Today's Day In Rock!

Led Zeppelin Reunion Rumor Addressed
(Gibson) Led Zeppelin has been rumored to be planning a reunion at next year's opening ceremonies for the Olympics. So will it happen? Probably not, according to Jason Bonham, son of original drummer John Bonham, who subbed for his late father when Led Zeppelin played a one-off reunion show at London's O2 in 2007.
Speaking to U.K. newspaper The Sun about Olympics rumors, Bonham said it was unlikely that Zeppelin would perform at the ceremony in London next summer. "I haven't spoken to Robert [Plant] for about six months but he is really enjoying himself," he said.

"For me, you can never say never. If you ask me today is it gonna happen immediately, well no, there is no talk of it. But if you said to me in 2007 I would play with Led Zeppelin in December that year I would say you're nuts, so you never know." more on this story



Tonight's Guns N' Roses Concert To Be Webcast
If you are not lucky enough to be Las Vegas this New Year's weekend or even luckier to have tickets to see Guns N' Roses perform at The Joint, you do have the opportunity to catch one of the shows online.

That's the good news. The bad news is the stream isn't being offered for free. The pay-per-event event is for tonight's show at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (December 30, 2011).

The promo says: Playing for over 2 ½ hours at each of its US tour stops, the first of 2 final shows in Vegas promise to feature classics including Sweet Child O' Mine, Paradise City, November Rain, and Welcome to the Jungle.

The pay-per-view stream will be available LIVE from approximately 11 PM US Pacific Time and available to stream for a 24 hour period following the performance. Check it out here.

Metallica Going Old School On New Album?
(Banana 101.5) Metallica are working with producer Rick Rubin on their next proper studio album. You never know with Metallica, but there's a good chance we will see the follow-up to 'Death Magnetic' in 2012.

'Death Magnetic,'s return to form was generally well-received by critics and fans who had felt neglected by their turn to mainstream rock around the time of the "Black Album." Bassist Robert Trujillo gave a hint at the direction of the new material speaking to Gulfnews.com in October:

"We've been busy writing and recording. We've got a couple of new songs we have been working on the past couple of weeks. The writing process for the new Metallica album has begun. We've been in the studio with Rick Rubin, working on a couple of things, and we're going to be recording during the most of next year. We've got a lot of work ahead of us. But the great thing is that we have sort of already jumped off the launch pad and we're swimming. It's happening. It's reality. It's a lot of fun, there are a lot of ideas, and we're really excited about the new record. For me, personally, 'Death Magnetic' was the launch pad for the next record. This is the beginning of something very, very cool." more on this story

Iron Maiden Number of the Beast Narrator Dies
Loudwire had this sad news for Iron Maiden fans: Barry Clayton, the man behind the spoken word introduction to iconic song 'The Number of the Beast,' has died at the age of 80.

Clayton was a quintessential part of Maiden lore, as his deep, booming voice is forever etched in the minds of headbangers, thanks to the way he spoke those famous, ominous words that start the song.

The Islington Tribune reported Clayton's death. He was a resident of the region, which is in Greater London, England, for 40 years. more on this story



Van Halen Rehearsal Secret Revealed
(hennemusic) The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood have spilled the beans on their website about Van Halen's recent activities at the famed club: "For the past 2 months Van Halen has been rehearsing here 2-3 times a week!!!!!!

Do you have any idea how hard that was to not tell you?? When you come in at 10:00AM and David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and Wolfgang Van Halen are on stage with 3 other people in the room playing "Running With The Devil" and you can't say anything?! It's tough, to put it simply.

It all began with a 3 day video shoot for their newest single that you don't know about yet (shhh) and we were all geeking out like never before. Little did we know, the guys had fallen in love with the room and decided to rehearse for their upcoming unannounced tour for the next 2 months!

We couldn't film it for obvious reasons, so we've decided to share some of our favorite VH moments that happened for the next 2 months. Read that here.

Joe Perry Addresses Classic Sound of New Aerosmith Album
(hennemusic) Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry hosted his first Twitter chat Thursday night, taking questions from fans around the globe. As expected, there were lots of questions about the new album and upcoming tour, Steven Tyler, guitar gear and favourite places to play, and eat at, on the road.

Perry was asked which vintage Aerosmith album does the new recording remind him of, to which he replied, "people have said when we play the rough tracks it sounds like it's from the 70s but for me, it's too early to tell."

As for hitting the road to support the new disc, "we are planning on touring this summer in the US and Canada," writes Joe, and "we plan on coming back to South America in 2013, but we have to plan around my lead singers day job." more on this story

Chimaira Announce New Lineup
Chimaira announced on Thursday that Matt Szlachta of Dirge Within and Jeremy Creamer of Daath have become official members of the group.

They also had a post Christmas gift for fans in the form a free EP download. The band explains the new lineup and download: The plan was to build an undeniable string section and we have done just that. Jeremy will be pounding on the bass, and Matt shredding alongside Emil on guitar.

As a way to say hello to the Chimaira fans, Jeremy recently remixed a couple of tracks from The Age Of Hell.
Go here and download the FREE EP and listen to the Allinaline mixes. (We'd also like to thank Dubba Jonny for remixing Year Of The Snake!) More from the band here.



Cheap Trick To Webcast Dream Police Performance for New Year's
Cheap Trick have announced a live New Year's Eve pay-per-view webcast of a live performance of their classic Dream Police album.

The show will be broadcast from the Jannus Live courtyard in St Petersburg, Florida. For this New Year's Eve production, the band will perform their classic Dream Police album in its entirety, as well all the classic hits from their extensive catalogue.

Dubbed the "Best Show of 2011" by Ken Sumka of 93XRT Chicago, this production has pleased audiences in select high-profile venues around the U.S. The production includes an 18-piece orchestra, an ensemble of backup singers, and a lights-and-effects display. More details here.

Rare Pantera and Slayer Jam Goes Online
(The Metal Den) TMD has obtained enhanced audio of Pantera performing the Judas Priest song "Metal Gods" with Slayer's Kerry King during a rehearsal on May 18, 1989 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Basically, this was a a super rare jam session or "warm-up" for their legendary live show together that took place May 19, 1989.

This smoking cover version of the classic Judas Priest cut features all four members of Pantera: Philip, Rex, Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. more on this story

Steve Jones Slams Original Sex Pistols Bandmate as a Mommy's Boy
(Gibson) Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones has been talking about the '70s glory days with U.S. magazine Hustler. According to NME.com, Steve Jones called original Pistol Glen Matlock a "middle-class mommy's boy."

He also said he was "tired" of Matlock talking about writing "God Save the Queen," "Anarchy in the U.K." and "Pretty Vacant." He said, "I'm tired of Glen Matlock saying he was the songwriter for the Sex Pistols. I co-wrote as many songs… but I don't go shouting about it… At the time he hated the words, which John [Lydon] wrote. Glen's mom didn't like it… He was a bit of a middle-class mommy's boy, really…"

Recently, Matlock has been serving as the bass player in the Faces, standing in for the late Ronnie Lane. more on this story



Coldplay Making 1.5 Million Dollars For New Year's Gig
(Gibson) Coldplay have lined up an impressive payday for a New Year's bash, picking up a cool $1.5 million for one concert in the United Arab Emirates.

According to the Daily Express, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan booked Chris Martin and Co. to play the Volvo Ocean Race venue in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, December 31.

Having visited the United Arab Emirates before, guitarist Jonny Buckland is especially excited about the luxurious lifestyle on offer, saying, "I've never stayed anywhere like the hotel they put me in and probably never will again. It made Buckingham Palace look like a two-bed semi." more on this story



Tesla Star Rocks National Anthem at NBA Game
(hennemusic) Tesla guitarist Frank Hannon handled the anthem duties on Monday at the Sacramento Kings vs Los Angeles Lakers basketball game.

The event was held at Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento, California, the band's hometown.

It was Tesla Day earlier this month in Sacramento, as the band received the key to the city from Mayor Kevin Johnson, who praised the band for raising the city's profile worldwide. Read more and check out video of the Anthem here.

Thrash In The New Year With Metal Evolution
Thrash metal fans tune into VH1 Classic on New Year's Eve at 10 PM PST for the Thrash metal episode of the Metal Evolution documentary series.

Shockwaves Podcast sent over these details: Metal Evolution a new series directed by the great Sam Dunn (director of Iron Maiden's Flight 666 movie and Rush's Beyond the Lighted Stage movies).

The episode will be aired all throughout January on VH-1 Classic if you happen to miss the debut on New Year's Eve. more info and previews

New Editions of Ultimate Live Sound Operator's Handbook Released
Hal Leonard Books sent over word that they have just published a second edition of The Ultimate Live Sound Operator's Handbook by Bill Gibson. They provided these details:

The book is an updated second edition with new text, photos, illustrations, and video examples to specifically address the important, cutting-edge concerns faced by modern sound operators of all types.

High-quality audio is increasingly imperative, whether you're running sound for a rock, country, punk, or jazz band performing in clubs, arenas, or outdoor parks. With the advent and implementation of large-budget multimedia presentations, along with high-resolution multichannel audio for movies, television, and downloads, any live act must sound great to be well received by today's increasingly savvy audience members.
more on this story

Family Angry About Steven Tyler's Engagement
(TMZ) Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler's big engagement news did NOT go over so well with several members of his family ... who are telling friends they simply don't like his new fiancee ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected to the Tyler clan tell us ... several family members have clashed with Erin Brady for years ... and have told friends, "She's just not nice."

One source tells us, "She's just been mean to the family." And to make matters worse -- we're told several family members have griped that they had no idea about Steven's proposal plan until AFTER he popped the question to 38-year-old Brady last weekend ... and they felt slighted by the omission.

Sources tell us ... the family members were hoping they could eventually repair the relationship with Erin, but now, they feel Steven has only widened the divide.

VAN HALEN Has Been Rehearsing At The Roxy In West Hollywood

Dec. 29, 2011

The web site of The Roxy Theatre, a famous nightclub on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, has been updated with the following message:

"For the past 2 months VAN HALEN has been rehearsing here 2-3 times a week!!!!!!

"Do you have any idea how hard that was to not tell you?? When you come in at 10:00 a.m. and David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and Wolfgang Van Halen are on stage with three other people in the room playing 'Running With The Devil' and you can't say anything?! It's tough, to put it simply.

"It all began with a three-day video shoot for their newest single that you don't know about yet (shhh) and we were all geeking out like never before. Little did we know, the guys had fallen in love with the room and decided to rehearse for their upcoming unannounced tour for the next two months!

"We couldn't film it for obvious reasons, so we've decided to share some of our favorite VAN HALEN moments that happened for the next two months."

"My favorite VAN HALEN moment was when I came out of the kitchen and they were doing 'Panama'. I was one of the only people standing in the room by the stage. David Lee Roth looked at me, smiled, and waved. I thought to myself that is the only time in life I will know David Lee Roth was actually singing to me." – @LizzyDStadler

"It was so nice being at my desk listening to 'Jump' and 'Panama', the songs I grew up with by the actual VAN HALEN. I mean, really — it's the actually f**king VAN HALEN!" – Tina

"Watching David Lee Roth film the opening part of this video was one of the most awesome things. He was standing there smiling with a gigantic grin on his face for at least five minutes and HeKo and I were standing off to the side trying not to laugh (or get in the shot), but it was incredible. The week they finally brough in the synthesizers and played the opening to 'Jump' over and over made it really difficult to not jump out of my seat accordingly with the song. JUMP!" – @toneyeah

"What was my favorite part about it? Everything. I know it sounds stupid, but I can't put it any other way. To walk through the club and have Eddie Van Halen smile at me or pat me on the back, the guys were so nice, it was unbelievable. In my nine years at the club, this is by far one of the best things that's happened." – Scotty

"The positive energy VAN HALEN brought to the daytime was fantastic. During the day, it's always so quiet and work, work, work and even when a band does rehearse, it's always so serious. VAN HALEN was having fun the entire time and we could feel it throughout the building." @Heko310

"I just loved the first time they played 'Running With The Devil' It sounded exactly like it did when I was working box office at The Whisky." – Kathy

Days after VAN HALEN confirmed that it will head out on a world tour in 2012, the Van Halen News Desk has posted more information regarding the tour and the band's first new studio album since 1998. Next Tuesday (January 3), the dates and venues for the tour will be unveiled, with tickets going on sale January 10. January 10 will also see the arrival of the first single and music video from the long-awaited album, which itself is set for release on February 7.

Although the rumored title of the record was "The Future", this is apparently not the case. The band has posted an image of a train, the VAN HALEN logo and the release date online, but the record's actual name remains a secret for now. The set will be the group's first all-new collection since "Van Halen 3" was issued 13 years ago, and its first with original singer David Lee Roth since 1984's "1984".

VAN HALEN posted a video trailer online earlier this week announcing the tour. The two-minute clip was shot on November 14 at the Roxy in West Hollywood, California during the shoot for the upcoming new music video.

VAN HALEN reunited with Roth in 2007 for a successful year-long world tour, minus founding bassist Michael Anthony, who was replaced by guitarist Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang.

VAN HALEN RELEASE DATES!!!!

The Van Halen News Desk (VHND.com) has breaking news on all things surrounding the much anticipated new Van Halen album! Here’s the schedule of events leading up to the new album’s release:
JANUARY 3rd:
*CONCERT DATES & CITIES ANNOUNCED for first wave of tour
JANUARY 10th:
*FIRST SINGLE PREMIERE
*FIRST MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERE
*CONCERT TICKETS GO ON SALE
FEBRUARY 7th:
NEW ALBUM RELEASE DATE
ALBUM TITLE: “The Future” is not the album title, as rumored. Stay tuned to VHND.com for an update on the actual album and song titles.
EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: We have the first official photos from the band! These are from their video shoot at the Roxy. We’ll be posting one each day until the new single drops on Jan. 10th.

Today's Day In Rock

Metallica's James Hetfield Throws Rocks At Photographers?
(hennemusic) Metallica's James Hetfield let loose on some paparazzi over the Christmas holidays.
Starfeine reports Hetfield and his family were vacationing in Punta del Este, Uruguay for Christmas when the rocker got annoyed and confronted a few photographers.

James and his son Castor were taking a moped ride in the countryside and were being followed by paparazzi, so he took it upon himself to try and stop them.

Hetfield reportedly confronted a few, and even threw some rocks at some out of frustration. more on this story


Van Halen Mystery Solved: Album, Tour Dates and Video Release Dates
One of the most solid sources for Van Halen information, Van Halen News Desk, has solved the mystery surrounding the February 7, 2012 date on a promotional graphic from the band.

The site confirmed that the February 7, 2012 date is indeed the release date for the band's new album, their first with David Lee Roth since 1984.

VHND also reports that the band's 2012 tour itinerary will be announced next week on January 3rd followed on January 10th by the premiere of the first single from the new album along with the video and the initial tickets go on sale for the tour.

VHND also have the first official photos from the band. These are from their video shoot at the Roxy and they will be posting one each day until the new single drops on Jan. 10th. more at VHND

Coldplay's Chris Martin Has Unusual Encounter With Intruder
(Gibson) Coldplay's Chris Martin was forced to defend his property when an intruder decided to stage an impromptu performance of Coldplay material at Martin's residence. As reported by London's Daily Mirror, Martin first gave singing tips to the aspiring vocalist before asking him to leave the premises.

"I had a guy the other day who climbed over the gate of our house and started singing Coldplay songs to his friends on the street," Martin said.

The Coldplay frontman told the uninvited visitor, who had climbed a garden wall at the residence, that he wasn't singing the songs correctly. "Listen, you're just not doing that right," he said. The trespasser complied without argument when Martin asked him to leave. "He politely left," Martin said. "It was bordering on intrusion. Still, it's nice that people like the songs." more on this story



Red Hot Chili Peppers To Rock World's Most Expensive New Year's Eve Bash
(Gibson) The Red Hot Chili Peppers are set to perform at perhaps the world's most expensive New Year's Eve bash, London's The Telegraph has reported.

Roman Abramovich, the billionaire Russian oligarch known for throwing extravagant parties, has hired the veteran rockers to entertain at the exclusive event, which will be held at Abramovich's estate on the Caribbean island of St Barts. The 45-year-old Abramovich, who owns the Chelsea football club, is spending more than 5 million pounds (approximately $7,850,000) to entertain the 300 guests expected to attend. Those invited have been told to wear "island chic" to the celebration, which will run from 10 pm to 4 am.

The Chili Peppers take-home pay for the performance has not been revealed. In other news, however, the New York Post has reported that Stevie Wonder will be compensated $1 million to sing at this year's New Year's Eve celebration at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. more on this story



Alice in Chains Hope To Release New Album in 2012
(Banana 101.5) Last we heard, Alice in Chains were hard at work on material for their second album since the death of original vocalist Layne Staley. There's no doubt the album will be one of the year's best — the only question we have is will we hear the album in 2012?

Last July, Heart vocalist and longtime friend of the band, Ann Wilson said she had heard some "amazing" new Alice in Chains material and added they were at work on their next album. The reports were later confirmed at one of Alice in Chains only 2011 gigs when guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell ended their set by saying, "Time to head back to the studio and finish that record." Earlier this month Cantrell was asked by ESPN (via Grunge Report) when the new album would be finished, he replied:

"Whenever we're done. Schedules in music, I know people have done it and say you need an album out by this date and you're talking about album tour, it can burn you out quickly. It did with our band. We've been fortunate to be partnered up with companies that respect the process. We're never really forced to make music. If it doesn't happen, then it doesn't. We've been writing a lot. I also had shoulder surgery earlier this year. I'm at the tail end of rehabbing that. That put us back a little bit. But we have some stuff. We'll do some writing. Hopefully we'll have it out next year. We'll put it out when we feel that it's worth putting out." more on this story

Peter Frampton Launches Digital Battle
(hennemusic) Peter Frampton is suing his record label over unpaid digital music royalties.

The Tennessean reports Frampton has filed suit against Universal Music Group for a half-million dollars in unpaid digital music royalties and for unspecified damages, making him the latest artist to take a label to court on such claims.

Rapper Eminem's producers prevailed on similar claims earlier this year. Frampton filed suit Friday afternoon in a Los Angeles federal court. more on this story

The Doors Five Disc Box Set Shelved
Ultimate Classic Rock has bad news for fans of The Doors: The 'L.A. Woman' five-disc Super Edition is no longer on tap for release.

Bumped from its initial release date of Nov. 24, 2011 and despite the hundreds of pre-paid advance orders, Rhino Records has decided that it's not a commercially viable project.

Doors' Manager Jeff Jampol explains that "there are concerns at [Rhino's] end" and "they want to be sure that not only is the market there, but do we have a place to distribute them?" The two-disc 'L.A. Woman' 40th Anniversary special edition remains on schedule with a Jan. 24 date, but now it appears that a three-disc set (previously unreleased alternates/outtakes/chatter) will later accompany it. more on this story

Lou Reed Says Working With Metallica Was Like Getting A Free Ferrari
(Gibson) Lou Reed says that making Lulu, his collaborative album with Metallica, wasn't as odd as it appears from the outside.

In a just-published interview with M – Music & Musicians, the legendary rocker revealed that the disc, which is based on two century-old German plays, also involved a lot of improvisation. "[Working with Metallica] was all instinctual," Reed said. "Nobody thought about anything. It was just a great opportunity to play together. I had a certain sound in my head that I wanted to try to get, and I got it. The way we did this is that if everybody didn't agree, we didn't do it. It wasn't majority rules—it was all together or nothing."

Reed was also asked if Metallica pushed him into musical terrain that was different from his usual style. "They're into heavy metal, I'm into heavy guitar, so it was no big stretch," he replied. "They were so ready to go, it was thrilling. It's like someone gave you a Ferrari for free." more on this story



Behind The Scenes With Aerosmith
(hennemusic) Hot on the heels of their South and Central American shows, Aerosmith rocked Japan for 7 dates this fall.

Aerosmith are now sharing some videos of their Japanese trip. Bassist Tom Hamilton plays tour guide through Osaka, Tokyo and Fukouka, wandering the streets to show off some interesting sights.

There's also some backstage and pre-show footage, giving fans some private access and views most wouldn't otherwise get to see. Check out the video here.

Me Talk Pretty, Hawthorne Heights, Madina Lake, and The Young Electric Tour
Me Talk Pretty have announced details for the second leg of their first national headline tour.

The second part of The Wake Up Tour is set to feature support from Hawthorne Heights, Madina Lake, and The Young Electric.

According to the initial dates that have been announced, he tour gets underway on January 19th in Virginia Beach and will wrap up on February 13th in Amityville, NY. However, more date are expected to be announced soon.
more on this story

Sam Rivers RIP
(Gibson) Jazz saxophonist Sam Rivers, a leading figure during the strikingly innovative post-World War II jazz period, died on Monday from pneumonia, the New York Times has reported.

Rivers was 88. A multi-instrumentalist, Rivers zeroed in on the tenor saxophone in the mid '40s, and soon became an integral part of the then-thriving Boston jazz scene. During the '60s he played with such seminal artists as Miles Davis, T-Bone Walker and Billie Holiday.

In the '70s, working out of his loft-apartment studio in New York's East Village, he made a series of albums that solidified his reputation as a central figure in New York's avant-garde jazz "loft scene." Later Rivers work extensively with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, who had been an early influence. more on this story



The Trews Announce U.S. Dates
(TGS) The Trews completed their US Residency Tour in the tail end of 2011 as they continue touring behind Hope & Ruin, their fourth full-length studio album.

Feedback was amazing and the quartet doubled the crowd every week in each room they played.

Now they're coming back Stateside in January to hit the markets they missed. more on this story

Disturbed Guitarist Recalls Most Important Christmas Gift
(Gibson) 'Tis the season to charm little ones with gifts of Christmas cheer, and Disturbed guitarist Dan Donegan clearly remembers the most important Christmas gift of his life: his first guitar.

"My first electric guitar, it was like from Sears – it was a [Gibson] SG…" he said. "My parents just didn't really seem too supportive of it in the beginning, because they figured it's either gonna sit in the closet and collect dust, or 'he's gonna play it and it's gonna be loud and annoying.' It was kind of a difficult thing to convince them that I was gonna be serious about it, and I wanted this…" He added that, yes, he still has that guitar!

Donegan earlier this year told Gibson.com that classic metal guitarists inspired him to delve into guitar playing in the first place: "I can't really single out any player, but I liked going to concerts and the idea of being in a band where you see the impact four or five guys on stage have over thousands of people. So, that power and the scenario of the lead guitar just pummeling through the speakers were two things that caught my attention. Early on, I got into a lot of the classic metal players: Tony Iommi and Black Sabbath; the guitarists in Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Queensryche, Pantera. These bands all had great guitar players, so it definitely inspired me to go down that road."




Red Fang Announce Mastodon Off Dates
(Freeman) Red Fang have confirmed a string of European headlining dates to coincide with their tour of Europe with Mastodon.

Red Fang are hitting the road in support of their album 'Murder The Mountains' which was recorded The Decemberists' Chris Funk and the album was mixed by three-time Grammy Award winner Vance Powell (White Stripes, The Raconteurs).

Red Fang will also be taking the stage again in their hometown of Portland, OR this New Year's Eve at Star Theater. more on this story

Steven Tyler Shocked Aerosmith Only Had One No 1
(hennemusic) Given all the amazing songs they've produced over their career, it's hard to believe Aerosmith have only had one #1 hit single.

The Boston band's "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 5, 1998, and stayed there for four weeks. Ironically, the tune wasn't written by anyone in the band; the songwriter was Diane Warren.

Steven Tyler talks about the song's success as part of Billboard's 1000 No. 1's series: "It was a shock, not because we had our first No. 1," said Tyler. "But because it was our only No. 1. I thought that [of] all those other Aerosmith songs, at least one or two did." more on this story

Decrepit Birth's Samus Guests on New Neologist Project
This bit of news was sent over to us: The Neologist have announced their "mystery drummer" on the upcoming first track of the bands new Soilwork cover album as none other than the multi-faceted Samus (Decrepit Birth, ex-Mutiny Within, ex-Abigail Williams, ex-Suspyre).

The Neologist have collaborated with Samus for their first release, "Shadowchild".

Coming off the heels of their debut album, The 26 Letters of Your Universe, The Neologist also released a full length In Flames cover album titled In Flames We Trust: Volume I.

Today's Day In Rock

Van Halen Tease Album Release Date?
You can always count on Van Halen to keep people guessing and that's just what they did with their tour announcement over Christmas weekend.
Ultimate Classic Rock reports that in addition to announcing plans to hit the road in 2012, Van Halen have also seemed to hint at details of their reunion album. The disc could very well hit stores Feb. 7, if the graphic [released by the band] is any indication of what the band has in store for fans.

Then again, maybe not. It's really not clear exactly what the "2.7.12″ refers to — album release date? single release date? something else? — but some news outlets are interpreting a mass email mailed out [on Monday] with the subject "The Future" as the actual title of the VH album. More details here.

Steven Tyler Engaged?
(hennemusic) It hasn't been confirmed by official sources, but it's possible that Aerosmith's Steven Tyler got engaged to longtime girlfriend Erin Brady over the holidays.

TMZ reports the couple were photographed in Maui on Christmas Day and that Brady was sporting a new diamond ring on her finger.

TMZ says that sources close to the Aerosmith singer tell them that it is, in fact, an engagement ring. more on this story

Backlash Against Bon Jovi Death Hoaxer
The musician who started the death rumors about Jon Bon Jovi earlier this month is suffering a backlash from Jovi fans.

Ultimate Classic Rock reports: The rumor was started by Jeffrey Goho of Fairless Hills, Pa. Following the phony report that claimed he was in Jersey Shore University Medical Center with hundreds of reporters awaiting word on his condition, JBJ posted a photo to his Facebook page of himself holding a sign which read "Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey."

Within 24 hours of his false tweet, Goho's email account was "slammed" with hate mail. Find out what his motivation was for the hoax.

Not So Merry Christmas For The Osbournes
(Gibson) Christmas is supposed to be a joyful time of year, but for Ozzy Osbourne's daughter Kelly and the rest of the Osbourne family, this Christmas brought some sad news. Kelly revealed via her Twitter page that the family's cherished chihuahua Martin passed away on Christmas day!

She tweeted Sunday (Dec. 25): "Today is a sad day in the Osbourne family house hold we lost R dog martin of 14 years. Devastated does not quite sum it up! #NotSoMerryXmas."

Martin often appeared on the Osbourne family's reality TV show, The Osbournes, and Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon described the pup as "a sophisticated little creature" in the "pets" section of her personal web site. more on this story



Matt Sorum Recounts Split With Guns N' Roses
(hennemusic) Matt Sorum has shared the inside story of his final days with Guns N' Roses. Sorum recounted his tale of the original GNR's demise in an interview with Sydney, Australia's Triple M, when the drummer was in the city to play at the opening of a new Hard Rock Café. "The very, very end of it was us trying to make this record [what would go on to become 'Chinese Democracy'] that came out 15, 16, 17 years later," began Sorum. "There was a certain style of music that… Axl was always trying to push the envelope. Even with 'Use Your Illusion I' and 'II', we moved forward and people always go back to 'Appetite For Destruction'. But if you look at 'Use Your Illusion', it was more of an epic kind of undertaking. Axl, in his mind, would want it to be this epic, stadium, worldwide-renowned supergroup, and he looked at bands like Queen and Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones as, sort of, the benchmark for that. So we created these opuses, these epic numbers like 'November Rain', to really, sort of, become this bigger thing."

"When we went into the next particular record," he continued, "Axl really wanted to take it to another level, he wanted to experiment with electronics and stuff like that, and we were like, 'Oooh… Now we're getting into a little bit of a grey area.' He was really into Nine Inch Nails, and we were starting to get a little bit uncomfortable with the musical direction. And at that point, we had written a bunch of songs that were more like 'Appetite For Destruction' — stripped down, raw rock and roll; we almost wanted to go back to our roots. But Axl was really pushing to go someplace else. [He] was so obsessed with where the music was going."

"And I remember it was [after] about four or five years of rehearsals," Matt explained, "and Axl came in and said, 'I think we've got one good verse.' [Laughs] And we all looked at each other. And at that point, me and Slash had written a bunch of songs together, which became the first Slash's Snakepit album. Slash said, 'Matt, let's just go do a tour and make a record.' 'Cause Slash said, 'Axl doesn't like the songs.' So we made a record, we put it out, and Slash went on tour. And that was the straw that broke the camel's back."

"In retrospect, Slash was out doing a bunch of stuff. If the band would have stepped closer together, maybe we could have figured out what to do, but we were starting to divide; there were solo projects going on, me and Duff did Neurotic Outsiders. But we were all sort of frustrated; we couldn't get moving again. They had a bit of a blowout, and I was there, sitting right there on the couch, and I listened to them going through this whole shenanigans. And that was it. And it was over. It was horrible." There is more to the story here.

Summers Says The Police Have Unfinished Business
The Police guitarist Andy Summers isn't ruling out the famed trio working together again, saying they have some unfinished business. Ultimate Classic Rock reports:

During a recent chat with Guitar International, Summers said, "I always think it's unfinished business. Why does it have to end? People always want to hear the band and want to hear those songs.

"We haven't killed each other. We made it through the tour. It was the third biggest tour of all time, only because we decided not to go on forever, otherwise it would have been the biggest. It was just a phenomenal success on all levels." more on this story

Slash Says Les Paul Singled Handedly Created Popular Music
(Gibson) It's well known that Slash is a Les Paul guy, and in a recent Esquire feature the top hat-sporting, slick six-stringer explained his experience meeting and getting to know the musician and inventor.

"I used to think Les Paul was a guitar. I didn't know he was a real guy," Slash said. "When I got to know him, I found out that if you're really obsessed, he was the guy you'd want to be like. He was always trying to find an answer for what he was looking for in his mind. If things didn't exist, he built them himself. He single-handedly created what I consider 'popular music.'"

As for guitar playing, Slash says it simply comes naturally: "Guitar is the best form of self-expression I know. Everything else and I'm just sort of tripping around, trying to figure my way through life." more on this story



The Flaming Lips Offer Up Trippy Beatles Cover
(hennemusic) The Flaming Lips will wrap up 2011 with their 5th annual New Year's Freakout. In advance of Freakout 5, the group has recorded a trippy, guitar-free version of The Beatles' "I Am The Walrus."

The Lips will host the evening at the Bricktown Events Center in their hometown of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where they'll be joined by special guests Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band, and Phantogram.

The band promises to pull out all the stops with more of everything! More confetti, more balloons, massive volume, and maximum weirdness. Check out the cover here.

Metallica Release Video Recap of 30th Anniversary Concert Night 3
(hennemusic) Metallica have released a video summary of night no. 3 of their recent 30th Anniversary concerts.

For the December 9 show, the band were joined by several special guests, including former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains), Gary Rossington (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Glenn Danzig (Danzig, Misfits, Samhain), Pepper Keenan (Down, Corrosion Of Conformity) and Nick "Animal" Culmer (Anti-Nowhere League).

Metallica rocked a 21-song set that included covers, material from various points in their career, and the debut of a (then) third previously-unreleased "Death Magnetic" track, "Hell And Back." Check it out here.

A Pale Horse Named Death Lineup Change And Webcast
A Pale Horse Named Death announced a lineup change and will be streaming their first show of 2012 online.

The special hometown show will take place January 6th in Brooklyn, NY at The Knitting Factory. The show will be streaming in full courtesy of The Knitting Factory and LiveStream.com.

In other Aphnd news, the band has parted ways with guitarist Bobby Hambel, and has announced a replacement. Frontman Sal Abruscato commented about the lineup change. "Due to conflicting schedules with Biohazard, Bobby Hambel is unable to tour any further with A Pale Horse Named Death. We wish Bobby and Biohazard all the great success they deserve on their upcoming release in January 2012. Eddie Heedles has been chosen as the new replacement for Bobby. Eddie is a shredding guitarist who has worked with the likes of Corey Glover (Living Colour), T.M. Stevens, Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Sekond Skyn and The White Chocolate Experience." more on this story

Free Book For Metalheads!
This sounds like it could be akin to "On The Road" for metalheads. You will have to read and decide for yourself, nevertheless it sounds like a very interesting read. We were sent this info: Ryan Bartek has published Chapter One of his forthcoming book "Fortress Europe (The Big Shiny Prison Vol. II)" as a Free PDF Download.

This document "Fortress Europe: London" features interviews with members of industrial legends Killing Joke, funeral doom godfathers Pantheist, sXe titans Hello Bastards, weirdo punk crushers Armed Response Unit, progressive black mettalers Fen & hardcore champs Flowers Of Flesh & Blood, as well as a barrage of industry insiders & renowned metal/punk journalists.

Also included in this PDF Download is the Prologue to "Fortress Europe" which was released earlier this year & features face-to-face interviews with Polish death metal legion HATE, Grecian black metal kingpins Rotting Christ, & the USA's own blackened extreme metal machine Lecherous Nocturne. more on this story

The Dead Lay Waiting Streaming New Songs Online
(APR) The Dead Lay Waiting (TDLW) are streaming two more U.S. exclusive tracks from their upcoming album.

The new album, Almost Heaven, will be released in the U.S. via Rising Records on January 24th, 2012.

PureGrainAudio.com is currently streaming the track 'Look At Us Now' here, and PureVolume.com is streaming the track 'The Voices' here.

Vanna and A Loss For Words Featured On H.E.L.L Benefit Compilation
(CMGT) Vanna and A Loss For Words Contribute to H.E.L.L Benefit Compilation, which is being released as a 2xLP record with 28 songs (limited to 500 copies), a cassette tape with 28 songs (limited to 100 copies), and as a 70 song digital compilation.

In 2007, Gordon Riker & Kelly Wallace both tragically passed away in bike accidents in Boston, MA. Shortly after, friends of their's started a non-profit organizaiton titled H.E.L.L. (Helping Everyone Live Longer) - http://helpingeveryonelivelonger.org/ .

H.E.L.L. is a DIY group that primarliy operates in Boston's Punk/Hardcore scene that both Riker & Wallace were heavily involved in. Get Stoked! Records and H.E.L.L. have been working on a project for over a year and are excited to bring it to light.

It's Official: VAN HALEN To Hit The Road

It's Official: VAN HALEN To Hit The Road - Dec. 26, 2011
VAN HALEN has released a video trailer confirming that it will tour later in the year, with the first tickets scheduled to go on sale on January 10. The two-minute clip (see below) — which was shot on November 14 at The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, California — apparently features visuals of the VAN HALEN bandmembers performing a brand new song (taken from the yet-to-be-released track's official video) set to the audio of several David Lee Roth-era VAN HALEN classics.

VAN HALEN's new record deal with Interscope was finalized last month and marks the first time the band has recorded away from Warner Bros. Records, which signed the group in 1977.

The new VAN HALEN album, its first with Roth since "1984" was released on the last day of 1983, will reportedly come out in 2012, possibly in February (as the graphic below seems to suggest).

ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti recently said in an interview that he had gotten an opportunity to hear new VAN HALEN music through his friendship with bassist Wolfgang Van Halen (guitarist Eddie Van Halen's son), saying it sounded like "vintage VAN HALEN."

Producer Ross Hogarth spoke with Ultimate-Guitar.com about the work he did on the project, saying, "The whole VAN HALEN record has been recorded and we're all excited. I'm really stoked about it, as it is the original band, Eddie and Alex with Wolf playing bass, and David Lee Roth singing, it's the killing side of VAN HALEN at the top of their game again with Diamond Dave, and the band on fire."

VAN HALEN reunited with Roth in 2007 for a successful year-long reunion tour — minus original bassist Michael Anthony, who now plays with ex-VAN HALEN singer Sammy Hagar in CHICKENFOOT.

Eddie Van Halen Auctions Guitar For Charity

FRIDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2011
Eddie Van Halen is donating one of his guitars to raise money for the charity Drop In The Bucket, a Los Angeles based water charity that constructs wells and sanitation systems at large rural schools in sub-Saharan Africa..
This is not just any guitar – This is one of the first Wolfgang guitars ever produced and was owned by Eddie from 1999 to 2011. The guitar comes complete with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by EVH himself. Eddie will personalize the guitar for the successful bidder.
Bid on this One of a Kind Autographed and personalized Guitar from Legendary Rocker Eddie Van Halen! Bid here.
Fans should note what the auctions says here: “Terms: Guitar in condition as donated. Please allow additional shipping time for this item as Eddie Van Halen will personalize it while touring.”
Another glimpse into a great 2012!

Nikki Sixx Hints At Ending Motley Crue After 'The Dirt' Movie Is Completed

December 23, 2011



The bass wielding baron of rock n rolla is sitting opposite Sleaze Roxx writer Eric Mackinnon and looking incredibly youthful, energetic and literally half his age. An intricately and expertly crafted cake on the dressing room table, shaped like Sixx's camera with edible Polaroid style snapshots of his band's history, reveals it is the Motley main man's 53rd birthday in two days but Sixx is burning with the excitement and passion of a rock rookie and not one of the genre's legendary four stringers and a mouthpiece for an entire generation.

Motley Crue blew like a hurricane force, literally, into Glasgow on December 9th and left their indelible musical footprint on the eardrums of their ever-faithful Scottish fans. Sixx has plenty to say on the much anticipated movie adaption of must-read biopic 'The Dirt', their forthcoming Las Vegas residency, the pretenders to the Crue throne and even the end of the legendary band - which may not be as far off as people think.

"I don't think this band was meant to last and we've lasted way longer than anyone ever expected us to," smiled Sixx, leaning back in his dressing room. "For us it's about trying to find the right time to end it (the band) correctly. We've had that talk as a band and even in the last year or so we've spoken that at some time we're going to want to wrap this up. I feel really proud of the band but we are taking steps to finish the movie and when we do we'll look at that time. When the movie comes out it'll be time to finish on a high note, on a positive, and not like we're breaking up. I think that's a good thing and will probably put us about 35-years which is a long time for a rock band which is cool. We're not sad, we're happy."

It is ten years since 'The Dirt' hit stores as a blockbuster collective autobiography which immediately saw the Hollywood studios circle the wagons but the project is now picking up speed to hit the big screen says Sixx.

"Everything is moving forward really quickly," he insists cautiously. "The best thing I feel would be to find a young, hungry bunch of actors which want to go all the way out and they will own it. People always say how great it would be to have 'so and so' in the movie but I think the actors should be unknown names instead of seeing an actor who you recognise from playing several parts and then you could see them as one of us. It won't be easy to get everything from the book into the movie and that's where we're at right now. We've met with the director and the production company and we're very excited but it's nothing I can really talk about right now but when we get the green light to talk about it we'll talk about it all day long."

One of the underlying themes from 'The Dirt' is surviving, perilously at times, a decadent and destructive lifestyle, peppered with close calls with mortality, drug and alcohol abuse and more than a few run ins with the police. But fast forward to the modern rock scene and Sixx confesses the new media driven age and renewed awareness would make it difficult for modern bands to follow their trail of hell, fire and brimstone but he has hopes that one will separate from the herd and step up to the lofty benchmark set by the Crue.

"No, I don't think bands now could do what we did and I don't think society is geared towards that anymore," he mused. "I remember saying to my girlfriend one day, we were at a pool around noon somewhere, I think we were on the road, that nobody would be sober and someone would be in the bathroom doing blow and fucking fighting and throwing up. Nobody at this party would be sane and not just the bands as society was also completely off the rails. Then came the onset of HIV, political correctness, alcoholism, death, destruction and people began to think what could happen to them. Society started to change and campaigns like don't drive and drive started as the new generation came up and then being drunk wasn't seen as fun it was seen as being stupid and it kinda changed in a healthy way and I don't think we could have gone on much longer. We have the scars and the wounds from our time and we can't take back what we did as it makes us what we are. It was a rough one (laughs)."

"There has to be another band like us sometime again," Sixx continued. "When we came up in the 80s it was all boring fucking bands and boring fucking record companies, boring radio and boring press so we had nothing to lose and thought we'd crash and burn but that worked. We're in another place right now but a lot of bands are still really fucking boring. I'm trying so hard to find new bands and bands that can play and out of all this someone is going to come up, throwing up, fighting and its going to be good for the music industry. Now we have Lady Gaga, and God bless her, as at least she is fucking different and says fuck you. It'd be great to have a rock version of her and we will."

There is one band bubbling under the radar who could pick up the baton from Motley Crue but only if they can find their anthem.

"There are a few sparkling out there," insisted Sixx. "I think BlackVeil Brides are cool but I've told them they are missing one thing and they need to write 'Schools Out' or 'Shout At The Devil.' They've got to write that anthem to unify everyone as everyone wants to like them but they just haven't proven themselves yet. BVB have good songs but they don't have THE song yet but that takes time. Some people have it but some don't."

Motley Crue are heading for Sin City next year after making more history after penning a residency deal at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for a three-week series of four-night concerts a week at the off-Strip casino starting on February 3 and running through February 19. It is another milestone for a band who have conquered everything in the music world and Sixx admits to being excited to find out, and experiment, to see what they can do with a residency.

He continued, "We're going to do the Vegas residency next year which will be cool. We're building the show now and have so many ideas. Fans can come from all over the country and stay at the hotel and be interactive with the show. It's very exciting to see what we can do with a residency. I mean we barely got in here today (Glasgow) with the weather and distance. We have two big sets with Motley and Def Leppard so we finally make it but to be able to stay in one place we think 'well we don't have to tear down so what more can we do and bring in' which is where we're at just now which will be very fun."

Motley almost didn't make Glasgow after Scotland was battered by a hurricane, dubbed Hurricane Bawbag (ball bag) by the natives but it'll take more than that a blustery storm named after a hairy nut sack to deny the legendary rockers the chance to play in a country Sixx is keen to explore further - starting with the famous Necropolis graveyard in the city centre.

"We were in Nottingham last night (Thursday, December 8) and Mick (Mars) drove to Leeds and stayed there and drove to Glasgow. We were all on call if the plane wasn't going to be able to make it in so we were ready to drive up if required but we lucked out and the weather got good and we flew in. I just got here but I'm planning to go around the city a little in the morning. We're pushing back heading to Manchester tomorrow as much as possible to do that. I start with graveyards and I've been told to check out the Necropolis here which is one with so much history and I'm really looking forward to that. I want to stay here as long as I can. I have been to the UK a lot but I haven't spent a lot of time in Scotland as we're in and out all the time."

"As an artist 'Too Fast For Love' is so different to 'Shout At The Devil' and it's the same with my photography," concludes Sixx. "I've just done a fashion shoot with New York Post based on 70s British Glam Rock which was a different experience. Then taking bits of architecture too. Early in my photography I thought 'pfft, architecture' but now I find it really interesting. As an artist I like expressing myself in different ways and as a musician it's nice to have done different side projects. I was never going to do Twitter or Facebook or be as open on the radio but as I go I wanted to be as transparent as possible and let people see through me and start to realise that's what being an honest artist is really about to make people happy."

Guns N' Roses to reunite for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction?

By: Sterling Whitaker - Classic Hard Rock Examiner



The CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame claims that all of the classic members of Guns N' Roses will appear at their upcoming induction ceremony.

“Who will be invited, obviously, is the original five and [keyboardist] Dizzy [Reed] and [drummer]Matt [Sorum]," CEO Joel Peresman said in a radio interview on Eddie Trunk Live. “All have RSVP’d that they will show.”

But that's not wht the band members are saying. "For the record, I didn't RSVP, or in any way commit to attending the RRHF," Slash posted to Twitter on Tuesday. "I don't appreciate people putting words in my mouth."

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, singer Axl Rose said he still hasn't decided. "There is no plan yet. There really is no plan," he stated. "We're still busy with this lineup. We're gonna be busy - we're gonna be busy all next year. We'll be putting out new stuff as soon as we can figure out what our deal is with labels, blah blah blah."

For his part, drummer Matt Sorum predicted that any potential reunion will go badly. "It’s going to be as big of a train wreck as The Sex Pistols, Blondie, or any of those other bands," he said in an interview with The Vine in Australia. "That’s my prediction. Or Van Halen, which I don’t know if you saw that, but we [Velvet Revolver] were involved in that. Train wreck; it was a complete train wreck.

"But maybe it won’t; maybe it will be a miracle; I hope for that and put out the positive vibrations. But it’s coming up pretty quickly – that’s in March, so we’ll see."

A shout out to the EXAMINER for the above article.

Today's Day In Pop

Today's Full Report


Free Lady Gaga For Christmas
(popmusiclife) Lady Gaga has a very special present for fans this Christmas. "Been racking my brain on what to get Little Monsters for Christmas!! I finally figured it out!!" tweeted Gaga on Thursday.
"On Christmas Day I will leak to you an unreleased Song off Born This Way! It was recorded live, in one take, on the tour bus. Uncensored."

Gaga is currently in Japan, where she updated fans with this Tuesday tweet: "Sipping tea in Japan with Haus. Feeling so grateful. We sold about 1 million albums a month worldwide since the release of BORN THIS WAY." more on this story

Melanie Amaro Wins First American X Factor
(superLOUD) Melanie Amaro was announced as the winner of the first season of X Factor in a 2-hour finale episode on Thursday night.

She will receive a $5 million dollar recording contract as well as star in an upcoming Pepsi commercial.

The runner up was the soulful Josh Krajcik, mentored by Nicole Scherzinger in the "over 30's" category. Chris Rene of L.A. Reid's "boys" team rounded out the top 3.

Melanie Amaro was originally cut from the X Factor competition by Simon Cowell before the live shows began. more on this story

Michael Jackson's Brothers Plan Tour?
(TMZ) Michael Jackson's brothers Marlon, Tito and Jackie Jackson were so thrilled with the way they performed during a recent concert in Japan ... they've decided to take their show on the road ... TMZ has learned.

Jackson family sources tell us ... the brothers will be embarking on an 18-20 show concert tour that will span across Europe.

We're told the idea came together just two weeks ago ... when the guys were performing in Tokyo with a Japanese pop star named A.I.

The brothers had such a good time on stage together ... that when the idea of a tour came up, they all jumped at the opportunity!

Plus, the guys were so impressed with A.I., they've invited her to join them on the road.

Sources tell us the Jacksons are hoping to get the tour launched by next month -- but we're told their team is still trying to nail down the schedule ... so it could be pushed back by a few weeks.

So far, we're told Jermaine will not be joining the rest of the family ... but we're guessing he could change his mind ... if the price is right. more on this story

Britney Spears Scores Rolling Stone's Top Song of 2011
(popmusiclife) It wasn't a single, but Britney Spears' "How I Roll" has been named Top Song of 2011 by Rolling Stone.

The track, from Britney's "Femme Fatale" album, took top spot in the magazine's Pop Life column by Rob Sheffield.

The list is made up of Sheffield's "25 favorite songs of 2011, including but not limited to: hits, obscurities, disco jams, guitar monsters, boof-boof chants, pelican-fly rappers and karaoke-room-clearers. And Stevie Nicks, obviously." more on this story

Brigitte Nielsen Hospitalized After Crash
(TMZ) "Rocky IV" star Brigitte Nielsen was rushed to the hospital after a 3-car smash-up in L.A. Wed night -- and cops believe the person who caused the wreck was driving while hammered.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Nielsen was a passenger in a 2006 Porsche Cayenne ... which was struck from behind around 10:20 PM by a woman driving a Toyota Matrix.

We're told the Porsche was knocked forward ... striking the car in front of it. Cops and paramedics were called to the scene -- and the Matrix driver was arrested for DUI. Sources tell us the woman blew WELL ABOVE .08 on a breathalyzer test.

Nielsen -- who sustained injuries to her neck and back -- was transported to a nearby hospital, where doctors performed X-rays.

A rep for Nielsen tells us ... "She is back home. She's sore and resting." more on this story

'Just the Two of Us' Song Writer Ralph MacDonald Dead at 67
(Gibson) Ralph MacDonald, an esteemed percussionist and composer who co-wrote the hits "Just the Two of Us" and "Where is the Love?," died on Sunday (December 18) of lung cancer. The Connecticut resident was 67.

Born in New York City, MacDonald played steelpan percussion in Harry Belafonte's band for a decade before striking out on his own. His big break came in 1971, when Roberta Flack scored a hit with "Where is the Love?" – a song MacDonald had written with William Salter. Ten years later, Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr. reached #2 on the Billboard charts with "Just the Two of Us," another co-write of MacDonald's and Salter's, which went on to win a Grammy.

MacDonald's recording credits numbered in the hundreds. His distinctively Caribbean-flavored percussion work can be heard on such tracks as David Bowie's "Young Americans" and Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville." Despite being in-demand among such stars, MacDonald remained true to his roots, and often traveled to his ancestral home of Trinidad and Tobago. His devotion to calypso remained evident in his work throughout his career. more on this story



My Sharona Digital Battle
(TMZ) Music doesn't pay like it used to -- at least according to the sister of deceased Knack drummer Bruce Gary ... who is now suing Capitol Records, claiming the company is screwing her out of hard-earned digital download money.

Gary's sister -- Felice Catena -- inherited the rights to Bruce's music after he passed away in 2006.

Now, she's filed a lawsuit in L.A. County Superior Court, claiming Capitol is shafting her ... paying only a teensy-weensy fraction of what she's owed on download proceeds for Knack hits like "My Sharona" and "Good Girls Don't."

According to the complaint, Capitol owes Catena not 12% ... not 25% ... but 50% of net receipts from sales of his music by iTunes, eMusic, Amazon, and others.

You see, back in the day -- recording contracts didn't contain provisions for digital downloads (obviously) ... so once iTunes came around, it wasn't clear whether to pay the artist their sale fee (around 12%-18%) or their licensing fee (around 50%).

Felice claims sales through digital distributors are actually licenses -- and she should be paid accordingly. Eminem infamously sued his record label for the same thing back in 2007 ... and won.

Good news for Ms. Catena. more on this story

Hype Jones Remixes Jessie J
(popmusiclife) Jessie J has a new remix track on her hands. Hype Jones has reworked the UK singer's "Domino," morphing the pop song to a full-on dance club rave-up.

The original song is featured on Jessie's "Who You Are" album.

Jessie recently joined Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson and more at the VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul concert special; the event was recorded at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. Listen here.

Pink Saves Puppy
(TMZ) Pink just came through with a canine Christmas miracle -- shelling out $5,000 to pay for emergency life-saving surgery on a puppy that had been tossed in the L.A. river and left for dead.

Sources tell TMZ ... P!nk was surfing the Internet recently, when she stumbled upon a story about a puppy that had been thrown off an L.A. overpass ... and suffered 3 broken legs when it landed in the L.A. river.

We're told the dog was in bad shape ... and required major surgery FAST ... or else. That's when Pink sprung into action -- contacting the Ace of Hearts animal rescue organization and offering to pay for any medical expense it took to save the dog's life.

$5,000 later ... the dog went under the knife -- and recovered!!

And it gets better -- we're told the dog has since been adopted by a loving family ... and will probably get a big, juicy bone for Christmas. more on this story

Nedry Giving Away Two Tracks From Forthcoming Album
Nedry have set a worldwide March 12, 2012 release date of their sophomore album In A Dim Light via Monotreme Records.

But as a early treat to fans, two album tracks, "Float" and "Post Six" are available to stream/download here.

Drawing on the gothic undertones of David Lynch - and at points, absorbing T.S. Elliot's 'Four Quartets', vocalist Ayu Okakita revels in ruminations urging acceptance of the shadows; to permit the darkness to settle around her. more on this story

Feds Vs Sons of Guns
(TMZ) The star of the Discovery reality show "Sons of Guns" has been forced to surrender his Federal Firearm License after government officials discovered a bunch of his weapons had mysteriously gone missing ... TMZ has learned.

The man caught in the crosshairs is a famous gunsmith named William Hayden -- who founded Red Jacket Firearms in Baton Rouge Louisiana ... and hired his daughter Stephanie to help run the business.

Things went swimmingly until 2009 ... when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms conducted a routine inspection of RJF and discovered 10 guns registered to the company could not be accounted for ... a big, BIG problem.

We're told the feds pinned the blame on William and Stephanie -- and were looking to take serious action that could have resulted in the end of RJF.

But law enforcement sources tell us ... the Hayden's struck a deal with feds in 2010, in which the two agreed to surrender their gun-making licenses ... and in exchange, they could appoint a LICENSED person to take over the company.

It didn't take long for William and Stephanie to pick their successor ... they went with Vincent Buckles -- another gunsmith often featured on the reality show.

William and Stephanie went back to work for the company -- but since they are no longer allowed to own the gun business, they are working as employees.

Reps for the Haydens, RJF and Discovery all had no comment.

TMZ has learned Vincent Buckles has since left the company -- and two other licensed people are currently in charge of the business. more on this story

Mario Batali's Restaurant Hit With Sexual Harassment Case
(TMZ) Mario Batali's name has been dragged into a sexual harassment lawsuit in New York -- in which an ex-waiter claims the famous chef stood by for months ... while his fellow workers tortured him with butt slaps and masturbation stories.

Eugene Gibbons filed the suit in NY Supreme Court, claiming several co-workers ruthlessly harassed him while he worked at Batali's Babbo Restaurant in NYC -- co-owned by "MasterChef" judge Joe Bastianich. (Batali and Bastianich were not named as defendants.)

According to the suit, Eugene's co-workers "smacked his buttocks on a weekly basis," repeatedly grabbed his genitals, and made crude sexual comments ... including one instance when an employee told Eugene he masturbated to Eugene's pictures after his wife went to sleep.

Eugene claims Batali and Bastianich were fully aware of the harassment -- butt did nothing to stop it ... the suit claims ... by their inaction the two chefs condoned the campaign of humiliation.

Eugene ultimately quit -- he's now suing his former co-workers and the restaurant for unspecified damages. Calls to Mario and the restaurant were not returned. more on this story

Toddlers & Tiaras and Hooker Insults
(TMZ) Humanity reached a new low this week ... when a 5-year-old "Toddlers & Tiaras" star TRASHED a rival 3-year-old beauty queen ... saying she DRESSES LIKE A HOOKER.

5-year-old Isabella Barrett was leaving a spray tanning sesh in NYC -- again, she's 5 -- when she went off on 3-year-old Paisley Dickey for allegedly copying her spray tan ways.

Barrett (presumably with her mother's coaching) told TMZ ... "Last time I was here, Paisley was trying to copy me ... but MY mom doesn't dress me up as a hooker."

Barrett (and her mother) are referring to the infamous "Toddlers" episode ... when Paisley dressed up like Julia Roberts as a prostitute in "Pretty Woman" for a beauty pageant.

But Barrett's insult raises some questions -- namely, how the hell does a 5-year-old know the word "hooker"?

Based on how Isabella looks to her mother for approval throughout the video, you'd think her mom coached her to say it ... but that's ridiculous, right?

What mother in her right mind would teach her 5-year-old daughter ... to say another little girl dresses like a sex worker?

Today's Day In Rock

Metallica, Black Sabbath and Slipknot Tour?
Loudwire has a Christmas gift for metal heads... speculation that Metallica, Sabbath and Slipknot may team up for a summer tour. They report: With Black Sabbath reuniting, Slipknot touring and an upcoming big announcement from Metallica, metal heads can only fantasize about these three massive acts sharing the stage.
A new report from Artisan News suggests these bands may get together for a huge massive festival tour in the summer.

None of this is confirmed, but Artisan News has put together a series of video clips that hint at the possibility of this massive festival tour. Read more and check out the video here.

Motley Crue Ponder Retirement
(Gibson) Motley Crue founder Nikki Sixx says the band is starting to think about calling it a day, but not for a few years.

Sixx's revelation came a day after vocalist Vince Neil admitted he was starting to ponder life after the Crüe's impending Las Vegas residency in February.

"I'm sitting on my yacht, contemplating my future, and I'm not sure it will be with Mötley Crüe after Las Vegas," Neil told the Las Vegas Sun. "Great things are coming up and pushing me in another direction." more on this story



Watch Guns N' Roses Rock Los Angeles
(hennemusic) Guns N' Roses rolled into Los Angeles Wednesday for a show at The Forum and some videos have been posted online.

The gig is one of the final US shows on the "Chinese Democracy" tour; the North American leg winds up on New Year's Eve in Las Vegas.

The L.A. concert was made available as the first of two GNR pay-per-view events through iClips; the next one comes up December 30 from Vegas.

Learn more and watch some videos from the show here.

Steven Tyler's Oprah Interview Preview
(hennemusic) Steven Tyler is helping Oprah Winfrey launch her new series, Oprah's Next Chapter.

The pair sit down for an interview at Tyler's New Hampshire home, recorded this past September, for the series' 2-hour premiere on Sunday, January 1 from 9-11 p.m. on OWN TV.

In a preview of the episode, Tyler speaks with enthusiasm at the level of talent he's witnessed during the American Idol auditions process. "Half these kids that we send home," says Steven, "are twice as good as Janis Joplin was when she she snag her first note. Or I was. I look at these kids and I go, 'Oh, my God, I really sucked.' I would have gotten thrown off the show. All these kids need is 2 to 3 years of clubs and they could be as good as anyone out there." Check out the preview here.

KISS Kruise Announced
(hennemusic) KISS have announced details for their 2012 KISS Kruise, the second in the series which was launched this past fall.

It's a Halloween 2012 adventure, sailing on October 31 from Miami to Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas.

The 4 night cruise includes many of the features of the 2011 edition, including an indoor KISS show, an outdoor acoustic KISS performance, a KISS Q&A, KISS-hosted activities, costume contests and theme nights, among other things. more on this story

Steve Jobs To Be Awarded A Grammy
(Gibson) Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs will be awarded a posthumous Grammy award in February for his contributions to the entertainment industry, particularly with regard to innovations such as iTunes and the iPod.

In addition to his visionary work at Apple, Job was a lifelong Bob Dylan fan and – as reported in Walter Isaacson's recent biography – a guitarist. The Recording Academy's president and CEO Neil Portnow said the 2012 Trustee Award honorees – Jobs, bandleader Dave Bartholomew, engineer Rudy Van Gelder – as well as Lifetime Achievement Award honorees The Allman Brothers, Glen Campbell, Antonio Carlos Jobim, George Jones, the Memphis Horns, Diana Ross and Gil Scott-Heron, offered a variety of brilliance, contributions and lasting impressions on culture. "It is an honor to recognize such a diverse group of individuals whose talents and achievements have had an indelible impact on our industry," Portnow said.

Apple's pioneering contributions to the music industry and recording field were recognized with a technical Grammy in 2002. more on this story



Metallica Issue Video Recap of 2nd Anniversary Show
(hennemusic) Metallica have release a video summary of night no. 2 of their recent 30th Anniversary shows. The band rocked four shows over a week-long series of fan club-only concert at the Fillmore in San Francisco earlier this month.

Just as with Monday night's opener, the band were joined by many special guests, including former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, Lou Reed, Kid Rock, Marianne Faithfull, Mercyful Fates's King Diamond, Hank Shermann, Timi Hansen and Michael Denner, Ray Haller (Sweet Savage) and John Bush (Armored Saint).

Metallica rocked a 20-song set that included covers, some Loutallica, and the debut of a second previously-unreleased "Death Magnetic" track, "Just A Bullet Away" (which has since been released on the "Beyond Magnetic" EP). Check out the video recap here.

Bob Dylan App Released
(Gibson) Bob Dylan news via the iPhone? That's a reality today, as software designer This Day in Music Apps has launched a new downloadable application featuring all things Bob Dylan for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Running $2.99, This Day in Bob Dylan presents information about the artist's biography, catalog and historical details on-demand.

Consumers may bring up Dylan facts for each day of the year, from recording dates to past live events to career highpoints. This Day in Bob Dylan's song guide presents notes about songs from Dylan's first 12 studio albums.

And, think you know everything about the Gibson J-200 player? Test your skills with an interactive trivia game. More goodies include information on industry awards, recording dates, show set lists, a free Dylan ringtone and Bob Dylan wallpaper. Get the app here.



Girl On Fire Announce Tour With Burn Halo and Hell or Highwater
(CM) Girl On Fire will hit the road January 12th with Burn Halo (featuring former members of 18 Visions) and Hell or Highwater (featuring former members of Atreyu) in support of their Hollywood Waste debut EP, Revenge.

"We can't tell you how happy we are to get back out on the road so soon, and with two amazing bands," says vocalist Austin Held. "The tour will be a trip through most western states, so east coast friends hang tight because we will get out to hang with you all soon! For now, please check out the new tour dates on our Facebook page and please don't forget to check out Burn Halo and Hell or Highwater. We will see you very soon!"

Following these dates, the band will head back into the studio to put the finishing touches on their full-length debut which will be hitting stores in Spring of 2012. more on this story

Caliban Release Memorial Video
(CM) Caliban has released their new music video for the song "Memorial," the first single from their forthcoming album.

With an eerie story line tying together images of a child and what seems to be the workings of a religious cult, "Memorial" is the first song to be revealed from the forthcoming album, I Am Nemesis .

Slated for a February 28, 2012 release via Century Media Records, guitarist Marc Görtz says, "The album breaks new soil without forgetting our roots. There are new influences such as shimmering guitar melodies and technical grooves with Meshuggah-like heaviness." Check out the video here.

Our Lady Peace Return With New Song
Our Lady Peace have released a new digital single this week for the song, "Heayweight," at iTunes with the other digital music providers releasing the song January 3, 2012.

"Heavyweight" is the first single from Our Lady Peace's forthcoming album, scheduled for release in Spring 2012.

In a note posted to fans at www.ourladypeace.com, the group writes, "We feel that this is our most compelling recording since we formed this band. It's the record we've been trying to make for many years now. We now understand that the struggle to get here was not in vain." More details about the new album, which is currently being recorded with producer Jason Lader in Toronto and Los Angeles, will be released in the New Year.

Check out the Lyric Video for the new song here.

Korn's Munky Took Different Path With Fear and the Nervous System
(Gibson) Korn's new dubstep collaboration album The Path of Totality recently debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, but for those who can't get enough of guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer, the debut album by his side project Fear and the Nervous System is out now.

Shaffer went to great pains to distinguish Fear and the Nervous System from Korn, telling I Heart Guitar, "I think people are expecting a lot of Korn-sort of sounding riffs, and I purposefully used a lot of six-string guitars – all six string guitars actually – on the record, and alternate tunings and different things to make sure I wasn't sounding like that."

Shaffer used many un-Korn-like instruments on the record, including a baritone guitar, a Gibson Thunderbird, and a Gibson Les Paul BFG. "It's really cool," Shaffer said. "It's got a humbucker in the bridge position and then a P90 in the neck position. I used that on a lot of the tracks."

Although Shaffer would like to take the outfit out on the road, that won't happen until the various members can coordinate their schedules. The lineup includes drummer Brooks Wackerman, Repeater vocalist Steve Krolikowski and Faith No More bass player Billy Gould. "We'll see what happens," Shaffer said. "We'll just let people kinda discover it on their own. Really, the hardest thing about touring is scheduling, because everybody who played on the record has other band obligations."



Sammy Hagar Posts Christmas Video
(hennemusic) Sammy Hagar has posted a holiday greeting to fans. The Red Rocker had a productive 2011, turning out his autobiography, "Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock," and "Chickenfoot II," the sophomore release by Chickenfoot.

Hagar also hosted a hugely successful series of concerts as part of his annual events in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Chickenfoot head to Europe next month to play a week of shows on their Road Test Tour, and are already talking about plans for a more complete tour in summer 2012. Check out the video greeting here.

Red Hot Chili Peppers Tour Selling Out
Red Hot Chili Peppers keep selling out shows on their upcoming I'm With You World Tour.

Sold out markets thus far include: Duluth, GA; Los Angeles, CA (2 Shows); New Orleans, LA; Oakland, CA; Orlando, FL; San Diego, CA and Sunrise, FL.

Due to overwhelming demand, second shows have been added on February 18th in Oakland, CA and the sold out February 27th date in Los Angeles, CA. more on this story

Historic Frank Zappa Show Gets Four-Disc Release
(MSO) In October 1971, Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention performed two full-length shows on one night at New York City's famed Carnegie Hall. For the first time ever those recordings are available for pre-order now on a four-disc set via Vaulternative Records and the Zappa Family Trust (www.zappa.com).

Carnegie Hall celebrates a one-night musical marathon--two shows (7:30 and 11:30) with ticket prices ranging from $3.50 to $6.00--featuring FRANK ZAPPA (lead guitar, vocals) with Mark Volman (vocals, percussion); Howard Kaylan (vocals); Ian Underwood (keyboards, alto sax); Don Preston (keyboards, gong); Jim Pons (bass, vocals); and Aynsley Dunbar (drums). The package is accompanied by extensive liner notes in which GAIL ZAPPA describes these shows as "recorded Live in glorious MONO," they "represent the ONLY time Frank Zappa, with or without the Mothers of Invention, appeared at Carnegie Hall. Promoter Ron Delsener, who had to convince the venue's booker that Frank Zappa was "a very accomplished classical musician of several wind instruments like the cello, viola and harp," says "enjoy genius and smile, Frank is smilin' at you."

The four-disc set launches with the evening's openers, The Persuasions--the a cappella group whose first album was recorded by Frank Zappa in 1970. The Carnegie Hall album kicks off with "Call Any Vegetable" from the 1967 Absolutely Free album and includes "Peaches En Regalia," a 30-minute version of "King Kong" and other Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention compositions. more on this story

Rik Emmett Plays Along With Neil Peart on Rush Classic
Rik Emmett of Triumph sang and played guitar in a unique "virtual collaboration" of the Rush song 'Red Barchetta' with Neil Peart for a forthcoming release. We were sent these details along with a link to a preview:

Rik performed as a guest artist with fantasy rock band "Sonic Elements" on a cover of the song "Red Barchetta" which features drums performed by legendary Rush drummer Neil Peart via a music software sample library called "Neil Peart Drums" by Sonic Reality.

Here's what Rik Emmett had to say about the project: "It was such a great day in the studio, jamming out to Neil's incredible tracks, getting to play virtual 'basement band' and laying down my versions of Geddy & Alex parts. I felt like I had been transported back to 1980 for an afternoon. 'Red Barchetta' is one of my absolute fave RUSH songs… like an exciting, Ray Bradbury-esque SF short story, told by a progressive rock band… so to get a crack at it, with the actual drum takes that Neil performed, was an 'artistic' challenge - almost like accepting a dare." Says Emmett "This is like "Rock Band" for the seriously, deeply committed." more on this story

The Last Of Our Kind Eye Preview New Album Track
Mediaskare will release The Last Of Our Kind's debut album 'A Diamond In The Rough' in early 2012.

The band recently completed work on the album with producer Cameron Mizell (I See Stars, Sleeping With Sirens) at Chango Studios in Casselberry, FL. A track titled "Deal With It" from the album can be listened to on the band's Facebook page located here.

"All of us have always been fans of the bands on Mediaskare, so naturally we were all super excited when they sent us an offer," said guitarist/vocalist Mat DeCesare. "We wanted a label that would push us to new heights with 100% no nonsense dedication. Mediaskare shared a mutual vision for the direction of our band. Their ability to relate to us made us finally feel like we found where we belonged. We couldn't be happier to be a part of the Mediaskare family."

TIM ‘RIPPER’ OWENS Sings DOKKEN Classic On TOOTH AND NAIL Debut

Tim “Ripper” Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, DIO DISCIPLES) has contributed guest vocals to the forthcoming debut album from TOOTH AND NAIL, the new project featuring current and former members of DOKKEN — George Lynch (guitar), Jeff Pilson (bass), and Mick Brown (drums). Tentatively due in March 2012, the CD will feature new original material as well as reworked versions of around five or six DOKKEN classics. Owens is said to have recorded a killer new version of DOKKEN‘s “Kiss Of Death” in what is described as a Ronnie James Dio-inspired performance. Additional lead vocal duties on the CD will be handled by former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach (on DOKKEN‘s “Alone Again”), Doug Pinnick (KING’S X), Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown (on DOKKEN‘s “When Heaven Comes Down”). The drum tracks on the new, original compositions will be taken care of by Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER).

Regarding how TOOTH AND NAIL came together, Pilson said in an August 2011 interview, “The DOKKEN [original lineup] reunion has been scrapped, and I take a lot of the initial responsibility for that because of my schedule and commitment to FOREIGNER. I was, however, upfront about that from Day One. We did talk, though, and I think we all thought it was going to happen somehow at some time. Then Don [Dokken, vocals] and George got in some nasty e-mail fights, which I’m not really in a position to evaluate but they did get ugly and seem to put an end to further reunion thoughts. The two of them had their own business outside of the pending reunion and something just went south. For whatever reason, it was time to move on. Then George asked me about working with him on the next LYNCH MOB record — and I jumped at the chance. He and I started writing, got into a groove and wrote an album’s worth of stuff, all with the intention of Oni [Logan, LYNCH MOB singer] writing lyrics and it being their next record. Brian Tichy laid down some incredible drums at his studio (and co-wrote some music on one track) and we had an incredibly strong start. Then Oni just wasn’t feeling the music as being LYNCH MOB, so it was shelved. We figured it’d be the start of another LYNCH/PILSON record some day. Then, actually, it was Brian who had the idea that Mick, George and I should do a band, similar to what HEAVEN HELL was to BLACK SABBATH, and call it TOOTH AND NAIL. Because of everything else we have going, it’ll be just a recording project at first, but sure sounds fun. We’d record the classics keeping true to the originals but make them fresh and organic. Then the idea of doing new songs came up, and it grew from there.

He added, “I have absolute belief that the music George and I make together (along with Brian Tichy in this case) is real and inspired, and that’s what it’s really all about. So out of a mess of a reunion attempt, I think we’ll end up with a really fabulous record, and what could be better than that?”

When asked if TOOTH AND NAIL is basically DOKKEN without Don, Pilson said, “Don is, and will always be, the singer of DOKKEN and an invaluable part of the DOKKEN chemistry. No one ever wants to take that away or dispute it one iota. But the three of us do have time tested amazing chemistry, and because we were writers on these songs, I feel we have a lot to express. If anything I think this will be a show of respect for Don, not some kind of competition. I only hope people enjoy it in the spirit for which it’s intended . . . Don’t think of this as DOKKEN without Don… that’s misleading. Think of it as a band with great chemistry coming up with new music that excites them, and also paying tribute to DOKKEN — music which the members all are heavily invested in emotionally.”

TOOTH AND NAIL recently took part in a photo session with acclaimed photographer Alex Solca. Those pictures, along with an official press release announcing the project, are expected to be made available in the next couple of weeks.

For more information, visit TOOTH AND NAIL‘s official Facebook page.

ARNEL PINEDA AND JOURNEY GEAR UP FOR 2012 SHOWS & CROSSROADS SHOWCASE:

Filipino singer Arnel Pineda said he just finished doing more than 90 shows in South America and Europe as the lead singer of Journey. Talking to ABS-CBN morning show "Kris TV", Pineda also shared that Journey will be looking at some big shows next year, including one with American country music band Rascal Flatts as part of the CMT Crossroads Series. "The next tour will happen next year. We will have a two-show crossroad thing with the Rascal Flatts," he said. "It will happen on the third week of February in Nashville. They will sing a couple of Journey songs, then we will sing their songs."
Pineda said that by March, Journey will start doing their three-part show in South America with bands Styx, Loverboy, Foreigner and Heart. In 2011 Journey performed in Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Peru, Mexico, England, Germany, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Belgium and Netherlands. The band is set to tour during 2012 with Loverboy in the USA also!

Today's Day In Pop

Today's Full Report


Madonna Song Leaker Arrested
(popmusiclife) A Spanish man has been arrested for leaking the demo of new Madonna song last month.
The leaked song, "Give Me All Your Love," was to be part of Madonna's first new album since 2008's "Hard Candy"; it's due out in late March.

Billboard.biz reports Spanish authorities arrested a 31-year-old man in Zaragoza, Spain on Wednesday and charged him with the crime.

The man, described by police as a "big Madonna fan," was identified only by the initials J.R.M., and was released after being charged with the crime, the police said in a statement. more on this story

The Kardashians Battle Back Against Child Slave Labor Reports
(TMZ) The Kardashian family is preparing for war -- gearing up to unleash a legal attack on everyone who claimed their clothing line is manufactured in child slave labor sweat shops in China ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the family tell us ... Kris Jenner is furious -- claiming the guy who runs the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights had no right to accuse the Kardashian brands of wrongdoing because he has no tangible proof to back up his claims.

Kris must have seen I.G.L.H.R. honcho Charles Kernaghan on "TMZ Live" Wednesday -- when he flat out admitted he didn't actually go to the factories in question ... and is making the ASSUMPTION based on years of research on the Chinese manufacturing industry.

Jenner also believes Star Magazine's cover -- which screamed "Kardashian Sweatshop Scandal" -- was not only unfair ... but libelous ... and it should have to pay for any damage that has been caused to the brand's reputation.

As TMZ previously reported, Kris -- along with one of their manufacturing companies -- adamantly deny the use of child slave labor in their factories ... insisting they have people who are constantly patrolling for any possible violations. more on this story

Beyonce DVD Preview
(popmusiclife) Beyonce has offered up a clip from her new "Live At Roseland" DVD package. The pop icon has released "I Care" from the new set.

"Live At Roseland" captures Beyonce in concert at the famed New York venue, where she played four shows this past August, in sync with the title of her latest release, "4."

There's also a "Live At Roseland: The Elements Of 4" deluxe package, a two-disc DVD, with the complete concert, bonus offstage footage, a 20-page booklet and a video anthology that includes seven videos from her latest album. Check out the video here.

R. Kelly Has 32 New Chapters of Trapped in the Closet
(TMZ) R. Kelly needs funding -- AND QUICK -- because the singer tells TMZ he's ready to film THIRTY TWO new chapters of his legendary hip-hopera "Trapped in the Closet" ... but he needs financial backing first.

When we last saw "Trapped" ... the year was 2007 and Kelly had released 22 chapters, involving a little person who crapped his pants ... a neighbor with the spatula ... and a pimp with the stuttering problem.

Now, Kelly -- who was leaving an L.A. gym yesterday -- tells us he wants to continue the saga -- "but it costs a lot of money to do ... so we're actually looking for investors."

In the meantime, check out the end of Chapter 7 -- it's the only time we've ever heard anyone sing the word "spatula" ... and it's beautiful. more on this story

Swedish House Mafia Deliver Naughty and Nice Antidote Video
(Astralwerks) Swedish House Mafia have released the official video for their song "Antidote." The video comes in two versions; a clean pre-watershed version and an explicit version.

"Antidote" – a collaboration with Knife Party (side project of Pendulum's, Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen) – treads a much darker path than the Swede's usual productions and comes with a massive dubstep-esque warbling bottom-end. Released December 16, Antidote is available for purchase from Beatport.com and iTunes

On Friday night Swedish House Mafia not only took over Madison Square Garden but ruled the internet too, streaming the show live to the entire world. People joined the party in the millions leading to a No. 1 global trend on Twitter for the duration of the show! more on this story

Waka Flocka Flame and Gucci Mane Covering Murdered Rapper's Funeral Expenses
(TMZ) Waka Flocka Flame and Gucci Mane are throwing down big $$$ to cover funeral expenses for a fellow Atlanta rapper -- who was brutally gunned down last week -- lavishing their fallen comrade with elaborate memorial arrangements.

Rapper Slim Dunkin -- real name Mario Hamilton -- was shot and killed Friday night inside an Atlanta recording studio ... after a verbal altercation with an unidentified man turned deadly.

Now, a rep for Waka and Gucci tells TMZ, the rappers are pooling their assets to ensure Slim is laid to rest in the best way possible ... with an elaborate funeral that includes a white horse-drawn carriage, massive white floral arrangements, and a white dove release ceremony.

We're told Slim's family will cover some funeral costs -- but Waka and Gucci are paying for the lion's share.

The funeral is scheduled to take place Friday morning at 11am at Berean Christian Church in Atlanta. more on this story

Brown Shoe Giving Away New Single
Brown Shoe are giving away a free download of "Sick Man," the final single from their album, The Gift Horse.

In the song the band exposes a brutally honest and telling side to a serious event that overshadowed the entire mindset of the record. Halfway through the recording process of The Gift Horse, lead singer Ryan Baggaley fell mysteriously ill. Diagnosed with what turned out to be a rare and unusual blood infection, upon being discharged, Baggaley went directly to lay down the vocals on what would quickly become "Sick Man." This probably happened a bit too soon - considering the fact that he was quickly readmitted - yet it's hard to not admire such ambition.

Describing the time as being an "overly emotional time not only in my life but in the band's history," the song came to life with Baggaley being "in the middle of a nostalgic morphine induced yearning for a different place and time."

While Ryan has spent the year successfully recovering, "Sick Man" offers a glimpse not only into the dedication of these four brothers and a friend, but also the oft-cathartic nature of their songs.


Bad Girls Club Star Wanted By Police
(TMZ) Judith Jackson -- who starred in the most recent season of "Bad Girls Club" in New Orleans -- was arrested last month on suspicion of DUI ... and now, police are on the hunt for her again.

According to the Illinois arrest report, obtained by TMZ, Jackson was pulled over for erratic driving on November 9th ... and then placed under arrest after bombing a field sobriety test.

But here's where it gets crazy -- while police searched her vehicle, cops claim Jackson climbed out of the squad car window, still in handcuffs, and took off down the street.

According to the report, cops located Jackson hiding away in a nearby home, and hauled her to the police station -- where she was booked on three charges ... DUI, resisting arrest, and theft.

But what did she steal, you ask? Cops insist ... since Judith was wearing their handcuffs during her alleged getaway attempt, it qualifies as theft ... which is pretty crazy ... because what the hell was she supposed to do? Take them off first?

Jackson was scheduled to appear in court on Monday -- but according to court sources, she failed to show up ... and a bench warrant was issued for her arrest.

Judith tells us, she was out of town hosting an event during her court date -- and she plans to take care of that pesky warrant issue as soon as she can. more on this story

Ariana Grande From Nickelodeon's Victorious Hosting Meet N Greet Today
Ariana Grande, who plays the role of Cat from Nickelodeon's Victorious, has recently released her debut single "Put Your Hearts Up".

She'll be promoting the single today in NYC at Planet Hollywood with a special Hand Print Ceremony and Meet N Greet.

The event takes place today Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 1:30 pm at Planet Hollywood Times Square - - 1540 Broadway (corner of 45th Street). Listen to the song here.

Anthony Hamilton Back To Love A Hit
(RCA) Anthony Hamilton's new album, Back To Love, makes its debuts this week at no. 3 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart.

The album also lands at no. 12 on the Top 200 Albums chart, according to Nielsen SoundScan and no. 8 on the Digital Albums chart.

Leading the way for the album's chart debut is the current single "Woo," the Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds written and produced track which is #8 on the Urban Adult Contemporary chart this week. Hamilton recently performed the soul-stirring tune on Live with Kelly! and the Late Show with David Letterman. more on this story

deadmau5 Day Declared in Las Vegas
(MSO) Mayor Carolyn Goodman has passed a proclamation officially declaring January 2, 2012, "deadmau5 Day" in the City of Las Vegas.

This marks the date the electronic music phenomenon will launch his exclusive partnership with Wynn Las Vegas, debuting at XS Nightclub during New Year's Eve weekend and continuing with additional dates at both Encore Beach Club and XS through 2012.

"Throughout the past year we have seen the masses journey to Las Vegas to experience electronic dance artists headlining in our nightclubs," said Jesse Waits, co-owner and managing partner of XS and Tryst nightclubs. "The following for deadmau5 is phenomenal, and I applaud Mayor Goodman for recognizing both his remarkable persona alongside his ability to drive visitor traffic from fans traveling across the globe to experience his live sets." more on this story

Fishbone Documentary To Be Broadcast Next Month
(Girlie) The new Fishbone documentary Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone will have its national broadcast premiere on Monday, January 22nd, 2012 as part of public television's AfroPoP documentary series.

The film is being distributed via digital and home video by Cinema Guild, which will present the film exclusively via ITunes starting February 1st, 2012 and then via home video starting February 22nd, 2012.

When Fishbone first emerged from California, no other band sounded or looked like them, and the weight of their innovative and iconic presence is still being felt decades later. Coinciding with the group's 25th anniversary, filmmakers Lev Anderson & Chris Metzler have directed a compelling new documentary, narrated by Laurence Fishburne. Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone is both a fascinating and brutally honest look at the band's history for longtime fans, as well as a perfect entry point for newcomers. more on this story

Crystal Method, DJ Premier, Pretty Lights, Mark Ronson, and Skrillex Movie Premiere
(MSO) Re:Generation Music Project will enjoy a unique nationwide, one-night only theatrical release in select cities and venues on Feb. 16, 2012. Encore screenings will be scheduled for Feb 23.

Re:Generation Music Project is a new documentary that examines music's past, present and future, while yielding five revolutionary collaborations in the process.

Directed by award-winning documentarian, Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story, My Kid Could Paint That), the documentary follows five electronic DJs/producers as they re-imagine music by collaborating with influential artists from each genre. In the film, The Crystal Method, DJ Premier, Pretty Lights, Mark Ronson, and Skrillex use technology to mix musical styles and generations for the creation of five original tracks that are nothing short of magical. more on this story

Morgan Page and Tegan & Sara's Body Work Video Online
(Nettwerk) Morgan Page teamed up with Tegan & Sara, for a new, original tune called "Body Work," and fans can check it out online.

Having remixed numerous cuts for the indie stalwarts, the three wanted to write something together from scratch.

The result is one of the most exciting tracks off the 2012 studio album. Watch the lyric video for the club mix here

Avicii Plans House For Hunger Tour
Avicii have announced the dates for his House For Hunger January 2012 Tour of North America.

The tour which boasts 26 shows packed into 27 days is set to kick-off on Thursday, January 5th in Detroit, Michigan and will make stop in cities throughout the U.S. where fans have yet to see Avicii perform.

On the heels of a Best Dance Recording Grammy nomination for the co-produced David Guetta track "Sunshine," U.S. fans will get to hear for the first time live Avicii's newly released single "Le7els.