Today's Day In Rock News!

X's Billy Zoom Fighting Cancer Again(Classic Rock)

Billy Zoom of US punk veterans X is fighting bladder cancer and has been forced to step back from the band. The 67-year-old will begin chemotherapy treatment in the coming week, after having being treated for prostate cancer five years ago.
The band have launched a GoFundMe page so that fans can help with Zoom's medical fees - and it's already raised $67,000 from a planned target of $50,000.

They say: "In the music community, we all take turns helping each other - we have since the beginning. Punk rock and benefits always went hand in hand: you name the cause, and the bands and fans will be there.

"Now it's our turn to help Billy Zoom, the wittiest, smartest, nicest, best guitar player and friend we know. He has a long road ahead of him - but we're confident. He's beat cancer once and he'll do it again!" Read more here.




AC/DC's Phil Rudd Appealing Threatening To Kill Sentence(hennemusic)

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has filed an appeal following his July 9 sentencing to 8 months of home detention by a New Zealand court after admitting threatening to kill and drugs charges stemming from a series of incidents in 2014.
In April, the drummer entered a guilty plea to one count of threatening to kill, possession of methamphetamine and possession of cannabis. Last week, the Judge banned Rudd from taking any drugs not prescribed to him and he will be monitored 24 hours a day during his home detention, which he'll serve at his waterfront Tauranga mansion.

Now, the New Zealand Herald reports Rudd's lawyer has lodged an appeal to the July 9 sentencing. A series of significant new insights around the case emerged from the sentencing hearing, including:

• Rudd has been meeting one-on-one with a specialist psychiatrist but authorities have remained concerned about his behaviour. It emerged ESR results showed Rudd had tested positive for cannabis in a test in December.

• Rudd has reconciled with his would-be victim and agreed to pay him a substantial sum of money in reparation - the Herald can not reveal the amount for legal reasons. Mr Tuck told the court a process that had "started badly" had "ended beautifully".

• Rudd's lawyer claimed that a conviction would result in losses in the tens of millions of dollars that would have came from being able to tour with AC/DC. The Crown cast doubt on this assertion, pointing out there was no direct evidence that Rudd was still a member of the band.

• The rocker put the threats he made to his former employee down to "methamphetamine-induced psychosis". Read more here.


John Fogerty Vs Former Creedence Clearwater Revival Bandmates(hennemusic)

John Fogerty has filed a civil suit against his former Creedence Clearwater Revival bandmates for breach of contract regarding their use of the name Creedence Clearwater Revisited.
Rolling Stone reports the claim, which was filed Friday in California, states that former CCR bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford haven't paid Fogerty for the use of his songs as well as his share of their "touring and merchandise" since December 2011, despite a 2001 agreement to do so.

Cook, Clifford and the widow of rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty, John's brother, preemptively sued Fogerty last December over what they feared was "pending litigation."

For his part, Fogerty reissued the same statement he made in December. "No lawyers, lawsuits, or angry ex-band members will stop me ever again from singing my songs," said the singer. "These frivolous lawsuits in the past took me away from the music I loved. I am going to continue to tour and play all my songs every single night I am out on the road. No matter how anyone else sees it, they are my songs." Read more here.


Def Leppard Releasing New Album In October(Classic Rock)

Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen has revealed the band's 11th album will be launched in October. And he says the follow-up to 2008's Songs From The Sparkle Lounge is "probably the most diverse thing we've done."
Collen tells WAAF: "I think it's the best thing we've done since Hysteria - I really do. It's the loudest rock guitars we've ever had." And he believes the project is all the stronger for having developed organically. "We thought we were going to do an EP or a single, and we came out with 12 songs, and now we've got 14," he says.

"There wasn't any industry - no record company executive or anyone saying, 'You've got to do an album.' It was purely because we wanted to write songs, and we felt the need to do that.

"In the old days the Stones, Zeppelin, James Brown, the Beatles, they'd go into the studio when they had an idea and they'd record it. We've done it like that, and it has a fresher kind of sound for it. The integrity is just amazing - you can hear that in the grooves." Read more here.


Ritchie Blackmore Sues Over Deep Purple Royalties(hennemusic)

Former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore is suing two management companies over claims that he is owed over a million dollars in unpaid publishing royalties and legal costs.
The Daily Mail reports Blackmore is claiming that a 2003 lawsuit brought by the lineup of Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice against two management companies - HEC Enterprises and Deep Purple (Overseas) - should have included him and that he should be compensated as part of the settlement reached between the parties.

Blackmore claims he is entitled to receive one fifth of up to 85 per cent of the income from 14 of the band's classic albums after he hired an audit by a specialist accountant covering the years between 2007 and 2013, which showed 'very substantial' under-accounting by both management companies.

According to the documents, a former director of both management companies admitted last November that £370,561 was due to Blackmore, and later revised this upwards to £480,638. Read more here.




Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page Live Streaming Rare Interview(hennemusic)


Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page will take part in a rare live streaming interview with fans today, July 13. The live stream interview will begin at 7:30pm CET.
The guitarist is promoting the group's year-long reissues campaign, which will wrap up on July 31 with the release of 1976's "Presence", 1979's "In Through The Out Door" and 1982's "Coda."

To participate in the Page session, fans will need to download the Periscope app from the app store (Android/iOS). Partricpants should then follow the user name Warner Music Germany directly at Periscope in order to attend the video live chat via Twitter.com/WarnerMusicde and Periscope. Read more here.



The Who Sabotaged At Music Festival?(Classic Rock)

The Who were victims of backstage sabotage ahead of their Glastonbury festival appearance, a senior roadie has claimed. And despite guitarist Pete Townshend describing it as one of the worst shows they've ever played, the tech insists they scored a definite victory.
He reveals that The Who were added to the Pyramid Stage bill at the last moment, "replacing Prince who decided not to come this year." Townshend told the 100,000-strong crowd on June 28: "This could have been better, but it's as good as it can be. It would have been great to have had a sound check and sorted ourselves out before we came out and hit you with all this sh*t."

The roadie says in a blog on the band website: "As we began to prepare, we found someone had sabotaged the carefully-tested audio connections for much of our gear. We've never seen that before - but we're good at plugging things in, so all damage was repaired in time."

He continues: "Within a few songs, we knew something was wrong. The band were playing more than a little loose, rather sloppy in fact. Pete was growing angry right away, yelling at one point that the band ought to play 'like we're in the same f***ing band' and telling brother Simon to pay close attention to their sync together.

"Soon after, Pete decided the sound screens in front of Zak's drums were in the way, and violently pulled them over. It helped, though, and he was more happy for a bit. The audience loved the raw violence of it, a rare display of anger you'd not see at others' shows. One more reason to see The Who.

"Late in the show, Roger decided he wanted all the screens off the drums, which is generally his own worst nightmare. He likes a controlled sound in his middle zone. The screens are up there directly at his own request.

"After deliberation on whether to follow his orders, we waited till the end of the Tommy set and came out en masse to remove the screens - then Rog decided he didn't want them taken down! And within a song, he walked right over and then pulled them off himself. Go figure!" He had more to say, read it here.




Van Halen Classic Featured In New Minions Movie(hennemusic)


Eddie Van Halen's classic solo, "Eruption" from the band's self-titled debut album, is featured in the new animated film, "Minions," which opened in theaters this past weekend.
At one point in the story, one of the characters - Stuart - is handed a guitar and told it is a "super mega ukulele." He plays a few notes before launching into Van Halen's groundbreaking solo and driving the crowd wild.

"Eruption" is one of several classic rock tracks featured in the film, alongside tunes by The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks and Donovan, among others.

"Eruption" introduced Van Halen - the guitarist and the band - to the world in 1978 as the lead-in to the first single from their self-titled debut: a cover of The Kinks' "You Really Got Me."

Eddie's tone, speed and use of two-handed tapping techniques on the track were game-changers, influencing guitarists from the day it was released. Read more and see both the footage from the movie and stream the original track here.




Randy Blythe and Gary Holt Featured In Metal Allegiance Video(TeamRock Radio)


Supergroup Metal Allegiance have released a video teaser for their debut album. The clip features the self-titled album's opening track Gift Of Pain being recorded, with snippets of Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe tracking his guest vocal part for the song. Exodus and Slayer axeman Gary Holt is also seen.
The project is led by Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick and Winery Dogs drummer Mike Portnoy. Nuclear Blast will launch the title on September 18.

Skolnik said last month that he was loving the freedom afforded to him in the group, adding: "I enjoy being part of a guitar team in Testament - but I'm also somebody who you can give the whole track to and I'll make it happen." Watch the video here.




Corey Taylor Shocked His Kanye West Video Went Viral(TeamRock Radio)


Corey Taylor says he can't believe the response to his video message to rapper Kanye West. He last week shot a video, addressing West's claim during his Glastonbury performance that he was the "greatest living rock star of all time."
Since then the video has gone viral, notching up over 3,000,000 views in just four days. Taylor tells Opie Radio: "I woke up and the academics are in on it. There's all these blogs on it. Like, 'Well, Corey actually kind of is the greatest living rock star, and this is why,' blah-blah-blah."

Asked if he's enjoying the experience, he replies: "God, no - because it's so ridiculous. I've written three books, I've sold millions of albums, I'm in two different bands, I'm in movies and sh*t. And this is what it took! Me talking about some hard-on? I'm like, 'You've got to be kidding me, man.'"

The sudden attention only proves what he's saying in his recent book You're Making Me Hate You. "Everything has flipped on itself," Taylor says. "It doesn't take anything to be famous any more. It used to be, you had to have talent, a work ethic, something special. I was born in the wrong f***ing decade." Read more and watch the video here.




Lamb Of God Streaming New Song 'Erase This'(TeamRock Radio)

Lamb Of God have launched a stream of their track Erase This, from upcoming album VII: Storum Und Drang. It's released on July 24 - and those who preorder via the band's website, iTunes or Amazon will receive the track as an instant download.
Much of the lyrics deal with frontman Randy Blythe's Czech prison ordeal before he was acquitted of manslaughter, following the death of fan Daniel Nosek after a concert in 2010.

Blythe this week released a excerpt from his book Dark Days in which he says: "It was a bad day, but I wish I could remember more of it. I wish I could remember every second. Then maybe I would have had some real answers to all the impossible questions that were about to be asked of me." Stream the new song here.




Gene Simmons Explains Why KISS Did Scooby-Doo Movie(Classic Rock)


KISS star Gene Simmons has explained the band's decision to appear alongside Scooby-Doo in the feature Rock And Roll Mystery. The band revealed in April that they voice themselves in the movie, which marks the second time they've guested with the cartoon dog and his friends. The soundtrack also features a brand-new KISS song.
Simmons tells IGN: "We do very very few cross-branding things. We're very careful about who we associate with. Scooby-Doo is iconic so for us it was a no-brainer. When Warner Brothers came to us and said, 'How would you like to do a crazy-wacky thing?' It was like, 'Crazy-wacky is our middle name. What it is?'"

He adds that the movie pays homage to graphic novel culture and says of the plot: "It's a story that meanders left and right. When you think you've got it figured out, the portals of space and time open up and you're off into the deep wonderland of it all."

It starts off with a trademark Scooby-Doo scene: "There's a theme park, and we're invited to okay the Kiss World. It's haunted, there's a witch and spells," says Simmons.

"You find out that she's fake but there's a mystery behind the mystery, and we're off into deep space with superpowers and planetary-sized dangers. Just like in the Fantastic Four there was Ego, the living planet - and shame on you if you don't know what I'm talking about." Read more and stream the full interview here.



Soilwork Stream Title Track To New Album The Ride Majestic(TeamRock Radio)

Soilwork have released a lyric video for their track The Ride Majestic. It is the title track from the Swedish metal outfit's 10th album, due out on August 28 via Nuclear Blast.
Frontman Bjorn Strid says: "The Ride Majestic was one of the first songs we wrote for this album. The intro sets a certain melancholic mood and after that it's all pure melodic mayhem. There's a very epic and anthemic feel to it, which suits the album title perfectly.

"The lyrics deal with the fear of dying and the art of remaining sane while you're still alive. Not wanting to miss a thing, wanting to embrace every moment, and being able to bring it all back on your dying day, with a snap of your fingers.

"It's also a tribute to the ones we've lost and the comfort of hoping that they will catch us when we fall, on the other side. We believe that, if there is an afterlife, this song would be the soundtrack to that journey. It deals with the acceptance of life and death and possibly everything between and beyond." Watch the video here.




Warped Tour and Mayhem Festival Boss Sorry For Insulting Metal Bands(TeamRock Radio)

Mayhem Festival boss Kevin Lyman has apologized for saying "grey, bald and fat" metal bands are turning fans away from live music. The co-founder of the metal event, as well as the Warped Tour, said in an interview published last week that ageing metal bands demanded big fees to be on bills and that there was no community spirit, like that which exists in the punk scene.
He has since issued a statement via Blabbermouth, apologizing for speaking his mind and insisting that the challenges associated with booking bigger acts won't put him off.

Lyman says: "There has been a lot of talk on the internet about an interview that was done by me a few weeks ago - and I said some things to a reporter that I now regret. In a nutshell, the problem is I was never talking about Mayhem - I was talking about metal scene as a whole.

"Let me go on record saying that I support heavy metal and producing music events has been my whole career. We do strive to work our hardest to keep this Mayhem train rolling and it only works with the support of all of us and I'm apologizing for conveying my deepest concerns on the record." here.




Neal Morse Announces Epic Live Release(Prog)


Neal Morse has announced that he will be releasing a five-hour live package entitled MorseFest 2014: Testimony And One Live. It was recorded in November last year and mixed on the scene by Rich Mouser, who worked on the original studio albums.
It features full performances of both classic albums with a band featuring Mike Portnoy, Randy George, Bill Hubauer and Eric Gillette, plus a four-piece horn section, six-member backing vocal section, strings and orchestra percussion.

Morse says: "We really went all-out this time. I wanted it to be the quintessential presentation and performance of this music. And so it was - and is!" Read more and check out a preview video here.



TesseracT Announce New Album 'Polaris'(Prog)


TesseracT have confirmed their fourth album, Polaris, will be launched on September 18 via Kscope. The follow-up to 2013's Altered State sees the studio return of vocalist Dan Tompkins, who'd been replaced by Ashe O'Hara for the previous release.
TesseracT say the work represents another revolution, promising "more experimentation with sounds and tones and deeper exploration into the core attributes of our trademark sound."

The band add: "Polaris is a different scenario - the first chance for us as a group to stop and take stock of what we are right now, to explore a TesseracT of melody, dynamics, and singular focus. For the first time, too, we feel free from the bounds of genre-specific expectations." Read more and watch the teaser video here.




Anthrax Announce Final Metal Show At Sunset Strip HOB(hennemusic)


Anthrax will perform the final metal show at the Sunset Strip's House Of Blues on July 29. The venue will officially close on August 7 to make way for a new hotel/housing/retail complex.
"Every show we've done at the Sunset House of Blues has been a party," says bassist Frank Bello. "Everyone who we're friends with who's not on tour shows up, either to jam or drink or just hang out. And I'll really miss that. Sunset Boulevard has lost its last great place to play."

"The memories that have been created will always live on for anyone who went to the HOB," adds drummer Charlie Benante. "I feel honored and privileged to have this last chance to blow the roof off of the HOB. The Strip will soon end up looking like a corporate strip mall, no memories there." Read more here.



Ghost Streaming New Song 'From The Pinnacle To The Pit'(hennemusic)


Swedish occult rockers Ghost are premiering "From The Pinnacle To The Pit", a track from their forthcoming third album, "Meliora," which is set to be released on August 21st.
The project sees the debut of new vocalist Papa Emeritus III alongside the Nameless Ghouls following the resignation of his three-month older brother Papa Emeritus II, who himself took over from original singer Papa Emeritus.

"Meliora" - latin for "better" - is the follow-up to the band's second album and major label debut, 2013's "Infestissumam" (latin for "hostile"), which debuted at number one in Sweden and won the Swedish Grammis Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Album.

"From The Pinnacle To The Pit" follows the lead single, "Cirice." Ghost debuted Papa Emeritus III and four songs from "Meliora" at Doom in Linköping, Sweden on June 3.

The band will launch the Black To The Future North American tour at The Fillmore in Washington, DC on September 22. Stream the song here.



Warren Haynes Streaming New Song 'Is It Me Or You'(Classic Rock)


Warren Haynes has premiered his track Is It Me Or You via TeamRock. It's the opening song on upcoming solo album Ashes & Dust, created in collaboration with the band Railroad Earth after the Gov't Mule leader jammed with them live.
Haynes recently said: "I've been compiling songs that didn't necessarily fit in with Gov't Mule or the Allman Brothers, or even my last solo album. This record was really a chance to bring a lot of that music to fruition. It's given me the opportunity to take a lot of songs I love, that didn't have a home, and build a home for them."

Additional guests include Grace Potter, Shawn Colvin and Mickey Rephael, plus Allmans bassist Oteil Burbridge and percussionist Marc Quinones. Stream the new song here.




U2 Recruit Woody Harrelson For 'Song For Someone' Video(hennemusic)


U2 are premiering the video of "Song For Someone", the latest track from 2014's "Songs Of Innocence." Directed by Vincent Haycock, the clip features Woody Harrelson as a man being released from prison after years of incarceration and features his daughter Zoe.
The video thematically links to SundanceTV's Peabody award-winning series Rectify, which follows the story of Daniel Holden and his family as they struggle to move forward after Daniel's release from 19 years on death row.

U2 are currently in the middle of four-night residency at TD Garden in Boston as part of the group's "Innocence + Experience" tour. The group will wrap up the North America leg with an 8-show run at New York's Madison Square Garden before taking a five-week break; they'll return to open a European tour in Turin, Italy on September 4. Watch the video here.



Mike Dupke Announces Departure From W.A.S.P.

Mike Dupke announced late last week that he is no longer a member of W.A.S.P., after spending almost a decade as the drummer of the theatrical metal group.
He released the following message to fans via his Facebook page, "Ladies and Gentlemen: I am no longer with WASP. I would like to wish the guys in the band all the best in the future. I must also send thanks out to all the WASP fans who welcomed me with open arms. You all rock!

"I would also like to add that I am now available to join, work, and tour with any new prospective artists or bands. Feel free to contact me here on Facebook or through my website: www.mikedupke.com." Visit his Facebook page here.




Korn Give Rihanna's 'Better Have My Money' A Metal Makeover(Radio.com)


Rihanna's "B-- Better Have My Money" has received the remix from Korn. The rockers have uploaded their version of the radio hit to their YouTube channel.
Sadly, it's not a cover--which is to say, no Jonathan Davis vocals for you today. Instead, Rihanna's original vocals get the crunching Korn guitar treatment, along with cymbals-laden percussion and riffs plucked out of 1999 for your listening pleasure.

Next up, we hope: Rihanna cover of "Did My Time." Or "Y'all Want a Single." Or the entire Korn discography. Stream the unlikely remix from Korn here.



Pentagram Streaming New Song 'Misunderstood'(TeamRock Radio)


Pentagram are streaming a track from their upcoming album Curious Volume. Misunderstood is one of 11 new songs on the band's eighth record, due out on August 28 via Peaceville Records.
The band the following to say: "This old, firey, punky street rock song has only previously been heard during the CBGBs gig seen on the DVD All Your Sins.

"Although this song sounds nothing like the rest of the album, it does fit right in, especially when you consider the lyrics. It reflects Bobby's life-long love of The Dead Boys and other street rock bands."

Pentagram play a number of tour dates in August, starting at Heavy Montreal in Canada on August 7. See the dates and check out the song here.




The Strawbs Postpone Tour After Frontman Has Surgery(Prog)

The Strawbs have postponed the UK tour that was set to start later this month after frontman Dave Cousins underwent surgery for injuries sustained in a fall.
Their Plugged Unplugged electric shows are to be rescheduled for next year while the 70-year-old recovers. A statement reports: "Dave was taken to hospital in Margate on June 16 after choking on a cup of tea outside his house. This caused him to lose consciousness and smash his head on the pavement. He was discharged after this on June 19.

"Unfortunately this accident dislodged a kidney stone. On June 23 he was admitted to K&CH Hospital. He was operated on under general anaesthetic and discharged on June 26.

"He is recovering well, but is not yet fit enough to take the stresses and strains of a band tour. We are all disappointed - however, all Strawbs fans will understand that this decision is the right one, to make sure that Dave is able to recuperate fully." Read more here.



The Doors, Journey Taken Off Radio In The UK(Classic Rock)

Neil Young, the Doors, Journey and Bonnie Raitt are among a number of classic rock acts whose music can no longer be played by the BBC. The corporation has been forced to ban their work after the artists removed themselves from the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society group licensing deal.
It means there is no agreement in place to play their recordings, and therefore they must remain off-air. The ban extends to cover versions and works including samples of their original material.

The situation is unlikely to be resolved quickly. Wixen Music, who represents the artists, say: "The BBC can use Neil Young and the Doors any time they negotiate a license with us to do so in any given programme." Read more here.




Exxasens Announce Album and Release New Video(Prog)

Exxasens have confirmed details of their upcoming fifth album and issued a video for one of its tracks. They will release Back To Earth on September 7 via Aloud Music Ltd, with the clip for My Hands Are Planets available to view now.
Led by guitarist and programmer Jordi Ruiz, the follow-up to 2013's Satellites was recorded at Siete Barbas Studios in Barcelona. Said to be heavily influenced by the work of Steven Wilson and the progressive dynamics of Mogwai and 65daysofdstatic, the project mixes instrumental post-rock with choirs, stratospheric guitar solos and electronic grooves.

Inspired by the study of space, Ruiz originally built Essaxens as a solo project in 2007. Working in his home studio, the guitarist would upload one song a month online, eventually attracting a significant following and compiling the material with keyboardist Sergio Ledesma, bassist Cesc Cespedes and drummer Oriol Planells into the band's 2008 debut Polaris. Watch the new video here.



Riverside Reveal New Song 'Discard Your Fear' From Forthcoming Album(Prog)

Riverside have released a lyric video for their track Discard Your Fear, the first to appear from 6th album Love, Fear And The Time Machine. The follow-up to 2013's Shrine Of New Generation Slaves is set for launch on September 4 via InsideOut.
Frontman Mariusz Duda says: "I wanted to combine the 70s and the 80s. The 80s was a decade of musical growth for me - I remember being enchanted by music deep with bass, chorus and all kinds of reverb. Discard Your Fear is a good example of this flow."

Love, Fear And The Time Machine will be available with a bonus musical package entitled Day Session, described as the "brighter companion of the Night Session" that accompanied Shrine.

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!: AC/DC's Phil Rudd Sentenced For Threatening To Kill Charge(hennemusic) AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has been sentenced to 8 months...

Today's Day In Rock News!

AC/DC's Phil Rudd Sentenced For Threatening To Kill Charge(hennemusic)

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has been sentenced to 8 months of home detention after admitting threatening to kill and drugs charges in New Zealand.
9 News reports Rudd, 61, was sentenced Thursday morning in Tauranga District Court. The drummer will be monitored 24 hours a day during his home detention, which he'll serve at his waterfront Tauranga mansion.

In April, Rudd entered a guilty plea to one count of threatening to kill, possession of methamphetamine and possession of cannabis. After Rudd recorded "Rock Or Bust" with AC/DC in Vancouver last year, the band hired former member Chris Slade to handle drum duties in his place for the group's world tour, which launched on April 10 at Coachella. Read more here.


Rolling Stones 'Dumbfounded' By Poster Controversy(hennemusic)

The Rolling Stones are "dumbfounded and perplexed" after posters promoting their 2016 "Exhibitionism" event at London's prestigious Saatchi Gallery caused a scandal in London.
The Guardian reports the neon ad - which shows the crotch of a woman in a bikini, with John Pasche's famous lips logo placed in a cheeky position - has been banned on the London Underground and at bus stops around the city until a new, less lewd version of the poster is provided.

Created by British designer Mark Norton with help from Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts, the Stones were advised that the "Exhibitionism" poster was not suitable to run in its original form. For it to be approved for public display, the group were told the logo must be moved away from the crotch and on to the woman's belly button instead.

The "tongue over belly button" posters will go up in London on Monday, while the rest of the country will receive the original "tongue over pants". A spokesperson for the Rolling Stones says: "We are dumbfounded and perplexed at this rather silly decision. Perhaps something to do with the fact that it's the Rolling Stones and controversy still seems to follow them everywhere." Read more and see the "offending" poster artwork here.



80s Metal Fans Grew Up to Be 'Better Adjusted Adults' Than Their Peers(Classic Rock)


Metalheads from the 1980s grew up to be happier and better adjusted adults than many fans of other genres, a study has suggested. The research would appear to make a mockery of high-profile 1980s campaigns against the metal lifestyle, run by organizations such as Tipper Gore's Parents Music Resource Center. Metal in the 80s was often frivolously linked to devil worship, drug abuse and suicide.
The research published by Taylor & Francis Online sought to test the validity of studies carried out in the 1980s which claimed fans of bands such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath were at risk of "poor developmental outcomes."

And, Pacific Standard reports, the new research finds that most of the metalheads who took part in the study "were significantly happier in their youth, and better adjusted currently" compared to peers who were into other music.

The study also reports that those who focused on types of music outside of heavy metal "sought psychological counseling for emotional problems more than any other group, indicating a less happy and fulfilling perspective on their 1980s adolescence." Read more here.




Black Sabbath's Bill Ward Recalls Firing Ozzy Osbourne(Classic Rock)

Bill Ward has recalled how he volunteered for the "sh*t job" of firing Ozzy Osbourne from Black Sabbath in 1979. Matters had come to a head between the frontman and his colleagues after his drinking and drug-taking spiralled out of control - leading them to conclude that he had to go.
They didn't reunite until 1997 and didn't record again until 2013, by which time the drummer was out of the band after saying he hadn't been offered a "signable" contract.

Ward tells The Quietus: "I'm like the f***ing janitor in that band. Most of the time I always got the sh*t jobs that nobody wanted to do. But at the time, I thought maybe I was the best guy to do it. I kind of volunteered to do it. Up went my hand - and it was one of the worst things I've ever done in my life, to be honest with you.

"I didn't want him to leave the band, but I could understand the reasons why. That was a tragic day. That was the day the band imploded." Read more here.




Iron Maiden Mascot Eddie Inspired Pop Art At Comic Con(Classic Rock)

Iron Maiden mascot Eddie is featured in the first-ever exhibition of official spin-off artwork, which has just been unveiled at San Diego's Comic Con. The pop art display on the Acme Archives booth includes material inspired by classic tracks Powerslave, 2 Minutes To Midnight, To Tame A Land, Killers and more, with limited-edition prints of each item on sale via Dark Ink Art.
Dan Mumford, who created his take on Powerslave, says: "The epic cover was burned into my brain from an early age. Not only does it raise Eddie up to his rightful god status - it allowed me to play with some incredible imagery, and create a piece that hopefully does him and the band justice."

Maiden manager Rod Smallwood says: "Eddie has long been recognised by our fans as an iconic figure. That Pop Culture, which draws upon movies, art, comics and literature, should wish to welcome him to their ranks is a huge tribute to his longevity, unique symbolism and importance to millions of fans around the world.

"With such a rich canvas and so much love for the character, it is fitting that he stands inside Acme Archives with his peers. And of course terrorises them all." Check out the artwork here.




Geoff Tate Throws Out 'The Rules' For First Operation: Mindcrime Album(Classic Rock)


Operation: Mindcrime mainman Geoff Tate has the tracklist and artwork for debut album The Key. It's to be launched on September 18 via Frontiers Music, and marks Tate's first release since reaching a legal settlement with his former colleagues in Queensryche.
Tate says: "This album is quite adventurous. Of course, there are key elements in the music, melody and phrasings that are really identifiable. But throughout my career I've opened my eyes and ears to new standards and arrangements, and that's what keeps things fresh and exciting as an artist.

"We've thrown out the rules for this record, and it's been really liberating. I'm a fan of old prog, and that music didn't stick to rules. It's inspiring and enjoyable to be able to explore, and it's great being in a position to write without constraints." Read more here.



Clutch Announce New Album Psychic Warfare(hennemusic)

Clutch will release their new album, "Psychic Warfare", on October 2. Clutch recorded the project at their own studio as well as producer Machine's place in Dripping Springs, Texas.
The band have unveiled the cover art and tracklisting for the project, which marks the Maryland group's follow-up to 2013's "Earth Rocker" and will be issued via their own Weathermaker Music label.

"The title 'Psychic Warfare' is taken from the track, 'X-Ray Visions," says singer Neil Fallon. "It's a tale about an unnamed protagonist who is forced to seek refuge in a flop house motel. He is hiding from several nefarious psychic forces, the worst of which is his own sleep deprived paranoia."

The album cover was designed by photographer Dan Winters. See the artwork and track details here.




Tom DeLonge Announces New Book and Comic-Con Appearance(Gibson)


Angles & Airwaves frontman Tom DeLonge has been tapped for the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con. DeLonge, who of course spent years in Blink-182, will speak at the event about his Poet Anderson franchise and also appear at various panels, give interviews, meet fans and sign autographs.
In related news, DeLonge and New York Times best-selling author Suzanne Young have teamed up for the release of Poet Anderson …Of Nightmares, the first of a planned trilogy of Poet Anderson reads. The novel, out Oct. 6, "explores an unknown world where dreams meet reality and the chasm between the two sometimes disappears," according to a release.

DeLonge's Poet Anderson franchise began with the release of Angels & Airwaves' last album, 2014's The Dream Walker. Anderson is a fictional character envisioned by DeLonge and Ilan Rubin of Angel & Airwaves. DeLonge released an animated short film called Poet Anderson: The Dream Walker along with the 2014 album.

Aside from Angels & Airwaves and Poet Anderson, DeLonge also released his debut solo album, To the Stars...Demos, Odds and Ends, this year. Read more here.




Slipknot's Corey Taylor Unplugs For Performance Of The Cure's 'Lovesong'(Radio.com)

On Tuesday night, Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor kicked off an acoustic tour promoting his new book You're Making Me Hate You: A Cantankerous Look at the Common Misconception That Humans Have Any Common Sense Left.
During the show he did a bunch of songs from his catalog, as well as a number of surprising covers, perhaps most notably a rendition of The Cure's "Lovesong."

Never thought you'd see the guy from Slipknot do a Cure cover? Such was the evening, which also included a Pink Floyd medley that started with "Breathe," went to "Have a Cigar" and then back to "Breathe" again; Green Day's "Pulling Teeth"; Alice In Chains' "Nutshell"; and a strange combination of Pearl Jam precursor Mother Love Bone's "Chloe Dancer" and Prince's "Little Red Corvette."

The show was supposed to begin with him reading from his book, but instead he just took the stage (as Iron Maiden's "Run to the Hills" played on the PA system) and decided to riff on new things that bother him that he didn't cover in the book, including TV commercials for narcotics and their scary lists of side effects, plus selfie sticks.

And yes, there was a short talk about Kanye West's claim that he's the biggest rock star in the world, comparing him to someone who brags about how many women he has sexual relations with, noting that those who brag are always exaggerating the truth. He said this in much less family friendly terms, oddly enough, as his kids were there, and he kept noting that they should be wearing earplugs.

From there, he did a Q&A with fans; part of that amounted to more standup comedy, especially the tale of how someone claimed he was Corey Taylor and ran up a bar tab under his name (which was easy to do in the early days of Slipknot, as no one at that time knew what Taylor looked like under his mask). At other points it was poignant, as one fan explained to him that Slipknot's "Circles" helped him deal with his mother's passing, and Taylor explained that the song represents a change in his lifestyle and becoming sober.

From there, he took a short break and then returned the stage with his acoustic guitar, sometimes accompanied by a second guitarist, Jason Christopher. Watch the performance here.



Twin Atlantic Release 'Fall Into The Party' Video(TeamRock Radio)

Twin Atlantic have released a live video for their track Fall Into The Party. It's compiled from footage shot at their biggest-ever headline shows, with the aim of marking how far they've come in the past 18 months.
Frontman Sam McTrusty says that it is about the group "getting to express ourselves, travelling, meeting new people who become inspirations and friends."

He adds: "This compilation is just the tip of the iceberg - we feel we have only scratched the surface. Before we disappear to write our next chapter, we wanted to share the happy times we experienced with you all." Watch the video here.



Dani Filth Believes Music Industry's Crisis Is Coming To A Head(TeamRock Radio)

Cradle Of Filth mainman Dani Filth believes the music industry's crisis is "coming to a head." He's reflected on his band's experiences of the changing music scene as they gear up for the launch of 11th album Hammer Of The Witches on July 10.
Filth tells RockSverige: "The feeling and the passion is still there. Obviously, we're a lot older and probably a little bit more jaded, since you've been through the highs and the lows in the music industry.

"We've got the social media and all the bullsh*t that goes with that. It's a good thing - but it's a double-edged sword. Illegal downloading is absolutely choking the music industry and you can see how it's coming to a head." Read more here.




Lynyrd Skynyrd Release Rare Performance Video(hennemusic)

Lynyrd Skynyrd have issued video of a performance of the rare track, "Travelin' Man", as a preview to the July 24 release of "One More For The Fans", a 2CD/DVD set featuring highlights from an all-star tribute concert held at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta last November.
The tune - which first appeared on the group's 1976 live album "One More From The Road" - made its studio debut on the 1997 compilation, "Twenty." The studio version and the new live version present a duet featuring singer Johnny Van Zant and his late brother, original Skynyrd frontman Ronnie Van Zant.

The "One More For The Fans" event featured performances by Lynyrd Skynyrd as well as music legends and young talent, including Cheap Trick, Trace Adkins, Alabama, Gregg Allman, Blackberry Smoke, Charlie Daniels, Peter Frampton, Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes, John Hiatt and many more.

As part of the campaign to save the Fox Theatre from demolition, Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded "One More From The Road" at the landmark theatre; the title of the tribute concert and release was inspired by that legendary album's title.

AXS TV will premiere "Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More For The Fans" on Sunday, July 19 at 8:00pm EST / 5:00pm PST. Watch the new video clip here.


Panic! At The Disco Release 'Hallelujah' Video(TeamRock Radio)

Panic! At The Disco have released a video for their track Hallelujah. It's thought that the song will appear on the band's as-yet-untitled upcoming fifth album.
The single took fans by surprise when it was released in April with no prior notice. It was the band's first new music in almost two years and the first since drummer Spencer Smith quit.

Frontman Brendon Urie said earlier this year: "I grew up in a religious family and that was a very big part of my life, and still is, even though I don't affiliate with any specific religion.

"It's just the spirituality of being able to own up to your sins and take responsibility for your actions really hit me this time around, and so that song really is about that - taking responsibility for things that you felt guilty for in the past and just owning it." Watch the video here.


System Of A Down's Shavo Reactivates Achozen Side-Project(TeamRock Radio)

System Of A Down bassist Shavo Odadjian has reactivated his side-project Achozen, which he created alongside Wu Tang Clan's RZA. Only a handful of tracks had been launched since they announced the venture nearly a decade ago.
A further eight are now available - but only to those who purchase a limited-edition Boombotix Boombot Pro portable speaker. Odadjian tells Rolling Stone: "It wasn't something contrived. RZA came from a band I loved. We became a family and bonded like brothers."

He says the delay over releasing more material came after disagreements with labels about how to launch. "I'm talking lyrics, they're talking ringstones. I'm going to wait."

The pair finally decided to make their work available because they'd originally become friends by discussing the Armenian Genocide, which took place a century ago this year, and was marked with an SOAD tour. Read more here.


Anthrax Share 'Riff Action' From New Album(Classic Rock)

Anthrax have released a clip from the studio where they're working on their 11th album. The thrash icons are in sessions with producer Jay Ruston on the follow-up to 2011's Worship Music.
The new studio album is expected to be released in the coming months via Megaforce Records -although guitarist Scott Ian recently said they wouldn't be rushed.

Alongside the short studio clip uploaded to Facebook - which features the band playing through a heavy riff - Anthrax posted the following caption: "Riff action going on for the full thrash effect. Total moshness. #anthrax #hardestever. Play Loud!"

Anthrax hit the road again next month, ending with a run of UK shows with Slayer in November. See the dates and watch the studio update video here.



Steve Hackett Confirms Release Of Massive Box Set(Classic Rock)


Steve Hackett has confirmed the release of his Premonitions 14-disc box set on October 16 via Universal/Virgin. Steven Wilson revealed the project's existence in May. Now details of the pack, which focuses on Hackett's first six albums with the Charisma label, are official.
The Super-deluxe set includes 10 CDs and four DVDs, and 67 previously-unreleased tracks among the total of 135 songs. Hackett says: "I'm pleased that Steven has done several new mixes in both 5.1 surround and stereo. The set will also contain a number of live shows from the era. I've enjoyed being involved with this comprehensive trip down memory lane."

He adds: "There's also a substantial booklet containing a lot of background info, along with many wonderful Armando Gallo shots. Roger Dean has painted a beautiful picture for the cover. For me it's a proud souvenir that highlights those years."

Hacket will showcase some of the lesser-known material in the set on his upcoming tour. His Charisma albums Please Don't Touch and Spectral Mornings are to be re-released separately, along with Wilson remixes, next year. Read more here.



The Answer Release 'Gone Too Long' Video(Classic Rock)

The Answer have released a video for Gone Too Long. It's taken from this year's Raise a Little Hell album, the follow-up to 2013's New Horizon. Gone Too Long will be released on July 29.
The band are currently playing their first US shows in half a decade, touring with Whitesnake. They're also playing some headline shows and festival dates before returning to the Europe at the end of the month to play at Germany's Wacken festival and an intimate show at The Borderline in London.

"Our first gig in Dallas was one of my favourite gigs of all time," says frontman Cormac Neeson. "It may well have been an outpouring of pent up emotion having nearly missed our tour because of the visa crash [the band had to re-route their flights in order to obtain the correct documents] or maybe it was because this was our first gig on American soil in more than five years. Either way it rocked hard and we had the gig of our lives!!"

The new single has been mixed for radio by Chris Sheldon, who's previously worked with Foo Fighters and Biffy Clyro, while the video was filmed in Belfast. "We decided to go for a minimal black and white treatment shooting in the old Empire venue," says Neeson. "Darren Lee from Maverick Renegade Productions directed and edited the video - he always comes up trumps!" Watch the video here.




Grateful Dead's 'Fare Thee Well' Shows Only Had 3 Marijuana Arrests(Radio.com)


If there is one thing you can count on at a Grateful Dead concert, it's that there will be the strong scent of marijuana in the air. But, for fans in Chicago, bringing it into the show could lead to arrest.
But, according to official numbers from the Chicago Police Department, it seems the cops were not too worried about a little Mary Jane. Over the course of the three Fare Thee Well shows in Chi-Town taking place from July 3 to 5 there were only three people who were charged with marijuana possession. Yes, only three out of 212,000 in attendance over the whole weekend.

One person was arrested for possessing more than 15 grams of marijuana and two other fan earned summonses for carrying less than that on them. This is thanks to a 2012 law that reduced possession of 15 grams or less from a misdemeanor to a non-criminal summons in the city.

The Chicago PD admit they were taking a hands off approach with those dabbling at the show, choosing instead to put their energies towards protecting the city against more dangerous infractions. Read more here.




Sound Of Contact's Dave Kerzner Premieres Solo Video(Prog)

Sound Of Contact man Dave Kerzner has premiered his video for The Lie with Prog. It's taken from his solo album New World, available now via his website, iTunes and Amazon.
Kerzner tells Prog: "The song is about how lies catch up with us in the end. On New World it's a piece of the concept album puzzle, but on its own it has meaning that can be interpreted many different ways.

"We had fun with the video, bringing in musicians I've played with in other bands. There's Nick D'Virgilio on drums, from Kevin Gilbert's Thud and Giraffe, and there's Matt Dorsey, my bandmate in Sound Of Contact. There's also a close-up of me playing a CP70 - a tip of the hat to one of my all time musical heroes, Tony Banks of Genesis." Read more and watch the video here.




Shardborne Streaming New Album 'Living Bridges' In Full(Prog) Shardborne have streamed all seven tracks of debut album Living Bridges ahead of its release later this week. It's released via Out On A Limb Records on July 10.
The album was mixed by Jamie King, known for his work with Between The Buried And Me and Scale The Summit. Shardborne say: "We wouldn't consider Living Bridges to be a direct continuation of our EP Aeonian Sequence.

"The songwriting process has pretty much stayed the same - but since there have been a few years since the EP's release, our musical tastes, styles and interests have changed.

"We felt we had much more to work with when we began writing for Living Bridges." Stream the album here.




Slim Harpo Box Set Released

The Blues Slim Harpo is the subject of a five-disc box set entitled Buzzin' The Blues. The Bear Family Records release includes one previously unknown track, four unreleased live tracks and a further 137 songs, plus a 104-page booklet by music historian Martin Hawkins.
Swamp blues icon Harpo, real name James Moore, left a catalogue that influenced a wide range of contemporary and later artists. He's probably best known for his track I'm A King Bee. He's been covered by Otis Redding, the Rolling Stones, The Who, the Yardbirds, The Kinks, the Fabulous Thunderbirds and many others.

Hawkins plans to expand his sleeve notes into a full-length book, also called Buzzin' The Blues. He says: "I'd known about him only as a blues fan - I didn't know any more than anybody else about Slim the man.

"I realised I could do the box set, and I should also write a longer, wider-ranging book, setting him in context with his contemporaries." Read more here.



Band Called Baby Godzilla Forced To Change Their Name(TeamRock Radio)

Baby Godzilla say they've changed their name to Heck after pressure from a "Japanese cinema giant." But they say it's a case of "new name, same aim" and they'll release their debut album as planned in the autumn.
Matt Reynolds, Jonny Hall, Tom Marsh and Paul Shelley say in a statement: "Following some fairly conclusive and forceful instructions it's time we instigated a change. We will from now on and henceforth be known as Heck.

"Make no mistake - this is still us. We will never compromise and we promise you our undivided commitment, ambition and passion. Every drop of blood and energy we have belongs to you." Read more here.




Doro Pesch Announces Winter Tour(Classic Rock) Doro Pesch has announced a 19-date European winter tour which kicks off with three UK shows. The German metal icon's Strong & Proud trek stars in Norwich on November 20, with support from Archer.
Doro says: "These guys are really good. Archer already proved their qualities as support on our spring US tour and I'm looking forward to presenting them to my German and European fans."

She adds: "In my career, I've benefitted enormously from tours with Judas Priest and Dio. Young bands need these experiences. That's why I'm very keen on taking Archer with me." See the tour dates here.



Singled Out: Unleash The Archers' Tonight We Ride

Unleash The Archers vocalist Brittney Slayes tells us about their song "Tonight We Ride" (and the Mad Max themed video) which comes from their brand new album "Time Stands Still." Here is the story:
The first single 'Tonight We Ride' from our newest album Time Stands Still was actually the first track we wrote for the record, and it was written about a year before all of the other tracks. We recorded a demo of the song back in 2013 to use to shop to labels, and once we got some interest we were going to continue finishing the rest of the record. In the summer of 2013 we were given the amazing opportunity to work with the very talented director Nathan 'Karma' Cox for our next music video, so seeing as we didn't want to let the chance go to waste and had only written one song so far, 'Tonight We Ride' became our first single by default. We all caravanned down to the desert in the middle of Nevada and with the help of Nathan's friends from Death Guild Thunderdome, we filmed a super rad Mad Max themed music video. The members of DGTD set up an actual thunderdome at Burning Man every year and bring these vehicles called art cars down with them, so Nathan thought it would be cool to have us riding them seeing as the song was called Tonight We Ride. Everything went well and we returned home with a very positive outlook on the future of things to come for UTA.

Then everything changed. We lost two members before the leaves were off the trees, one of which was our main songwriter and a big part of why we sound the way we do. The three that were left, (Grant, Scott and myself) were at a bit of a standstill. I can't say we didn't see it coming because we could see that Brayden was unhappy, he had struggled to find the motivation to write for some time and TWR (as we call it) was actually all Grant's riffage except for the tap solo. Regardless of this we had thought that Brayden had at least one more album in him, but here we were with the first single done and the video complete and no hope for a record to go with it.

That winter was hard. We pushed on and continued to write, but things were slow going. The future looked bleak to say the least. Then suddenly, with the new year came a new face and a rejuvenated ambition. Andrew had songs that he had never used stored in the back of his brain that he handed over without qualm. He let us rip them apart and re-write bits here and there and together the four of us wrote all the rest of the tracks on the album. We filmed a second music video that summer, but in the end still agreed to release TWR as the first single. It meant a lot to us, and Brayden had dedicated so much time and energy to UTA that we couldn't let this final contribution be put on a shelf to gather dust. We were also so stoked with all of Nathan's hard work that we knew we couldn't waste what he had done. As fate would have it, the release of Mad Max: Fury Road somehow coincided perfectly with the release of the single, and fans were really in a Mad Max frame of mind so I think that helped us big time as well.

The song is about the anticipation you feel the night before going out on tour; it's about not being able to sleep due to the excitement, and the rush to get out on the road and just drive. The song itself mimics that sense of urgency well I think, and personally, I am pretty sure that no matter what it would have ended up being the song we picked as the first single anyways ;) Pretty sure that's how fate works…

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!: Slipknot's Corey Taylor Has 'Special Message' For Kanye West Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor has releas...

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!: Slipknot's Corey Taylor Has 'Special Message' For Kanye West Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor has releas...

Today's Day In Rock News!

Slipknot's Corey Taylor Has 'Special Message' For Kanye West


Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor has released a "special message" for Kanye West after the husband of reality TV star Kim Kardashian claimed to be "the greatest living rock star on the planet."
West made the claim during his appearance at the Glastonbury festival in England last month. The performance had previously spawned a viral video showing Freddie Mercury laughing at West's attempt to cover the Queen classic "Bohemian Rhapsody". (see the Kanye West vs. Freddie Mercury video here.)

Music Choice published a new video message from Taylor on Tuesday (July 7) where the metal singer responds to West's telling the audience at Glastonbury "you're watching the greatest living rock star on the planet!"

Taylor says in the clip, "Kanye, you are not [pauses and then with emphasis says] NOT the greatest living rock star of all time. The fact that you had to tell people that [makes funny face] kind of says it all.

He continues, "You remind of the guy who brags about [bleeped with a photo of a kitten]. They never get as much as they brag about. Stop it. [Taylors slaps his wrist] STOP it!" See the clip here.



Aerosmith's Tom Hamilton Reveals Cancer Fight Update(hennemusic)


Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton says doctors have declared him cancer-free. Originally diagnosed with throat and tongue cancer in 2006, the bassist successfully underwent treatment at the time, and the health issue that returned in 2011 is now gone again.
"My doctor thought I was pretty much done with the cancer that I had in '06 and then it came back a few years later," Hamilton tells Long Island Pulse. "I was faced with losing my way of life…if not my life. But there's a guy here in Boston that Adele referred to [Steven Zeitels], who does novel surgeries and was able to do a procedure that got the cancer out of my throat without having to ruin the rest of it.

"I just saw him the other day and he said, 'You beat this one. You can keep coming to see me if you want, but I don't think you need to worry about this cancer coming back.' I said, 'I'll come back to see you every six months from here until eternity, if it's alright with you!'" Read more here.


Led Zeppelin's Final Concert 35th Anniversary(Gibson)

Tuesday (July 7) marked the 35th anniversary of the last Led Zeppelin gig with all four original members. The show took place at Eissporthalle in Berlin, and was the last of fourteen gigs during a European tour in support of the band's latest album In Through The Out Door, which was released in August the previous year.
The show opened with "Train Kept A Rollin'" - a song that had been in Zeppelin's repertoire ever since their first show less than twelve years earlier. If the opening song sounded a bit stiff, the band really hit their stride with the second number - "Nobody's Fault But Mine." Jimmy Page in particular delivered a blistering solo.

Although there are no videos available from the Zeppelin's last gig, it's worth noting that visually the band was trying to adapt to the times. While not jumping on the disco bandwagon like the Rolling Stones, and Kiss, the four members of Led Zeppelin had definitely altered their stage outfits in an attempt to fit in better with the New Wave crowd. Gone were the blue jeans, replaced by slacks, and even the occasional tie, and the band had trimmed back their big manes of hair, if ever so slightly. But these are all cosmetics, and normal for any band wanting to stay current. What is important is the music - and that still rocked every bit as hard as it had during the height of the band's popularity in the middle of the previous decade. If you want to see what Led Zeppelin looked like in the latter stages of their career, check out videos from their gig at the Knebworth Festival on August 11, 1979, which was fortunately filmed for posterity.

Sonically, there was an added presence of keyboards, and synthesizers. Especially in new songs like "In The Evening," and "All My Love," but also in classics like "The Rain Song," and even "Kashmir." It was Zeppelin's way of updating their sound, and also the result from much of the material on In Through The Out Door being initially conceived by Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones. In my opinion it's fun to hear these live versions of the songs. Perhaps they give a glimpse as to what would have been if the band had continued on.

Just two and a half months after the concert in Berlin, drummer John Bonham was found dead in his bed on September 25. It has been reported that Bonham, who was struggling with a severe alcohol addiction, had downed the equivalent 40 shots of vodka during a twenty-four hour period prior to his death. Led Zeppelin had already booked a US tour at the time of Bonham's passing, but in December 1980 the band announced that they were calling it quits rather than finding a replacement for Bonham. Since their final gig in 1980, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin have only reunited a handful of times, most recently in December 2007, which resulted in the live CD, and DVD Celebration Day.

"This is the last concert, so we intend to have a better time now than perhaps we have had before," said Plant in the banter between "The Rain Song," and "Hot Dog" during the gig in Berlin. Although he was only talking about the end of the tour, not knowing it was the band's last show as a foursome, in hindsight it's quite a statement. See the setlist for the show here.




Paul McCartney Frustrated By John Lennon's 'Martyr' Status(Classic Rock)


Paul McCartney has admitted to feeling "frustrated" that the murder of John Lennon in 1980 elevated him to the status of a "martyr" - meaning the rest of the Beatles were relegated to the background.
And he argues that the perception that Lennon led the band is usually supported by offsetting his best work against McCartney's worst. The 73-year-old tells Esquire: "The Beatles split up and we were all sort of equal. George did his record, John did his, I did mine, Ringo did his. It was as we were during the Beatles' time.

"When John got shot, aside from the pure horror of it, the lingering thing was, 'Now John's a martyr, a JFK.' I started to get frustrated because people started to say, 'Well, he was the Beatles.' Me, George and Ringo would go, 'Hang on - it's only a year ago we were all equal-ish."

McCartney emphasizes that he's not trying to put down his late colleague's achievements. "John was the witty one," he says. "John did a lot of great work and post-Beatles he did more great work. But he also did a lot of not-great work.

"The fact that he's now martyred has elevated him to a James Dean and beyond. I didn't mind that - I agreed with it. I understood there was going to be revisionism. It was going to be, 'John was the one.'

"If you just pull out all his great stuff and then stack it up against my not-so-great stuff, it's an easy case to make." Read more here.


Dave Grohl Jams With Pearl Jam and Blind Melons Stars At Biker Rally(Radio.com)

This past Saturday (July 4), Dave Grohl was scheduled to play what for him and his band was a very special show: a concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Foo Fighters.
But apparently, headlining RFK Stadium wasn't enough. On that same day, he kicked out some early morning jams at a motorcycle rally taking place at local craft brewery DC Brau. When it comes to rockin', it seems the guy just can't help himself.

As CBS Radio's WXRT reports, the event featured original Pearl Jam drummer Dave Krusen, Jonny Kaplan, Rami Jaffee of the Foo Fighters and Blind Melon guitarist Chris Thorn. Never one to turn down a good jam session with old friends, Grohl showed up to the event and went on to perform "Cinnamon Girl."

With purple cast situated on a padded metal folding chair, and wearing khaki shorts and a black T-shirt, Grohl laid into a supercharged version of the classic Neil Young song. Read more and see video here.




Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson 'Cautiously Happy' With Cancer Outcome(Classic Rock)


Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson is currently recovering from cancer treatment after two tumors were found in his throat, forcing the band to delay the launch of 16th album The Book Of Souls.
Dickinson says: "I did take it easy for a while and I'm still conscious that I should take it easy." But he adds: "Why? If I'm feeling fine, fit and all the rest of it?

"I consider myself to be extremely lucky that everything is okay. I've got a completely unrestricted airline medical back, just as good as it was before. The doctors were amazing. The treatment was uncomfortable but it worked. I'm cautiously happy with the outcome." Read more here.




Coheed And Cambria Announce Totally Different New Album(Prog)


Coheed And Cambria will release their eighth album The Color Before The Sun in October - and it'll be their first-ever non-concept title. Claudio Sanchez and co have launched a lyric video for lead track You Got Spirit, Kid, which becomes available as a digital single on July 10.
It's the first time the band have stepped away from setting their albums around The Amory Wars, their science fiction saga about the lives of Coheed and Cambria Kilgannon.

Sanchez says: "I want people to know that Coheed can write that sort of record. I've always said ithere's never been a limitation on the band - it makes no sense to me to draw a line in the sand and never cross it."

The Color Before The Sun was recorded at St Charles Studio in Nashville, and produced by Jay Joyce. Coheed hit the road next month with dates in the US and Europe, plus a standalone appearance at the UK;s Heavy Fest. See the dates here.



Shinedown Frontman Brent Smith Laughs Off Health Problems(Classic Rock)

Shinedown frontman Brent Smith is now able to laugh at the health problems that contributed to the delay of their fifth album. He suffered with nodules on his vocal cords after 21 months on the road - then had to deal with a fungal infection in his throat.
The singer won't reveal the name of the follow-up to 2012's Amaryllis, but says fans can expect its arrival in September. Smith tells Loudwire: "We took a while mainly because my voice needed to rest. When we got off tour I had three nodules on my left vocal cord.

"I had to heal them. I was lucky enough to do so naturally - I didn't have surgery, but it took two and a half months to get them where they needed to be."

He continues: "I have to laugh about it now, but I got this thing called thrush, which is normally what babies will get. We have fungus in our bodies that's dormant and sometimes it'll unleash, and it unleashed on me.

"It went all the way down to my oesophagus, so that was another two months to heal from that. Four months in all after we got off the road, then we started writing the record." Read more here.




Sleeping with Sirens and All Time Low Announce Co-Headlining Tour(Radio.com)


Sleeping with Sirens and All Time Low Both have announced a co-headlining tour across North America, kicking off in October and running through late November.
The Back to the Future Hearts Tour (you guessed it, the tour poster is Back to the Future-themed) begins Oct. 9 in Orlando, Fla., with additional dates in Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Milwaukee and more.

The pair ends their touring engagement Nov. 24 with a show at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. Japan's One Ok Rock will open from Oct. 9 through Nov. 13.

Sleeping with Sirens are touring behind new album Madness, debuted in March, while All Time Low released new record Future Hearts the next month in April. See the dates here.




Jake E. Lee's Red Dragon Cartel Announce 5th Singer In A Year(Classic Rock)

Red Dragon Cartel have named former Jones Street singer Shawn Crosby as their latest vocalist. Crosby is the Jake E. Lee led band's fifth frontman in just four months.
Darren James Smith appeared on the band's 2014 self-titled debut album, but left in March over concerns regarding touring plans. His replacement Michael Beck lasted just a few short weeks before former Lynch Mob and Jason Bonham man Chas West signed on - only to replaced by Paul D'Eath, who's now out of the picture.

Crosby says: "I will be singing for Jake E Lee's Red Dragon Cartel for the month of July and, hopefully, for many months and years after. That is, if we can all play nice in the sandbox together! I'm sure we will. I couldn't be playing with a cooler bunch of guys."

He'll make his debut on July 9 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, joining a lineup that also includes third bassist Anthony Esposito and drummer Jonas Fairley. Read more here.




Breaking Benjamin Frontman Says Pain Only Relief From Mystery Illness(TeamRock Radio)


Breaking Benjamin frontman Ben Burnley says he copes with his mystery illness by using the chronic pain to fuel his live shows. He's suffered from joint and muscle pain for years but says he has been given no answers despite consulting hundreds of doctors.
Burnley tells Rolling Stone: "The pain is so horrendous it distracts me from my other symptoms, so it's relieving in a sick way. Basically, my only relief is intense pain.

"It's a horrible, horrible condition. If I didn't have the support of all the fans, and if I didn't have my incredible wife and son it definitely wouldn't be worth living through.

"The agony never goes away. People ask me how I deal with it and it's because I have no choice. Now I get angry. If I'm dizzy onstage it'll push me even harder. I don't let it peck at me little by little, I charge right through it. And if I go down, I go down doing what I love for the people that want to see me perform." Read more here.




Lamb Of God's Blythe Recalls Homecoming After Manslaughter Trial(TeamRock Radio)


Randy Blythe has posted an excerpt from his book dealing with the moment he arrived on US soil after being released from prison in the Czech Republic.
Dark Days, to be published later this month, covers the Lamb Of God frontman's ordeal after being charged, but later acquitted, of killing fan Daniel Nosek in 2010.

He was released on bail in August 2012, and arrived in New York on August 3. Later that day he posted a picture of himself with a fan, saying: "This lovely young woman, Lia, came to the airport to say, 'Randy, I'm glad you're home.' What a sweetheart! Her boyfriend had to work so we called him on his cell. We have awesome fans!"

In the Dark Days excerpt Blythe writes: "I made my way directly to the terminal's exit to stand on American soil (or at least New York City concrete), for the first time in months. As I moved with the crowd past the last security checkpoint, I heard a female voice call my name. I turned and saw an attractive dark haired young woman standing by the exit. 'Randy, I just wanted you to know I'm glad you're home,' she said, and gave me a hug.

"Lia had read on the Internet that I had been released from prison. The details of my flight had not been made public, but Lia had checked all the flights from Prague to JFK, and had decided to come and take a chance that she would see me in arrivals. After waiting a few fruitless hours she was about to leave, but decided to take a chance on one more flight.

"Lia was not a stalker or a weirdo; she just felt that someone should be there to welcome me back to America, and after doing so told me she would be on her way. I was deeply touched by her warm gesture, and asked her if she would stay and have a coffee with me." Read more here.




U2 Preview 'Song for Someone' Short Film Starring Woody Harrelson(Radio.com)


U2 are going a bit further than your average band when it comes to the visual for one of their new songs, creating a short film to accompany their track "Song for Someone" from their latest album Songs of Innocence.
What's the difference between this and, say, a new music video? Generally, length: expect this to be longer than the average music video. The short is directed by Vincent Haycock, who has helmed videos for Madonna, Calvin Harris, Paul McCartney and Lana Del Rey. His work to date has been big, broad and sweeping in scope but not necessarily strong on storytelling, so this should be a shift in pace.

Woody and Zoe Harrelson are set to star in the project, with a press release from Interscope Records saying the former plays "a man being released from prison after years of incarceration."

To precede its debut, a trailer has been released for the short. The short will debut on Sundance Thursday, July 9, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, following the season 3 premiere of Rectify, a series that follows a man released from jail after several years when DNA evidence casts doubt on the verdict that put him there. See the preview here.




Twisted Sister's Dee Snider Releases New Solo Song 'To Hell And Back'(hennemusic)


Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider is premiering his new solo single, "To Hell And Back." The tune was co-written with Silvertide's Nick Perri, and is planned to be included as part of a new album Snider is working on with producer Damon Ranger.
"To Hell and Back" represents my first truly new, original musical offering since the 90's," says Snider. "When my friend and co-writer, guitarist Nick Perri presented me with the riff and music bed for this song, I found true inspiration to write for the first time in decades.

"Lyrically, the song raises a bold middle finger to those who whine and complain about the difficulties of life, but have no real clue what difficult is. As I say in the song, 'Don't tell me your sad story. Don't say your world is black. Just spare me your vainglory. I've been to hell and back!'"

Snider will head out to play some solo shows this summer at festivals in the US, Europe and South America. Snider and Twisted Sister have announced plans for a 40th anniversary farewell tour next year following the March 20 death of longtime drummer AJ Pero, who suffered a heart attack while playing on tour with Adrenaline Mob. Check out the new song here.




Set It Off Release 'Stuck In Our Youth' Video(TeamRock Radio)


Set It Off have released a video for their track Forever Stuck In Our Youth. The clip was filmed in their hometown of Clearwater, Florida, with the track taken from their second album Duality, which was released last year.
The band have also announced they'll be main support for Mallory Knox on their winter UK tour. Frontman Cody Carson says: "We're so stoked to be coming back - the UK fans always go so crazy, and the reception we receive every time is out of this world.

"We cant wait to play in such amazing venues with our new buddies Mallory Knox." Ahead of the UK run, the band are part of the Vans Warped Tour in North America. See the new tour dates and watch the video here.




No Devotion Streaming New Song Called 'Addition'(TeamRock Radio)


No Devotion have made their latest single available to stream. Addition is taken from their upcoming debut album, Permanence, due out on September 25 via Collect Records.
The band - which features vocalist Geoff Rickley alongside former members of Lostprophets - worked with producers Stuart Richardson and Alex Newport on Permanence, which was mixed by Dave Fridmann.

Addition is the third single issued in advance of the project, following Stay and 10,000 Summers. Last month, keyboard player Jamie Oliver had a chance encounter with a mountain lion while out jogging near his Los Angeles home. Oliver wrote on Instagram: "I'd decided not to wear headphones. This one thing alone probably saved my life." Stream the new song here.




The Enid Release 'Wings' Performance Video From New DVD(Prog)


The Enid have released a video of their performance of Wings, taken from their upcoming The Bridge live DVD. It was recorded in London in March - and frontman Joe Payne admits it was a difficult piece to deliver.
Payne says: "I owe a lot of thanks to the incredible vocal coach Paul Farrington for the help he gave me. He taught me how to get that really fat operatic top C at the end.

"This is probably the most challenging piece of music I've ever had to sing. I was so nervous at the time. - so I was delighted to have pull it off on the night it was filmed. Thank you, Paul."

The Bridge is released on September 4 and it can be pre-ordered via The Enid's website. Sales income will go towards funding the follow-up, Dust, to be directed by Kate Bush collaborator Simon Drake. The Bridge is nominated as Live Event of the year at the 2015 Progressive Music Awards, with voting open now. See the tracklisting and watch the video here.




Chris Cornell Reissuing Debut Album As 'Euphoria Mourning'(hennemusic)


Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell will reissue his 1999 solo debut album under its original title, "Euphoria Mourning", on August 14. Cornell says he was dissuaded from his first choice for a title and the the project was released as "Euphoria Morning."
"The title of the record has been restored to its original spelling," says the singer. "Which was changed before release after I listened to some bad advice."

The remastered "Euphoria Mourning" will be available for the first time on vinyl as well as being reissued digitally and on CD. The 180 gram vinyl package will include a download card featuring 320 kbps MP4 audio ripped directly from the record.

The 1999 album saw Cornell team with Alain Johannes and Natasha Shneider of the band Eleven, who appeared on the album, co-wrote five of the tracks and were credited as co-producers, engineers and mixers with Cornell. Read more and see the new cover art here.




Black Sabbath Legend Bill Ward Launching New Exhibit(hennemusic)


Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward will present an exhibit of his fine art collection, "Absence of Corners | Rhythm On Canvas", at the Fathom Gallery in Los Angeles.
Running August 15-29, the event will launch on August 15 with two artist discussions by Ward in which he will detail the concepts underlining the artwork and relate personal stories of how each piece is connected to his private or professional life.

The free lectures are set for 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. and attendance to each is available on a first-come basis; pre-registration is required at the Fathom Gallery.

Over a year in the making, "Absence Of Corners" is the result of a complex multi-disciplined approach to creating art that combines high-end digital technology with the oldest known musical instrument. The resulting images capture Ward's experimental spirit and translate onto canvas powerful abstract expressions of his music.

"When I'm working on new ideas, musically much of what's played is guided by a visual appearance or shape," explains Ward. "Since my early childhood, I've played drums in visuals as well as sound. When I write, there's always an image, sometimes a color attached to what's being created... I am delighted with the captured expressions - from my head and my heart. Their arrival onto canvas is beautiful." Read more here.




The Receiver Release 'Transit' Music Video(Prog)


The Receiver have issued a video for their track Transit. The song is taken from the dream-prog duo's third album All Burn, released last month via Kscope Records.
It was shot in Beirut by director Youssef Nassar, the man behind the promo for Steven Wilson's recent single Perfect Life. The Receiver brothers Casey and Jesse Cooper say: "Transit was written during the beginning of a new relationship. It expresses the emotional highs associated with falling in love, and makes a promise of commitment, regardless of whatever change or loss may come."

Nasser says of his work: "The music is simply superb - very dreamy, filled with layers of sounds and emotions. I did my best capturing that feel. I think the video has a strong concept behind it, showing a certain type of a fantasy happening, in an abstract and emotional way." Watch the video here.




Accept Reveal Winter Tour Plans(Classic Rock)

Accept have announced a London date as part of a European winter tour. The German metal outfit will play at The Forum on December 7 as part of a run of gigs that also takes in Germany and France.
Guitarist Wolf Hoffmann had this to say: "We are happy to come back to London. The last show was such a great experience, let's make it an even hotter night."

Accept released their 14th album Blind Rage last year and in April they brought in guitarist Uwe Lulis and drummer Christopher Williams to replace Herman Frank and drummer Stefan Schwarzmann, who left in December.

Before the December gigs, the band are lined up to play a series of headline shows and festivals across the continent. See the tour dates here.




Spoof Prog Icon Brian Pern Returning To TV(Prog)


Spoof prog icon Brian Pern will return for a third BBC series later this year, the corporation have confirmed. Simon Day's character will mark 45 years of making music and lead a reunion of his band Thotch in the run of three episodes, which also features co-stars Paul Whitehouse, Nigel Havers and others.
A list of big-name guest stars will be announced in due course, along with details of a series of short clips based around the rest of the BBC's musical output.

Pern says: "I am so delighted to be back on BBC Four to help sell more copies of my new orchestral greatest hits album, tickets for the Thotch reunion shows - and to remind people how I shaped rock music over the last 45 years."

Co-creator Rhys Thomas says: "I'm thrilled that Brian Pern is returning, though it's been hard to celebrate since receiving death threats from certain members of Genesis and a mechanic from Mike and The Mechanics."

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!: Journey's Deen Castronovo Charged With Rape(hennemusic) Drummer Deen Castronovo was arrested and jailed without bail on Mond...

Today's Day In Rock News!

Journey's Deen Castronovo Charged With Rape(hennemusic)


Drummer Deen Castronovo was arrested and jailed without bail on Monday in Salem, Oregon after being charged with rape and additional items as part of an alleged domestic dispute incident on June 14.
The Statesman Journal reports Castronovo was arrested on a grand jury indictment on Monday in Salem with an upgraded list of charges that now includes five counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of first-degree rape, two counts of menacing, one count of unlawful use of a weapon, one count of second-degree assault, one count of second-degree sex abuse, one count of coercion, one count of second-degree criminal mischief, and three counts of contempt of court.

Castronovo was originally charged with fourth-degree assault, coercion and menacing in the early morning incident. The drummer was arraigned in court on Tuesday while wearing a suicide smock and held without bail after Marion County Circuit Judge Audrey Broyles said he was a threat to the victim; the alleged abuse took place between April 25, 2015, and June 29, 2015.

According to Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Gardiner, Castronovo sent 122 text messages to the victim and called her 35 times since his release on June 15.

"The texts ranged from threats to kill himself, that she hates him, that he hates her," said Gardiner. "They were sorrowful and vengeful - several also said he wanted to see her suffer for what 'she has done,' to him."

Gardiner said if bail was set he would violate his release agreement again. Read more here.




AC/DC Catalog Added To Music Services(Radio.com)

AC/DC has just done something that should make their fans very, very happy. They're now streaming. Yes, after forgoing the digital craze, concerned splitting their albums into individual songs would ruin a listening experience, the guys have decided to let fans easily stream their albums, we're talking 1976's High Voltage to their 2014 release, Rock or Bust and everything in between.
The band--who just put their music on iTunes three years ago, making their latest alum Rock or Bust, the first to be sold digitally--is now available to stream on Spotify, Rdio and Apple Music, which launches today (June 30).

As we know, some other fickle streamers like Taylor Swift and Dr. Dre, whose The Chronic will be streaming on Apple Music, have also put their music on the service. Read more here.



Kings Of Leon Working On New Album(Classic Rock)


Kings Of Leon have begun writing material for the follow-up to 2013's Mechanical Bull. Rolling Stone reports brothers Caleb and Nathan Followill revealed the news during an interview with SiriusXM's Alt Nation channel.
Drummer Nathan says: "We've been at home writing, trying to get some new stuff going. And we kind of had to put it on hold because we have this and another festival coming up, but we have big enough breaks in between most of them to where I think we're gonna be able to get the album written by the end of the year."

The group are considering studio options for the project, including the Nashville home studio where they recorded Mechanical Bull, as well as a new space across the street.

Nathan says: "It was built in 1841 and the guy that lived there was actually Dolly Parton's engineer. It's a really rad place and I think we can do something cool with it." Read more here.




Five Finger Death Punch Punk Their Label With 'Jekyll And Hyde' Video(TeamRock Radio)


Five Finger Death Punch have released a video for their track Jekyll And Hyde. The clip is the band's attempt to 'punk' their record label Prospect Park, who were putting pressure on them to deliver a promo for the song, which is taken from new album Got Your Six, released on August 28.
Guitarist Zoltan Bathory says: "Punking the label and trolling the trolls is actually very satisfying. So either we make a video that makes a difference like Wrong Side Of Heaven did or we just f*** it all up and have fun with it - just clown the whole thing as we did with Under And Over It and now with this one. We didn't even hire a director. We didn't want this to accidentally make sense."

The video features the band knitting baby socks, wearing pyjamas, shooting assault rifles and eating popcorn. Jeremy Summers, president of Prospect Park Records, says: "First we were scratching our collective heads, but we never once interfered with their vision.

"So ultimately if that's what the band wants to put out, we are not going to stop them. We were shocked, then cried, then laughed because it's actually funny." Watch the video here.


Geoff Tate Sets Release Of Debut Operation: Mindcrime Album(Classic Rock)


Operation: Mindcrime have released a trailer for their debut album - which will be out on September 18. Geoff Tate and co will release The Key via Frontiers Music Srl. The band is Tate's post-Queensryche project, named after Queenryche's 1988 concept album to which he holds the performing rights.
The deal was made as part of his settlement with Queensryche which was penned last year. A six-minute trailer for The Key has been released and it features snippets from some of the tracks. The album is the first in a trilogy of records that Tate began work on in 2014.

He said: "I tried to reduce the story and eventually got it down to 37 ideas that needed representing. I knew one record wouldn't cover it, and that it would have to be a trilogy."

Operation: Mindcrime features disturbed bassist John Moyer, former Dio drummer Simon Wright, keyboard player Randy Gane and guitarists Kelly Gray and Scott Moughton. Brian Tichy also drums for the band and Megadeth's David Ellefson appears on the album as a guest. Watch the trailer here.




Aerosmith's Steven Tyler To Premiere New Video On TV(hennemusic)


Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler will debut the video for his solo country single, "Love Is Your Name", on ABC-TV's Good Morning America this Friday, July 3.
Tyler confirms the clip is scheduled for broadcast in the 7:00 AM hour of the program. The singer has been in Nashville since January working with songwriters on material for his debut solo album on Big Machine Records' affiliated label Dot Records.

Tyler issued the single to radio last month and delivered the debut live performance of the tune on the May 13 season 14 finale of American Idol. Written by Lindsey Lee and Eric Paslay, "Love Is Your Name" debuted on the US Billboard charts at No. 33 on the Country Airplay listings.

Tyler is currently on the road with Aerosmith as part of the Boston band's 15-date Blue Army tour, which opened in Glendale, Arizona on June 13. Stream Tyler's new single here.




Lamb Of God Release 'Overlord' Video(TeamRock Radio)


Lamb Of God have release a music video for the track Overlord. It's taken from their album VII: Sturm Und Drang which will be released on July 24 via Nuclear Blast.
Frontman Randy Blythe says of the track: "I wrote the song about the dangers of self-obsession in our distressingly myopic and increasingly entitled 'me-now/now-me' culture. Just like the couple in the video, many people can't seem to look past their own relatively small problems to see the bigger picture: the world is in serious trouble.

"Sometimes things just don't work out the way we want them to - deal with it. People who only see their own problems eventually wind up alone because no one wants to hear their crap. We all know someone like that, always whining and complaining about some inconsequential setback as if it were the apocalypse. This song is for those people." Watch the video here.



Robert Plant's 'Doreen: The Movie' Cameo Clip Goes Online(Radio.com)

Way back in the year 2000, Almost Famous was notably the first film to get the go-ahead from Led Zeppelin to use their music in a film. 15 years later, the former Zep frontman Robert Plant is going a step further and appearing in the upcoming British indie comedy, Doreen: The Movie.
The film, which is based on a popular YouTube character played by Gill Jordan that's inspired from a Birmingham Mail columnist, is using the cameo prominently in the movie's promotion, revealing Plant's appearance in the preview clip.

In the film, Plant plays an asphalt salesman from, wait for it, Black Dog Tarmac Ltd. When rejected for the sale of his product, he leaves a business card reading "Your 'Driveway to Heaven.'" Doreen never gets up to see Plant, despite the fact she is reading a magazine devoted to him. The film opens in the UK on October 17. Watch Plant's cameo from the film here.



Cradle Of Filth Streaming New Song 'Enshrined In Crematoria'(TeamRock Radio)


Cradle Of Filth have made their track Enshrined In Crematoria available to stream. The song is taken from their 11th album Hammer Of The Witches, which is released on July 10 via Nuclear Blast.
Frontman Dani filth says: "Lyrically, the track Enshrined In Crematoria is hilted in the legendary Ark Of The Tragedian, the poet's Holy Grail. It is the author's inspiration personified as a tombed angel, much like that of Poe's pale obsession, and the magical 'midnight' ritual wherein she is conjured forth as a reincarnation of his lost love, to provide forbidden artistic sustenance.

"It is imagination's utter peak and fuel for a literal literary madman. Enshrined In Crematoria is at essence the first of guitarist Richard Shaw's contributions to the new album, before the full band took it by the teeth and spat it into light." Stream the new song here.




Bill Ward Not Happy With Black Sabbath's Iron Man Results(Classic Rock)


Estranged Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward says he never stops listening back to his recorded work - and wishes he could improve certain aspects. The most famous example, he says, is Sabbath's Iron Man, from 1970 album Paranoid.
Ward tells LA Radio Sessions: "However, it is true to say that I still am listening to mixes. Probably the most famous one is the bass-drum sound on Iron Man.

"I'm still not happy with the f***ing bass-drum sound. But I let it go. I have let it go. But it's, like, that bass-drum sound, I wanted it to be so much bigger and better." Read more here.




Atreyu Reveal The Release Details For Long Live Album(TeamRock Radio)


Atreyu have confirmed the release date of their sixth album Long Live. It'll be issued via Spinefarm Records on September 18 and is the follow-up to 2009's Congregation Of The Damned. The band marked the announcement with a 15-second teaser.
They reformed in 2014 following a three-year hiatus to record the new album, and issued the track So Others May Live in March. Vocalist Alex Varkatzas recently said of the record: "My brothers and I have made our best record yet. Can't wait to share it with you all."

Atreyu will play several dates later this year, including an appearance at the Reading and Leeds festivals in the UK. See the dates and watch the album's teaser video here.




Grateful Dead Launch Merch Trucks For 'Fare Thee Well' Shows(Radio.com)


As diehard Grateful Dead fans make the pilgrimage to Chicago for the band's three-night stand at Solider Field, they might want to clear some space on those credit cards for a unique shopping experience.
To coincide with the "Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of Grateful Dead" shows happening July 3-5, two official Grateful Dead merchandise trucks will be driving around Chicago, setting up shop at various locations to sell licensed items exclusive to the trucks. Among the merch available will include t-shirts, hats, hoodies, jewelry, tote bags and more.

The trucks went into action beginning Tuesday (June 30) and will run through July 6. Fans looking to catch up with the Grateful Dead trucks in Chicago can track their movements and find location stops via the band's Twitter account, @GratefulDead, and by following the hashtag #GDtruckin. Read more here.




U2 Make Live Debut Of Rarity During Chicago Show(hennemusic)


U2 debuted the "Songs Of Innocence" bonus track, "The Crystal Ballroom", during their show in Chicago on Monday. The tune from the deluxe edition of the 2014 album appeared during the fourth of a five-night residency at the city's United Center as part of the group's "Innocence + Experience" tour.
"Right now we're going to do something we've never done before," said Bono. "There's a bunch of people that have been on the road since we started this tour. I have no idea how they're paying for it. I have no idea how they've skipped school and work, husbands and wives. But they've been on the road and they've been asking for one song, so we kinda nearly figured it out. We'll tell you about it before we play it. It's called 'The Crystal Ballroom.'

"The Crystal Ballroom was a punk club we used to play that was called McGonagle's in East Dublin," he continued. "But historically it's called the Crystal Ballroom. That's where, historically, my mother and father used to go. I thought it was a bit weird we ended up at a punk club where my mother and father used to make out. Something just a little funky about that, in a good way."

U2 will wrap up their Chicago residency on Thursday before heading to Toronto for a pair of dates next week; they'll play four concerts in Boston before wrapping up the current North America leg with an 8-show run at New York's Madison Square Garden. Watch video of the performance here.



Led Zeppelin Release Preview Video For Next Reissue(hennemusic)

Led Zeppelin have issued a video preview of the forthcoming expanded reissue of their 1979 album, "In Through The Out Door." Due July 31, the project features a companion disc of bonus material, including an unreleased rough mix of every track from the original album with early versions including working titles such as "The Hook" ("All My Love"), "The Epic" ("Carouselambra") and "Blot" ("I'm Gonna Crawl").
Led Zeppelin's eighth album, "In Through The Out Door" hit No. 1 on both sides of the Atalantic, topping the UK charts and the US Billboard 200 on its way to selling more than 6 million copies in the States alone.

The project is one of three albums set to be released that will wrap up a year-long reissues campaign by the group; also due is 1976's "Presence" and 1982's "Coda."

Led Zeppelin launched the extensive reissues series last June with their first three albums, "Led Zeppelin I", "Led Zeppelin II" and "Led Zeppelin III"; it continued last October with "Led Zeppelin IV" and "Houses Of The Holy"; and was followed by "1975's "Physical Graffiti" this past February. Watch the video here.




Lynyrd Skynyrd Release Preview For 'One More For The Fans'(hennemusic)


Lynyrd Skynyrd are previewing the July 24 release of "One More For The Fans", a 2CD/DVD set featuring highlights from an all-star tribute concert held at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta last November.
The event featured performances by Lynyrd Skynyrd as well as music legends and young talent, including Trace Adkins, Alabama, Gregg Allman, Blackberry Smoke, Cheap Trick, Charlie Daniels, Peter Frampton, Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes, John Hiatt, Randy Houser, Jason Isbell, Jamey Johnson, Aaron Lewis, moe., O.A.R., Robert Randolph and Donnie Van Zant.

"Hearing all of these incredible musicians sing our songs was unforgettable," says guitarist Gary Rossington. "It was a really special night and I'm so happy our fans will now get to enjoy the show at home."

As part of the campaign to save the Fox Theatre from demolition, Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded their 1976 live album, "One More From The Road", at the landmark theatre; the title of the tribute concert and release was inspired by that legendary album's title.

AXS TV will premiere "Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More For The Fans" on Sunday, July 19 at 8:00pm EST / 5:00pm PST. Check out the preview here.




Judas Priest Inspired By The Bands They Inspired(Classic Rock)


Judas Priest say listening to young metal bands keeps their own material fresh. And speaking at a press conference at Hellfest in France, guitarist Glenn Tipton reports he's proud to have had an influence on the current crop of up-and-coming artists - many of whom in turn have an impact on Priest's work.
He says: "I think there's still some great young bands around - we've got a lot of respect for the younger bands. You can still learn from them because they're creating new parts of heavy metal. Every year, every decade it changes but the backbone is still heavy metal.

"If we've inspired some young bands, that's great, and it makes us proud. We're not stupid, we listen to the young bands as well, and we learn from them. We don't copy them but we get inspired."

Tipton's view is markedly different from that of Slayer's Kerry King and KISS bassist Gene Simmons. Read more here.




Toundra Expand Tour Plans(Prog)


Toundra have announced an extra run of European dates. The gigs come on the back of their current tour which includes an appearance at Bristol's ArcTanGent festival on the weekend of August 20-22.
They'll kick off the string of new shows in September in Marseille, France, and will play London's Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen on November 9. The live dates are in support of latest album IV which Prog said featured "lulling post-rock soundscapes" and "distortion-pedal-to-the-metal plunges." It was issued in January via Superball Music.

The Spanish outfit said of the release: "IV is the result of a year of hard work - 12 months that went by extremely quickly. This is what we are, honest and straight, and we feel extremely proud."

Toundra recently released a video for the track Belenos. Watch the video and see the tour dates here.




Jonny Lang Standing On The Shoulders Of Blues Greats


The Blues Guitarist Jonny Lang says that playing the blues now that most of the greats of the genre are gone is like classical musicians still playing music written centuries ago.
He tells the Columbus Dispatch: "Classical musicians weren't around when Beethoven was going through whatever he was going through to make him write that music; they're standing on his shoulders when they perform."

Lang also reveals that while he can't experience what greats such as B.B. King went through in their early days, he can still appreciate it. The North Dakota native adds: "Culturally, I couldn't be further away from the fellows that this music was born from. I don't have that life experience, but I can imagine what it was like to the best of my ability." Read more here.




Devon Allman Gave His Son The Real Rolling Stones Experience


The Blues Devon Allman took his son to see the Rolling Stones on their US tour - but deliberately kept him away from experiencing any VIP treatment. Allman says his 15-year-old is used to watching him play - and has seen Devon's father Gregg in concert many times. But he wanted his son to experience a live show the way most people do.
He tells Oregon Live: "I'm like, 'It doesn't count when you're on the side of the stage and everything's free and there's no waiting in line and no sweating. I want to take you to a real concert, no VIP. You know, like, nosebleed seats and I want you to wait in line for an hour to get that t-shirt.'

"I just wanted him to experience a concert how it really is and he had a blast." Read more here.




Morbid Angel's Steve Tucker Reveals New Album Progress(TeamRock Radio)


Morbid Angel singer Steve Tucker says the band already have "five or six" songs written for their next album. Mainman Trey Azagthoth announced this month that vocalist/bassist Tucker was back for his third spell with the group, replacing David Vincent.
Drummer Tim Yeung and guitarist Destructhor have also left, leaving Tucker and Azagthoth as the only confirmed members. Tucker tells The Metal Magdalene With Jet:

"There's already songs written. I mean, I know that this news has just been released and it's new for people, but, actually, this is something that we've been talking about now since way back - I think before the beginning of the year.

"There's already five or six songs, and they're great Morbid Angel songs. I think the people will be very happy with the songs."