Today's Day In Rock!

Lost Beatles Solo Discovered (Hear It Online)
(hennemusic) The guitar solo from The Beatles' 1969 hit single "Here Comes The Sun" has been discovered after 43 years.
The solo was discovered by Harrison's son Dhani, Beatles' producer George Martin and his son Giles during a visit to Abbey Road Studios, according to NME.

The solo track was discovered while the three were listening to the Abbey Road classic when a chance move of a fader on the mixing board uncovered the lost guitar solo. Check out the video here.


Velvet Revolver Reunion Speculation Shot Down
(Gibson) Although Velvet Revolver fans still are buzzing from the band's reunion with vocalist Scott Weiland for a performance on January 12, the band's drummer Matt Sorum says there has been no talk yet of the singer returning to the band full-time.

In an interview with Frankie DiVita of 96.7 KCAL Rocks at the 2012 NAMM Show, Sorum said of the performance, "It was cool, man. We hadn't played together in a long time. We soundchecked a few songs. We only played, like, three songs. But it was cool to be on stage and play music again. It was like riding a bike."

Sorum said Slash was booked for the next year to support his upcoming solo album, and that a reunion with Weiland hasn't yet been discussed. The concert was organized to raise funds to support the family of late award-winning composer John O'Brien. "Everyone had a good time and we raised some money for a really sad situation," Sorum said. "John O'Brien passed away and left a pregnant wife and another child. And a lot of people turned out for the show… Amazing turnout." more on this story




Sammy Hagar Not Impressed With New Van Halen
(hennemusic) While chatting with Radio Metal, Sammy Hagar says he isn't impressed with what he heard so far of Van Halen's new studio album with original frontman David Lee Roth and offered some other harsh views of his former group.

While chatting with Radio Metal, Hagar was asked how he is feeling now that VH are releasing a new album. "Oh, I'm okay with those guys doing whatever they want to do," says Sammy. "What I've heard so far, I wasn't impressed with at all, personally. I think in Chickenfoot, we've raised the bar a little bit on what a four-piece rock band can do, and I think they chose to take the easy route and take some of their old stuff and and re-record it instead of writing new songs. Who is Van Halen today? I don't know, I don't think the fans are going to be happy with it. I couldn't care less if it's the biggest album of the year, that wouldn't be important to me, what is important to me is that, as artists, why would you do that? They haven't released an album since my last album in something like 1991 or '92, (Ed. note: "VHIII" was issued in 1998) and then they just go back. To me it makes a strange statement, it kind of says 'We don't have anything, we're not a band anymore, we're not creative.' Isn't it a strange statement to you?"

Radio Metal: Do you think this was intentional? I mean, as a band it's normal to have some habits, some patterns, some ways of composing that come back, so do you think it really was intentional? Hagar: I don't know. To be honest with you, the last time I was around those guys was in 2004 on the reunion. It was a disaster, it was horrible, Eddie was in a really bad shape, I wrote about it a lot in my book. And I don't know what they're thinking to be honest with you. Because if they were thinking at all, they would certainly have Mikey in there playing bass. So I don't know what they're thinking. I believe it was probably intentional because I don't think they had any choice. If they had had a choice they would've done all new stuff. From today. They would've written together like a band.

Radio Metal: So you think they don't have any inspiration today? Hagar: I don't think so. I think there's zero inspiration and zero creativity. If there was any, they would write new songs. What does the band do? When Chickenfoot got together for our first album, we were four new guys and we got together and wrote ten, twelve songs and made an album. When we decided to do our second album, we didn't go back and take the two songs that were left over from the first album, we wrote all brand new songs. Because we're new people, we're inspired. Here's what we have to say, here's what we want to play now, here's who we've become since then. And you present yourself to the fans as who you are and what you've become. And if you don't have any idea of who you are or what you are and what you've become [laughs], then I guess you have to go back and show them what you used to be. I don't know, does that make sense? more on this story



Nikki Sixx Reignites Motley Crue and Godsmack Feud
(Rock News Desk) Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx has reignited his war of words with Godsmack frontman Sully Erna.

In his latest retaliation after Erna wrote the song Crying Like A Bitch about Sixx, the glam icon says he'd like the singer to join Crue on stage at their upcoming Las Vegas residency.

Sixx says: "We're looking for an angry midget for our Vegas shows and I was thinking of using the singer from Godsmack." more on this story


Jack White Previews Song From Solo Album
(hennemusic) Former White Stripes main man Jack White has announced details of his first solo debut album release.

Due April 24, "Blunderbuss" was produced by White and recorded at his own Third Man Studio in Nashville.

White describes the project as "an album I couldn't have released until now. I've put off making records under my own name for a long time but these songs feel like they could only be presented under my name. These songs were written from scratch, had nothing to do with anyone or anything else but my own expression, my own colors on my own canvas."

White has offered up his first single, "Love Interruption." Listen here.


Jesse Leach Enjoys Killswitch Engage Reunion Mystery
(Rock News Desk) Former Killswitch Engage singer Jesse Leach wants fans to enjoy the mystery of not knowing if he's returning to the band.

So he won't confirm or deny whether he's been asked to replace Howard Jones, who parted company with the metalcore outfit earlier this month.

"I'm not going to comment. I'd rather those guys go through what they've got to go through. They're good friends of mine, so I'm respecting their space at the moment," Leach tells Loud. "It's more fun, more mystery, too – you don't have to know everything. These days everybody is on Facebook and tweeting everything that happens. What happened to the mystery of music and not knowing everything?" more on this story


Seether Fans Create New EP
(Banana 101.5) Seether recently held a contest asking musicians to remix the hit single 'Tonight' from their recent studio album 'Holding On To Strings Better Left To Fray' and were so impressed with the results they will be releasing an entire EP of fan-submitted remixes of their tunes.

Seether has announced that they will be releasing an EP — featuring 'Holding On To Strings…' songs culled from their remix contest hosted by IndabaMusic.com — on February 7th.

The band is currently preparing for some overseas gigs ahead of their North American tour with Nickelback, Bush, and My Darkest Days which kicks off in April. Tracklist and a little taste



Shinedown, Adelitas Way and Art of Dying for 2012 Avalanche Tour
(Banana 101.5) Shinedown will head up the 2012 Avalanche tour with support from up-and-comers Adelitas Way and Art of Dying.

The Avalanche tour returns for it's second outing with Shinedown headlining the annual touring festival — last year's featured Stone Sour, Theory of a Deadman, Skillet, and Halestorm.

Art of Dying appeared as part of last year's lineup and will once again be involved, as they will replace New Medicine as support for the second half the tour. more on this story



The Cult Set New Album Release
(hennemusic) The Cult return this spring with "Choice Of Weapon," their first full-length album in 5 years on May 22.

Co-produced by Chris Goss (Queens of the Stone Age, U.N.K.L.E.) and longtime collaborator Bob Rock (Metallica, Aerosmith), "Choice of Weapon" was made in several studios, including the band's own Witch Mountain as well as spots in New York City, Los Angeles and the California desert.

Rolling Stone caught up with Cult frontman Ian Astbury for an album update. "Let's put it this way – the paint's still wet. We're breaking it to you guys first," says Astbury. "I think we missed our initial release date, partially due to the way that we ended up finishing the record. We began with Chris Goss, who is a very close friend and somebody I've been friends with for over 20 years. And we always talked about doing a Cult record together. Chris did all the refinement, helping us find the material, craft it, and I think we've been at it for quite a while. It just became attrition. Everyone was getting kind of exhausted. Kind of wearing each other out in the studio." more including a new song preview


Michael Anthony Looking Forward To New Van Halen Album
(Gibson) Ever the class act, former Van Halen bass player Michael Anthony says he's looking forward to hearing the new VH album – especially because it includes material which he originally played with the band on their original demos in the 1970s.

In an interview with Rob Birnie of Planet Rock, to air in full in a few weeks, Anthony said he would not be looking for songwriting credits on the material on the new Van Halen album, A Different Kind of Truth, despite the band's former policy of crediting all members equally. "I don't want to do anything. I just let it be," Anthony said. "And, hey, it'll be nice to hear some of those old songs again that I haven't played in a long time."

Much has been made of how the band returned to early demos of unreleased songs to mine for inspiration for the new material. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times over the weekend, singer David Lee Roth said, "It's material that Eddie and I generated, literally, in 1975, 1976 and 1977. Usually fellas in our weight division will kind of gamely – or ironically, wink, wink – try to hail back to it [but] keep a safe, mature distance from it." more on this story




Peter Case & Paul Collins Reunite For Nerves, Plimsouls and The Beat Tour
Peter Case & Paul Collins will reunite this spring for a North American tour where they will perform fan favorites from their joint and separate bands. Here is the official word with the details:

Prior to Peter Case forming The Plimsouls in '78, he was part of two other influential mid-to-late '70s bands with Paul Collins – The Nerves and The Breakaways (Paul would later go on to form his own highly-respected group, The Beat). Both Peter and Paul have enjoyed successful solo careers on record and on the road, but this spring they'll once again be reunited for a very special North American tour.

The two frontmen (along with bassist Timm Buechler and drummer Amos Pitsch) will be performing classic numbers by their bands, The Nerves and The Breakaways, as well as material by The Plimsouls and The Beat. For fans of energetic live performances, visceral rock & roll, and raucous, hook-laden songs that draw as much from the golden age of '60s pop as they do from punk, these shows should prove to be nothing short of nirvana. more on this story


Paul Weller Announces Only North American Appearance for 2012
SKH announced that New York area fans will be able to see Paul Weller this spring for his only scheduled appearances in North America this year.

Weller and his band will perform at a two-night stand at the Best Buy Theater in Times Square, New York on May 18th & 19th.

Paul Weller's two New York shows will be in support of his upcoming album Sonik Kicks, which is scheduled for release on March 27th 2012 on Yep Roc Records. more on this story


Garbage's New Album and Tour Coming In Spring
Garbage has set the release date for their first new album in seven years and they have announced the initial tour dates in support of the effort.

The group's fifth studio album, Not Your Kind Of People, will be released in the North America on May 15, 2012.

"Working with Garbage again was very instinctual," said Duke Erikson. "Like getting on a bicycle...with three other people." He adds "We haven't felt this good about a Garbage record since the last one!" more on this story


Warbringer Lose Member on Eve of Iced Earth Tour
Warbringer have parted ways with longtime guitarist Adam Carroll as the band prepares to hit the road with Iced Earth and Symphony X. Adam and the band have issued statements and his replacement has been named:

To all fans and friends, I, Adam Carroll, have officially quit WARBRINGER. I have financial issues at home that have to be addressed sooner than later. I hope you all can understand and respect my decision. It's been some of the best years of my life and I appreciate all the support you the fans have given us and continue to give. I will forever be part of the WARBRINGER family. Many thanks and until I see the rest of you again, keep the metal alive. Cheers!"

The band enlisted friend and talented, young guitarist Andrew Bennett for the purpose of filling in live for this tour with the hope that he may become a permanent member of the group as he continues his audition process where it matters most-- on the stage and in the van. more on this story


Staind Frontman Aaron Lewis Earns CMA Nominations
Big news for Staind frontman Aaron Lewis as his solo venture into country music has earned him some big nominations.

Aaron's debut country single "Country Boy," has received two Academy Of Country Music nominations.

Lewis was nominated in the "Vocal Event of the Year" category for the song--which features George Jones and Charlie Daniels--as both the artist and co-producer, along with co-producer James Stroud. more on this story


Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg World Tour
Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg, featuring the famed Ramones member and former Misfits frontman Michale Graves, will be hitting the road in March a world tour.

The tour kicks off mid-March in Argentina followed by a short U.S. East coast run that will include two hometown area shows for drummer and Brooklyn native Marky Ramone (March 28 @ Maxwell's – Hoboken, NJ & April 1 @ The Bell House – Brooklyn, NY). Following the U.S. leg Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg heads to Greece, Malaysia, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Germany and the U.K. with more dates to be added.

Festival stops along the tour will include Festival de Guitarra in Barcelona, Ruhrpott Rodeo Festival in Germany, Plymouth Volksfest in the U.K. and Hard Rock Hell Ibiza Road Trip in Spain. more on this story


Alex Harvey 'Enters' Rock Hall of Fame On 30th Anniversary Of His Death
(Rock News Desk) Seventies rock icon Alex Harvey is set to enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the establishment adds a photobook about his life to its collection.

The move comes just days before fans gather in the singer's native Glasgow, Scotland, to mark the 30th anniversary of his death.

Harvey, leader of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band and widely regarded as one of the best rock frontman of all time, passed away on February 4, 1982, a day short of his 47th birthday.

Acts as varied as Def Leppard, the Cure, the Sex Pistols, Nick Cave and AC/DC have cited him as an influence. SAHB released eight albums between 1972 and 1977 and are remembered for stand-out tracks including Next, Boston Tea Party, Give My Compliments to the Chef, Gang Bang, Vambo and Framed.

Photographer Janet Macoska, whose work is showcased in the hardback Alex Harvey: Last of the Teenage Idols, says: "He was my mentor and my friend. Alex gave me my first paying gig and believed in my talent long before I did. more on this story


Paul McCartney Was Intimidated By Diana Krall
(Gibson) Paul McCartney has talked about being intimidated when recording with jazz artist Diana Krall for his new album, Kisses on the Bottom.

According the U.K. newspaper The Daily Express, McCartney recorded without an instrument to accompany his vocals. He told Culture magazine: "Here was I in this completely new role, feeling really quite intimidated. There was nothing to hide behind, no guitar or piano that I could put between me and 'it.' I had to sort of find a vocal style...

"I'm in front of really good musicians, who know what's going on, and I'm thinking, 'Bloody hell, I'm going to totally disgrace myself here. I'm going to be, like, the worst person in this band, and I'm supposed to be, like, not bad. They're all going to be smiling at me, but secretly thinking, Jesus Christ, this guy is rubbish.' Then I think, 'Get it together, Macca, come on.' ... So, yeah, me not having an instrument was very strange, very intimidating." more on this story



Signed Limited Edition Prints of Bruce Springsteen and Clarence Clemons Released
(PR) Rock photographer James Shive is for the first time is making available to the public, via his ShiveArchive.com site, "Series 1" of six limited edition, signed photographic prints of musical icon Bruce Springsteen and the late E Street Band member and saxophonist Clarence "The Big Man" Clemons.

Shive, an established professional photographer who during the 1970s and 80s produced thousands of images of rock and roll's most illustrious concerts, over the years has earned a noted reputation as the "go-to photographer for his vast archive of rare early images of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, including appearances by Springsteen together with Clemons before their meteoric rise to international stardom. Among the Springsteen/Clemons museum-quality prints being offered are concert photographs taken in 1974 in New Jersey at Kean College and at the now-infamous string of eight sold-out shows in 1976 at the Palladium Theater in New York City.

In May 2011, Shive's photograph taken in 1978 of Springsteen and Clemons at The Spectrum, Philadelphia, was featured in a full-page opening memorial to the deceased Clemons in Rolling Stone Magazine. Shive is also an original, longtime contributor to Backstreets Magazine, the publication and online community dedicated to all-things Springsteen. In October 2011, Shive contributed several images that were featured in a welcoming video as well as behind a live musical performance at the "Classic Rock and Roll Party, A Tribute to Clarence Clemons, Benefiting Homesafe," an organization for which Clemons was a spokesperson and host of many events in previous years. Shive's image of Springsteen is also featured on the cover and inside the recent best-selling rock book, "The Light in Darkness." more on this story


Sleeper Agent Announce Dates With Fun and Ben Kweller
Sleeper Agent are hitting the road for a series of tour dates this spring supporting fun.

The run of dates will kick off on February 29th at Higher Ground in Burlington, VT and wrap up in Little Rock, AR on March 11th at Juanita's.

Shortly after, Sleeper Agent will hit the road supporting Ben Kweller through April. Sleeper Agent will be out supporting their album, Celabrasion. more on this story


Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet Movie Premiere Set
(Gibson) The world premiere of the film Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet, about the life of guitarist Jason Becker, will take place on March 3 in San Jose, California. The film will include interviews with Becker, his family and friends, and the various musicians he has worked with.

Becker was a brilliantly talented guitarist with the world at his feet when he joined David Lee Roth's band for the Bob Rock-produced A Little Ain't Enough album in 1989. But while preparing for the ensuing tour, Becker began to notice sluggishness in his left leg. This led to a diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, or "Lou Gehrig's Disease") and by 1996 Becker had lost the ability to speak. Today he is unable to move his body at all, yet Becker continues to communicate and compose via eye movements correlating to a grid system.

The Jason Becker's Not Dead Yet festival in March 2011 featured Joe Satriani, Steve Lukather, Richie Kotzen, the Kehoe Nation, Flametal and more, with all proceeds going towards medical supplies for Jason and a trust fund for his future security. more on this story




Riot Tribute Mark Reale And Release Details About Today's Memorial
Riot have issued a statement about the death of Mark Reale and announced details about the memorial mass which will take place today:

It was with great sadness that we had to announce that Mark Reale, the founder of US metal legends Riot, passed away last week, having lost his battle with Crohn's disease. He was just 56 years old. Mark's band mates have been devastated by his death.

Mike Flyntz on his personal loss: "I would like to thank everyone for the support and love regarding the passing of my dear friend Mark Reale. I have had the honor to stand next to him on the stage and in the studio for over 22 years. Mark gave me the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of recording and writing records, and also touring in support of those records.

Today's Day In Pop

Today's Full Report


Spice Girls Reunion Rumor
(popmusiclife) There may be a Spice Girls reunion this year. UK tabloid The Sun reports Mel B has revealed the pop group are to reunite for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee at Buckingham Palace on June 4 in front of the Royal Family.
Mel B revealed the plans during an interview on Australian TV — when she was asked if the Spices will reform for the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony.

Mel smiled and replied: "Ooh, I think the Queen's Jubilee concert is the event I'd be looking at more closely for that to happen." more on this story


Cops Called To Flavor Flav Family Feud
(TMZ) Cops were called to the Las Vegas home of Flavor Flav early Sunday morning after a family spat turned violent -- and when cops sorted it out, one of his daughters was arrested.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Flav's 19-year-old daughter Dazayna got into an argument with one his step-sons, which eventually became physical.

We're told Flav tried to break it up and got hit by his daughter for his troubles. It's unclear whether it was on purpose or by accident.

Our sources say someone in the house called the cops. When police arrived, we're told they interviewed everyone and found evidence of domestic violence. Dazayna was eventually taken in for misdemeanor battery.

Dazayna is still in custody and will go before a judge tomorrow morning. more on this story


Lady Gaga Launches Social Network
(popmusiclife) Lady Gaga has launched her own social network. The new website, LittleMonsters.com, will serve a social networking service between Mother Monster and her fans.

Little Monsters is currently in beta mode and fans can request an invite to "be among the first to experience a new community only for Little Monsters. Because you were born this way!"

FMQB reports the site is part of Backplane, a new social networking company that will give celebrities the ability to interact directly with their fans online. more on this story


Madonna To Tease American Idol Viewers
(popmusiclife) As Madonna prepares for her Super Bowl Halftime Show this Sunday in Indianapolis, she will get fans warmed up for the event by releasing her new single, "Give Me All Your Luvin'" featuring Nicki Minaj, on Friday February 3.

The video for "Give Me All Your Luvin'", directed by Megaforce, is football and cheerleader themed - inspired by her upcoming Super Bowl appearance.

The night before the single drops – Thursday, February 2 - Madonna will world preview the video for the single on American Idol. more on this story


Rapper Machine Gun Kelly Arrested
(TMZ) Rapper Machine Gun Kelly's tour took an unexpected stop early Sunday morning -- to jail ... after he was busted by police in Florida for misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

According to the website for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, MGK (real name Richard Baker) was busted at 4:12 AM and released a few hours later after posting $100 bond.

Kelly tweeted about the arrest, saying, "Just spent my entire night in a f**king Florida jail...s**t escaladed way to quick last night, it always does with us though."

MGK is currently touring and played the State Theatre in St. Petersburg last night. His next tour date is in Los Angeles on February 8. more on this story



Conrad Murray Wants Out of Jail Pending Appeal Of Michael Jackson Death Conviction
(TMZ) Dr. Conrad Murray has just filed legal docs asking a judge to release him from jail pending appeal.

Murray claims in his legal docs he has a legitimate basis to appeal his manslaughter conviction. Among the grounds for appeal -- "improper exclusion of defense evidence and witnesses that resulted in violating the defendant's State and constitutional rights to due process, to present a defense and to the effective assistance of counsel."

Murray's lawyer also says, "He has exhausted virtually all of his available resources."

Murray is asking to be released on no bail pending the appeal. more on this story


Cops Respond To Man Trying To Move In On Kim Kardashian
(TMZ) Kim Kardashian called police to her home in Beverly Hills when a stranger showed up at her gate with luggage ... saying he intended to stay at Kim's home -- TMZ has learned.

According to sources close to Kim ... the man showed up late Saturday night. We're told he buzzed the intercom at her security gate and claimed Kim had flown him into town to stay with her -- and that he was supposed to be working on her reality show.

We're told Kim got freaked out when the man refused to leave and a member of her security detail alerted police.

It's unclear at this point if the man was booked for a crime. more on this story



Lindsay Lohan Fires Back at Rehab Worker
(TMZ) It took her six months, but Lindsay Lohan has finally fired back a response to the Betty Ford worker who claims LiLo assaulted her -- and to no one's surprise ... Lindsay is pinning all the blame on her.

Lindsay allegedly got into it with Dawn Holland (now going by Dawn Bradley) back in December 2010, while Lindsay was in rehab. Bradley filed a lawsuit last July against Lohan for the alleged incident, claiming assault and battery.

Attorneys for Lindsay filed their response in Riverside County Superior Court on January 10, claiming the entire incident was provoked by Bradley ... so Lindsay shouldn't have to pay her a cent. Lohan claims anything she may have done was done in self-defense.

Lohan also wants the court to force Bradley to pay for her court costs, plus any other relief the court sees fit. more on this story


Christina Aguilera Tributes Etta James
(popmusiclife) Christina Aguilera paid tribute to her favorite singer, Etta James, at the blues great's funeral in Los Angeles on Saturday.

NME reports Aguilera performed a moving version of James' classic single, "At Last." "It is an amazing honour for me to have been welcomed here today, invited here to pay tribute to the great Miss Etta James," said Christina as she introduced the song. "I've since I've been able to tour, I've gone round the whole wide world and I would tell people that Miss Etta James was my favourite singer."

"It's very emotional for me to sing today, as this has meant so much to me," she continued. "All my life, I've aspired to sing like Etta James, to be like her, of all the singers I've ever heard, she was the one who cut right to my soul." Watch Xtina's performance here.


Whip-it Reference Removed From Demi Moore 911 Tape
(TMZ) The L.A. City Attorney recommended that all references to whip-its be redacted from the Demi Moore 911 tape -- and the recommendation was followed ... TMZ has learned.

Sources tell us ... the Deputy City Attorney assigned to the case heard references to whip-its and felt it would be an invasion of privacy if that information was released to the public -- so it was cut out of the tape, along with specific references to other drugs.

TMZ broke the story ... paramedics on scene were told Demi had used whip-its to inhale nitrous oxide just before she lapsed into semi-consciousness and exhibited seizure-like symptoms.

Now we know the person who called 911 also told the dispatcher about the whip-its. more on this story


Terminator 3 Star Nick Stahl Arrested
(TMZ) Nick Stahl found himself a little short on cash Friday night when his cab driver told him his bill was $84 ... so then Nick Stahl found himself arrested, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... when Stahl arrived at his destination, he told the cab driver he just didn't have the cash or credit to pay the fare. We're told the cabbie then flagged down a nearby officer, and Nick was arrested.

Stahl was booked at 8:52 AM on Friday and was not released until 3:42 PM the next day, after posting $500 bail.

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


Injuries At 50 Cent's X-Factor Appearance
(TMZ) 50 Cent's performance on "X-Factor" last month was a bloody mess behind the scenes -- with one stagehand smashing his head open after falling off the stage ... this according to the 911 call obtained by TMZ.

The accident occurred just as Fiddy took the stage to perform two songs. According to reports, a stair riser crashed down on several stagehands ... striking two on the head and one on the elbow.

As a result of the accident, according to the 911 call, one man fell off the stage and "cracked his head open."

Paramedics responded to the scene, treating the injured just feet away from 50 Cent's performance. All three stagehands were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. more on this story


Cee Lo To Perform With Madonna At Super Bowl?
(popmusiclife) Madonna's been tight-lipped about her upcoming Super Bowl halftime show performance, but others have been sharing news about it.

will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas told Capital FM that LMFAO will be joining the pop icon on center stage.

Now, The Insider reports sources are telling them that The Voice coach Cee Lo Green is on board, as well. "We're told, for the past two weeks, Cee Lo has been traveling to New York to practice with Madonna. And he is expected to bring a new sound to some of Madonna's classic hits!" says the site. more on this story


Halle Berry Case: Gabriel Aubry To Take Anger Management Classes?
(TMZ) Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry met for hours Friday with representatives from the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services ... and social workers concluded Gabriel needed to work on his anger issues ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

We're told DCFS recommended that Gabriel take anger management classes and our sources say he agreed to enroll.

As one law enforcement source told us who is connected to the case, "Gabriel has a little bit of a temper, but the good news is that he realizes it."

The recommendation stems from an incident earlier this month in which Gabriel allegedly pushed the nanny while she was holding Nahla. Our sources say Gabriel told social workers he never touched the nanny and she was making the story up to curry favor with Halle.

Our sources say DCFS is not making any recommendations on changing the custody arrangement. That will be left to the judge on Monday morning ... when Halle and Gabriel square off
again in court.

As we first reported ... there's also a criminal investigation focusing on child endangerment and battery. Our law enforcement sources tell us they are confident Gabriel will NOT be prosecuted because it's a "he said she said" case. We're told the matter will be referred to the L.A. City Attorney next week but it's expected the Office will decline to prosecute. more on this story


States Lien-ing On Bow Wow
(TMZ) Bow Wow needs to hire himself a new accountant -- because not only does he have a tax lien against him for unpaid taxes from 2006 ... but now it turns out he owes back taxes from 2008 and 2010 as well!

As TMZ first reported, a tax lien in Florida for the year 2006 put Bow Wow on the hook for $91,105.61. The lien has still not been paid off.

Now a new lien was filed on January 9, this time in Georgia, saying Bow Wow owes $15, 279.62 for unpaid taxes from 2008 and another $19.700.91 for 2010.

Put it all together ... and you've got $126,086.14.

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



Money Fight Over Failed Lady Gaga Appearance
(TMZ) The Russkies are pissed ... claiming a doomed Lady Gaga concert screwed them out of $1.5 million -- and now, they're taking it to court.

TV Service ZAO -- a media company that owns the Russian music network MUZ-TV -- filed the legal docs in Miami, claiming it paid the $1.5 mil to book Gaga for the upcoming MUZ-TV awards in June ... but the deal fell through ... and they still haven't gotten their money back.

According to the lawsuit, ZAO attempted to book Gaga through a Miami-based management firm called NWE -- which claimed it had the necessary Gaga connections to lock down the pop star for the summer appearance.

But ZAO claims NWE was just blowing smoke -- and ultimately failed to secure the singer.

ZAO claims it has repeatedly asked for its money back, but NWE has refused -- and worse ... siphoned off $300,000 from the 7-figure sum as a broker fee.

ZAO is suing for ALL its money back, plus damages. Calls to NWE have not been returned. more on this story


Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony Now Getting Along
(TMZ) Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have found the secret to getting along -- splitting up.

Sources very close to the former couple tell TMZ ... months before the breakup, there was virtual radio silence between the two. We're told when they did talk, it was loud and contentious ... often ending in tears on Jennifer's part.

But since the split, we're told their bond has materially strengthened. They are communicating and co-parenting well and not fighting at all.

We're told they're actually happy to do joint appearances for their new show, as well as charity work.

Sources say a number of people around them are saying there are signs of a possible reconciliation, although it is by no means certain. more on this story


Police Report Filed In Basketball Wives Fight
(TMZ) A peaceful day of filming "Basketball Wives" at a racetrack in Florida ended up in between Jennifer Williams and an assistant for Evelyn Lozada ... and it's all detailed in a police report obtained by TMZ.

Sources close to the show tell TMZ ... the girls were all in a VIP suite at the Gulf Stream Race Track in Hallandale, FL last Saturday. We're told Nai Crooks -- who is Evelyn's assistant but used to work for Jennifer as well -- called out Jennifer ... who the other girls feel has become "too big for britches."

According to our sources, the two got face-to-face and Nai pushed Williams in the face to get her away. In the police report, Williams described it as being "intentional struck by Crooks with an open hand to the left side of her face."

Williams told police security from the production company then stepped in to intervene. Our sources say that's true ... but that security also grabbed Lozada to keep her from jumping in after Williams.

In the report, the officer states he saw no injuries on Williams and told her she could file a misdemeanor complaint with the state attorney's office if she wanted to pursue the matter further.

The police report also states Williams believes the entire incident was captured on video. more on this story


Rehab or 5 Years in Prison for Teen Mom
(TMZ) "Teen Mom" star Amber Portwood has struck a plea deal after her drug arrest last month -- requiring her to serve a 5-year prison sentence -- but TMZ has learned, there's still a way for her to keep her freedom.

According to the deal, law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Amber can stay out of the big house ... provided she completes a court-mandated drug rehabilitation program.

As part of the deal, Amber pled guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of probation violation.

The entire case will be dismissed if Portwood successfully graduates from the Madison County Drug Court program -- but we're told, if she screws up ... she'll be tossed in the pokey immediately, no questions asked.

A hearing is set for February 6th -- when the judge will decide whether to approve the deal.

TMZ broke the story -- Amber was arrested on December 19 for drug possession and failing to provide a urine sample (a stipulation of her probation). She is still in custody. more on this story


Dog the Bounty Hunter Star Lyssa Chapman Drugged Day of Arrest?
(TMZ) Lyssa Chapman says she has a good reason for highly-publicized arrest last year -- and she plans on revealing that and more in a new tell-all memoir about the family ... TMZ has learned.

Baby Lyssa's arrest was a big deal when it happened last March -- and a big part of a recent episode of "Dog the Bounty Hunter." Sources close to Lyssa tell TMZ in her planned memoir, she'll reveal she was drugged on the night in question.

According to our sources ... Lyssa, who has had substance abuse issues in the past but has clean and sober for years, even visited a doctor in the months after her arrest who deemed she did not have a substance abuse order.

We're told the book -- which is being repped by Martin Literary Management -- will also detail problems with Leland and Duane Lee. According to our sources, they've left the bail bond business and severed ties with the rest of the family ... putting next season of the show in jeopardy.

Our sources say the production company behind the show have even sent the two a letter demanding their return to production or face being kicked off the show for good.

Calls to A&E have not been returned. more on this story


Michael Lohan Hospitalized
(TMZ) Michael Lohan was taken to the hospital early Friday morning after experiencing chest pains ... TMZ has learned.

According to our sources, Lohan was transferred from a rehab facility in Palm Beach, FL. We're told doctors found more blood clots and put him on medication to try and break them up.

Our sources say doctors feel they don't need to perform surgery, but they want to keep in the hospital for a couple of days to make sure the medication works.

This is the second time in two months Lohan has been hospitalized for heart problems. He had surgery to repair a blockage back on December 5.

Lohan is due to be released from rehab on March 16.

Today's Day In Rock!

Guns N' Roses Set For Intimate Venue Tour
The big news that Guns N' Roses' bassist Tommy Stinson hinted at last week has been revealed and it involves the band playing some intimate venues in the United States. The news comes as dates for a European tour have leaked out.
While the band has yet to confirm the European tour, early this morning we received official word that Guns N' Roses will invade New York during fashion week with a series of intimate shows followed with additional stops through the northeast.

Six shows confirmed so far including the historic return to The Ritz (now Webster Hall), 24 years after the filming of their "Live At The Ritz" – the MTV concert continues to be one of the most sought after trades in bootleg circles, according to the announcement. more on this story


New Van Halen Songs Originated In The 1970s
(hennemusic) While David Lee Roth returned to Van Halen a few years ago for their 2007/08 reunion tour, it's the February 7 arrival of "A Different Kind Of Truth" that really seals the deal that both Roth and Van Halen are back and the material on the album is also a blast from the past according to Roth.

"It's material that Eddie and I generated, literally, in 1975, 1976 and 1977," Roth tells the Los Angeles Times. "Usually fellas in our weight division will kind of gamely — or ironically, wink, wink — try to hail back to it [but] keep a safe, mature distance from it."

Instead, Roth said, he and the band have tried to do a sort of collaboration with their past. They can't be the same people — too much has changed — but Roth said there's interesting experimentation in the era-spanning synthesis of self. more on this story


Anthrax's Scott Ian Hospitalized and Benante Leaves Tour
A veteran member of Anthrax was hospitalized this weekend while another veteran member has been forced to pull out of their current tour due to a family emergency.

Loudwire reports that Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian is battling a severe viral infection that caused him to be hospitalized in Los Angeles.

In addition, the band also has announced that drummer Charlie Benante has left the tour to be at the bedside of his terminally ill mother in New York. more on this story


Aerosmith Almost Done With New Album and Plan Summer Tour
(hennemusic) Aerosmith are putting the finishing touches on their first studio album in 8 years, and preparing to return to the road this summer, says guitarist Joe Perry.

"We're in the middle of a bunch of stuff," Perry tells the QMI Agency. "I'm out here [Hollywood] finishing up the Aerosmith record that we started last summer. Hopefully we'll have it done in the next month or so."

"And we're definitely touring this summer. We're gonna put tickets on sale in February or March and we're going on the road in June. Everybody's lined up. We're ready." more on this story



Retro Style KISS Dolls Coming
(Gibson) For those of you who missed out on the original line of KISS action figures introduced in 1977 by the Mego toymakers, this is for you. Figures Toy Company has announced a line of KISS action figures made in the image of those collectibles, according to Blabbermouth.

In addition to recreating the original 12-inch toys that were popular in the late '70s, Figures will produce the four original KISS members (Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss) in 8-inch versions.

"Our first release will have the retro look from the 1970s, but future releases will cover all time periods in KISS's almost-40-year musical career from 1973 to 2012," said Figures CFO Paul Balasco. The next editions in the works will feature the band in the Sonic Boom, Dressed to Kill and debut album eras. Both editions, which feature the band's Love Gun-era looks, will be available starting in March. more on this story



Iron Maiden May Tour This Year
There is some good news for Iron Maiden fans. The band is planning to tour at some point this year. Though the plans are not yet firm.

Loudwire reports: In a recent interview at the 2012 NAMM convention in Anaheim, Calif., Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain told 96.7 KCAL Rocks that the band has a tour in their sights.

When asked what's going on with the band, McBrain said, "Well, we're taking some time off and we're gonna go back out on tour sometime this year. We're not sure yet when." He went on to say that it probably won't be a world tour this time around, only a "little tour" and a "short run." "We're not sure yet when," reiterated McBrain. more on this story


Iwrestledabearonce Road To Metal Fest Tour
Iwrestledabearonce are set to headline the "Road To Metal Fest" which will feature support from Molotov Solution, Glass Cloud and The Greenery.

Kicking off on April 16th in Oklahoma City, OK the string of dates will lead into New England Metal and Hardcore Festival on April 21st and continue on until wrapping up in Flagstaff, AZ on May 1st.

"We're super excited about this tour and the opportunity to play New England Metal and Hardcore Fest again!" Says Iwrestledabeatonce guitarist Steven Bradley. The New England Metal and Hardcore Festival is the largest, longest running and most successful metal festival in the United States. It has presented some of the biggest and up-and-coming artists in the metal and hardcore music genres over the past 13 years. "A lot of these shows are in venues we missed in 2011, so can't wait to party with all you folks for the first time in a while. Come hang out with us and let's make mistakes!" more on this story


Motorhead Release Limited Edition Motor-Bag
(Gibson) Motorhead are putting out a limited-edition package that may contain all the motormadness any fan could want.

The Motör-Bag is available online via www.merchdirect.com/Motorhead and is limited to 4,000 copies worldwide. You get a Motörhead messenger bag, and inside you will get two double-vinyl LPs of live shows not available anywhere else.

You also get a laminate pass and a piece of The Wörld is Yours 2010-11 stage backdrop, mounted and numbered. more on this story




Celebrate Rush Day on 2-1-12
(Gibson) Last year, we were able to ring in "National Metal Day" on 11-11-11. Just a few months later, it's already time for another music holiday – "Intergalactic Prog Metal Day" or "Rush Day" on 2-1-12, according to BraveWords.

In celebration of Rush, their landmark album 2112 and all of the bands that have been influenced by Rush ever since, various radio stations, music stores and websites have special events planned.

"Rush's 2112 is probably the first album that can rightfully be called progressive metal, so it's only appropriate we blast the album from the rooftops, from our cars, from our iPods, from everywhere, to celebrate this landmark album and Rush's incredible longevity and lasting influence," said Jeff Wagner, author of Mean Deviation: Four Decades of Progressive Heavy Metal. more on this story




Ian Anderson Plans Jethro Tull Thick As A Brick Tour
(Gibson) Jethro Tull singer and flautist Ian Anderson is honoring the 40th anniversary of the album Thick as a Brick by playing the entire album live in concert. It's the first time the progressive rock epic has been performed live in its entirety since 1972, according to Ultimate Classic Rock .

However, the tour is credited to Anderson as a solo artist and not Jethro Tull as a band. The frontman recently explained why he decided to present the Thick as a Brick tour this way.

"Back in 1972, when I tried to play Thick as a Brick live on stage in the USA, it turned into the tour from hell," he said. "I decided never to do that again." more on this story




Joe Satriani 3D Movie and Soundtrack Details
Joe Satriani has released details about his upcoming concert film that is hitting theaters and the song listing for the film's soundtrack.

The live-concert film, 'Satchurated: Live in Montreal,' will be shown in both 2D & 3D HD at theaters across North America on March 1st and the soundtrack will be released on April 10, 2012 through Epic Records

Satchurated was filmed live during Satriani's "The Wormhole Tour", supporting his studio album Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards at the Metropolis in Montreal, Canada. The December 12, 2010 concert was filmed by Grammy and Emmy award-winning concert filmmakers Pierre and Francois Lamoureux. Satchurated: Live in Montreal will be released to select theatres throughout the country on March 1, 2012 for a limited engagement. more on this story


Analog Man Joe Walsh Stuck In A Digital Age
(Gibson) Joe Walsh is done with his new solo album, Analog Man. It is set for a release in May or June and will be his first solo set since 1992's Songs for a Dying Planet.

In a new interview with the San Diego Reader about the upcoming album, Walsh seems more concerned with technophobia. Of the album title, he says: "I just decided I better get with it. After all, it is the digital age. Back when it was all analog, we used to go in the studio, and studios had knobs. We used to turn knobs and say, let's see what this does. Now, we have a mouse. We [the members of the Eagles] spend hours yelling at our computers. My son comes in and he says: Dad, you're really stupid.

"I was at a Lakers game last night, and everybody there was texting. Now and then they'd look up and check the score." more on this story




Anthrax, Savage Messiah, Cerebral Bore For Hammerfest IV
Savage Messiah have confirmed that they are taking part in this year's edition of Hammerfest, which set from 15th - 18th March in Prestatyn, Wales.

Having already performed at the festival before, Savage Messiah are now the latest band to be confirmed for Hammerfest IV, joining a line-up that includes the likes of Anthrax, Skindred, Amon Amarth, Cerebral Bore and more.

Savage Messiah frontman David Silver comments: "It's fantastic for the band to have been asked back to Hammerfest for the second time - we had a great time last time, but now with a new album to promote, it's going to be even better!! We're on late, but that's not going to matter - we'll be getting the final circle pits of the festival going and we're looking forward to kickin' ass!!!" more on this story


Original Captain Beefheart Bat Chain Puller Album Coming From Zappa Family Trust
MSO sent over word that The Zappa Family Trust is making the legendary Captain Beefheart album Bat Chain Puller available in its original format for the first time ever.

Recording for the album began in 1976 and was completed but was never released on Frank Zappa's label that Beefheart was signed to at the time, due to "all the usual financial difficulties in the proverbial record business, including breach of contract with the artist, lawsuits with artist management and distribution for the label," according to sources.

Different recordings of some of the songs were released elsewhere, but this will be the first time Captain Beefheart fans will be able to hear the album the way it was intended. The release is available for pre-order here and shipping is planned for the week of February 13. more on this story


Jeff Loomis Guests on 7 Horns 7 Eyes Album
Jeff Loomis (ex-Nevermore) makes a guest appearance on 7 Horns 7 Eyes debut full-length album, Throes Of Absolution.

Century Media Records have announced a April 24th, 2012 release date for the album in North America.

In regards to the state of the band and their upcoming release, guitarist Aaron Smith comments: "7H7E has been on quite a journey since we embarked on recording this album, full of some big ups and downs-- not the least of which being signed to Century Media/Basick Records, enduring a front-man change, re-recording all the album vocals, and sharing the stage with some great bands...and let me tell you-it feels amazing for us to know that we finally get to release this thing out into the world. Many of our fans have waited patiently for years for this record to drop, likely wondering at times if it ever even will, and we can't thank them enough for sticking by us. Here's to our fans and to 2012 being a great new year for 7 HORNS 7 EYES! See you on the road!"


Vintage Blue For Valentine's Day
Vintage Blue have set a February 14, 2012 release date for their debut full-length record, Strike the Mics.

For the Strike the Mics sessions, Vintage Blue enlisted grammy-nominated producer Jamie Candiloro (The Eagles, Luscious Jackson, Willie Nelson, Ryan Adams).

"To a man, Vintage Blue believes the music on our album is truly us," says singer/lead guitarist Bassett. "It speaks to our lives, our loves and our passion. We truly love what we gained from the process and look forward to making music for many more years to come. We could not be more excited to have listeners get to know the guys behind the sound." more on this story


SPV / Steamhammer Tribute Riot's Mark Reale
SPV / Steamhammer has released a statement about the recent death of Riot guitarist and founding member Mark Reale. The label had this to say: With deep sadness we have to say goodbye to one of the most underrated guitar players and composers on this planet: Mark Reale.

With albums like "Fire Down Under" or "Thundersteel" he created timeless metal music which will stand the test of time for many more decades.

Last years studio album "Immortal Soul" on remains his legacy, and what an album it was: RIOT were back for the attack! more on this story


Steve Vai Receives Les Paul Award
(hennemusic) Steve Vai was honored with the prestigious Les Paul Award at the 27th annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards on January 20th in Anaheim, CA as part of the NAMM 2012.

The Les Paul Award is an annual prize given to a musician/recording artist whose work has epitomized the marriage of music and technology.

The 2011 honor was co-presented to Vai by Les Paul's son, Russ Paul, and bassist Billy Sheehan. Check out video here.


Singled Out: Mariana's Trench's Haven't Had Enough
Today Ian from Mariana's Trench tells us about the video for their song "Haven't Had Enough" from their recently released album "Ever After". Here is the story:

"Haven't Had Enough" is our first video released from our latest album 'Ever After.' The album itself is a concept album that is one continuous piece from beginning to end, meaning that each song on the album is joined together with interludes. The album theme is that of a dark fairy tale, kind of Tim Burton-esk.

Like the album, our videos for 'Ever After' are all going to follow a concept and will be centered around a dark fairy tale. In the video for "Haven't Had Enough," the band gets trapped in the fairy tale world by the evil Queen and we essentially become her pawns, unbeknown to us of course! (Look at me, I used unbeknown in a sentence and I'm a drummer, not bad...) We are manipulated by the Queen and tossed between her worlds but with the snap of her fingers, our minds are erased and we're back to the beginning yet again. Kind of like most of my relationships.

We go from Old France to a 50s diner to Ancient Egypt to Zombie Land and end up in the end in an unknown Toy Land.

Today's Day In Rock!

Skid Row Wants Sebastian Bach For New Album
Skid Row want Sebastian Bach to sing on their new album. But it's not the Skid Row you are thinking of.
The Skid Row that once featured the late guitar great Gary Moore wants Bach on their new album. Brendan 'Brush' Shiels of the original Skid Row recently made news by publically calling on Jon Bon Jovi to return his band name to him, and is now making headlines by inviting the former frontman of the "other" Skid Row to team up with him on a new album.

Loudwire reports: Shiels addresses Bach directly in his latest video, saying, "In my opinion, you're one of the greatest frontmen in American rock of all time." He continues to lays it on pretty thick, "For me, you're up there with Ozzy Osbourne, Jon Bon Jovi, Steve Tyler from Aerosmith. Man, you've got it all." He sweetens the deal. Find out how and check out the video here.

Hulk Hogan Almost Joined Metallica
(Gibson) Professional wrestling legend and reality TV star Hulk Hogan was nearly a member of Metallica. The Hulkster revealed in an interview with The Sun that he used to be a good buddy of drummer Lars Ulrich.

"I used to be a session musician before I was a wrestler," he said. "I played bass guitar. I was big pals with Lars Ulrich and he asked me if I wanted to play bass with Metallica in their early days but it didn't work out."

In the interview, Hogan also discussed that he's a big fan of The Stone Roses. "I love the Stone Roses," he said. "They're getting back together, right? That's cool man. I used to work out to some of their songs." more on this story



Slipknot Clown and Five Finger Death Punch Singer In Hard Rock Musical
(Banana 101.5) Joining Slipknot percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan in the cast of 'The Devil's Carnival' — Darren Lynn Bousman's sequel to the hard rock/horror musical 'Repo: The Genetic Opera' — is Five Finger Death Punch vocalist Ivan Moody.

'The Devil's Carnival' may sound like a musical by way of Rob Zombie, but is actually from the man who wrote and directed 'Saw 2′ and directed the two following installments — Darren Lynn Bousman. His first outing in the musical genre was the 2006 10-minute short film 'Repo: The Genetic Opera,' which Bousman expanded to a full length feature two years later.

Given that the sequel is a hard rock musical, the producers have added some pedigree with the casting of well-known metal artists Shawn "Clown" Crahan (Slipknot) and Ivan Moody (Five Finger Death Punch). More including video

Full Tool Concert Online
(Banana 101.5) Miss Tool? Until they finally hit us with the long awaited follow-up to '10,000 Days,' we will have to make due by watching a surprisingly good quality fan-shot video of their recent performance in Reno, Nevada.

If your city wasn't among the lucky ones to have a stop on Tool's current tour, we have the next best thing — a recording of their January 14th gig in Reno, Nevada that actually has decent sound quality.

The band has yet to unveil any new songs but have been dusting off some older tracks for their set including 'Hooker With a Penis' and 'Ticks and Leeches.' Check out the live recording here.


Motley Crue To Surround Fans in Vegas
(hennemusic) Motley Crue kick off their Las Vegas residency at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on February 3. The Crue become the first hard rock group to play a residency in Sin City at this level, and singer Vince Neil talked to Vegas.com about how thrilled he is with the project.

"For me being a Vegas resident, it's a dream come true," says Vince. "For one thing, it's really cool to be able to put on a show that we've always dreamed about."

"It's just not going to be your regular show where the stage is set up on one end of the building, and the rest of it's seats," Neil explains. "We're going to pretty much encompass the whole venue. We could be playing in the back of the place, above you, on the side of you. We're using the latest technology in visuals. We really made the effort to do something that no one's ever really seen before." more on this story


Metallica Can Cure The Blues
(Gibson) Feeling blue? Crank up some Metallica, and you'll feel better in no time! In a her latest book, Your Playlist Can Change Your Life: 10 Proven Ways Your Favorite Music Can Revolutionize Your Health, Memory, Organization, Alertness and More, Columbia University professor Galina Mindlin asserts that rocking out to songs with a certain number of beats per minute can generate specific mental states, such as productivity and relaxation, according to DNAinfo.com. Lo and behold, Metallica's hard-rocking tunes fall into that category.

"It's [about] how music affects you – how it can improve your memory, how it can relieve anxiety, enhance your mood, how we can use playlists for specific tasks," Mindlin said. "Using music with certain frequencies, you really can create the desired state of mind."

As for other jams that might lift your mood, Your Playlist Can Change Your Life lists sample playlists, but Mindlin warns that selecting specific songs is a very personal experience. "What's right for you might not be right for someone else," she said. "Some people love the classical genre, but some people get excited by pop. The idea is to activate as many brain areas as you can." more on this story



Halcyon Way Lose Member
(Freeman) Halcyon Way announced that they have parted ways with rhythm guitarist Zane.

Zane spoke about his decision to leave the band: "After 6 years in one of the greatest metal bands ever, I have decided to leave for the sake of family and personal health. I have enjoyed my time in Halcyon Way and it has been a life defining tenure. Me and the guys all remain brothers and I look forward to everything Halcyon Way has to offer the metal world in the years to come. It was a true privilege to write and contribute to the band, and to hear what was in my head fleshed out on the albums was a joy all its own. See all of you guys in the front row at the next HW show! I'm currently working on a project called "Bishop Lake" with an EP due out in Spring 2012. I also have a horror punk/metal band called School For Morticians slated to break wind sometime in mid 2012."

Guitarist Jon Bodan shared his thoughts on Zane leaving: "As much as it pains us that our brother Zane has had to step away from Halcyon Way, we have nothing but respect for his decision and wish him nothing but the best. We've gone to war with him for a long time, and he will truly be missed. Keep an eye out for his new projects as I'm sure they're going to be killer! We would also like to thank Eric Roberts, Rob Fisher from Void Of Reason, and Mike Perrone for filling in with us on several live dates when Zane's situation was a little unclear - you guys were a big help to us and we appreciate it." wanna take his place?


Another Taste of New Van Halen Online
(hennemusic) Van Halen have offered up a new preview of a track from their forthcoming album, "A Different Kind Of Truth," due February 7.

The 90-second "Blood And Fire" clip presents a portion of the new song, the basis of which comes from "Ripley" - an unreleased track from the soundtrack to the 1984 movie "The Wild Life" - composed and performed by Eddie Van Halen.

"Ripley" was originally a leftover song from the "1984" sessions; it was written on a Ripley guitar, designed by Steve Ripley. Each string on the guitar can be sent to different sides of the speaker through the use of its individual string pan pots. Check it out here.

More on Van Halen - Van Halen Music - Van Halen Tour Dates/Tickets - Van Halen CDs, vinyl and rarities
The Ronnie Wood Show Comes To America This Weekend
Attention American Rolling Stones fans, The Ronnie Wood Show in North America will launch this weekend, January 29 on Q104.3/WAXQ-FM in New York.

Premiere Networks sent over these details: The one-hour, U.K.-based radio program is available to rock music stations on weekends from 6 a.m. to midnight.

Produced by Somethin' Else, the critically-acclaimed radio show features Ronnie Wood -- who is best known as a member of The Birds, The Jeff Beck Group, The Faces and The Rolling Stones -- as he plays a variety of music from his favorite new and established artists, while sharing personal stories from his legendary music career. From living with Jimi Hendrix to partying with Janis Joplin, listeners are treated to Wood's inside view of the world of rock & roll, which he often illustrates by playing his guitar. In addition, he welcomes friends, music artists, celebrities and others such as Slash, Kenney Jones and Mary Wilson. more on this story


Rory Gallagher Revisited
Sony Music and Capo Records and Legacy celebrate the 40th anniversary of Rory Gallagher's solo career with an extensive reissue campaign.

They have reissued the first six original Rory Gallagher albums "Rory Gallagher" (1971), "Deuce" (1971), "Live! In Europe" (1972), "Blueprint" (1973), "Tattoo" (1973) and "Irish Tour '74" (1974). The reissues have been released digitally and on CD and will be issued on vinyl on February 20th.

Daniel Gallagher, Rory's Nephew and producer of the re-issues states, "It's fantastic that 40 years since the original release of these albums the interest in Rory's music is still so strong and vibrant that we can celebrate the man's music by re-issuing his first six classic solo albums. We've aimed to release them in the spirit of the original release by going back to the vinyl artwork and original 1/4" tapes so that they look and sound exactly as Rory intended. It's also great to see in a digital world that the demand for a physical copy of Rory's music means we can release these albums on vinyl for the first time in over 30 years." More details here.

Rival Sons' New Album Being Reissued
Rival Sons are joining the "let's rerelease our new album with some bonus features" club as Earache have announce the release of a "special redux version" of their 2011 album, Pressure & Time, on March 12th.

Pressure & Time is being released as a limited edition CD version with two bonus tracks - "Company Man" and "This Life on the Road" - plus a bonus DVD featuring the following videos: * "Gypsy Heart", "Pressure and Time" and "Soul" live from High Voltage festival 2011 * "Pressure and Time" live backstage at Werchter festival 2011 * "Pressure and Time", "All Over the Road" and "Get What's Coming" official music videos * Pressure & Time promotional trailer

Rival Sons guitarist Scott Holiday comments: "After a year of solid touring all over the UK, Europe and the States for Pressure & Time, we ended up amassing a bunch of new stuff to share. We thought it would be cool to compile a handful of live and promo videos, plus a cool limited repackaging and offer it up to fans. We've also been able to throw a couple more studio tracks on there! How can any Sons fan resist?! Super limited... super awesome. Go get it." more on this story


Suicide Silence's Mitch Lucker Guest on The Devastated's New Album
Suicide Silence frontman Mitch Lucker is a guest vocalist on the The Devastated's new album.

The Devastated new album Devil's Messenger , will hit stores on February 14th and feature Lucker on the song "Spit Vitriol."

Mitch Lucker had this to say about his guest appearance on the album: "Greg, the vocalist, has been a close friend for years. When he reached out to me for the part I was ecstatic! His band is amazing and I can't wait for this record to drop. It's the best shit I've heard in a long fucking time; super original and crushing from start to finish." more on this story


Preview Joe Satriani's Movie
(hennemusic) Joe Satriani continues to juggle his Chickenfoot gig with his solo work. Joe will be releasing his concert film, "Satchurated," in select US theatres in March.

"Satchurated" was filmed live on "The Wormhole Tour" in support of Satriani's new album "Black Swans An Wormhole Wizards," at the Metropolis in Montreal on December 12, 2010.

"Satchurated" will be the first 3D theatrical concert film release with 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound for the ultimate cinematic experience.

A preview clip from the film has been released. Watch it here. more on this story


America Getting Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
On Monday, February 6th the legendary rock band America will receive their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

We were sent these details: The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce will honor America with the 2,459th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Grammy Award-winning duo is celebrating Grammy Week in big style. First off, they'll be inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame Monday, February 6, just outside the Musician's Institute at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard, in the company of the Walk of Fame stars of Al Jolson, Hal David, Rush, Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne and Journey.

The next evening, Tuesday, February 7, the Best New Artist Grammy winners of 1972--known for iconic hits like "Ventura Highway," "Sister Golden Hair," "Horse With No Name" and "Tin Man," among many others--will perform downtown at Los Angeles' Grammy Museum, where they'll treat the crowd to classic hits and have a Q&A session with the intimate audience. more on this story


Styx Grand Illusion & Pieces Of Eight Live Next Week
Next week Eagle Rock will release Styx 'The Grand Illusion & Pieces Of Eight Live' on DVD/2 CD Set and we have a little taste for you.

Filmed on November 9th, 2010 at the historical Orpheum Theater in Memphis, TN, this show captures Styx performing their classic multi-platinum seventies albums "The Grand Illusion and "Pieces Of Eight" live in their entirety for the first time. These iconic albums established Styx as a globally successful rock band and defined the AOR genre for a generation of Americans. Check out a video of "Blue Collar Man" here.

Bonus Features: "Putting On The Show" - an in-depth look at the people and equipment required to stage this epic concert. You can also catch Styx on the road this winter in markets across North America. more on this story



Wilco Get Animated With Popeye
(Gibson) Wilco are going Gorillaz. Kind of. In the alt-rock band's latest music video for "Dawned on Me," the Chicago gents joined up with King Features to get animated beside Popeye, Olive Oyl, Bluto and the whole Popeye crew. Watch the Darren Romanelli-directed video at the bottom of the page.

Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche recently checked in with the Los Angeles Times blog to talk about his experience replacing Wilco's original drummer, Ken Coomer, in 2001. "Those guys at that point would be in the studio at 5 a.m., and then I had my first drum lesson at 7 a.m. out in the suburbs, so I was getting no sleep," he explained. "When they asked me to join, I had no expectations of anything. I thought, 'Here's this band, and I don't even know if I'm the right fit.'

"I was wary of touring that much, and I thought the fans would hate me because I replaced Ken. Then the label dropped us. The future was pretty uncertain. People always say, 'That must have been so crazy,' but you know what? Not really. It was a functional situation. It was business as usual. This is how bands are. There's usually a couple freaks and there's a lot of drama and things don't always go the way you want them to go. Worst-case scenario, we would have been on an indie label." more on this story




Etta James Music Sales Jump Following Her Death
(Gibson) Sometimes you don't know what you have until it slips away. That seems to be the case with the late Etta James' soulful songs. As reported by Billboard, James scored her highest-charting album ever on the Billboard 200 chart this past week with The Best of Etta James – 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection, which rose from #162 to #46 with 8,000 copies sold, as reported by Nielsen SoundScan. That's up 149% over the preceding week. Until now, the R&B/blues crooner had never surpassed #68 on the pop album charts, when At Last hit that spot in 1961.

According to Billboard, for the week ending Sunday (January 22), James' total catalog of albums moved 30,000 units. That's a 378% increase over the week before, when her albums sold just over 6,000. James also entered the Billboard 200 chart at #59 with her 1997 greatest hits set, Her Best, selling 7,000 copies, which is up 4,226% from the week before. At Last! the album hit #96 on the chart with 5,000 units sold, up 907%.

"At Last" is likely James' signature tune, although she wasn't the original singer. That song was James' highest-charting of the week, pushing 63,000 downloads, with a weekly gain of 1,361%. For the week, James' catalog of songs sold a total of 118,000 downloads – with over half of those "At Last's" numbers – for an overall gain of 1,091%. more on this story



Flaming Lips and Wilco Star o Heavy Beatles Cover
(Gibson) It's no secret that the Flaming Lips are big Beatles fans. If you recall, late last year the alternative group posted a psychedelic cover of The Beatles' track "I Am the Walrus" on YouTube, and the patterned rendition has scored over 100,000 hits to date.

Now, the Lips are getting into Beatles-mania all over again and putting their stamp on the Beatles' nugget "I Want You (She's So Heavy)," which they played live during their New Year's Eve 2012 show in Oklahoma City.

George Salisbury – director and graphic designer for the Flaming Lips – recently tweeted a link to the fresh Lips cover. Coupled with Wilco guitarist Nels Cline on stage, the Flaming Lips serve up an authentic interpretation of The Beatles' landmark, except for the small fact the song is a whopping 17-plus minutes long. more on this story




Tribute To Riot's Mark Reale
The founding member and guitarist for legendary hard rock band Riot, Mark Reale, died Wednesday after a long battle and complications from Crohns disease, according to MarkReale.com.

The site had this biography/tribute to Mark: Mark was born June 7th 1955 in Brooklyn New York at a time when rock and roll was flourishing with many new sounds. Early in his life, his first interest had been the movies. ever so curiously, he had shown an interest in films. But then, songs he heard on the radio began to change that. He quickly began to love music from the Beatles and Cream. Mark lists George Harrison and Eric Clapton as great influences. When he was 7 years old his grandfather bought him his first basic guitar to practice on and later his father bought him a new guitar and amp, his passion had begun.

In the early to mid 70's his influences included the likes of Edgar Winter, Ronnie Montrose and Rick Derringer. He also loved a range of bands and artists from Al Di Meola to Deep Purple. In 1975 Mark formed his band RIOT, then at a block party Mark's father found vocalist Guy Speranza. Read the rest of the tribute here


Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Black Lips For Austin Psych Fest
The initial lineup for the Austin Psych Fest 2012 has been announced for the event which will take place on April 27-29, 2012.

Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Black Angels and The Black Lips lead the lineup. e were sent the lineup details and this: The 5th annual festival will be held at Emo's East & Beauty Ballroom.

After last years setting, the Seaholm Powerplant, started redevelopment, the search began for a new home for the fest. After the Black Angels / Wooden Shjips show at Emo's East & Beauty Ballroom on New Years Eve, it was immediately obvious that the perfect location for the festival had been found. lineup


Jeff Beck Helped Stevie Wonder Hit The Top
(Gibson) On this day in 1973, "Superstition" gave Stevie Wonder had his second no 1 single in the U.S., 10 years after his first #1. Gibson looks back: Although the multi-talented Wonder wrote, produced, played and sang on the single, he wasn't responsible for one key detail – the song's distinctive beat.

It was none other than guitar legend Jeff Beck who created the drumbeat while working with Wonder on the R&B star's album, Talking Book. After finishing writing "Superstition," Wonder actually offered it to Beck. Sensing a hit, Wonder's manager requested that his artist should record it first. Instead, Wonder offered Beck an alternate classic, "Cause We've Ended as Lovers," which the guitarist recorded on 1975's Blow by Blow.

When recording "Superstition" at Electric Lady Studios in New York, Wonder played drums, clavinet, bass and sang, with the horns being performed by other players. The song was released in the fall of 1972 as the lead single off Talking Book, the second album in Wonder's so-called "classic period" (during which Wonder gained complete artistic control as a Motown artist).

"Superstition" rocketed up the charts, eventually landing the #1 spot on the Billboard charts. The single marked his second #1 hit and first chart-topper in nearly 10 years, following "Fingertips – Pt. 2" in 1963. Although Wonder had been popular throughout the '60s, with classic hit singles such as "Uptight," "For Once in My Life" and "My Cherie Amour," he hadn't replicated the blockbuster success of his debut single until then. more on this story




American Idol Helping Aerosmith Reach New Fans
(hennemusic) Steven Tyler continues to make the rounds promoting the new season of American Idol.

Steven sat down with Access Hollywood this week to talk about all things Idol, including what it means to his expanding fan base.

"It's about getting our music heard by people," explains Tyler. "We write the songs because we want the people to sing it…and, so, the younger the better. And because of the internet and TV now, it's like 'forget about it' – I can't go anywhere – and I kinda like that." Check out the interview here.


Talking Ace Frehley
Ace Frehley band guitarist Todd Youth is the featured guest on episode of the Talking Metal podcast.

Todd is currently in the Ace Frehley band and is an ex-member of Danzig, Murphy's Law, Glen Campbell's band, D'Generation and Chrome Locust. He has also been a touring member of Motorhead.

The interview with Todd starts 56 minutes into the podcast (episode 376), you can logon and check it out here.


Singled Out Classic: Norman Greenbaum's Spirit In The Sky
Today Norman Greenbaum tells us about his classic rock hit from 1970 "Spirit In The Sky" which has sold two million copies has been featured in 47 movies and dozens of commercial ads and TV series during the past four decades. Here is the story:

When asked why does 'Spirit In The Sky' still resonate with the music listener today? Norman explains, "A few reasons: It's just a great song, with a terrific production that has stood the test of time, still sounding as vibrant today as 40 years ago. It also sounds great in the car, yep, car radio. When we mixed it, we made sure it sounded as great on car stereos as it did on home systems. It has an unforgettable opening musical riff, at times referred to as 'the heavy duty industrial fuzz tone'. It gives people chills listening to it. Plus, when it was included on Rock Band 2 it brought a new generation into the mix. Now that the song is aging in years, but not excellence, many fans have aged with it and now recognize it not only as a great song that reminds them of their life back then, such as taking their first date to my concert, 'Spirit' being the first album they ever bought, their parents screaming to turn the volume down, love making in the back seat to it and my favorite, naming their car 'the green-bomb', and as a song to take with them as we near the time to go up to the Spirit In The Sky. Because I answer my own e-mail, many people relate to me the circumstances of a loved one passing and how my song has brought them solace and each time they hear my song, either on the radio, in a movie or on TV, they are reminded that their loved ones are OK and looking down on them."

The story behind the song "Spirit In The Sky" is an interesting one. The original idea for the song came from Norman watching a performance on TV one night by country legend Porter Wagoner, who was singing about a preacher. This inspired Greenbaum to write a religious rock song. Although many have believed through the years that Norman, born of Jewish heritage, was a 'born again Christian', in truth, this is not the case. He made the decision to challenge himself to writing a gospel lyric, hoping he wouldn't flub it and meticulously crafted music that went on to surpass everyone's expectations. The guitar riff to 'Spirit In The Sky' undoubtedly is just as important to the song's success as the words and music. "My riff is a take on old blues riffs, common in the '20s and '30s," Norman explains. "Although a few other songs have similar riffs, my riff really stands out, as I infused a few original notes and changes the others do not have. Plus, the fuzz just ripples your mind. It is a sound that has never been reproduced, another reason the song stands so well."

Today's Day In Rock!

AC/DC Delayed By Illness
(hennemusic) AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson has revealed that the group's plans for a new album have been put on hold due to a band member's health issues.
"One of the boys is a little sick and I can't say anything, but he's getting better," Brian tells Mike "Cowhead" Calta of "The Cowhead Show." "He's doing wonderful. Full recovery fully expected."

Johnson is hopeful that the group will be able to reconnect and hit the studio sometime this year. "It's a wonderful thing when we get in a room," says Brian. "Whenever the boys get back together, I get all excited. The boys, after a while, pick the guitars up, Phil [Rudd] will make his way to the drums, Cliff [Williams] will pull his bass out and then all of a sudden this noise comes out and I sit there with just this big old grin on my face." more on this story


RIP Riot Guitarist Mark Reale
(Rock News Desk) Riot guitarist and founder Mark Reale has died after a near lifelong battle against Crohn's Disease.

The last remaining founding member of the band was rushed to hospital on January 11 following a brain haemorrhage. He'd been in a coma ever since and passed away without regaining consciousness.

Last week the band told how Reale wasn't well enough to play on their upcoming album, saying "Guitarist Mike Flyntz recorded a major portion of the guitars on the album with Mark's creative direction while he was unable to perform."

He collapsed while rehearsing for a brief run of live shows, which the band went on to play without him while asking fans for prayers. more on this story


Van Halen Top Billboard Chart
(hennemusic) Van Halen's new single, "Tattoo," has hit #1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Singles chart.

The track also earns the title of #1 Most Played Song at Classic Rock Radio in its first week and the #1 Most Added song at Mainstream and Active Rock Radio.

Since its January 10 release, "Tattoo" has been played on more than 160 stations across the States. more on this story


Slipknot and Slayer To Lead Mayhem Festival
The rumor is true; Slipknot is set to head-up the 2012 Mayhem Festival with metal heavyweights Slayer playing the second slot and a to-be-announced big name act filling the third slot.

The second stage will be feature Anthrax, The Devil Wears Prada, Asking Alexandria, As I Lay Dying, and Whitechapel when the 26 date North American tour kicks off on June 30th in San Bernardino, Ca. As for the special guest taking third slot, it won't be officially announced until March 5th but our news partner Banana1015.com speculates that the additional act will be Motorhead.

Members of Slipknot and Slayer reacted to the announcement. Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor said "You knew we'd be back. Now, you know we're coming. This will be a tour people will scarcely want to miss. It will definitely be a show to remember. Can't wait to see the states again from behind a mask." more on this story


Blink-182 Working On Next Album
(Gibson) Although Blink-182 have been on a break since their summer tour, and the release of their new record Neighborhoods, the band have designs on their next record. Bassist Mark Hoppus said that while guitarist Tom DeLonge has been touring with side project Angels and Airwaves, he's been putting together new songs.

"I'm sure these will all be Blink songs at the moment," Hoppus told Kerrang! "I don't have any plans to write songs with anybody else right now. If I do, it'll be a collaboration or a one-off thing, but everything I'm writing right now is for Blink-182."

Hoppus said that the songs are in the early stages and likely will change plenty when the entire band begins working on them. "It's really too early to tell. At the moment all I've got is a bunch of chord progressions and ideas," he said. "It's more me playing my guitar and coming up with little ideas and melodies. By the time it goes to Tom and Travis [Barker] and we work on it as a band, who knows what it will sound like." more on this story



Steel Panther Banned
(hennemusic) In a move that's sure to help the band sell more (music, tickets, merchandise, etc.), a poster promoting Steel Panther's "Balls Out" album has been banned in the UK.

XFM London reports the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the country's independent regulator of advertising across all media, has deemed the poster art – the "Balls Out" cover - unsuitable for public display.

The ad attracted a number of complaints to the ASA, including one from Imkaan, a charity for women from ethnic backgrounds who have been victims of abuse and violence. The charity said the ad was offensive because it was demeaning to women and overtly sexual in nature. more on this story


3 Inches Of Blood Recruit Fear Factory Member
3 Inches Of Blood have announced that their new bass player is Bryon Stroud of Fear Factory and formerly of Strapping Young Lad.

Century Media sent over these details: Stroud and 3 Inches Of Blood have been working together on a variety of things, and Stroud is beyond pleased shift his involvement to a creative level. "I am super stoked to let everyone know that I have joined my brothers in 3IOB," exclaims Stroud.

"We are busy rehearsing for touring of the new record Long Live Heavy Metal . The band asked me to come on board as manager last year. We rehearse in my bike shop, I've toured with them in the past and being involved in many aspects of the new record has been extremely gratifying for me. I'm looking forward and see a great future for this band. I'll see you all on tour this year." more on this story


Theory of a Deadman Spring Tour With Pop Evil And Stellar Revival
Theory of a Deadman will be hitting the road in April for a North American headlining tour.

The trek is set to kick off on April 9 in Tallahassee, FL and will feature support from Pop Evil and Stellar Revival.

Theory of a Deadman will be touring in support of their fourth studio album The Truth Is… which was released last July by Roadrunner Records. more on this story



The Polyphonic Spree Release New Song
The Polyphonic Spree have released a new single called "What Would You Do?," ahead of the kick off of their comeback tour.

"What Would You Do?" will be available digitally in both MP3 and FLAC lossless formats, as well as a regular black 7" vinyl release and a limited-edition colored 7" vinyl release that includes a signed and numbered silkscreened print/cover by GRR house artist Nevada Hill. The vinyl releases will include a surprise B-side from the Spree, not available elsewhere. All formats are available here.

The Polyphonic Spree will kick off their first tour since 2007 in Tulsa on Feb 6. An initial run through the Southeast continues through Feb 16; West Coast and East Coast dates are coming later in the spring. more on this story


Bachman and Turner To Appear In New Will Ferrell Movie
(Gibson) Bachman and Turner have landed roles in a new movie starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. The classic rockers will appear and perform in Dog Fight, a film being directed by Jay Roach (Austin Powers), according to Winnipeg Free Press.

In the film, Ferrell and Galifianakis play North Carolina congressional candidates battling for the same seat. Guitarist Randy Bachman and bassist Fred Turner show up to play their hit "Takin' Care of Business" at the winner's celebration rally. "It was really hard work, long days and about 200 people on set," the band's manager Gilles Paquin said. "But it's one of the biggest movies of the year and it's great positioning for the band."

The movie also stars John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd and Dylan McDermott, and is due to be released later in 2012. more on this story




Alice Cooper Guests On His Son's New EP
(Gibson) Runaway Phoenix, a hard rock band fronted by Alice Cooper's son, has released their first EP. Titled, simply, The E.P., the 6-song disc features Alice himself as a guest on the opening track, "Tug of War."

Formed in 2002, the Phoenix, Arizona-based group describes their sound as "AC/DC meets The Yardbirds who slept with Led Zeppelin who had an illegitimate love child." Other influences cited by the band include The Who, Neil Diamond, Audioslave and, of course, Alice Cooper.

Dash Cooper, who handles lead vocal duties for the group, isn't the only member of the Cooper clan who's entered the entertainment business. Actress/singer Calico Cooper has been a guest on several of her father's albums, and has long been an integral part of his stage show. Calico's younger sister, Sonora Cooper, is said to have similar aspirations. more on this story




Coldplay and Mumford & Sons For Secret Policeman's Ball
(Gibson) Coldplay are set to join Mumford & Sons as part of the lineup to be featured at this year's edition of The Secret Policeman's Ball. The British-based music and comedy festival will be staged at New York City's Radio Music Hall on March 4.

The concert, which had its inception in 1976, benefits the human right group, Amnesty International. As reported by the Associated Press, Amnesty International spokesperson Andy Hackman said the organization wanted to present the event on a grander scale this year, to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the human rights group.

"That phrase, 'human rights,' has lost meaning in some ways," Hackman said. "That's why we want to demonstrate the power and the joy that free speech can bring to us all. It's really just using these amazing, talented people to demonstrate the power [and] what a force of good free speech is." more on this story




Neil Young Hopes To Release Two New Albums With Crazy Horse This Year
(Gibson) Neil Young has confirmed that he's completed a new album with Crazy Horse, and that a second album with the band is "in progress." The veteran rocker said he hopes to release both discs this year.

Young made the revelation at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, were he and director Jonathan Demme are presenting Journeys, their latest concert documentary, which was filmed in Toronto in May 2011.

Members of Crazy Horse last recorded with Young on his 2003 album, Greendale. The last Young album on which the entire band was featured was 1996's Broken Arrow. In a 2005 interview with Performing Songwriter, Young described his work with Crazy Horse as "cosmic," and as something he treated with "a special kind of respect." "My work with Crazy Horse stands alone, in its own way," he said. "Sometimes it needs to be replenished, sometimes it needs to be revisited, and sometimes it needs to be left alone." more on this story




Iggy Pop Will Be This Year's Record Store Day Ambassador
(Gibson) Iggy Pop has agreed to take on the role of official ambassador for Record Store Day 2012.

Set to take place on April 21, Record Store Day celebrates the virtues of independent record store establishments, and is marked by special shows and one-day sales events.

In a prepared statement, Pop said, "I got my name, my musical education and my personality all from working at a record store during my tender years. Small indie shops have always been a mix of theater and laboratory. In the '50s and '60s the teen kids used to gather after school at these places to listen free to the latest singles and see if they liked the beat. You could buy the disc you liked for 79 cents and if you were lucky meet a chick. Clerks in these places became managers (like Brian Epstein), label heads (Jac Holzman) and Faces on album covers (like me)." more on this story




Robbers On High Street Set EP Release
Robbers On High Street will release a new EP, entitled Anything Could Happen, on April 17th.

It will be release both digitally and as a limited edition, hand pressed vinyl. CD fans need not apply.

The EP was originally only available via PledgeMusic to those who pre-ordered the group's third LP, Hey There Golden Hair and pledged for other exclusive items, according to Tijuana Gift Shop. more on this story


Middle Class Rut Announce Dates With Chevelle and Janus
Middle Class Rut have announced a series of tour dates with Chevelle and Janus in February and March.

Beginning February 24 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the band will make their way around the Midwest and East Coast, with stops in New York, Providence, Atlantic City, Nashville, and more.

Middle Class Rut is touring in support of their debut album, No Name No Color. more on this story


The Casualties and Toxic Holocaust Hardcore Road Warriors Tour
The Casualties have tapped Toxic Holocaust to support them on their Hardcore Road Warriors tour of North America which kicks off on February 27th.

Jake (guitars) states: "Hey everyone, so 2012 kicks in with the best line-up of heavy hardcore punk and thrash bands to tour yet. We are honored to share the stage with The English Dogs after listening to them on vinyl for so many f**kin years. Equally as brutal as that is doing even more dates with our new booze hound friends Toxic Holocaust! It's gonna be one big tornado of destruction to say the least.

"All you subculture maniacs will also be happy to know that after a year of riffing out songs and recent months rehearsing religiously we are happy to announce that The Casualties will be recording a new album this April for a summer release. Close friends that have heard demos said that these songs are faster, harder and a great sound to end the world to. See you all on the road soon. Over and Out." more on this story


Dir En Grey North American Tour and Reissue
Dir En Grey have announced North American tour plans both solo headliners and as part of The Still Reckless Tour and have also announces plans for a U.S. reissue of their album Uroboros.

MSO sent over these details: The Still Reckless Tour also featuring Asking Alexandria, Trivium, I See Stars, Motionless In White and The Amity Affliction. They have also plotted a pair of solo headlining shows in Seattle, WA on 3/7 and St. Petersburg, FL on 3/20

The band has plans for the U.S. release of Uroboros [Remastered & Expanded], a reissue of their experimental 2008 album which brings fans 14 tracks, including the long version of "Sa Bir" that was only heard live before; the exclusive version of "Bugaboo" that was previously only available on the limited first press analog release; "Dozing Green" and "Glass Skin" with Japanese lyrics; and "Hydra -666-" the coupling track on single "Dozing Green." With the return of sound engineer Tue Madsen, who worked on the band's latest album Dum Spiro Spero, the sound of Uroboros is reborn. [release date not mentioned in the announcement.] more on this story

More on Dir En Grey - Dir En Grey Music - Dir En Grey Tour Dates/Tickets - Dir En Grey CDs, vinyl and rarities
Reborn of Death Tour with Suffocation, Cerebral Bore, Cattle Decapitation and More
Cerebral Bore are heading to the UK in March for a tour with Suffocation, Cattle Decapitation, Hate, Blood Red Throne and Sephirah.

The "Reborn of Death" 2012 European tour is scheduled to kick off on March 13th in London, just days after Cerebral Bore finish up a North American trek with Goatwhore and Hate Eternal.

Cerebral Bore guitarist Paul McGuire comments: "We will be setting off for this tour roughly 12 hours after arriving home from our US tour, so we are either going to be on top form, or worn out and dead! Bet your tits it's not gonna be the latter - we're gonna pummel it nightly, and maybe even treat our fans to some brand new material!" more on this story


Former Mortiis Star To Debut at Art Fair
TCM sent over some news which should be of interest to UK based fans of Mortiis: Former drummer Svein Traserud (a.k.a. Leo Troy) who left the band in 2007 to pursue his interest in the contemporary arts, will make his UK debut at the third Parallax AF International Art Fair in London in February.

He will be exhibiting a range of his works at the event which takes place at Chelsea Town Hall, Kings Road, London, UK from Thursday 16th to Saturday 18th February 2012. Entry is free to the public.

The Parallax AF International Art Fair showcases modern artists from around the world and will this year feature works from the UK, USA, West & East Europe, Asia, South America, Turkey, UAE and Oceania.