Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Randy Blythe Speaks Out About Reports Of His Manslaughter Trial
Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe has called out the accuracy of media reports about his trial for manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic.
Blythe's trial began on Monday (Feb 4.) where he is accused of manslaughter in the death of a fan that died two weeks after being allegedly injured at the band's concert in Prague in 2010.

The singer addressed fans on Tuesday via his Instagram account. He posted a photo along with the following message:

"I have read a few news reports of the progress of my case, and trust me- many things are incorrect. But this is the Internet, and of course things are half-baked anyway. Keep in mind that translation is difficult, and many things can be lost, for Czech is a VERY DIFFICULT language. So wait and see, as I am. It is all I can do, except be honest & fight for my freedom in my own way.

"I also have heard of some people (not on here) talking smack about the Czech Republic, saying "F— the Czech Republic", etc. This not how it should be. This is a very sad case, not something to rage at people you do not know over. I am not angry with the Czechs at all. A fan of my band is dead- what do I have to be angry about? I am an INNOCENT man, but I am also a very sad man right now. To not be sad in this instance would be inhuman. But mad at the Czech people? Why would I be mad at them? Here, look at this picture - a mother watches her baby. The child reaches out for something new, laughing and chasing a pretty picture in the air. It is the same here as everywhere else. Do you see?!?!? Life is beautiful. I hope to see y'all soon." Blythe posted an earlier message



Vince Neil Rules Out New Motley Crue Album
(hennemusic) Motley Crue singer Vince Neil says the band is planning to record some new music, but fans should not expect an album of material.

"No, no new album," Neil tells Music News Nashville. "What I'm hearing is that maybe two or three or four more songs might come out to go with that song we released this year ("Sex"), but it will be something like an EP, not an album.

"Our schedule seems to have a lot of touring. If something did come out in the form of an EP, it would probably be in the beginning of 2014."

Vince was asked how the Crue write their songs. "It starts out with a guitar riff, and then we put it together with the other instruments and put a melody to it," he explains. "After the melody and song structure are finished, we edit different parts in and out, and eventually, it all combines to become a song."

The singer says that songwriting is not as difficult as some might think. Read about that here.



Led Zeppelin and Metallica Make Craziest Drummer List
(hennemusic) Led Zeppelin's John Bonham and Metallica's Lars Ulrich are among the names included in Esquire's newly-published list of the 10 Craziest Drummers Ever.

The list grew out of a story on "Beware Mr. Baker," the newly-released documentary about Cream drummer Ginger Baker.

Beyond the above three names mentioned, the feature includes Black Sabbath's Bill Ward, Keith Moon of The Who, Motley Crue's Tommy Lee, Topper Headon of The Clash, Hellyeah's Vinnie Paul and more.




The Almighty Reunite
(Classic Rock) The Almighty are starting working on reunion music, frontman Ricky Warwick has announced.

The band's classic lineup, featuring Stumpy Monroe, Pete Freisen and Floyd London will record new studio material later this year.

They formed in Glasgow in 1988 and last gathered for a tour in 2008, after reuniting two years previously. While an album was discussed at the time it didn't take shape.

Now Warwick – who's just completed work on the debut album by Thin Lizzy spinoff Black Star Riders – says: "The classic lineup of The Almighty all got together for the first time in many years and spoke about plans for the 25th anniversary. more on this story



Arctic Monkeys Announce U.S. Tour Dates
Arctic Monkeys will be returning to the United States in May to perform a short series of tour dates.

The dates will kick off with the band's performance at this year's Sasquatch! Festival in George, WA on May 24th.

The band will also play concerts in Missoula, MT, Boise, ID, Denver, CO, Albuquerque, NM and Dallas, Tx. more on this story



Metallica Members Each Releasing Signature Shoes
The four members of Metallica will each release their very own Vans shoes, which they personalized from the companies existing shoe designs.

The shoes are set to be delivered to stores this month and we were sent over these details about each pair along with photos:

James Hetfield - Inspired by his favorite black boots, James added hex-bolt eyelets and a personal take on the skull and cross-bones, illustrated by Hetfield himself, to "Metallicize" this Vans Sk8-Hi Deconstruct.

Lars Ulrich - Putting a twist on one of Vans' original Classics, Lars updated the Era Laceless with brushed twill materials and a print taken from the diamond plate pattern on his snare drum. He finished his shoe with a Dirty Donny character on the inside heel.

Kirk Hammett - Tying back to a love of surfing and nature, Kirk chose an all-natural upper made of hemp for his collapsible Slip-On. The inside heel is accented with a guitar pick inspired by his Ouija guitar and designed by one of Metallica's favorite artists, Dirty Donny.

Robert Trujillo - Robert grew up wearing Vans as a young skater in Venice Beach, California. For his shoe, he took Aztec calendar artwork, designed by his wife Chloe, which is carved in one of his bass guitars and placed it in blue, on the side of this Escuela. See the photos of the shoes here.




Singled Out: Funeral For A Friend
Today Funeral For A Friend frontman Matt Davies tells us about the track "The Distance" from their brand new album "Conduit," which was released this week. Here is the story:

The Distance (or touring mainland Europe during a boiling summer in a van with no air conditioning).

The title in itself sums up the song quite eloquently. I don't think i've ever tried to capture something so bizarre and translate it into lyrics for a song before. I've put my feelings of death, politics, people etc down to music over the years but for some reason when we got into writing this song the experiences of one tour of mainland Europe about 3 years ago came to mind and for some reason found it's way out into my notebook. I captured the story more in a train of thought way than just basic description so what ended up being the song are strings of sentences that delve into the idea of the road trip we experienced and all the crazy stuff that we did in a mad delirium for the best part of two weeks. All in all, it was fun and brought us together stronger as a band. Especially when we didn't have any air conditioning and one tiny window for air. We spent more time in our underwear that tour than any before or since haha.

Musically, it's slightly different to what would be our usual kind of sound but is in no way less aggressive. If anything the amount of groove we captured is pretty awesome. It's not quite a stoner rock song but a lot of people who've heard it think it sounds like Queens of the Stone Age filtered through a dose of 90's hardcore, which to me is a massive compliment.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and check out the video hereand you can pick up a copy of the album right here!




Phoenix Announce Spring Tour Dates
Phoenix have announced the first round of dates for their spring North American tour plans.

The dates iinclude their headlining show at this year's Coachella festival as well as a performance at the Sweetlife Festival.

The initial dates will take the band across the West coast starting on March 28th in Vancouver, BC and includes dates in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, and Nevada.

The band is expected to announce additional dates soon, the final announced date takes place in May at the Sweetlife Festival in Columbia, MD.
more on this story



Local H Release Free Download of Rush's 2112 Cover
(hennemusic) Chicago's Local H have recorded a cover of Rush's classic "2112 Overture/The Temples Of Syrinx."

The track is included on the band's brand new EP, "Another February," which was released today.

The group originally issued the song on International Rush Day, December 21, 2012 (21/12).

"In honor of the Winter Solstice, the end of the world according to the Mayans and, uh, Christmas, we humbly offer you this gift of song," wrote Local H. "We've been playing this opus live since last New Year's Eve and decided to record it properly this fall. With the help of Andy Gerber at Million Yen, we've gotten it together just in time for 21/12. Rush on over to click the link below to download it. And in the words of Tiny Tim: "A Merry Christmas to us all; and Neil Peart bless us, every one!" more on this story




The Breeders Expand Reunion Tour Plans With American and UK Dates
The Breeders have expanded their upcoming LSXX Anniversary World Tour with additional dates.

The band has added nine additional North American and four U.K. dates to the trek, in addition to the previously announced European tour dates.

The tour is now set to kick off on March 29th in Brooklyn and the North American dates conclude on May 15th in Atlanta.

The European tour will kick off on May 24th in Barcelona and will conclude with the newly added UK dates with a stop at the ATP Festival on June 21st. more on this story




Bon Scott's Love Interest Cast For Biopic About Late AC/DC Singer
(hennemusic) High Voltage Productions Pty. has announced that Pelham Spong will portray Bon Scott's longtime love interest, Margaret "Silver" Smith, in the upcoming rockumentary trailer for Bon Scott - The Legend of AC/DC.

She will appear opposite actor/singer Rob Liotti, who has been given the nod to portray Scott and has received a throng of international publicity. Spong spent a number of years acting in France before returning to the United States in 2010.

Historic footage shot last month by director J. R. Getches is reported to be in post-production with a tentative release date in March. A source close to the production said that the teaser footage involved "an interview of some type of the late singer..." and that staff members were "elated" about the performance. more on this story




Classic Pink Floyd Interviews For Animals Episode of InTheStudio
InTheStudio celebrates Pink Floyd's 1977 album Animals with classic interviews with David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Roger Waters.

As Roger Waters reveals to InTheStudio host Redbeard, it was actually during the final stadium concert on the Animals tour when Waters experienced a cathartic climax that would change rock history.

"The last one we did was in Montreal in the Olympic Stadium. Ninety thousand people stretching forever into the distance. Chain link fencing in front of the stage. Kids apparently on some kind of Pavlovian dog trip, screaming their heads off (for the song "Money") from the moment we appeared on stage until the moment we left. Nobody listening.

"And what was important was the demagoguery, the worship of the very 'rich' people...It's the worship of idols, from afar, and I find it distressing...And I experienced 'the wall ' very powerfully on that day." Stream the program here.




Slash Releases Anastasia Music Video
(Classic Rock) Slash has released a video for his track Anastasia, taken from last year's solo album Apocalyptic Love.

The iconic axeman recently responded to suggestions that the song's intro sounds like it was inspired by Bach's Toccata And Fugue In D Minor.

He told the Irish Times: "In this really interesting day and age of social networking, it started with just one person who said it was a Bach thing. I had no idea it sounded like a Bach thing, and then everybody asked me about it.

"I think it is just the style of the arpeggio. Still, there are worse musicians to be compared to than Bach.

"I'm proud of the song – I always liked it. It was one of the songs that came up at the tail-end of the recording when we were in pre-production." Watch the video and read more from Slash




Dream Theater Release Live at Luna Park Trailer
Dream Theater have released a trailer for their upcoming live release, Live at Luna Park, which is coming this spring.

The live collection will be release in May in several formats including 2DVD, Blu-ray, Digital Video, 2DVD/3CD, Blu-ray/3CD, and a deluxe edition (2DVD/Blu-ray/3CD).

The new release was filmed over two nights in South America, "This is without a doubt the closest a viewer at home will come to experiencing a live Dream Theater concert," says guitarist and John Petrucci. "Between the hi-def video, the huge audio mix and the documentary style behind the scenes footage, you are truly transported to the arena and completely immersed in the entire live experience."

"We have the greatest fans on the planet and the people of Argentina are no exception!" adds Petrucci. "The energy and vibe at Luna Park was truly electric and contagious. The perfect synergy between band and audience. We are immensely proud of this DVD and incredibly excited to share it with everyone!" Watch the trailer here.




Jeff Healey Band Rarities Set For Release
Eagle Records have set a February 26th release date for Jeff Healey Band's "House On Fire."

The eleven featured tracks on the album are previously unreleased, recorded between 1992-1998, with some songs culled from the band's sessions for Feel This and Cover To Cover.

The album includes covers of Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight" and Bruce Springsteen's "Adam Raised A Cain," and originals written by the Jeff Healey Band, such as the instrumental "Bish Bang Boof" and title track "House On Fire." more on this story




Biffy Clyro Top The Album Chart
Biffy Clyro enjoyed a big debut for their new album, Opposites, which topped the UK album charts.

Opposites gave the band their very first No. 1 chart debut after selling 70,000 copies, which was almost double the amount of sales from the album that landed at No. 2.

The album is set to be released to North American fans on March 12th and the band will be supporting the effort stateside for the Coachella festival and the upcoming Muse tour.

The North American dates kick off with Muse in Toronto on April 9th and wrap up on April 26th in Quebec City.

Prior to the American dates, the band will be embarking on a headline arena tour of the UK. more on this story




Built To Spill Kick Off North American Tour and Add Dates
Built To Spill kicked off their 2013 tour plans last night in Victoria, Bc and have just confirmed a series of West Coast dates.

The tour continues tonight in Vancouver, BC and the intial run ends on February 12t in Boise.

The band will return to the road for a date in March and then a series of West coast dates in April that begin on the 24th in Arcata, Ca.

This tour will include the band's new lineup featuring drummer Steve Gere who replaced Scott Plouf and bassist Jason Albertini who replaced Brett Nelson.

They will be joining vocalist/guitarist Doug Martsch, and guitarists Brett Netson and Jim Roth. more on this story




Steve Miller, Jimmie Vaughan Guest On Eric Johnson Special Edition
Eric Johnson has set an April 1st UK release date for the special edition album "Up Close - Another Look".

The album features 12 new Johnson compositions, plus a cover version of the Electric Flag song 'Texas'.

The special edition includes revised and remixed tracks featuring guest appearances from Steve Miller, Jimmie Vaughan, Johnny Lang and Sonny Landreth.

Johnson will be launching UK tour on April 3rd at London's o2 Shepherds Bush Empire. more on this story




The Story Behind The Troggs' Wild Thing
(Classic Rock) The Beatles' Yesterday is far and away the most covered song on the planet. But a spirited case can be made for Wild Thing as very close behind it.

The Troggs were the first to have a UK hit with a cover of it (No.2 in 1966) , but a long list of artists that includes Jimi Hendrix, Fancy, Sam Kinison, X, Prince, Warren Zevon and, most recently, Bruce Springsteen have put their spin on its simple chord progressions and sweaty lyrical sentiments. But the song's writer Chip Taylor (brother of actor Jon Voight) sees what many consider the ultimate distillation of pure, rock'n'roll heat as a more important step in musical history.

"I guess it is the most covered song on the planet," chuckles Taylor. "Particularly if you include all the kids who learned guitar by playing it."

It's easy to see why so many aspiring rockers took to the song as their first lesson. Strummed in a bluesy rock A-major and using a simple chord progression, Wild Thing was that raunchy, goofy ode to unbridled lust that anybody could relate to and that almost anybody could play – all the things that have made Wild Thing perfect cover fodder for major stars and rank amateurs alike.

However Taylor insists that Wild Thing in execution and intent was serious business. "I treat all my songs seriously," he says. "There was an honesty to the song. Sure, when you break it down there's not a lot to it. But when I was writing it, I was treating it as the most serious thing in the universe." more




Van Halen's David Lee Roth Looks Back At FM and Underground Radio
(hennemusic) Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth has offered up a new episode of his video series The Roth Show.

This time out, Roth discusses FM and Underground Radio as well as some of the great stations and disc jockeys from the era.

Meanwhile, fans continue to wait for some kind of news from the Van Halen camp regarding the band's plans for 2013.

The group's "A Different Kind Of Truth" tour will resume with three shows in Japan that were originally scheduled for last fall.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Aerosmith Dude Really Looks Like A Lady on Idol
(hennemusic) Aerosmith's Steven Tyler made a surprise appearance on American Idol Thursday.
The rocker was a judge on the series for the past two seasons, after which he returned to the band full time last summer.

This time out, Steven was auditioning as a singer for the show…in drag. He introduced himself/herself as Pepper LaBeija, after the famous drag queen featured in the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning.

Tyler was decked out in a blonde wig, snakeskin miniskirt and fake breasts that honked when squeezed. Check it out here.



My Bloody Valentine Release First New Album in 22 Years
(Classic Rock) My Bloody Valentine have released new album mbv, 22 years after their previous record, Loveless.

The nine-tracker was launched online at the weekend, and is also available for streaming in full online.

Frontman Kevin Shields recently told NME: "I think with this record, people who like us will immediately connect with something. Some people think it's stranger than Loveless. I don't – I feel like it really frees us up. In the bigger picture it's 100% necessary." Read more and check out a song stream.



Wings' Henry McCullough Unlikely To Recover From Brain Damage
(Classic Rock) Former Paul McCartney And Wings guitarist Henry McCullough is unlikely to recover from brain damage he suffered during a heart attack last year, says ex-bandmate Denny Seiwell.

McCullough, who's also known for work with Spooky Tooth, Joe Cocker, Pink Floyd and others, was rushed to hospital in November. Some news outlets mistakenly reported he had died.

Now Seiwell – who left Wings alongside McCullough in 1973 after two years –tells Something Else: "By the time the ambulance got there, because of the lack of oxygen from the period of the heart attack to the first treatment, he suffered some significant brain damage.

"Some of the doctors, according to friends, don't think he's going to have much of a recovery. He's going to need constant care for the rest of his life."

The Irish guitarist and vocalist has not made any significant progress since his condition stabilised after the heart attack, says the drummer. "It's absolutely tragic – I love Henry. He and I were very close." more.




New Slayer Album Delayed By Rick Rubin
(Classic Rock) Slayer guitarist Kerry King says progress on his band's next album is being held up by producer Rick Rubin.

And he's hinted there may be doubts that Jeff Hanneman will contribute to recording sessions.

King's comments come after iconic deskman Rubin suffered a range of critical comments over the past year. In 2011 ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons said he was responsible for delays to the release of their album La Futura, reporting they'd been pushed to "the brink of frustration" and admitting: "The band is wondering, 'Where is this thing? When do we hear it?'"

In the same year Graham Nash accused the producer of having ruined Crosby, Stills and Nash recording sessions. Earlier, Corey Taylor said he'd never work with Rubin again and Muse thanked him for showing them how not to record an album.

Now King tells Eddie Trunk: "The whole hold-up now, as with every record we ever do, it seems like Rick Rubin changes distributors. We're left in limbo until he lands somewhere.

"Realistically we're without a deal right now. We plan on staying with Rick, but he's working out his distribution. When that gets settled we'll be recording."

See what else Rubin is working on and read King's update on Jeff Hanneman's condition here.




Megadeth Finish Recording New Album
(hennemusic) Megadeth have completed the recording of their new album, according to Dave Mustaine.

"Played guitar, sang, & did minor adjustments yesterday to songs 1-4," posted the Megadeth mainman on Friday. "Mixing has begun & you'll have something soon to hear! I'm so pumped!!"

The band have been working on the project with producer Johnny K at Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California. more on this story




Stone Sour Set House of Gold & Bones Pt. 2 Release
Stone Sour have announced an April 9th release date for their new album, House of Gold & Bones Pt. 2.

The album is the conclusion to their two part concept album release and was produced by David Bottrill (Tool, Muse) and recorded at Sound Farm Studios just outside of Des Moines, Iowa.

The band will be releasing the first single from the album, , "Do Me A Favor," digitally on February 12th.

The group is currently on tour with dates that conclude on February 17th in Denver, Co at the Fillmore Auditorium.

Stone Sour also announced that they will be performing at the 2013 Revolver Magazine Golden Gods Awards May 2nd in Los Angeles where they are up for three awards including"Best Vocalist," "Album of the Year" for House of Gold & Bones Pt. 1 and "Best Drummer" for Roy Mayorga. more on this story




Noel Gallagher Diagnosed With Tinnitus
(Gibson) Noel Gallagher has been diagnosed with tinnitus. Speaking to U.K radio station Talk Sport, he said: "I went for a brain scan. They did find it… I've got a bizarre ringing in my ears. I think it's just through playing guitar for the last 20 years, so I had to sit in a tube in the hospital.

"The funny thing is they give you these headphones and I chose classical music. It came on and it was the exact music I play to my little kid when he goes to bed. I was in there for 25 minutes. It was horrible".

Commenting on the diagnosis, Gallagher added: "It's an accumulation of many things but I've had a bloody great time doing it all and if I do eventually die of brain disease, it will have been worth it".

Tinnitus is all too common among professional musicians: Pete Townshend, Neal Schon, Anthony Kiedis, Neil Young, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton also suffer the hearing disorder. more on this story






Jimmie Vaughan Recovering From Heart Attack
(Radio.com) Blues-rock guitarist Jimmie Vaughan suffered a heart attack last month and is now recovering after being discharged from the hospital, his rep confirms to Radio.com.

As a result, he has cancelled his upcoming perform at The Mahindra Blues Festival in Mumbai, India next month.

Vaughan is the older brother of fellow guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, a founding member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, a four-time GRAMMY winner, and a regular on Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival.

A statement from his management reads as follows: "Jimmie Vaughan was admitted to Pomona Hospital Medical Center on January 23rd, 2013 with an acute Myocardial Infraction.

"He had a Coronary Angioplasty (Heart Attack) and Stent placement. He is progressing well after this routine procedure and was discharged from the hospital on January 25th." more.





Metallica Black Album Concert Not Going Down Under
(hennemusic) Metallica will not be performing their 1991 Black album at Australia's Soundwave festival, after all.

Festival boss AJ Maddah confirmed the news via Twitter over the weekend, according to MusicFeeds.com.au.

"Not a rumour. They're not doing Black album," he tweeted, in response to a fan inquiry.

Fans got into a flurry about the possibility of Black Album shows last month after it was revealed that Metallica were bringing a 'snakepit' style barrier/catwalk system for their performances. more on this story




Sebastian Bach Teaming Up With John 5 For New Album
(hennemusic) Sebastian Bach is sharing more details about plans for his next solo album and revealed his is working with John 5 on the effort.

"People really got off on the track 'TunnelVision' from 'Kicking & Screaming'," posted Bach over the weekend. "Well, I am happy to report that once again I will be teaming up w @john5official on new songs for the next album.

"Here we are last Wednesday @revolvermag #GoldenGods talking about working on the new stuff & we are both looking forward to it! Along with Steve Stevens & Jeff George there is going to be some superior axe shredding going on the new disc! Coming your way SOON!" more on this story




The Strokes Releasing New Album Next Month
(Radio.com) The Strokes will release their awaited fifth studio album, Comedown Machine, on March 26.

The album's first single, "All the Time," is "coming soon," according to a press release from the band's label, RCA.

Earlier this week, the band released album track "One Way Trigger" as a free download on Soundcloud, with many critics likening the song's main synth melody to A-ha's '80s favorite, "Take on Me."

The tune was followed by an accompanying stylized lyric sheet, posted to lead singer Julian Casablanca's official website. more on this story




Whitesnake Expand Tour Plans
(hennemusic) Whitesnake have announced more 2013 live dates. The band will play 6 shows in Japan in May, before the previously-announced UK tour with Journey kicks off May 16 on Belfast.

Whitesnake will then head to Europe for concerts starting June 1 in Inzell, Germany, before playing two shows in Russia and the newly-announced June 16 date in Bratislava, Slovakia.

The 2013 tour will feature the return of legendary drummer Tommy Aldridge to the Whitesnake camp, following the recent departure of Brian Tichy. more on this story





Wilko Johnson Says Terminal Cancer Harder On His Friends
(Classic Rock) Wilko Johnson insists his terminal cancer is harder for his friends to deal with than it is for him.

The former Dr Feelgood guitarist announced a run of UK shows after revealing he was dying, and that he'd refused chemotherapy.

Johnson tells the Express And Star: "I think the concerts are all going to have a different kind of ambience – when you realise something is actually the last time you're going to be doing something.

"I'm just hoping against hope that I remain fit. I'm not going on stage sick, or anything like that."

He's previously discussed his feelings of euphoria since doctors gave him the news, and how much he's enjoying living for the moment.

Read about that and his feeling about his farewell concert tickets being scalped here.




Neal Schon Recruited Deen Castronovo and Marco Mendoza For Next Album
(Gibson) Neal Schon's last solo album, The Calling, was released last fall to rave reviews. The veteran Journey guitarist now says he's got another album ready for release – and this one has vocals.

"I'm getting the artwork together so that it will be ready for whenever I decide to put it out," he tells M Music & Musicians , in a just-published interview.

"Journey drummer Deen Castronovo is on drums, and [Thin Lizzy member] Marco Mendoza is on bass. It's more of a power trio album, but musically it's still all over the map, kind of like The Calling is. The material definitely is not all in one niche. Each of us – Marco, Deen and I – sings lead vocals.

"There are also two instrumentals. One is a dedication to Carlos Santana. I did a tribute to Santana on The Calling as well, but this one is more upbeat, and pretty jamming."

Schon is currently on tour with Journey, but he said it's unlikely a new Journey will be coming soon. "I think it's likely the next thing the band will do is work on a song or two for movies, rather than working on a full album," he revealed. "It just seems hard for anyone to get a new full album out there, in the face of downloading and everything else. Doing a little at time seems the better route for us to go right now." more on this story






Newsted Says Metallica Played Riot Makeup Show Despite Losing Money
(Classic Rock) Metallica returned to the scene of their infamous 1992 concert riot because of "integrity and a man's word," says former bassist Jason Newsted.

And he admits he's only just begun to realize just how important those gestures are to the band's army of fans.

The thrash giants were midway through a double-header tour with Guns n'Roses when the drama took place at Montreal's Olympic Stadium. Frontman James Hetfield suffered severe burns and was nearly killed after being caught in a pyro explosion, leading to the band cutting their set short. When GnR also cut their set, with Axl Rose complaining of a sore throat, furious fans took to the streets of the Canadian city and staged a riot. Aftermath scenes showed overturned cars, looted shops and vandalised buildings.

But Newsted wants people to remember that Metallica returned to Montreal the following year to make it up to fans, even though they lost money in the process. more on this story




Kid Rock Teams Up With Harley-Davidson
(Radio.com) Kid Rock has teamed up with motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson for a first-of-its-kind collaboration that includes tour sponsorship, co-branded merchandise and a headlining performance during the company's 110th anniversary celebration over Labor Day weekend in Milwaukee, WI.

"What's not to love about Harley?" said Kid Rock in a press release. "They are the backbone of American culture, the flagship American brand. I am honored and excited to partner with this legendary icon that has helped to define American freedom at home and abroad. In 110 years no one has done a better job of representing America – there is NOTHING that screams America like Harley-Davidson."

The motorcycle manufacturer will be the title sponsor of Kid Rock's upcoming "Rebel Soul" tour, with the partnership also yielding a co-branded merchandise line tagged with the slogan, "I can't hear you over the rumble of my freedom." Concert-specific items will be available on the tour, with an exclusive line going to Harley-Davidson dealerships around America.

Fans will be able to compete to win the opportunity to join Kid Rock and his band onstage at each stop on the tour, with another contest where one national winner will have the chance to win a customized Harley-Davidson motorcycle and ride it onstage at the 110th anniversary show in Wisconsin. more on this story




Motorhead Release Bag-In-Box Wine
(hennemusic) Motorhead have released the world's first Bag-in-Box for the rock 'n' roll world. The band is issuing Sacrifice Shiraz Bag-in-Box; this is modelled to look exactly like a guitar amplifier, this is a unique, iconic packaging from "the world's loudest band" that unreservedly demands its place on the wine shelf.

"Can you decorate your rock'n'roll table with something better? No, I would not believe so," says drummer Mikkey Dee.

"About 60 percent of the wine consumed in Sweden is from Bag-in-Box, which makes Sweden the world's largest consumer of box wine," says Yvonne Wener, head of Brands For Fans. "Naturally we want to provide the rock fans the same range of packaging choice." more on this story





Radiohead and Lance Armstrong Creep Mashup Goes Viral
(Radio.com) Matthis Vlot is a new breed of video editor. Rearranging words from popular film and TV shows, he syncs them to music, creating entirely new experiences known as "supercuts."

In Vlot's latest supercut titled "Creep." he slices and dices Lance Armstrong's now infamous sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey, rearranging his words to form the lyrics of Radiohead's somber classic.

Take particular notice of Oprah's reactions. Vlot's supercut calls attention to details, like her wincing eye, that viewers of the original interview may have overlooked.

Vlot's "Creep" is merely the latest in a line of supercuts. Set to the music of Lionel Richie's 1984 smash single, Vlot's "Hello" supercut went viral after Vimeo selected it as a "staff pick." Check out the mashup here.





New Red Hot Chili Peppers Single Streaming Online
(Classic Rock) The Red Hot Chili Peppers have released their new single, In Love Dying, via their website and you can hear it online.

It's the latest in a campaign of 18 single releases taken from recording sessions for 2011 album I'm With You, and it's based on a classic Chilis funk vibe.

The band will headline the Coachella Festival in California in April. Listen to the new single here.




Matt Bellamy Explains Muse's Madness
(Radio.com) Although they're a mere trio, the larger-than-life sounds produced by British prog-rockers Muse carry the weight of bands twice their size. An arena rock band to the core, Muse's musical dexterity has earned them comparisons to Rush and Queen.

So it came as a surprise to some when "Madness," the second single from Muse's latest album The 2nd Law, shared more musical DNA with classic Depeche Mode and – dare we say it – dubstep than anything else. "Madness" eschews Muse's usual guitar-driven pomp and complexity for an electronic pulse that's far more minimal and quietly emotional than most anything in the band's extensive catalog.

"I kind of felt like that would be a good direction to go in for us, because everything we normally do is quite overblown and theatrical and all that stuff," Muse frontman Matt Bellamy told Radio.com in an exclusive interview. "I was quite into the minimalism of it. So it was written in that way. It was just me alone in a room, jaded, basically [laughs]. That's how the song emerged."

Apparently Muse's fans were into the song's minimalism as well. "Madness" not only reached No. 1 on Billboard's Rock Songs and Alternative Songs charts, it's nominated for Best Rock Song at this year's GRAMMYs.

"It's one of those rare songs for me where it all just came at once," Bellamy said, noting that the words and music to "Madness" were crafted simultaneously. More from Matt and a stream here.




Black Star Riders Debut New Logo
(hennemusic) Black Star Riders,featuring former members of Thin Lizzy, have unveiled the new band's official logo. The emblem was created by Paul Tippett at Vitamin P Design in the UK.

Black Star Riders are Thin Lizzy alumni Ricky Warwick (vocals), Scott Gorham (guitar), Damon Johnson (guitar), Marco Mendoza (bass) with new addition Jimmy DeGrasso on drums (Alice Cooper, Megadeth, David Lee Roth, Suicidal Tendencies).

The band completed recording their debut album last week, after less than a month in the studio with producer Kevin Shirley. Check out the logo here.




Deep Purple Release New Album Tease Video
(hennemusic) Deep Purple continue to tease the spring release of their first new album in seven years.

In a newly-released video, the band discusses their process for selecting songs for the project.

Deep Purple recorded and mixed the project in Nashville with producer Bob Ezrin.

The band's first album since 2005's "Rapture Of The Deep" is rumored to be the perfect match from the original spirit of 70s Purple and a fresh and modern production.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Mick Jagger Hints At Rolling Stones Playing Major Festival
(Gibson) The Rolling Stones are likely not finished with their run of live shows, says Mick Jagger. Speaking with New Musical Express, the Stones frontman said,
"Well, I'm just looking at what offers are coming in for this year and sorting them out. I hate announcing things when they're not booked. People are always like, 'Yakety yak, you didn't do that in the end', and I say, 'Well, yeah, we never really announced it!'"

Jagger declined to offer specifics, but when asked if the band might appear at this year's Glastonbury Festival in England, he didn't rule out the possibility. "There are other things in the world, you know, apart from Glastonbury," he said. "But then again, Glastonbury is very important. It seems to be very important to my children -- highlight of their year!"

Later Jagger returned to the topic of Glastonbury, and seemed to drop a broader hint. "Is it going to be rainy on the Sunday [of the festival]?" he asked. "Isn't it nearly always rainy on the Sunday?" The Glastonbury Festival is held annually in Pilton, England. This year the event runs from Wednesday, June 26, through Sunday, June 30. more on this story




Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose Close To Losing Activision Battle?
(hennemusic) Reports out of Los Angeles suggest that Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose may be close to losing his $20 million lawsuit against Activision.

According to Billboard.biz, at a summary judgment hearing Thursday, L.A. Superior Court Judge Charles Palmer reportedly indicated that he is inclined to dismiss Rose's suit against Activision Blizzard for fraudulently inducing him into authorizing "Welcome to the Jungle" for use in the popular video game Guitar Hero III. At the conclusion of the hearing, according to an attorney involved in the case, the judge took the matter under submission.

In the lawsuit, Rose claimed he was told during negotiations that the game wouldn't feature any reference to Slash, the guitarist with whom he has been famously feuding for two decades.

The possibly fatal problem for Rose was not moving soon enough on the allegations. more on this story




Black Sabbath Finish Recording Reunion Album
(hennemusic) Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler is sharing an update on the band's new album, which is set for release later this year.

"We're finished recording it," Geezer tells That Metal Show's Eddie Trunk. "Tony [Iommi]'s back in England putting down a couple of solos. Then we start mixing it in February, and it'll be out in June."

"The provisional title is '13', unless we can come up with something more constructive."

For the new project, Geezer continues his long-established role as principal lyricist for the band.

"I've written most of the lyrics," he explains. "Ozzy [Osbourne] comes out with the titles and then gives me an inspiration to write the lyrics, I think we've got 16 songs and I've written 14 sets of lyrics." more on this story




The Who and Elvis Costello Team For Cancer Benefit Concert
The Who and Elvis Costello & The Imposters will be teaming up for an intimate benefit concert at the end of the month.

The concert will benefit Teen Cancer America and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and will take place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on February 28.

According to the announcement, funds raised from the benefit concert will go towards helping hospitals develop units designed to give the very best chance of a positive outcome both physically and emotionally.

In addition to state-of-the-art facilities to keep patients occupied during long stays in hospital, the units will strive to provide an environment where they can meet others in a similar situation, helping to support their transition between teen and adulthood. more on this story



Rob Zombie Covering Grand Funk Railroad Classic On New Album
(hennemusic) Rob Zombie is revealing more details about his forthcoming studio album, "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor".

Zombie is offering a partial song list for the project, due April 23, and among the tracks is a cover of Grand Funk Railroad's "We're An American Band."

The first single will be "Dead City Radio And The New Gods Of Super Town", alongside such tracks as "Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga", "Lucifer Rising" and "Behold! The Pretty Filthy Creatures".

"I think for the first time this new album perfectly merges the old days of White Zombie with the future of what I am doing now," says Rob. more on this story




Led Zeppelin To Receive Lifetime Achievement Award
(hennemusic) Led Zeppelin will receive the inaugural International Lifetime Achievement Award at the Echo Awards in Berlin, Germany on March 21.

Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones will accept the award on behalf of the band; Robert Plant is unable to attend due to a scheduled concert date on the same night in Singapore.

The Echo Awards are presented by the German Phono Academy, the cultural institute of the Federal Association of Music Industry (BVMI). more on this story




Adrenaline Mob Plan Spring Tour and Covers CD Release
Adrenaline Mob have announced the dates for the first of two legs for their North American spring tour.

The tour leg will be kicking off on March 12th in New Haven, CT and will conclude on April 7th in Richmond VA.

The same day that the tour kicks off the group will be releasing their very first covers CD, Coverta, featuring the band's take on classics from Dio, The Doors, Van Halen, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and more.

Adrenaline Mob features Russell Allen (Symphony X), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), and Mike Orlando (Sonic Stomp). more on this story




Rolling Stones, Usher, Kate Upton and Willem Dafoe For Super Bowl Ad
(hennemusic) A Rolling Stones classic is fuelling a new Super Bowl commercial for Mercedes-Benz.

"Sympathy For The Devil" is the musical backdrop to the car company's ad for its new CLA model; the commercial features a star-studded cast that includes Usher, Kate Upton and Willem Dafoe.

Adweek reports Dafoe tries to get a regular guy in a bar to sell his soul for the new vehicle. The offer sends the guy into an elaborate fantasy in which the car raises his social status to the point where he's hitting red carpets with Kate Upton and dancing with Usher. Watch it here.




Sass Jordan and Brian Tichy's S.U.N. New Release Date and Video Stream
Something Unto Nothing (S.U.N.) have set a new release date for their debut album, which was pushed back after Brian Tichy had to undergo surgery for a broken collarbone suffered in a mountain bike accident.

The new supegroup features vocalist Sass Jordan, Tichy on guitar (Whitesnake, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Ozzy), Michael Devin on bass (Whitesnake, Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience, Kenny Wayne Shepherd) and drummer Tommy Stewart (Godsmack, Lo Pro, Everclear, Fuel).

You can get a taste of what is come by checking of the music video for the album's first single "I'm The One" here.




Jimi Hendrix's Engineer Eddie Kramer At Historic Venue For Album Party
(Classic Rock) Jimi Hendrix's engineer Eddie Kramer this week returned to the venue where the Jimi Hendrix Experience played their first-ever UK public show.

Kramer was in London's Bag O'Nails Club for the playback of upcoming Hendrix album People, Hell And Angels. The club was recently refurbished to match the way it looked when the iconic guitarist played there in 1966.

People, Hell And Angels was completed by Kramer, based on recordings Hendrix made in 1970. The engineer describes it as "a fantastic window into his mind."

It's available as a limited-edition Classic Rock Collector's Fan Pack, containing the album in full plus a 116-page magazine and collectable art carts. Photos from the event and more info on the fan pack.




John Fogerty Looks Forward By Looking Back
(Gibson) John Fogerty's forthcoming new album, Wrote a Song for Everyone, offers up re-tooled versions of Creedence Clearwater Revival classics.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, however, mixing engineer Bob Clearmountain says the album looks more forward than backward. "It's no nostalgia fest," he said. "It's like they're new songs."

Fogerty recorded the album with a host of guest artists, including Kid Rock, Foo Fighters and Bob Seger, among others.

The former CCR frontman was adamant about working face-to-face with his high-profile collaborators. "I didn't want to just mail people tracks," he said, "because then everyone would just do 'Proud Mary' like the old record."

Fogerty added that the turmoil resulting from past legal tussles over publishing rights to the CCR back catalog is far behind him.

"There was a long time when a lot of stuff was painful, but that doesn't exist anymore," he said. "I wrote all these songs. They're back home with Daddy, like they should be." Wrote a Song for Everyone is slated for release sometime this fall. more on this story






Anthrax's Metal Alliance Tour Join New England Metal & Hardcore Fest
The Metal Alliance Tour will be making a stop at this year's New England Metal & Hardcore Festival on April 19th at The Palladium in Worcester, MA.

The tour is being headlined by Anthrax who will be performing their 1987 album, Among The Living, in its entirety on the trek.

Anthrax will be supported by Exodus, High On Fire, Municipal Waste, Holy Grail and an as-yet-named band.

"Holy crap am I so excited about this year's Metal Alliance Tour! It's been a great year and a half for us since Worship Music came out and to cap it off with a Grammy nomination. This is such a perfect lineup. To make this tour even more special, we will be playing our Among The Living record in its entirety. I can't wait to play Horror Of It All! Come on out and worship with us my friends. You do not want to miss this. USA on Hell one more time…" comment's Scott Ian about the bands involvement of the tour. more on this story




Machine Head Frontman Shocked At Music Business Practice
(Classic Rock) Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn says current practices in the record industry aren't helping prop up physical sales.

Admitting he personally prefers digital products for reasons of portability, Flynn reports: "I have a ritual I've done for every release where, first day, I go in and buy our album. I was stunned when I went into Ameoba Records in Hollywood and saw our regular album not on sale, but full price for $16.99.

"It's wrong – you reward the die-hards for going out there and supporting you first day, week, month. It's a thank you. We were pissed, fans weren't stoked. Sh*t like this has to change – it has to – and we as a band (with your help) have to figure out a way around it." More rock news.




Queens Of The Stone Age Deliver Uncut Letter About New Album
(Classic Rock) Queens Of The Stone Age have offered another cryptic hint of the contents of their upcoming album. In a letter to Uncut Magazine the band writes:

"If you find a way to embrace the chaos of life, that chaos can become your biggest inspiration. If the above sentence is true, we were really inspired during the making of this record and realised: the best trick of all is no trick at all. So the songs are very raw and an honest reaction to our last year.

"We can't seem to write about the past or the future 'cause we're so chained to the moment. Almost dialled 999 couple months back, now everything runs like clockwork. So, um… will you come pick us up at the bus station? Hurry we're freezing, Queens of the Stone Age." More rock news.




Heaven Shall Burn Announce New Album and Release Shows
Heaven Shall Burn have set release dates around the world for their new studio album, Veto, and have also lined up three release shows in Europe.

The album will be released in North America on April 30th, Germany/Austria/Switzerland/Norway on April 19th, Australia / New Zealand / Finland on April 26th and the rest of Europe on April 22nd.

The band learned the sad news this week that the man who inspired one of the songs on the album had passed away on Tuesday. Guitarist Maik Weichert had this to say, "Just while finalizing the very last bits and pieces for 'VETO' we received the sad news that Walter Schilling passed away in Saalfeld on January 29th. Walter Schilling was a Protestant pastor and civil rights activist in the GDR (former East Germany). We have a new song called 'Antagonized' that is about him, his life and his work in Thuringia.

"It might seem odd that a band called Heaven Shall Burn is dedicating a song to a man of the church. Still, Schilling was never into clerical dogmas. Instead he encouraged and helped teenagers to pursue new and alternative cultural ideas under the protective shield of his church and youth centre in Braunsdorf near Saalfeld.

"Without Walter Schilling a huge part of the youth culture and music in Thuringia wouldn't have happened - this probably goes for the GDR in general. No matter if you liked Blues, played Punk or Metal, every single person was welcome in Braunsdorf, Saalfeld, Rudolstadt or Jena. Schilling helped establishing what enabled HSB to play music, because most of the clubs and musicians that supported us in our very early days were directly or indirectly involved with Schilling's work. You will not find many theologians of Walter's kind." more on this story




Einherjer Returning To North America For First Time in 12 Years
Einherjer will be playing their first North American tour dates in 12-years in March when they play at the Heathen Crusade Metalfest, SXSW and launch a Canadian tour.

The band will launching their "Dragons Over Vineland" Canadian tour on March 15th in Toronto. The tour will feature support from Panzerfaust.

Days prior to that trek they will be headlining the 2013 Heathen Crusade Metalfest in St. Paul, MN on March 9th and then will be performing a to-be-announced show at this year's South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas on March 13tj.

The band will be touring in support of their latest studio album, "Norrøn," which was the first new release from the band in eight years.

The album was recorded at Studio Borealis in the band's home town of Haugesund, Norway and produced by vocalist/guitarist Frode Glesnes, the six-track album was mixed and mastered by Matt Hyde (Slayer, Children of Bodom). more on this story




Scar Symmetry's Per Nilsson Joins The Absence
The Absence have recruited Scar Symmetry guitarist Per Nilsson to join their band as they work on their forthcoming EP with James Murphy.

Nilsson had this to say, "Six years ago the guys asked me to do a guest solo for the 'Riders' album and we've been friends ever since. I've followed their career as a fan and when they reached out asking me to join the band, it was a no-brainer.

"I am super excited to be a part of The Absence family; we've been jamming out some new tunes and I feel like we've got some killer stuff in the works for ya! Between Patrick and me, there's gonna be some INSANE guitar shreddin' on the new tunes!"

The band members had the following to say. First Jamie Stewart, "We are super excited to have Per a part of the family. Look forward to great things!"

"Beyond siked to play with such a great friend" - Jeramie Kling

"With Per now a part of The Absence… Boundaries are non-existent" - Patrick Pintavalle

"Per is one of my favorite dudes in the world; I couldn't be more exited to have him in the band!" - Michael Leon




Caspian Plan North American Tour
Caspian will be launching a North American headline tour this month with support along the trek being split between Junius and Native.

The tour will kick off with support from Junius on February 16th in Chapel Hill, NC who will be on the tour until March 1st in Los Angeles.

Native will join the tour the next day in San Diego, CA and will support the remainder of the trek which will conclude on March 24th in Burlington, VT.

Caspian will be touring in support of their latest album, Waking Season, which was released in September. more on this story





Singled Out: Abriosis
Today Abriosis vocalist Alxs Ness tells us about "Crypsis " from their brand new EP "Vessel," which is being released today (Feb 1st). Here is the story:

"Crypsis" was the first song that I contributed lyrics and vocals for in Abriosis. When I joined the band last year, the guys already had the music composed and it was up to me to finalize the vocals. At first I wasn't sure where to take it lyrically, so I started off by mapping out vocal rhythms. After locking down the rhythms and listening to the song countless times, the lyrical content started to materialize; the lyrics are inspired by the way the music makes me feel.

The word crypsis refers to the ability of certain organisms to blend in with their surroundings through methods such as camouflage, transparency and mimicry. In the song I took that idea and created a lyrical world where creatures use the transparency of consciousness to coexist with humans on a certain level. We can minutely sense them but they're always just outside of our perceptions. The overall feel of the song is ominous: the creatures' purpose isn't quite clear but it's definite that we are at their mercy.

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




Paramore Tease New Music Video
(Radio.com) Paramore are back with a decided vengeance. Boasting a new line-up featuring Jeremy Davis and Taylor York alongside flame-haired frontwoman Hayley Williams, the three-piece is preparing to launch their fourth studio album, with the self-titled full-length scheduled for release on April 9.

During an exclusive interview with Kevin & Bean, Williams called the making of this new album "really liberating," and dropped hints of what fans can expect from the highly anticipated official video for the album's first single, "Now" (the lyric video has already generated more than 800,000 views).

The clip, which was directed by Daniel "Cloud" Campos and shot in Los Angeles, has a "post-apocalyptic, kinda sci-fi" feel, according to Williams. "It was really cool, just very different for us and active."

Williams also mentioned that the video made her feel like "Leelo," actress Milla Jovovich's notorious character from the 1997 science-fiction movie The Fifth Element, or someone from Jovovich's popular Resident Evil film franchise. The band's label, Fueled by Ramen, expects to release the video the week of February 11. more on this story




Cinderella's Tom Keifer Streaming Song From New Solo Album
(Classic Rock) Cinderella frontman Tom Keifer has released a solo track called The Flower Song and you can listen to it online.

It's taken from his solo album The Way Life Goes, due on April 30, which is described as "ranging from intimate, organic, acoustic tracks to driving hard rock."

Keifer says of The Flower Song: "To me, it's about how unbelievable it is that you're able to find that one person that's perfect for you. It's told from the perspective of a guy but I think it's true for both men and women. When you find that one person, it's a miracle." Check out a stream of the song here.




Eric Clapton Reflects On Cream
(Classic Rock) Eric Clapton says he managed to hold his own in Cream, despite being younger than Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce, and despite coming from a different musical background.

He believes his focus on blues, while his bandmates concentrated on jazz, was no barrier to their communication – because blues music was the source of all three's inspiration.

In a clip from Beware Of Mr Baker, a documentary about the wayward drummer, Clapton says: "I could listen to what Jack was doing and what Ginger was doing, and see a way to get involved in that without being overawed.

"I could hold my own in terms of musical taste and knowledge. Not necessarily from the world that they were coming from, which was more of a jazz world. They had played in it and they could talk that language, which I couldn't. I was of the view that it all came from blues anyway." More including the trailer.




Schmier of Destruction On Wikimetal
German thrash metal band Schmier of Destruction were the featured guests on the latest episode of Wikimetal. They sent over these details.

The bassist and singer Schmier talks about Destruction's 30 year long career, their last album Spiritual Genocide, and his relationship with Brazil.

Schmier also reflects on moments of his career and also have asked for some awesome sounds to be played on Wikimetal. Check out the full episode here or listen to the interview here.




hennemusic Celebrates 3rd Anniversary
Congratulations are in order for Day in Rock news partner hennemusic which celebrates its 3rd anniversary today. They had this to say about the occasion:

Launched in 2010, hennemusic has developed into a reputable worldwide rock news service, with reports regularly shared by music fans around the globe, and featured by trusted media brands, artist websites and dedicated artist fan sites. The music site has published more than 5,200 rock news stories to date, including 2,200 in the past twelve months.

"hennemusic continues to grow, thanks to the ongoing support of music fans around the world," says Bruce Henne. "We're being read by rockers in more than 190 countries!"

A music media veteran, Henne is a pioneer in Canadian network radio. Bruce has helped create, market and build major music brands, including Q107-FM Toronto's Rock Radio Network, The Legends Of Classic Rock, The Ongoing History Of New Music, Corus Entertainment's Deep Sky and ExploreMusic, which he branded.

Henne has worked with virtually every major rock act in the business while producing "Rockline," "Little Steven's Underground Garage," and other U.S.-based shows for Canadians, creating radio series like "All Access" and "One On One," and producing more than 400 music specials, world album premieres and live broadcast events.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Tool Member Breaks Ribs and Dislocates Shoulder In Scooter Crash
(Classic Rock) Tool were forced to suspend work on their upcoming album after one of the band was involved in a scooter crash, they've revealed.
They lost nine days of song development time after the member, who hasn't been named, suffered broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder. The incident took place earlier this month and the victim is on the mend.

Tool say in a statement: "The New Year started off on a bad note. For the most part this was due to a 'minor' accident on a Vespa scooter, slick road conditions being the cause, by a certain band member.

"Because of the physical nature of the musical instrument involved, nine days of jamming were lost, although I'm happy to report that the person involved is recovering nicely. So much so, in fact, that writing sessions resumed on Monday, January 21 – despite it being a holiday for many." more on this story


Adler Gets His Revenge
(Classic Rock) Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler says the success of his new project is all the revenge he needs to take on his troubled past.

His band, Adler, recently released debut album Back From The Dead. He says the new music has led audiences to stop expecting him to perform a set of GnR classics, and call for more of his new material.

He tells Legendary Rock Interviews: "That is my revenge. The only revenge I wanted on that whole situation was success. I didn't want vengeance – I didn't want to hurt anybody – but I wanted to make a great record because, I think success is the greatest revenge."

Adler believes his band is made up of the "right recipe of people" and credits guitarist Lonny Paul with knocking him into physical shape. "He helped me lose 25 pounds," the drummer explains. "Until we started working out I didn't realise how heavy 25 pounds is until I lifted up a 25-pound weight and said, 'Holy crap, this is what I've been carrying around with me?' It's all thanks to Lonny." more on this story




Bumblefoot, Billy Sheehan, Mike Portnoy Namm Show Jam Goes Online
On Sunday night antiMusic co-sponsored a NAMM Show after party at the KingKing in Hollywood that featured an all-star jam by Guns N' Roses' Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Mike Portnoy of Adrenaline Mob and Dream Theater, Billy Sheehan of Mr. Big and David Lee Roth and was fronted by the show's host Happenin Harry.

One of the fans that attended the show has posted some video from the jam on Youtube. Going under the name of Kg30000, the fan had this to say:

"An AWESOME night of fun jams...no set list or rehearsals...just great fun! Ron Thal literally walked onstage and asked if anyone had a guitar he could use. Even using borrowed gear, these guys KILLED it!

"Portnoy slayed some Rush...on a 3 piece kit! Russ Allen from Adrenaline Mob and Symphony X came out and guested on Zeppelin's Lemon Song. They also did Diamonds & Rust, Wrathchild, Run To The Hills, Shyboy and a bunch of others!" Check out video here.

The night also featured a performance from "Little Monsters" which featured Michael Angelo Batio, Alex Kane of Anti-Product, Happenin' Harry, Tanya O Callaghan and Drummer KC. The latter has posted video of them performing Holland's "Basics of the Bullet." Watch it here.




Def Leppard Bringing More Hysteria To Vegas
Def Leppard have extended their upcoming "Viva Hysteria!" residency in Las Vegas with the addition of two more shows.

The residency will still kick off on March 22nd but has now been extended beyond the original April 10th end date and now wraps up with two additional performances on April 12th and April 13th.

The residency is set to feature the band playing their multi-platinum album, "Hysteria" in full as well as additional hits.

"We were already very excited by the fact we were getting to play The Joint for nine nights and now because of phenomenal demand, we get to add two more shows!," says frontman Joe Elliott in a statement.

"We had a good feeling about Viva Hysteria! but this just confirms the popularity of the band and how much the album means to our fans. Roll on March!"

The "Viva Hysteria!" shows will take place on March 22, 23, 27, 29, 30 and April 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13 at the The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. more on this story




The Gaslight Anthem Frontman Plans Solo Album
The Gaslight Anthem frontman Brian Fallon last week announced his intention to record a solo album but reassures fans that the band will also be working on new material but also taking it easy.

Last Friday he posted the following message on his official website, "I'm working on a lot of things, it's been a while, I apologize. I've had some really amazing things happen and some really terrible things in the last couple months. I'm definitely on a new page, and I have to start there. So, I'm going to make a record by myself, hopefully sometime this year. I've just started to work on these songs now, as well as new Gaslight Anthem songs for our next record.

"I've learned there's too much to be done and not a lot of time to do it in. Things can change overnight. So I'm going to do my best to get as much music out there as I can while I'm young enough and fortunate enough to have people listening.

"There's no termoil or anything with Gaslight, we're going to be writing too, but I'm sure we're gonna need a breather after this year of touring before we go in to make our next record. So since I can't sit still, I'm gonna make another record. It's what happens when you don't do drugs, you end up with a lot of down time. So I fill that time with songs now.

"Here's to looking forward to what comes out.

"See you guys soon.

" I don't love pictures…

"Brian"

Official website.




Yes Lead Prog Rock Cruise Lineup
Progressive rock fans will have the opportunity to sail with Yes and a host of other prog rock stars this March.

In addition to Yes, the cruise will also feature Steve Hackett's Genesis Revisted; UK with Eddie Jobson, John Wetton, Alex Machacek & Terry Bozio; Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy, featuring the music of that legendary band; Tangerine Dream featuring Edgar Froese; Saga, Nektar, Zebra, Glass Hammer, IOEarth, and Trans Siberian Orchestra's Joel Hoekstra, Heavy Mellow and more.

The Cruise To The Edge is set to last for five days and nights and will depart from Fort Lauderdale, FL on March 25, 2013.

The cruise will visit various Caribbean ports including Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Georgetown, Cayman Islands. You can find additional information about the cruise here.




The Dear Hunter Announce Spring Tour and Album Release
The Dear Hunter have set an April 2, 2013 release date for their new studio album, which is entitled Migrant.

The album was produced by Mike Watts and the effort was recorded at Vu Du Studios in Long Island, NY.

Vocalist and songwriter Casey Crescenzo had this to say about Migrant, "When I started writing this record, I made sure to limit myself to an instrument and my voice. I didn't want to jump into the current of production I always had before - predetermining the final path of each song from its inception. Instead, I let the music take as natural a course as it could."

"What felt at first to be the seeds of the starkest songs, grew into some of the most lush and beautiful arrangements I had written to date. Keeping the heart of the music so transparent was liberating, and the result is, at the very least, the most creatively rewarding record yet."

The band will support the effort by launching a North American headline tour in March with support from Naive Thieves.

An Evening with The Dear Hunter is set to kick off on March 12 in Scottsdale, AZ. Crescenzo explains that the band will have more freedom on the upcoming trek, "In the past, due to the time constraints we faced on stage, we focused very narrowly on representing whichever record we were currently promoting. The time is finally right to represent the vastness of the band's discography, and to give longtime fans something special. There are a great deal of songs we haven't played in years, and a few we have never played. We hope everyone is as excited as we are."

Prior to the North American tour the band will head to Australia to take part in this year's Soundwave Festival. more on this story




Mick Jagger Tops Stylish List
(Classic Rock) Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger has been named the most stylish rock star of all time by lifestyle website Complex.

He leads their top 50 list ahead of Prince, David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, Sid Vicious and Keith Richards.

Complex say of Jagger: "Hands-down one of the best-dressed musicians of all-time, he definitely set the bar for flamboyant frontmen. From his crazy stage antics to his bad boy edge, his style reflected his personality perfectly: it was something that needed to be tamed, but functioned best when it was wild.

"Even today, he wears silk scarves and suits with more rakish appeal than most men – and he's pushing 70." See who else made the list.




Dispatch Plan North American Tour
Dispatch will be launching their North American Circles Around The Summer Tour in May.

The tour is set to launch on May 29th in Nashville, TN and conclude on June 15th in Berkeley, CA

The trek will feature support from Guster for the outdoor shows in Boston, Chicago, and Berkley and Allen Stone will support the Nashville and Birmingham dates.

The band will also perform at the Wakarusa Festival in Ozark, AR and Mountain Jam in Hunter Mountain, NY.

Dispatch is touring in support of their latest studio album, Circles Around The Sun, which was released last summer. more on this story




Vanna Announce New Album and Tour
Vanna have set a March 13th release date for their new studio album, which will be entitled The Few and the Far Between.

The band reunited with The Honest Hearts EP producer Jay Maas for the effort which they recorded at Getaway Recordings in Boston (Haverhill) Massachusetts.

The band will be hitting the road next month for a tour with Every Time I Die along with The Acacia Strain, Hundreth, No Bragging Rights.

The trek kicks off on February 6th in Chicago, IL and will conclude on March 16th in Allentown, PA.

Vanna will travel to Australia in May for a tour with Norma Jean and Safe Hands. more on this story




Blue October's Justin Furstenfeld Launching Acoustic Tour
Blue October frontman Justin Furstenfeld will be launching a spoken word and acoustic tour in April.

The "An Open Book: An Evening With Justin Furstenfeld of Blue October" will kick off on April 4th at Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, CA.

The intimate shows are set to include a spoken word portion, a Q&A and an acoustic performance of new songs and Blue October songs.

"I always look forward to the spoken word/solo shows," said Furstenfeld in a statement. "The fact that I'm sitting just a few feet away from the audience, that there are no rules as to what they ask me, or that I don't have boundaries on my answers, is what is exciting to me. I'm hoping that the evening will give everyone a chance to dig deep, connect, and explore the dark corners of why honesty, no matter how brutal, remains one of the most beautiful aspects of being human. Through poetry, music, and conversation, we heal. Why not do it together."

Furstenfeld is launching the tour in support of the expanded third edition of "Crazy Making," which is his book of lyrics, hand-written notes and personal photographs. more on this story




Spiritual Beggars' 20th Anniversary Plans Include New Album and Tour
Spiritual Beggars will be celebrating their 20th anniversary with the release of a new album and a tour.

The band is currently putting the finishing touches on the new album, which will be called Earth Blues, and will be released this spring.

Guitarist and songwriter Michael Amott explains, "We started the recording process of 'Earth Blues' with an eight day long session at 'Fat Guitar Studios' (Sweden) with knob twiddler Roberth Ekholm, a truly great dude who really knows how to capture a band jamming live, sadly a rare quality in recording engineers nowadays! We continued with some overdubs at various studios in Sweden, and it's all come together super easy this time. We're finishing up the mixes now with Staffan Karlsson (Spiritual Beggars, Shining, etc.) at his studio in Halmstad, Sweden. Sonically, I think this might be our finest hour yet. It's a raw, heavy and honest record."

The band will be supporting the album release with a European headline tour that will feature support from Zodiac.

The tour will kick off on April 15th in Hamburg and includes stops across Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, France and Spain. more on this story




Jon Bon Jovi Still Gets Stage Fright
(Classic Rock) Jon Bon Jovi admits he still suffers from stage fright as his band gear up for their 2013 world tour.

He's been playing to audiences of tens of thousands for decades and he knows when it comes to showtime he can deliver the goods.

But it's in the weeks running up to hitting the road that nerves hit him. The singer tells the Express: "You have those same old neuroses – a voice in one ear saying, 'You can do it,' and a voice in the other ear saying, 'No you can't.'" more on this story




Smashing Pumpkins Map Out Summer Tour Plans
(Gibson) Smashing Pumpkins are getting ready to hit the road in Europe this summer. The Billy Corgan fronted band has announced a European tour that starts on June 20 in Cologne, Germany and ends a month later at London's Wembley Arena on July 22.

The band will be touring behind their latest release Oceania, which is an album within their ongoing 44-song project Teargarden By Kaleidyscope.

Corgan is the only original member still left in Smashing Pumpkins. Aside from Corgan, the band consists of guitarist Jeff Schroeder, Mike Byrne on drums, and bassist Nicole Fiorentino.

Smashing Pumpkins has a tendency to shy away from their older hit-laden material, so expect a lot of new songs on the tour. more on this story






The Who Map Out European Arena Tour
(hennemusic) The Who have announced a 12-date arena tour of the UK and Europe where they will perform their iconic 1973 double album "Quadrophenia" in its entirety, along with a selection of Who classics.

This new concert version of "Quadrophenia", personally directed by Roger Daltrey, focuses on the original album and replaces the narrative used in previous stage versions with powerful imagery projected on an array of massive screens, designed to support, complement and propel the musical content of the work by setting it in the context of the history of the band.

The Who's 12-date tour in the UK (including Belfast) and in Dublin, Paris and Amsterdam features founding members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, who will be joined by Zak Starkey (drums), Pino Palladino (bass), Simon Townshend (guitar/backing vocals), John Corey (keyboards), Loren Gold (keyboards/backing vocals) and Frank Simes (musical director, keyboards/backing vocals). more on this story




Eric Clapton Praises Ginger Baker in New Documentary
(Radio.com) Even if you don't like Ginger Baker's work in Cream and Blind Faith (among many other groups), the documentary Beware Of Mr. Baker is a compelling film.

If you're a music fan, you'll enjoy hearing how his drumming influenced Neil Peart of Rush, Lars Ulrich of Metallica and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Of if you get a rise out of observing incredible amounts of drama in other people's lives, you'll be drawn in by the insanity of his personal life (you'll be shocked to find out who he left his first wife for, why his second wife left him and how long its been since he's been in touch with his son). Helmed by first-time director Jay Bulger, the film leaves very few stones unturned in the famously cranky drummer's life.

Baker became a star after he formed Cream in 1966 with bassist Jack Bruce and guitarist Eric Clapton. The band combined blues music and jazz to create a very explosive and distinct sound. In this exclusive outtake from the film, Clapton tells Bulger how he — coming from a blues background — fit in with jazz musicians Baker and Bruce.

"I could listen to what Jack was doing and what Ginger was doing, and see a way to get involved in that without being overawed," he said. "I could hold my own in terms of musical taste and knowledge. Not necessarily from the world that they were coming from, which was more of a jazz world, and they had played in it and they could talk that language, which I couldn't… I was of the view that it all came from blues anyway." Watch the full clip




Katatonia Returning To North America For Tour With Opeth
Katatonia will be returning to North America this spring when they hit the road with Opeth.

The North American Heritage Tour 2013 kicks off on April 18 in Buffalo, N.Y. and will include an appearance at this year's New England Metal & Hardcore Festival and a special show on April 28th where they will be joined by Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson.

Katatonia guitarist Anders Nyström had this to say, "Back in the U.S.A...That's right Springsteen! We're looking at round #2 as special guests to our brothers in Opeth on their last North American leg of the Heritage World Tour. This time we'll mainly cover off-territories, so regardless if you caught or missed us last time, consider this a second chance to attend the dead ends of North America with one of the best bills there'll ever be!"

Katatonia will be touring in support of their latest studio album, Dead End Kings, which was released last summer. more on this story




A Life Once Lost Map Out The Man Machine Tour
A Life Once Lost will be hitting the road in March for their North American The Man Machine Tour.

The trek will kick off on March 6th in Richmond, VA and includes a stop at this year's SXSW.

On March 17th, Author & Punisher will join the tour which will also feature Encrust for three dates.

A Life Once Lost will be touring in support of their latest studio album, Ecstatic Trance, which was released by Season of Mist. more on this story




Pretty Maids Releasing New Album in March
Pretty Maids have set a March 22nd European and March 26th North American release date for their new album, which will be entitled "Motherland."

The album is the follow up to the band's 2010 album, "Pandemonium" and was once again produced by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Amaranthe)

Frontman Ronnie Atkins had this to say, "Jacob was a natural choice since we had a great experience with him producing the 'Pandemonium' album. The recordings went smooth to begin with, but then we had to start touring again during the weekends and this created some stress. Though I really feel strongly about 'Motherland'. In my view it has all the ingredients of a good Pretty Maids album, maybe even more melodic than 'Pandemonium' and absolutely, as far as I'm concerned a worthy follow up".

Atkins explains that the challenges the band faced with following up "Pandemonium," "We knew it was going to be a tough one to follow ! I remember back in the day when we had to follow up albums like "Future World", we tried more or less to copy the songs from the previous album to keep the same kind of balance. But this time we just wrote what came natural to us and that's what became 'Motherland'. more on this story




Architects (UK) Plan North American Spring And Summer Tours
Architects (UK) have mapped out North American tour plans which will have the band on the road this spring and summer.

They will kick things off in March when they join Enter Shikari's headline tour which will also feature Heartist and Crossfaith.

The band will also take part in this year's South By So What?! Festival on March 16 where they will join Breathe Carolina, Attack Attack!, and Chelsea Grin.

They will be returning this summer to take part in this year's entire run for the Warped Tour.

The band will be touring in support of their latest album, Daybreaker, which was released last summer. more on this story




Queen Live At Wembley 25th Anniversary Edition Coming in March
Eagle Rock have set a March 12th DVD (and digital video) release date for Queen Live at Wembley Stadium.

This new 25th Anniversary edition of Queen's 1986 concerts will be released as a 2-disc set that will include previously unreleased footage and brand new bonus features.

The video was captured during two sell-out concerts at Wembley stadium on Friday, July 11th and Saturday, July 12th 1986 which was part of the band's final tour with Freddie Mercury before his untimely death.

"The Wembley concerts in 1986 were the pinnacle for us" says Brian May. "We were at our height band-wise, and Freddie had developed this phenomenal way of dealing with stadium audiences. Being back home in London playing two sell-out nights was such a big, big occasion for us. None of us realized that this would be almost the last time we played together…"

The new anniversary DVD features both full concerts and the DVD footage has been restored and the sound remastered with a brand new stereo mix and 5.1 sound.

Extras on the DVD include 'The Magic Tour', a short feature containing brand new interviews with Brian May and Roger Taylor filmed in 2011. They reflect back on what was to be their final tour with their familiar intelligence, honesty and brilliant wit and humor. They explain in depth how they would approach planning their concerts and they also reflect on the poignancy of the shows which were to become among the last few performances with Freddie. more on this story





Singled Out: Cosmic Suckerpunch
Today Ari Welkom from Cosmic Suckerpunch tells us about their new single "Cosmic" which comes from their debut album "Good Morning". Here is the story:

With this song we feel our sound and the things we are trying to say and communicate as a band really came forth. All of our influences converge in this track - from hard rock, to blues, to grunge, to metal, to neo-psychedlia. It's no wonder that this is the song that is responsible for naming the band.

The track was initially called Cosmic Suckerpunch, and we were going by a name which we don't like to talk about anymore, wink wink. We decided to take the name of our song "Cosmic Suckerpunch" as our band name. And then we shortened the name of the song to "Cosmic." This was a defining moment for the band as it gave our sound and aesthetic a real unifying direction.

The "Cosmic" - the universal, the ethereal, the psychedelic. And the "Suckerpunch" - the high-energy, aggressive, hard-rock, metal, punk influence. So in essence this song birthed a fusion which became our sound. The writing of the song began with guitarist Fabien Hameline's crazy space-age intro guitar lick. This was the first and most challenging piece of the puzzle. Creating the proper mixture of effects, getting the right tone, finding the perfect attack, and building the notes so that they arrive in a crescendo and explode into the main body of the song; it took Fabien about a year to master this, and to date it's probably the most challenging part of the set to play.

Then Fabien and I collaborated on writing and arranging the song, before bringing it to the rest of the band, which is how we do a lot of our song writing. The lyrics came to me over time. The melody came first (as it always does).

Then certain words started to pop out as I'd sing the song: "energy", "synergy", "aeons", "beyond"... The more I sing a song, the more it starts to take shape lyrically. The song reveals itself to me. If I sing it enough times with real feeling, by the time I sit down and "write the song out", there's very little work for me to do. I almost realize in retrospect what the song is about. That's what happened with this one.

When it was finished, I took a step back and said "oh sh*t, this is about me being lost and alone in the world, feeling hopeless, and then looking up and finding my soulmate, my muse, my passion. Realizing that I'm not really alone." A lot of my lyrics seem to be about that subject. I hope you can identify. But mostly, we hope you enjoy the song.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and grab a free download of the song and stream the entire album right here!




Oceano Preview Next Album With New Lyric Video
Oceano have released a lyric video for "Slow Murder", a new song which is set to appear on their next album.

The band have been working on the new album, which they plan to call Incisions, and decided to give fans a small taste of what is to come when the album is released later this year. Watch the video here.

Oceano guitarist Nick Conser explains: "The new Oceano comes out today. Get ready for it. We're starting a new chapter in this band. We're not selling out. We're not getting soft. We're getting more f**ked up and bringing more hate. And if you want us to change, then you're gonna be disappointed. We're not gonna replicate any album that we've ever released. We're going to get more evil than anything you've heard from this band. Today will show the start of how hateful this record is gonna be."




Bon Jovi Release Because We Can Video
(Classic Rock) Bon Jovi have released a new music video for their track "Because We Can," and you can watch it online at Classic Rock Magazine.

The band are gearing up for a world tour including UK dates – which frontman Jon Bon Jovi has admitted leads to bouts of stage fright.

They're also preparing for the release of new album What About Now. Guitarist Richie Sambora recently told Billboard: "We've stripped it down and added some different elements. It sounds like Bon Jovi – it sounds like us. The lyrics are very positive; it's all empowering, and that's what we were trying to get to."

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Arrests Made Over Club Fire
(Classic Rock) Three people have been arrested as a result of the fatal Brazil night club fire from this weekend.
The fire killed 233 and injured more than 100, with most victims between the ages of 16 and 20.

One of the Kiss Club's co-owners and its head of security are behind bars, along with a member of the band Gurizada Fandangueira, whose pyros caused the blaze. Police are searching for the club's other owner. more news.



Clapton Enlists Paul McCartney, JJ Cale, Steve Winwood On New Album
Eric Clapton has set a March 12th release date for his new studio album, which will be entitled "Old Sock."

The album will feature special guests including Paul McCartney, JJ Cale, Steve Winwood, Chaka Khan, and Jim Keltner.

"Old Sock" will features Clapton's interpretations of some of his favorite songs as well as two new original songs "Every Little Thing" and "Gotta Get Over."

The bulk of the album is made up of Clapton's new versions of songs from Leadbelly, J.J. Cale, Peter Tosh, George Gershwin, Hank Snow, Gary Moore and Taj Mahal.

Old Sock was produced by Eric Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II, Justin Stanley and Simon Climie and Clapton will be releasing the effort, his 21st studio album, through his new label Bushbranch.

Clapton enlisted longtime collaborators Steve Gadd (drums), Willie Weeks (bass) and Chris Stainton (keyboards) for the recordings.

JJ Cale provides backing vocals and guitar on the track "Angel", Chaka Khan is backing vocalist for "Get On Over," Steve Winwood plays Hammond B3 Organ on "Still Got The Blues," Paul McCartney adds bass and vocals to "All of Me," and Jim Keltner plays drums on "Our Love is Here To Stay". more on this story




Paramore Launching North American Spring Tour
Paramore have released the initial dates for their upcoming North American tour which will be taking place in April and May.

The tour is set to get underway on April 25th with the first stop in Houston and will feature support from the band Kitten.

At this point dates have been announced that will have the band on the road through mid-May with stops in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Boston and New York City. The band is expected to announce additional dates soon.

The band will be hitting the road in support of the April 9th release of their new self-titled studio album. more on this story




Muse Plan To Perform With Full Orchestra And Choir
(Radio.com) Muse has revealed big plans for their performance during the upcoming Brit Awards, where the band is nominated for Best British Group and Best Live Act.

"We're going to perform there hopefully with a full orchestra and choir to do a full rendition of 'Supremacy,' which is the first song on the album," singer Matt Bellamy said during an exclusive interview with Radio.com in regards to the latest single from the band's most recent full-length, The 2nd Law. "It'll be nice to perform that with an orchestra.

"The Grammys are a bit more high-brow," Bellamy continued, comparing the prestigious British music awards ceremony to its American counterpart. "It feels more serious, a bit more like the Oscars or something. The BRITS is a bit more pop. Not as formal, I'd say."

"The Brits are more like the Golden Globes when compared to the Oscars," added the band's drummer, Dominic Howard. "Everyone's sitting around, eating dinner, drinking, chatting. You watch the Golden Globes, and you can't hear what the presenters are saying because everyone's just chatting in the background. The Brits are a little bit like that." Check out a stream here.




Geoff Tate Names New Queensryche Lineup
(Gibson) Geoff Tate's Queensryche - not to be confused with the Todd La Torre-fronted version of the band which features original members Michael Wilton, Scott Rockenfield and Eddie Jackson - has signed a worldwide deal with Cleopatra Records the LA indie which has released albums by everyone from James Brown and Motorhead to William Shatner and Orson Welles.

The band will be hitting the studio shortly, with a new line-up which differs from that announced a few months ago. Still on board are bass player Rudy Sarzo (Dio/Whitesnake/Ozzy/Quiet Riot), guitarist Kelly Gray (Queensrÿche 1998-2001) and keyboard player Randy Gane (who has toured and recorded with Queensrÿche in the past). Gone are drummer Bobby Blotzer, who will return to his 'day job' in Ratt, and guitarist Glen Drover, who walked a few months ago.

In their place are drummer Simon Wright (Dio, Rhino Bucket and AC/DC) and guitarist Robert Sarzo (Quiet Riot/Hurricane). Blotzer will still make a guest appearance on the album, as will former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing and King's X guitarist Ty Tabor.

The band will hit the road in early April to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Operation: Mindcrime. I try to surround myself with the best players available and feel our longtime fans deserve nothing less," Tate says. "I expect the forthcoming effort to be one of our best yet." more on this story






Van Halen Celebrate Debut Album Anniversary In The Studio
(hennemusic) Van Halen's monster self-titled debut album celebrates its 35th anniversary this year and is featured on the latest edition of In The Studio.

Joining host Redbeard are the four members of the classic VH lineup: brothers Eddie and Alex, David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony.

Recorded in 1977 with producer Ted Templeman and released on February 10, 1978, "Van Halen" sold over ten million copies in the US alone, becoming one of the most successful debuts by a rock band.

The album both introduced and propelled Van Halen into rock's mainstream, with instant classics like "Runnin' With The Devil", "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" and the cover of the Kinks' "You Really Got Me." more on this story




Bob Geldof Reuniting With The Boomtown Rats
(Classic Rock) The Boomtown Rats will reunite for a set at this year's Isle of Wight Festival, it's been confirmed.

Bob Geldof and co split in 1986 after six albums plus memorable hit singles I Don't Like Mondays and Rat Trap.

Now the frontman has lined up with original members Pete Briquette, Simon Crowe and Garry Roberts. Geldof says: "I've always fancied playing the Isle of Wight Festival, ever since I hitched there in the good/bad days when I was a kid."

Promoter John Giddings believes the Rats will fit perfectly in a bill that includes Bon Jovi, Little Angels, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, Hugh Cornwell, The Blockheads and more. more on this story




The Who Expands Quadrophenia Tour Plans
(Classic Rock) The Who will bring their live version of classic album Quadrophenia to the UK in June.

The 10 arena shows will include a performance of the full 1973 double-album plus a number of the band's other classic tracks.

Guitarist Pete Townshend and frontman Roger Daltrey are joined by Zak Starkey, Pino Palladino, Simon Townhsend, John Corey, Loren Gold and Frank Simes in a stage show directed by Daltrey.

The band explain: "This new concert version of Quadrophenia focuses on the original album. It replaces the narrative used in previous stage versions with powerful imagery projected on an array of massive screens, designed to support, complement and propel the musical content of the work by setting it in the context of the history of the band." more on this story




Corey Taylor Hints At More Dave Grohl's Sound City Players Gigs
(Radio.com) Dave Grohl's Sound City Players blew the roof off of Park City Live in Utah earlier this month at the Sundance Film Festival (January 18), and they will rock the Hollywood Palladium after the film's L.A. premiere later this week.

As of now, that is the only concert that the all-star group has on their schedule, but it looks like they might be hitting a few other locations, including New York and South By Southwest.

One of the group's vocalists is Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor; at the Sundance show, he performed "From Can To Can't," a song he recorded for the film's soundtrack, and a handful of Cheap Trick covers.

Taylor told Radio.com that the gig gave him a "fanboy-gasm," and that he's looking forward to the super-group's L.A. gig this week. And although a Sound City Players show at SXSW hasn't been announced, he reveals that he's flying into Austin for the event — which will feature Dave Grohl as a keynote speaker.

After mentioning that "It's gonna be kind of 'hell on wheels' for me, I'm gonna fly in for (the L.A. premiere) and then fly back to the (Stone Sour) tour," he added, "I'm gonna do South By Southwest with everybody, that's in March."

Because of his touring commitments with Stone Sour (touring for their House Of Gold & Bones Part 1 album, Part 2 is due in April) that's all he'll be able to do with the S.C. Players for now. More including a stream




Another Lineup of Black Flag Form New Group
(Classic Rock) Black Flag's founding frontman Keith Morris and bassist Chuck Dukowski, along with later drummer Bill Stevenson, will tour in 2013 under the title Flag.

The news comes soon after founding guitarist Greg Ginn – the only member to feature in all Black Flag lineups – revealed his own iteration of the band and announced they'd play at the UK's Hevy Fest in August.

Morris' edition of the hardcore punk pioneers have confirmed shows in Europe and the US. The band is completed by guitarist Stephen Egerton, who played in the Descendents and All with Stevenson.

The band say in a statement: "Morris, Dukowski, Stevenson and Egerton, spurred by a crowd reaction to a surprise set in 2011, have formed Flag as a vehicle to continue performing the hardcore progenitors' repertoire. more on this story




The Strokes Change Up Their Sound With New Release
(Radio.com) Revered early-'00s New York rockers the Strokes surprised fans by releasing a new song last week, "One Way Trigger," offering it as a free download on the band's official website.

Bearing little resemblance to the band's spiky, angular hits like "Hard to Explain" and "Juicebox," the new song features a jaunty synthesizer riff and unexpectedly light, falsetto vocals from the band's singer Julian Casablancas.

Closer in tenor to Casablanca's 2009 solo album, Phrazes for the Young, "One Way Trigger" eschews the Strokes' trademark downtown grit for something much catchier and poppy, especially considering the song's main melody striking a strong resemblance to A-Ha's '80s smash hit, "Take on Me."

The song is the first new music from the Strokes since the release of 2011 full-length Angles, which peaked at #4 on the U.S. Billboard Album charts, hitting #1 in the Alternative and Rock categories. Check out the song




Mark Lanegan Records Vocals For New Queens Of The Stone Age Album
(Classic Rock) Mark Lanegan has recorded vocal tracks for the next Queens Of The Stone Age album.

This means the musicians who made classic record Songs For The Deaf will all be heard on the release.

Mainman Josh Homme, who already recruited Dave Grohl and Nick Oliveri for sessions, reports: "Lanegan came by. He didn't say much, but he sang good." More rock news.




Bon Jovi To Mix It Up On Upcoming Tour
(Radio.com) In support of their new album What About Now, Bon Jovi will be embarking on a lengthy tour that will ensure fans receive what they have come accustomed to: a show consisting of all the hits and a few surprises.

"For us it enhances what we do, and we've got some really cool tricks up our sleeve," keyboardist David Bryan told Billboard of the tour. "It's really looking cool."

The tour begins in Uncasville, Connecticut on February 9, six weeks before the release of What About Now on March 26. The timing between the start of the tour and the unleashing of their twelfth studio album is a bit unusual, making the shows' setlists a bit unique for attendees who haven't heard most of the band's new songs.

"We'll give you the title of the song first," said guitarist Richie Sambora. Frontman Jon Bon Jovi has already begun rehearsing the new material and the band will "work 'em in" while fans familiarize themselves with them. Each night's show will also be unique as the band travels from city to city and will have the ability to audible as Jon Bon Jovi sees fit.

"There's extra ones on the side he'll call, so we're always ready," Bryan said. "And we know there's a stable we as fans would want to hear, so we always give them, then we change up a bunch of songs and throw in a couple new ones." more on this story




Book About AC/DC's Early Years with Bon Scott Set For Release
(Gibson) Rock biography writer Neil Daniels will release AC/DC: The Early Years with Bon Scott on February 22.

The book charts the history of the band from their early days, beginning with their formation in Australia in 1973 and including their two Australian albums and five international studio albums.

It also examines other releases featuring Bon Scott, who was also in the rock band Fraternity, which later featured Aussie vocalist Jimmy Barnes (Fun trivia: Barnes collaborated with Joe Bonamassa on a cover of his Aussie hit "Too Much Ain't Enough Love" on Joe's latest album, and played in the band Living Loud with Dixie Dreggs/Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse and Ozzy Osbourne's early rhythm section of Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake).

The book includes a forward from Uriah Heep's Mick Box (read our interview with Mick Box here), and it also includes a bonus chapter on Back In Black, the classic album the band used to introduce new vocalist Brian Johnson after Scott's 1980 drinking binge death. more on this story






Thin Lizzy Spinoff Black Star Riders Complete New Album
(hennemusic) Former Thin Lizzy members, now known as Black Star Riders, have completed the recording of their debut album.

"Album is done" was the message posted by the band Monday, just three weeks after the group entered the studio with producer Kevin Shirley.

After touring the past few years as Thin Lizzy, the lineup adopted the new band name to start the project with a clean slate, and out of respect to the legacy of the late Phil Lynott.

The band has been sharing updates from the studio over the course of the sessions, during which they were recording a track per day. more on this story



Glenn Hughes Releasing Double Live Album
Glenn Hughes has set a February 12th release date for his new double live album, Live In Wolverhampton.

The 2-CD set was recorded in June 2009 over the course of two nights in Hughes' English hometown of Bilston, Wolverhampton.

The first night features songs from Hughes' time as lead vocalist in Deep Purple. "Crave," "Muscle & Blood," "Don't Let Me Bleed," and "Mistreated".

The second evening, which was called "You Are The Music: An Evening Of Trapeze," featured Trapeze songs "Touch My Life," "Black Cloud," "Coast To Coast," and "You Are The Music". more on this story




Def Leppard Excited About Writing New Music
(hennemusic) Def Leppard will be writing and recording some new music during their upcoming spring residency in Las Vegas.

"That's the really exciting thing for us," guitarist Vivian Campbell tells KLOS. "I mean, as much as we are really looking forward to the shows, we're only doing three shows a week — Wednesday, Friday and Saturday — so the days off in between, we're actually gonna write."

"So it's different for us," he continues. "When we're on tour, we don't get in a writing mode, because you're in a bus every night and travelling. It's not very often that the five of us in Def Leppard are in one place together with time on our hands, so we've got a little Pro Tools rig and we're just gonna actually record in our hotel room while we're there — get some new ideas for some long-overdue new Def Leppard."

The band takes over the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for an exclusive nine-show run entitled "VIVA Hysteria!" between March 22 and April 10 at The Joint. Stream the video interview here.




Stone Sour Offer Comic Bonus
(Radio.com) Corey Taylor, James Root, Josh Rand and Roy Mayorga aren't afraid of trying something new. And that's just what they did with House of Gold & Bones Pt 1 & 2. Taylor (who also fronts another Iowa-based hard rock band, Slipknot) wrote all 23 tracks for Stone Sour's latest two-part series, the first of which hit stores in October.

As if two discs aren't enough, this release offers a twist. Accompanying the dual disc set is a four-issue comic book series, a graphic novel and if the singer has his way, a screenplay. According to Taylor, the two albums are meant to be played back to back, creating a cohesive, linear story.

Adding yet another dynamic to the release, the guys would call on Rachel Bolan, songwriter and bassist for '80s hair-metal legends Skid Row.

"For a band like us, we're very aware of his body of work," explained Taylor in an interview with Radio.com. "I think Rachel is one of the most underrated bass players out there."

"We had a couple of guys' names," recalls guitarist Josh Rand, who went on to explain that the person originally lined up for the bass fell through due to scheduling conflicts. After going down a wish-list of names, he and Taylor arrived at Bolan.

Rand explained that he'd been thinking of Bolan the whole time. "I love the (Skid Row) album Slave to The Grind. Everything that everybody's mentioning about what they want out of the bass, he's done in one record. So I asked everyone, 'what if we asked Rachel Boland to come in?'" Taylor proceeded to track down his number and phone him the very next day. More including a stream here.




Estate Offering Fans Chance To Buy Layne Staley's Car
(Classic Rock) A Pontiac Firebird Trans Am owned by late Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staley is up for sale.

The car, built in 2000, has 26,000 miles on the clock and personalized extras including an upgraded sound system.

AIC crewman Travis, who's managing the sale on behalf of Staley's estate, says: "We want to give fans the first option." More rock news.




Steve Stevens Collaborating With Sebastian Bach
(Gibson) Steve Stevens is collaborating with former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach on new music, with Bach aiming for a 2013 release.

In a statement, Bach said ideas were just beginning to take shape for his next studio release, with at least one track so far from Stevens for the record.

Bach describes it as "a kick-ass rock 'n' roll song that I guarantee will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Just how I like it." The pair will continue to work on new music for the album, and Bach's new guitarist Jeff George is also contributing songwriting ideas which will be demoed soon.

"We are really going to get cracking on the new material right away and have a new studio album out sooner than you think," Bach says, adding "I am so happy to collaborate with Steve; he has always been one of my favorite guitar players! We are going out rock this bitch down to the ground in 2013, mother truckers!" more on this story






Queen Fan To Donate Freddie Mercury's Rolls-Royce
(hennemusic) Legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury's 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow recently sold for a record £74,000 at Autosport International in Birmingham.

Now, the new owner - Verka Serduchka, Ukrainian pop-idol and silver winner of Eurovision 2007 - has come forward to reveal her plans for the famous wheels.

"I bought the car not to drive it, but to preserve it to fans of the Queen!" said Serduchka during a recent press-conference.

She will give the Rolls-Royce to the Queen museum that will be opened this year. Before that, the car will be exhibited during the show of Verka Serduchka & Band in Moscow on March 9 and 10. more on this story





Green Day X Games Documentary Screening Q&A Goes Online
(hennemusic) Green Day screened their new documentary, "¡Cuatro!", at the X Games in Aspen over the weekend.

Bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool were on hand for the premiere at Aspen's Wheeler Opera House as part of the X Games Film showcase, and took part for a post-screening Q&A to take audience questions.

"¡Cuatro!" goes behind the making of the band's new album trilogy, "¡Uno!," "¡Dos!" and "¡Tré!" The film pulls back the curtain and takes fans inside the world of Green Day, from the various spontaneous live performances in select cities across the U.S. to the chronicling of their creative process while conceptualizing and recording their current trilogy.

Green Day return to the road in 2013 for a 2-week series of North American shows that start March 28 in Chicago. Check out Q&A video here.




Motorhead Preview TV Commercial
(hennemusic) Motorhead recently launched their new line of Motorheadphones at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Prior to making their US debut, Motörheadphönes had unprecedented success throughout Europe.

Now, the band is previewing a new commercial that will begin running on Swedish Kanal 5 for three months starting in February.

In addition to the brand, the headphones Bomber and Motörizer will be shown with a unique live video recorded during Motörhead's gig at the Sweden Rock Festival in summer of 2012.

No brands in the headphone segment have ever invested in Swedish TV advertising like this before