Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Rolling Stones To Jam With Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga and The Black Keys
The Rolling Stones will be joined by special guests Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga and The Black Keys at their final "50 and Counting" concert.
The concert will take place at The Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on Saturday, December 15th. And for fans out of the area or that do not have tickets, the concert is set to be broadcast as a live pay-per-view event starting at 9pm EST/6pm PST.

"We're excited these extraordinary artists, Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga and The Black Keys, have agreed to help celebrate our 50th Anniversary as we share the night live with our fans all over the world. Now the fun begins of trying to figure out the best songs to perform together," said The Rolling Stones. more on this story



The Breeders Reunite For Last Splash 20th Anniversary
(Gibson) The Breeders are back. Kim Deal (The Pixies), Kelley Deal, Josephine Wiggs and Jim Macpherson first performed together in June 1992. Two days later they were supporting Nirvana, and just over a year later they released Last Splash featuring the hit "Cannonball."

According to Noise11, Kim texted Jim and Josephine to ask if they'd be interested in playing the Last Splash album in celebration of its 20th anniversary.

The band reconvened in November to run through the material, and they will perform Last Splash live in its entirety in June 2013 at the ATP festival in Camber Sands in the U.K., which is curated by Deerhunter.

A deluxe edition of Last Splash will be released in April 2013, titled LSXX. more on this story






Joe Perry Not Sure if Aerosmith With Make Another Record
Noisecreep spoke with the members of Aerosmith about their new album, Music From Another Dimension!, and guitarist Joe Perry says he doesn't know if Aerosmith will make another record.

Noisecreep asked, "It has been 11 years since an album full of new Aerosmith material. Was there some stuff that amassed over the years that made it a little easier to build the album?" Perry responded: "We always have cool things lying around, and our attitude was, we knew we had another record in us, despite what many said, and I make no bones about it, I don't know if we're gonna make another record. But this is how we used to make records.

"On this record there are some songs I don't play on, but that's how it's always been. There are songs on the first couple of records I didn't play on, it was fine; it was just how we did the songs. That's how this record went. Everybody had a little piece to say, it was important that everybody got something on it. It was just the next Aerosmith album. And this was also a statement. We did not phone this in. We worked our asses off on this record.

The interview covers a lot more ground. You can read the full interview and find out which Aerosmith albums Perry doesn't like here.



Linkin Park Announce Only 2013 North American Show and Free Song
It appears that Linkin Park will be taking it relatively easy next year with the announcement that they will only be playing one North American concert in 2013.

The band plan a tour of New Zealand and Australia in late February and early March but prior to that tour they will be playing a one-off show at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas on Saturday February 16th.

The band are ending 2012 by giving away a free song as part of the launch of StageLight music software. Details here.




Yes Plan Three Album Tour
A lot of bands are playing one of their classic albums in full during recent tours but Yes are upping the stakes with plans to perform three of their classic albums in their entirety each night on their upcoming tour.

The progressive rock legends plan to perform their 1971's The Yes Album, 1972's Close To The Edge and 1977's Going For The One albums in full during most of the stops on their 2013 tour.

Steve Howe says, "These albums we all easily agreed on--they are complete works in themselves," adding that several of the songs have rarely been performed live. "I believe the only song not performed in concert is 'A Venture' from The Yes Album," says Chris Squire. "And probably the most tricky of all the songs planned for this set is 'Turn of the Century' from the Going for the One album." Alan White believes "This is a great opportunity to show the growth of Yes in these different eras--and to relive the memories of these times." more on this story




Shinedown and Three Days Grace Plan 2nd North American Tour Leg
Shinedown and Three Days Grace have added a second leg to their North American tour plans.

The tour featuring special guests P.O.D. will kick off on February 1st in Moiline, Il and conclude on February 20th in Lowell, MA.

After a short break the newly announced second leg will begin on March 9th in Orlando, FL and wrap up on Fargo, ND. more on this story




Daughtry and 3 Doors Down Add New Tour Leg
Daughtry and 3 Doors Down have added a second leg to their coheadlining North American tour that will take place early next year.

The new tour leg is set to kick off on January 25th at the Verizon Theatre in Dallas, and continue in to March, 2013. The tour will feature support from Aranda.

The current leg of the tour is set to wrap on 12/15 at Anaheim's Theatre at the Honda Center, with Fresno, CA at the Save Mart Center on 12/13 and a national live AXS TV appearances in Broomfield, CO at 1st Bank Center tonight, 12/11. more on this story




Sebastian Bach, Johnny Depp and Don Felder Jam With Alice Cooper
(hennemusic) Alice Cooper hosted his 12th annual Christmas Pudding concert on Saturday at the Comerica Theater in Phoenix.

Proceeds from Christmas Pudding go to Alice Cooper's Solid Rock — a nonprofit organization founded by Alice dedicated to enriching the lives of teens through music, dance, and self expression.

Among the performers joining Alice for the show were actor Johnny Depp, Sebastian Bach, L.A. Guns and Don Felder of The Eagles. Check out video here.




Boysetsfire Announce Lineup Change and Album Plans
Boysetsfire are carrying on despite a recent lineup shake-up and the band has announced their new lineup (including the return of a previous member) and plans for a new album and touring.

They had this message for fans: "BoySetsFire has been a band for nearly two decades. In that time we have played hundreds of shows to anyone that would watch us, from basements to festival audiences. We lived through the terror of rap-rock, the tyranny of nu-metal, and the dark days of pop-punk. We were around before the internet. Truth. We made demo tapes. We have recorded 4 LPs, EPs, CDs, and even a Cassingle. We have played Rookie over 1,000 times. We have fallen off more stages than most people have stood on. We have been signed and dropped and signed and dropped. Frankly, most would have given up years ago.

"We tried. Like the most well-meaning addict we swore it off, made our amends, and tried to rebuild our lives without BoySetsFire. But the lure was too much. We soon found ourselves in the same situations making the same decisions that lead to so much pain. more




Megadeth Part Ways With Roadrunner Records
(hennemusic) Megadeth have wrapped up their deal with Roadrunner Records and are moving on.

Dave Mustaine tweeted the new on Sunday, writing, "Today marks the end of an era with Roadrunner @rrusa. Hopefully we can finish strong with a #Grammy."

Megadeth's last album was 2011's "Thirteen"; the track "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)" is nominated in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category at the 55th annual Grammy Awards, which will be held on February 10 in Los Angeles. more on this story




Lynyrd Skynyrd Headlining Chopper Live: The Revenge Special
Lynyrd Skynyrd will be headlining Chopper Live: The Revenge tonight on the Discovery Channel.

The biker build-off special will feature American Chopper stars Paul Teutul Senior and Paul Teutul Junior, Outlaw Garage star Jesse James, and Fast 'N Loud stars Richard Rawlings and Aaron Kaufman.

The band will be performing the title track from the new album as well as their hit "Sweet Home Alabama" during the show which airs tonight, December 11th at 9pm ET/PT. more on this story




Jason Newsted Explains New Band Name and Musical Direction
Jason Newsted was interviewed on the 'Friday Night Rocks' radio show last month about his new post Metallica band and why he decided to simply call it Newsted Heavy Metal Music and his open-ended vision for the musical direction of the group.

He told the show this about the band name, "I've thought about this for a long time, putting my name on a project other than just coming up with a clever name, like Echobrain or Papa Wheelie or something. We have a lot of cool names for projects, but this is the first time with my name and really trying to get out to the people that I played for by the millions in the past with Metallica."

He also spoke about the musical direction from the new group, "Whatever it ends up being — if it's five songs, 20 songs, 50 songs … I don't even know what the heck I'm gonna do. I have so much music from over the years. I have a bunch of new stuff … I'm just trying to figure out exactly what I wanna unleash on everybody first. That's kind of what it's coming down to — the timing of things and how I wanna hit people with it." Blabbermouth has more from the interview here.




Blackmore's Night Release Box Set
UDR have released the new velvet box set of Blackmore's Night - The Beginning.

The box set, which was released in Europe this week, features the first two Blackmore's Night albums "Shadow Of The Moon" and "Under A Violet Moon" as well as rare video footage of their early tours "Live In Germany 1997-1998" and "Under A Violet Moon - Castle Tour 2000". Available for the first time on DVD and only in the "The Beginning" box.

The footage from various concerts from the "Shadow Of The Moon" and "Under A Violet Moon" tours is enriched by interviews with Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night, as well as backstage footage, rehearsal footage and medieval fight shows. more on this story




Kreator Recording Concert For Upcoming DVD and Blu-Ray
Kreator plan to record their homecoming concert in Oberhausen, Germany on December 22, 2012 for a future DVD/Blu Ray release.

Mille Petrozza gives fans these details: "The Phantom Antichrist world tour is among the most successful and amazing tours in the history of Kreator, thanks to all of you - the fans! So we have decided to record a new live Album/DVD/Blu Ray at our homecoming show in Oberhausen on December 22nd.

"The show will be recorded with 24(!) cameras and in 5.1. sound. We are trying to produce the ultimate Kreator concert experience for you to enjoy in your living room! So whoever wants to be a part of the spectacle, there are still tickets available for Oberhausen, but better hurry up: tickets are selling fast!"

The band also has a number of dates across Europe and other parts of the world, you can find them here.




Caravan Plan 'For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night' Anniversary Tour
Caravan will be marking the 40th anniversary of one of their most celebrated albums by launching a UK tour early next year.

The 10-date UK tour is set to kick off on January 8, 2013 at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall and will feature special guest Garron Frith.

The tour celebrates the 40th anniversary of the band's 1973 album, For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night. Led by founding member and chief songwriter Pye Hastings, Caravan will also perform songs from the album In The Land Of Grey And Pink, plus other classics from their career. more on this story




Dave Grohl's Sound City Set For Release
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has been keeping very busy, most notably directing Sound City, a rock documentary detailing the rise and fall of the Van Nuys, California, recording studio of the same name.

After releasing the film's official trailer this week, it's now been revealed that the movie's digital release date is February 1, 2013.

"As a first time director, I am humbled to be able to share my passion for songwriting and storytelling with this incredible cast of legendary musicians," he said. more on this story




Ronnie James Dio Cancer Fund To Donate Another $100K
The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund will soon contribute the final $100,000 of their $300,000 pledge to the TJ Martell Foundation, in their goal of helping to hopefully, one day find a cure for the same illness that took the life of Ronnie James Dio.

The Dio Cancer Fund, upon its formation two years ago, pledged a total of $300,000 to the TJ Martell Foundation (an organization founded by music industry senior executive Tony Martell - who lost a son to leukemia - which raises funds for cancer research) and had already donated $200,000 to the Foundation.

The remaining $100,000, which will be presented shortly, is earmarked for the gastric cancer research efforts at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, TN. These monies were raised from the Dio Cancer Fund's recent annual Awards Gala and Celebrity Guitar Auction. more on this story




The Scorpions Release Christmas Cards
(hennemusic) This year The Scorpions are selling their very own official band Christmas cards.

Each package features a holiday version of the band's "Blackout" album cover printed on six cellophane wrapped A5 cards, with envelopes; the inside reads, "Hope Your Christmas Rocks Like A Hurricane" and the cards feature a Scorpions logo on the reverse.

The Scorpions are currently playing the remaining few dates of The Final Sting tour. Learn more and see a photo of the cards here.



Moody Blues InTheStudio For Seventh Sojourn Anniversary
The latest episode of the InTheStudio syndicated radio show celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Moody Blues best selling album, Seventh Sojourn.

They sent over these details: One of the crown jewels in progressive rock's peak era, Seventh Sojourn was a #1 worldwide best seller and resulted in the longest international tour in music history up to then, from which the original band never returned, figuratively.

Justin Hayward and John Lodge guest InTheStudio for the back story which is complex, set to the classics "Lost in a Lost world", "You and Me", "Isn't Life Strange" and "I'm Just a Singer in a Rock and Roll Band".

Moody Blues bass player/singer/songwriter John Lodge shares with program
host Redbeard how the album was conceived. "When we were working on the Seventh Sojourn album, we always had discussions and meetings to talk about what the album should be about, what we would like the album to reflect. And I think we realized that we had come to the end of a journey, and the album suddenly became Canterbury Tales." Listen to the episode here.




Singled Out: Koncrete Kite
Back in December of 2006 our very own Mark Hensch was singing the praises of the five rocking brothers of Koncrete Kite and their album, The Joy of Bee Stings. Fast forward to now and the band has just released their latest album, "Full of Bull," and to celebrate we asked Rich Bove to tell us about one of the tracks:

Let's see…Of all the new songs to decipher for the reader, I could have gone with our new single, "Button Fly", and the self-aggrandizing that comes with being the band's preferred rockin' track for keg parties and spirited air guitar competitions…

Or perhaps, the fan favorite, "Banana Bread", with its psychedelic, don't-eat-the-brown-acid, Beatle's nod to 60's peace, love, and dope smoking (or in this case, baked goodness)…

But NO! I am singling out the darkest track this band has ever put out in 15 years. Taken from our latest release, FULL of BULL, the song "Pinky Swear" is based on several accounts of an out-of-work husband and father who decides the fate of his family in the most irrational way.

Although most of Koncrete Kite's other song lyrics can be deciphered various ways depending on the listener, "Pinky Swear" is as cut and dry as it can get: father loves son, father loves daughter, father can't support family anymore, family goes bye-bye.
When I initially wrote the lyrics to this song, it was in first person. I figured, what the Hell; if Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan and countless others can take on the role of a character and sing about their plight, why not us? Unfortunately, I am not the lead singer of this band, and when presented with the words, my brother Joe (who has graciously helmed the majority of vocals for this group) thought I was absolutely insane. "I'm not going to sing this. This is horrible. It would be a bad omen to me and my family!" is all I remembered before sulking away. Whether it was a case of "lead-singeritis" or against his moral compass, I was determined to get these lyrics recorded.

After a much heated debate - with cooler heads prevailing - we decided to compromise. The lyrics would retain the same meaning, but written in third person. Therefore, Joe would be absolved of singing any wrongdoing while I held onto the integrity of the theme. The lead vocals were cut in one take.
What makes this track morose are not just the words – "First choice and a last kiss" – but the guitar playing on it. Chris (aka Smokey Butts) is the bass player in the band, but does tackle guitar solo on a couple of tracks. On this song, we decided to go with something dirty-grungy, but yet melodic. Chris stepped up and laid down a solo that sounds like the afterbirth of a Neil Young – Kurt Cobain offspring. Brilliant!

The coda for this song is what makes or breaks it for the listener. After the line, "Heaven in a heartbeat, swear we'll all live (on)", the band stops. A cacophony of feedback swells into a deranged symphony devoid of any structure. The only thing keeping this beautiful mess together is the 4/4 timing on the hi-hat and the four separate crashes of the cymbal. Each crash represents a gunshot blast. A song for our troubling times.

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



Richie Sambora Highlights From Craig Ferguson Week Now Online
(hennemusic) Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora was featured last week as the first house band in the history of The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson and if you missed it you can see highlights online.

Richie began the week playing the program's theme live with Ferguson, before rocking up the nightly "Tweets and Emails" jingle.

Sambora played a song each night, beginning with his current single, "Every Road Leads Home To You," followed by other tracks from the new album. A version of Bon Jovi's smash "Wanted Dead Or Alive" was featured on Thursday, while Sambora closed the week with Ferguson handling vocals on "Sugar Daddy" from the new release – listen closely for the riff from Led Zeppelin's "How Many More Times" as the song draws to a close. Check out the video highlights here.


Slaves On Dope Release Christmas Song and Video
Slaves On Dope have released their new digital Christmas single, "All I Want For Christmas."

The band has also released a new music video for "All I Want For Christmas", which can be seen here.

The group will be performing a handful of concerts this month with shows set for Toronto, Buffalo and Clifton Park, New York. more on this story




Hatebreed Release New Album Trailer
(R&T) Hatebreed has released a new album trailer for their forthcoming studio album, The Divinity of Purpose.

In the trailer, frontman Jamey Jasta discusses the meaning behind the band's new album cover. You can watch it here.

The album will be released on January 29, 2013 in the U.S./Canada on Razor & Tie and on January 25th in Europe/Ireland and on January 28th in the U.K. more on this story




Metallica Release My Apocalypse Video From Quebec Magnetic
(hennemusic) Metallica are sharing full song footage of the "Death Magnetic" track, "My Apocalypse," of their new live package, "Quebec Magnetic."

"Quebec Magnetic" includes 26 songs plus bonus material, with over three hours of footage recorded live at Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City, Quebec on October 31 and November 1, 2009.

Filmed by director Wayne Isham, "Quebec Magnetic" is the first project to be released by Metallica under their own label, Blackened Recordings. Check out the video here.




Lzzy Hale Found Out About Grammy Nomination While On Stage
(Gibson) Lzzy Hale has revealed that she found out her band Halestorm had been nominated for a Grammy while she was in the middle of performing on stage.

In an interview with The Pulse Of Radio, Hale said the band was preparing to perform a piano ballad when guitarist Joe Hottinger ran across the stage to tell her the good news. "He's like, 'We got nominated for a Grammy!'" Gibson signature artist Hale said. "And I'm like, I mean, I must have had at least 30 seconds of just pure, like, shock on my face. 'Really? Are you serious?' I still can't wipe this stupid grin off my face, I'll tell you that. But it was a very cool moment for all of us."

The nomination is for the song "Love Bites (So Do I)" from the band's second album, The Strange Case Of... The song, which is up against tracks by Anthrax, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Marilyn Manson and Lamb of God, spent time at #1 on the Active Rock chart, the first time in history that a female-fronted rock act snagged the honor.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Stone Temple Pilots Fire Scott Weiland?
(hennemusic) Scott Weiland has been fired from Stone Temple Pilots, according to his former Velvet Revolver bandmate Slash.
In a new interview with Minneapolis/St. Paul radio station 93X, Slash was asked about Weiland's recent comments that he was "completely open" to reuniting with Velvet Revolver.

"That's because he got fired from STP," said Slash, adding, "I think, all things considered, because these things always catch me by surprise, too, because I only find out about it through the media. I'm on the road in another country and I start hearing all this stuff, so I inquire within, and that's what I was told." Listen to the interview here.



Jason Newsted Finishing Album With New Band
Former Metallica bass player Jason Newsted has revealed that he is almost finished recording an album with his new self-titled band.

Newsted gave fans a hint of his return to the music scene recently when he launching a new website but now he has followed up with a Facebook message about his new band and album.

He writes: "I am very happy in my life now! I have a new band that bears my own name. We're just finishing our first record. I'm feeling strong again playing bass and singing lead vocals and you all will be hearing it in one month's time!!! New year, new band, new life!!! Bless you all and I can't wait to share my music with everyone!!! I'm entrusting all of my friends to get the word out!!! Jason's back!!!" more on this story




Hawkwind Guitarist Huw Lloyd Langton Dies
Hawkwind guitarist Huw Lloyd Langton died on Thursday (Dec 6) after a battle with cancer.

The band broke the news to fans with the following message: "It is with immense sadness that we have to let you know our great friend of many years and fellow musician Huw Lloyd Langton passed away peacefully last night.

"Huw had been bravely fighting cancer for a couple of years, but was determined not to let the battle affect his day to day life. He continued to play his guitar, laugh, joke and share the great love he had in his heart, with all who knew him.

"As he wished, he was at home when the time came, with his ever strong and loving wife Marion at his side.

"Huw was one of the great guitarists with an individual style and character. He is gone but never forgotten by any of us. He will live on in our music and in our hearts." The band followed up with details about the funeral.




RHCP's Flea To Announce Rock Hall Class of 2013
Red Hot Chili Peppers bass player Flea is set to reveal the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2013.

Flea was inducted into the Rock Hall last year as a member of the Red Hot Chili Pepper, and now he was announce the next round of inductees on December 11th at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The class of 2013 nominees include Rush, Deep Purple, Procol Harum, The Meters, Public Enemy, N.W.A., Albert King, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Kraftwerk, Randy Newman, Heart, Donna Summer, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Chic. Read the Hollywood Reporter story here.




State Department Not Helping Randy Blythe Fight Manslaughter Charge
The U.S. State Department has responded to a fan initiated petition to the White House to respond to Lamb of God singer Randy Blyth's arrest for manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic. But it doesn't appear they will do anything to help him.

Blyth was arrested when his band visited the country in June on manslaughter charges stemming from the death of a fan who died two weeks after being allegedly injured at the band's concert in Prague in 2010. He was later released and returned to the U.S. but was formally indicted on the charges last week (see story here)

At the time of his arrest fans used the petition system on the White House website asking for an official response and finally Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor has issued one.

Here is the response: We appreciate your inquiry about the case of D. Randall Blythe, who was released from detention in the Czech Republic on August 3, 2012, and returned to the United States shortly thereafter. Mr. Blythe has publicly stated his intention to return to the Czech Republic to face trial for the alleged manslaughter of a Czech man at a concert in 2010. He recently told MTV, "It's the correct thing for me to do ... this poor young man's family deserves some answers." Pending Mr. Blythe's trial, we cannot discuss the details of his case. We are closely monitoring the progress of his trial. more on this story




Rolling Stones To Present Letterman Top 10 List
(hennemusic) Rolling Stones legends Mick Jagger and Keith Richards return to the Ed Sullivan Theater stage in New York when they present the "Top Ten List" on the Late Show with David Letterman on Tuesday, Deecember 11.

Jagger and Richards, who first graced the Ed Sullivan Theater stage when the Rolling Stones made their first of many performances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on Oct. 25, 1964, will be making their first visit to the Late Show.

The Stones are currently celebrating their 50th anniversary with recently completed sold-out "50 & Counting" shows at London's O2 Arena in late November. more on this story




Motley Crue's Vince Neil Lands New Reality Series
(hennemusic) Motley Crue's Vince Neil learns to fly in a new reality series. "Vince Neil Escapes" will follow Neil in his dream to finalize his pilot's license, for which flight training occurred on-camera during Season three of the popular PBS aviation program, "The Aviators."

Episodes will accompany Neil and his girlfriend, his manager, and his mentor/flight instructor as they embark on various whirlwind flights across North America and the Caribbean, enjoying rock-star level treatment along the way.

Throughout the season, Vince battles FAA regulations to earn the right to fly on his own due to a long history of DUI convictions, including a fatal 1984 collision where Vince's actions killed Hanoi Rocks drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley. more on this story




Hirax Plan Next Album And Tour
Hirax will enter the studio early 2013 for a new album release in September under their new worldwide deal with Steamhammer/SPV. The album will be followed by a world tour.

Hirax front man, Katon W. De Pena, on signing to SPV: "We are honored to now be a part of the SPV Records family and we appreciate their total support of our thrash metal music. Together we are going to bring the heavy metal music world one hell of a skull crushing album in 2013".

Steamhammer/SPV A&R Olly Hahn adds:" It´s an honor to have Katon and Hirax on our label. Through all the years Katon held the flag of metal high and also played places of the earth where nobody would. It´s time for another raging violence!"




Avenged Sevenfold To Rock in Rio With Iron Maiden
Avenged Sevenfold reprinted a short interview on their official site with Q1 where frontman M. Shadows confirms the band will take part in Rock In Rio and shares his excitement about sharing the stage with Iron Maiden and also says there is a possibility that they might put together some additional shows with Metallica and/or Iron Maiden.

When asked about playing with Iron Maiden, he said, "I love Iron Maiden. We've done some touring with them in Europe. We are part of that case that each one has its specific fan base, but there are many people who like both the bands, who have the passion for metal [and] like this kind of sound. [We] can't wait to be part of this festival. Luckily, I know the Brazilian fans of Iron Maiden like our music."

He was then asked about the possibility of playing additional shows in Brazil and responded, " We're talking to Metallica and Iron Maiden to know what they will do before and after the Rock in Rio. So, there's chance to take the fall and make at least two more shows. We are still seeing this …" more on this story




Thin Lizzy Memoir Sells Out Again
(hennemusic) Last month, Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham published his memoir, "The Boys Are Back In Town."

Now, the group is sharing news that, after the swift sell-out of the first edition of the book, the reprint has now practically sold out as well, so much so that publishers Omnibus Press have ordered a second reprint as fans are anxious to get their hands on the book, the exclusive story of the band's rise, fall and rise again.

A North American release date of May 1, 2013 has been confirmed for the rock memoir. more on this story




Eddie Van Halen Visits His Giant Guitar
(hennemusic) Eddie Van Halen stopped by Universal CityWalk on Sunday to check out the giant replica of his Frankenstein (or "Frankenstrat") guitar at the Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood.

Eddie's son, Wolfgang, tweeted a photo of the visit, writing, "Today was his first time actually seeing it in person! @eddievanhalen #finally #citywalk"

The Hard Rock updated the guitar display in November of 2011 as a salute to Van Halen's iconic homemade instrument. See the photo here.




Bruce Springsteen Photographers for Sandy Relief Effort Launched
(Sub) Rock Photographer James Shive of the ShiveArchive.com, noted for his collection of classic rock and roll images, is among the photographers donating images of Bruce Springsteen in a fundraiser Shive jumpstarted – aptly named "Photographers for Sandy Relief" – to raise money for victims of last month's Hurricane Sandy.

"Photographers for Sandy Relief" took a huge leap forward when Bruce Springsteen posted the credible effort to his Facebook page.

Shive, a native of New Jersey who was on the west coast when the storm hit, was already resolved to do something to aid the Garden state by time he returned back east, immediately reaching out to friend Eric Meola, author of the recent book "Streets of Fire" and infamous for photographing Springsteen's "Born to Run" album cover. Together, the two contacted their mutual friend Chris Philips, editor at "Backstreets Magazine," and in a short time every major Springsteen photographer came forward with contributions, among them Danny Clinch, Lynn Goldsmith, David Michael Kennedy, Joe Lopez, Neal Preston, Barbara Pyle, A. M. Saddler, Pam Springsteen, and Frank Stefanko, in addition to Shive and Meola. more on this story




Finntroll Begin Recording New Album
Finntroll have started recording their next studio album and are offering fans a listen to some of the demo recordings for the album tracks.

The band has entered the Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki to record the album and expect to release it in late March 2013.

The band had this to say: "Combining our trademark sound with even more influences from non- traditional genres in metal music, we have created 11 songs which show you everything we want to offer. And boy, wasn't that one of the hardest tasks for some time. After all, how do you keep your sound fresh, yet familiar, after 6 albums and 15 years?

"At some point, we were afraid that the songs are not melodic enough. Then we started to fear they became too melodic. Then we let the songs rest for a while and molded them more in a way that the non-melodic stuff got something to hum with, and the cheesy pop songs were arranged more stripped and aggressive. We were confident, yet sometimes scared what will people think of the stuff we've been doing so hard. What if they hate it? That would be fine, but if they would hate it because the material was uninspiring, boring and done-to-death, that would be a huge disappointment. So, we kept pushing and tried to keep it fresh all the time, while still having the 'this has to be Finntroll because no other band sounds this insane' - grinning going on." The band posted a demo preview video here.




Guitar Wizards Book Series Coming
Versailles Records plan a Spring 2013 release for the first 2 volumes of their new series 'Guitar Wizards Book I/II and III/IV'.

The series is said to showcase many of the top guitarists including solos from such rock/metal greats as Damon Johnson (Brother Kane, Thin Lizzy), Jake E Lee (Ozzy Osbourne Band, Badlands), Keri Kelli (Alice Cooper Band, Ratt, LA Guns, Slash's Snakepit, etc), Jimmy Crespo (Aerosmith), Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake), Blues Saraceno (Poison), George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob), Gilby Clarke (Guns N Roses, Heart, MC5), Ira Black (Metal Church, Lizzy Borden) on a track that also features Chris Slade (AC/DC), and Chris Poland (Megadeth), Glen Alvelais (Testament), and Jan Hammer (Miami Vice Theme Writer) among others.

It will also include lead solo-heavy originals from a collection from players around the world, including Richard Kendrick, Gary Schutt, David Reffett, Leaving Eden, Chris Johnson, Sean Gill, Soupbone, Arnold Marfoglia, Edward DiMenna, Eric J. Gosselin, Vid Payne, Mezzy Shredder, Aaron Seals, Atomick Cocktail, Blakenstein, Rob Burzon, The Beer Brothers, Monkeysoop, Leon Muhutdinov, Arctic Flame, MYSTIC FORCE, Erling Solem, Wicked Sins, Dead Man's Wake, Fredi Handshoe, Jason Rain, Peter Tripp, One World (R)evolution, Tony Rossi, Todd Gilmore, Scarlet Presence, Thiago Trinsi, Chris Garcia, Steve Pugh, Jason Daugherty, Richard Reynolds, Kevin Samuel, Authur Benitez, Eight Feet Deep, Jeff Terraglio, Vanja Tadic, David Russo, The Tequila Killers, Mike Stevenson, Jon Monter, Chuksingh, Michael Martinez, Robert Bussey, Nathaniel Villarreal, Conrad Swartz, Jeff Marcello, Shane Young, Stacy Noll, The Process, Steve Gregory, Mark Stowe, Don Denson, Bad Motherf#cker, Dana Roselli, Ernesto 'Xtone' Gerena, Ronny Gutierrez, Tom Kopyto, Dan Crenshaw of Garden of Eden, and Pete Pachio. more on this story




Suffocation Releasing New Album
Suffocation have set a February 15, 2013 European release date for their new album, "Pinnacle of Bedlam."

The album was produced by the band and tracked at Full Force Studios in New York by longtime collaborator Joe Cincotta. The mixing and mastering was handled by Zeuss (Hatebreed, Arsis, Suicide Silence). Cover artwork for Pinnacle of Bedlam was created by artist Raymond Swanland (Deeds of Flesh, Psycroptic).

The album features 10 tracks and also marks the return of drummer Dave Culross, who played with the band previously on their Despise The Sun EP. more on this story





Metallica Release Four Horsemen Video From New Live Release
(hennemusic) Metallica have offered up the third full song preview of their forthcoming live package, "Quebec Magnetic."

The band is sharing footage of their classic 1983 track, "The Four Horsemen," from the project.

"Quebec Magnetic" includes 26 songs plus bonus material, with over three hours of footage recorded live at Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City, Quebec on October 31 and November 1, 2009. Read more and watch it here.




Guns N' Roses and Van Halen hennemusic Rock News Awards Finalists
(hennemusic) Guns N' Roses and Van Halen lead the list of finalists for the 2012 hennemusic Rock News Awards, which recognize the biggest rock news artists and stories of the year.

Guns N' Roses, Van Halen and KISS are all up for the hennemusic Rock News Artist Of The Year, while stories on Van Halen and Guns N' Roses are contenders for the hennemusic Rock News Story Of The Year.

Finalists for the 3rd annual hennemusic Rock News Awards are chosen by readers: winners are determined by the combined total page views of the top 50 hennemusic rock news stories of the past twelve months. more on this story




Mary J. Blige Jams With The Rolling Stones
(hennemusic) R&B superstar Mary J. Blige was one of two special guests who joined the Rolling Stones at New York's Barclays Center Saturday for the first of three area shows marking the band's 50th anniversary.

Reprising her role from the "50 & Counting" tour's opening night in London last month, Blige handled vocals with Mick Jagger on the band's classic track, "Gimme Shelter."

Blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr. joined the Stones for "Going Down." Noticeably absent from the first US date were former Stones Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor, who played both UK concerts.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Motley Crue's Vince Neil Takes Swing At Fan
(TMZ) If you're going to sit front row at a Vince Neil concert ... you better know how to duck ... because he might try to punch you in the face.
TMZ has obtained video of the Motley Crue singer taking a closed-fist, rage-fueled swing at a front row concert-goer during a show in New Mexico over the weekend.

Neil had just started performing "Kickstart My Heart" when the fan did something that angered him. Vince stopped the song and started yelling at the guy to "get the f--- outta here!"

When the guy started getting mouthy back at Neil, the singer reached back and tried to punch the man in the mouth ... but the fan ducked ... and Neil totally whiffed.

Security then rushed in and escorted the trouble-maker out of the show ... and Vince got right back into the song like nothing ever happened. more on this story



Steven Adler Auctioning Guns N' Roses Platinum Plaques
Steven Adler is offering fans a chance to own a Guns N' Roses platinum plaque for a cause close to his heart.

Fur & Feather Animal Sanctuary announced via Facebook that Adler is auctioning off personalized platinum plaques for the two Guns N' Roses albums that he played on, "Appetite for Destruction" and "Lies. "

These are not Adler's personal awards given to him for the RIAA million copies sold certification of the albums, but new plaques that Adler will order in the auction winner's name and once he receives them, he will personally autograph.

You can see the eBay auction for "Appetite for Destruction" here and the auction for "Lies" here.




Paramore Releasing New Album
Paramore will be returning with a new self-titled album that they will be releasing on April 9th.

The band broke the good news to fans with the following: The time has come Paramore fans, friends, and family... And for that matter, the time has come for the rest of you as well. We are ready to spill the beans about what we've been doing over the last *coughYEARcough*. With the most pride and passion we could ever possibly express, we would like to announce that this album, our fourth freaking album... Will be self-titled, 'Paramore'. It has been self-titled through nearly the entire process. In fact, what usually takes us weeks on end to sum up and put a label on only took us a five minute conversation this time around.

The whole making of this album was a rediscovering of ourselves as a band and as friends. It was a process that allowed us the freedom to explore new territory artistically and to liberate ourselves as musicians, singers, as people! Sincerely, we feel that the best way to give it a name is just to call it what it is. This album is us. more on this story




Rolling Stones To Stream New Jersey Concert
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones December 15th concert in New Jersey will be streamed online via Yahoo Music.

The online access, which will cost US fans $40, is in addition to the live pay-per-view signal distributed by WWE.

The concert is the fifth and final date of the band's "50 & Counting" tour which kicked off recently with two shows in London. more on this story




Metallica Bury Napster Hatchet By Joining Spotify
Metallica's war with Napster made headlines but now the band has released their entire catalog on a music service that involves Napster's co-founder Sean Parker.

The band announced the launch of their catalog on the streaming service Spotify on Thursday and their official website included a photo of drummer Lars Ulrich sitting with the company's founder Daniel Ek, as well as Spotify investor and former Napster foe Parker. (Ulrich was the most outspoken member of Metallica during the showdown with Napster.)

This move comes less than a week after the band's announcement that they have obtained control of their entire catalog and launched their own record label, Blackened Recordings.

You can read Metallica's comments on the addition to Spotify and see the photo here.




Godsmack Taking 2013 Off
Godsmack had a busy 2012 on the tour and the band plan to take 2013 off according to frontman Sully Erna.

"We're going to take some time away now because we just ran for the last two years," Erna told Artist Direct. "It's time for us to take a break and get away from the markets for a little bit so we don't overplay them. We're taking 2013 off."

As for a return to work, he says, "Maybe towards the end of the year or early 2014, we may start getting into the studio and writing. Now, we're going to lay low."

"We may pop up once in a while to do a radio festival or something. I'm going to take all of 2013 to focus on my solo stuff and see any doors I can open along the way," he added. Read the full interview here.




Alice In Chains Involve Fans In New Song Premiere Roll Out
(hennemusic) Alice In Chains have completed recording their new album and will debut a new song online in two weeks.

The band revealed the news on Thursday, writing, "Every day for the next 10 days, a new lyrical phrase from our brand new song 'Hollow' will be posted at @aliceinchains on Instagram.

"We want you to create an image inspired by or featuring a single word or phrase from those lyrics. Next, share those photos on Instagram or Twitter tagging #HOLLOWAIC." More details here.




In Flames, Demon Hunter, All Shall Perish and Battlecross Plan Tour
In Flames will be launching a North American headline tour in February that will also feature Demon Hunter, All Shall Perish and Battlecross.

The band has announced the dates for the first leg of the trek which is set to kick off on February 2nd in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

In Flames had this to say about the tour, "We are excited to be coming back to North America once again. On this tour we hope to see some old fans and some new fans from cities we have never played before, look forward to seeing you soon." more on this story




Fleetwood Mac Expanding Rumours For Deluxe Reissue
Members of Fleetwood Mac have commented that they may release some new music to coincide with their upcoming 2013 tour, but we also learn that their most successful album will be expanded for a deluxe edition reissue.

Lost in the excitement of the tour announcement, the band promised that "a new deluxe reissue of Rumours with previously unreleased studio and live tracks will be released in early 2013 from Rhino."

The tour will be kicking off on April 4th in Columbus, OH and will feature most of the Rumours lineup of the group: founders Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, as well as Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks who joined the band in 1975. more on this story




Queen Extravaganza Tour Coming To America
(hennemusic) Queen tribute touring act The Queen Extravaganza have announced the first leg of their 2013 North American tour.

Two of Queen's original bandmates and songwriters – guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor – are the masterminds behind The Queen Extravaganza.

Shows will kick off January 11 in Tarrytown, NY and are currently scheduled to run into early February; more dates will be announced soon. more on this story




Ed Cassidy of Spirit Dead at 89
Ed "Cass" Cassidy the drummer and co-founder of the legendary psychedelic rock band, Spirit, died yesterday (Dec 6th) at the age of 89.

The Music's Over reports: With his stepson, Randy California at the helm, the Los Angeles band formed in 1967 and went on to score a top 25 hit with 1968′s "I Got A Line On You," one of the era's most durable songs.

In 1964, he formed the Rising Sons with Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder. That was followed by the Red Roosters who morphed into Spirit in 1967. Read more and watch video here.



KISS Kruise III Set To Sail
(hennemusic) KISS have announced the third annual KISS Kruise which will take place over an extended Halloween weekend in 2013.

KISS Kruise 3 is confirmed for October 28 - November 1, 2013 on board The Norwegian Pearl sailing from Miami, Florida to Key West, Florida and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas.

Last month, KISS completed its second annual cruise. As usual, KISS played a sailaway concert as the ship left the Port of Miami. In addition to KISS, the 2012 line-up also featured Skid Row, Adler, Yacht Rock Revue, Big Rock Show and many others. Watch video here.




Broadway Calls Launching North American Tour
Broadway Calls will be hitting the road in January for a headlining tour of North America.

The tour will also feature Silver Snakes as well as various dates with Red City Radio and Mixtapes.

Broadway Calls will be touring in support of their forthcoming album, Comfort/Distraction, which will be released in North America on February 5th. more on this story




Kromosom Set New Album Release
Kromosom have set a January 22nd, 2013 North America release date for their new album, Live Forever. Here is the official word:

Born in the smoldering wake of now defunct Australian crust acts Schifosi and Pisschrist, and featuring current members of Leprosy, Bloody Hammer and fellow Southern Lord mercenaries Nuclear Death Terror, Kromosom have kicked a massive dent into the international crust/punk/hardcore circuit working under the band doctrine: "Noisier, nastier, rawer."

Through several vinyl-only indie releases and steady waves of international touring since their 2010 inception the band caught the attention of Southern Lord who now confirms the first CD release in Kromosom's discography with Live Forever. The bruising fifteen-track assault captures all of the band's material previously only available on vinyl, including their self-titled 12", tracks from the Hardcore Pollution split 7" with Isterismo, and the Paranoid 7," all mastered for maximum pandemonium by Jack Control (World Burns to Death, Severed Head of State). If this doesn't get you raging it's time to hang up your boots and join the rest of the sheep. more on this story




Heaven's Cry Reissuing Their First Two Albums
Heaven's Cry have set a January 8, 2013 release date for the reissues of their first two albums, "Food For Thought Substitute" and "Primal Power Addiction".

The albums will feature revamped artwork and have been newly remixed by Yannick St-Amand (Despised Icon, Beneath The Massacre, Kataklysm) and remastered by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia, Symphony X).

"I'm having a blast listening to our music the way we imagined it back then," says vocalist/guitarist Pierre St-Jean. "Our music has multiple layers where guitars and bass play different parts to create textures, and since our music is less riff-oriented than what most rock and metal bands do, it's important to hear every detail, every instrument clearly. That is now possible, thanks to Yannick and Jens." more on this story




Raindance Launching Winter Tour
Raindance plan to hit the road at the end of the month to launch a North American winter tour.

The tour will kick off on December 28 in Providence, RI and will conclude on January 30 in Altoona, PA.

They will be touring in support of their new EP, New Blood, which was recorded by Jay Maas at The Getaway Group (Defeater, No Trigger, Have Heart). more on this story




Paul Gilbert Plans Another Great Guitar Escape
Paul Gilbert has announced details of his second annual Great Guitar Escape, which will take place July 8-12 at Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY. We were sent these details:

Paul says, "The Great Guitar Escape is built around world-class seminars, concerts and jam sessions. It's a chance to learn and be inspired by some truly amazing musicians. And it's just a great way for everyone to hang out together in a beautiful place. The Full Moon Resort makes a perfect location to soak up some serious guitar music."

Featured guest guitar instructors at Paul Gilbert's Great Guitar Escape include: Andy Timmons (Danger Danger, Simon Phillips, Paul Stanley of KISS, Olivia Newton-John, Paula Abdul), internationally renowned jazz guitarist/composer Mimi Fox (Stevie Wonder, Charlie Byrd, Diana Krall, Branford Marsalis, Joey DeFrancesco), Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston Scotty Johnson (Paul Gilbert, Robben Ford's Fords and Friends, The Ford Blues Band, The Blindside Blues Band), acclaimed rock/blues/slide guitarist Tony Spinner, and Adam Fulara who specializes in two-handed contrapuntal tapping. more on this story




Joe Satriani In The Studio For Surfing's 25th Anniversary
(hennemusic) In The Studio marks the 25th Anniversary of guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani's groundbreaking album, "Surfing With The Alien."

Few guitarists possess the technical skill and melodic taste of Joe Satriani, affectionately called "Satch" by friends and fans. As his pupils (rock notables Steve Vai and Metallica's Kirk Hammett, to name just a couple) became famous, Satriani became recognized in his own right.

Satriani's 1987 multi-million-selling "Surfing With The Alien" album rewarded the guitar instrumentalist, putting him in a unique class of gifted axemen and providing huge opportunities to spread his musical wings. more on this story





Singled Out: All The Right Moves
Today Brandon Daly from All The Right Moves tells us about the first single, "Choke, " from their brand new album "When Your Compass Breaks". Here is the story:

Choke is one of those songs that almost didn't make it to the album... but then ironically ended up becoming the single off the album. It was the night before the band was planning to depart Minneapolis to drive out to New Jersey and begin recording our new full-length album, "When Your Compass Breaks" with platinum producer Rob Freeman (Hit The Lights/ Cobra Starship/ Gym Class Heroes). I had been working on demos for two weeks straight, toying around with different song ideas on Reason & Pro Tools. I was running out of ideas, energy and beer by 5am that morning but I was determined to write another song before we left. I was lying on the ground of my practice space, drunk, frustrated and nearly asleep and then suddenly a melody came rocketing into my head out of nowhere that sparked me up like the 4th of July. I heard the chorus line "Your heart's as big as the ocean, darling, Your soul's as deep as the sea, and it's drowning me". The lyrics, the melody; It all kind of came at once. I think it's the fastest I've ever written and recorded a song. I tracked piano first, then guitar, bass, vocals, and MIDI violin in two hours time and I stayed up until 8am chugging coffee and saw the sunrise that morning as I was finishing mixing the demo tracks to "Choke". I remember being so amped about the song when I met up with the rest of the band the next day I immediately put the song on the stereo of the van for the rest of the band to hear.. It had one of the catchiest choruses I feel like our band has ever released. When we got to the studio and showed Rob Freeman all our song demos... he turned around during Choke and said, "Ok... This one HAS to go on the record!" Choke was the first song we recorded with Rob and it is the first single off our new album.

"Choke" is all about smothering someone you're totally infatuated with. So much to the point that the person you are chasing is "choking on the fumes" from the heat of it, causing them to run away in any direction, just to catch their breath. So to parallel the violent theme of the single, we decided to smash all of our music equipment with an axe and set an upright piano on fire in our music video to "Choke", which can be seen here.

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




Rival Sons Release Until The Sun Comes Video
Rival Sons have released the new music video for their song "Until The Sun Comes" online.

The clip is the second video from the band's new album, Head Down, and was directed by Simon Gesrel-- a protégé of Michel Gondry (White Stripes, Bjork). Watch it here or read on for more background information about it that we were sent.

The video is a freaky desert action clip, with crazy motorcycle sand dune racing, with the hills of the desert as a motif for the double entendres of the woman in the song. Rival Sons frontman Jay Buchanan says, "I really dig this video; it's a completely new direction for us. Filming videos can be very awkward for me, but this time I got to ride a dirt bike out in the desert where I'm most comfortable; it just felt so natural for the song. We're all pretty good on a bike so we just took turns doing tricks and trying to outdo each other. We ended up with some sweet footage. Nice." more on this story




The Gaslight Anthem Perform on Conan
The Gaslight Anthem appeared on Conan's TBS talk show last night and Team Coco sent over a link for fans that may have missed it.

The band was on the show on Thursday to perform the song "Here Comes My Man," from their new album 'Handwritten.'

The band will be playing a show in Oakland tonight at Oracle Arena and a concert at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City (Los Angeles) tomorrow (Dec 8th). Watch video of the Conan performance here.




2012 hennemusic Rock News Awards Set To Be Announced
(hennemusic) The 2012 hennemusic Rock News Awards will be announced on Monday, December 10. The 3rd annual event recognizes the biggest rock news stories and artists of the year.

Finalists for the hennemusic Rock News Awards are chosen by readers: winners are determined by the combined total page views of the top 50 hennemusic rock news stories of the past twelve months.

In the tradition of the weekly hennemusic Hot 10 chart, the site will countdown the top 10 Rock News Stories Of The Year and the top 10 Rock News Artists Of The Year.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Santa Vs The Killers
(CBS Local) The Killers fear Santa's wrath in their new "I Feel It In My Bones" Christmas music video.
A maniacal Santa Claus, played by former tour manager Ryan Pardey, singles out the band as being the naughtiest of the naughty, despite their best efforts to get on the "nice" list.

St. Nick, incensed by the thought of the band bestowing children with music and spreading their message of joy, becomes enraged and goes after the band with a serial killer-like thirst for blood. No Rudolf here, Santa gives up his reindeer and cookies for a Harley and a cigar. After forging his own weapons from steel, he heads out on the road to settle the score. Watch it here.



End of the World Tour
Motley Crue fans can celebrate the countdown to the end of the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2012 with a little music.

Motley frontman Vince Neil is kicking off his End of the World Tour tonight in Orlando, Fl with special guest Slaughter.

The tour will include three additional dates, two in California with Great White and then the finale on Dec 21st in Detroit with Queensryche, Great White and Slaughter. more on this story



Metallica Release Master of Puppets Video From New DVD
(hennemusic) Metallica are haring footage of their classic 1986 track, "Master Of Puppets," from their forthcoming live package, "Quebec Magnetic."

"Quebec Magnetic" includes 26 songs plus bonus material, with over three hours of footage recorded live at Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City, Quebec on October 31 and November 1, 2009.

Filmed by director Wayne Isham, "Quebec Magnetic" is the first project to be released by Metallica under their own label, Blackened Recordings. Watch the video here.




Stone Sour Announce North American Tour
Stone Sour will be kicking off the new year of 2013 by launching a North American tour.

The tour will begin on January 20th Bethlehem, PA and conclude on February 17th in Denver, CO.

Stone Sour will be touring in support of their new release, House of Gold & Bones Part 1, which the first installment of their two album series. more on this story



Masters Of Reality Plan Rare Performances
(Sub) Masters Of Reality frontman Chris Goss and album cover artist/drummer John Leamy will perform live and sign copies of the limited edition re-release of Master Of Reality's classic debut and live albums on Saturday, December 15th, 2012.

The event will be held at the new Delicious Vinyl Record Shop on Sunset Boulevard. And at 10pm that night, Goss and co. will perform an intimate live set at The 3 Clubs in Hollywood.

These performances celebrate Delicious Vinyl's release of a Master Of Reality double-disc pack combining their 1988 debut album Masters Of Reality with 1997's How High The Moon: Live At The Viper Room. more on this story




Porcupine Tree Frontman Steven Wilson Releasing New Album
Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson has set a February 25, 2013 release date for his new solo album, The Raven that Refused to Sing (and Other Stories). We were sent these details:

More than merely a collection of songs, Wilson's third solo album is an audio experiment in time travel. Recorded in Los Angeles, in 2012, the six song set channels an early 70's aesthetic from the dawn of progressive rock and jazz fusion. The result is a sonic adventure through dynamic suites and rhythmic complexities.

Recorded using most vintage gear, and inspired by stories of the supernatural, The Raven that Refused to Sing (and other stories) also features several notable nods to 'the age of the album,' – Wilson's lush arrangements, Alan Parsons engineering and the appearance of the legendary Mellotron used to record King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King. more on this story




Texas Is The Reason Plan Final Shows and Anthology Release
Texas Is The Reason will be reuniting for final shows and releasing a new anthology collection.

Texas Is The Reason will play their final North American live shows starting in Chicago, IL, for Revelation Records' "REV 25" festival on Sunday, January 6 and continue in February and March with performances in major markets such as Washington, DC on February 15, Philadelphia, PA, on February 16, San Francisco, CA, on March 29 and Los Angeles, CA, on March 30.

Texas Is The Reason will also be releasing of their entire discography titled Do You Know Who You Are?: The Complete Collection. more on this story




Trey Anastasio To Play Intimate Venue Dates
Phish frontman Trey Anastasio will be hitting the road in January with his solo band for an intimate venue tour.

The tour will be kicking off on January 18, 2013 with a show at Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, ON

The seven date trek will be in support of Anastasio's most recent solo album, Traveler. more on this story




Shadows Fall's Jason Bittner Issues Health Update
Shadows Fall drummer Jason Bittner has checked in with fans about his recovery from acute pancreatitis with the following:

Well, I'm happy to say that I'm feeling much better, back to playing, and almost feel 100% - too bad my insides are still not 100% but they're healing nicely primarily due to me staying off the road and resting.

I have another round of bloodwork next week, in which the docs think I should be back to all normal internal functions by then, but they still are prohibiting me from leaving until after my endoscope on Dec. 18th (they need to hopefully find the cause of the pancreatitis, and whether or not anything else is going on as well - but I feel pretty confident that I'll be ok). more on this story




KISS Release Box Set Trailer
(hennemusic) KISS released "The Casablanca Singles 1974-1982" box set this week in North America (it will be available around the world in January) and are promoting it with a new two-minute online trailer.

"The Casablanca Singles 1974-1982" covers KISS' eight-year stay on the label, from their very first, "Nothin' to Lose" b/w "Love Theme from KISS", from their self-titled debut to their very first charted 45, "Kissin' Time". The band's subsequent string of hits included "Dressed to Kill"'s live version of "Rock and Roll All Nite" (#12 on Billboard's Hot 100), "Destroyer"'s "Shout It Out Loud" (#31) and the Top 10 ballad "Beth", "Rock And Roll Over"'s "Hard Luck Woman" (#15) and "Calling Dr. Love" (#16), "Love Gun"'s "Christeen Sixteen" (#25), Ace Frehley's solo hit, "New York Groove" (#13) and "Dynasty"'s "I Was Made for Lovin' You" (#11).

"Even I haven't heard some of this stuff, but this is all part of our master plan to celebrate KISS at this milestone in our careers," says Gene Simmons. "This box set represents us at the very beginning of our career, and documents the band's early success and subsequent growth." More details and the trailer.




Atheist Reissues Coming With Bonus Tracks
Season of Mist announced that they will be reissuing Atheist's first three albums digitally and physically.

The three albums "Piece of Time" (1989), "Unquestionable Presence" (1991) and "Elements" (1993), will include bonus tracks.

The label did not give a firm dates, they simply said that the three studio albums will be released digitally before the end of the year, and physical versions will follow in spring 2013. more on this story




Vanna Begin Recording New Album
Vanna have entered the studio to begin recording their new studio album, The Few And The Far Between, which will be released in 2013.

The band is working at Getaway Recordings in Boston (Haverhill) Massachusetts with producer Jay Maas. Maas also produced Vanna's first Artery Recordings release, their 2010 EP The Honest Hearts.

Vanna lead vocalist Davey Muise had this to say, "With all the touring we've done especially this past year and all the time away from home, not only did it make for great writing time and lyrical ammo, it made us want to do the next record at home. For the sound and direction we were going Jay was a no brainer for us. Doing The Honest Hearts EP with jay was so easy and comfortable; we wanted to see what a full record with our dude would be like. We are psyched to see what Jay and the band will do with TFATFB. We will have a full recording blog with pictures and videos all on vannaboston.com so everyone can follow along with this record as it comes alive." more on this story




Stones, Dylan, Sex Pistols and More For Not Fade Away Soundtrack
The Not Fade Away soundtrack will feature music from The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Moody Blues James Brown, The Rascals, Sex Pistols and will be released digitally on December 18th.

We were sent the following film synopsis and soundtrack details: Not Fade Away, the feature film debut from The Sopranos creator David Chase is an ode to the transformative power of rock 'n' roll. In 1964, the Rolling Stones appear on television and three best friends from the suburbs of New Jersey decide to form a rock band. The film stars John Magaro, Jack Huston, Will Brill, Bella Heathcote, Brad Garrett, Christopher McDonald and James Gandolfini.

Because music is so central to the film, Chase worked closely with executive producer Steven Van Zandt in compiling recordings that are evocative of the era and propel the narrative of Chase's screenplay. Van Zandt played Silvio Dante in Chase's The Sopranos over the course of the groundbreaking series' six seasons on HBO and in 2002, created "Little Steven's Underground Garage," a nationally syndicated rock radio show on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. He is a long-standing member of the E Street Band. more on this story




Dave Grohl's Sound City Movie To Premiere at Sundance
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl's directorial debut, Sound City, will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next year.

Grohl, who will travel to Sundance next month along with select artists featured in the film and its forthcoming soundtrack album had this to say, "As a first time director, I am humbled to be able to share my passion for songwriting and storytelling with this incredible cast of legendary musicians, as seen through the extraordinary story of America's greatest unsung recording studio, Sound City. Being included in this group of artists is a true honor, and the Sundance Film Festival is the perfect place to premiere a film about craft, integrity, and passion for art. I am over the moon!"

Sound City, the film, was conceived by Grohl after purchasing the legendary custom-built Neve 8028 recording console from Sound City Studios last year. The board, built in 1972, is considered by many to be the crown jewel of analog recording equipment, having recorded such artists as Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Cheap Trick, Guns N' Roses, Fear, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Slipknot, Nine Inch Nails, Metallica, and countless other musical legends over the past 40 years.

If you missed yesterday's report, you can check out the trailer for the film here.




Lasorda Streaming New Album Online
Lasorda (featuring members of The Get Up Kids, fun., The New Amsterdams, Kevin Devine and The Goddamn Band, and Ghosty) are giving fans an early listen to their entire new album.

Lasorda includes Suzannah Johannes, Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids, The New Amsterdams), Nate Harold (fun., Koufax, The Honorary Title, Waking Ashland), Dustin Kinsey (The New Amsterdams, White Whale, Higher Burning Fire), Mike Strandberg (Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band, Brian Bonz and the Major Crimes), and Josh Adams (Ghosty).

Lasorda's self-titled debut album comes out on 12/11 and is streaming on Spotify with two bonus tracks. Listen here.




Exhumed Announce Impromptu Tour
Exhumed have added a week of new headlining tour dates after being sidelined on their way home from their tour with Napalm Death and Municipal Waste.

The new dates will kick off this Friday in Lafayette, Louisiana and will conclude with two California shows next which are still to be announced.

Elaborates vocalist/guitarist Matt Harvey explains: "Since our van decided to blow up and we're stuck in Alabama for a week, we figured we had time to book some fill-in shows for our longer-than-expected ride home. So come on out and rage with us — last chance in 2012! We look forward to making the most out of this opportunity to melt your faces one last time before we f**k off and get ready for 2013." more on this story




Castle Announce U.S. Tour
Castle will begin 2013 by launching their very first headlining tour of the United States.

The tour will kick off on January 5th in Ventura, Ca and will conclude on February 10th in Las Vegas.

Castle have also announced that drummer Rae Amitay (Mares of Thrace, Woods of Ypres, Thrawsunblat) will be playing with them on the upcoming tour. Says Davis, "We had the chance to play together on a bill in Chicago and were blown away by her drumming." more on this story




Hawthorne Heights' Australian Tour Begins This Week
Hawthorne Heights will be kicking off their Australian tour on Friday with Sydney's Sienna Skies and a host of locals joining them in each city.

Hawthorne Heights are touring in support of their new release Hope, the 2nd release in their EP trilogy. Sienna Skies also have a brand new release of their own to celebrate, with The Constant Climb out now via Artery Recordings.

Hawthorne Heights will also deliver a short acoustic instore set at Fist2Face Records, Ringwood, from 2pm on Saturday 8 December, before their full show at Bang later that night. more on this story




Michael Schenker Adds Temple of Rock Date
Michael Schenker has added a new London concert date to his 2013 Temple of Rock UK Tour.

The new show will take place at London o2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on Friday May 31st.

Schenker will he touring in support of Temple of Rock: Live in Europe CD, DVD, Blu-ray and Ltd Deluxe Collector's Edition, released by inakustik on Monday December 10th. more on this story




Osada Vida Recording New Album
Metal Mind Productions will be releasing Osada Vida's new studio album next spring.

The band's bassist says: "We've just started recording the album. The drum parts will be recorded first and, for us, it's the most important element of the new album. We want to have a lot of space in the drum parts and we want them to be dynamic.

"Later in December we will record the bass guitar and the keys. That's all for this year. Guitars and vocals will be handled in January and, hopefully, our new material will reflect the recent changes in the band well." more on this story





Rolling Stones Remix Doom And Gloom
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones have released a remix of "Doom And Gloom," one of two new tracks on the band's greatest hits collection, "GRRR!"

The song was remixed by DJ and producer Benny Benassi, best known for his summer club hit "Satisfaction", in 2002.

The original "Doom And Gloom" single was recorded in Paris and produced by longtime Stones producer Don Was, who has worked with the band on five previous albums (Voodoo Lounge/ Stripped/ Bridges To Babylon/ Live Licks/ A Bigger Bang). Listen to it here.




State Radio Release Big Man Video
State Radio have released a new music video for the song "Big Man" from their album, Rabbit Inn Rebellion.

Of the video's subject matter, director Michael Gill says, "the video is aesthetically inspired by dystopian sci-fi movies like Brazil and Metropolis, and it is intended to satirize the myth that the wealthiest 1% of America are 'job creators'...and to just generally indict the exploitation of the working class."

While he's always brought it on tour, State Radio frontman Chad Stokes is seen playing the handmade 6-string African oil can guitar, also know as a ram kiekie. A gift purchased on the streets of Capetown, South Africa, the alternative to store-bought guitars is made from a Castrol oil can, bottle tops, plastic and salvaged copper. Nicknamed "Fidel Castrol," the guitar often appears on album tracks. more on this story




Eels Release Peach Blossom Video
Eels have released a new music video for the song "Peach Blossom" from their forthcoming studio album, Wonderful, Glorious.

The video is directed by Los Angeles-based dirctor and photographer Andrew Van Baal, known for his feature documentary Largo which premiered at the 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival and featured artists including Fiona Apple, Louis CK, Aimee Mann and Sarah Silverman. Watch it here.

To celebrate the release of Wonderful, Glorious, out February 5 on E Works/Vagrant Records, EELS will embark on a world tour kicking off February 14 in Santa Ana, California and include dates across the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Europe. The tour will wrap up on April 24 in Paris. more on this story




Johnny Depp Jams With Aerosmith
(hennemusic) Aerosmith are in the final week of the second leg of their Global Warming tour.

On Monday, the Boston band rocked the Staples Center in Los Angeles with some help from guests Johnny Depp and Izzy Stradlin.

Depp joined Aerosmith for covers of Fleetwood Mac's "Stop Messin' Around," and The Beatles' "Come Together."

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Alice In Chains Complete New Album
(hennemusic) Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell has confirmed that the band has completed recording its new album.
Joined by singer William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney, Cantrell recently wrapped up the album sessions with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Foo Fighters, Deftones) and engineer Paul Figueroa.

The follow-up to 2009's "Black Gives Way To Blue" is the band's second record with DuVall; original lead singer Layne Staley died in 2002. more on this story



Izzy Stradlin Jams With Aerosmith
(hennemusic) Former Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin joined Aerosmith during their show Monday night in Los Angeles.

Stradlin jammed with the Boston rockers on "Mama Kin," the first song of the band's encore at the Staples Center.

Aerosmith are currently in the final week of the second leg of their Global Warming tour in support of their new album, "Music From Another Dimension"; shows wrap up December 13 in Nashville. Watch video here.



Rolling Stones Announce Special Guests For Next Concert
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones have announced that Mary J. Blige and Gary Clark Jr. will be joining the band on stage for their first U.S. 50 and Counting concert at The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on Saturday, December 8.

This news follows special appearances at London's O2 Arena by Jeff Beck and Mary J. Blige at the kick off show on November 25th and Eric Clapton and Florence Welch at on November 29th show.

The Stones will continue the 50 And Counting shows with two more dates in the U.S. at Newark, NJ's Prudential Center on December 13th & 15th. more on this story




Two Members Leave Boysetsfire
Boysetsfire announced yesterday that they have lost two members of the group, drummer Matt Krupanski and his brother Marc Krupanski who played bass.

Guitarist Chad Istvan first broke the news to fans about Matt's departure with the following posting on Facebook: "I've written and erased this announcement a number of times over the last few months. I can't say whether it's that I don't know the right way to approach what I'm saying or if the act of saying it gives a certain finality to the words but here goes...

"Matt Krupanski, long-time friend, will not be playing with us anymore. He has a number of incredible opportunities in his life right now and understandably will pursue them. It turns out when we saw him reading books with titles like "why buildings stand up" and "why buildings fall down" it was a lot more than just a vague interest in architecture, it was a new passion. Matt graduated from the Pratt institute last spring after 5(?) challenging years learning things that make ZERO sense to me and now he will put that knowledge to good use. more on this story




Daughtry and 3 Doors Down Live TV Special
AXS TV will be broadcasting the Daughtry and 3 Doors Down concert from from 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colorado live on December 11th.

"This has been a great tour with 3 Doors Down," said Chris Daughtry, lead singer of Daughtry. "We want to thank AXS TV for bringing the tour to everyone that isn't able to see us out on the road."

"We are having a blast touring across the country with Daughtry and thanks to AXS TV we are bringing the show live to your living room," said Brad Arnold, lead singer of 3 Doors Down. "Tune in and check it out, it's the next best thing to being there in person!" more on this story




Green Day's New Album Streaming In Full Online
iheartradio are streaming Green Day's new album, Tre, in its entirely one week before it hits stores.

¡Tre!, the third album in Green Day's album trilogy ¡Uno!,¡Dos!, and ¡Tré!, and will be released next Tuesday, December 11th.

Highlights from the band's recently announced documentary ¡Quatro! recently premiered on VH1. The documentary pulls back the curtain and takes fans inside the world of Green Day, chronicling their creative process while conceptualizing and recording their the current album trilogy. ¡Quatro! was directed by Tim Wheeler and produced by Tim Lynch for Farm League. The full-length version of the documentary will be released in 2013. Listen to the stream here.




Jonathan Davis' Wounded Warriors Film Premieres Online Today
The short film starring Jonathan Davis of Korn, Wounded Warriors, will be premiered online today with a free stream.

The film was directed by Sébastien Paquet documents Davis' return to Ramstein Air Base in Germany August 11, 2012 to visit with members of armed forces stationed there as well as those in transit from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The online premiere will take place today (Wednesday, December 5) as a free stream on MonsterEnergy.com Its television premiere is set for the second season of the GI Festival on the Pentagon Channel in May 2013, where it will air in over 34 million homes and military bases around the world. more on this story




Fleetwood Mac's Buckingham Discusses Christine McVie's Burnt Bridges
(CBS Local) Fleetwood Mac has just announced dates for their 2013 tour which will consist of founding members Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass, along with singer/guitarist/songwriter Lindsey Buckingham and singer/songwriter Stevie Nicks but not Christine McVie who lest the band after The Dance tour.

Would Fleetwood Mac ever welcome Christine to join them for a few of her classics? CBS Local put that question to Lindsey Buckingham. "Well, that's a good question! It's an odd thing for me, in many ways I'm having a better time in the band as a foursome, only because it opens up a range of things that I can do. Except for maybe 'Don't Stop,' we don't do a lot of her stuff. It opens up the amount of material we can play, it allows me to be more of a 'guy,' to be more of who I am up there," he explains, saying that without a keyboardist in the band, his guitar takes center stage. "I would be shocked if she ever expressed any interest to do anything with us. Shocked and pleased."

Christine has attended one Fleetwood Mac show since leaving the band (she declined to perform with them), but she hasn't had much contact with the group in the past decade. But Buckingham explains that she was going through a lot of life changes at that point. "She ended up getting a divorce, she ended up selling her house in L.A., she moved back to England, she quit the band, she sold her publishing," Buckingham said. "She didn't necessarily have to burn as many bridges as she did. Everyone sometimes wonders whether or not there might have been more of a middle ground for her to strike, not necessarily in terms of her staying in Fleetwood Mac. But she just wanted to reinvent herself. She seems to want to lead the antithesis of the life she led before, and I don't pretend to understand such a radical change but it was obviously something she needed." More from Lindsey here.




Sabbath Birthday Sabbath For Ozzy
(hennemusic) Ozzy Osbourne turned 64 on Monday and Black Sabbath shared another image from the California studio where the band is recording their new album with producer Rick Rubin.

In recent weeks, Sabbath have offered up photos of band instruments while keeping fans updated on the progress of the project.

The latest to surface is from frontman Ozzy Osbourne. "Spending my birthday tracking vocals on the new Black Sabbath album," posted Ozzy, along with a photo from the studio. Check out the photo here.




Dave Grohl Releases Sound City Film Trailer
(hennemusic) Head Foo Fighter Dave Grohl is gearing up for the release of his first feature film, "Sound City," and has released the trailer online.

The documentary chronicles the story of the Van Nuys, California studio of the same name, where music legends recorded major projects throughout the years – including Nirvana's 1991 smash, "Nevermind," which featured Grohl on drums.

Grohl has released the trailer for the film, which features footage of Tom Petty, Metallica, Neil Young, Butch Vig, Stevie Nicks and others. Watch the trailer here.




Braid and Balance and Composure Releasing Split EP
Braid and Balance and Composure will be releasing a split EP via No Sleep Records on February 26, 2013.

Braid are currently working on their next full-length album that is scheduled for a 2013 release. Additionally, the band will round-out 2012 with a run of dates in the Midwest with special guests Into It. Over It, Diamond Youth and Cut Teeth on December 14 in Milwaukee, Wi, December 15 in Detroit, MI, and December 16 in Chicago, IL.

Fresh off a U.S. tour with Circa Survive, Touche Amore and O'Brother, Balance and Composure will hit the road at the end of January for a headlining U.S. tour with The Jealous Sound and Daylight. more on this story




Porcupine Tree's Colin Edwin Releasing New Collaboration
(Sub) Alchemy Records will mark the end of days, December 21, 2012, with the release of Burnt Belief, a progressive instrumental collaboration between bass player Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree, Metallic Taste of Blood, Ex-Wise Heads) and guitarist/composer Jon Durant.

The album will be released through Alchemy Records in the U.S. and will be available on iTunes, CDBaby, Burning Shed and Amazon.

Burnt Belief marks the second time that the two musicians have worked together since Edwin contributed bass to Durant's 2011 release, Dance of the Shadow Planets. It was recorded at three studios, two in the U.S. and one in the U.K., with Edwin and Durant exchanging digital files over the Internet. Additional musicians were later brought in, with Jerry Leake ("Cubist," Natraj, Club d'Elf) on percussion and Geoff Leigh (Ex-Wise Heads, Henry Cow, Hatfield and the North) on flute. more on this story




Focus Releasing New Album
Veteran progressive band Focus will release their new album, X, on February 5th in North America.

Featuring cover art by Roger Dean (Yes), the album was produced by the band with a running time just shy of 60 minutes and st is the first new material from the four-piece in six years.

Founded by keyboardist/flutist Thijs van Leer in 1969, the band have two certified gold recordings in the US spurred on by hits "Hocus Pocus," "House of the King," and "Sylvia." Thijs van Leer comments, "it is a thrill to have finally completed Focus X. We are all ecstatic about the new material. Our music is evolution, not revolution." more on this story




Jackson Browne InTheStudio For Running On Empty Anniversary
InTheStudio is celebrating the 35th anniversary of Jackson Browne's Running On Empty on the latest episode of the syndicated radio show. They sent over these details:

Jackson Browne remembers the concept for the album Running On Empty to program host Redbeard. "It wasn't called Running On Empty…But it was going to be a live album, with live versions of songs that had already been recorded, and new songs, and jams, and some of the hilarious things people say."

Coming off his solo breakthrough album The Pretender, the Southern California singer/songwriter suddenly found himself a single parent with a 3 year old son and a widower following the suicide of his wife. Conventional wisdom would assume that any one of these challenges alone could require an entertainer to put his or her career on hold indefinitely, yet Jackson Browne did exactly the opposite. He went on tour to work through his personal struggle and his creative pause, where the road offered a routine, structure and distance from the pain. Browne's idea to write and record on the road would garner two Top 20 singles, "The Load Out/Stay" and the # 11 charting title track "Running On Empty". Stream the episode here.




Springsteen Fans Asked To Contribute To Documentary
(Gibson) Producer Ridley Scott has asked for Bruce Springsteen fans to contribute their own video footage expressing what The Boss's music means to them, as part of his documentary project Springsteen & I.

The film will be directed by Baille Walsh with producer Svana Gisla, who says "We are searching for a wide variety of creative interpretations, captured in the most visually exciting way you can think of, whether you've been a hardcore Tramp since '73 or have heard one of his songs for the first time today! If you can't use a camera or are not sure how to capture your story then get in touch and we will link you up with someone who can!"

The film is due for release in cinemas in 2013, but if you want to be involved you'd better act quickly: the deadline for footage submissions is 11am on Thursday December 6. You can upload your footage at the film's website, www.springsteenandi.com - and obviously the higher the quality the better, but anything will be accepted for consideration, as long as it's under 5 minutes in length. more on this story





Rock Hall Names New President and CEO
(CBS Local) The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has promoted Gregory Harris to its President and CEO.

After a nationwide search for a new President and CEO, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. board approved the 47 year old Harris, who holds a graduate degree in museum studies and whose industry background also includes curatorial, membership and sponsorship experience. Since 2008, Harris has served as the Vice President of Development.

"Throughout the search process, all of the voting was unanimous for Greg," said Board Chair William W. Rowley, who headed a seven-member search committee. more on this story





Singled Out: My Heart to Fear
Today My Heart to Fear lead singer Trevor Pool tells us about the song "Blood Money" from their brand new EP "Lost Between Brilliance and Insanity," which was released this week. Here is the story:

It was June of 2011 and we were on a three month tour up and down the coast of the good ol' USA. The tour manager had just informed us that a local church was going to house us for the night, and we were looking forward to finally washing ourselves in a shower rather than a carwash. We arrived at the church around noon after driving all through the night, but didn't know which building to go into. So after 20 minutes of awkwardly roaming around this rather large property, we finally found where we were supposed to be.

So, there we were all settled into our resting quarters, and I decided to take a stroll around the church lot for an hour or so. The foyer was this huge cross-section hallway that was about thirty feet tall on the inside and had marble floors and stone pillars. I walked around the place(s) a little more and find that each building was gargantuan as well. EVERY SINGLE DETAIL was expensive. There were showers in every bathroom, dressing rooms for the choir, closets the size of my living room that only hold the choir's robes, LED exit signs, bridal rooms, the sanctuary had five oversized plasma TV's just to show the words of the songs being sang, etc…etc…

So here it is. The moment where I anticipated to walk into the GIANT sanctuary to justify the giant church, right? Wrong. The maximum capacity (as listed on the wall of the upper part of the sanctuary) was 810. So just for benefit-of-the-doubt's sake, I told myself it was probably a college campus, homeless shelter, orphanage, or whatever could justify all of this non-sense. I walk up to one of the pastors on staff, and asked him what kinds of purposes the buildings served. I asked if they were for teaching, community service, or the like. His reply was a simple "Nope. S'just a church" I proceeded to ask if there was a large youth program and he interrupted me in mid-sentence saying "No, sir. It is only a church"

Now, our tour was sponsored by a charity organization known as "Compassion International," which has this program where you can feed, clothe, educate, and give medical attention to a needy child in another country for only thirty-eight dollars a month. So here I was thinking, if this church spent even a tenth of what they spent on these buildings and donated it to a charity like Compassion, literally an entire village-maybe an entire town- could be saved. Also, this whole story begs the question…is the blood of the children that could have been saved on the wealthy American church's hands?

All of this to say, I began immediately writing the first line to our newly made song, saying "Why do we paint the walls of our churches with the tears of the starving children?" I understand it's the easiest way to be controversial by writing a song against widely-understood corruption in the church, but we're not writing/releasing this song to be "edgy" or "controversial", we're releasing this song to not only bring this serious matter to attention, but also to disassociate the love of Jesus Christ from the acts of churches and people like these.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself as you watch the video here and learn more about the band and the EP right here!




Led Zeppelin on Wikimetal
The latest episode of the Wikimetal podcast is a celebration with a special interview with rock legends Led Zeppelin.

Wikimetal spoke with Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page, Robert Plan and John Paul Jones as well as Celebration Day director Dick Carruthers.

The show tells us that they spoke about "the movie, the band's history and presenting truly amazing sounds, straight from the O2 Arena. " Listen to the full episode here.




Voivod Preview New Album With EPK Video
Voivod are giving fans an early taste of their forthcoming album, Target Earth, with the release of a new EPK.

The band has posted the official Target Earth EPK, featuring behind-the-scenes footage, plus an exclusive interview with Away (Michel Langevin) and Chewy (Daniel Mongrain) about the making of the album. Watch it here.

The album will be release as a CD, gatefold double vinyl and a limited edition deluxe box set on January 21st in Europe and January 22nd in North America. more on this story




The Killers Feel Christmas In Their Bones
(CBS Local) As The Killers make their way across the U.S. promoting their latest album Battle Born, the Nevada-based foursome will once again play gift-giving elves as they have for the past seven years, by delivering a new Christmas song to all the little boys and girls.

To ensure the song would be ready for a holiday release, the band shoe-horned a recording session into a day off during their European tour earlier this year.

"I Feel It In My Bones" features vocals from Ryan Pardey, the band's former Tour Manager, known to fans as "The Captain." Pardey, now fronting his own band, Halloween Town, famously appeared as Santa during the band's performance on The Tonight Show as well as performances at Live 105′s Not So Silent Night and KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas, annual multi-act Christmas benefit concerts held in San Francisco and Los Angeles respectively. more on this story




Johnny Marr Jams Classic From The Smiths
(CBS Local) Legendary guitarist and Morrissey nemesis, Johnny Marr is preparing to release his latest solo album The Messenger, scheduled to hit stores next year.

To keep his name in front of the media, he's popped up on various radio shows as of late.

During a performance for BBC 2′s Dermot O' Leary radio show, the singer/guitarist treated fans to new material, "New Town Velocity," as well as his version of The Smiths' "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want." more on this story




The Dropkick Murphys Release Christmas Video
The Dropkick Murphys have released a new Christmas video for the song "The Season's Upon Us." We were sent these details.

The video features a ramshackle approach to the wild-side of the Holiday season, with crazy family members and mayhem, all punctuated by the band's signature style of rock and singular wit. Watch it here.

"The Season's Upon Us" will be a bonus track available on the iTunes deluxe edition of band's new studio album SIGNED and SEALED in BLOOD, to be released January 8th via Born and Bred Records. more on this story




Triple Play Q&A: Why Your Band Is A Virus
Last week we told you about James Moore releasing a new edition of his book "Your Band Is A Virus - Expanded Edition". Today we debut our new Triple Play Q&A series by asking James three direct questions to go a little deeper into what the book is all about:

antiMusic: What inspired you to write the book (and give away your secrets)?

James: Well, the main inspiration factor for me as a music lover has always been music with depth, whether that be Neil Young, Public Enemy, Rage Against the Machine, or Radiohead. I've taken that motto into my company, Independent Music Promotions, but I can only taken on so many artists. Getting into the educational side and writing books was a must, because if the information is made available, then the serious artists can choose to work with it and generate results. Lending a helping hand, or even providing a few pointers, to an up-and-coming artist who means what they say is inspiring to me. The book is mainly aimed at the artists with real passion and creativity/drive, and not ones who are looking to be a cookie cutter group or perhaps mold themselves into a commercial machine (those who want to be the next Nickelback, for example).

Yes, I decided in the end to share almost everything, as the underlying goal of the book was to provide the most comprehensive music marketing guide available period. That meant "selling the farm", so to speak. It's not really risky to reveal the tactics and have the market saturated, because only a small percent of artists will be dedicating the necessary hours to make it happen.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Led Zeppelin Appearing On Late Night TV
(hennemusic) Led Zeppelin are set to appear on The Late Show with David Letterman. On Monday, December 3, Zeppelin members John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant will guest on the program when it broadcasts from Washington D.C.
There's no word on whether the group will perform on the show or simply do a sit-down interview with the host.

Both Zeppelin and Letterman are in Washington this weekend to receive the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors. more on this story



New Jimi Hendrix Song Preview Goes Online
(Gibson) Engineer Eddie Kramer has revealed audio from one of the songs appearing on the forthcoming Jimi Hendrix album, People, Hell and Angels.

In a new video (watch it here) , the veteran Hendrix soundman discusses the making of "Somewhere," a track Hendrix recorded with Stephen Stills on bass and Buddy Miles on drums. "He hadn't worked with them before, but here he is establishing his independence by doing this track without Chas [Chandler], and it yields this track called 'Somewhere'," Kramer says. "It's an amazing example of Jimi's control of the wah wah, the tone of the wah wah, how that affects the whole song. It projects itself through the track."

Kramer goes on to praise Hendrix's vocals on the track. "Jimi's vocal encapsulates this lovely softness in his voice," he says. "It's wonderful." People, Hell & Angels gathers never-before-released tracks recorded in New York in 1968 and 1969. The album is scheduled for release on March 5. more on this story






Metallica Declare Independence
Metallica have begun a new chapter of their career with very own their declaration of independence. The band now owns their catalog of master recordings and has launched their own record label, Blackened Recordings. On Friday their camp sent over these details:

Metallica announced today that they have taken ownership of all their master recordings including all music and long form videos, a move almost unprecedented for musicians signed to recording contracts. Under provision of their renegotiated joint venture agreement with the Warner Music Group in 1994, all masters reverted back to the band as of November 30, 2012.

"We would like to thank everyone at the Warner Music Group for 28 years of a fantastic relationship, particularly since 1994 where we truly felt we had partners in every aspect of our business in North America," said the band's James Hetfield.

Metallica also announced the launch of their new record label, Blackened Recordings. Blackened Recordings was created by the band as a home for all of their recordings, both audio and visual, and anything else that suits them. more on this story




Slash Records New Song For Film Soundtrack
(hennemusic) Slash updated fans over the weekend on a film project by his production company, Slasher Films.

"Recorded a song for Nothing To Fear over the weekend," tweeted Slash. "Myles [Kennedy] did a fantastic vocal. Haunting/creepy as hell. Movie's out next year."

The movie follows a family that moves to a small town seeking a better life, only to run against a charismatic but emotionally conflicted man of the cloth. more on this story




KISS' Paul Stanley Working On Autobiography
KISS frontman Paul Stanley appears to have changed his strong views against autobiographies with news that he plans to release his own.

Stanley told Nikki Sixx that his autography is "in the works" during an exchange on the Motley Crue bass player's radio show last Wednesday (November 28).

"[A]t this point, with the three other guys from the original lineup having written books," he told Sixx. "It's kind of like, 'OK, have you all said your piece? OK? Now let me tell you what happened.'"

Stanley was the lone holdout from the original KISS lineup to pen an autobiography. In 2007, he said of the idea, "It's a waste and I don't find a need to sing my own praises." Apparently he now ready to sing that tune. You can listen to the interview here.




Asking Alexandria In A Tour Bus Accident
Asking Alexandria told fans via Twitter that their tour bus was in an accident on Sunday, but that no one was seriously injured.

The group was traveling from Cleveland, Ohio, to Chicago on their current North American tour when the accident occurred.

The band members reported that their bus was damaged in the crash and that lead guitarist Ben Bruce suffered a sprained ankle but there were no serious injuries and the crash would not effect their tour.

You can read more details and see the various tweets here.




Sea of Treachery Pull Out Of A Metal Christmas Tour
Sea of Treachery have been forced to cancel their headline run on the A Metal Christmas leg of the A Metal Christmas & A Heavy New Year Tour.

The band offered this explaination: "There is no easy way to say this, but about a week ago we found out that due to personal issues, Tommy wouldn't be able to join us on the Metal Christmas Tour. Since then, we attempted to work with 2 different fill-in drummers and it wasn't working out.

"Without a solid drummer, we have been forced to drop off the Metal Christmas Tour. It is the worst feeling on the planet, because we would much rather be on the road playing for you than sitting at home being bummed. more on this story




Axl Rose Looking Forward To Guns N' Roses Visit To India
(hennemusic) Guns N' Roses are set to play three shows in India this month, starting later this week.

Now, in a new interview with TheTimes Of India , frontman Axl Rose opens up about his thoughts on Indian spirituality and his desire to play for fans in the country.

"I've always wanted to play in India. We've tried to make that happen but for whatever reasons it just didn't work out," explains Axl. "We're all looking forward to coming there and performing for everyone."

When asked if he plans to travel to places apart from the cities he's performing in, Axl said, "That would be great! I'm sure the rest of the guys and crew will visit some other places. If I'm lucky I'll be able to. Mostly I focus on the shows but if I have time I'm excited to explore India." more on this story




Robert Plant Plans New Zealand Concerts
(hennemusic) Robert Plant the Sensational Space Shifters will be bringing their current tour to New Zealand.

The band will play two shows in the country, hitting Wellington on April 9 and Auckland on April 11.

Plant and his band recently completed an extensive tour of South America, playing a dozen dates over a three-week period. See video from the tour here.




Tomahawk Announce Tour Plans
Tomahawk are following up the release of their first new music in six years with a string of North American tour dates early next year.

The band has mapped out plans for a brief February tour along the west coast and they will also perform at Lollapalooza Brazil and Australia's Soundwave Festival.

The new North American dates kick off on Feb. 12 in Seattle at The Showbox with Retox opening all dates. Retox, the San Diego outfit helmed by The Locust's Justin Pearson, are currently in the studio recording a follow-up to their 2011 debut, Ugly Animals. more on this story




Smashing Pumpkins Playing Hurricane Makeup Shows
(Sub) This Halloween, The Smashing Pumpkins were set to perform in New York City at Brooklyn's new Barclays Center, but due to the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the show has been rescheduled for Monday, December 10.

Having heavily disrupted the Northeast, Hurricane Sandy also forced the band to reschedule their shows in Camden, NJ for December 8 and Fairfax, VA for December 9.

The Smashing Pumpkins resumed their tour December 1 in Portland, ME and wrap the year at the December 10 performance in Brooklyn. more on this story




Richie Sambora Releases Hurricane Sandy Benefit Song
Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora has released a special edition of his song, "I'll Always Walk Beside You," to benefit Hurricane Sandy relief.

The special version of the song features Alicia Keys on piano, Aaron Sterling on drums and Curt Schneider on bass, along with Richie on vocals and guitars.

This single is available for download on www.richiesambora.com and 100% of the proceeds from each download will benefit the American Red Cross and the ongoing disaster response and recovery efforts. more on this story




Senses Fail Announce Initial 2013 Dates
Senses Fail have announced the dates for UK leg of their 2013 tour plans, with North American dates still to be announced.

The UK dates kick off on May 18th in Kingston and will feature support from Handguns (another special guest will be added to the lineup in the near future).

Singer Buddy Nielsen said, "We are very excited to head back to the UK, it's been two years and we are itching to return. There is no better place to be than the UK in the spring." more on this story



Maker Members Injured In Tour Accident
We received the following word that The band Maker were in an accident Friday morning while on tour in Texas. The band lost control of their Suburban and they proceeded to flip - ejecting two of them and subsequently injuring them and placing one of their crew in critical condition.

Animal Style Records has stepped in to help by setting up donations through PayPal to help the band cover medical and vehicle expenses. If you are able to help, donations can be sent via PayPal to makerdonations@gmail.com.

Eric Soucy of Maker explains, "This morning on our way to Texas we flipped our vehicle over. A few of us are injured; one in critical condition and the vehicle is totaled. We're trying to raise money to help pay hospital bills and buy a new vehicle. Any help is appreciated and please keep us in your thoughts and prayers." Facebook Link




Drive-By Truckers' Mike Cooley Releasing Solo Album
Drive-By Truckers' Mike Cooley will be releasing his debut solo album, The Fool On Every Corner, on December 11, 2012.

The Fool on Every Corner was recorded by longtime Drive-By Truckers' producer David Barbe during a three-show run last March, beginning with a two-night stand at no-frills Atlanta rock club The Earl and closing at The Melting Point in Athens, GA .

The record features live acoustic versions of fan favorites such as "Carl Perkins Cadillac", "3 Dimes Down", and "Marry Me" as well as one new song, "Drinking Coke and Eating Ice" and a Charlie Rich cover of, "Behind Closed Doors". more on this story




MAXX12 Release Ronnie Montrose Tribute Song
MAXX12 have released, He Rocked The Nation, their tribute to best friend, mentor and executive producer Ronnie Montrose, who died earlier this year.

The band is currently offering a stream and a free download of the song for a limited time here. We were sent over these details:

Montrose was known as one of the premier guitar players of the '60s and '70s. He started his career as a teenager playing for Van Morrison. Ronnie later went on to play for the wildly popular Edgar Winter Group, and then formed his own band, Montrose, also very popular in the '70s, and later, Gamma in the '80s. Montrose was also famous for discovering then unknown singer Sammy Hagar, who went on to be a superstar in his own band and later with other megaband Van Halen in the '80s. more on this story




Matt Skiba And The Sekrets Releasing Digital EP This Week
Alkaline Trio frontman Matt Skiba has set a December 4th release date for the new digital EP, Haven't You?, from his solo project Matt Skiba And The Sekrets.

The EP will be available for purchase through all major digital outlets, and features two previously unreleased, stripped down tracks. An acoustic version of "Haven't You?" and an acoustic version of "Voices" are included on the EP, as well as the original version of "Haven't You?," taken from their debut album, Babylon. The iTunes release will also include a download of the "Voices" music video

An acoustic rendition of "Haven't You?" that will be featured on the EP. The track can be heard here.




Judgement Day To Tour With Pinback
Judgement Day will be hitting the road with Pinback for a two-week tour kicking off on January 16th at The Hard Rock in Las Vegas.

Before kicking of the January tour with Pinback, the bay area group will be playing a few hometown shows including a New Year's Eve show with Dredg in Santa Cruz, Ca.

Judgement Day will be touring in support of their latest album, Polar Shift, which was released in July. more on this story





Rolling Stones and Florence Welch Jam Video Goes Online
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones played their second London show Thursday at the 02 Arena and were joined on stage by Eric Clapton and Florence & The Machine's singer Florence Welch.

As with last Sunday's concert, the band was once again joined by former Stones Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor, who turned up to play the same tracks on Thursday – for Wyman, that was "It's Only Rock & Roll" and "Honky Tonk Women," and for Taylor it was "Midnight Rambler."

Clapton played the Muddy Waters tune "Champagne & Reefer" with the band, while Welch joined the Stones for their 1969 classic, "Gimme Shelter" which you can watch video of here.




Ozzy Shares Candid Shot From Black Sabbath Photo Shoot
(hennemusic) Black Sabbath took part in a photo shoot on Friday with famed British photographer/artist Sam Taylor-Wood.

Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne is sharing a picture of himself at the session.

The metal icons continue to work in the studio on their new album with producer Rick Rubin; the project is due to be released in April. See photo here.




Johnny Depp Jams With Alice Cooper
(hennemusic) Alice Cooper brought his Raise The Dead tour to the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles Thursday night.

The event was one of the few remaining shows of the tour, which wraps up over the weekend with a final date in Indio, CA.

Alice and his band were joined by Johnny Depp on guitar; the actor performed the final 8 songs in the set, including covers of tunes by The Doors, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and The Who, and Alice concert staples like "Eighteen," "Under My Wheels" and "School's Out." Watch video here.




Coheed and Cambria On Crash Concert Series
Coheed and Cambria are featured in the latest episode of Yahoo's Crash Concert Series.

This episode featured Coheed and Cambria performing their single "The Afterman" in what they describe as "guerrilla style" at New York's Comic Con.

Coheed and Cambria faced a 'superhuman' challenge in figuring out how to handle the acoustics and setup of the convention center -- they had no amps, no stage, no microphones, and a large and very loud moving crowd to overcome. The guys cheerfully took it on, terming it "guerrilla style" showmanship. Watch it here.

Coheed and Cambria will be releasing The Afterman: Descension, which is the second half of a double-album set, on February 5, 2013. The first half, The Afterman: Ascension, hit stores in October.




A Skylit Drive Release Lyric Video For Song From Forthcoming Album
A Skylit Drive has released a lyric video for their new song, "Fallen", which comes from their forthcoming album.

Lead vocalist Michael Jagmin of A Skylit Drive comments, "'Fallen' is about having the courage to look those who hold you back in the face, and telling them they can't bring you down any longer. It's about seeing passed all the bullsh*t, and fighting with every ounce you have to achieve what you want. It's the ultimate anthem for anyone and everyone that has a dream." Watch it here.

A Skylit Drive is also pleased to announce the new album will be released jointly by their former label Tragic Hero Records and their current label, Fearless Records. Both labels will be involved in the marketing and promotion efforts for the new release. more on this story




No Bragging Rights Release Repeater Video
No Bragging Rights have release a brand new music video for their current single "Repeater."

Directed by veteran director Josh Knoff (As I Lay Dying, Asking Alexandria), NBR offers their support for our country's men and women enlisted in the armed forces and the struggles they deal with upon returning home.

Lead singer Mike Perez offers his thoughts: "I'm happy but not just because it's my favorite track off the album, but because of the message behind it. Also, I'm glad we went the soldier route. I don't think people understand the emotional strain some of them have to deal with when returning back to normal life." more on this story




The Who's Pete Townshend Pays Tribute To Mike Shaw and Chris Stamp
Pete Townshend has issued tributes to "two great and long-time friends of The Who" who passed away recently: Mike Shaw (The Who's first production manager) and Chris Stamp (helped break the group as their co-manager and also released the Jimi Hendrix Experience's first single and album through his Track Records label.)

Pete wrote these tributes: Chris Stamp wasn't just a good looking boy. He was tough, kind, creative and fun to be around. I can't think of anyone with whom it was better to brainstorm. For me, our best idea will always be THE WHO SELL OUT. We got so excited when we figured we could sell advertising space between tracks on our records. Why leave that income to radio stations and pop magazines? We weren't prepared for how irritated those guys would be with the idea. Chris was also very spiritually open, and later in his life focussed on the questions of the purpose of the soul. That said, he was never pious or pompous, never preachy. In his last days, despite terrible pain, we who were lucky enough to spend time with him, felt the presence of angels (or something like that) around him. There was a different kind of light in the room when he was fighting back at his cancer.

He had a wonderful life in his early and later years. The middle years, very much like my own, were tough partly because of his massive success. Track Records – which Chris ran for many years – had The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Marc Bolan and a dozen other big hit single successes. The Who's success in the USA brought us all great notoriety, and Chris was as hard living as the rest of us. But he found recovery many, many years before it came into vogue to do so in the music business, and as a result became like a kind of recovery guru in the New York area, loved and respected by hundreds of people he met in his work as a counsellor.

Roger became especially close to Chris in recent years, all past arguments and complaints forgotten. Love prevailed between them. I never lost touch with Chris because together we continued to be partners in Fabulous Music who published all the early Who music in the UK and Europe.

I will miss him, but remember him with real gratitude and pleasure – always.