.
The unconventional concept apparently began when Haynes asked Costello for microphone advice. One of the new songs, "Funny Little Tragedy," reminded him of the Clash or Elvis from his Attractions era. So he asked Costello what kind of mic he should use to get the late '70s/early '80s vocal sound.
"Elvis sent me a very elaborate response explaining how he recorded this vocal and how he recorded that vocal, going all the way back to My Aim is True," Haynes said in a statement. - more on this story
Bob Dylan Classic 1969 Performance With The Band Set For Release
(Classic Rock) Bob Dylan's set with The Band at the Isle Of Wight Festival in 1969 is to be released in full for the first time. Columbia Records are promising to offer a "new perspective" of the iconic artist in upcoming rarities collection The Bootleg Series Vol 10: Another Self Portrait (1969-71).
The live recording, remixes from the original source, is among 35 rarities and previously unreleased tracks which will be made available on August 26. It's accompanied by a new painting by Dylan himself.
The collection includes an unheard version of Only A Hobo and a demo of When I Paint My Masterpiece. Liner notes are provided by journalist Greil Marcus, who, in 1970, reviewed Self Portrait in an article that started: "What is this sh*t?"
The Isle Of Wight show appears on the four-disc deluxe edition, packed in a slipcase and featuring two hardback books, and a remastered version of Self Portrait. A two-disc standard configuration will also be on sale, along with a three-disc vinyl set. - More details and tracklisting.
Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne Releasing Limited Edition Comic Book
Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne will be releasing a special limited edition of his very first comic book release, The Sun Is Sick, at this year's Comic-Con.
The extremely limited print edition will be sold at Comic-Com 2013 which will be taking place at the San Diego Convention Center on July 18th through 21st.
The adult themed comic features 40 6 ½" x 8 ½" full-color pages. Coyne will also be making the comic book available at the Flaming Lips webstore beginning on July 22nd. - more on this story
Sammy Hagar's New Single To Feature Kid Rock and Joe Satriani
(Gibson) The Red Rocker Sammy Hagar is getting ready to release his next album. This time it's not a Chickenfoot album, and not quite a solo album either. The album, which is called Sammy Hagar and Friends, is collaboration between Hagar and a multitude of his musician buddies.
The first single to be released is "Knockdown Dragout," on which Hagar collaborates with Kid Rock, Joe Satriani, and drummer Denny Carmassi from Hagar's first band Montrose.
Aside from Satriani, Hagar's other two Chickenfoot bandmates, Chad Smith and Michael Anthony, also appear on a couple of tracks. Along with Journey guitarist Neal Schon, the pair rock out with Sammy on a cover of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" and the track "Going Down."
The album will be released on September 24 through Frontiers Records. Other guests on the album include Nancy Wilson of Heart, and the members of Hagar's backing band The Waboritas - David Lauser, Mona Gnader and Vic Johnson. - more on this story
Steely Dan Kicking Off Mood Swings Tour This Week
Steely Dan will be kicking off their North American tour on Friday where the veteran band will be playing various albums in full at select stops on the tour as well as some additional special shows.
The "Mood Swings 2013: 8 Miles To Pancake Day" tour will be kicking off this Friday night, July 19th, in Atlantic City, NJ at Revel Ovation Hall and will conclude with a string of shows at the Beacon Theatre in New York City from September 30th through October 8th.
The Beacon Theatre shows will feature special sets each night including full performances of the Aja, Royal Scam and Gaucho albums, two greatest hits set nights and an audience request night.
The band will also be playing special format shows in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Bristow, Va and Boston. The band explained each special concert set as follows:
Audience Request Night (NY): Becker and Fagen have built fan-pleasing sets for decades. But for tonight, they want to hear directly from the hometown faithful. Attendees are asked to submit their top song request on Ticketmaster's checkout page (one request per purchase).
Classic Album - Plus Selected Hits: Setlist is one of three classic Steely Dan albums — Aja, Gaucho, or The Royal Scam — performed in its entirety, start-to-finish. The evening then continues with additional selected favorites, making for a wide-ranging, hit-strewn ramble through Steely Dan's extraordinary catalog.
Greatest Hits: An evening of ... well, this one pretty much speaks for itself, doesn't it? - more on this story
Springsteen & I Is An Unconventional Documentary
(Radio.com) Springsteen & I has been billed as a documentary about Bruce Springsteen's fans. It is that, though as documentaries go, it's unconventional. The film is made almost entirely of clips shot by fans who submitted them for inclusion in the documentary, likely making it one of the first crowd-sourced feature-length films with actual distribution in history.
To be clear, the filmmakers shot no footage, nor did they record any voiceovers. Other than some performance clips, it is really the fans telling their own story. Over 2,000 fans around the world submitted their own video testimonials, not counting the thousands more whose stories did not make the cut (if you search "Springsteen & I" on YouTube, there are millions of results).
How you actually like the film depends on a) your definition of the term "documentary" and b) how much you appreciate Springsteen and the devotion he gets from his fans. That level of devotion can sometimes inspire eye-rolls from non-believers, and director Baillie Walsh gives a non-fan some airtime in the film as well (having been dragged to Springsteen shows by his significant other, he laughably asks Springsteen to make his concerts shorter). Walsh himself has said he isn't a fan, and the film probably benefits from his more objective eye.
The documentary lacks any real narration, and at first plays like a YouTube playlist. But as the film goes on, the clips tell their own story. Even the biggest Springsteen cynic may give the man a listen after watching the film. At the very least, they'll walk away with more appreciation for his bond with fans. - more on this story
Led Zeppelin 2 Launching Summer Tour
Led Zeppelin 2, the tribute band led by Yakuza's Bruce Lamont, have announced a series of North American tour dates where they will be hitting various major markets beginning this month.
The band will be kicking off the string of live dates with a special set at Chicago's Ben Fest this Saturday, July 20th, which is being billed as the group's only Chicago area appearance this year.
The band will then kick off a series of dates on August 15th in Sacramento, Ca. The tour will feature stops in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Cincinnati and Detroit. - more on this story
Curved Air's Darryl Way Releases New Solo Album
Curved Air founding member Darryl Way has released his first solo album in 20 years, 'Ultra Violins,' digitally on iTunes, Amazon.com as well as a traditional CD format. Glass Onyon sent over these details.
'Ultra Violins' features Darryl's own interpretations of several well-known classical pieces, as well as a re-recording of Curved Air's classic hit "Vivaldi".
Says Darryl, "The motivating force behind creating 'Ultra Violins' was to introduce some new material for solo violin that came from the vocal repertoire and the world of orchestral music, rather than music specifically for solo violin." - more on this story
Motley Crue's Vince Neil Plans Tatuado Vodka Event
(hennemusic) Motley Crue singer Vince Neil will showcase his Tatuado Vodka brand at the San Diego Spirits Festival next month. Initially released in Las Vegas last fall, the San Diego Spirits Festival will mark the official California launch of the brand; it is already available in Nevada and Texas, with new States opening soon.
Tatuado Vodka is billed as a five times-filtered pure spirit. Given the Spanish word tattooed, Tatuado represents a libation that is simply about fun, enjoyment and making good memories.
Vince Neil will be at the San Diego Spirits Festival hosting a two-day meet-and-greet with a taste extravaganza on Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25 between 1:00 p.m. and 5 p.m. - more on this story
Video From Pearl Jam's Summer Shows Kick Off Posted Online
(hennemusic) Pearl Jam returned to live action Tuesday night at the Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario and several video clips from the concert have made their way online.
The event marked the band's first show since spring, and only one of two scheduled this summer (the other is Chicago's Wrigley Field on Friday); a North American tour is set for the fall.
The London Free Press reports massive singalongs marked the early going after Pearl Jam opened with "Present Tense" (from 1996's "No Code").
Read more and watch the video clips - here.
Dream Theater's James LaBrie Releases Lyric Video For Solo Song
Dream Theater's James LaBrie has released a new a lyric video for the song 'Back On The Ground,' which comes from his forthcoming solo album "Impermanent Resonance".
LaBrie's new solo album, "Impermanent Resonance", will be released on July 29th, 2013 in Europe and August 6th, 2013 in North America. You can watch the lyric video for 'Back On The Ground' here.
The album will be released in standard CD and digital formats. In Europe, the album will also be offered as a special limited edition Digipak that will feature alternate artwork and two bonus tracks ("Unraveling" and "Why") as well as on limited LP version (with the full album as bonus CD).
The previous James LaBrie album, "Static Impulse" from 2010, will also be released for the first time as LP (with the full album as bonus CD) on the same street date of the new album.
Both LP's will be available on 180gr. black vinyl but also on strictly limited clear vinyl (only 200x copies each). - more on this story
Soundgarden's Ben Shepherd Previews Another Solo Song
(hennemusic) Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd is previewing "Collide," a new track from his forthcoming debut solo album, "In Deep Owl," due August 27. The song follow's the project's lead single, "Baron Robber."
Billed as HBS (Hunter Benedict Shepherd), the album is a collection of songs recorded in the industrial neighborhoods of Georgetown and Interbay in Seattle, Washington.
Produced by Shepherd, Dave French, Chad MacMurray and Nathan Yaccino, "In Deep Owl" features guest appearances by Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron and former Pearl Jam drummer Matt Chamberlain.
Shepherd's debut solo album hits stores a week before Soundgarden kick off a series of European dates as part of their "King Animal" world tour. - Check out the new song here.
Baby Bee Release High Heel Leather Boots Video
Baby Bee have released a new music video for the song "High Heel Leather Boots," which is the first single from the brotherly duo's self-titled debut EP.
The band features brothers Joe Stark [vocals, guitar] and David Stark [drums] and their debut EP was produced by Brendan O'Brien [Pearl Jam, Neil Young, Stone Temple Pilots].
Joe had this to say about the EP, "It tells three different stories. The first is about a kid who's getting his ass handed to him and growing up like every kid has to do. Then, it tells the story of somebody becoming an adult and wanting to fall in love but not knowing how.
"Finally, it expresses where we are now as young men chasing down this dream and desiring to live in some f**ked-up pseudo responsible way. Still, we've got to satisfy this longing to play music. You've just got to do your thing." - Check out the video here.
Metallica Release I Disappear Video From Orion Fest
(hennemusic) Metallica have released video footage of their performance of their "Mission Impossible II" soundtrack song "I Disappear" at last month's Orion Music + More festival.
The tune was featured in Metallica's headlining set, which closed out the festival at Belle Isle in Detroit, MI. The group has also released video of "For Whom The Bell Tolls", "…And Justice For All" and "Harvester Of Sorrow".
Up next, the band will make an appearance at Comic-Con in San Diego this week – and play a secret show in the city; the group will launch an 8-date Asian tour on August 10 in Tokyo, a trip that will see Metallica's first shows in China. - more on this story
We The Kings Play Acoustic Show For Gibson
(Gibson) Florida based rock outfit We The Kings kicked off a mega summer tour last week alongside Breathe Carolina, T Mills, The Ready Set & Keep It Cute.
The day before the band played in Austin, TX, a tweet was sent to fans that said: "Ticket holders of tomorrow's show in Austin come to Gibson's Austin Showroom at 1:00pm for an acoustic pre show and meet the band."
People started lining up outside the Gibson Showroom early in the morning in 114-degree heat. WTK gave them a blistering 4-song set before signing autographs and meeting fans for a couple of hours.
