Today's Day in Rock
Rolling Stones Reveal Eric Clapton Version Of 'Brown Sugar'
The Rolling Stones continue to spark fan excitement for the upcoming deluxe reissue of "Sticky Fingers" by previewing alternate versions of classic songs.
The latest alternate version of a classic song was revealed this week and it has a superstar guest. The band released a stream of a different version of "Brown Sugar" featuring Eric Clapton. Stream it here.
The track is just one of the previously unreleased bonus features from the expanded reissues of "Sticky Fingers", which is set to be released next Tuesday, June 9th. Amazon is taking pre-orders for the various packages here.
Megadeth Announce First Show With New Lineup Including Adler
(Classic Rock) Megadeth's new lineup will make their live debut in Canada next month - with Lamb Of God's Chris Adler behind the kit. The thrash giants will play Quebec City Summer Festival on July 18.
Dave Mustaine and co are preparing their 15th album with Adler as guest sticksman, alongside new guitarist Kiko Loureiro. The pair were brought in after Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover quit last year, and an attempt at reuniting the band's Rust In Peace era lineup failed.
Adler was initially hired for studio duties only, but bassist David Ellefson this week confirmed he aimed to play as many shows as his schedule would allow, saying: "Chris was like, 'Dude, I'll move anything I can to try to make it happen.' He may play one show with us and go, 'I don't ever want to do that again.' We'll find out, as it's coming up." Read more here.
Tool's Maynard James Keenan Has Hip Replacement Surgery
Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan is recovering from hip replacement surgery that took place on Monday. He revealed the news via a photo posting on the Pucifer Facebook page.
He wrote along with a photo, "Didn't want to freak anyone out, wanted to wait until out of the woods. Years of foot stomping left me with no cushion in my right hip. Full replacement yesterday. Walking today.
"12 weeks, back on the mat to work towards that Brown Belt. OSS. #weshallovercome #bjjforlife @teamvaghi @henrydynamixmma @chieflimao @carinaround" See the photo here.
Metal Fans Are The Most Loyal According To Spotify
(TeamRock Radio) Heavy Metal fans are more loyal to their favorite bands than followers of any other genre in the world, according to research by streaming service Spotify.
Figures suggest that metal fans are over a fifth more likely to keep listening to core bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden, while fans of the next-highest genre, pop, will tend to listen to a wider range of acts.
Analysts monitored how often a listener would return to artists defined as central to a genre. They discovered that, on a global basis, metal fans stick to their favourites much more often than those who prefer pop, folk, country, rock, hip-hop, reggae, jazz, EDM, classical or blues.
Spotify say: "Metal fans are the most loyal of all. One could also conclude that the more guitar-oriented genres inspire more loyalty in the listener."
Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi To Mentor On TV Talent Show
(hennemusic) Legendary Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has revealed that he will be a mentor on Guitar Star, a new UK reality competition series that focuses on guitarists.
Iommi will be joined by fellow mentors Lee Ritenour, Rodrigo y Gabriela and Milos Karadaglic for the program, which will debut on the Sky Arts channel on June 9 with host, DJ Edith Bowman.
The winner of the nine-week competition will perform on the main stage at the Latitude festival. "I'd like somebody who plays from the soul," says Iommi, "so I look for that really, as opposed to somebody learning every single note and getting everything perfect. I prefer it coming from the blues side and something coming from inside." Read more and watch the official video interview clip with Iommi here.
Replacements Frontman Sending Messages To Fans Via Shirts
(Classic Rock) Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg appears to be sending a message to fans via shirts worn on their reunion tour. He's performed with a different top every night, featuring one letter painted on the front and another on the back.
A group of fans, running a Facebook group called Paul's Shirt have collectively worked out the letters form two 19-character sentences. They predict that the message reads: "I have always loved you. Now I must whore my past."
Billboard speculates that the message could be Westerberg's attempt to let fans know he's not happy with the band's current incarnation. They reformed in 2012 after 20 years and Westerberg and original bassist Tommy Stinson are joined by drummer Josh Freese and guitarist Dave Minehan. Read more here.
Legal Fight Launched Over Jimi Hendrix Guitar
(hennemusic) Jimi Hendrix's estate is suing the late guitarist's former brother-in-law, Sheldon Reynolds, over claims he tried to sell the legend's Black Widow acoustic guitar for $750,000 although it doesn't belong to him.
Courthouse News Service reports Experience Hendrix filed a suit in Superior Court on Monday against Reynolds and friend Brian Patterson over the guitar, which the company claims was stolen.
Reynolds is the ex-husband of Janie Hendrix, the guitarist's sister and CEO of Experience Hendrix. The estate says it learned in June 2014 that Patterson had contacted Julien's Auctions in Los Angeles and asked it to sell the guitar; Julien's then contacted the estate to determine if the guitar is legitimate, and the Experience confirmed it was but that it had been stolen.
The lawsuit claims that Patterson got the guitar from Reynolds, who says that he got it in a divorce settlement, or that he got it from a friend who helped him take his belongings from Janie Hendrix's home, and that Janie's teenage son had "directed" his friend "to take a pile of guitars and other belongings, that included the Black Widow."
"Neither story is true," the complaint states, which says Janie Hendrix owns the guitar. Read more here.
Dillinger Escape Plan Guitarist Played Show With Broken Finger
(TeamRock Radio) The Dillinger Escape Plan's Ben Weinman has admitted he didn't visit a doctor after breaking a finger in two places - but played a full concert instead.
The guitarist was seen at last month's Rock On The Range festival with a splint on his right hand. Now he's told how his doctor wasn't happy with him when he finally went for medical attention.
Weinman has posted a picture of his X-rayed hand, explaining: "This, ladies and gents, is my finger tip broken into three pieces. "Doctor: 'What did you do after it happened?' Me: 'I played a show - I'm a guitar player.' Doctor: 'What the f*** is wrong with you, man?'" Read more and see the x-ray here.
Noel Gallagher Makes Counter Offer To Paul McCartney On Oasis Reunion
(Gibson) Noel Gallagher has responded to Sir Paul McCartney's recent plea for Oasis to reunite by issuing a challenge to the Beatle legend: "Yeah, well, tell him if he writes our comeback single, it's on."
Gallagher made the - joke? Plea? - in an interview with Yahoo's Lyndsey Parker. "Tell him to write an Oasis track and then we'll talk," he continued. "I'll just put that out there."
Gallagher conceded that the constant fan demand for an Oasis reunion is flattering, if a little confusing, noting that when the band was together the British press couldn't wait for it to implode, "and then when it did implode, they can't wait for it to be back together again." Read more here.
Hellyeah Guitarist Sitting Out Tour Due To Injury
(TeamRock Radio) Hellyeah guitarist Tom Maxwell will sit out the rest of the band's European tour after breaking his foot in three places. Fellow guitarist Chris Brady will handle guitar duties on his own for the remainder of the tour.
They have eight more shows in Europe, including the Download festival later this month, before returning to the US when Maxwell will be fit for the Mayhem festival.
Drummer Vinnie Paul says: "We are sorry to announce Tom broke his foot in three places and will not be participating in the rest of the Euro tour but we will carry on with Chris Brady holding down the guitar force. Tom will rejoin us for Mayhem." Read more here.
Marilyn Manson and Korn's Jonathan Davis May Team Up
(TeamRock Radio) Marilyn Manson hopes the rekindling of his friendship with Korn's Jonathan Davis will lead to a collaborative project. The pair were good friends in the past, notably working together on Davis' song Redeemer for 2002 movie Queen Of The Damned.
But they've become more distant in recent years, with rumours of their drug addictions causing a feud in the early 2000s. Manson tells Metal Hammer's Joe Daly: "Jonathan and I used to be really close. We hadn't seen each other in quite some time. Now he and I are talking about doing something completely unexpected together."
He's enjoying a new lease of life as an actor, with an acclaimed role in TV series Sons Of Anarchy. And he admits there's a chance he might abandon music for the stage or screen. "Acting is new to me, so that's more exciting. There might come a day when I don't feel like doing music - but I don't see that any time soon.
"I feel excited as I used to, and more focused in what I want to do. I like playing gigs where I can literally bleed on the crowd. Not in the sense of me trying to harm myself or having the bottle-smashing attitude that I had when people were trying to kill me during Antichrist Superstar." Read more here.
Slayer's Kerry King Has Advice For Young People
(Classic Rock) Slayer's Kerry King says his one piece of advice for the youth of today is to just "do what you want." The guitarist believes that attitude worked out just fine for Slayer and he thinks it's the best policy for youngsters trying to work out what they want to be.
He tells Loud Ones: "Obviously, do what you want because you know more than anybody what you want to do. That's what we tried to do. We definitely turned heads and pissed of a lot of people. And here we are 30 years later playing to Converse parties so I guess we did some sh*t right."
Discussing some of the most memorable Slayer gigs down the years, King adds that playing in Jackass star Bam Margera's back yard was something he will never forget.
He adds: "The Bam show was really cool. We kind of went out there, I think it was right after God Hates Us All. I've played worse stages than that and it was in his back yard. It sounded great. I'm sure he pissed off some of his neighbors and the fans loved it." Read more here.
The Grateful Dead Announce Massive Limited Edition 80-Disc Box Set
(Radio.com) No one would ever accuse the Grateful Dead of brevity, but their new box set takes things to an altogether new level. Grateful Dead: 30 Trips Around the Sun is an 80-disc box set commemorating the band's 50th anniversary; it's filled with 30 unreleased concert recordings spanning the band's entire career.
In case you don't have the shelf space, it will also be available as a USB drive. The collection will include one show from each year of the band's existence, starting in 1966 and ending in 1995.
From start to finish, the box set will be 73 hours long. Perhaps 73 hours isn't quite enough for you. Well, hopefully you have a turntable, because the box set will also include a gold-colored 7-inch vinyl single. The A-side is "Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)" from the band's earliest recording sessions in 1965; the B-side is the last song the band ever performed together live, "Box of Rain" recorded during their final encore at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 9, 1995.
All of the shows included on the box have not yet been announced; but Rhino Records have revealed that the set will include a 1967 show at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and a 1987 show at New York's Madison Square Garden. However, they note that none of the unreleased shows in will be available for individual purchase on CD "at any time in the future."
The box also comes with a 288-page book featuring an presumably long essay written by Nick Meriwether, who oversees the Dead archives at the University of California, Santa Cruz, along with special remembrances of the band submitted by fans. It will also include a scroll with a visual representation of how the band's live repertoire evolved through the years. Read more here.
Danny Worsnop Wishes Asking Alexandria Well With His Replacement
(TeamRock Radio) Former Asking Alexandria frontman Danny Worsnop has wished his former colleagues well with his replacement Denis Stoff. The former Make Me Famous vocalist, full name Denis Shaforostov, was revealed last week, along with his debut I Won't Give In.
Worsnop, who quit earlier this year to concentrate on We Are Harlot, tweeted the track and said: "New Asking Alexandria song, first since my departure, out now - very happy to hear sh*t's still going strong."
His comment comes after AA guitarist Ben Bruce admitted they were happier without Worsnop, adding: "It needed to happen for… I want to say a few months, but it's probably more like a few years. Danny just stopped caring about Asking Alexandria." Read more here.
Muse Put Creepy Spin On Childrens Classics in 'The Handler' Lyric Video
(Radio.com) Muse is sticking with symbolism for their new lyric video for "The Handler." But this time the symbols are in the form of classic children's characters on a mobile spinning high above the band's heads.
Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio and Minnie Mouse are is just a few of the characters posed in various positions by an evil character lurking in the shadows.
Confused? Probably. The video follows the dystopian theme of the band's new album, Drones, where mankind is being controlled by some higher power, likely the government.
"The Handler" is the fifth track to be released from Drones, which hits stories June 8. It follows previously issued songs "Reapers," "Psycho," "Dead Inside" and "Mercy." Watch the new video here.
Chris Cornell Announces North American Acoustic Tour
(hennemusic) Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell has announced dates for a fall acoustic tour of North America in support of his forthcoming solo album, "Higher Truth."
The 6-week theater tour will see Cornell perform material from his entire career alongside tunes from "Higher Truth", which will be released on September 18.
Cornell's solo tour is set to kick off on September 20th in Los Angeles and will wrap up at Austin City Limits Live At The Moody Theater on November 2. See the dates here.
Metallica Release Video Of 'Unforgiven II' Concert Debut
(hennemusic) Metallica have released video of the live debut of their 1997 track, "The Unforgiven II", as performed at the Rock Im Revier festival in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on May 29.
A video highlights package from the opening date of a 4-show run of European festivals includes Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett in the meet and greet, new setlist structure discussion, Tuning Room, and "The Unforgiven II" from the show.
The song - which originally appeared on their 7th album, "Reload" - was previously played only once before - during the band's December 8, 1997 appearance on the Billboard Music Awards. Watch the video here.
The Sword Announce New Album 'High Country'
(Classic Rock) The Sword have confirmed their fifth album will be called High Country and it'll be released on August 21. The follow-up to 2012's Apocryphon will be issued via Razor & Tie.
Guitarist Kyle Shutt last year reported that he, John Cronise, Bryan Richie and Santiago Vela III had matured as songwriters and were constantly learning.
He said: "Every cycle is a learning experience. You refine it a little more. We're not the best band in the world by any means, but we keep learning. We're getting to the point where we're going over the hump of doing dumb sh*t." Read more here.
W.A.S.P. Guitarist Says New Album Process Was 'Very Fractured'
(Classic Rock) W.A.S.P. guitarist Doug Blair says recording the band's upcoming album has been a "very fractured" process. Blair lives on the US East Coast and has travelled back and forth to their LA base to record his lead parts for Golgotha. For that reason, he says, he hasn't seen the songs come together and is excited about hearing the final results.
He tells Kaaos TV: "I haven't heard the final mixes, that's all in the hands of the final guys. I get to contribute the leads and I focus 100% on trying to record the best lead for the song.
"It's been a long time. I've been travelling to LA, recording a little bit. Because of that, to me it's very fractured. Every time I go, there's different songs. I don't have a very cumulative view of the whole record so I can't wait to hear how it comes out."
Blair adds that what he has heard of the album - due out in August on Napalm Records - has blown him away. Read more here.
The Darkness Guitarist Sticking To Old School
(Classic Rock) The Darkness guitarist Dan Hawkins feels an old-school approach to music is so important to the band that if they ever abandon it, he'd leave. They've just released fourth album The Last Of Our Kind, which he produced, while brother Justin Hawkins arranged the song order.
Dan tells UCR: "We always will be an old-school album band. We've always thought that way of a side one and side two when putting it all together. We want to push that even more.
"There's been some misguided management, slightly megalomaniac in certain areas, especially on the last album. They kept trying to ram the idea of digital content to the point where someone said to me, 'Why are you even bothering with a track listing?'
"They were saying no one listens to things that way anymore. To me, if we're not an albums band, I don't want in." Read more here.
Mogwai Launch Line Of Skateboards
(Prog) Mogwai have launched a range of skateboards and t-shirts to help raise funds for a proposed Glasgow skatepark. As part of their 20th anniversary celebrations, Mogwai have teamed up with Focus Scotland on the series of limited-edition skateboard decks and t-shirts.
The boards will cost £49.99 each, with t-shirts selling for £16 and £18. For every deck sold, £5 will go to the GUSM74 project in the band's home city. Mogwai mainman Stuart Murdoch is a fan of skateboarding and was happy to agree to the collaboration.
Sibs Roberts of Focus says: "We reached our 14th year in business last month, and each year we like to mark it with something special that we can look back on with pride. This project with Mogwai definitely fulfils that criteria.
"Being a fan of Mogwai's music and knowing Stuart's love of skateboarding, I suggested the idea over a number of off the cuff emails, and here we are. Hopefully people will be as stoked on this as we are." Read more and see the skateboards here.
Troyka Release Animated Video For 'Arcards'
(Prog) Troyka have premiered their animated video for Arcards with Prog. It's taken from the London prog-jazz trio's third album Ornithophobia, available now via iTunes, Amazon and Naim Records.
The band say: "Arcades alludes to a mixture of things - retro gaming, horror films, anime, sci-fi - all things geek. We were excited to be collaborating further with graphic artist Naiel Ibarrola, and with animator Jordan Copeland, also a member of the amazing band Hot Head Show.
"It's amazing to see these guys bring to life our terrifying vision of Ornithophobia hitting the streets of future London. Watch your back, and don't stay there too long…" Watch the video here.
The Nimmo Brothers Going On Hiatus After Anniversary Tour
(The Blues The Nimmo Brothers have announced that they will be taking a break after their 20th anniversary tour, while they concentrate on their individual projects.
Alan will focus on King King, who have a busy year after releasing third album Reaching For The Light. Stevie will turn to solo work including acoustic shows, and a tour with his electric trio.
Older brother Stevie, who fought cancer in 2009, recently told National Blues Review: "After my illness I wanted to do something different, more acoustic. This ended up as The Wynds Of Life album."
"I didn't want to go out with a bass, drums and keys setup - that would really just be King King. But I really enjoy the trio format." Read more here.
In Flames Frontman Defends Change In Direction
(TeamRock Radio) In Flames frontman Anders Friden has spoken up for the band's approach to songwriting, after In Flames rejected criticism over their change of direction in 11th album Siren Charms.
He tells iRockRadio: "Each of our albums don't sound the same because we don't want to do the same again and again. But melodies are so important, and that's what you will always find on an In Flames album.
"If I could give one tip to new bands, it would be: just do your own thing - don't try to catch any trends." They're expected to release their first live package since 2005's Used And Abused… In Live We Trust later this year. Read more and watch the full interview here.
Rattlesnakes Album Born Of 'Book Full Of Suffering And Questions'
(TeamRock Radio) Frank Carter says his debut album with the Rattlesnakes came about after one of "the hardest, most turbulent years" of his life. The band release Blossom on August 14 via International Death Cult. In March, they streamed debut single Fangs, which is one of the 10 tracks on the album.
Former Gallows frontman Carter says: "I had one of the hardest, most turbulent years of my life in 2014. I wrote it all down, a line here, a paragraph there and soon I had a book full of suffering and questions. In the winter I decided I needed an outlet to help me take these lyrics and do with them what I do best. Perform.
"I acquired the help of my close friend Dean Richardson to help me translate these lyrics into music and from there we built them into the songs you hear today." Read more here.
Clutch Frontman Downplays Band's Success Amid Failing Music Biz
(Classic Rock) Clutch frontman Neil Fallon believes sales of 2013 album Earth Rocker only appeared strong because the state of the music industry means everyone else's sales are weak.
And he doesn't intend to become distracted by attempting to match achievements with upcoming title Psychic Warfare, out in September via the band's own Weathermaker Music label.
Fallon tells Motorcityblog: "Clutch charting on Billboard, and being number 1 on iTunes, is indicative of anaemic album sales in general. That wouldn't have happened 15 years ago.
"We sell the right amount of records to the right people, and slowly over time, that number gets bigger and bigger and bigger. It's not because we figured out how to write a Karen Carpenter song."
He adds: "Because of the internet, and because of us kind of taking control of what we do, we're not trying to turn this band into some multi-platinum wonder story." Read more here.
Former Accept Frontman Regrets Slapping Bandmate
(Classic Rock) Former Accept frontman David Reece says he regrets slapping bassist Peter Baltes during his stint in the band in the late 80s. The current Bonfire vocalist was recruited for Accept's Eat The Heat in 1989 following the departure of Udo Dirkschneider. And he says producer Dieter Dierks warned him about the possible fallout if the album flopped.
Reece tells The Metal Voice: "There was one moment when Dieter told me, 'You realise that if this record fails, it's your fault and my fault? When he said that it kind of pissed me off. Like, 'Why would you say that?' He said, 'You'll see. If the album hits, we're going to be gods. If it fails, we're losers.'
Reece says sales weren't what the record company expected and before long tensions in the group began to boil over, leading to the altercation between himself and Baltes in Chicago.
He continues: "The only thing I feel short-changed about that whole situation was the way they sh*t on me in the press to cover themselves. Nobody was happy - I wasn't happy at the end and neither were they. I mean, I slapped Peter Baltes in Chicago. It was the wrong decision and I regret it. There's better ways to deal with it." Read more here.
Josh Taerk Streaming New Album Online
(Classic Rock) Josh Taerk has given Classic Rock an exclusive stream of his new album, Here's To Change, the follow-up to 2013's self-titled Josh. Here's To Change is released on July 20, and the title track will be available as a single on June 8.
"I wanted the feel of the record, the tempo, the rhythm, the starts and stops in each song to feel more alive," says Taerk, inspired by the 70s and 80s recordings go artists like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Neil Young. "I wanted a more human sound. I am so excited for people to hear this!'"
The album was recorded in Nashville with producer Teddy Morgan, who's worked on actor Kevin Costner's music and on two albums by Hall & Oates guitarist John Oates, Good Road to Follow and Stand Strong. Oates adds backing vocals to the title track and to Wise Man, and says "I've enjoyed getting to know Josh Taerk and his music over the last few years, and knew that Nashville would be the place where he could make this album really come alive. Josh and my friend Teddy Morgan did a great job and I think it is Josh's best work to date."
Taerk also has a fan in Bruce Springsteen's drummer Max Weinberg, who says, "I've known, and played with, a few singer/songwriters in my time, and I can tell you - Josh Taerk has what it takes." Check out the album stream here.
The Dead Daisies Go Behind The Scenes Of Upcoming Video
(Classic Rock) The Dead Daisies have posted a behind-the-scenes video clip for their forthcoming music video for 'Mexico' - a track taken from their brand new album, 'Revolución'.
The new music video - which is scheduled to be released shortly - was directed by Paul Boyd, whose CV includes work with INXS, Kylie Minogue and Sting.
Filming took place in and around the city, including Jumbo's Clown Room - the notorious Hollywood dance bar which once employed Courtney Love in the early 1990s. Watch the clip here.
Singled Out: The Great Discord's The Aging Man
Today The Great Discord tells us about the song "The Aging Man" from their brand new album "Duende," which was just released this week by Metal Blade. Here is the story:
So, are you afraid of death? Imagine that you are lying on your deathbed and you're full of regret. Is that not what's called a personal hell? The struggle within ourselves when facing our own mortality could be enormous, regardless if you are young or old. This effectively makes it one of the biggest struggles we have as people, simply because we're aware of the fact that we're gonna die. It might even be the single most powerful driving force behind all human actions. Death is something you cannot hide from. To learn how to die is to learn how to live.
The song itself is an attempt to conceptualize this struggle. When we wrote it we were way out in the woods in rural Sweden. A cabin in the woods basically. Everything was dead quiet except for the odd human-like bark from the occasional deer. The heartbeat came first, and the music soon followed. When we listened back to it it quickly became apparent what it was about. It was in the middle of the night.
Fia stared bleakly into the darkness outside our window, a slow drizzle of rain coming down softly on the window pane. "This song is about the old man" She started slowly, with eyes tracing something outside the window, "I can see him out there, limping, sobbing. This is a man who has had a run-in with death, and lost". Floorboards creaking, she leaned forward and put a hand on the misted window. "Yes... it's him".
We later realized that the heartbeat is a symbol for the life leaving him. It's funny how sometimes you feel like the music you have created leads you to these realizations only after you have actually finished it. Like if your subconsciousness had an agenda, and only afterward lets you understand.
The words came to us very quickly, and given the theme and topic, this was also the song that led us toward our visual excentricities. The music demanded to be presented in a different manner visually than just by Fia. We needed to create a different entity for Fia to step into. Something that could channel everything we write about, without being obscene or out of place. Something that is neither god, nor bad. An entity that embodies all of the demons, the anxiety, sorrow, pain but also warmth and joy that comes with being a human.
This song served both as the perfect opener for the album and our entire concept for this band as it symbolizes and embodies so much of what we're trying to create with our music. A feeling that you can never be completely sure, of anything really, life can be exceedingly difficult. But that's ok, because we're all human.
Be that as it may, it can be hard for people to even try to think about these kinds of questions, they are simply too big. You may well think that we are pretentious, pathetic and ridiculous in trying to tackle the big question of life, namely death. But the question is; who will be the wiser?
