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NFL OWNERS/PLAYERS MAY SOON HAVE A DEAL

NEW YORK (AP)—Reaching a labor deal soon is hardly a done deal in the NFL.
Team owners will be updated on recent negotiations with the players when they meet in Chicago on Tuesday. They’ve been told to prepare to stay an extra day because of the complexity of the proposals both sides have discussed in sessions over the last three weeks.
Getting the required 24 of 32 owners to agree on anything can be difficult, let alone something as complex as a new collective bargaining agreement. And there has been enough pushback from owners familiar with those proposals that progress made recently might not lead to an agreement in the next few weeks.

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Still, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations, the faction of unhappy owners that exists isn’t yet large enough to derail an agreement. That could lead to some heavy lobbying in Chicago at the first owners’ meeting specifically scheduled to deal with the lockout.
The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because details of the negotiations are not supposed to be made public, said a new CBA is not imminent.
Owners, Commissioner Roger Goodell and lead negotiator Jeff Pash have been silent about recent developments, citing an agreement with U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan not to discuss mediated talks. Players association chief DeMaurice Smith and several players on hand for the negotiations also have avoided comment.
Earlier this week, Goodell responded to a letter he and Smith received from two Congressmen calling for the NFL to adopt a “thorough testing program for HGH.”
Goodell said in his reply dated June 13 that testing for HGH “is a critical element of an effective and credible drug testing program” and the league is insisting on “immediate implementation of HGH testing” in the negotiations.
Whether or not such a provision makes it into the CBA, it’s clear that deadlines are approaching. Training camps normally would open in about five weeks, and any lengthy delays in striking a deal will endanger them and the preseason. The first preseason game is at the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions; the Bears and Rams are scheduled to play Aug. 7 in Canton, Ohio.
“I know that we’ve been talking pretty extensively over the last few weeks,” said Saints quarterback Drew Brees(notes), one of 10 players on an antitrust suit brought against the league on March 11, hours before the lockout began. “It seems like things are moving in the right direction, which is very positive. It’s what we always hoped for as players because obviously we’re getting to crunch time here. We’re nearing July and there’s a lot of work that needs to be done (footballwise) between now and when the season will start, and obviously we’d love to have a settlement in place.”
One item of contention likely is the minimum teams can spend on salaries each year and how it is determined, a key for small-market franchises such as Buffalo, Jacksonville and Cincinnati.
Under rules of the previous CBA negotiated in 2006—owners opted out in 2008—teams were allowed to spread guaranteed signing bonuses over the duration of a contract. That reduced the salary cap hit each year.
The Bills, however, preferred to count bonuses as dollars spent for each specific season no matter the contract’s length, so their payroll essentially was limited to all the salaries on their books for that one season—including potential bonuses and salaries owed to players that had been cut or bought out.
Whether teams would have that kind of flexibility in the next CBA is important to the lower-revenue franchises.
Until now, the owners have appeared unified, from when they opted out to when they locked out. But as negotiations have ramped up, a faction of owners skeptical about the dynamics of a new deal has appeared. That will make next week’s owners’ meetings critical as July approaches.
AP Sports Writers John Wawrow in Buffalo and Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this story.

U2, Bon Jovi Cake Up On Forbes Highest-Paid Musicians List

Gaga comes in at #4 with $168 mil for the year, while Bieber is the youngest artist on the list.

Forbes released their 2011 World's Highest-Paid Musicians List on Wednesday, and apparently it still pays to be a veteran rocker — and it pays handsomely. U2 topped the list, raking in more than $195 million after their two-year 360 Tour grossed around $700 million, leapfrogging the Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour as the richest run of all time.
Bon Jovi can't be too upset at snagging the list's runner-up spot. The group caked up $125 million in the last year. In a recent interview with Forbes, Jon Bon Jovi recalled the band's early, more humble and less lucrative days jamming in a New Jersey basement with vintage posters on the wall illuminated by candles. "I'm thinking maybe this is an issue, maybe I just don't like them," he said. "Until I realized that all the oxygen was sucked out of the room by the candles ... So I blew out the candles, cranked up the amplifiers and said, 'We're going to be a rock band. If you believe in what I'm telling you, we can be the Rolling Stones."
You'd think that Bon Jovi gave a similar speech to Lady Gaga with all the bank that she acquired this year. Coming behind Elton John ($204 million), who landed at #3, Gaga earned $168 million in the past year and would've made more had she been more frugal with the costs of her stage show — then again she's been known to spare little expense when it comes to pleasing her fans.
Paul McCartney, 68, was the oldest artist to make the list, clocking $66 mil, while 17-year-old Justin Bieber was the youngest to make the list with $53 million. Jay-Z and Beyoncé were the only couple to make the list. In fact, for the first time since being married, Hov earned more than his wife, taking home $37 million, while B earned $35 mil. All of the calculated earnings are based off pretax income earned from May 2010 to May 2011, before agents and managers take their cuts, according to Forbes.com.

Motley Crue triumphs in Sold-Out Hollywood Bowl homecoming show.

Motley Crue triumphs in Sold-Out Hollywood Bowl homecoming show. Nikki Sixx & Mick Mars of Motley Crue - Live @ Hollywood Bowl The following was written by rock critic Gerry Gittelson on his personal Facebook June 16th. The post was in response to his article (found below) on the Motley Crue/Poison homecoming concert at the Hollywood Bowl earlier this week. "Being a rock critic is not all it's cracked up to be: For 25 years I've supported the band Poison more passionately than just about any journalist in the world, and I never received a single thank you. Then, I wrote Wednesday in the Los AngelesDAILY NEWS that Motley Crue outperformed them in concert -- and drummer Rikki Rockett sent me a message telling me to fuck off." Gerry Gittelson - Facebook Concert review: Motley Crue triumphs in sold-out homecoming at Hollywood Bowl By Gerry Gittelson Motley Crue never gets enough credit in the grand scheme, but the band's place in rock history was secured Tuesday with a mesmerizing homecoming concert at the Hollywood Bowl in a 30th anniversary celebration before a sold-out crowd of 18,000 screaming spectators. The Doors. Van Halen. Guns N' Roses. Motley Crue. There aren't many others from Los Angeles who've had such an exceptional impact, and even though new rock is dead on popular radio stations and MTV, Motley Crue can keep on playing the old stuff for a long time because massive crowds eat up every moment. The one slight against Motley Crue through the years -- besides their wild lifestyles -- has been their inconsistency as a live act. Sometimes Vince Neil sings great, other times he skips a lot of words and comes within in an inch or so of making a fool of himself. But at the Hollywood Bowl, the band was really on, opening with a torrid version of "Wild Side" that instantly proved the group was taking things seriously on this go. Looking fit and trim, Neil owned the massive stage, singing loud and clear and enjoying the moment, as smoke billowed, pyrotechnic flashes exploded, a light show dazzled, and of course a couple of hot, half-dressed female backup singers shook their stuff. This time, "Home Sweet Home," the 1985 power ballad that is arguably the biggest song in MTV history, came early, only about 25 minutes into the set. It gave drummer Tommy Lee a chance to say a big hello before sitting down at the keys for the song's unmistakable piano intro -- and a ready and willing Neil really nailed this one. The architect of the band, bassist Nikki Sixx, could do wrong, as usual, and guitarist Mick Mars, who has spine issues, hung tough and did not miss a note. Cee Lo Green even came out to help on "Don't Go Away Mad," and then it was time for Lee's drum solo that included a high-tech drum kit fastened to a huge circular track so he could ride in circles. The hits kept coming -- "Looks That Kill," "Dr. Feelgood," "Too Young to Fall in Love," "Girls, Girls, Girls," "Smokin' in the Boys Room" and "Kickstart My Heart." CC DeVille & Bobby Dall of Poison @ Hollywood Bowl. One thing for sure: Motley Crue really kicked ass over opener Poison, a popular Los Angeles hard-rock band in its own right that has often headlined arenas through the years. Of course, much of Poison's long-lasting success can be attributed to singer Bret Michaels' reality TV show "Rock of Love." Michaels' voice sounded tour-strained, and in a lot of ways Poison is just as they were in the beginning -- a bit rough around the edges and perhaps even un-rehearsed if not downright sloppy. Guitarist C.C. DeVille is probably the one guy in the band with real talent, but Michaels has proved it's sometimes OK for a rock band to have more teeth in their smiles than in their songs. This was probably the last Poison show you'll ever see in the Los Angeles. There is talk of infighting between the members, and it would be no surprise if Michaels forges ahead as a solo performer only. Gerry Gittleson can be contacted at Gspot@MetalSludge .Tv

KELLY KEAGY AND JONATHAN CAIN TALK TO ULTIMATE CLASSIC ROCK:

Ultimate Classic Rock (www.ultimateclassicrock.com) is now featuring recent interviews with Journey's Jonathan Cain and Night Ranger's Kelly Keagy. Previews of the interviews below:

Kelly Keagy -
What was it like having Nugent in studio with Night Ranger?
Oh man, it was such a blast with Ted. The surprise in Coming of Age was that we were talking with him about coming in and playing the original solo on Coming of Age. But then we said well, what if we broke into Stranglehold and you played some of the solo from Stranglehold?� He was like oh, are you kidding!� So we recorded it one day and right where the normal solo starts in Coming of Age is where Stranglehold comes in. We just sat there and said play as long as you want, we don't care how long the solo is, it's not about how long the song is, just take it and run with it.� He was so all over it, we had a great time with Ted.
You were almost a part of Damn Yankees for the aborted third album that they were working on. How did you get into that mix? It had to be exciting for you working with that particular line-up which also included Damon Johnson of Brother Cane.
That was really fun. We rehearsed for like 10 days, it was Ted, Damon, myself and Jack, it came about that Tommy had gone back to Styx and wasn't available. So there was this idea from John Kalodner to put another version of Damn Yankees together. So we came up here to see if we could do it, you know? The songs were written and we rehearsed it, but then when they got ready to actually record a record, it turns out that contractually, they had to have some of the original members back in the band, so I didn't get a chance to record with them.
Nothing was ever recorded?
They did a cover of Sunshine of Your Love and I got to do that and sing it as well. It never got released, so I'd sure like to hear what happened with that. There was a lot of strange things � the producer wasn't quite right for these types of projects and also timing, everybody was getting ready to go back on the road with their respective projects, so it didn't happen. But I was able to sit in the room and jam with these guys for 10 days, so I was happy as hell.
Complete interview is here: ultimateclassicrock.com/night-ranger-kelly-keagy-interview/

Jonathan Cain shares plenty of details and thoughts on the new Journey album 'Eclipse' and reveals his love for the music of Bruce Springsteen and Blind Faith. Regarding 'Eclipse,' Cain discussed the band's "rock" direction on the new album and also addressed the reported tension between the band and Kevin Shirley:
You've mentioned the rock thing a couple of times. Journey fans have been asking for rock albums from the band for a while, and you've really given them that now.
Yeah, we sort of teased them with (2008's) Revelation, and this is more of a concept album, if you will. We went a little deeper with a message on this one. I think the Tantra thing is something we tripped on. We were like wow, this is what the world needs to think about.
Anytime you can get the chance to take a look your soul and how you relate to Gods universe, that's heavy stuff. But it's done in such a way that this is what we discovered about life in general. I just really feel that an ancient belief like that works in today's world. In the age of streaming media, when everything's flying at the speed of sound, you gotta slow down and smell the roses, really. And that's kind of what we're saying here. The beauty in that blue sky is in your heart, so you can find it if you look for it. It's right in front of you.
Sometimes we get so caught up in the whole day-to-day grind that we forget the perfection that we live in, and we live around, and I just think that's a good message right now. For Journey to be bringing it, and with Arnel being a Buddhist, it all just lines up perfectly.
In a world where so many people have moved past the importance of album art, it really had to be fun for you guys to work on the art for this new album, which really is a classic Journey album cover.
Oh, it's great. Here in Europe, we actually have vinyl. There's a vinyl release out [of 'Eclipse'] and it's just gorgeous to see it again. And you're like you know what? We gotta do this in the States.� So were planning on trying to bring that vinyl somewhere and distribute it, maybe 5000 copies and just put em out there. Because we feel it goes back to that and that's where we came from, that's our heritage. So now we become the alternative. [Laughs]
Have you gotten sucked back into vinyl?
I have been playing vinyl, a lot of my old albums and for my kids, because I want them [to hear the right stuff]. My sons got all the Zeppelin stuff, and he's amazed at how different it sounds. I actually do have a turntable in my studio, I've always had my turntable. [Laughs] I still play those Steely Dan records and marvel at wow, what is it about the sound that's so cool? Its just something else to trip on.
The complete interview with Cain: ultimateclassicrock.com/journey-jonathan-cain-interview/

Offbeat 'Our Idiot Brother' Trailer Shows Winning Role For Paul Rudd

6/16/2011 3:25 PM ET

 

Tacked onto the very end of the summer release schedule is "Our Idiot Brother," a goofy comedy starring Paul Rudd as a happy-go-lucky stoner who becomes a burden on his sisters after a brief stint in prison. The full-length theatrical trailer has plenty of pot jokes and childish antics from Rudd juxtaposed with the buttoned down life of the sisters forced to take him in.
As Rudd's character tries to find a way to fit into the normal world, we see the potential for a warm-hearted message at the end of the chaos, which is par for the course for a mainstream comedy. Rudd typically plays second fiddle in a variety of goofball comedies, from "Knocked Up" to "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," making "Our Idiot Brother" the perfect opportunity for him to be the frontrunner.
http://www.ouridiotbrother.com/
Box office outlook:
Currently without a rating, a lot will depend on whether or not "Our Idiot Brother" ends up with an R or a PG-13. With a few pot jokes in the trailer, it seems that an R-rating is likely, which could make it difficult for "Our Idiot Brother" to have mainstream success with a release at the end of August.
Paul Rudd has been in plenty of popular comedies, but he hasn't received top billing very often and it's unclear how much of a comedic draw he is capable of being.
Also in the cast are Steve Coogan, Elizabeth Banks and Rashida Jones, providing a solid cast of familiar faces for comedy audiences. This one has limited commercial appeal, though good early reviews could propel it to a decent, under-the-radar box office run.

Alter Bridge guitarist hears new Van Halen album

The first Van Halen album with David Lee Roth in 27 years has at least one fan: guitarist Mark Tremonti of Alter Bridge.

Tremonti says he witnessed a live performance by Eddie, Alex and Wolfgang Van Halen of the full new album at Eddie’s 5150 studios.

In a new interview with Austria's Mulatschag TV, Mark was asked about his band friendship with VH bassist Wolfgang Van Halen.

"We played with Van Halen years and years ago at Madison Square Garden and Palace in Detroit,” said Tremonti. “The first time I saw Wolfgang, he was just a little… probably five-year-old kid or six-year-old kid. Eddie, that day, gave me one of his guitars, so I got to know Eddie.

“Then years went by and Wolfgang ended up being a fan of Alter Bridge, so we got to know him through Alter Bridge,” he continued. “And Wolfgang invited us to go see soundcheck when Van Halen did a tour a couple of years ago, and we were the only in there, so it was quite a treat.

“And then recently, I was in Los Angeles and Wolfgang invited me to his Dad's house and I got to go to 5150 studios and watch Eddie and Alex and Wolfgang play their new record from front to back. So I was one of the only people who have heard the new Van Halen. It was incredible."

The latest news comes on the heels of a VH update from Slash last month, who told Rock Radio’s Tom Russell that he heard - through a shared connection - the new album was “in the mixing stages.”

Expected to be released before year-end, the highly-anticipated record represents VH’s first new music with original lead singer Roth in 15 years, and the band’s first full album since 1998. The group began recording in January with producer John Shanks.

Van Halen are confirmed to headline Soundwave Revolution, an annual music festival held in major cities around Australia. The fall dates start September 24 in Brisbane; Alter Bridge is one of the many acts also on the bill.

The Alter Bridge connection goes a step further: in early January, Wolfgang sat in on drums for a song with the band at the House Of Blues in West Hollywood; check out the video here.

Russell Crowe May Join Man Of Steel Cast

6/16/2011 11:17 AM ET

(RTTNews) - Russell Crowe is in talks to join the Zack Snyder-directed remake of the Superman series, Man of Steel.

The actor has been pegged to star in the role of Superman's biological father, Jor-El. In the 1978 version of the flick, the same role was filled by Marlon Brando.
If Crowe signs on, he will join an all-star cast featuring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane and Michael Shannon.
Details of the film's plot have been scarce, but Snyder assured MTV News last fall that the story is top-notch:
"All I'll say is that those guys [screenwriter David Goyer and Christopher Nolan] have created an amazing story . . . Everyone always says, 'Why Superman? Why is he relevant? Who is he now?' I think those guys have done an amazing job with that. That's the real trick."

Buckcherry And Papa Roach To Co-Headline Rock Allegiance Tour

 

 

 

6/16/2011 5:37 PM ET

Buckcherry and Papa Roach will co-headline the Rock Allegiance tour, which kicks off in Grand Prairie, Texas on August 24. Josh Todd, the vocalist for Buckcherry, said in a statement that he was ready to make the festival a memorable and affordable one: "Buckcherry is ready to join forces with our friends Papa Roach, Puddle of Mudd, P.O.D., Red, Crossfade and Drive A for some fun in the sun that doesn't stress your wallet."

The greatest scam in the world! TV pitchman Don Lapre faces 25 years in one bedroom prison cell over '$52million fraud'

By Paul Bentley

Renowned TV pitchman Don Lapre has been arrested on charges that he defrauded more than 200,000 people of nearly $52million.
The frontman, known for his emphatic salesman's style, has been indicted by a grand jury in Phoenix, after being accused of running a nationwide scheme to sell worthless Internet-based businesses to fans.
Lapre has been charged with 41 counts of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud and promotional money laundering.

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Facing jail: Pitchman Lapre has been charged with 41 counts of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud and promotional money laundering

The charges carry potential fines of between $250,000 and $500,00 per count and federal prison terms of between five and 25 years.
Lapre is accused of overseeing and promoting the opportunity through his often mocked company 'The Greatest Vitamin in the World'.

 

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• Say cheese! John Edwards' smiling mugshot released after he was charged with using $1m in campaign funds to cover up love child

The company recruited hundreds of thousands of people to start up web-based businesses selling vitamins under the premise that it would provide support and marketing through expensive ads.
Investors who bought into Lapre's Greatest Vitamin business model, however, were allegedly misled as the company tried to get them to purchase additional advertising and other services.

Infomercial king: Lapre has been charged with a $52million fraud

Jokes: David Spade's impression of Don Lapre on Saturday Night Live

The company was shut down in 2007 after customers filed hundreds of complaints with the Phoenix Better Business Bureau, Arizona Attorney General's Office, Federal Trade Commission, Internet Crime Complaint Center and the postal inspection service.
Meanwhile, Lapre was personally paid more than $2.2 million from the business between 2004 and 2007, according to the indictment.

''I found tiny classified ads that made $30 to $40 dollars profit in a week and I placed those ads in around a thousand other newspapers around the country.

'That's how I generated over $50,000 a week out of my one bedroom apartment'

Don Lapre

During the course of the scheme, at least 220,000 victims were defrauded of nearly $52 million, according to U.S. Attorney for Arizona Dennis Burke .
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Wednesday that Lapre is scheduled to be arraigned June 22 at U.S. District Court in Phoenix.
Lapre, 47, is known for his television appearances on shows such as 'Making Money From A Tiny One Bedroom Apartment'.
The pitchman, who refers to himself on his website as 'The King of Infomercials', would recount his hard-luck life story to viewers, encouraging them to turn their lives around like he had.
He is notorious for speaking elaborately to the camera about how he managed to make $50,000 a week from his one bedroom apartment - and has been parodied widely, most notably by David Spade on Saturday Night Live.
Lapre has not responded to requests for comment on the fraud allegations.

DEF LEPPARD - Mirror Ball Lands In US Top 20

Rock Hard

Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 15:21:11 EST

DEF LEPPARD's new live album, Mirror Ball, has landed at 316 on the Billboard 200, selling approximately 20,000 copies in the US in it's first week of release.



Mirror Ball is available exclusively at Walmart and Sam's Club locations in the United States and Canada. The triple disc package features two CDs and a 50 minute DVD containing live performances and intimate backstage footage of the band captured on the road. The album also brings together three brand new studio tracks - 'Undefeated', 'Kings Of The World' and 'It's All About Believin'.

Mirror Ball tracklisting:

Disc 1:
'Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)'
'Rocket'
'Animal'
'C'Mon C'Mon'
'Make Love Like A Man'
'Too Late For Love'
'Foolin''
'Nine Lives'
'Love Bites'
'Rock On'

Disc 2: (DVD)
'Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)'
'Armageddon It'
'Pour Some Sugar On Me'
'Hysteria'
'Nine Lives' (music video)
'C'Mon C'Mon' (music video)

Disc 3:
'Two Steps Behind'
'Bringin' On The Heartbreak'
'Switch 625'
'Hysteria'
'Armageddon It'
'Photograph'
'Pour Some Sugar On Me'
'Rock Of Ages'
'Let's Get Rocked'
'Action'
'Bad Actress'
'Undefeated'
'Kings Of The World'
'It's All About Believin''

Buy Your Metal Here

Buy Your Metal Here

Sebastian Bach New Album Release Set

06/16/2011
. (HGM) Frontiers Records have set a September 27th release date for Sebastian Bach's brand new solo album, Kicking & Screaming.The album was produced by Bob Marlette (Black Sabbath, Shinedown, Atreyu, Filter) and features young guitarist Nick Sterling and drummer Bobby Jarzombek (Halford, Riot, Iced Earth).
Of the new effort, Sebastian Bach commented, "I could not be happier with my new album, Kicking & Screaming. The songs, performances and sound quality are beyond what I could have ever imagined. This is my best record yet and I can't wait for all of you to crank it!"

Bach and his crew have been keeping busy playing selected tour dates nationwide, including recent appearances at major festivals M3 and Rocklahoma, and will continue to tour throughout the summer (please see below for confirmed tour dates). Fans can expect Bach classics, as well as a sneak preview of material from the forthcoming album.AUGUST
23 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center*
24 Wantaugh, NY Nikon at Jones Beach Theater*
25 Poughkeepsie, NY The Chance
27 Grand Junction, CO Rockjam

*supporting Whitesnake and Tesla

Tupac Shakur's Murder: Will Confession Bring Closure?

'It's verification for what 'Pac said,' E.D.I. Mean tells MTV News of Shakur's lyrics about Jimmy 'Henchman' Rosemond.

By Rob Markman

On the eve of what would have been Tupac Shakur's 40th birthday, an imprisoned man has admitted to shooting the late rapper/actor during a robbery at Manhattan's Quad Studios in November 1994. What's even more startling is that the alleged triggerman, Dexter Isaac, is claiming in a letter that was obtained by AllHipHop.com that 'Pac's former associate, Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond, paid him $2,500 to do the deed.
While this may be a revelation to some, 'Pac's former protégé and Outlawz member E.D.I. Mean told MTV News that he was well aware.

"It's not news for us, because this is information that we been had and that been knew about. And we always knew that it'll come out one day, because what's done in the dark always comes to light," he said before pointing to Shakur's music as proof. "I just feel like it's verification for what 'Pac said, because a lot of people felt when 'Pac was saying what he was saying on Makaveli that he was out of line for saying that."
The specific lyric E.D. is referencing is from "Against All Odds," a fiery track that appeared on Tupac's The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory album (commonly referred to as the Makaveli album). On the song, the now-deceased MC implies that Henchman set him up in 1994 as he raps: "And did I mention promise to pay back Jimmy Henchman in due time/ I know you bitch n---as is listenin', the world is mine/ Set me up, wet me up, n---as stuck me up/ Heard the guns bust, but you tricks never shut me up."
Ultimately, E.D.I. Mean believes that Isaac's confession will eventually help the authorities solve the 1996 murder of Shakur as well as the 1997 shooting death of the Notorious B.I.G. — two crimes that many feel are related. "This will go on for a little bit longer, and I really feel like it's a domino effect," he said. "This will really lead up to their actual murderers. Both Big and 'Pac and everybody can move on, and this will be like some closure for not only the families, but the whole hip-hop community, because it's been an open wound since 1996 and 1997."
In a 2008 interview with MTV News, Rosemond denied any involvement in the 1994 shooting and dismissed the song as a shock tactic that rappers often use. "Absolutely never [had I] even know about it, never heard about it — before, afterward — had nothing to do with it," Rosemond added about the ambush. "Nobody that I know [was] associated with [the attack], and this is why I have confidently, in the last 14 years, told people that they can dig up whatever they want to dig up. And I've been very firm in what I've said to people: that I've had nothing to do with it."
Isaac, who is currently serving life in prison for murder, robbery, fraud and witness-intimidation charges, tells a different story. "I want to apologize to his family [Tupac Shakur] and for the mistake I did for that sucker [Jimmy Henchman]," Isaac told AllHipHop.com from prison. "I am trying to clean it up to give [Tupac's and Biggie's] mothers some closure."
Rosemond himself is facing legal trouble. On May 17, news broke that federal authorities issued an arrest warrant for Henchman in connection with a drug case. Henchman, who runs Czar Entertainment, a company that manages the career of the Game and other rap artists, fired back in a letter, lashing out at the "slanderous media" coverage he has received about the case. He also went on to call out Isaac's credibility. "If the government is relying on informants like Winston 'Winnie' Harris, a convicted drug dealer and Jamaican deportee, who came to me and motioned via hand signal that he was forced to wear a wire and begged me to skip town, or Dexter Isaac, who is serving life in prison plus 30 years, then I'm sure I will not be offered a fair trial."
Check back with MTV News for updates as this story develops.

KISS: Gene Simmons unloads about family issues on Twitter

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Wow. Gene’s on a tear.

Following a few days of unbelievable public ball-busting by partner Shannon Tweed during TV interviews to promote the new season of his alleged reality series, KISS bassist Gene Simmons has unloaded about his family issues on Twitter.

Tuesday night’s premiere of the first episode of the new season was an ugly affair (pardon the expression), as cameras caught Shannon calling Gene out for his lifestyle after 28 years together.

Although Tweed said she’s been crying for the past three years, the catalyst was the couple becoming empty nest parents, as daughter Sophie moved out to go to college. It was truly heartbreaking to watch as Gene continued his insane pursuit of making money over being with, and caring for, his family.

With every response, Simmons essentially admits he cares more about himself and money than his family. By all appearances, at least, it appears he’s finally telling the truth, revealing what he’s been telling the world through years of selfish behavior.

That part isn’t a surprise.

Shannon crying during the long ride back from taking Sophie to college. The kids coming back a month later to have dinner. The empty place setting at the table.

No Gene in sight.

Simmons is seen at business dinners using women to distract potential business partners. Shannon calls him on it. Gene believes he must distract business people with women, even 'turning them over' to his potential partner at the end of a dinner meeting as, what – trophies? prizes? gifts?

It’s ugly to watch. Too ugly at times. Gene steadfastly refuses to change, causing pain throughout the family. Not the first time. Sophie says she’ll leave with Shannon if Gene lets things fall apart.

As the first episode went to air Tuesday, Simmons took to Twitter live to share his thoughts and commentary; here’s a sampling of the almost 100 tweets that Gene has posted since things went very, very public Monday morning on NBC’s Today show.

“A publicity stunt? Wish I thought of it. VERY REAL on our end.”

“Anyone who says they didn't get into rock n' roll for chicks is trying to sell you something.”

“I hate missing family events. But sometimes you have to what you have to do. The world doesn't always stop for you.”

“It is good to distract someone during a business deal. Gives you the upper hand. But sometimes, admittedly, I don't see the whole picture.”

“Powerful men like to feel powerful. Attractive women make them feel powerful and disarm them.”

“It was all a photo op. Made him feel important. Deal closed.”

“I hate the idea of therapists. Silly.”

“I am opposed to the idea of therapy. My mother's generation didn't have therapists. They dealt with their problems and moved on.”

“My mother's generation was not given the option of therapy. They had to get up each day and live. No whining. No "what does this all mean?"

“As much as I hated to admit it at the time, therapy actually made me ask myself some important questions. Maybe that is why I avoided going.”

“My philosophies might not make sense to others, but it makes perfect sense to me. And, for the most part, has served me well.”

“I don't like being questioned. I don't like the idea of answering to anyone except the woman that gave me life.”

“There is no family without Shannon. Living without her is not an option.”

“If you never get married you can never get divorced.”

“Tell me one person that had too much money.”

Van Halen transforms rock; unwittingly spawns Hair Metal

Tuesday, 14 June 2011

From Guardian.co.uk:
Van Halen invent hair metal

May 1976: Number 32 in our series of the 50 key events in the history of rock music

David Lee Roth, of Van Halen, performing live onstage. Photograph: Rob Verhorst/Redferns

Thirty-five years ago, a four-piece American guitar band set about changing rock music for ever. They took their name from a brotherly relationship; they had a goofy, Jewish singer with family connections to New York bohemia; they added pop hooks and smarts to fast, aggressive guitar music; their debut album included a song with the word “punk” in its title; and they weren’t the Ramones.
Of course, you wouldn’t believe Van Halen were the most important American band of the late 70s if you only read rock critics. They were too popular, too vulgar, too much, too soon. They celebrated idiocy. So did the Ramones, of course, but Van Halen’s idiocy was of a different order to punk’s: it wasn’t built around comic-book humour, but on David Lee Roth’s apparent range of interests, which ran the gamut of pursuits from casual sex to casual intoxication, with nothing in between. The tension between Roth’s goofiness and stellar guitarist Eddie van Halen’s desire to be taken seriously was at the heart of their music, and eventually tore the pair apart.
Van Halen, legend holds, were spotted by Gene Simmons of Kiss, playing at the Starwood club in Los Angeles in 1976. Simmons was so impressed he flew the band to New York to produce a session for them at his own expense. All the elements that instantly identify Van Halen were present on the Simmons demos: it’s no wonder that when they came to record their official debut, it took just days, with minimal overdubbing. Roth was already a blowhard, Eddie’s guitar technique was clearly light years ahead of the competition, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony were a thunderous rhythm section.
Their signature sound was clean, precise and full of attack: there’s absolutely no fat on the songs that made their name. Where heavy rock’s use of the blues had previously been trudging and unwieldy, Van Halen added a sense of flight, taking away the swing, speeding even a simple 12-bar into something entirely unrelated to its source. They closed their debut album with a version of John Brim’s old blues Ice Cream Man, and even then you can’t imagine, say, Humble Pie coming up with such a confection.
That debut was nothing short of a paradigm shift in the sound of heavy music, as important as Jimi Hendrix’s first record had been a decade before, and Nirvana’s second would be in closing the era Van Halen began. It sounded like nothing before it, yet also like it could have been made at any time until Nevermind was released 13 years later: that’s an awfully long time to sound undated. But the bands Van Halen spawned, sadly, were pallid imitators without Van Halen’s invention and skill. Van Halen had transformed rock by unwittingly creating music’s most profitable rubbish dump.
The difference between Van Halen and the hair metallers who followed was what always separates game-changers from imitators: their wide listening habits. In his first big interview, Eddie Van Halen explained: “Dave our singer doesn’t even own a stereo. He listens to the radio, which is a good variety … Most of our songs you can sing along with, even though it does have the peculiar guitar and end-of-the-world drums.”
Not that Roth cared about being refracted through hair metal. In fact, he boasted, that wasn’t the real extent of Van Halen’s influence. As he told the writer Lisa Robinson in 1984, at the peak of the band’s powers: “I know for a fact that to a small degree, we’ve bred a small legion of imitators, copycats, mimics, people who are using Van Halen for their sole inspiration. But even more important than that are all the people who are just disgusted and revolted by our music and our presence and our appearance and the way I do interviews, and they’ve been forced to come up with some very substantial musical alternatives to Van Halen-type rock, and that’s why we have new wave.”
That interview shows a fascinating man toying with his interrogator. Roth references John Cassavetes and George Bernard Shaw, but still pins down what Van Halen really meant: “I would still prefer to think of us as witless and tasteless. Arch enemy of the common public. That’s all I wanted to be in life, really. I always wanted to be an outrage to public decency and a threat to women. And this is one of the few occupations where you’re not only allowed that, but you’re encouraged.”

Faulkner’s on a Judas Priest mission

New guitarist vows to keep band together and on the road as bassist Hill reveals someone else was offered job

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Keep going: Richie Faulkner

New Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner says his mission in the band is to make sure they never play a final gig.
Faulkner, formerly a member of Lauren Harris’ band, was revealed as KK Downing’s replacement after the veteran axeman shocked fans by announcing his retirement.
But the 31-year-old wasn’t Priest’s first choice, says last remaining founding member Ian Hill.
The bassist tells KaaosTV: “We found Richie through a mutual friend. We’d asked him if they’d like to join, but his schedule wouldn’t allow it. He suggested Richie; and when we heard him play we knew we had our man.”
As a Priest fan himself Faulkner admits he felt an amount of emotional pressure – once he realised he’d been offered the job.
He says: “You get a call like that and you think someone’s playing a joke on you. But it wasn’t. It’s a big part: everyone in the band are legends, and I understood what a big deal it was.
“I wasn’t nervous; you can’t go nuts about it. You’ve got to do the best you can. Opportunities like this don’t come along every day.”
Priest are now on the road with their Epitaph world tour, which they say will be their last full-scale global trek. Hill observes: “It takes a couple of years out of your live and you start wondering how many years you have left.”
And although Faulkner isn’t expecting too much negativity from the band’s fans, he suggests a reason to support the new lineup.
“There’s going to be people who are unsure about how it’s going to be, but I think people have faith in the band to pick the right guy.
“My mission is to keep them going and make sure there’s never a last show.”
Priest are working on an album with their new axeman, due out next year, although they may release a three-track EP ahead of the full-length record. The band are also making plans to record a live show and make it part of a documentary movie.

Jani Lane speaks out on Summer plans!

Jani Lane - writing, recording, relaxing.

Posted on Jun 13 2011

“Hi y’all, I am currently planning to spend summer with family and continue writing and recording with Keri Kelli (Alice Cooper) and Dito Godwin (producer: No Doubt..etc) for myself and other artists. I’m excited and feeling very creative! I hope to have something out by fall and hit the road with a new lineup this winter. Thanks to all the friends/ fans for being patient and supportive. I will be putting up some of the best “Jabberwocky” recordings I have on this site. I even am considering rerecording a few for the new project. I really can’t wait for everyone to hear what I’ve been up to…see you all soon!!!”

- JL

PS…”possible record deal in the works and writers deal… more info to come!”

More info can be found on Jani Lane's official website HERE

McCartney Says He And Lennon Almost Played Saturday Night Live

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

McCartney Says He And Lennon Almost Played Saturday Night Live

6/14/2011 7:17 PM ET

During the 1970s, John Lennon and Paul McCartney were offered the opportunity to appear on Saturday Night Live by producer Lorne Michaels. Sir Paul now says that John suggested at the time that they should take the offer. "He [Lennon] said, 'We should go down, just you and me . . . We'll say, 'There's only two of us, we'll make half the money . . .' And for a second . . .," McCartney told Access Hollywood.

Guns N’ Roses: Axl Rose settles lawsuit against former manager

The case of Axl Rose v. Irving Azoff has been settled.

So has the case of Irving Azoff v. Axl Rose.

The Beverly Hills Courier reports lawsuits between the Guns N' Roses frontman and his former manager concerning commissions and concert touring have been resolved, attorneys for both sides told a judge today.

"They were settled to the mutual satisfaction of the parties," said attorney Howard King on behalf of Azoff.

The resolutions were announced on the day Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Rita Miller had scheduled trial of the two cases between the rocker and Azoff.

No terms were divulged. But after a preliminary accord was reached, lawyers for Rose filed papers stating that the final accord would involve "a comprehensive touring agreement in which Guns 'N Roses would perform at various...venues."

Azoff sued the 49-year-old singer in March 2010, claiming Rose owed his ex-manager's company, Front Line Management, more than $1.8 million and broke a verbal agreement to pay the firm a 15 percent commission for performances by the band in Taipei, Seoul, Japan, Canada and South America.

Rose countersued two months later, claiming the manager tried to force him to reunite with his original Guns N' Roses bandmates and failed to properly promote the band's "Chinese Democracy" CD. The suit also alleged Azoff lied about a prospective Van Halen "super tour" and mishandled the band's tour dates.

Guns N' Roses

VIDEO: Shannon Tweed walks out on Gene Simmons on live TV

The Shannon Tweed/Gene Simmons battle is escalating.

Following a Monday morning appearance on The Today Show, where Tweed admitted the couple’s relationship “has pretty much unraveled,” things got even nastier during an interview on The Joy Behar Show.

Tweed told Gene to “f**k off” and walked off the set during the live broadcast.

The couple are making the rounds to promote their alleged reality series, but it’s Gene’s family jewels that are taking a very public beating.

Following a clip from the upcoming new season, Shannon was pretty blunt about how she feels.

“He’s a pig and I don’t like it,” said Tweed. “And I’m done. I’m f**king…” as her voice trailed off. Later, she continued, “I’m tired. I’m tired of his life,” referring to Gene’s regular business meetings that often involve female companionship, which the KISS bassist shrugs off as somehow being necessary to his success.

“It sounds like you have been together a long time,” said Behar, “and you [Gene] have your philandering ways, is that what I’m hearing?”

Shannon: “I like that word.”

Behar: “Is it true, Gene?”

Simmons: “There have been,” he admitted.

Bahr: “Are there any now?”

Simmons: “Not right now.”

Behar: “Not right this minute because you’re here.”

Tweed: “In what, the last month, would you say”

Behar: “In the last month?

Simmons: “No."

Tweed: “Congratulations.”

As talk returned to the status of the TV series, things escalated even further: Simmons said “I think she [Tweed] just flipped me the bird…I’m not sure.”

Behar played a clip from one of her previous interviews with Alice Cooper, as the two discussed Gene’s never-ending boasting and claims about how many women he’s ‘slept with’ over the years.

After the clip, Behar asked Simmons how his back was.

“My back is good,” replied Gene. “My schmekel…not so much.” [schmekel is Yiddish for penis]

Tweed had heard enough.

“That’s very nice of you to make a joke about it,” said Shannon, slapping Simmons on the shoulder and telling him to “f**k off.”

“It’s so rude of you to joke about it,” added Tweed, as she removed her microphone and walked off the set.

Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed – interview
The Joy Behar Show – June 13, 2011