Today's Day in Rock

Metallica Fans Threaten To Kill Lou Reed
(Rock News Desk) Lou Reed says he's received a number of death threats from Metallica fans over Lulu, his collaboration album with the thrash giants.

Supporters were shocked when the controversial coupling was revealed earlier this year, and many have remained unimpressed with what they've heard. Most reviews have been lukewarm too. But Reed says he doesn't care – because he only did it for fun.

The veteran art rocker tells USA Today: "They are threatening to shoot me, and that's only because I showed up. They haven't even heard the record yet and they're recommending various forms of torture and death." more on this story



Roger Waters The Wall Tour Details
Pink Floyd legend Roger Waters is bringing his live production of "The Wall" back to North America in 2012. Here is the official word with details, dates and ticket information:

"The Wall" live has played more than 120 shows around the world for more than 1.6 million fans making it one of the most successful tours of 2010 and 2011. Tickets for "The Wall" 2012 go on sale beginning on Monday, November 7th at LiveNation.com.

The 2012 tour will begin on May 1st in Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center making a 36 show trek throughout North America, including several outdoor stadium performances with state of the art modifications transforming the arena production into magnificent outdoor events. more on this story



Gene Simmons A Sex Addict?
(Rock News Desk) Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley says Gene Simmons is a sex addict and his sleeping around meant he was constantly suffering attacks of lice.

The claims appear in Frehley's autobiography, No Regrets, in which he discusses his own addiction issues along with memories of his two stints with the glam icons.

The guitarist writes: "I believe Gene is a sex addict in much the same way I am an alcoholic. more on this story



Megadeth and Motorhead Gigatour Dates Announced
Megadeth have announced the dates for the return of Gigatour which is set to take place early next year.

Aside from headliners Megadeth, the outing will also include Motörhead, Volbeat and Lacuna Coil. All were personally picked by Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine

The tour is set to kick off on January 26 in Camden, NJ. Before wrapping February 28 in Denver, CO, the tour will make stops all across the U.S. and Canada including a January 28 show in New York and February 24 in Los Angeles. Tickets are on-sale beginning November 4. more on this story



Duff Can't See Guns N' Roses Reunion for Rock Hall
(hennemusic) Original Guns N' Roses bass player Duff McKagan recently spoke with The Nervous Breakdown about the possibility of the band being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the chances for a reunion if they get in.

"Yeah, it's weird, you know? I've never striven to get into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Never in my life have I thought, 'Man, I gotta get a Grammy,'" says Duff. "In sports you try to win it all, but music's a different deal. So the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was never on my radar."

"As a matter of fact," he continues, "I don't know how we got roped into it, but when we (Velvet Revolver) inducted Van Halen, it went south. I don't know if you remember that. It just went south. The band (VH) was fighting, and the only ones to show up were Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar, and it was like, 'Ohhh, boy…' So when we (GN'R) got announced, that's what I remembered. But I do understand that for the fans, it's important. It's important to the people who buy your records and come to your gigs and connect with some lyric that you wrote or a groove or something. I mean, I'm part of social media — I write a couple of columns online, and people comment on those. I have Twitter and I'm on Facebook and I read people's comments about how they feel about us being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, so then it's important to me. Only then. And I've learned to just say, 'thank you.'"

So what does Duff think could happen on the big night, whenever it happens…IF it happens? "I can't. I can't picture it. Your guess is as good as mine. There is no picture. It's bound to happen, but I'd love to call the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, whoever they are, and say, 'Hey guys, why don't you put this off for another ten years? Thank you! Thanks for nominating us — it's great, but how about you put it off for ten years?' more on this story



Fleetwood Mac Original Dies
(Gibson) Fleetwood Mac's original bassist is dead. Music Week magazine in England reports that Bob Brunning passed away at his home in England last week. He was 68.

Brunning had joined Peter Green in 1967, to be later replaced by John McVie. Brunning then quit life as a full-time musician and became a headmaster at several schools in London.

Later, he played again with The Brunning-Sunflower Blues Band. He also wrote several books about the music business including, Blues – The British Connection and Fleetwood Mac: The First Thirty Years. more on this story



Dio's All Star Metal Project 'Stars' Being Reissued
(hennemusic) While Bob Geldof was saving the world with Live Aid and charity singles in the mid-80s, the metal community was pretty much left out, until Dio members Vivian Campbell and Jimmy Bain connected with Ronnie James Dio to put together their own charity project.

As Rolling Stone reports, the result was the song "Stars," featuring members of Mötley Crüe, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, Blue Öyster Cult, and even Spinal Tap. The group – which called itself Hear N' Aid – also enlisted Ted Nugent and Yngwie Malmsteen to record the track and put out an album, "Stars," featuring live cuts by Kiss, Rush, Dio and more.

Due to contract differences with the labels, the song and album weren't released until New Year's Day, 1986, well after the success of its predecessors and it has since been largely forgotten.

But Ronnie's widow/manager Wendy Dio wants to fix that. Read about that here.



Pete Townshend Slams Apple as Digital Vampire
(Rock News Desk) Who guitarist Pete Townshend says Apple is behaving like a "digital vampire" by "bleeding" musicians and giving nothing back to the music industry.

And he's called on the firm to start giving back instead of simply taking revenue out of the business.

He used his platform at BBC6 Music's inaugural John Peel Lecture to query the morality of the iTunes business model, which is responsible for more than three quarters of all digital music sales. more on this story



3 Inches Of Blood Release Split with Bob Wayne
Outlaw country star Bob Wayne has teamed up with metal band 3 Inches Of Blood to release a new split 7".

The 7", which is available today, includes Bob Wayne's "Everything's Legal In Alabama" and a live version of "Call Of The Hammer" from 3 Inches Of Blood featuring Ben Falgoust from Goatwhore.

3 Inches Of Blood vocalist Cam Pipes commented on the release, "When asked if we wanted to do a split 7" with Bob Wayne it was a pretty easy decision. We've never done a split 7" before and Bob's already a friend of ours, a good ol' Pacific Northwestern boy. We've also never released a live track before. We had recorded some shows in Vancouver last year, so we picked Call of the Hammer since Ben Falgoust from Goatwhore does guest vocals on it. All around this is a special release for us." more on this story



Deep Purple Orchestra Live Double CD, DVD and Blu-Ray Coming
(Kayos) Next Tuesday (November 8) Eagle Rock will release Deep Purple + Orchestra Live At Montreux 2011 on 2CD, DVD and Blu-Ray.

Here are the details: On July 16, 2011, Deep Purple performed on the closing night of Switzerland's prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival by re-inventing their classic catalog with the help of a symphony orchestra. This night will forever be emblazoned upon the brains of Deep Purple fans around the world when Eagle Rock Entertainment releases Live At Montreux 2011.

The whole night has been preserved in crystal clarity via high definition for the DVD and Blu-Ray releases. The sound on the 2CD set—DTS Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital Stereo—is superb. Included on the DVD and Blu-Ray is a bonus in-depth band interview. Such classics as "Highway Star," "Strange Kind of Woman," "Lazy," "Perfect Strangers," "Hush," "Woman From Tokyo," "Black Night," "Smoke On The Water" and 11 other gems, as performed with the orchestral sweep behind them, certainly spurred the band on. Ian Gillan (vocals), Ian Paice (drums), Roger Glover (bass), Steve Morse (guitar) and Don Airey (keyboards) can be seen visibly pleased with the results of the orchestra, as directed by Stephen "BK" Bentley-Klein. more on this story



Beatles and John Lennon Box Sets For Record Store Day
Back To Black Friday will include the release of The Beatles: The Singles, a brand new box set from the Fab Four featuring four 7" singles, each with an A-side sung by one of the four, in their original sleeves.

The Singles will include a Record Store Day branded-adapter along with a poster. All eight tracks, ("Ticket To Ride"/ "Yes It Is," "Hey Jude"/ "Revolution," "Something" / "Come Together," and "Yellow Submarine" / "Eleanor Rigby") are newly remastered and those remasters are appearing on vinyl for the first time.

Apple/Capitol will also release John Lennon – Imagine – 40th Anniversary Box Set, a 2010-remastered LP, which includes six tracks on a stunning white vinyl 12" along with a poster. more on this story



Steve Perry Reunion With Journey Unlikely
(hennemusic) There's a new Journey package in stores Tuesday: "Greatest Hits Volume 2" - featuring singles and album tracks recorded between 1978 and 1996 - which means media interviews for those involved in the release. Including former Journey singer Steve Perry.

The Associated Press reports Perry, who rarely does detailed interviews, spoke to them by phone last week to discuss the project. If the resurgence of Journey and the band's hit "Don't Stop Believin'" may have given fans hope of a reunion, Perry says that's probably not going to happen.

"It's like any emotional, committed relationship. At some point, they seem to all have a shelf life and bands are no exception," he said. "Life has moved us all on in different places in our lives. They're doing what they're doing — they have been since '98. And I've been doing what I'm doing, which is living my life and having a personal life." more on this story



Kings Of Leon's Talihina Sky Arrives
Kings Of Leon's new documentary, Talihina Sky, was released on DVD and Blu-Ray this week.

Synopsis: Talihina Sky is the story of Kings of Leon, whose strict Pentecostal upbringing in Oklahoma and Tennessee preceded their unlikely transformation into one of the biggest rock bands in the world.

The film follows Nathan, Caleb, Jared and Matthew Followill back to Talihina, Oklahoma for their annual family reunion. This reunion serves as a catalyst to explore the band's roots and the difficulties they faced growing up. Home movies, childhood photos and revealing interviews with family members -- including a colorful group of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins -- expose how the influence of their family has informed the creativity that drives Kings of Leon today. more on this story



Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi Livestream Chat Online
(hennemusic) Black Sabbath guitar legend Tony Iommi spoke about his memoir, "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath," on Livestream yesterday. But if you missed it you can still check it out.

"Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath" is out in the UK and is being be released in the US on November 1.

"Iron Man" chronicles the story of both pioneering guitarist Tony Iommi and legendary band Black Sabbath, dubbed "The Beatles of heavy metal" by Rolling Stone. "Iron Man" reveals the man behind the icon yet still captures Iommi's humor, intelligence, and warmth. He speaks honestly and unflinchingly about his rough-and-tumble childhood, the accident that almost ended his career, his failed marriages, personal tragedies, battles with addiction, band mates, famous friends, newfound daughter, and the ups and downs of his life as an artist. Check out the video of the chat here.



Iced Earth and Symphony X North American Tour
Iced Earth and Symphony X are teaming up for a coheadlining tour of North America that will feature support from Warbringer.

The three-month, 30+-date, co-headliner tour begins January 31st in Hartford, Connecticut, and concludes March 10th in Clifton Park, New York. At that point, Iced Earth will continue another week - without Symphony X - for five more dates.

"I'm excited to tour with Symphony X," Iced Earth founder Jon Schaffer said. "They're phenomenal musicians and very cool guys. This co-headliner tour will be a great experience for the fans. It is also way overdue for us to play a proper tour of North America. Get ready!" more on this story



Todd Rundgren Live Todd Coming To CD and DVD
Todd Rundgren's live performance of his classic album Todd will be released on DVD and CD on February 14, 2012. Here is the official word:

By the time he recorded the eponymous Todd in 1973, Todd Rundgren had charted with such evergreen hits as "Hello It's Me," "I Saw the Light" and "We Gotta Get You a Woman," and had also been dubbed "Rock's Renaissance Man" by Rolling Stone after releasing studio masterpieces Something/Anything? and A Wizard, A True Star. Todd was a departure; the iconoclastic artist included pop ballads alongside medleys, anthems, and prog rock. The album is universally heralded as one of Rundgren's best, often compared to Electric Ladyland and Pet Sounds.

In 2010 — 37 years after its original release — Rundgren performed Todd live in its entirety for the first time ever, as part a special limited six-date sold-out tour (the Healing album was also performed, which will be a subsequent stand-alone live DVD/CD release). more on this story



Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson North American Tour and In Stores
Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson is hitting the road in North America next week for a series of special solo shows in support of his new album, Grace For Drowning.

This is the second album released under Wilson's own name, and builds on the artistic inroads he forged with 2009's Insurgentes. A double album ('two 40-45 minute albums in the same package') Wilson has described it as "my biggest project to date".

In addition to the tour dates, Steven has booked three in-store appearances including a special rare acoustic performance in NYC. more on this story



Abigail Williams Kick Off Mayhem Tour Tonight Ahead of Album Release
Abigail Williams are in the final stages of mixing for their next full-length album, Becoming, which will be released in North America on January 24, 2012.

Becoming was recorded in various warehouses throughout Los Angeles with frontman Ken Sorceron handling the mixing, mastering, production and engineering duties for the entire album. The final track listing, album art and more will be unleashed in the weeks ahead as the record nears release.

Following a warm-up headlining gig last night in Trenton, New Jersey, Abigail Williams will be providing support for black metal legends Mayhem as their thirty-six date North American tour gets underway today in Baltimore. more on this story



Man Overboard Announce Headline Shows
Man Overboard will follow up their run on the Pop Punk's Not Dead Tour will a week's worth of headlining shows on the East Coast.

The tour starts at Amityville, NY's Broadway Bar and ends December 15th at Wilkes Barre, PA's Redwood Art Space. Daytrader and True Things will be joining them for these dates.

On December 16th, the band are playing The Lost Tape Collective Holiday Show at Union Transfer in Philadephia along with The Wonder Years, Fireworks, Wheatus, Into It. Over It, and Moving Mountains. more on this story



Metallica Canceled Riot Show Ticket Refunds Being Issued
(hennemusic) The mess following last Friday's cancelled Metallica show in Gurgaon, India is slowly getting cleaned up.

"A majority of our tickets were sold online, and more than 20,000 bank accounts are involved," Karuna Prithvi, PR manager, DNA Networks was quoted in the Indian Express on Tuesday. "Since we started the process of refunding only today, it will take some time to happen."

Meanwhile, promoters have moved forward and made arrangements for a refund of tickets to all customers holding a valid ticket for Metallica's concert, originally scheduled for October 28 in Gurgaon. more on this story



Rare Silversun Pickups & Sea Wolf For Record Story Day
Dangerbird plan to celebrate Record Store Day's Back To Black Friday on November 25th with new vinyl releases from Silversun Pickups & Sea Wolf.

Fans will get a taste of the latest music from Silversun Pickups with Seasick, a 10-inch vinyl release featuring three previously unreleased tunes—including the title track as well as b-sides "Broken Bottles" and "Ribbons & Detours." On the same day, Sea Wolf will release two rare tracks with a 7-inch featuring "Song of the Magpie" and "Where The Wind Blows." While serving as teasers for those who are eagerly awaiting new full-length LPs expected from both bands in spring 2012, these vinyl releases are putting the "black" in "Back to Black Friday" by supporting the mom and pop record shops that are so important to the music community.

"Back to Black Friday" is organized by Record Store Day, a cooperative project of hundreds of independent record stores in the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Germany and Holland. This year's Record Store Day created the largest vinyl sale day in Soundscan history, while lifting the music sales for the entire music industry. "Back to Black Friday" will follow the "bigger-than-Christmas" success of Record Store Day's annual April event. Most of the special releases are being issued as vinyl records, which have experienced a huge surge in popularity in recent years, spearheaded almost entirely by independent stores. more on this story



Warbeast Joining Gwar and Every Time I Die Tour
Warbeast will be joining Gwar and Every Time I Die's current North American tour starting on Tuesday, November 8th in Seattle, WA.

"I've probably seen Gwar live 20 times over the years. I always liked their sci-fi/horror/gore inspired music and lyrics," states vocalist Bruce Corbitt.

"But I especially dug their graphic/elaborate/obscene costumes and stage antics. I think that experiencing a Gwar show live is a "must" for any fan of metal and gore. This is the biggest tour for Warbeast to date. So we are stoked to be part of the madness for these next few weeks." more on this story



The Kills Map Out North American Tour
(Press Here) The Kills will be returning to North America early next year for dates in January and February with Jeff the Brotherhood and Hunters.

The tour will culminate in their return to NYC's Terminal 5 for the band's 10th anniversary, which they'll celebrate with a special show for the occasion.

The band is currently on tour in South America and will be touring in Europe from early November. more on this story



We Are The Ocean North American Album Release
Side One Dummy Records have announced a Feb 28, 2012 North American physical release date of We Are The Ocean's new album, Go Now And Live.

If you can't wait, digital versions are currently available at iTunes and other digital music retailers. Here is the background info we were sent:

On Go Now and Live We Are The Ocean deliver a blend of anthemic melodies in the vein of Foo Fighters and Rise Against with undertones of the aggression found in post-hardcore bands like Thrice and Alexisonfire. more on this story



Arkona Coming To America
Arkona are hitting the North American road for the first time, first as headliners and then as direct support for Korpiklaani.

Arkona will be touring in support of their brand-new album "Slovo," and will begin a string of headlining Canadian dates on November 11th.

They will then join up with Korpiklaani on the 25th, as they enter the United States, and then finally conclude back in Canada on December 18th. more on this story



Steel Panther Singled Out Week: Why Can't You Trust Me
Infamous Sunset Strip rockers Steel Panther delivered their new album, "Balls Out," this week. To celebrate we asked Satchel to tell us about the song "Why Can't You Trust Me". Here is the story:

This song is special to me. Not only because I think it's an experience most guys have had in a relationship, but because of the way it was written. We had just finished doing a string of shows in the UK and we got on the tour bus. The plan was to go to the airport, which was a 4 or 5 hour drive, and fly home. Well, after a couple of hours and banging some groupies, the other guys all passed out. Me? Well. I have a hard time sleeping on those damn tour busses. So I'm laying there in one of those tiny little bunks, staring at the ceiling that's 4 inches from my face, thinking about how hard it is to be on the road in a bitchin' band like Steel Panther, cuz everyone wants a piece of our magic..... and I realized that's probably why none of us have steady girlfriends.

Most girls would never be able to handle it. Too many chicks. Too many drugs. Too many chicks giving us drugs. And that's when the chorus came to me. And once it started, I couldn't stop it. I wrote pretty much the whole song in that bunk on that tour bus on the way to the airport. All the chords and everything. Anyone who's ever been with a jealous girl can relate to this. F**k- Anyone who's been with any girl can relate to this.

It's a good thing I can't sleep on tour busses. And on cocaine.

Steven Tyler Says He Was Sober During Recent Shower Accident

October 27, 2011

Steven Tyler Says He Was Sober During Recent Shower Accident Matt Lauer spoke with Steven Tyler on Thursday's "Today" show, asking what many have been thinking: was the Aerosmith singer's face-busting tumble in a Paraguay hotel room a fall in the shower or a fall off the wagon?

"Being in the program, it's something we have to expect. I went public with my problems only to address them head on," he told Lauer by phone from Argentina. "You know, people thinking that is natural and normal."

But, Tyler noted, the fact that he was speaking with Lauer is proof enough that he's got his substance abuse problems under control.

"We flew last night from Paraguay after that incident and we're in Argentina for two hours," he said. "And anyone who knows anyone who uses substances wouldn't be up at this hour having a talk with Matt Lauer and the rest of America."

He added that the fact people are assuming he fell off the wagon, "still bothers me a little. It something I have to deal with the rest of my life."

Lauer followed that by asking point blank if Tyler was clean and sober. "No, it's not the issue," he said.

Tyler shared a photo of how he looked immediately after the fall, with his missing teeth and bruised eye.

The 63-year-old singer and "American Idol" judge slipped while showering at the Bourbon Hotel near Asuncion, Paraguay on Tuesday. He reportedly became dizzy due to some gastrointestinal problems and fell, smashing his face and sending him to a local hospital.

The dentist who treated him told local media the singer had to get two dental implants and was "friendly and humble" throughout the entire ordeal.

Tyler's tumble forced Aerosmith to postpone their Tuesday show, but they were back on Wednesday.

"Short of having my legs taken off, people are going to expect me on stage no matter what," Tyler joked. "I went out on stage last night and I wore my sunglasses for the first song. I took them off and the crowd roared. It's all about playing to the people. We rocked out. Not only did I break my face, but we broke a house record, so life is beautiful, Matt."

Courtesy of www.sleazeroxx.com and www.billboard.com

‘Slob’ Simmons had sex sickness says Ace

November 1, 2011


‘Slob’ Simmons had sex sickness says Ace


Frehley claims Gene kept catching lice because he’d sleep with anyone – but bassist doesn’t mind former Kiss guitarist’s allegation





Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley says Gene Simmons is an “epic slob” sex addict – and his sleeping around meant he was contantly suffering attacks of lice.

The claims appear in Frehley’s autobiography, No Regrets, in which he discusses his own addiction issues along with memories of his two stints with the glam icons.

The guitarist writes: “I believe Gene is a sex addict in much the same way I am an alcoholic.

“If you’ve been with only one or two women (and had to beg for whatever you got off them) it must be intoxicating to suddenly have groupies falling all over you.

“You go from getting laid once or twice a year to getting laid a hundred times by a hundred different women.

“Gene would fuck almost anything. Short, tall, plump, svelte, attractive, merely tolerable. Gene seemed to live in a state of perpetual infestation.”

It wasn’t just Simmons’ private parts which were a mess, Frehley continues, calling his former colleague “a fastidious businessman – but an utter mess in his personal life.”

The pair recently had lunch together, prompting Simmons to warn fans not to expect a reunion, but saying they were on good terms.

Asked what he makes of the comments in Frehley’s book, the bassist tells the New York Post: “Fact: Ace has been a drug addict and an alcoholic for 35 years. Fact: We love Ace and wish him all the best.”

NEW RUSH ON TRACK FOR FIRST HALF OF 2012:

Rolling Stone Online has a new interview up with Rush's Geddy Lee. Amongst other topics - the new album: "We're almost finished writing. We wound the machine back up about three weeks ago. After a sluggish start, we've had a very fruitful couple of weeks in terms of writing. I'm very pleased with the direction that the material has taken. And I think we have one or two more songs that we'd like to write, and then we'll start recording in earnest. Hopefully we'll have all of the recording done before Christmas. Then we'll mix it some time in the next year, and then get it out."
Full interview at: www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rushs-geddy-lee-says-new-album-will-be-ready-by-early-2012-20111028.

JOURNEY REUNION UNLIKELY, SAYS STEVE PERRY:

Following my Steve Perry interview posted Friday, the singer has also spoken to Associated Press to promote the release of Journey's new Greatest Hits 2 release. The following text comes from the AP Newswire, as picked up by Billboard and a dozen other outlets:

"Perry, who rarely does detailed interviews, spoke to The Associated Press by phone last week, ahead of Tuesday's release of Journey's "Greatest Hits Vol. 2" and the remastered version of Perry's 1984 solo album, "Street Talk," which included the No. 1 hit "Oh Sherrie" and the ballad "Foolish Heart." The resurgence of Journey and the band's hit "Don't Stop Believin'" may have given fans hope of a reunion, but former lead singer Steve Perry says that's probably not going to happen. "It's like any emotional, committed relationship. At some point, they seem to all have a shelf life and bands are no exception," he said. "Life has moved us all on in different places in our lives. . They're doing what they're doing - they have been since '98. And I've been doing what I'm doing, which is living my life and having a personal life."
His former band mates have continued on since Perry's departure 13 years ago, performing as Journey with a new lead singer, Arnel Pineda. Pineda sounds like Perry, who was once ranked by Rolling Stone magazine as No. 76 of the greatest 100 singers of all time. [MR Note: And what a crock that listing is...as if anyone pays any attention to Rolling Stone lists!!!]
Perry doesn't dwell on the band's current lineup, saying that everyone has moved on, but said he relishes the songs he did with Journey that keep getting airplay.
Thirty years after its release, Journey's most memorable hit - "Don't Stop Believin'" - manages to keep getting rediscovered in new contexts. The song, which Perry wrote with Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain and guitarist Neil Schon, has shown up in the Broadway show "Rock of Ages" (which Perry said he hasn't seen), the cut-to-black finale of "The Sopranos" and the movie "Monster," for which Charlize Theron won an Oscar for best actress. Most recently, it appears in Brad Pitt's "Moneyball."
But it has probably reached its youngest audience through the hit TV show "Glee," which has also featured other Journey hits "Faithfully" and the medley version of "Any Way You Want It/Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin.'" Perry said he's stunned that "Don't Stop Believin'" continues to resonate with so many people. "It's very shocking because now I'm getting it for 7-, 8-, 9-, 10-year-olds coming up to me, and they love that song and they've made it their song," said Perry, 62. "It's just amazing to me."
He said that when he was first shown the pilot for "Glee," he wasn't sure if he wanted "Don't Stop Believin'" to be used. He said he and his former band members are careful to make sure Journey's songs are used to their standards: "There's been so many requests for silly food products over the years." Perry said he and Journey members don't speak directly to each other about authorizing the use of songs, or much about anything else, but instead work through representatives to reach agreement.
In recent years, he says he's received offers to appear on "Glee" and to serve as a judge on "American Idol," where friend and former band mate Randy Jackson is a judge. But he's turned those and other offers down because, he explains, he's not a "front-camera guy." Lately, Perry's been dabbling in film editing and writing music for a possible solo album, a challenging process after years of being away from the music business. "I'm going to be recording sometime soon," said Perry.
He said he's recorded three cover songs recently, but would only disclose that one was a Beatles tune and that he has played his new music for just a few friends privately. Perry said his signature voice, which stretches for high and long notes in many of his songs, is in good shape overall. At one point in the interview, telling a story about one of Journey's first tours, he broke into the Journey song "Feeling That Way."
Physically, though, he's battled health issues. He had hip replacement surgery 13 years ago, and has struggled with a "pretty substantial amount of arthritis that's not comfortable." "I live on anti-inflammatories," Perry said, noting that he has had some arthritis-related surgeries over the years since he left Journey. Still, he says he's feeling good overall. He even left open the possibility of touring again - just not with Journey.
"We have severely, emotionally gone our separate ways."

And for note - my Steve Perry interview has racked up just on 9000 views since Friday!

Today's Day In Pop

Today's Full Report

Due to a network outage, we have a smaller than normal report for you today. We will be back with a full report tomorrow.


Kim Kardashian Divorcing Kris Humphries
(TMZ) Kim Kardashian filed for divorce Monday morning, after 72 days of not-so-wedded bliss to Kris Humphries ... TMZ has learned.

We're told even though the marriage was short, she is not seeking an annulment. It's a garden variety divorce, in which Kim cites "irreconcilable differences."

The date of separation is listed as today, Oct. 31, 2011. According to the docs, Kim wants Kris to foot his own lawyers' fees and she'll pay hers. And, she wants the court to reject any move by Kris to get spousal support.

And, the docs list the length of the marriage as a measly 2 months.

Kim has hired disso-queen Laura Wasser, who has repped the likes of Britney Spears, Maria Shriver, Angelina Jolie, Ryan Reynolds, and Robyn Gibson, Mel's almost ex-wife.

As we first reported, the couple has a prenuptial agreement ... Kim made sure of that.

Rumors of a split had been swirling for some time and the two were spotted out to dinner earlier this week ... looking less than pleased with one another.

The couple was married on August 20 in a lavish ceremony in Montecito, CA. There are reports that the wedding cost as much as $10 mil, which means $138,888 for every day until today. more on this story

More on Kardashian - Kardashian Music - Kardashian Tour Dates/Tickets - Kardashian CDs, vinyl and rarities

Coldplay Make Chart History
(popmusiclife) Coldplay's new album, "Mylo Xyloto," has set a new UK digital sales record on its way to #1. The Official Charts Company reports the album scored the biggest one week digital albums tally of all time in the UK - becoming the first album to top 80,000 downloads in a week.

"Mylo Xyloto" sold just over 83,000 digital sales last week, on the way to a total of 208,000 copies overall (including CDs), beating the previous one-week digital record of 79,800 by Take That's "Progress."

The only other artist albums to total more than 50,000 downloads in a week are Adele's "21," which sold 76,000 downloads in its debut week this past January, and Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," which sold 57,000. more on this story

More on Coldplay - Coldplay Music - Coldplay Tour Dates/Tickets - Coldplay CDs, vinyl and rarities

Jessica Simpson Confirms She Is Pregnant
(popmusiclife) Jessica Simpson has confirmed that's she's going to a Mom. The news confirmed speculation, in recent weeks, that Jessica appeared to be sporting a baby bump.

Monday afternoon, Jessica tweeted "!!!ANNOUNCEMENT!!!" with a link to her website; there, under the caption, "It's true ! I'm going to be a mummy!" was a photo of Simpson dressed for Halloween, all wrapped in mummy bandages.

The coming baby will be the first for Simpson and fiancée, former NFL player Eric Johnson. more on this story



Justin Bieber and David Guetta Added To MTV EMAs
The 2011 MTV EMA have added Justin Bieber and David Guetta as well as Katy Perry, Amy Lee, Hayden Panettiere, Bar Refaeli, Sheamus, Irina Shayk, David Hasselhoff And Jeremy Scott to this year's event. Here is the official word:

Justin Bieber and David Guetta with special guest performers will be joining the party in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Additionally, the list of celebs at the "2011 MTV EMA" has gotten even hotter. Set to make appearances that evening are global pop phenomenon Katy Perry; co-founder and lead singer of Evanescence Amy Lee; actress Hayden Panettiere (Heroes, Fireflies in the Garden); supermodel Bar Refaeli; WWE superstar Sheamus: supermodel Irina Shayk; actor David Hasselhoff; and fashion designer Jeremy Scott. more on this story



Paul Wall Releases Rap Battle Game
Rapper Paul Wall has released first-ever rap battle mobile game that scores and evaluates original rap performances.

"I am incredibly excited to be part of this game," said Wall. "The technology is amazing and the game is just plain fun. Whether you are trying to perfect your skills on the mic or just want to have fun, this game really delivers."

Using patent-pending voice analysis, the game app can evaluate received vocals and assign a score based on a user's rhythm, rhyme and vocal presence. The game features five real rappers that users will need to out-perform in order to eventually face Paul Wall in the final round. more on this story



Justin Bieber Leads This Week's New Pop Releases
(popmusiclife) It's safe to say the biggest new pop release of this week is Justin Bieber's "Under The Mistletoe."

The album is a seasonal mix of traditional Christmas standards and newly-written holiday music largely co-written by Justin. "Under The Mistletoe" will be available both as a standard and as a deluxe CD + DVD edition.

The deluxe CD edition contains 4 bonus tracks - plus - 25 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage, including the video for "Pray."

See what else is coming out this week more on this story



Anthony Hamilton Sets New Album Release
RCA have set a December 13th release date for Anthony Hamilton's new studio album, Back To Love.

Grammy Award winner Hamilton explains the album title: "We live our life, day to day, month to month, year to year, doing so much that we forget the love, the people around us, the things around us, and just life itself. I want to remind people that it's okay to be in love with yourself and the loved ones in your life."

Hamilton has also announced the dates for his 19 city nationwide headlining "Woo Tour" which will kick off November 9th in Los Angeles and make stops in Chicago, Atlanta, DC, and New York City. "Expect for us to keep them up on their toes alot! I'm in the mood for some jammin!" Hamilton warns fans. more on this story



Warrant for Michael Lohan's Arrest
(TMZ) Michael Lohan is a wanted man -- not for what you're thinking ... or the other thing ... but ANOTHER thing altogether.

Already in custody for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend -- and having been served with deadbeat dad papers by ex-wife Dina -- TMZ has learned there is still an active warrant for MiLo's arrest in Suffolk County, NY.

As TMZ first reported, Lohan is on the hook for child support to a kid in Montana he allegedly fathered. A warrant was issued last November when he allegedly fell behind on payments, and according to records ... that warrant is still outstanding.

A rep for the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office tells TMZ Lohan will be arrested on sight if he shows up in NYC, Nassau County or Suffolk County unless he handles the situation.

Still ... might be the least of his worries. more on this story



Chaz Bono Eyes Next Move After Dancing with the Stars
(TMZ) Chaz Bono could be the voice trying to sell you soap -- it's all part of his grand plan after getting booted from "Dancing with the Stars."

Bono's rep/manager, Howard Bragman, tells TMZ ... Chaz took no meetings during "DWTS" -- but his team will get together this week to plot out a strategy for the next chapter.

Bragman says they're looking at several options -- including acting, voice-over work, and endorsements -- and Chaz also plans to continue booking speaking engagements.

As for whether he'd be into continuing his dancing career, Bragman says Chaz is "open to all reasonable discussions."

So we might not have seen his last Tango after all

Today's Day in Rock

Due to a network outage, we have a smaller than normal report for you today. We will be back with a full report tomorrow.



Ace Frehley Falls Off The Stage
(hennemusic) Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is out playing shows, in sync with the release of his new book, "No Regrets: A Rock N' Roll Memoir," which comes out tomorrow - Tuesday, November 1.

Last week, Ace played two nights at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City, with a set heavy on KISS classics from his time in the band.

At the second show, on October 26, Ace was performing his trademark guitar solo when he wandered too far to stage right - and fell off. Frehley did pick himself up, return to center stage and tried to retune his guitar, but eventually gave up, saying, "I'm gonna have to get another guitar." Watch video here



Vince Neil To Take A Plea in Domestic Violence Case
(hennemusic) Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil will plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge and pay a $1,000 fine related to an alleged domestic violence incident involving his ex-girlfriend.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that, as part of a plea deal, Clark County prosecutors will drop one count of domestic battery in exchange for Neil's guilty plea to disorderly conduct, District Attorney David Roger confirmed.

Neil, 50, was seen yelling obscenities at, and poking, former local television entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs at the Las Vegas Hilton in March. more on this story



Axl Rose Hit With Bronchitis and Montezuma's Revenge?
(Ultimate Classic Rock) Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose is reportedly suffering from both bronchitis and Montezuma's Revenge.

Blabbermouth reports that a source deep within Rose's management team revealed that the singer is afflicted with these terrible physical issues.

In other news, Axl's hour long interview with 'That Metal Show' is set to air on Nov. 11 as part of Vh1 Classic's 'National Metal Day.' more on this story



Promoter Blames Metallica Fans for Riot Inducing Cancelation
(hennemusic) A representative of DNA Networks - the promoters of the Metallica show in Gurgaon, India - tells Pollstar that fans were responsible for the cancellation of Friday's scheduled concert.

Karuna Prithvi from DNA's press department told Pollstar it's difficult to explain what sparked the fuss because "it was all so quick."

Prithvi says the company always has barriers in place for its shows and the problem was caused when fans broke through them. She said unruly fans "vandalized and destroyed" a lot of stage equipment, which meant it was impossible to fix it and get permission for a new show within 24 hours. more on this story



Limited Edition Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pete Townshend Coming
Universal Music Enterprises will celebrate Black Friday this year with a series of "Back To Black" limited edition, individually numbered 10" vinyl releases from Soundgarden, Nirvana and Pete Townshend. Here are the details:

Soundgarden - Before The Doors: Live On I-5 Soundchecks: "I will always be thankful to independent record stores for providing me with an encyclopedic source for an education in popular music. Especially of rare, import, indie, local, and experimental records, artists, and genres." - Kim Thayil

Hot on the heels of Soundgarden's highly successful 2011 summer tour, for Black To Black Friday UMe will release the individually numbered, limited-edition 10"-vinyl EP from Soundgarden - Before The Doors: Live On I-5 Soundchecks as the companion piece to the band's first-ever live album, Live On I-5, released earlier this year. Recorded during their 1996 tour, Before The Doors: Live On I-5 Soundchecks features "No Attention," "Never The Machine Forever" and a freaked-out version of the Doors' "Waiting For The Sun," taken from their soundcheck at Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, CA, on December 5, 1996; "Room A Thousand Years Wide" taken from PNE Forum in Vancouver, Canada, on December 7, 1996; and "Somewhere" taken from their soundcheck at Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento, CA, on December 4, 1996. more on this story



Lindsey Buckingham Lives DVD, Blu-Ray and DVD/CD Released Today
Eagle Rock are releasing a DVD, Blu-Ray and DVD/CD set of Lindsey Buckingham's Songs From The Small Machine: Live In L.A. today.

The concert was filmed in high-definition with DTS Surround-Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1, and Dolby Digital Stereo at The Saban Theater in Beverly Hills, California in April 2011.

The two-hour 19-song show will be released on DVD, Blu-ray, and as a DVD/CD set. Filled with his most beloved songs, including such Fleetwood Mac classics as "Go Your Own Way," "Second Hand News," "Big Love," "Tusk," "I'm So Afraid" and "Never Going Back Again," blended with material from his new album Seeds We Sow ("In Our Own Time," "Illumination," "Stars Are Crazy," "That's The Way Love Goes") the DVD and Blu-Ray also feature a Buckingham interview. more on this story



Lamb Of God Announce New Album Release and 2 Year World Tour Plans
Lamb Of God have announced a January 24th, 2012 release date for their new studio album, Resolution.

Resolution, produced by Josh Wilbur, will feature 14 songs and will come in a deluxe softpak with artwork by longtime art director Ken Adams.

The album was recorded in various studios in Virginia and New York. In other news, on November 15th, the band will announce the first leg of what will be a 2 year world tour. more on this story



Limited Edition Unreleased Rolling Stones For Record Story Day
The Rolling Stones previously unreleased track "No Spare Parts" is set to be released as exclusive limited edition 7" vinyl to mark Record Store Day's "Black Friday", Friday, November 25.

A digital download version of the single will be available the week commencing November 14, according to UMG.

"No Spare Parts" is one of twelve bonus tracks that have been unearthed for inclusion on the forthcoming deluxe and super deluxe reissue of The Rolling Stones' Some Girls - widely regarded as one of the band's greatest albums. Some Girls will be released on November 21. more on this story



Alice Cooper Group's Neal Smith Releases New Album
(Glass Onyon) Alice Cooper Group drummer Neal Smith has released a new album called 'KillSmith Two'.

Neal Smith recently reunited with Alice Cooper and recorded several new tracks for Alice's 'Welcome 2 My Nightmare' (which also features fellow AC Group members Michael Bruce and Dennis Dunaway)

"I think it's the best writing I've ever done with industrial strength music," says Neal. "The fourth song on the 'K$2' CD is called 'Evil Voodoo Moon'. It is the song that's the mother of Alice's latest single called 'I'll Bite Your Face Off", featured on his great new CD 'Welcome 2 My Nightmare'. One of the main goals I had in mind while writing 'K$2' was to keep my lyrics radio friendly this time. My colorful vocabulary could make a drunken sailor blush. So I took it back a few notches for airplay, something I didn't do on my first KillSmith CD 'Sexual Savior' when I just let all hell break loose." more on this story



Steve Perry Covering The Beatles On New Solo Album
Ultimate Classic Rock reports that Former Journey frontman Steve Perry is going to be recording new music soon, but it won't be with his old bandmates.

Perry tells the Associated Press that he's recorded three cover songs and played them for a few close friends.

One is a Beatles tune, but he wouldn't offer any clue as to which one, nor would he hint at what the other two covers are. more on this story



Megadeth' Mustaine No Longer Megamad at Roadrunner
(Gibson) Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine says things are rosy again between him and Roadrunner Records, after dissing the label over what he felt was a lack of promotion for the band's previous album, Endgame.

On the eve of the release of Megadeth's latest, Th1rt3en, Mustaine told Billboard, "We have had kind of an up and down time with Roadrunner, but right now everything is good. This album signified the era of, hopefully, a new regime. They were very helpful, and we helped things by putting down some firm boundaries and standing our ground and saying 'we can't do that' when we had to. So I'm very excited, very optimistic about the future."

Th1rt3en is the first Megadeth album since The World Needs a Hero to feature original bass player David Ellefson. The album includes rerecorded versions of five tracks previously released in different forms: video game tracks "Sudden Death" and "Never Dead," United Abominations-era fan club exclusive "Black Swan," and '90s demos "Millennium of the Blind" and "New World Order." more on this story



Glenn Hughes Releases Paperback Edition of Autobiography
(hennemusic) "The Autobiography: From Deep Purple To Black Country Communion," by legendary rocker Glenn Hughes is now available in paperback.

A limited-edition hardback version of the book was published in May via Foruli Publications under the title "Deep Purple And Beyond: Scenes From The Life Of A Rock Star."

The book was co-written with Joel McIver and features an introduction by Metallica's Lars Ulrich. more on this story



Vengeance Set New Album Release
(Freeman) Vengeance's new album "Crystal Eye" will released on February 27, 2012 (Germany: 24 February, USA/Canada: early March) on Steamhammer/SPV.

Goewie comments the worldwide collaboration with the German Hanover based label enthusiastically: "We are proud that we have signed with SPV/Steamhammer. We finally found our home and together we have many ways to make the fans rock!"

The album's sensational all-star cast is just as spectacular as the new material: alongside original vocalist Leon Goewie, "Crystal Eye" features drummer Chris Slade (ex- AC/DC), guitarist Keri Kelli (ex- Alice Cooper), bassist Chris Glen (ex- Michael Schenker Group), and guest guitarist Timo Somers (son of Vengeance guitarist Jan Somers, who sadly passed away in January 2011). "More than ever before, this is a band which consists of friends," comments Goewie, whose excellent reputation as an exceptional vocalist made this impressive line-up possible: Goewie, Slade, Glen and Kelli also form the nucleus of AC/DC cover band Chris Slade`s Steel Circle who rock the popular clubs whenever their time allows it more on this story



Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood To Have Art Exhibition
(Gibson) Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood is going to show the public his collection of paintings next month.

According to the Daily Express, Wood will present 100 of his paintings at an exhibition called Ronnie Wood's Faces, Time and Placesat The Gallery in Cork Street, London.

Wood told The Observer: "People don't know that I'm an artist. Playing music as part of a team effort is wonderful, but to express individuality as an artist is very personal. Art is more powerful, a more personal statement." more on this story



Singled Out: Drew Kennedy's Fresh Water in the Salton Sea
Today our Singled Out special is a little different, Drew Kennedy tells us about his new album and book release "Fresh Water in the Salton Sea," which are being released today. Here is the story:

I was driving to a New Years Eve show in Alpine, Texas, thinking about what I wanted to do with the record that I was about to record two weeks into 2011 (the album that is hopefully now bouncing off of your eardrums). As the last sun of 2010 was making its way across the sky during my seven-hour drive I hatched a plan: I would write a novel. Now, I realize the term "novel" can sound pretty pretentious, so if it makes you feel any more comfortable, we can call it a book. It was the first word that popped into my head, however, so I'll stick with that for lack of a better one. I've done quite a bit of freelance writing in the past—things like biographies for other musicians and articles for BMI's trade magazine MusicWorld—but I've never attempted anything in long form. I knew that if I was going to do this it couldn't just be a passion project. I knew it had to somehow support what it is that I do best, which is writing songs and recording them.

So, with that thought in mind, and after recording what is in my opinion my strongest record by several miles, I sat down to write. Three months later I finished it.

Here's how it plays out, in the shortest explanation that I can muster:

Dan Murphy is a fictional songwriter. He heads out for a three-week tour of the west. You see the world through his eyes, hear it with his ears, experience it by way of his touch, taste, and feel. He picks up little bits of inspiration on his journey, and after every five or six chapters in the book you get to see what the songwriter has made of these inspirational nuggets through his craft in the form of the lyrics of a song. There are ten songs in this book. They are the same ten songs on the record. It will be released on the same day as (and shares the same title of) the album, and it will be available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.

DUFF MCKAGAN On GUNS N' ROSES: 'We Were More Punk Rock Than Any Punk Rock Band I've Seen'

Oct. 31, 2011

Joe Daly of The Nervous Breakdown recently conducted an interview with Duff McKagan (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES, DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

The Nervous Breakdown: This has been quite a month for you, recognition-wise, because about a month ago, GUNS N' ROSES was nominated for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Duff: Yeah, it's weird, you know? I've never striven to get into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Never in my life have I thought, "Man, I gotta get a Grammy." In sports you try to win it all, but music's a different deal. So the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was never on my radar. As a matter of fact, I don't know how we got roped into it, but when we (VELVET REVOLVER) inducted VAN HALEN, it went south. I don't know if you remember that. It just went south. The band (VAN HALEN) was fighting, and the only ones to show up were Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar, and it was like, "Ohhh, boy…" So when we (GN'R) got announced, that's what I remembered. But I do understand that for the fans, it's important. It's important to the people who buy your records and come to your gigs and connect with some lyric that you wrote or a groove or something. I mean, I'm part of social media — I write a couple of columns online, and people comment on those. I have Twitter and I'm on Facebook and I read people's comments about how they feel about us being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, so then it's important to me. Only then. And I've learned to just say, "thank you."

The Nervous Breakdown: There are a few parallels between GN'R and VAN HALEN, the biggest one being the turnover in membership, both during and after your involvement. Assuming GUNS gets right in, how do you envision your induction? What do you see it looking like?

Duff: I can't. I can't picture it. Your guess is as good as mine. There is no picture. It's bound to happen but I'd love to call the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, whoever they are, and say, "Hey guys, why don't you put this off for another ten years? Thank you! Thanks for nominating us — it's great, but how about you put it off for ten years?"

The Nervous Breakdown: Would ten years give things more time to settle?

Duff: You know, that's all I need to say about this. I care about our fans and that's it.

The Nervous Breakdown: Slash and Steven Adler both have their own books out, and many other books have been written about GUNS N' ROSES that already cover parts of your life. When you sat down to write your book, was there anything you felt that needed to be corrected or cleared up?

Duff: No. No, I read Slash's book because we were on the road together with VELVET REVOLVER when that came out. It doesn't matter what's correct or what's not correct. There's stuff in Slash's book that I remember in a different way, but that's all there is. My experience of the same situation is different than his — that's what life's about, right? We all have different experiences sometimes with the exact same thing. When that book came out, I had no inclination to write a book. This book sort of wrote itself out of these little side columns that I was writing. So many people have asked me, "How much did you drink?" and "How did you get into that hospital bed?" And a lot of people ask me, "How did you get sober?" In other words, "How did you get out of that hospital bed?" And that's really what I wrote to — that was the mission statement. The arc became clear as I wrote — my family, my mom, my kids- how important all of this stuff is to me. And it's just a guy's story. I happen to be in a couple of rock bands, but it's just that guy's story. GUNS N' ROSES is a weighty subject, but in the same breath, I don't take it that seriously. It was an extraordinary circumstance that happened to all of us. Shit, we all survived! That's great! A lot of my fellows out there didn't. But at forty-seven years old, I look back and see that we fell into every goddamned trap that there was. But we were honest. We were a dangerous, real band. We were real. Nobody was faking it, and I'm proud of that.

The Nervous Breakdown: You open up an interesting discussion about your own struggles with anxiety. When you talk about playing with THE ROLLING STONES — the gig where Axl famously called everybody out from the stage (threatening to disband GN'R if unnamed members didn't curb their drug abuse), you guys kept going after that. What was it like still playing in that band with that threat hanging over your heads?

Duff: He said it and we were like, "Oh, we're discussing this stuff in public, now?" When we were all into it. We took care of our own shit inside, and I'm sure Axl had his reasons for that, and they were probably valid. At the time, I could see it. I was pissed off, too. So half of me was with him, but half of me was like, "No… not here, not now. Not here. Not in front of eighty thousand people…" (laughs) But that's the way he was, and I can't really speak for how he is now, but love him or hate him, at least there was no filter.

The Nervous Breakdown: Was there one memory of playing in GUNS N' ROSES that stands out as your absolute favorite? One thing that really makes you feel proud?

Duff: All of it. I mean, really, most of it. I could write another whole book about the first eighteen months of our band, and it would be fascinating, and fun and good, because nobody believed in us. I touched on it in the book. We just believed in us, and we weren't accepted into any little section of L.A. rock, and so we just did our own little thing. We were just young, young dudes and we just really knew that whether there were two or two hundred people who knew who we were, we were going to change their perspective on music. We were learning how to write songs together, and the chemistry was stunning. We were more punk rock than any punk rock band I've seen. And it was more JUDAS PRIEST than JUDAS PRIEST, and it was more Elton John than Elton John. It was just kind of everything. Some nights we were the best band on the planet.

Read the entire interview from The Nervous Breakdown.

John Waite Nominated For 2 Grammys

Wow - John Waite has been nominated for two 2011 Grammys - Best rock album for Rough and Tumble and Best rock song, for the title track "Rough and Tumble".

More news at: www.johnwaite.nl/pages/113274/News.html.

Today's Day In Pop

Today's Full Report


Taylor Swift's Jihad Against Alleged Topless Photo
(TMZ) Taylor Swift is prepared to go to war with a website called Celebrity Jihad ... claiming she was wrongly identified in a "leaked" nude photo ... and now she's threatening to sue their asses.

The photo in question features a topless woman who bears a resemblance to Swift under the headline, "Taylor Swift Topless Private Pic Leaked?"

Swift's lawyers are pissed -- and fired over a letter to the site demanding it take down the post immediately ... or else she'll sue for trademark infringement.

In the letter, Team Swift says the site contains, "false pornographic images and false 'news" about the singer.

A rep for the site tell us the blog is considering it's options. Swift's people had no comment. more on this story



Adele To Have Throat Surgery
(popmusiclife) Adele has cancelled all plans for the remainder of the year and she will undergo surgery to address ongoing issues with her voice.

The singer's team released a statement Friday, saying "It is with deep regret that [Adele] has been forced to cancel her remaining live dates and promotional appearances in 2011. She is to undergo surgery to alleviate the current issues with her throat and a full recovery is expected. As a result, doctors have ordered her to rest her voice and completely recuperate before looking to schedule any work commitments."

According to a post Adele wrote earlier this month, she has been suffering voice issues on and off since getting a flu bug last December; she followed doctor's orders and things seemed to be on the mend, but in the middle of a spring US tour her voice went out completely. more on this story



Rodrigo y Gabriela Set New Album Release
Rodrigo y Gabriela have set a January 24th release date for their new studio album Area 52, which was produced by the legendary Peter Asher.

Area 52 contains nine of Rod and Gab's favorite songs from their own catalogue re-arranged and re-configured for a 13-piece Cuban orchestra comprised of some of Havana's finest young players, collectively known as C.U.B.A. It's Rodrigo y Gabriela's first recorded collaboration with another group of musicians.

Area 52 was mixed by Rafa Sardina, one of the leading studio musicians in the Latin music world, and arranged by London-based pianist, composer and arranger Alex Wilson. Recording took place in the Miramar district of Havana, Cuba, at Abdala Studios, founded by the Cuban folk hero Silvio Rodriguez, as well as at Rod and Gab's studio in Ixtapa, Mexico. Other players on the record include: bassist Carles Benavent (Paco De Lucia, Chick Corea, Miles Davis), drummer John Tempesta (The Cult, Testament, White Zombie), sitarist Anoushka Shankar and drummer Samuel Formell (Los Van Van). more on this story



See Lady Gaga Rock Indie
(popmusiclife) Lady Gaga made quite an impression on her fans in India during a performance at the after-party for the country's first F1 Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida.

The Economic Times reports Gaga followed through on her promise of a "special treat" for her Indian fans, as she performed on piano and was accompanied on sitar.

"Gaga's performance was delightful. She was high on energy and the audience was extremely excited about it. The stage was grand and Gaga was in her spirits," said a teenager who saw Gaga perform at a special 20,000 sq ft construction at the Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort in Greater Noida. Read more and watch video here



Mary J. Blige Releases New Video and Behind The Scenes Footage
(popmusiclife) Mary J. Blige's new album, "My Life II: The Journey Continues, Act 1," is due November 21. The set features guest appearances by Beyonce, Nas and Rick Ross, and the deluxe version adds a track with Lil' Wayne and Diddy.

Blige has just issued the video for the track "25/8," and has offered up some behind the scenes footage of the making of the video, as well.

"The meaning behind 25/8," says Mary, "is to have a 25th hour in your day, and a 8th day in your week. The song is about not having enough time to spend with someone; it's like the ultimate love…like when you're having fun, time just seems to fly." more on this story



Watch Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon Continue The History Of Rap
(popmusiclife) Justin Timberlake has a new movie, "In Time," to promote, but Jimmy Fallon had other ideas on his show Friday night.

Justin and Jimmy jammed the third installment of the History Of Rap series on Fallon's program, pulling together a medley of tracks by Run-DMC, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, LL Cool J, De La Soul, Coolio, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Ice Cube, Young MC, the Beastie Boys, Kanye West and Nicki Minaj.

The first History Of Rap went viral last September, and they did a sequel in July. Timberlake's "In Time" was #3 at the US box office on its opening weekend, taking in $12 million, behind the smash, "Puss In Boots" ($34 million) and "Paranormal Activity" ($18.5 million). Check it out here



Simon Cowell Calls In Security for X Factor Girls
(TMZ) Simon Cowell is like an overprotective father when it comes to three girls he's mentoring on "X Factor" -- sources close to the show tell us ... he's deeply concerned for their safety and is taking precautionary measures.

According to our sources, Simon has grown concerned about the safety of the three girls -- Drew Ryniewicz, Melanie Amaro, and Rachel Crow -- after a recent trip to the mall turned into a mob scene.

Our sources says the incident prompted Simon to instruct his personal bodyguards ... they are not to let the girls leave the studio without some form of security. We're told Simon wants the girls to be able to feel safe while doing the kinds of things normal girls do.

If one of them ends up winning it all, they can probably kiss normal goodbye. more on this story



Kate Major Calls Cops On Michael Lohan Again
(TMZ) Kate Major called the cops on Michael Lohan early Saturday morning ... TMZ has learned ... but police believe he is blame free this time.

Tampa PD tell TMZ they received a call from Major at 12:39 AM to report she returned home to find she had a missed call from a number she knew to be Michael's.

But according to police, MiLo was under "supervised custody" at the time of the call ... so it wasn't Michael who placed it. Cops told us, "It would appear that someone other than her ex-[boyfriend] had access to the cell phone."

Cops did respond and went to Major's home but do not plan on investigating the incident any further. Check out video



Photographer Files Battery Complaint Against Demi Moore
(TMZ) A photographer who claims to have had a run-in with Demi Moore on Friday has filed a battery report about the incident ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the photographer (who was not TMZ) claims Moore struck him as he tried to film her yesterday. We're told it's unclear where Moore allegedly struck the photog, but he displayed no visible injuries.

Judging from the photos of the incident ... it appears the pap was way too close and in her face.

According to our sources, the West Hollywood Sheriff's Department will be given the complaint and investigate.

Calls to Moore's rep were not returned. more on this story



Lady Antebellum and Ricky Skaggs Big Inspirational Country Music Awards Winners
Lady Antebellum, Justin Moore and Ricky Skaggs were the big winners at the 17th Annual Inspirational Country Music Awards on Friday night at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Here is part of the official recap and the full winners list:

Awards were given out in more than twenty categories that included both rising artists and a stellar array of major music industry names in a broad cross section of categories that included entertainer, artist, new artist, song, songwriter, group, duo, musician, radio, radio station, film, and television honors.

Highlights included Ricky Skaggs emotional acceptance of the prestigious Entertainer of the Year Award for 2011. Fitting to the honor, this year of 2011 marks an amazing 50 years of performing—and a memorable 52nd anniversary of Skaggs love affair with bluegrass music—a love story that began for him at age five when he first picked-up his first mandolin back in Cordell, Kentucky. Performing a heart-stirring version of Somebody's Prayin' it was a night of double awards for him as he also received top honors from Inspirational Country Music Award voters in the top Musician category. more on this story



Chronicles of Riddick Sequel Shut Down
(TMZ) Vin Diesel's comeback as an ass-kicking ex-con from the future is on hold ... because production on the new "Chronicles of Riddick" movie has been shut down over some serious cash flow issues.

TMZ spoke with Michel Trudel -- the owner of the Montreal studio where the new movie is being shot -- who tells us he changed the locks and kicked everyone off the set Wednesday because the production company, One Race Films, has failed to pay up on time.

FYI -- One Race Films was founded by Vin Diesel ... who is also set to produce and star in the upcoming flick.

But Trudel isn't the only one griping about a paycheck -- sources connected to production tell us several members of the crew have not been paid in over 2 weeks ... and are very concerned about getting their money.

Trudel tells us he's confident the situation will be resolved soon ... and he's more than happy to let production resume ... as soon as he gets his money.

Calls to Diesel's camp were not returned. more on this story



Ghost Adventures Star's Home Haunted By Human Skull
(TMZ) Never bring your work home with you -- especially if your job involves ghost-hunting and human skulls -- because you could end up with one pissed-off spirit haunting your house ... and pushing your friends down stairs.

"Ghost Adventures" star Zak Bagans tells TMZ, the supernatural encounters began after he found a human skull during an investigation last month at an old mining town hotel -- and genius actually decided to bring the remains home with him.

Zak -- who built a display for the skull in the basement of his Las Vegas home -- tells us, he noticed a huge surge in paranormal activity almost instantly ... an angry, demonic-type presence that had never been in his house before.

On one night, Zak tells us, he was woken up by a slight pressure on his ankles -- what felt like hands grabbing him -- and all of a sudden, the force yanked him several inches down in his bed.

Days later, Zak says he had a girl over at his house -- and out of nowhere, she spilled head over heels down his stairs ... insisting someone ... or something ... had pushed her.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg -- and Zak tells us, he's so terrified ... he hired a local bishop to perform an exorcism at his house in the next two weeks

Zak adds, "I love my job, but i want to feel safe in my house. I don't feel safe." Word to the wise -- don't jack human skulls and bring them into your house. more on this story



Cops Called On Drew Barrymore Halloween Party
(TMZ) Soft-spoken Drew Barrymore caused a stir with her neighbors Saturday night when her loud Halloween party forced them to call cops and complain ... TMZ has learned.

According to our sources, her Hollywood Hills neighbors phoned police shortly after midnight. We're told cops spoke with Barrymore and she rectified the noise situation and there were no complaints from then on.

Drew Barrymore fun fact -- according to IMDB, she was delivered by Dr. Paul Fliess ... who is the father of Heidi Fleiss. more on this story



Beyonce To Give Fans Intimate Performance on DVD
When Beyonce took the stage back in August at Roseland Ballroom, only 3,500 lucky fans per night, who bought those tickets in a record 22 seconds, were able to catch the intimate shows in the historic New York venue.

It was the only time she would perform her new album, 4, almost completely and to a very limited audience. Backed by her all-female band, with an additional string section, the performances were punctuated with spirited stories detailing her journey before the album, 4, including her years before and with Destiny's Child.

On Monday, November 21, just in time for Thanksgiving, fans who longed to be at those shows can get up close and personal with Beyonce and experience for themselves the energy and magic that filled the Ballroom with the release of Live At Roseland, exclusively at Walmart. The 26-song live DVD brings the quaint setting turn stadium performances to your living room. more on this story



Lindsay Lohan To Beg Judge For Mercy?
(TMZ) Lindsay Lohan will concede she violated her probation by getting kicked out of her community service program ...TMZ has learned.

Lindsay will appear in court on Wednesday ... where Judge Stephanie Sautner plans to hold a hearing on whether Lindsay violated her probation. But our sources say the hearing may be unnecessary, because Lindsay will not put up a fight.

Sources tell us Lindsay's strategy -- courtesy of Shawn Chapman Holley -- is to show the judge she is now really, really serious about complying with the terms of her probation. She'll come to court armed with proof she's logged in 24 hours of service at the morgue -- way more than the 16 hours the judge required before Wednesday's hearing. And Lindsay still has time to put in more time.

Lindsay's plan has its risks -- she faces well over a year in jail if the judge throws the book at her. We're told Lindsay is hoping for minimal jail time -- two weeks -- which would actually be way less because of overcrowding.

The wild card, of course, is Judge Sautner, who made it clear at the time of sentencing ... if Lindsay violated probation she would go to jail. Based on the judge's statements ... it's unlikely Lindsay would score a 2-week sentence.

We'll be live streaming Wednesday. So stay tuned ... more on this story



Sopranos Star Does Ballistic on Director
(TMZ) Vincent Pastore must really look up to Christian Bale because the former "Sopranos" star just went ballistic on the set of a movie -- blasting the director's camera work and demanding his $1,000 paycheck!

TMZ obtained the explosive audio of Pastore giving the business to "Off Limits" director Sal Fusco. VP starts off bitching about Fusco's shots, saying, "I knew I needed a f**king closeup, and you weren't gonna f**king do it!"

The actor -- best known as "Big Pussy" -- gets was also fuming about not getting paid yet. Best of all ... sources on set tell us all this went down just 10 minutes after Pastore arrived on set!

Before the rant ... Pastore did manage to shoot one scene. Check out the video -- you can see the tension starting to build. more on this story



Terrell Owens Can't Afford Child Support?
(TMZ) Times are tough for Terrell Owens -- so much so the currently former NFL star is asking a judge to lower his child support payments ... TMZ has learned.

Owens, who is currently not an NFL roster, wants to reduce the payments he's making to baby mama Monique Reynolds ... because, according to his rep, he's simply not getting paid these days.

The rep says Owens wants to make the payments a little more reasonable, adding, "His child support payments should mirror his income today and not be based on his income from over four years ago."

Owens was due in court in Northern California for child support modification hearing on October 24, but didn't show up. His rep says his lawyers tried to reschedule, but lawyers for Reynolds refused

T.O.'s audition for prospective NFL teams -- the one nobody showed up to -- was the next day. more on this story



Oakland Raiders Owner Al Davis Died Of A Broken Heart
(TMZ) Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis died from a broken heart according to his death certificate obtained by TMZ.

The document reveals three primary causes of death: A) Ventricular fibrillation -- a dangerously abnormal heart rhythm B) Congestive heart failure C) Cardiomyopathy -- heart muscle disease

According to the death certificate, Al died at the Oakland Airport Hilton at 2:45 AM on October 8th.

The document shows Al had been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy years ago ... and suffered a ventricular fibrillation just 15 minutes before his death. Davis also suffered from Merkel cell carcinoma -- an aggressive form of skin cancer.

According to the doc, Davis -- who was involved with the NFL for 60 years -- underwent throat surgery just three days before his death. Davis also had heart surgery in 1996.

He was 82 at the time of his death.

Today's Day in Rock

Metallica Fans Riot
(hennemusic) A postponement of the Metallica show in India Friday night has led angry and impatient fans on site to riot. Metallica's concert in Gurgaon was postponed 24 hours [and ultimately canceled], according to event organizers.

After the news of postponement was announced on stage, disappointed fans tried to vandalize the venue; they broke barriers, climbed on stage and tore posters. Several fans gained access to the stage area, setting fire to banners and causing damage to the LED screens, monitors and other equipment. More including video here

(Update) There's more fallout from the cancellation of the Metallica concert in Gurgaon, India. The Gurgaon police said the operational head of DNA Entertainment Network for Metallica concerts, Rajesh Chandwani, and his team members - Umesh, Ashok Singh and Savio Faleio - were arrested on charges of cheating people and breach of trust. more on this story



Shy Rocker Steve Harris Dies
(Rock News Desk) Steve Harris, guitarist and mainman with UK rock band Shy, has died after a two-year battle with a brain tumor.

Not to be confused with the Iron Maiden bassist, Harris had led the band since it formed as Trojan in 1980. They released an acclaimed comeback self-titled album just three weeks ago.

Shy say in a statement: "It is with great regret and sadness that we have to announce the passing of our beloved Steve Harris. Steve was a very private man and had battled a brain tumour sine June 2009, and only those closest to the family knew. A full statement will be issued shortly." more rock news



Shooting May Leave Metal Guitarist Paralyzed
(Rock News Desk) A 25-year-old death metal guitarist may never walk again after being shot in an armed robbery near his home. Tony Lorenzo of Buffalo, New York band Sons of Azrael has a bullet lodged in his spine and is currently paralyzed from the waist down.

Doctors must wait for the swelling to go down before attempting to remove the missile, and until then they can't say whether Lorenzo will make a full recovery.

The incident unfolded when an unidentified young man approached him and his friend from behind. The guitarist tells WIVB.com: "The kid asked me, 'Give me what you got.' And before I could even get my wallet out, he just shot me. more on this story



New Rush Album Coming Soon
(Gibson) Rush bassist and vocalist Geddy Lee recently sat down with Rolling Stone and discussed the progress of the prog-rock legends' forthcoming album. Work is ongoing and he said he expects it to be released by early 2012.

"We're almost finished writing. We wound the machine back up about three weeks ago. After a sluggish start, we've had a very fruitful couple of weeks in terms of writing," he said. "I'm very pleased with the direction that the material has taken. And I think we have one or two more songs that we'd like to write, and then we'll start recording in earnest. "Hopefully we'll have all of the recording done before Christmas. Then we'll mix it sometime in the next year, and then get it out."

Lee also talked about the sound of the new record. "I think it's a little different than Snakes & Arrows," he said. "It's not finished so it's hard to say exactly what it will sound like in totality, but I think that the direction of 'Caravan' and 'BU2B' sort of points in the direction that we're going." more on this story



Aerosmith Close To Finishing Classic Sounding Album
(hennemusic) While in Lima for the first gig of their South American tour, Aerosmith did some media interviews, including guitar hero Joe Perry sitting down to discuss the band and its projects with the "13 Hrs." show on Peru's Canal N.

"We're about three-quarters done with the [new] record," said Joe. "Basically, we just have to put the singing on it, and some finishing touches, and we'll be ready for [a] March [release]."

"A lot of people have said that it sounds like the first and second record," continued Perry, "because we worked with Jack Douglas, the producer who did our records in the 70s." Check out video of the interview here



Axl Rose For That Metal Show's Season Opener
(hennemusic) Axl Rose has taped an hour-long interview with VH1's That Metal Show following the Guns N' Roses show in Miami Saturday night.

The session will air on November 11 as part of VH1's "National Metal Day" (11-11-11). TMS host Eddie Trunk reports that during the interview, which included guitarist DJ Ashba, he asked Axl about the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame situation (band is eligible and nominated; we'll know mid-December whether or not they get in); new music, his lateness, this lineup, playing with Duff McKagan (Axl said Loaded will open some shows), and more.

Trunk kept fans posted on Twitter about the unfolding plans to secure the Axl interview after the gig, which he says GNR didn't start until midnight. At one point, Trunk wrote that the restless crowd were "now booing loud because [of the] late start." more on this story



Tool Writing New Album
(Banana 101.5) Maynard James Keenan was hesitant to assign a percentage to the process, but did give some insight on how things are coming together on Tool's long awaited fifth studio album.

Things have been awfully quiet in Camp Tool the past few years — the first we heard of a new album was months ago when Maynard merely said, "We're writing." Maynard expanded on that statement in his latest interview with Loudwire, where the focus was on his new album with Puscifer, but eventually shifted towards the progress of Tool's new record:

"I'm allowing them [the other members of Tool] their space to do what they do, so we're still in that mode. Even if they told me how close they are to being done, I couldn't tell you because if I say 60 percent people will start counting down. When it's done everyone will know. But I haven't done anything yet. They write forever and then we go in and knock it all out. We're writing. We're writing vocals. But nothing's solid. With Puscifer, there's ideas and then we'll record stuff. Then we'll go back and change stuff and fix stuff and record new stuff before we finally put it all together. But with Tool, we practice jams, but there's no actual recording going on until it's time to record." more on this story



Judas Priest Guitarist Ponders Retirement
(Rock News Desk) Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton has entertained the idea of following ex-bandmate KK Downing into retirement.

Fans were shocked when Downing announced he wouldn't be part of the veteran band's final world tour earlier this year. And although Priest are working on a new album with latest addition Richie Faulkner, Tipton is aware he can't go on for ever.

He tells Straight.com: "I'm still going strong. But, you know, I don't know how much life I've got left in me in terms of putting leather and studs on and going out there and thrashing out heavy metal.

"I want to retire before people start saying that I should have retired – I think that's the best way to put it." more on this story



Anthrax Frontman Talks Recent On Stage Attack
(Rock News Desk) Anthrax frontman Joey Belladonna says he had the situation under control before over-zealous security guards slammed him and a stage invader into a multi-man pileup.

The drama unfolded at a show in LA last weekend 90 minutes into the band's show. A single fan managed to make his way onto the stage and Belladonna went to tackle him. But a large bouncer climbed onto the stage and knocked both of them off their feet, and several other security guards joined in. The band stopped the show with bassist Frank Bello shouting angrily at venue staff while guitarist Scott Ian told the crowd: "It's pretty smart to tackle the singer – I guess they haven't seen him up here on stage for the last 90 minutes."

Now the singer has shared his own thoughts on the event. Belladonna tells Metal Assault: "He bulldozed me. I got slammed. Then there was, like, and eight-guy pile-on. I was like, 'This is not happening.' more on this story



Prince Headed North
(popmusiclife) Prince is headed to the Great White North this fall. The "Welcome 2 Canada" shows make up Prince's first multi-city national Canadian tour since 2002.

The tour opens with two shows in Toronto on November 25/26, before heading east to Halifax, and back through Ontario and westwards to the December 17 closer in Victoria, BC.

The trip will be modeled after Prince's recent "Welcome 2 America" tour, which launched in the New York area in December 2010 with a six-night stand. Prince followed up with three intimate nights in Oakland, and six special nights in the Carolinas, where he performed many of his fan favorite mega-hits. The extraordinary run of shows continued with stops in Sacramento, Fresno and San Jose, with more than a quarter of a million fans joining him for a 21-show run in Los Angeles. more on this story



Bono Fears U2 Becoming Irrelevant
(Gibson) Bono has once again expressed concerns about U2's future, saying the band must "make hits" if they are to survive. Speaking to London's The Sun, the singer said the group has struggled in recent years to create successful singles. His comments come on the heels of a statement made to Rolling Stone that he "wasn't sure the future hasn't dried up" for the band.

"Get on Your Boots," the highest-charting single from U2's last album, failed to crack the Top 10, while other singles culled from the album languished outside the Top 20.

"We've been on the verge of irrelevance for the last 20 years," Bono told The Sun. "But this moment, now, for me, feels like really close to the edge of relevance. We can be successful and we can play the big music and the big places." more on this story



Steve Perry At Peace With His Journey
(Rock News Desk) Steve Perry is at ease with his legacy as the best-remembered lead singer of Journey. And he has no problem with the band continuing without him and performing his songs. But the iconic singer is saddened to think his former bandmates have probably never heard a song he wrote as a tribute to them on his last solo album.

Perry – who says he's close to recording his first new material in 13 years – fronted Journey from 1977 to 1987, then again from 1995 to 1998, before splitting with the band in acrimony.

The split centered on his refusal to have hip surgery when Neal Schon and co wanted him to. They decided not to wait until he went under the knife at a time of his choosing, and instead replaced him – a move which led to Perry "turning off" his singing career. more on this story



What It Would Take For A Peter Gabriel Reunion With Genesis
(Rock News Desk) Former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel has joked that he'd take part in a classic-era reunion for "a large brown envelope."

But in more serious terms he's repeated his belief that it would have to be done properly, if at all, and that last time he came close to agreeing the project took on too many extra dimensions, at which point he got cold feet.

The chances of the much-discussed regrouping to stage classic album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is further complicated by Phil Collins' retirement from music due to health issues. (UltimateClassicRock.com) more Rock News,



Muse Beat Rush, Queen, Metallica, The Who, Led Zeppelin and More
(Rock News Desk) The bass line from Muse's 2003 track Hysteria has been voted the best of all time ahead of performances by Rush, Queen, Metallica, the Who, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Led Zeppelin.

Nearly a quarter of all votes in Music Radar's poll went to the prog-pop three-piece, who included the track and its robotic-like bass intro on their album Absolution.

Around 10,000 people cast votes in a feature its editors say is "probably the most essential bass playlist ever compiled, featuring legendary session players, global megastars and contemporary bass heroes too." more on this story



Kinks Mono Box Set Coming
(Gibson) Kinks superfans and sound purists are sure to be excited about this one. The Kinks have announced the released of the Kinks in Mono box set – a 10-CD collection that compiles the band's '60s material, all delivered in its original mono state.

The set will be available on November 21 in the U.K., according to Ultimate Classic Rock. No U.S. release has been announced yet.

Included in the set – the legendary band's first seven albums (from 1964's Kinks to 1969's Arthur), plus other material (EPs, rarities) on three more discs. The whole thing comes packaged in a Dansette-style box (a Dansette was a portable record player) with a book featuring liner notes, rare photos and more. more on this story



Very Merry Xmas For Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold will headline X1039's Very Merry Xmas Party on December 17th at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA

X1039's Very Merry Xmas Party will also feature Hollywood Undead, Asking Alexandria, and Black Veil Brides.

Having wrapped their fall dates on The UPROAR Festival, Avenged Sevenfold hit the road for their own headlining "Buried Alive" tour, which launches in Ft. Meyers, FL, on November 23rd. Hollywood Undead, Asking Alexandria, and Black Veil Brides are also on the bill.



Sheriff Deputies Find Nikki Sixx's Missing Son
(TMZ) Nikki Sixx reported his son missing this week -- even though the Motley Crue rocker had a pretty good idea where the boy was ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Sixx informed the Malibu Sheriff's Department his youngest son had gone missing. According to our sources, Sixx had a pretty good idea where the boy had run off to -- a friend's house.

We're told deputies visited the friend's house and found the boy, who had fled following an argument with a family member. According to our sources, the deputies told the boy his family wanted him to return home ... and the kid decided to do just that.

Calls to Sixx's rep were not returned.
more on this story



Nightwish Finally At Home With Their Singer
(Rock News Desk) Nightwish believe that singer Anette Olzon finally feels like part of the band. She joined the Finnish metallers in 2007, replacing Tarja Turunen who was dismissed via open letter at the end of a tour.

Keyboard player and songwriter Tuomas Holopainen says: "She did a wonderful job on Dark Passion Play, but her singing has been taken to a different level on our new album Imaginaerum.

"It's not about me writing the songs for her voice, it's about her being relaxed and confident. After surviving the tour and the fans' reaction, maybe she feels like she's in the band and can be her versatile self." (Blabbermouth) More rock news



Bonded By Blood Lineup Change
(Rock News Desk) Californian thrashers Bonded By Blood have recruited Jessie Sanchez as their new bassist.

He replaces Jerry Garcia, who left the band earlier this year, and is currently writing a new album with them.

They say: "It was a long and devious search to find the right dude for the job, but we are proud to have him in the band slapping bass for us. Album #3 is sounding killer so far, and we can't wait to hit the studio some time in January." More rock news



Nasum Reunion Plans
(Rock News Desk) Nasum are to reform to play a number of shows in commemoration of their 20th anniversary.

The Swedish grindcore act split in 2004 after vocalist Mieszko Talarczyk was killed in the tsunami disaster in Thailand that December. His replacement will be Rotten Sound frontman Keijo Niinimaa.

The band say: "Mieszko was a vital part of Nasum's bloodline. The band died when he died. In the years that passed, the feeling that everything had been left unfinished lingered with the rest of us." more.



Don't Expect A Michael Stipe Solo Album?
(Gibson) Mike Mills has expressed doubts that Michael Stipe will record a solo album any time in the near future. Speaking to Mojo, the bassist for the newly disbanded R.E.M. said the singer's interests lie more in the visual arts than in music.

"I don't think [music] is where his passion lies," Mills said. "I think he wants to be in the visual arts. I imagine Michael will do a lot of sculpture and photography. I think those are his big interests now." Mills also recently said he doubts R.E.M. will ever take the stage again to perform together.

In other R.E.M.-related news, actress Kirsten Dunst is spotlighted in one of two videos made for the band's final single, "We All Go Back Where We Belong." The track will appear on R.E.M.'s forthcoming greatest hits set, Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, 1982-2011, which is slated for release on November 15. Poet and performance artist John Giorno is spotlighted in a second video made for the same song. Watch the "Dunst" video here.



Glenn Hughes Wanted Tommy Bolin in Deep Purple As Drinking Buddy
(Rock News Desk) Glenn Hughes says he wanted Tommy Bolin to join him in Deep Purple so he could have a drinking buddy in the band – although he didn't realise that was his motivation at the time.

The guitarist died of a drugs overdose in 1976, just 18 months after he and Hughes became close friends. And the bassist, now with Black Country Communion, still feels the pain caused by three deaths in the Deep Purple camp that same year.

"Unbeknownst to me, I wanted to have a relationship in the band with somebody I could drink with and get high with. Tommy was that guy," Hughes tells I Heart Guitar. "Before he played a note with the band I said this to him, because he had the green and yellow and red hair: 'I don't care if you get the gig or not – you're coming home with me.' Because he looked so cool." more on this story



Steel Panther Singled Out Week: Weenie Ride
Grab your spandex and lipstick because infamous Sunset Strip rockers Steel Panther will deliver their new album, "Balls Out," tomorrow. To celebrate we asked Stix Zadinia tells us about the song "Weenie Ride". Here is the story:

The song Weenie Ride is inspired by a real situation with a real woman. In fact, that's not true at all. Weenie Ride is, at it's very core, a love song. Satchel and I were discussing the fact that we didn't have a full blown ballad yet on the record Balls Out. We talked with Lexxi Foxx in the dressing room about subjects.

Love and sex seemed to be the recurring themes. I believe the first version was Weiner Ride but we quickly realized that the word, Weiner, was much too juvenile. Who in their right mind would put a song about wieners on their record!? After weeks of toiling with different words and phrases, Weenie Ride was born. Now this was a title we could all wrap our hands around.

Satchel came in with the parts and most of the lyrics. We sat down in a Steakhouse in Las Vegas one afternoon and arranged what will forever be known as.......... Weenie Ride. We can't help it if we were divinely chosen as the voice of a generation. Nor will we shirk our duty to bring quality heavy metal and poignant lyrics to the forefront of popular culture.

A wise man once said, "don't hate the player, hate the game." Well, the game is called Weenie Ride people, and you gotta get on, to get off.

Steve Perry Interview

The legendary voice of Journey - Steve Perry has been atop my "want list" for interviews since I first started this site in late 1996. I've been fortunate to talk to all other members along the way, but still no Steve. The elusive Steve Perry interview remained a dream. Until this week. I hope you enjoy the read and if you take one thing from this interview - Steve talked and sounded like he was in a very good place. It was a great pleasure and a thrill to talk to him and have him open up about some tough subjects. Not only is he a rock icon and a personal favourite of an army of fans, but he's also one of my personal favourite singers of all time. And dare I say, one of (if not the) very best melodic rock vocalist ever.
I'm very thankful to Steve for extending out interview time and to Sony Music and Lora @ FanAsylum for setting this interview up for me...after years of nagging!

Some Interview Highlights:

Steve on first joining Journey: "When it started for me it was around 1978 when I joined the band. That's when I got my first break to get into the music business and I got signed to Columbia Records. And it was a dream come true back in those days to get a record deal. It was the sweetest thing you could ever have, is to be signed�next to the most horrific day of your life which would be to get dropped. So many of my friends did get dropped because they didn't sell records. I looked at it as if every time I had the opportunity to make a record � which the first was Infinity, with Journey � was this magical blessing that, I finally am in the record business and I get to make a record. But, I did not believe in my heart there would be a second one. I knew I had to love doing it, and if I could make any money I should save some money because I didn't trust there to be a second one."

And on the rest of the band adjusting to him: "They have to deal with this stepson that is something that they like but they wish they could have done it their way, and why wouldn't they? Why wouldn't they have wished that they could be successful without having a lead singer? Well then the label says �We want you to have a singer� and then they went, �Well, I don't know, I don't know.� So, all of the sudden, here comes me, and I think it was a real challenge for all of us to find out what that really meant. They had to let go of doing it their way. I was bringing in ideas; they were growing. But, I will tell you this�being the singer in that environment with them as we were growing together on the Infinity record brought a certain kind of vocal strength out of me that the band required it have. Otherwise, I do not know if I would have ever found that anywhere else. And I think that at some level I did the same thing for them."

Steve on that brutal tour schedule: "I was like a pitbull. I still have tons of energy. My girlfriend tells me all the time, �You're the most energetic person I've ever met.� But when I was younger, I was on fire. And, so I think that back in the day when the voice was fresh and young and I had that much energy, I kept up with that scheduled pretty good. Though it was difficult at times, I was able to keep up with it. You betcha. Everybody went through the same commitment because we were all together far away from everything together, out there. But we loved it! Don't you understand that?"

Steve on Columbia dealing with his solo record: "They were scared to death. They thought that I was going to spend a lot of money and they weren't sure what I was going to do. But you know, I ended up doing it relatively inexpensively and quickly because I had great musicians. There were no computers back then. Everything you're hearing on the Street Talk record is absolutely performed in the studio and captured on a piece of tape. I mean if you threw hamburgers in the studio, you would get hamburgers on tape you know? So, there was not a computer to be found, no auto tuner existed. Nothing of today's era existed during '84-'85. So, that is real musicians like Larry Londin on drums, Bobby Glaub on bass, Craig Kramph on drums, Michael Landau on guitar�"

And on disappearing from the public eye: "I went away. I did. I've been gone. I just went away and tried to figure out how to live life on life's terms and just come off the ride. Just put my feet on the ground. I think that has been the challenge and also to allow myself, Andrew, to start dreaming again, because the dreaming is where the music is. But the trick of the dreamer is keeping yourself from the blues..."

On Journey moving on without him: "At the time, I fuckin hated it! I hated them for doing it; I hated them for giving me an ultimatum. But now I can look back with clear eyes, you know. I can't blame them; they just wanted to get going. I was going to go to surgery, and I did. But not on their timetable. So I did that. I had my hip replacement and the rest is history. They've gone on and I'm where I'm at. Life had showed up and there was a fork in the road between us. So, we went separate ways dare I say, not making a joke. And that's okay. Now, I look back at it as the most painful time of my life. But you know what? They need to love their lives. They love performing out there all the time. The fans love the songs we wrote."

All that and more in the new Feature Interview: Steve Perry: A Legend Finds Peace