Today's Day In Rock News!

Aerosmith Album Target Doubt
(Classic Rock) Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry says the band's record label don't understand how to market upcoming album Music From Another Dimension.
He explains: "I don't really know who this record is going to appeal to. Certainly there are classic rock stations for classic rock bands to play their classic songs. These are brand new songs. Will they be classics in 20 years? I guess we'll find out in 20 years."

But he adds: "All I know is that when I listen to them, they sound like Aerosmith songs." More music news.



Marshall Tucker Band's Member Stuart Swanlund Dies
The Marshall Tucker Band sent over the sad news that longtime member Stuart Swanlund died in his sleep of natural causes at his Chicago home this past Saturday, August 4, 2012. They provided these details:

Swanlund joined The Marshall Tucker Band in 1985 where his slide guitar work added a new dimension to the band – on newer material as well as standards like "Searchin' For A Rainbow," "Can't You See," and "Fire On The Mountain."

"Stuart, or 'Stubie' as we called him, was the longest standing member of The Marshall Tucker Band from 1985, onward," says Marshall Tucker Band founding member Doug Gray. "He recently took a hiatus from the road due to health problems and even with those issues, Stuart's enthusiasm onstage never waivered. Our thoughts and prayers are with Stuart's family and those who knew him. We have lost a great friend." more on this story



Lamb Of God's Randy Blythe Speaks Out After Release From Czech Prison
Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe has addressed fans following his release on bail from a prison in the Czech Republic. Here is what he had to say:

Greetings. This is D. Randall Blythe, checking in from my beloved hometown of Richmond, VA, United States of America. I was recently released on bail from Pankrác Prison in Prague, Czech Republic, after over a month of incarceration. Now that I am out for the moment, I would like to say a few things.

1. While in prison, I had minimal knowledge of how my case was viewed anywhere but the Czech Republic. I was told by my attorney that I had a lot support from peers in the music industry, my hometown, fans, and of course my family. I cannot express how emotional it made me upon my release to read about even a fraction of the voices that were raised on my behalf. From legends in my music community, to fans across the world, and even people who were previously unaware of my existence but sympathized with my plight- I am truly humbled. I cannot thank you enough for your thoughts and prayers. I would especially like to thank the people of Richmond, VA, for standing by me. In the 48 hours I have been home, many people I have never met before have stopped me on the street, waved and smiled as I passed by, or said hello in a restaurant. All have said "We are glad you are home, Randy". You all make me proud and grateful that I call Richmond home. more on this story



Judas Priest Planning New Music
(hennemusic) Judas Priest wrapped up their farewell Epitaph tour in May, and now the band is planning to regroup to start to work on some new music.

Frontman Rob Halford tells Billboard that the group is "ramping things up to get back into full writing and recording mode" back in England. He and guitarist Glenn Tipton have "a tremendous amount of material in the vaults already," and they expect new guitarist Richie Faulkner, who replaced co-founder KK Downing in 2011, to make a contribution as well.

"As we were proceeding on this world tour he was taking this little mini-studio into his dressing room and we could hear him riffing away," Halford recalls. "It's going to be really thrilling moment to get together in a new writing dimension, Glenn and myself and Richie, putting all of these ideas together. We'll see what we can do over the next couple of months, look at everything, lay it all out and then start the hard work of picking out the best material." more on this story



Travis Barker To Over Come Fear After Nearly Dying In Plane Crash
(Classic Rock) The promoter of Blink-182′s Australian tour has said all three members of the band will appear during the shows.

His statement seems to confirm drummer Travis Barker's vow to beat his fear of flying, which originally forced him to say he wouldn't be attending.

Barker nearly died in a plane crash in 2008 which killed four others and led to the later death of his friend DJ AM. More music news.



Taking Back Sunday Map Out Tell All Your Friends Anniversary Tour
Taking Back Sunday will continue celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their debut, Tell All Your Friends, with a new North American tour.

The two-month full US tour, which will feature special guests Bayside as main support and a variety of openers along the way, will begin in Cleveland, OH, on October 4 and will run through November 23, where the band will make an appearance at New York City's Terminal 5.

Along the way, the tour will visit major markets across the U.S. including Chicago, IL, on October 6, San Francisco, CA, on October 21, Los Angeles, CA, on October 25, Washington, DC, on November 11 and Philadelphia, PA, on November 14. The tour will feature Tell All Your Friends in its entirety as well as other favorites from the band's extensive catalog. more on this story



Lynyrd Skynyrd Release New Three-Disc CD/DVD Set
Lynyrd Skynyrd fans are advised to head to Walmart today as the band are releasing a brand new three-disc CD/DVD set, Southern Surroundings, exclusively at the retailer today, August 7, 2012. Their camp sent over these details:

The deluxe collection will include a CD featuring 14 of the band's greatest hits, featuring "Sweet Home Alabama," "Saturday Night Special," "That Smell" and a live "Free Bird"; a seven-track DVD-Video from a live performance on BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test, and a 10-song DVD-Audio/Video boasting 10 classic songs newly mixed in 5.1 surround sound by Grammy-winning producer Elliott Scheiner.

The BBC DVD features live performances of "Double Trouble," "I Ain't The One," "Call Me The Breeze," "I Got The Same Old Blues," "Every Mother's Son," "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird" from a performance originally broadcasted on November 11, 1975. more on this story



John Butler Giving Away His Ocean
John Butler today celebrates 12 years of touring and playing his noteworthy track "Ocean," by issuing an official video and giving away a re-recording of the track, tying into his latest live double-disc release, Tin Shed Tales.

This special re-recording was captured in 'The Compound', his studio in his hometown of Fremantle, Western Australia in February 2012. Having performed the track to a worldwide audience over the past 12 years, 'Ocean' is today available FREE as an MP3 or as a video stream. Get it here

John Butler had this to say: "OCEAN" is a very interesting aspect of my life. It is part of my DNA. It conveys all things I can't put into words. Life, loss, love, spirit. As I evolve so too does "Ocean".

The song was first recorded as part of my first album/cassette, "Searching For Heritage", which I sold when I busked, then for my first self-titled studio album 12 years ago.

The song has been watched online incredibly over 25 million times in various formats, nearly always live, be it from Music Max Sessions or from one of the many festivals I have had the pleasure to play.

I'd like to thank you for your continued support over all these years; it means so much to me. I would like to thank you by offering this first studio recording of "Ocean" in over a decade as a free download. I recorded it in my favourite studio, The Compound here in Fremantle, Western Australia, a studio you helped me build.

This marks just another fleeting moment in a career that is very much ongoing. I look forward to bringing you many new songs and albums into the future and continuing this amazing journey with you ALL.

Thank You,
JB



Gibson Settle With Feds
(Gibson) After many weeks of negotiation, Gibson has settled all issues with the US government and the Department of Justice. CEO, Henry Juszkiewicz commented, "We felt compelled to settle as the costs of proving our case at trial would have cost millions of dollars and taken a very long time to resolve. This allows us to get back to the business of making guitars. An important part of the settlement is that we are getting back the materials seized in a second armed raid on our factories and we have formal acknowledgement that we can continue to source rosewood and ebony fingerboards from India, as we have done for many decades."

Despite the fact that, "...the government acknowledges that Gibson has cooperated with the Government and the investigation conducted by the Fish and Wildlife Service", Gibson was subject to two hostile raids on its factories by agents carrying weapons and attired in SWAT gear where employees were forced out of the premises, the production was shut down, goods were seized as contraband, and threats were made that would have forced the business to close.

CEO, Henry Juszkiewicz commented, "We feel that Gibson was inappropriately targeted, and a matter that could have been addressed with a simple contact a caring human being representing the government. Instead, the Government used violent and hostile means with the full force of the US Government and several armed law enforcement agencies costing the tax payer millions of dollars and putting a job creating US manufacture at risk and at a competitive disadvantage. This shows the increasing trend on the part of government to criminalize rules and regulations and treat US businesses in the same way drug dealers are treated. This is wrong and it is unfair. I am committed to working hard to correct the inequity that the law allows and insure there is fairness, due process, and the law is used for its intended purpose of stopping bad guys and stopping the very real deforestation of our planet".

Gibson will publish the agreement and the attached Statement of Facts that both the Government and Gibson agreed to so anyone can independently draw their own conclusions here.





Five Finger Death Pitch For Singer Of New Offshoot Band
(Classic Rock) Former Five Finger Death Punch bassist Mark Snell has formed a new band called My Acumen.

The group features former bandmate Darrell Roberts, Zach Broderick of Nonpoint and Jeff Fabb of In This Moment.

Snell is currently recruiting a frontman for the outfit and hopes to discover "fresh new talent," saying: "We don't care if you're tall, short, fat, skinny, black or white. We want someone who wants to be in the project and will be very positive about it. But we're not looking for a screamer – can you sing like Chris Cornell?" Email skylynemedia@gmail.com for more information. More music news.



Aerosmith's Joe Perry Gets Military Air Briefing
(hennemusic) Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry visited the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs on August 1 before the band performed in Denver.

The U.S. Army reports Perry received an overview brief of the command's Friendly Force Tracking Mission Management Center (MMC) from Joe Piscitelli, an SMDC employee. "This is the real deal," Perry said during the briefing. "It's really amazing what you are doing here."

Piscitelli, who works MMC operations support training and security for SMDC, is credited with naming Perry's album, "Have Guitar, Will Travel," during a 2009 contest that included nearly 2,000 suggested titles. more on this story



Sebastian Bach In Contract Dispute With Guitarist
(hennemusic) Sebastian Bach guitarist Nick Sterling is sitting out the last couple of shows on the singer's current North American tour due to an apparent contract dispute.

"Unfortunately, I will not be performing tonight at Nokia Live," Sterling wrote on his Facebook page before Sebastian's Los Angeles concert on Friday. "There were some contractual issues that we just couldn't work out. No hard feelings."

Friday's concert was being broadcast live by AXS TV, formerly known as HDNet. more on this story



Lollapalooza Headed To Israel
Lollapalooza is expanding to Israel and will debut in the country at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park, on August 20-22, 2013. Organizers sent over these details:

Israel will join Chile and Brazil as the third international location for the legendary festival, in addition to the US festival in Chicago.

Lollapalooza Israel will be the first-ever large-scale international music festival in the country and will provide the same world-class experience that fans across the globe have come to expect, beginning with the location. The festival will take place just a few minutes from vibrant downtown Tel Aviv, in The Yarkon Park, which stretches for hundreds of acres along the Yarkon River and is the largest and most popular park in Israel. Tel Aviv is widely recognized as an international culture capitol and is known across the world for its art, architecture, and bustling nightlife. more on this story



Skeletonwitch Abomination Fall Tour Expanded
Skeletonwitch have expanded their upcoming "U.S. Abomination" headlining tour.

The have also announced some venue changes and additional special guests added to select shows.

Skeletonwitch will be touring in support of their latest release, "Forever Abomination". Grab the new dates and support info here.



Former Demon Hunter Guitarist Shoots Down Satanic Accusations
Former Demon Hunter guitarist Ryan Helm has addressed speculation that his new group Damien Deadson is satanic.

Helm had this to say: "Normally I would not even address such petty ridiculous accusations, but this rumor has gotten so out of control that it is starting to affect me on a financial level.

For the record; I, Ryan Helm am not a Satanist, and neither is my band Damien Deadson. None of the lyrical content or meaning is Satanic, or even remotely evil or even promotes evil or harm spiritually or physically.

"Hopefully this can put to rest any doubts, fears, and rumors of me, my band, and band mates being Satanist. Now, can we all just get back to playing metal?"



Led Zeppelin 2 Fall Tour
Led Zeppelin 2, the tribute band fronted by Yakuza's Bruce Lamont, will be hitting the road this fall for a North American tour.

The tour is set to commence on September 5 in Toledo, Ohio and roll through nine cities, including two nights in Allston, Massachusetts, with additional dates to be added soon.

Comments Lamont: "We're super stoked to hit the East Coast this Fall. We have some songs we're gonna debut for the first time and other surprises. See you out there!" more on this story



Hank3 To Kick Off North American Tour Leg This Week
Hank3 will kick off the third leg of his 2012 North America tour on Friday, August 10th in Fort Worth, TX.

The tour begins at the Rail Club and will hit several western states up until September 4th when it comes to a stop in Boulder, CO at the Boulder Theater.

Late last year, Hank3 released four new records to fans simultaneously—an action unprecedented in his career. These titles include Ghost to a Ghost/Guttertown, Attention Deficit Domination and 3 Bar Ranch Cattle Callin. Hank3's U.S. tour is his chance to commemorate these new albums. more on this story



Jane's Addiction Expand North American Theatre of the Escapists Tour
Jane's Addiction have added a new Rocktober leg to their North American Theatre of the Escapists Tour.

The band has announced several new west coast dates to the trek, expanding it until October with a final hometown show in Los Angeles at a to-be-determined venue.

The tour will wrap with 6 shows in California, including stops in San Francisco, Santa Barbara. more on this story



Tiger Army Expand Octoberflame
Tiger Army are taking things up a notch for the fifth installment of their Octoberflame, expanding the annual event this year to include six dates in five cities, including the Bay Area, Southern California and Arizona.

"I can't believe it's coming up on five years since the first Octoberflame," commented bandleader and founding member Nick 13. "I feel like there's a real legitimacy in hitting the five-year mark with any kind of a festival, as so many never make it past the first few."

Octoberflame V kicks off with a two-night stand in San Francisco, followed by shows Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, Pomona and Tempe. This will be the first time Tiger Army has performed in the Bay Area in four years and their first show in LA since 2009's Octoberflame II. more on this story



B Sides


Singled Out: Wake Up Lucid
Today Ryan Bana from Wake Up Lucid tells us about the title track to their brand new album "Feel It" which hit stores today (8/7). Here is the story:

Feel It is a song that we had been trying to figure out for about a month. We had tried doing different arrangements and different beats to figure out what would really make it feel complete. We all liked the rhythm that it had but it still didn't feel like the energy that the song had was coming through.

I think it was the third track that we recorded the first day and we did 2 or 3 takes of it and it just felt like something was still missing. As an experiment we turned everything up to 10, every pedal I had was clicked on and at full volume and there was just this screeching feedback as we waited to start. We ran through it and the whole vibe in the studio changed, you could feel the electricity throughout the room. The guitar pickups were so hot they picked up the vocal and you could hear the line "Hello can you hear me, can you feel it now" come through the guitar amps. This is the take that is on the record.

This changed the whole session and that was the energy we wanted the entire record to have, that one experiment just shaped the whole sound we were going for. We re-recorded the first two songs from that day and decided right there this record had to be called Feel It.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!



Steel Panther Preview New DVD
(hennemusic) Steel Panther are offering fans a preview of their forthcoming DVD, "The British Invasion."

The mostly Spinal Tap-like footage features on and off stage action, including a behind the scenes look at the band.

Panther will announce a release date and more details – including track listing – soon. Check out the preview here.



Watch KISS Shout It Out Loud
(hennemusic) KISS continue their summer tour of North America with Motley Crue. On Wednesday, the pair of classic rockers pulled into Louisville, Kentucky for a show at the KFC Yum! Arena.

KISS have issued video of their Louisville performance of "Shout It Out Loud," their classic from the 1976 album, "Destroyer."

KISS are releasing an updated version of the album – "Destroyer: Resurrected" – on August 21. Watch the video here.



Video From The Black Keys' Lollapalooza Performance Goes Online
(hennemusic) The Black Keys rocked Lollapalooza 2012 on Friday night in Chicago and video from the set has been posted online.

The Keys delivered an energetic 90-minute performance at Grant Park, a stop on their "El Camino" tour.

The Keys head to Europe for a series of dates starting August 9 at the Way Out West festival in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Today's Day In Rock News!

Velvet Revolver Find Perfect Singer... But
Velvet Revolver may have found the right man to replace Scott Weiland in the group, but logistics have kept the union from happening.
When asked about the status of the group, Slash tells Aquarian, "Unfortunately, as for Velvet Revolver, we'll remain on a hiatus until we find the right singer to replace Scott."

He then explains how Ours frontman Jimmy Gneeco could have had the job if the logistics would have worked out. "Jimmy Gnecco is an amazing singer and we really wanted to work with him. The unfortunate thing was that our schedules conflicted. Whenever we wanted to fly him out to work with us, he was already engaged in something else, but Jimmy was without a doubt the type of singer we were looking for!"

Perhaps they will work it out in the future? You can read the full interview with Slash here.



Ex-QOTSA's Nick Oliveri Avoids Jail For SWAT Standoff
(TMZ) Former Queens of the Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri just dodged a major bullet after his 4-hour standoff with a S.W.A.T. team last year -- cutting a MAJOR deal with prosecutors that will keep him out of jail.

Oliveri's lawyer tells TMZ, "Mr. Oliveri agreed to plead to one count of possession of cocaine and a dismissal of the remaining SIX felony counts."

If you recall ... Oliveri was arrested last July in L.A. after a fight with his GF resulted in a S.W.A.T. standoff. Cops eventually searched his home, and claim they found a loaded shotgun along with cocaine and methamphetamines.

The musician had faced up to 15 YEARS in the slammer for the combined charges -- but under the deal, he'll only get 3 years felony probation. Oliveri also agreed to 52 weeks of anger management and 200 hours of community service.

A judge signed off on the deal today, claiming if Oliveri stayed clean during the length of his probation, he'd expunge the entire case from Oliveri's record. Not bad. more on this story



Fan Dies At Wacken and Lollapalooza Evacuated
(Classic Rock) A metal fan has died of carbon monoxide poisoning at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival, organisers have said. The as-yet unnamed person fell asleep under a tarpaulin on a truck and breathed in the poison gas pumped out by a generator, which was also under the tarpaulin.

A statement says: "Friends of the deceased discovered the body under the canvas. Emergency services couldn't successfully resuscitate the person."

Meanwhile, the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago was evacuated for three hours at the weekend due to a powerful thunderstorm. Several bands' sets were cancelled in the delay, but authorities allowed the event's curfew to be extended so headline act the Red Hot Chili Peppers could play. more on this story



Van Halen Turn Down Tour Offer
(Classic Rock) Van Halen have pulled out of plans to tour Australia for the second time in recent months.

Promoter Patrick Prendergast says: "They have passed on playing this year, which is a shame."

Last year they withdrew from the country's touring Soundwave festival in order to complete comeback album A Different Kind of Truth. More rock news



Tony Iommi and Ian Gillan Charity Single A Success
(Classic Rock) Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has thanked fans for buying his WhoCares charity single and album, made in conjunction with Ian Gillan and others.

As a result of fundraising efforts a new school will commence construction in Armenia on August 15.

Iommi says: "This is just the beginning, so please continue to support us. The album will be available in the US at the end of August." More rock news



Lamb of God's Randy Blythe Vows To Clear His Name
(Classic Rock) Lamb of God vocalist Randy Blythe has vowed to return to the Czech Republic and face a manslaughter trial if he's called.

He was set free on Thursday after five weeks in jail and arrived home in the US last night. He'd been arrested in June in connection with the 2010 death of fan Daniel Nosek at a Lamb of God concert in Prague.

Nosek died a month after the show, during which he'd rushed the stage at least three times. It's alleged he sustained a head injury after being pushed off the platform, and that later led to the brain haemorrhage that killed him. There appears to be no evidence that the injury was sustained at the concert, or that Blythe was involved in any way.

Although never charged with any crime, prosecutors objected to his bail twice. A final 16-hour hearing saw the court overruling all protests and setting him free. Randy had a lot to say.



Iron Maiden Slowing Down With Age
(Classic Rock) Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain admits the band aren't playing their old songs the way they used to, because they're not able to.

Maiden's current set includes songs they wrote 25 years ago, many of which they haven't played in nearly as long, including the Seventh Son title track. That involved a bit of homework for the band – and a stark realisation for McBrain.

"I'd listen and go, 'Gosh, I can't believe we played that song that fast.' We still have a lot of energy, but as a player I've realised we couldn't play at that speed today and make it work," He says. "We were younger and it was a lot more crazy. We're a bit more refined with where we go with tempos now. There are still nights when I go a bit quick and the rest of the band moan." A lot more from Nicko



Jack Russell Fires Back At Former Great White Bandmate
(Classic Rock) Former Great White singer Jack Russell has lashed out at ex-bandmate Mark Kendall, saying the guitarist's messages of goodwill are fake. And he's ordered Kendall to stop suggesting the frontman is still drinking.

Russell now fronts his own outfit, Jack Russell's Great White, after health problems related to his alcohol addiction sidelined him in 2010. That led to his sacking from the band he co-founded in 1978 as Dante Fox.

He's previously slated his former group as a whole – but now he's turned his ire on Kendall, the man he started out with. In an angry outburst on Facebook, Russell says: "In an interview he insinuates and/or alleges that I am not sober. Ordinarily I do not let such idiotic comments bother me – but at this point I have had enough. My AA sponsor will verify that I am sober. I will take my one-year cake and coin on August 10." He's just getting warmed up.



Rolling Stones Documentary To Air Later This Year
(Gibson) The "will they / won't they?" talk of a Rolling Stones tour continues. One fact is there's a new Stones documentary movie out by the end of 2012.

HBO are making a new movie about the rock veterans, helmed by documentary filmmaker Brett Morgan, best known for The Kid Stays in the Picture. "Nobody has put the story together as a narrative," Morgan tells Rolling Stone. "We've been looking under every rock, going through their archives. It will be music never heard before, and I've conducted 50-plus hours of interviews so far. By the time we're done, they will be the most extensive group interviews they've ever done."

The as yet untitled movie will air on US TV this winter and will undoubtedly get a wider release around the same time. It could well be a teaser for a full 2013 tour. more on this story





Kittie To Release Retrospective
The female metal group Kittie will be releasing a new retrospective compilation next month.

eOne Music have set a September 11th release date for the set which will be called "Not So... Safe."

The retrospective will feature tracks from their records, "Spit," "Oracle," "Safe," "In The Black," and "I've Failed You." more on this story



The Dan Reed Network Plan Reunion
(Classic Rock) The Dan Reed Network will reunite for a one-off show on New Year's Eve in their home town of Portland, Oregon.

Frontman Reed says: "It will honour the 25th anniversary of the band and celebrate the energy shift in December 2012. It will be a true joy sharing the stage with the guys again."

The show will be filmed for a DVD release by guitarist Dan Pred. More rock news



Why Herman Rarebell Left The Scorpions
(Classic Rock) Drummer Herman Rarebell says he left the Scorpions in 1995 because he didn't think the band's material was strong enough.

He explains: "One of the reasons I left was the album Pure Instinct. That was a really bad album, followed by an even worse record, Eye II Eye. I kept saying to stop experimentation and write songs that Scorpions fans would expect."

But he adds: "The last one, Sting in the Tail, is really good." Rarebell is currently a member of Michael Schenker's touring band. More rock news



Isis Set New Rarities Release
Ipecac Recordings have set a November 6th release for a new Isis retrospective featuring unreleased rarities, remixes and videos, entitled Temporal.

Temporal spans the groundbreaking band's entire discography with inclusions from Mosquito Control to the band's final full-length album, Wavering Radiant.

"It was fun and also very nostalgic collecting material for this release," commented Aaron Harris. "I hear our catalogue differently now that I'm not living with these songs day to day. This is a special collection of outtakes, demos, unreleased tracks and videos; some of which I think we even forgot about.



Deep Purple Recording With Bob Ezrin, Will Play Major Metal Fest
(hennemusic) Just as the 23rd Wacken Open Air drew to a close, organizers released details on some of the confirmed artists for 2013, including the first-ever appearance by Deep Purple.

The rockers are currently in the studio in Nashville working on a new album. "We're producing an album with Bob Ezrin, who's done KISS, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Alice Cooper, and he also worked on the last Kansas album, when I was with Kansas," guitarist Steve Morse told Glide magazine recently.

"So he's one of my favorite producers and that's going to be our studio album. It's probably going to be more of an extravaganza." more on this story



Blur Play Reunion Show at London Club
(Gibson) Blur continued their comeback with an intimate show at London's 100 Club on August 2. The 100 Club, in London's Oxford Street, became renowned from the '60s to the punk era, and was recently saved from closure. It holds just 350 people.

Blur's show took place as part of the on-going series of "Converse Represent" shows at the iconic venue, which has also seen performances by Paul Weller, among others.

Blur concentrated on older "Britpop" era material from the early 1990s. From 1993's Modern Life is Rubbish album alone, the band played "Advert," "Colin Zeal," "Oily Water" and "For Tomorrow." After just an hour, Blur closed with new track "Under the Westway." They didn't play an encore. more on this story





B Sides


Singled Out: Jimmy at the Prom
Jimmy at the Prom's new song "Escape" caught our attention with their unique sound which seems to cross The Mars Volta with The Doors (you may very well hear something completely different!), when we found out a member of Alice Cooper's band produced the song it became even more interesting. So we reached out to see if we could get the story behind the track. Here is what they told us:

Jimmy at the Prom is a band formed by Matt Turner and Sean Williamson with the vision of bringing "prog" and "arena" rock a little closer together. Both players have run the gamut of side men to session players, and tour dogs for the better part of the last decade.

Now writing collectively, J@TP has released the single Escape. This track in particular revolves around the main riff in 3/4, brought to the table by Williamson, and arranged by both Williamson and Turner. Initially recorded at The Riverside Theater in Milwaukee WI, the song has now taken a different flow with the help of Chuck Garric, bassist of Alice Cooper and frontman of new project Beasto Blanco.

After the Riverside sessions, Turner reached out to Garric to produce the track that would be to released on vinyl. "I wanted to bring in Chuck because he's a rock solid player and has a great ear for what a song should be" says Turner.

"Escape is about detaching from the things that are bringing you down or drawing away from the positives in your life," adds Williamson, "whatever they may be...even yourself; and it's meant to go beyond the context of real life and into the story of "Jimmy" at the Prom that takes place within the artwork by Steven Bossler." A common feeling of an adolescent with a mowhawk trying to fit in, he's unwilling to conform to the hand society has dealt him. "Jimmy" is escaping from the tv in the cover art and conveying a strong message by doing so," adds Williamson.

This imagery is explored even further in the music video to "Made of Wax," a partially animated piece done by Dave Kiehl and edited by Bryan Mir of Blend Studios. "Jimmy" is as fictional as you want him to be.

Plans are in the works to get even more involved with Chuck both on the producer and touring level. "A full length album with Chuck's insight will be key in shaping and perfecting our sound," says Turner. "Playing with his band Beasto Blanco out on the road will help too," adds Williamson, as the bands plan on joining forces in the near future.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself right here!



Video of Black Sabbath's Lollapalooza Set Goes Online
(hennemusic) Black Sabbath played their third and final show of their planned 2012 reunion Friday as headliners at Lollapalooza in Chicago. Video of Sabbath's performance has surfaced for fans to check out.

Once again, Sabbath's Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler were filled out with drummer Tommy Clufetos (from Ozzy's solo band) handling drum duties in the absence of original sticks man Bill Ward, who continues to sit things out over a contract dispute.

After concerts in Birmingham (May) and at Download (June), Lollapalooza was the only North American date on the schedule for the partial Sabbath reunion. Watch the video here.



Watch Metallica Ride The Lightning In Mexico
(hennemusic) Metallica recently launched a series of concerts in Mexico City. Metallica kicked off the dates with a new stage set and an explosive performance.

The band are now sharing some footage from the July 28 show, including video of "Creeping Death" in the tuning room and "Ride The Lightning" from the concert.

Opening night at the city's Sports Palace lived up to the band's pre-show hype, which billed the event as "a brand new show that features your favorite iconic elements spanning our entire 30 year touring career all on a massive stage that is twice the size of the World Magnetic set up... we think it's something that needs to be seen to believed!!!" Check out the video



Rush's Neil Peart Makes Anthrax Drummer's Day
(Classic Rock) Troubled Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante was blown away when Rush counterpart Neil Peart said he knew about the thrash band's plans to cover the Canadians' track Anthem.

Guitarist Scott Ian reports: "Neil said to Charlie: 'That's so cool. We put the clip of you playing drums up on our website.' Charlie, I swear to God, the glow that was coming off him – I'd never seen anything quite like it."

It's thought a number of covers will be included in a re-release of recent Anthrax album Worship Music. [Artisan] More rock news



Video of Red Hot Chili Peppers' Lollapalooza Set Goes Online
(hennemusic) The Red Hot Chili Peppers rocked Lollapalooza at the end of a chaotic Saturday for concertgoers in Chicago.

The festival site was evacuated mid-day due to severe thunderstorms. After a 2.5 hour delay, the gates re-opened to the public.

Fans return to catch acts on several stages before the Peppers closed out the evening. Watch video of their performance here.



Watch Jack White Rock Lollapalooza
(hennemusic) Jack White had the honor of closing this year's Lollapalooza festival on Sunday night in Chicago.

It was a weekend of extreme heat, a storm that caused the first full-scale evacuation at the site's Chicago event on Saturday, and headlining sets by Black Sabbath and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Organizers announced the weekend drew a record-tying 270,000 fans to the city's Grant Park. Watch some video from White's set here.



Video Of Scorpions Wacken Fest Performance Goes Online
(hennemusic) The Scorpions rocked Germany's Wacken Open Air festival on Saturday and video of their set has surfaced online.

The annual heavy metal event takes place in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany.

The festival gig was part of the band's Final Sting world tour, which sees the group performing its final live dates.

Today's Day In Rock News!

Lamb of God's Randy Blythe Freed From Czech Prison
(Classic Rock) Randy Blythe has been freed from prison in the Czech Republic, a spokeswomen for the Prague Court has confirmed.
The Lamb of God singer was arrested on June 27 in connection with the death of Daniel Nosek, a fan alleged to have sustained a fatal head injury when he invaded the stage while Blythe performed.

Blythe was never charged and posted bail of $200,000 a few days later. However, under legal proceedings in the former Soviet nation prosecutors can object to a suspect's freedom, which happened in his case. Although objections were not accepted, his bail was raised to $400,000. This again was paid, but another objection was lodged. more on this story



Incubus Going On Hiatus
(Gibson) It's hard to ignore that Incubus have a ton of fans that came up during the band's zenith in the late-'90s and early-2000s. That said, anyone gunning to see the guys live may want to try extra hard to catch the band on their upcoming Honda Civic Tour with Linkin Park, as Incubus frontman Brandon Boyd says the guys are planning to take an extended hiatus right after the tour wraps.

"As far as Incubus right now, we'll probably take another break," Boyd told Billboard regarding Incubus' post-Civic Tour plans. "Hopefully it won't be as long [as the five-year wait between If Not Now, When? and Light Grenades] but what we'd like to do is arrive with the best of intentions and try to create music from a sense of urgency as well as purity and not necessarily based on a schedule."

Boyd also added that he might release a second solo album during Incubus' impending break. If you're worried that means the end of Incubus, it's not. Boyd says Incubus plan to work on new music during their break, so while the hiatus "can be frustrating for our listeners and stuff, but I think we'll make better music as a result," he said. more on this story





Queensryche Deny Using Tapes Of Tate Live
(Classic Rock) New Queensryche singer Todd La Torre has denied fan suggestions that the band are using backing tapes of sacked frontman Geoff Tate's voice at live shows.

Last weekend the latest lineup made their first official appearance under the Queensryche title, after performing a handful of shows as Rising West before completing moves to get rid of Tate in June.

But La Torre, who's sticking with his other outfit, Crimson Glory, has taken to Facebook to deal with claims that the former singer's work could be heard from the stage. Instead, he says, it's all him and bassist Eddie Jackson. more on this story



ZZ Top's New Album Coming Next Month
(Classic Rock) The nine-year wait for a new ZZ Top album ends next month when La Futura is released, the Texan three-piece have announced.

They've set September 11 as launch day for La Futura, their 15th studio disc and the follow-up to 2003′s Mescalero.

Guitarist Billy Gibbons says: "We thought long and hard about what this album should be. We wanted to recall the directness of our early stuff, but not turn our backs on contemporary technology.

"The result of this melding of the past and the present is La Futura." A lot more details.




Doors, Deep Purple, Asia, Yes, Dream Theater Members Tribute Supertramp
Members of Asia, Yes, King Crimson, The Doors, Deep Purple, XTC, Toto, Mr. Mister, Dream Theater, Nektar, Porcupine Tree, Gentle Giant, Renaissance, and Rainbow will appear on Cleopatra Records Songs Of The Century: An All-Star Tribute To Supertramp which will hit stores on August 14th.

Supertramp hit songs are reenvisioned on Songs Of The Century, including "The Logical Song," "Take The Long Way Home," and "Goodbye Stranger," plus takes on gems like "Rudy" and "It's Raining Again."

Producer Billy Sherwood enthuses, "There are some cool, unique moments like Annie Haslam singing "Dreamer" and one of the other highlights for me is Rick Wakeman's piano playing on "Crime of the Century." And Joe Lynn Turner singing "Bloody Well Right" is just killer."" Richard Page offers a delightful version of "Give A Little Bit" that exudes all the sweet charm of the original. The bonus track is a new piece from Chris Squire and Tony Kaye of Yes. more on this story



Led Zeppelin Artist Dies
(Classic Rock) Classic Rock has learned of the death of cover artist Zacron, real name Richard Drew, best known as the sleeve designer for Led Zeppelin III. Drew died in January this year from bowel cancer but his estranged family have only just learned of his passing.

Zacron was born in Sutton, Surrey in 1943, and studied with Eric Clapton and members of the Yardbirds at Kingston College of Art between 1957-60. During this time he met fellow art student Jimmy Page and the pair reconnected in 1969 when Zacron was commissioned to do the sleeve for III. The artist took four months to complete the distinctive sleeve, featuring a rotating cardboard disc that revealed different images through holes in the sleeve as it was turned. The idea originated with Jimmy Page (based on a crop rotation volvelle) but the guitarist has since commented that he thought the finished product "very teeny-bopperish".

In 2007, Zacron designed the cover of Classic Rock's special issue dedicated to the Led Zeppelin reunion and talked through the genesis and meaning of the album cover. See it here.



Bad English Singer Slams Former Journey Bandmates
(Classic Rock) John Waite insists he'd rather shoot himself than sound like Journey, which he described as "super-white music".

And the singer is adamant there will be no reunion of Bad English, the band he formed with Journey men Neal Schon, Deen Castronovo and Jonathan Caine.

Waite is happy with his relatively low-key solo career and has no desire to return to the supergroup he co-formed in 1988 and split in 1991. "I think it's garbage," He tells Metal Sludge. "I hate to say it, but I listen to Journey and think, 'That is just wrong.' That's why there will never be a Bad English reunion." more on this story




Rush and Alanis Morissette To Receive RockWalk Honors
Rush and Alanis Morissette lead the classic of 2012 inductions into Guitar Center's RockWalk. They sent over these details:

Each Guitar Center RockWalk induction will be held at the retailer's historic Hollywood location on Sunset Boulevard. The inductions, which are invite only, will include an induction speech and ceremony, in which the musicians' handprints will be immortalized for the millions of music fans who visit Hollywood each year.

Each of the new inductees' handprints will reside in the RockWalk alongside other accomplished musicians and innovators such as, Eric Clapton, George Martin, Jimmy Page, Iron Maiden, Carlos Santana, Johnny Cash, Van Halen, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, Run-D.M.C. and Queen,among numerous others. more on this story



Bloc Party To Broadcast Terminal 5 Show in HD
Bloc Party's August 8th show at Terminal 5 in NYC is set to be streamed live in HD via The Bowery Presents Live.

The show precedes the August 21st release of their new album, Four, and will stream live from starting at 9:30 pm EDT here.

Bloc Party is currently on the road and making a number of festival appearances in U.S. In addition, they recently announced their Fall tour with Ceremony. more on this story



Even Boston's Singer Not Sure When New Album Will Be Released
(Classic Rock) Boston singer Tommy DeCarlo says he knows as much as the fans do about when Tom Scholz will release their next album. But he insists it will be worth the wait.

DeCarlo has been with the band for four years, but took over the mic full-time last year following the departure of Michael Sweet. He landed the job after writing a tribute song to classic-era frontman Brad Delp, who committed suicide in 2007.

Mainman Scholz has been working on the follow-up release to 2002′s Corporate America for several years. In 2011 he said it was "85percent complete" and rumours suggest it will see the light of day in 2013. Read what DeCarlo has to say about the new album.



Mastodon Release A Commotion Video
(hennemusic) Atlanta rockers Mastodon have released a video for their latest single, "A Commotion."

The song is a cover of the tune by Canadian indie singer Feist, who is featured in the video. The track was featured on a "split-single" that also included Feist's cover of Mastodon's "Black Tongue."

The "Feistodon" split-single was one of the most in-demand exclusives during Record Store Day this past April. Only 5000 color vinyl 7" singles were pressed and they sold out instantly. Watch the video here.



Judas Priest Preview Screaming Release
(hennemusic) Judas Priest fans are about a month away from the release of an expanded, 30th Anniversary edition of the band's 1982 set, "Screaming For Vengeance" and the band is giving them a preview.

The project will feature not only the remastered original album plus bonus tracks, but also a live DVD from the 1983 US Festival show, filmed in San Bernadino, CA on May 29, 1983.

The "Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition" live DVD was filmed at the second, and what turned out to be last, US Festival in 1983. Headlined by Van Halen, Sunday was the Heavy Metal Day, billed as "the day new wave died and rock 'n' roll took over." It set the single-day concert attendance record for the U.S. with an estimated 375,000 people.

"On the day that we performed, we flew in by helicopter — and the first sight we saw was that of thousands of abandoned cars piled up around the crests of the hills that surrounded the festival arena, which as we went over took our breath away," said Priest in a statement. "For there, below us, spread throughout hundreds of acres was a massive crowd — over three hundred thousand strong! The summer heat was raging and combined with the hot Santa Ana winds made for a scorching metal furnace on stage." Watch a preview here.



Bob Dylan Retells Titanic Story With New Song
(Classic Rock) Bob Dylan has revealed the title track of his upcoming album, Tempest, includes a 14-minute retelling of the Titanic disaster. And he admits his account of the 1912 tragedy isn't accurate – but insists it doesn't matter.

Dylan tells Rolling Stone: "It's not very truthful. But a songwriter doesn't care about what's truthful. What he cares about is what should have happened, what could have happened. That's its own kind of truth.

"It's like people who read Shakespeare plays, but they never see a Shakespeare play – I think they just use his name."

Tempest, Dylan's 35th studio album, is released on September 11. A long clip from the track Early Roman Kings is to be used in TV series Strike Back. Check it out here.



Jeff Lynne Releasing Solo Album and New Versions of ELO Classics
Frontiers Records will celebrate the 40th anniversary of ELO with the October 9th release for a new look at some ELO classics and a new solo album from the group's mastermind Jeff Lynne.

Lynne's new solo album, Long Wave, is billed as a tribute to some of the songs that originally inspired him.

The second release, Mr. Blue Sky–The Very Best Of Electric Light Orchestra features Lynne revisiting and re-recording--at his home studio in Los Angeles--the greatest hits of Electric Light Orchestra. more on this story



Major Jimi Hendrix Exhibition For His 70th Birthday
EMP Museum will be holding a major new exhibition to celebrate the 70th birthday of Jimi Hendrix this November. We were sent these details:

Endorsed by Experience Hendrix LLC, Hear My Train a Comin': Hendrix Hits London focuses on Jimi Hendrix's arrival in London in September 1966, his rise to prominence on the British pop charts, and his subsequent return to America in June 1967 when his incendiary performance at the Monterey International Pop Festival created a worldwide sensation.

Hear My Train a Comin' opens at EMP Museum on November 17, 2012. Highlights from the exhibition are now on view at The Hospital Club (thehospitalclub.com) in London through August 31, 2012. more on this story



Motorhead's Lemmy Remembers Jon Lord
(Classic Rock) Lemmy Kilmister says he might not have got into rock'n'roll without Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord, who passed away last month aged 71.

His sudden death, as a complication of his cancer battle, triggered an outpouring of grief from the rock and metal community. One of the pioneering performer and composer's last interviews appears in the Classic Rock Fan Pack tied in with ReMachined: A Tribute to Deep Purple's Machine Head. The album, an official Purple release, features big-name acts including Metallica and Iron Maiden delivering their renditions of tracks from the acclaimed 1972 record.

Lemmy and Lord first met at a pub gig in Wales in the mid-sixties – and the Motorhead mainman believes it was a turning-point in his life. It's quite the story.



The Dear Hunter Line Up Coheed & Cambria And Intimate Dates
The Dear Hunter have lined up two shows supporting Coheed & Cambria next month in New England.

The Dear Hunter's Casey Crescenzo will also be playing a short series of intimate solo dates this fall and Equal Vision says that the dates will include a mix of older fan favorites as well as the revealing of several new, unreleased songs.

The Dear Hunter is currently recording at Vu Du Studios in Long Island, NY with producer Mike Watts. Of the band's forthcoming album Crescenzo explains, "I haven't been more happy, or felt more creative in years, and I am truly anxious to push myself, and my music, to places I still haven't ventured, and to create the best possible album I can." The full-length album is expected to be released in early 2013 on Cave & Canary Goods, Crescenzo's recently launched imprint label on Equal Vision Records. more on this story



Journey's Neal Schon Leading Legends Ride at Sturgis
(SM) Journey guitarist Neal Schon will help lead the 5th annual Legends Ride on Monday August 6, 2012 to kick off the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota.

Schon, along with actress Kristy Swanson, legendary motorcycle daredevil Robbie Knievel and custom motorcycle builders Arlen, Cory and Zack Ness, will be joining hundreds of riders at the event in support of the Black Hills Special Olympics and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame.

Led by Schon, the Legends Ride departs Deadwood on a 55-mile guided tour of the scenic canyons of the Black Hills to a reception at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. After the ride and catered reception, Journey will take over the main stage of the Sturgis Buffalo Chip to unleash their hits such as "Wheel In the Sky," "Anyway You Want It" and "Don't Stop Believing." more on this story



Abandoned Pools Set Album Release Party
Abandoned Pools will be playing a rare headline club show to celebrate the release of the new album, Sublime Currency.

The album is set to be released on August 28, 2012 by Tooth & Nail Records and the release show will take place at the The Roxy in Hollywood on Saturday, September 15.

Sublime Currency is the culmination of the eleven-year journey of Tommy Walter, bassist and co-founder of the critically acclaimed band eels. The album is the follow up to Abandoned Pools' 2005 release Armed to the Teeth. more on this story



Attika 7 Joining Uproar Festival Lineup For Several Stops
Attika 7 will be joining the Uproar Festival on several western U.S. tour stops this September.

The Uproar Festival also features Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind and Adelitas Way.

The band will join on September 19th in Salt Lake City, UT and will tour with the festival until September 30th in Albuquerque, NM. more on this story



Hardcore Classics From Right Direction, Warzone and More Get US Release
(Fresno) Dead City Records have digitally released eight classic European hardcore albums from Right Direction, Warzone, One Night Stand, Ultimatum and M-Town Rebels for the first time ever.

All of the bands/records come courtesy of the various musical endeavors of iconic European hardcore front man, Dave Reumers, over the course of more than a decade. These pivotal hardcore releases can be purchased now via iTunes.

Commented, Reumers, "This music was released between 1989 and 2002. I've wasted half my life screaming nonsense into a mic thinking I was Mick Jagger, but I wouldn't have done it any other way. I'm glad I was part of this and I was lucky to be in so many bands that helped spread the hardcore, punk, and metal sound throughout Europe in the early days. If you still dig our music in this day and age there's no hope for you anymore. Enjoy!" more on this story



B Sides


Anchor & Brail Singled Out Week: Goes Without Saying
Anberlin's lead singer Stephen Christian's released the new Anchor & Brail album "Quiet Life," this week. Today Stephen tells us about the song "Goes Without Saying":

Kevin and Micah (the co-production team) sat me down near the end of pre production and told me that did not feel we had a complete record, they needed a few more songs to round out the moment. They wanted an upbeat song in the vain of the others on the record and felt that that would be the missing puzzle piece to the record.

I drove straight home and sat down at my piano, inspiration struck immediately. Realize that inspiration never strikes me; it's more like a slow moving sloth that catches up to me when I sleep. This 'lighting in a bottle' moment just hit that night; I started to play the main melody line on the piano and the chords just followed.

I had the song in delivered to them the next morning and both agreed that it was their favorite song on the record. For me personally it is my favorite song on the record musically. The additional percussion and eerie guitar movements make me want to listen to it over and over.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!



Lynyrd Skynyrd Release New Lyrics Video
(hennemusic) Lynyrd Skynyrd will release their first new album in three years, "Last Of A Dyin' Breed," on August 21. Skynyrd have released a lyric video for the album's first single, and title track.

The project reunites Skynyrd with producer Bob Marlette, and sees the debut of bassist Johnny Colt (Black Crowes, Brand New Immortals, Train, Rock Star Supernova).

"He's really cool; he's crazy like us," says guitarist and founding member Gary Rossington. "He's from the South and he was raised on Southern music, and I guess he was influenced by us. He knew all the songs, and it was an easy choice." Check out the video here.



Megadeth's David Ellefson Releases Thailand Video
(hennemusic) Megadeth are currently playing a series of dates in the Far East as part of their "Thirteen" world tour.

On Wednesday, the metal legends played in Bangkok, Thailand. Bassist David Ellefson checks in from Thailand as the he did some sightseeing the day after the show.

Ellefson and crew take an extensive boat tour of Bangkok and visit some of the local landmarks.

Today's Day In Rock News!

No Use For A Name Frontman Tony Sly Dead At 41
No Use For A Name lead singer and guitarist Tony Sly has died. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed. He was 41.
Sly's bandmate Matt Riddle, broke the news to fans via the group's Facebook page on Wednesday. He wrote:

"i've learned over the years there's really no right way to talk about this stuff. i was kind of hoping it wouldn't get out so fast for his family's sake but it's a little late for that now. i see that this news has gotten around pretty fast. so i wanted to tell you all personally that this morning i found out that yesterday tony passed away. i'm not sure of all the details yet, and i don't think that's really important. what's important is i lost a great friend and you lost a great songwriter. i've been playing with him for 15 years? 16? i haven't processed it yet. i've been on the phone all day with friends and family. i'm not looking forward to it sinking in. i'm worried sick for his wife and kids. i knew tony very well and he would definitely want to thank you for all the love and support for both no use and his solo career. if this doesn't sound like a professional statement, it's because it's not. it's just me venting and i wanted to let you guys know personally." more on this story



Terror Cancel Czech Show Due To Randy Blythe Arrest
The band Terror is standing in solidarity with Lamb of God's Randy Blythe, who is imprisoned on manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic following the death of a stage diving fan at one of their concerts. As a result, Terror have now canceled their upcoming concert in the country.

The band explains: "Terror is going to cancel their show in the Czech Republic this month. We feel obligated to stand up for Randy Blythe. This situation seems to be taken too lightly. Randy comes from punk and hardcore roots, just like Terror. He still supports underground music and has always supported Terror-- even singing on stage alongside us when we play Richmond. This hits really close to home for us having members of the band and our crew from the hometown of Lamb Of God."

"We love our Czech fans very much and have amazing shows there, but we need to 'stick tight' to our friend Randy, which is why we have chosen to cancel the show. As a band that could easily be in this same position at any given show, we don't think we can play there and act like this is OK - it isn't."

"This is bigger than a hashtag or a clever t-shirt-- we as a community need to take action and speak up. Free Randy Blythe." more on this story



Motley Crue Going Vegas?
(hennemusic) This past February, Motley Crue became the first hard rock band to host a Las Vegas residency.

The group performed a three-week series of shows at the city's Hard Rock Hotel. Now, Crue frontman Vince Neil says things went so well the first time, the band have been invited back to do it again.

A long-term resident of Sin City, Vince was asked by Grammy magazine if Vegas was is becoming a more rock and roll city. "Yeah. I mean, Santana has a residency at the [House of Blues]," says Neil. "It's just started opening up more and more. We've been asked to do another residency next year." But will they do it?



Green Day Box Set Coming
Green Day fans will not lack new releases from the band to buy in the foreseeable future. The band has announced that in addition to the release of their upcoming album trilogy, they will also release a new box set.

The eight-CD boxed set will be called, The Studio Albums 1990-2009, and will be released exclusively at Best Buy on September 4th, 2012. We were sent these details:

The collection treads the band's journey from their 1990 debut, 1,039/ Smoothed Out Slappy Hours, through Kerplunk (1992), Dookie (1994), Insomniac (1995) Nimrod (1997), Warning (2000), and American Idiot (2004), to 2009's 21st Century Breakdown. more on this story



Bruce Springsteen Plays His Longest Concert Ever
(Gibson) The Boss, renowned for giving value for money with lengthy sets, just played a show that went on for more than four hours.

According to NME.com, Bruce Springsteen played a 33 song set that lasted for four hours and six minutes in Hensinki's Olympiastadion in Finland.

In September, Bruce Springsteen kicks off the second U.S. leg of his tour to promote his new album, Wrecking Ball. more on this story





Primus 3D Tour Dates and Details
Primus will be embarking on a unique 3D tour this fall that will feature two sets per evening. They sent over the dates and these details:

Being that this is the first-ever traveling 3D-enhanced live musical performance, this groundbreaking tour is sure to provide a one-of-a-kind psychedelic experience, further enhanced by the fact that every show will also feature Quad Surround Sound.

Primus teamed with 3D Live from Burbank, CA to create original 3D content for this tour. Audience members will be given 3D glasses in order to fully experience a visual and audio performance like no other. more on this story



Lynyrd Skynyrd Founder To Be Honored By Georgia Music Hall of Fame
Gary Rossington, a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd is set to be honored at the 34th Annual Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards Concert and Show, scheduled for Sunday, October 14 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Webster sent us these details:

Rossington will be honored in the Songwriter Category having written well over 120 songs throughout his career including classic iconic songs like "Sweet Home Alabama," "Simple Man," and "What's Your Name." Lynyrd Skynyrd release their new album, Last of a Dyin' Breed, on August 21, 2012.

Atlanta's celebrated television icon Monica Pearson will be Mistress of Ceremonies of the event. A Special Performance by American Idol stars and recording artists Snellville, GA-raised Diana DeGarmo and her fiancée Ace Young, who met while appearing in the Broadway revival of "Hair," will be another highlight of the evening. Many of the inductees will also perform during the Concert. more on this story



Grateful Dead's 1990 Tour Celebrated With Box Set and 2-CD Release
Grateful Dead fans will have a lot to be grateful for in September as Rhino plans two new special releases from the legendary touring band. They sent us these details:

On September 1, Dead.net will begin shipping SPRING 1990, an 18-disc boxed set that spotlights six complete shows (one from each city visited on the tour) from this historic outing that is widely considered one of the group's most excellent tours in their 30 years on the road. The collection – limited to 9,000 individually numbered copies.

The on September 18th they will release "Spring 1990: So Glad You Made It," a 2-CD set that features 20 favorite unreleased tracks from the box set. more on this story



Poison's Bret Michaels Single Again
(Classic Rock) Poison singer Bret Michaels has split from long-time girlfriend and fiancé Kristi Gibson.

She helped him through the health issues which nearly killed him in 2010 and she's the mother of his daughters Raine and Jorja.

A spokesman says: "Although the couple have separated they remain great friends and are committed to jointly raising their daughters." More rock news



How Mandy Moore Helped Five Finger Death Punch
(Classic Rock) Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Jason Hook is proud of the fact his career was kickstarted by pop singer Mandy Moore. Before he joined the metal outfit Hook toured as a member of her live band.

He tells CourierPress: "When I moved to LA I was broke. I made a pact with myself that if I could get into the field I was going to take the job to learn whatever I could.

"I had to beat out about 50 guys at the audition, then it was like, 'Pack a bag, we're going on tour.' Every situation, whether it's your favourite or not, there's something to be learned. The Mandy Moore gig taught me a lot" More rock news



The Early November and Cartel Fall Tour
The Early November will be hitting the road in Rocktober for a North American headline tour.

Beginning on October 5 in Danbury, CT, the tour will take in ten evenings in the Midwest and on the East coast of the U.S., including stops in Philadelphia, PA, on October 6, New York City on October 9, Cambridge, MA, on October 10 and Chicago, IL, on October 19.

The Early November will be touring with special guests Cartel in support of its latest full-length album, In Currents, which was released by Rise Records on July 10. more on this story



Sunset Strip Music Festival Details Announced
The lineup and set times for this year's installment of the Sunset Strip Music Festival have been announced. We were sent these details:

The event will take place on Saturday, August 18 and will feature performances by Marilyn Manson, The Offspring, Steve Aoki, Bad Religion and more than 70 artists throughout the day and into the night.

In addition to the August 18 street festival, SSMF will host performances by artists including X with special guest Ray Manzarek of The Doors (The Roxy), RZA (Key Club), Hank III (House of Blues), Robby Krieger of The Doors & Rich Robinson (Viper Room) and James Ingram (Whisky) in the venues on Thursday, August 16 and Friday, August 17. SSMF 2012 will also celebrate the music and legacy of The Doors throughout the festival. more on this story



Exodus To Lead Slaughter By The Water Lineup
Exodus is set to headline the third annual Slaughter By The Water which will be hosted by Testament's Chuck Billy.

The event will take place on August 25, 2012 on the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier in Alameda, CA.

The main stage will also include performances by Philm, Severed Fifth, Absu, Witchaven, Impaled, Autopsy, Fog of War and Abysmal Dawn. The Pier stage will include performances by Enemy In Peril, Desecrator, Necrosin, Hemotoxin, Ulysses, Siren, Scars of Envy and ZH.



Van Halen TV Special Air in Japan Next Week
(hennemusic) Van Halen recently confirmed the details of a fall Japanese tour in support of their latest album, "A Different Kind Of Truth."

The band will play three concerts in Japan this November, including two in Osaka and one in Tokyo; these shows represent the first Van Halen have played in the country in 14 years.

Now, the Van Halen News Desk is reporting details about an upcoming Van Halen Japanese TV special set to air next week. The program will be broadcast in Japan on Tuesday, August 7th on BS-TBS, as part of the "Song To Soul" series. more on this story



The Last Good Year Kick Off Tour Next Week
The Last Good Year will be hitting the road next week for their "The Steady Road Tour" of North America.

The tour kicks off on August 8 in Louisville, KY and throughout the month of August, The Last Good Year will play in cities across the country including Nashville, Atlanta, New York City, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Cleveland and St. Louis, among others.

They are currently working on a new record with Travis Wyrick (P.O.D., 10 Years) in Knoxville, Tenn. more on this story



Jane's Addiction Pick UME For Lollapalooza Aftershow
Jane's Addiction have selected UME as the opening act for their official Lollapalooza Aftershow on Saturday August 4th at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.

Ume was personally selected by Jane's frontman Perry Farrell to perform at the SOLD OUT concert.

Guitarist/singer Lauren Larson describes the exciting phone call from Perry: "My cell phone rang while we were sitting by the dumpsters outside a club in Jacksonville, FL eating peanut butter on saltines. I've been dreaming of playing Lollapalooza ever since I was a kid in the early 90's wearing my brother's over-sized Lollapalooza shirts. To be called by the artist who started it all is surreal. One of the symbolisms of the word "ume" is perseverance and devotion. I'm glad we've stuck with this and never given up on our dreams." more on this story



New Dio Compilation Details
(hennemusic) More details about a new Dio compilation have been released. Due October 9, "The Very Beast Of Dio Vol. 2" will feature 17 songs, including three bonus tracks, including one that hasn't been released before.

The new CD picks up exactly where the first volume left off — from 1996 onward. And in addition to featuring such latter-day Dio classics as "Killing The Dragon", "Push" and "Fever Dreams".

The compilation will also include several rarities that fans have long requested on a single disc — "Electra" (which previously was only a part of the ultra-rare "Tournado" box set), "Prisoner of Paradise" and "Metal Will Never Die" Check out the tracklisting



Johnny Winter Fights Back Against His Demons
(Classic Rock Revisited) Johnny Winter found a guardian angel in his manager, producer and rhythm guitarist Paul Nelson. In only six years, Nelson has taken a rock icon that had damaged himself with drugs and alcohol, to the brink of death, and rebuilt both the man and his career.

Johnny Winter's triumphant return can be heard on his new CD Roots. "It was very important for Johnny to do great on this album," states Nelson. "Johnny is off the drugs and the drinking, and all of the stuff that he was on for all of those years."

Winter admits he is surprised he was able to change, "Heroin was the hardest thing that I ever had to go through. It was worth it to go through it and get clean. I am not taking any drugs and I am not drinking. I am not smoking cigarettes anymore and I am not doing anything bad. I never thought this would be possible. I never thought I would see the day that I didn't have any vices at all."

Nelson took over as that artist's manager and made immediate changes that made it possible for Winter to begin to recover from decades of abuse. "I had to wait, wait and wait until he was primed and ready. Johnny had just gotten off methadone about a year before. Once he got off that, then his voice got stronger, and his playing got stronger, and it was time to record. The music doesn't lie. That is why this is so important; this album had to be strong." A Lot more here.



Saint Diablo To Continue Touring Despite Slaves On Dope Pulling Out
Saint Diablo were dealt a blow when Slaves On Dope canceled their tour plans due to a family emergency.

But the band still plan to hit the road in support of their new self-titled album, released last month.

"It was as honor and a pleasure to work with such awesome metal vets as Slaves On Dope. I will never forget the experience," states vocalist Tito Quinones. "Our hearts and prayers go out to them in their time of loss. Family is first and we wish them safe travels back home. A death in the family is never easy to deal with and we hope they all get to spend this time with their loved ones as we continue onward to perform at the remaining dates without Slaves. We hope that we can join forces with them again in the future, and until then we wish them all the best in the world." more on this story



The Casualties Set New Album Release
Season of Mist have set a September 25th release date for The Casualties new album, 'Resistance'.

The effort will be available on CD, limited edition LP (with bonus track and download card) and limited edition Digibox including the CD with a bonus track, bandana, bottle opener and patch.

The Casualties are currently on the road co-headlining the "Tonight We Unite!" tour alongside the Nekromantix. The tour also includes Down By Law, Lower Class Brats, and more. more on this story



B Sides


Iron Maiden Jr's Rise To Remain Takes On Metallica Classic
(hennemusic) Kerrang! issued a 21st anniversary tribute to Metallica's "Black" album with its June 20 issue of the magazine.

The collection featured a variety of new artists, including Rise To Remain, whose singer is Austin Dickinson – the son of Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson.

Rise To Remain are now sharing their version of "Enter Sandman" from the project. Check it out here.


Deep Purple's Steve Morse Over The Moon With Mars
(Classic Rock) Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse believes Mick Mars, his opposite number in Motley Crue, is one of the world's leading musicians.

"Thanks to my son, Kevin, I got to spend some time with Mick," Morse explains. "He is one of my heroes for spending time with us and for patiently answering the questions my son had.

"Kevin regards him as one of the best guitar players in rock, and I have to agree. His tone and rhythm ideas are exceptional." More rock news


Burton C Bell Says Audience Went Nuts At Nirvana's Teen Spirit Shoot
(Classic Rock) Burton C Bell of Fear Factory has recalled his appearance in the video for Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit single after seeing the grunge icons perform in LA.

He says: "After the show, they threw out flyers saying, 'Hey, come to our video shoot.' And so me and my roommate got the flyer with the directions on it and we went to the video shoot the next day.

"What happened in the video wasn't even supposed to happen. The audience just went nuts. I saw Nirvana once after that, and I knew it was going to be the last time because Smells Like Teen Spirit was on the radio and they were blowing up." [MusicFrenzy.net] More rock news



Jerzey Street Band Giving Away New Song
Jerzey Street Band have set a September 18, 2012 for their US debut album, Breaking Radio Silence.

To celebrate the album release announcement, the band has track "Pale Blue River" available for free download/stream.

But what do they sounds like? BBC RADIO declares, "It's like a freight train running wild somewhere between The Eagles & The Rolling Stones…"

Today's Day In Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Peter Frampton Injured In Car Accident
(Classic Rock) Peter Frampton has slammed a woman who was texting while driving after she crashed into him and caused an injury to his back.
The guitarist believes he's suffering from whiplash following the incident in Southern California.

Frampton last night tweeted: "Texting woman driver just ran into back of me while I was stationary in traffic 101 freeway. Can u say whiplash? People put the phones down!" more on this story



Aerosmith Recruit Special Guests For New Album
(Gibson) Aerosmith are getting ready to release their first album of all new material since Just Push Play, back in 2001. Music From Another Dimension is set to be released on November 6, having been pushed back from its initial release date of August 28. But aside from the five bad boys from Boston, the album will also feature a couple of guest appearances by, among others, Julian Lennon and Johnny Depp.

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler met Lennon while working on American Idol, and he got Lennon to sing harmony vocals on the track "Love Three Times a Day." Tyler told Rolling Stone "He's such a sweet f---ing guy, and he's John's first son with that voice and sense of humor – gimme a break!"

Depp is no stranger to the world of music, having played slide guitar on the Oasis song "Fade In-Out," and playing guitar for the band P in the mid-'90s. Depp contributes backing vocals to the song "Freedom Fighter," which may not be on the official album, but rather as a bonus track according to Joe Perry. more on this story





Bloc Party Calling It Quits?
(Gibson) Bloc Party have made comments to the effect that they may be calling it quits after finishing their touring duties behind their new album, Four. In fact, Bloc Party singer and rhythm guitarist Kele Okereke thought the band was done after touring behind their last album, Intimacy.

According to NME.com, Okereke told Australia's Triple J magazine: "When we took a break in 2009 I was in the mindset that we were done, our relationships were in such a difficult place that this was it, this was the end." Okereke added, "I don't know where we'll go from here. I don't know what will happen. But I know if this is the last thing we ever do, then we've done everything I wanted to do."

Two tracks from Four have seen the light of day so far: "Octopus" and "Day Four." "Octopus" is driven by an infectious clean guitar riff, while "Day Four" is more of a mellow and melodic affair. more on this story





Gwar's Oderus Won't Be Leading Randy Blythe Benefit Show
(Banana 101.5) Gwar vocalist Oderus Urungus, aka Dave Brokie, has regretfully announced his exit from an upcoming Randy Blythe benefit show that was due to take place Aug. 31 in Richmond, Va.

The Gauntlet reports that the singer's co-host, Eve Alleyne, issued a statement saying, "SORRY to have to tell everyone Dave Brockie will not be able to attend the show due to his recording of the TV series 'Hollister'!

"He is really bummed out and wishes he could be here to support his very close friend Randy! We all support you Dave in your adventures! And we will make sure this show rocks their faces off!! xoxox and FREE RANDY !!" more on this story



Coheed and Cambria Set New Release
(Classic Rock) Coheed and Cambria will release the first disc of double concept album, The Afterman on October 8.

Volume one will be subtitled Ascention, with the second installment, Descension, due in February 2013.

Following appearances at the Reading and Leeds festivals in August, the band tour the UK in November. Dates here.



Alice In Chains, Lemmy Part Of Duff McKagen Film Project
(hennemusic) A film project entitled "The Taking," featuring Duff McKagan's Loaded, is on its way. Directed by Seattle filmmaker Jamie Burton Chamberlin, the series explores the lyrical content of Loaded's studio album of the same title, which was released last year.

The project will be released in episodes, with a total of 10 vignettes/music videos telling a tale of totally bizarre adventures, imprisoned band members, and kids' size ice cream cones.

Among the people involved in the series are Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney from Alice In Chains, Lemmy from Motorhead and Gilby Clarke. Check out the trailer here.



Saint Vitus Plan First U.S. Headlining Tour Since 1993
Saint Vitus will be hitting the road next month for their first U.S. headlining tour since 1993.

Weedeater and Sourvein will provide support for the five week trek which begins on September 14 in Little Rock, AR and will wrap up on October 19

"We're stoked to destroy America again; the last Saint Vitus U.S. headlining tour was in 1993," commented Dave Chandler. "This time we'll be playing "Lillie" as well as fan favorites and some old surprises. Leave your ear plugs at home and come bleed with us." more on this story



Motorhead Were Also Blamed For Fan Injured At Concert
(Classic Rock) Motorhead drummer Mikkey Dee says his band were once chased in an attempt to blame them for an injury sustained by a fan who decided to jump from a balcony while they played.

It's a similar situation to the current ordeal of Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe, who's been behind bars in Prague since June. Blythe remains in jail without charge in the Czech Republic having paid $200,000 bail – which was later doubled – a month ago. He was arrested in connection with an incident in 2010 when fan Daniel Nosek voluntarily invaded Lamb of God's stage several times, during which he may have sustained the head injury which led to his death four weeks later.

"One guy years ago threw himself from the second floor in a theatre and ended up breaking his back on one of the seats," Dee tells Artisan News. "And they came after us for that."

And he says Motorhead have their own experience of the legal system in the Czech Republic



Muse Reveal Some New Album Details
(Gibson) Muse have revealed the artwork for their sixth album The 2nd Law, which is due to hit stores on September 18. The artwork features a map of brain pathways in neon colors.

The album title reportedly refers to the second law of thermodynamics, the study of the relations between heat and other forms of energy.

Muse are known for their unconventional approach to rock music, with singer and guitarist Matt Bellamy playing the most outlandish guitar riffs with the help of various effect processors, like for example the outlandish riff in their 2006 song "Map of the Problematique."

On The 2nd Law , the band is apparently even taking things a step further and delving in to dubstep on one of the tracks. See the artwork here.





Queensryche Break Out Rarities For Debut Gig With New Singer
(Gibson) The new lineup of Queensryche played their first official gig over the weekend, pulling out some vintage classics as well as a few rarely played deep cuts at the Halfway Jam in Minnesota.

The band recently parted ways with singer Geoff Tate after 31 years, amid claims of frustration at the direction the band had taken. Tate contends that his former bandmates weren't submitting ideas and had never spoken up to say they weren't happy with how things were going. Queensrÿche claims, among other things, that their ideas were being brushed aside in favor of outside writers. The conflict became physical in Brazil in May, with Tate being fired in June. The matter is before the courts but for now, Queensrÿche have upheld the right to continue to use the band name for now.

Some Queensrÿche fans are thrilled with the decision to hire Todd La Torre on vocals and to focus on Queensrÿche's harder-hitting material. Others are concerned that without Tate, the band will lose much of its theatric edge. And they have a point: previous Queensrÿche tours have included actors playing parts from Operation: Mindcrime; a mock bar for the performance of the epic title track to the Promised Land album; and of course the notorious Queensrÿche Cabaret tour, which saw the band performing with dancers, jugglers, contortionists and drag queens. more on this story





Tom Waits Teases Fans With Cryptic Pirate Message
(hennemusic) Tom Waits posted a cryptic message to fans on Tuesday under the heading of "Permission To Come Aboard?."

Waits shared a photo of himself in a bit of a pirate outfit, wearing an eye patch, smoking a cigar, with a sword drawn and at the ready. The caption on the photo reads "Coming August 7."

No further details were provided, so it's anyone's guess what the legendary performer has up his sleeve. more on this story



Frank Zappa Classics Going Digital
(Gibson) Frank Zappa's music will soon be available digitally. Zappa's family and trust have made a deal with Universal Music to re-release 60 of the composer's recordings.

"The ink is not yet dry on The Zappa Family Trust's worldwide deal with Universal Music Enterprises," says Frank's widow Gail Zappa… "It is a win-win for all of us, but mostly for Frank Zappa. Long may his baton wave. We are so ready to go."

Bruce Resnikoff, President/CEO of Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) added, "The artist and composer, Frank Zappa, is one of the most important and influential artists in music history with his prolific body of work, including his breakthrough rock 'n' roll concept albums. We are honored that Gail Zappa and the Zappa Family Trust have entrusted us with his legacy. We intend to honor him and bring high-quality releases, digital and physical, for his new and longtime fans." more on this story





The Jam's Bruce Foxton Releasing First Solo Album In Almost 30 Years
Bruce Foxton of The Jam/From The Jam/Stiff Little Fingers fame will be releasing his first new solo album in nearly 30 years, 'Back In The Room,' on October 1st. 2012. His camp sent over these details:

Joining Bruce on the album are Russell Hastings and Big Country's Mark Brzezicki, both of whom are also members of From The Jam. The album boasts a very special guest on three songs in Paul Weller, who had Bruce as a guest on his 2010 album 'Wake Up the Nation' and at a show at the Royal Albert Hall in the same year. Other guest musicians include Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's/The Blues Brothers) and Spandau Ballet's Steve Norman.

Commenting on working again with Paul Weller and having Steve Cropper guesting Bruce said: "It was such a pleasure to work and hang out with Paul again. What an honour to have both Paul and Steve play on the album." more on this story



Mike Oldfield Hopes For Resurgence of Music By Musicians Not Computers
(Classic Rock) Mike Oldfield hopes his Olympic performance of Tubular Bells marks a resurgence of instrumental rock music and that it might herald an end to the era of computer music.

The veteran composer appeared as part of the sport event's opening ceremony, delivering a part of his iconic 1973 work in a segment which hailed the UK's National Health Service.

Oldfield says he felt a "glow of pride" when director Danny Boyle invited him to be part of the show – and it was a refreshing contrast to the negative energy he received in the punk era. "Hopefully it will inspire some kind of renaissance in instrumental rock music." he says. "Let's throw away all the computer software. You just get a load of software and click a few buttons. You don't have to have the slightest bit of musical talent." more on this story



Rock Stars Say the Funniest Things To Feature Duff McKagan, Scott Ian
(Classic Rock) Duff McKagan, Scott Ian and Chris Jericho will each perform a spoken-work show at the Garage in London as part of a season called Rock Stars Say the Funniest Things.

McKagan will recount stories from his book and perform acoustic tracks on October 25. Ian will deliver a series of touring anecdotes on November 4.

And Jericho will look back on his musical and wrestling careers on November 25. More rock news here.



Marilyn Manson, Lou Reed and Neil Young Teepee Tale Part Of Billy Corgan Book
(Gibson) Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has spoken to Australia's Channel Seven about the memoir he is writing. He hinted at stories involving Marilyn Manson, Lou Reed and Neil Young.

When asked about his celebrity encounters, Corgan balked about saying too much on the breakfast TV show but said: "I'll put in the slight plug, I'm writing a book that does reveal some of those stories."

He continued, "It's sometimes hard to tell those stories out of context because, during times of drug and drink, there was a lot of crazy stuff that went on. I'll give you a perfect example, I'll give you something that doesn't give anything away.

"I was at Neil Young's house once – a beautiful, incredible house out in Northern California. And he had a teepee, a real, legitimate Native American teepee. So, in the teepee there was myself, Marilyn Manson, Lou Reed, Neil Young, probably like Harvey Keitel or something. You can imagine that round table." Let's hope Corgan remembers if it was "probably" Keitel or "definitely" Keitel. If he can't, his story may lack gravitas? more on this story





KISS Reveal Monster Track Details
(hennemusic) The current lineup of KISS has revealed the tracklisting for their 20th studio album, Monster, which is set for release October 16.

The 13-song effort kicks off with the lead single, "Hell Or Hallelujah," which is out now.

"Monster" is KISS' first studio effort since 2009's "Sonic Boom"; it was produced by Paul Stanley with Greg Collins at Conway Studios in Hollywood, California, and The Nook in Studio City, California.

01. Hell Or Hallelujah
02. Wall Of Sound
03. Freak
04. Back To The Stone Age
05. Shout Mercy
06. Long Way Down
07. Eat Your Heart Out
08. The Devil Is Me
09. Outta This World
10. All For The Love Of Rock & Roll
11. Take Me Down Below
12. Last Chance
13. Right Here Right Now

Read more and hear the first single here.



Winds Of Plague Finish Recording New Album And Lose A Member
Winds Of Plague just finished recording their new album and are hitting the road this week for The All Star Tour but you won't see Art Cruz behind the drum kit as the band has officially parted ways with drummer due to creative differences.

"After many years of having Art Cruz with us we have decided its best for both parties involved to go our separate ways," states vocalist Johnny Plague. "Art is a great drummer and I'm sure he will be back behind the drums one way or another soon."

Art Cruz adds, "I'm very thankful for the experience. I love those dudes. I will continue to play drums and on the business side, I am currently pursuing artist management. To keep up with what I'm doing, follow me on twitter at twitter.com/artimusplague." more on this story



Devildriver Map Out Fall Tour Plans
Devildriver have a busy fall ahead of them as they plan to hit the road one final time in North America in support of their latest release Beast.

The tour is scheduled to kick off October 7th in Grand Junction, Colorado with a string of headlining dates before the band meets up with Gwar on October 12th in Philadelphia, PA to start the "Fate or Chaos" tour.

Devildriver will also play select headline dates during off days of the tour with GWAR. Frontman Dez Fafara commented on the upcoming tour with GWAR: "Devildriver was going to take some time off from our touring schedule in October and November, but when we were asked to support GWAR, it was a resounding YES in our Camp! more on this story



B Sides


Anchor & Brail Singled Out Week: Knew Then Know Now
Anberlin's lead singer Stephen Christian's released the new Anchor & Brail album "Quiet Life," this week. Today Stephen tells us about the song "Knew Then Know Now":

My brother and I once wrote a song for my sister upon high school graduation, honestly it was a really good song. It was a 'the world is yours go find it' type of song. I wanted to continue in that vein and approach this song as motivational song to try to show people that they do not have to be a slave to their circumstances or past. We are not our fathers or mothers, we are not what we came out of; we can stop the forward progression of apathy and change it.

I constantly think about all the decision I had to make in early high school, I remember feeling how heavy they were, how weighty. But now I look back on those 'hard times' and laugh. I would give anything for the lack of responsibility and carefree moments that those formidable years exude. The funny thing is that I believe in 20 years from now I will look back at these times and laugh at how good I had it. In other words our personal circumstances may feel insurmountable right this second but in time we will see that life simple works out the way it should.

These are some of the best lyrics on the record, so I felt inclined to include them:

KNEW THEN KNOW NOW

Life is beautiful open your eyes whether you see it believe it or not

It's not somewhere out there; it's them by your side, its here in today its there in your smile

Take all of it in, let it all go, where you end up well nobody knows

dance like you care, act like you don't. if life wants to drowned well pretend that you float


if I knew then what I know now

I would tell tell myself again

life works out the way it should

if I could go back in time awhile

I would tell myself to rest awhile

don't worry about all the have been what could

life works out the way it should


life is here and gone, no one denies, we live we learn we love then we die

so while were still young lets take on the town lets travel the world follow the sun don't quit till we're there, I know it seems long but this road only takes those who are still strong feeling the wind brushing your face this is a freefall not a human race.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!



Metallica Show Off New Live Special Effects With 9 Minute Video
(Banana 101.5) Metallica's eight-concert run in Mexico City has begun at the Palacia de los Deportes. A video of the 'best effects' during the opening show on Saturday, July 28 is now available.

The nine minute clip includes shots of various pyro and lighting effects, including what appeared to be stagehands catching on fire.

During 'Enter Sandman,' a flare malfunctioned, and two stagehands examining it were engulfed in flames. The show was stopped while the fire was extinguished and the crew members were taken off the stage on stretchers. The horrifying event apparently was all a stunt, as a spokesman for the promoter described it as "part of the show." Watch it here.



KISS For Tots Preview
(hennemusic) Rockabye Baby!, which transforms timeless rock songs into beautiful instrumental lullabies, will release "Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions Of Kiss" on August 28.

"Rockabye Baby" was developed by Van Halen singer David Lee Roth's sister Lisa Roth, in conjunction with CMH Records. The series includes collections made from the songs of artists like AC/DC, Metallica, Aerosmith, Pearl Jam, The Beatles, and many others.

Here's the KISS album description: "There will never be a better show opener than 'Detroit Rock City'. 'Beth' is the gold standard for power ballads. And 'Rock And Roll All Nite' is the quintessential rock 'n' roll national anthem. Given Rockabye's kid-tested, parent-approved lullaby treatment, these KISS Klassics are as alive as ever — just as thrilling when xylophones and bells replace Ace Frehley's Gibson Les Paul and Gene Simmons' demonic snarl. Except come bedtime, junior won't be able to keep partying into the 'nite;' these lullabies will have him counting a veritable KISS Army of sheep."