Today's Day in Rock

Jason Newsted Giving Away Download of New Song
Former Metallica bass player Jason Newsted's new band Newsted are now offering fans a free download of a new song which comes from their forthcoming album.
The band has posted the new song "Heroic Dose" on their official website as a free download. The track comes from their forthcoming album, "Heavy Metal Music," which will be released on August 6th in North America and the 5th in the UK. Download the free song here.

Jason Newsted produced "Heavy Metal Music" and his new namesake band also features drummer Jesus Mendez Jr, guitarist Jessie Farnsworth, and Staind guitarist Mike Mushok.

The group is currently on a tour of Europe and will be hitting the road this summer in North American as part of Megadeth's Gigantour along with Black Label Society, Device, Hellyeah & Death Division.

The Gigantour will be kicking off on July 3rd and it appears that Jason will be jamming a Metallica classic with Megadeth's Dave Mustaine during the trek.

"There is a chance that Mustaine and I will bust out some old Metallica that he was a part of. It has been talked about," says Jason. "I'm willing to throw down Phantom Lord – actually, whatever he calls out, I'm gonna throw down!"

Earlier this month Mustaine confirmed the plans when he tweeted fans asking them which classic Metallica song they would like to see the two former Metallica members jam together on the tour. more on this story




Rare Early Van Halen Promo Video Goes Online
(hennemusic) A high-quality copy of the rare Van Halen video for the "Women & Children First" track "Loss Of Control" has surfaced. "Loss Of Control" was a b-side on the UK release of the single for "And The Cradle Will Rock…"

The dimly-lit video, which features the band in surgical outfits, was the only video filmed for the band's third album. The footage has never been commercially released, although it was broadcast outside of the U.S.

Van Halen debuted "Loss Of Control" live in late 1977, and it was featured in the band's setlist for their 1980 Women & Children First World Invasion Tour. Watch the video here.



Pink Floyd Vs Pandora
(hennemusic) Pink Floyd have reunited for an editorial in USA Today regarding the actions of Pandora in attempting to reduce artist royalties from internet radio.

Floyd members Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason write, "It's a matter of principle for us. We hope that many online and mobile music services can give fans and artists the music they want, when they want it, at price points that work. But those same services should fairly pay the artists and creators who make the music at the core of their businesses.

"For almost all working musicians, it's also a question of economic survival. Nearly 90% of the artists who get a check for digital play receive less than $5,000 a year. They cannot afford the 85% pay cut Pandora asked Congress to impose on the music community."

"We've heard Pandora complain it pays too much in royalties to make a profit," adds the members of Pink Floyd. "(Of course, we also watched Pandora raise $235 million in its IPO and double its listeners in the last two years.) But a business that exists to deliver music can't really complain that its biggest cost is music. You don't hear grocery stores complain they have to pay for the food they sell. Netflix pays more for movies than Pandora pays for music, but they aren't running to Congress for a bailout. Everyone deserves the right to be paid a fair market rate for their work, regardless of what their work entails." more on this story




Dave Grohl Is Planning New Foo Figthers Album
(Gibson) Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins spoke to Billboard on the state of the band's next album, the follow up to 2011's Wasting Light. According to Hawkins, the album is in the planning stages by Foo Fighters main man Dave Grohl.

"Dave has his brain working overtime, like usual, and he's got a lot of great ideas, both musically and conceptually -- none that I can speak of at this moment, but it's gonna be great. It's gonna be cool."

Hawkins also suggested that he believes that the band's best work is still ahead of them, saying: "You always want every one of them to be the best one you've ever done, and you always think you haven't done your best one.

"Although some people may feel we have, I still think we haven't written our 'Hotel California' or our 'Bohemian Rhapsody' or whatever. Every time you start a record, you have to be, like, ready to [expletive] kill yourself or it's not gonna be any good." more on this story






Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert Coming To DVD and Blu-ray
Eagle Rock have announced a September 3, 2013 release date for The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert which will be released in a triple DVD set, Blu-ray, and digital formats.

The audio has been remastered and this release will mark the very first time that the opening acts' performances (including Metallica, Extreme, Def Leppard and Guns N' Roses) will be released on DVD or Blu-ray.

The SD Blu-ray will feature upscaled standard definition original material with uncompressed stereo and DTS-HD surround sound. We were sent these details along with the full tracklisting:

On April 20th 1992, Roger Taylor, Brian May and John Deacon, the surviving members of Queen, took to the stage at Wembley Stadium for the start of one of the biggest events in rock history, which the band had organized to pay tribute to their former colleague – the incomparable Freddie Mercury. Queen were joined by some of the greatest musical talent in the world to celebrate Freddie's life and work and to increase public awareness of AIDS, the disease that had prematurely ended his life the previous year.

The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert features many Queen classics in unique performances including: "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Hammer To Fall", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Radio Ga Ga", "I Want To Break Free", "Under Pressure", "Somebody To Love", "We Will Rock You", "We Are The Champions" and many more. Special guests include David Bowie, Gary Cherone, Roger Daltrey, Def Leppard, Joe Elliott, Extreme, Bob Geldof, Guns 'n' Roses, James Hetfield, Ian Hunter, Tony Iommi, Elton John, Annie Lennox, Metallica, George Michael, Liza Minnelli, Robert Plant, Mick Ronson, Axl Rose, Seal, Slash, Lisa Stansfield, Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Young & Zucchero. more on this story




Arctic Monkeys Announce New Album and Release New Video
(Radio.com) Just a few days before a headlining set at Glastonbury this weekend, Arctic Monkeys have announced September 10th as the release date for AM, the band's fifth studio album and first since 2010's Suck it and See.

"I actually stole it from the Velvet Underground, I'll just confess that now and get it out of the way," Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner told BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe (via NME) about the new album's two-letter title. "The VU record, obviously."

AM will feature a handful of special guests, including longtime Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas and Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, whom Turner said contributed one of the record's highlights.

"His contribution to our record is really exciting, it's probably my favorite," he explained. "The 30 seconds that he's in there is just, I dunno, it's like something that I've never heard before."

Among the tracks on AM is recently released single, "Do I Wanna Know?" which the band debuted in concert last month during a show in Ventura, Calif. Check out the video here.




Megadeth To Donate Concert Proceeds To Oklahoma Tornado Relief
(hennemusic) Megadeth have announced that the proceeds from the band's July 16 Gigantour stop in Oklahoma City will donated to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma to help those affected by last month's tornadoes that hit the region.

"Many amazing bands have come forward to aid Oklahomans since the May tornadoes came and tore apart their homes and lives," says Dave Mustaine. "Now it's time for Heavy Metal to give to this community!"

In addition to the Gigantour donation from the OKC Zoo Amphitheatre date, Megadeth, members of other bands from the festival, and local celebrities will participate in an All-Star softball game July 15th at the ASA Hall of Fame Complex, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. more on this story





Dream Theater Announce First Leg Of Upcoming Tour
Dream Theater have announced the dates for the first leg of their upcoming European tour and also announced that they plan to tour North America next spring.

The European tour will be kicking off on January 15th in Porto, Portugal and will feature shows in 30 cities in 16 countries across Europe before concluding on February 24th in Helsinki, Finland.

The band will be launching the tour in support of their forthcoming self-titled album which will be released on September 24th and was recorded at Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York and produced by John Petrucci and mixed and engineered by Richard Chycki (Aerosmith, Rush).

"I see every new album as an opportunity to start over," says Petrucci. "To either build or improve upon a direction that has been evolving over time or to completely break new ground.

"This is the first self-titled album of our career and there is nothing I can think of that makes a statement of musical and creative identity stronger than that. We've fully explored all of the elements that make us unique, from the epic and intense to the atmospheric and cinematic. We're incredibly excited about Dream Theater and can't wait for everyone to hear it."

The band will soon be announcing tour dates for their North American trek in support of the album. That tour is expected to kick off in March of next year. more on this story





Nightrage Singer Leaves The Band
Nightrage have reportedly parted ways with frontman Antony Hamalainen as the singer is leaving on good terms so that he can explore other music ventures.

Blabbermouth published the following comments from Hamalainen, "There is no drama or bad blood. Quite the opposite actually as we all remain great friends. I personally would just like to explore other musical ventures. It's as simple as that.

"I want to thank [Nightrage founder] Marios Iliopoulos for giving me a chance to play in his band, and write two amazing albums with him. He is one of the most underrated guitar players in the world, and I am sure he will create more amazing music in the years to come.

"In other news, [drummer] Johan Nunez and I, have finished recording a new album of total melodic death metal with several of our best friends on board. This is a project we have been working on for a few years now and we can't wait to share it with you. There will be more news on that in the weeks to come so stay tuned!" Read the report here.




Sanctity's Jared MacEachern Joins Machine Head
Machine Head have recruited Sanctity vocalist and guitarist Jared MacEachern as their new bass player, who they hired after an exhaustive bassist search earlier this year.

Drummer Dave McClain had this to say about the audition, "Jared came in to the audition and just killed it! Besides being able to nail the bass and vocal harmonies, he also had the vibe and personality to make it feel like we were a BAND again. It was a great feeling and we all knew he was the guy."

Frontman Robb Flynn had this to say, "We really wanted a guy that was hungry for this, someone who could live and breathe this with us. Dave would joke around that we didn't want to get someone too green that'd be like 'oh my god, is this a dressing room?!', but we also didn't want someone who was too jaded by the whole thing and 'been there done that'.

"We thought the perfect guy would be someone who'd paid some dues, who had done 9 or 10 crummy van tours, and wasn't broken by that, but inspired to keep going and play music, and in many ways that was Jared. I mean hell, the guy's only rode in a bus for two nights, one of which was with us! It brings a really cool level of appreciation to the table, and it shows where his heart's at."

MacEachern adds, "I'm ready to get to work! This tour is going to kick ass and the new tunes are heavy as sh*t! I'm SO looking forward to making good music with good dudes!"

MacEachern is currently rehearsing with the band for the upcoming Mayhem festival tour and the band also plan to begin pre-production for their next studio album soon.




Switchfoot Announce New Album And Release Film Trailer
Switchfoot have announced that Fading West will be the title of their forthcoming studio album as well as a feature film that they will presenting to fans on their upcoming fall tour.

The band will be releasing the album in October and the film, which runs for 80-minutes, will act as the opening act for the group's upcoming storyteller format tour.

The tour will be kicking off on September 20th in St. Louis, MO and will hit 43-cities including Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle and Minneapolis.

We were sent the following synopsis for the film as well as a link to the trailer: Inspired by such films as Rattle and Hum and Endless Summer, the Fading West feature film follows Switchfoot as they travel the globe in search of new musical inspiration and perfect waves. Directed by Matt Katsolis and filmed during Switchfoot's 2012 World Tour, the film charts the creation of the San Diego-based fivesome's upcoming ninth album in its earliest and most unpredictable stages. Part rock documentary, part surf film, and part travelogue, Fading West offers rare glimpses of the longtime surfers on their boards and in the waves, captures the frenetic energy of their live shows, and in the end portrays a journey both epic and intimate. Watch the trailer here.




Asking Alexandria Planning Summer Record Release Tour
Asking Alexandria have recruited Motionless In White, Upon A Burning Body and Crown The Empire to support them on their upcoming late summer record release tour.

The 10-date tour will be kicking off in Fargo, ND on August 6th, the same day that their third studio album, , From Death To Destiny, is hitting stores.

The trek will include stops in Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, Indiana before concluding on August 17th in Madison, WI.

Ben Bruce had this to say about the trek, "AMERICA, we're f**king back and we're better than ever. We have a very short headlining run throughout the Midwest to celebrate the release of our brand new album 'From Death to Destiny'.

"Sex, Drugs and Rock n' Roll doesn't even cut it here, so join us starting Aug 6th for two weeks of utter sin and debauchery. We are stoked to be back, so lets f**king do this." more on this story




Iron Maiden Spitfire Pilot Amazed At Fan Response
(Classic Rock) The pilot of the Spitfire fighter plane that flew over Download to launch Iron Maiden's headline set says he's amazed at the response to his appearance.

Squadron Leader Andrew Millikin passed three times above 90,000 fans at Donington Park on June 14, with Maiden launching into classic track Moonchild – without the long intro – as the WWII fighter plane banked up over the main stage.

And although he's used to staging flypasts in the Spitfire Mk16, registration TE311, he says it was a unique experience. "This was something completely different. There's been a lot of interest from fans who attended," Millikin tells the Horncastle News. "I'd never have thought that a bunch of metal fans would be interested in RAF craft – but I've been proved wrong.

"It was fantastic to fly over. I get goosebumps every time I see the Spitfire in the air, so I can't imagine what it was like down there." More including video of the flyover.




Soundgarden's Ben Shepherd Releasing Solo Single From Upcoming Album
(hennemusic) Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd has released his debut solo single, "Baron Robber," the lead track from his forthcoming album, "In Deep Owl," due August 27.

All the vocals and instruments on "Baron Robber" were played by Shepherd, with drums by Joseph Brailey. Billed as HBS, the album project is a collection of songs recorded in the industrial neighborhoods of Georgetown and Interbay in Seattle, Washington.

Produced by Shepherd, Dave French, Chad MacMurray and Nathan Yaccino, "In Deep Owl" features guest appearances by Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron and former Pearl Jam drummer Matt Chamberlain. Check out the new song here.




Reznor Addresses Nine Inch Nails' Revolving Lineup Door
(Classic Rock) Trent Reznor admits Nine Inch Nails' lineup problems disrupted his plans for the band, but he believes the end result is all the better as a result. He announced a "reinvented" version of the band at the beginning of the year, then unveiled a group of musicians including King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew and former Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery.

Last month Avery bowed out, saying he was "overwhelmed" by NIN's touring commitments. Belew announced his departure at the beginning of June, insisting there had been no fall-out but that "we both agreed it just was not working."

"It's been disruptive," Reznor tells KROQ. "I started off with an idea of who would be in the band, and we started working that way. You can spend a lot of time, as I have done, projecting what it's going to be like with this chemistry and this recipe – and in reality, it rarely is that.

"It turned out to be something different in the case of a couple of people in the band. It's felt like a wrench in the works at times. But it's made me rethink a lot, and where we're ending up at is much truer to what Nine Inch Nails should be – and better, in the long run." more on this story




Bloc Party Release First Song From New EP
Bloc Party will be following up their latest album, Four, by releasing a new five song digital EP, entitled "The Nextwave Sessions EP," on August 13th via Frenchkiss Records.

The first single from the EP, "Ratchet," was premiered on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show "Hottest Record" last night and the band have recruited animator Cyriak to direct the music video for the song. Watch it here.

Kele offered these details about the song, "Ratchet was the first song we recorded with Dan. It really came together whilst we were on tour in 2012. We started slipping it into the sets at the start of this year just to try it out and the reactions were insane. We knew we had something special."

Fans can catch Bloc Party live this summer on some of the biggest stages and festivals in the UK and Europe, including a headlining slot at this year's Latitude Festival in the band's native UK. more on this story




Hatebreed, Shadows Fall, The Acacia Strain and Battlecross Tour
Hatebreed have announced a new fall headlining North American tour in support of their latest album, The Divinity of Purpose, and have released the latest video from the album.

The band has released a new music video for the song "Honor Never Dies," which is the second video from The Divinity of Purpose. You can watch the video here.

The new North American tour will feature support from Shadows Fall, The Acacia Strain and Battlecross and will be launching on September 26th in Albany, NY.

The band is currently on a European tour which includes several major music festival appearances including the Roskilde Festival, Brutal Assault Festival and Summer Breeze in Germany. more on this story




Bettye LaVette Cover Brought Moody Blues Frontman To Tears
(Radio.com) It's not uncommon on a TV singing competition for a judge to tell a contestant that they "own" a song when they do a new take on a famous classic. It's less common for the author of a song to offer such a compliment.

But that's just what happened when Moody Blues frontman Justin Hayward described to Radio.com his reaction to hearing soul singer Bettye LaVette's take on the band's iconic 1967 single, "Nights In White Satin."

"I burst into tears," he said, "I just could not help myself. I wrote the song when I was 19, coming on 20 years old, but I heard it for the first time when I was 64 years old. She's one of the true, true greats."

As for his own music , Hayward has a new solo album, Spirits Of The Western Sky, which he worked on with bluegrass musicians. "This little group of bluegrass players just sounded right for my voice," he explained of the unlikely pairing. more on this story





August Burns Red Singled Out Week: Count It All As Lost
August Burns Red released their brand new studio album, "Rescue & Restore" this week and to celebrate we asked drummer Matt Greiner to tell us about some of his favorite songs. Today he tells us about "Count It All As Lost". Here is the story:

"Count It All As Lost" proved to be the most challenging song to write drums to on Rescue & Restore. The song is relentless! The song opens up with this big introduction that pulls you in and keeps you on your toes. Through a series of twists and turns, the linear writing leads you to a guitar riff that I compliment with the bells on my drum-set, which I use sparingly on our records. The very next part has the fastest blast beat I've ever played on any ABR record. It took me at least 2 hours to get the drums right for just that 10-second part. I am happy we chose to keep it as fast as we did though because it sets the song up well for the 'whiny' breakdown that follows.

All in all, Count It All As Lost is one of my favorite songs on the record. The song is very linear in fashion and takes you through a windy road of sounds and styles before arriving at the end where you are somehow still banging your head and smiling at the same time!

Writing lyrics for Count It All As Lost was an extensive process. I first put pen to paper for this song in early 2012 on a tour in Europe. I was having a hard time dealing with the high standard I set for myself. I found that whenever I lived up to my own moral standards, I became self-righteous and inflated. On the contrary, whenever I failed to meet my high standards of morality, I felt like throwing myself off of a bridge!

The Bible has a very helpful depiction of this 'up and down' relationship many of us have with being better or worse than our own expectations. Paul, the New Testament writer, addresses this issue in Philippians 3:8 where he says, "I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ." He writes this amazing truth after listing all of his exceptional moral accomplishments, showing us that even the very best we can do is still crumbs compared to the worth and value in knowing Jesus.

Both musically and lyrically, this song has a little something for everyone. I hope listeners enjoy this song as much as I do!

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



Metallica Release Master of Puppets Performance From Abu Dhabi
(hennemusic) Metallica have released video footage of the band performing the title track to their 1986 album, "Master Of Puppets," in Abu Dhabi this past spring.

The April 19 concert marked just the second time that Metallica had played the city; the band's previous date in the city was in October of 2011.

Metallica recently held the 2013 edition of their Orion Music + More festival at Belle Isle in Detroit, MI. The band's next live show is set for July 6 when they play the Rosklide Festival in Denmark, following which they launch an Asian tour on August 10 in Tokyo. Check it out here.




Alice Cooper Guitarist Orianthi Releases Heaven In This Hell Video
Spinefarm Records announced that Alice Cooper guitarist Orianthi has released the official music video for the title track of her recently released solo album, 'Heaven In This Hell.'

The video was directed by Paul Boyd (Deadmau5, Neon Trees) and also features Glen Sobel (drummer for Alice Cooper), Tommy Henriksen (guitarist for Alice Cooper) and Cyril Niccolai (of The Fairchilds).

The song was produced by Dave Stewart and Orianthi had this to say about the video, "The video is about the spell that love puts you under. It's an addiction; it's heaven in this hell." Watch it here.




Tobias Sammet of Avantasia on Wikimetal
The latest episode of the Wikimetal podcast includes a featured interview with Tobias Sammet from Avantasia. The show sent over these details about the episode:

Sammet told us about the creation of the project, his biggest influences for Avantasia and about how it was to work with Andre Matos. A very nice chat with lots of amazing sounds and Sammet telling us who is the rockstar he has always wanted to work with, but never got the chance.

You can listen to the full episode of the podcast here or you can skip directly to the interview with Sammet

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


The Doors Surviving Members Planning To Reunite
(Classic Rock) John Densmore and Robby Krieger are planning to play a memorial show for The Doors bandmate Ray Manzarek, who died last month at the age of 74.
It means the end of a ten-year feud between the surviving members of Jim Morrison's band. And the musicians settled their differences in time for Densmore to speak to Manzarek before his death.

He tells Rolling Stone: "The inner circle knew Ray had cancer for a while. Then I heard he was really sick and called him. He said thank you for the prayers, and told me chemo was f**ked. So there was a closing, thank God."

Densmore is delighted to be on speaking terms with his former best friend Kreiger. He explains: "I said to Robby a few weeks ago in an email: 'Let's have our musical reunion for Ray. Let's play some Doors songs. It's like to break the ice that way.' It should happen pretty soon." more on this story




Aerosmith's Steven Tyler Going Solo
(hennemusic) Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has revealed plans to work on his first solo album next year which follows the 2011 release of his solo single, '(It) Feels So Good'.

"I had a lot of fun doing '(It) Feels So Good'…I wrote that with Marti Frederiksen," Tyler tells Rolling Stone. "I've got this itch in me to do a solo record, and that's what I'm gonna do next. I've got some great people that want to get involved in it. It's early on right now, but that's the itch I got. I got that itch to do something that's a lot different than Aerosmith. Aerosmith's never been better, but we did that album [2012's 'Music From Another Dimension'].

"This last album was an Aerosmith all-for-one-and-one-for-all. But my heart is in stuff like that weirder, off-the-cuff stuff that I'm not sure Aerosmith would like. I'm into electronica – I was when I used to listen to Stockhausen in '65. So there's just a lot of stuff – good, weird f**king music that I want to get off my chest. The band will be playing, and we're going to China and Singapore. It's gonna open up a whole new world for Aerosmith. So Aerosmith will always be around, but I got this itch and I know how to scratch it."

Asked who he might work with on the project, Tyler says "There's so much good stuff out there. I am a huge Skrillex fan. I went to lunch with Deadmau5 at Mel's Diner. He's got incredible ideas for his next tour – blew me away, what he's gonna do. He's a single guy. He makes all the money himself when he puts the mouse head on, so he's got a ton of money. He knows where to take it, and he's still relevant. So it was a sick dinner, it was f**king unreal. I want to go out and explore things . . . I really want to take a little risk here and do something solo. There's no timeline – I'm gonna start in January and see where we get by March." more on this story



Deep Purple and Iron Maiden Stars To Tribute Jon Lord
(hennemusic) A tribute concert to celebrate the late Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord's life and music will be held on April 4, 2014 at London's Royal Albert Hall.

Artists confirmed so far include Deep Purple members Ian Paice, Roger Glover, Don Airey and Steve Morse, as well as Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, along with Rick Wakeman, Joe Brown and Alfie Boe.

Lord passed away July 16, 2012 at the age of 71 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. With Purple, Lord co-wrote many of the group's legendary songs, including "Smoke On The Water," and played with many bands and musicians throughout his career. more on this story




Steven Van Zandt Tributes Sopranos Co-Star James Gandolfini
(Radio.com) On Wednesday (June 19), the world was shocked by the news of actor James Gandolfini's death at 51 from a heart attack and one of most famous Sopranos co-stars has paid tribute to him.

Steven Van Zandt, who played Tony Sopranos' consigliere Silvio Dante, posted a statement to his official Underground Garage Facebook page: "I have lost a brother and a best friend. The world has lost one of the greatest actors of all time. Maureen and I send our deepest sympathy and love to Deborah, Michael, Lily, and all of Jimmy's family."

Maureen Van Zandt, Steven's wife, played his on-screen Sopranos wife Gabriella. She tweeted, "I loved James so much. He was a beautiful man and a genius. I was honored to breathe the same air as him. I'll love and remember him forever."

avid Chase, creator of HBO's The Sopranos – which starred Gandolfini in his defining role as Tony Soprano — issued a statement, saying: "He was a genius. Anyone who saw him even in the smallest of his performances knows that. He is one of the greatest actors of this or any time. A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes. I remember telling him many times, 'You don't get it. You're like Mozart.' There would be silence at the other end of the phone. For (his wife) Deborah and (son) Michael and (daughter) Lilliana this is crushing. And it's bad for the rest of the world. He wasn't easy sometimes. But he was my partner, he was my brother in ways I can't explain and never will be able to explain." more on this story




David Lynch Directing New Nine Inch Nails Video?
Trent Reznor has sparked online speculation that Nine Inch Nails have recruited acclaimed film director David Lynch to direct the band's new video.

On Wednesday, Reznor got fans imagination going after he tweeted a photo of what appears to be himself in make-up with David Lynch standing in the background.

This had lead some to believe that Lynch may be directing the video for the song "Come Back Haunted," the lead single from the upcoming NIN album, Hesitation Marks.

Reznor and Lynch do have a history together as the Nine Inch Nails mastermind was involved with the soundtrack to Lynch's 1997 film "Lost Highway." You can see the photo here.




Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live In Cologne Set For Release
(hennemusic) "The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live In Cologne" - a concert recording from 1969 - will be released next month exclusively via Authentic Hendrix – The Official Jimi Hendrix Online Store.

Due July 9, it is the twelfth release in the Dagger Records official bootleg series (previously released as an LP and now coming to CD for the first time).

The album documents Jimi's January 13, 1969 performance at the Sporthalle in Cologne, Germany and the set includes a mixture of Hendrix classics and covers of songs by Earl King and Cream. more on this story





Cancer Fight Inspired Black Sabbath
(Gibson) No one seems more surprised than Ozzy Osbourne by the resounding success of Black Sabbath's new album, 13 and guitarist Tony Iommi says his lymphoma diagnosis actually helped solidify the project.

In a just-published interview with London's The Telegraph, the Sabbath frontman said, "This has really freaked me out. I knew it was a [expletive] good album, but when somebody just told me it's gone top in 50 countries -- I didn't know there were 50 countries, and I'm number one in all of them!" Osbourne admitted it was his outsized ego that scuttled the band's attempt to record eleven years ago.

"I was riding on this cloud of being television's new megastar for five minutes," he explained. "I was doing well on my own, so it took me a while to get that balanced out in my head. I mean, it's not Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. It's [expletive] Black Sabbath. It's different from me doing my own thing."

Ironically, Tony Iommi's lymphoma diagnosis actually helped solidify the 13 project. "The funny thing is, my whole situation finally got us cracking and brought us all more together," said the guitarist. "Everybody realized, like, wow, what could happen here." more on this story






Vinny Appice To Perform With Dio Disciples This Summer
The Dio Disciples, which features former members of the band paying tribute to Ronnie James Dio, will be joined by original Dio drummer Vinny Appice this summer.

Appice will be appearing with his fellow former Dio members, guitarist Craig Goldy, keyboardist Scott Warren, and drummer Simon Wright along with singers Tim "Ripper" Owens (Judas Priest) and Oni Logan (Lynch Mob) and bass player Bjorn Englen (Yngwie Malmsteen), for five dates in July.

Vinny Appice played drums with Dio from the group's incarnation and debut album, "Holy Diver," through their 1994 post Black Sabbath reunion release "Strange Highways." more on this story




Jake E. Lee Recruits Warmachine's Darren Smith To Front New Band
Former Ozzy Osbourne and Badlands guitarist Jake E. Lee have recruited Warmachine drummer Darren Smith as the frontman for his new band Red Dragon Cartel.

Red Dragon Cartel now features Lee on guitar, Smith on vocals, Beggars & Thieves' Ronnie Mancuso on bass and Black Betty's Jonas Fairley on drums.

Smith's band Warmachine had the following to say about their drummer's new gig, "We would like to send congrats to our band mate and brother Darren! We are so proud of you!"

Lee has remained low-key for the past decade, apart from playing guitar on Enuff Z'nuff's "Dissonance" album, and has now put together a new band and will be releasing a new album.

The new album will feature guest appearances from Cheap Trick's Robin Zander, original Iron Maiden frontman Paul Di'Anno and In This Moment's Maria Brink.

The effort was recorded at Hideout Studios in Las Vegas, which is owned and operated by Kevin Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, Five Finger Death Punch).




Rolling Stones To Be Joined By Aaron Neville In Philly
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones will be joined by special guest Aaron Neville to night in Philadelphia, the second of two shows in the city this week. Keith Richards co-produced and played guitar on Aaron's album, "My True Story," released earlier this year.

The concert marks the 17th stop on the Stones 18-date "50 & Counting" arena tour, which has seen the band play with a variety of guests, including John Fogerty, Tom Waits, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood and John Mayer.

The Stones will wrap up the North American tour in Washington on Monday; the band will play the Glastonbury festival on June 29, followed by two shows in London's Hyde Park next month. more on this story




Metallica Add Singapore Date and Release Adelaide Footage
(hennemusic) Metallica have announced a Singapore concert date as a new addition to their upcoming Asian tour and have also released footage from their recent concert in Adelaide.

The band will play the Singapore Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore on Saturday, August 24. The appearance marks only the second time Metallica have played in Singapore, with their last date more than 20 years ago.

Metallica's tour of Asia kicks off August 10 in Tokyo, Japan, with dates scheduled for China and South Korea, and the band saying that more concerts will be announced.

Metallica have also released footage from their March 2nd appearance at Australia's Soundwave festival in Adelaide. The band has issued video of "No Remorse" and "Motorbreath" from the tuning room, as well as "The Thing That Should Not Be" from the show.

The Adelaide stop was the fourth date of Soundwave, which hit five cities in the country over a two-week period. Check out the footage here.




Michael Monroe Releasing New Solo Album
(hennemusic) Finnish rock legend Michael Monroe (Hanoi Rocks) has announced details of his new album, "Horns And Halos," due for release on August 26 in the UK.

Monroe has revealed the album's track listing and cover art, which is based on an idea from Swedish guitarist Dregen (Backyard Babies), who features in Michael's current touring and recording lineup.

"I love logotypes that are a 'little secret," says Dregen. "You know, the ones that are more like signs — Van Halen, Crass, Him's Heartagram, etc. That was the starting point…"

The project's lead single, "Ballad Of The Lower East Side," was released in April; a second single/video will be made available on August 5. more on this story




Def Leppard Guitarist To Hold Fitness Seminar
(hennemusic) Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen and his trainer, Muay Thai kickboxing champion Jean Carrillo, have announced their first fitness seminar, set for July 12 in Quebec City.

Billed as Physical Mechanics, Collen and Carrillo will be speaking about health, fitness and what the axeman does to get fit on tour and off. Coming one day before Def Leppard's performance in Quebec City, the event includes a VIP cocktail reception before the lecture, and an audience Q&A following the seminar.

The promo poster reads: "Discover how Phil Collen, the well-known guitarist for Def Leppard - now 55 - has the shape and body of a 25-year old." more on this story




Rolling Stones Reach Glastonbury Festival Broadcast Deal
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones have reached a deal with organizers of the Glastonbury festival that will see an hour of the band's June 29th performance broadcast on television.

According to the BBC, the Stones had originally insisted that only four songs from their 90-minute set could be televised, but festival organizer Michael Eavis told reporters a compromise had been reached.

Eavis, who established the event on his farm in Pilton 43 years ago, said he had also endured protracted negotiations with the group to secure their performance.

"It's taken a long time to get them to come and play," he said. "Everyone wants to see the Stones, basically."

"I think Mick Jagger wanted to play to the people here, rather than a TV show," he added. "They're going to be playing for about an hour for the TV." more on this story




Airbourne Announce Fall Tour
(Classic Rock) Airbourne will tour the UK starting in November, with 11 dates booked to support their third album Black Dog Barking. They'd already been added to the bill for this year's Hard Rock Hell, which takes place in Wales on November 30-December 1.

Airbourne frontman Joel O'Keeffe recently said his band had made a better job of the new record than they had over its predecessor, No Guts No Glory.

"We might have rushed a few things here and there, because we had two world tours back to back up against each other," He explained. "We recorded the music just in the middle of all that. We even had some shows between recording. This time, we spaced it out." more on this story






Singled Out: Heaven & Earth's I Don't Know What Love Is
Today Heaven & Earth mastermind Stuart Smith tells us about their next single "I Don't Know What Love Is" from their brand new album "Dig". Here is the story:

This was about the 5th song to be written for the "Dig" album. It's based around a title that I'd come up with over 20 years ago.

One day way back then, and I can't remember if I was actually feeling that way or if I just thought it up but I came up with the line "I Don't Know What Love Is Anymore" and I thought it was such a powerful statement that I wrote it on the back of a business card and put it in my nightstand as I didn't want to forget it. A year or so later I was going out with a girl called Amanda whom I had always looked upon as the one that got away. In fact Keavin from antiMusic may remember her as he actually worked on the road crew of a very early version of Heaven & Earth when it was called "Midnight" during that period. Anyway, we were in the studio one day and Amanda said that she'd meet me at my house afterwards. When I got there she wasn't there so I called her at her apartment to ask where she was and she told me that she'd gone through my nightstand and found the business card and was upset that she'd found what I'd written on it and asked me if that was the way I felt. I laughed and told her that it was just an idea for a song title that I'd wrote down a long time before. Everything carried on between us for a while but at the time I remember thinking that if it had that effect on someone then it was worth doing something with.

Over the years I'd tried to write something around that title but was not really satisfied with anything that I came up with. When we were writing for "Dig" Joe (Retta) went to visit his parents in Rochester for a few weeks and I decided that we needed an acoustic style ballad, like "Heaven & Earth" off the first album, so I picked up my acoustic and consciously decided I was not going to pick up the electric again till I'd come up with some music that was worthy of that title. For two and a half weeks I worked on it all day and night, coming up with hundreds of ideas, but couldn't find the keystone riff to tie them all together. A few days before Joe was due to return I was talking to Howard Leese about the problems I was having with putting it together and he said well it sort of sings itself, "Love is Anymore" and the way he sang it reminded me of "She Love's You" by The Beatles" and the main riff instantly came to me. The minute I had that it was like I was magically transported into space and was looking down and could see all the other parts I'd written so I just went "I'll have you, you, you and you" and the whole thing dropped into place within 5 minutes.

When Joe got back a couple of days later I played him the song, which he loved, and gave him the title, which he thought was going to be tough to work with, so we recorded it on his 8 track recorder. As we were doing this he thought the chords I'd used for the chorus were a bit too "happy" and not in keeping with the title or the rest of the song, so I just swapped them out for a part in a bit more of a minor mode that I'd written earlier and he, as he usually did, disappeared into his room and I didn't see him for a few days. A few days later he played me the nearly completed song and I was blown away.

We made a few minor adjustments during rehearsals before we went into Ocean Studios in Burbank to record it but basically that was it. It was around Christmas time when we had the backing track completed and Joe had sung his vocal. Every year I would go over to David Paich's (Toto) for his Christmas Eve party where David and I would play carols on the piano and guitar. There was never anyone really good to sing them though so that year I brought Joe with me to help us out. After the party finished we went into David's studio and played him the song. He said that it was a definite hit and wanted to play some strings on it so we came back a couple of weeks later and he did his magic on it. As a final touch we added the Agape Gospel Choir on, shortened the title to "I Don't Know What Love Is" and the song was complete. I feel this is one of our strongest songs because, as relationships are so complicated, I think that most people can relate with the sentiments expressed within the lyrics at some point in their lives.

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




Stone Sour Release The Uncanny Valley Lyric Video
(Classic Rock) Stone Sour have released a lyric video for their track "The Uncanny Valley." It's taken from recent masterwork House Of Gold And Bones, which was released in two parts with the second installment appearing in April.

Frontman Corey Taylor enjoyed a busy three days at the Download festival last weekend, headlining Friday's show with Slipknot, appearing at a book signing on Saturday then playing the main stage with Stone Sour on Sunday.

He also recently released the first three issues of a comic based on the House Of Gold And Bones storyline. You can watch the new "The Uncanny Valley" lyric video here.




Spock's Beard Release Submerged Video
(Classic Rock) The latest album from prog rockers Spock's Beard, Brief Nocturnes And Dreamless Sleep, is out now and carries the Classic Rock seal of approval. In fact, we're calling it "arguably the best record of their 20-year career to date".

Spock's Beard recently completed a European headline tour with InsideOut label-mates Sound Of Contact and Beardfish. Just previous to starting that tour, they filmed a music video for the track Submerged and you can check it out below.

Alan Morse (guitar/vocals) had this to say about the filming of the clip: "This is the best video we've done yet, we're really proud of it. We had a great time making it, though it was a lot of work. It looks fantastic – the director, actors and crew were all really top notch, it was a pleasure to work with them. The director, Michael Beaudry, had a powerful vision to go with the song, and I think he executed it brilliantly. Plus he's just a really cool guy. Hope you all like it, more to come…"

GOO GOO DOLLS NEW ALBUM MAGNETIC DEBUTS AT #8 ON THE BILLBOARD TOP 200 CHART:

Goo Goo Dolls new album Magnetic has debuted at #8 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, with almost 29k sold first week. The 10th studio album for the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated band features debut single Rebel Beat, which is currently climbing the charts at Hot AC radio. Goo Goo Dolls celebrated the June 11 release of Magnetic with a performance of "Rebel Beat" on Good Morning America, followed by an appearance on Kelly & Michael June 12. "Rebel Beat" can also be heard for the next month in the promos for HGTV's new show Brother vs. Brother and in the latest installment of HGTV's #lovehome branding campaign. They will be performing the song on Rachael Ray July 3.
To support Magnetic, Goo Goo Dolls are hitting the road with Matchbox 20 next week. The nationwide co-headlining run will kick off June 25th at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH and run through August. Enter to win a trip to see Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox 20 here: connect.googoodolls.com. UK fans will also get a chance to see the band: they begin a headline run there on October 15.
Goo Goo Dolls have sold over 10 million albums worldwide, with 14 Top 10 Radio hits, more than any other artist in the history of the Hot AC format. They are the only artist to have three songs on Billboard's "Top 100 Songs from 1992-2012" including the Number One slot, for "Iris." John Rzeznik has been honored with the Songwriters Hall of Fame Hal David Starlight Award and they were recently inducted into Guitar Center's Historic Hollywood Rock Walk.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Journey React To Death of Sopranos Star James Gandolfini
Journey have paid tribute to James Gandolfini, best known for the role of mafia boss Tony Soprano in the hit HBO series "The Sopranos," who died in Italy on Wednesday of a suspected heart attack. He was 51.
The famed final scene in "The Sopranos" featured Journey's classic song "Don't Stop Believing" and the band issued a statement about Gandolfini death on Wednesday.

Here is what they had to say, "It's truly an honor to have been able to share one of the greatest moments ever in TV history with James Gandolfini. He was an amazing actor - taken way too young – and he'll be missed. Our condolences go out to his family."

HBO and James managers also issued statements. HBO said, "We're all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of our family. He was special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone no matter their title or position with equal respect. He touched so many of us over the years with his humor, his warmth and his humility. Our hearts go out to his wife and children during this terrible time. He will be deeply missed by all of us."

Gandolfini managers Mark Armstrong and Nancy Sanders issued this statement, "It is with immense sorrow that we report our client James Gandolfini passed away today while on holiday in Rome, Italy. Our hearts are shattered and we will miss him deeply. He and his family were part of our family for many years and we are all grieving."

You can watch a video of clip of the final Sopranos scene featuring the Journey song here.




Rare Eddie Van Halen and Allan Holdsworth Performance Goes Online
A new set of rare videos from a performance featuring Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen and Allan Holdsworth have been posted online by Chris Gossett.

Gossett says that these new videos are very rare and come from a show that Van Halen and Holdsworth performed on April 23rd, 1982. He says that while two pieces from the show have been posted on YouTube, there were actually six pieces recorded and he has posted four of the six on his site.

He has broken the posting up into six parts, of which he has posted four in total so far. One video features a 12 minute jam which you can watch here. The next two videos feature what Gossett says is a crafted song where Van Halen got together with Allan Holdsworth's bass player, Jeff Berlin, on 4/22/82, just one day prior to the show to compose the riffs. Watch the first part here and the second part here and he sent an additional video link of a jam from the show that has previously been featured on his site here.





Black Sabbath Score Their First No. 1 Album
Black Sabbath's brand new studio album, "13," has earned the legendary veteran heavy metal band the very first U.S. No. 1 album of their 45-year career.

"13" made a powerful first week impression after it sold more than 155,000 copies in its first week, which was 100,000 more copies sold than the next best selling album of the week, Daft Punk's "Random Access Memories."

The members of Black Sabbath issued the following statement about their historic achievement: "The news is absolutely amazing--we couldn't have imagined this would happen," says guitarist Tony Iommi. "We have the greatest fans."

"There have been so many amazing highlights in our long career," says singer Ozzy Osbourne. "To finally have our first #1 album in the U.S. is another incredible milestone for Black Sabbath. Thank you to all of our fans for their support and loyalty."

Bassist Geezer Butler says, "I'm absolutely stunned. Thank you all world wide for being the best, and most patient, fans ever."

The album made a big impression across the globe where it also topped the charts in the U.K., Denmark, Germany, New Zealand and Switzerland and made top five debuts in Australia (#4), Austria (#2), Belgium (#5), and Ireland (#5).

North American fans will be able to help the band celebrate this summer when the group launches their summer tour on July 25 in Houston, TX. more on this story





Travis Return From Hiatus With New Album and Tour
Travis have officially ended their five year long hiatus and regrouped to record their new studio album, "Where You Stand," which will be released on August 20th.

Fans will not have to wait until August to get a taste of what the new album will sound like as the band is giving fans an advance listed to the album's title track here.

"Where You Stand" was produced by Michael Ilbert who recorded the album on the same sound desk that was used on both "The Man Who" and Radiohead's "Ok Computer."

The album was written and recorded across London, Norway, New York and Berlin's legendary Hansa Studios and the band had the following to say about the end of their hiatus and return to making music, "When you're in a band, you're in a band forever - its a life thing," reasons lead singer Fran Healy. "For me it's family."

"It's a lovely life," reflects bassist Dougie Payne, "but when you do it relentlessly, there's a point when it snaps you. We decided to take a break to spend time with our families. You stay away as long as it takes" he says of the well-judged fallow period "so you feel that hunger and desire to get back to it same as you did at the start."

The band will also be making their live return this summer and have announced the initial dates from the globe spanning trek that will kick off in July and include performances at T In The Park and the V Festival (UK), plus shows across Europe, Russia and a North American headlining tour that begins September 19th in Philadelphia more on this story




Ray Manzarek's Final Album Released
The final studio album recorded by the late Doors legend Ray Manzarek has been released. The album is entitled 'Twisted Tales' and was recorded by Ray Manzarek and Roy Rogers.

"In our last meeting together before his passing, Ray and I were both very excited about the upcoming release of 'Twisted Tales'. We signed off on the artwork and agreed that it should be released sooner than later," says Roy Rogers.

"So, honoring that decision, I have proceeded with the release. We both were proud of this recording and hope that people enjoy it. This recording is dedicated to Ray's memory."

Glass Onyon sent over these details about the album: Ray Manzarek and Roy Rogers have received no shortage of kudos since they first recorded together five years ago. Ray Manzarek's signature keyboard sound was a cornerstone of The Doors - one of the most iconic rock bands of the 60's. An inductee into the R&R Hall of Fame - he certainly needs no introduction. In the pantheon of music, The Doors' music continues to be one of the most revered rock song catalogs of any band. Slide guitarist Roy Rogers has been lauded not only for his own recordings but for his long-time collaboration with harmonica master Norton Buffalo as well as his producing of 4 CD projects for blues icon John Lee Hooker and folk legend Ramblin' Jack Elliott. He is well known worldwide for his mastery of slide guitar and has received 8 Grammy nominations for his work as artist and producer. more on this story





Sammy Hagar Added To Toby Keith's Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert
Toby Keith's upcoming Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert has just gotten even more star power with the announcement that Sammy Hagar will be joining the all-star lineup.

The charity concert will be taking place on July 6 in Norman, Oklahoma in the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium at the University of Oklahoma and will feature the former Van Halen and current Chickenfoot frontman as well as Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Trisha Yearwood, Ronnie Dunn, Mel Tillis and John Anderson.

"When Toby asked me to come on board, I immediately said yes!" says Hagar. "He's put together a hell of a concert lineup to help raise funds for the brave and resilient people of Oklahoma. My job is going to be to help them take their minds off their problems and have some much-needed, good old-fashioned fun."

"I grew up in Moore, I live in Norman and I've got lots of family and friends who were directly affected," Toby Keith said in a press statement. "I know these folks and they're resilient, but we're going to keep helping them any way we can. I'm proud to get together with some others from around here who are just as committed as I am to supporting these communities." Hagar has additional information here.




Rob Zombie Plans Great American Nightmare Event For Halloween
(Gibson) Halloween is over four months away, but Rob Zombie is ready for it. The horror film guru and singer has just dropped the news that he'll host a new event this Halloween that will let fans walk through several haunted house attractions based on his popular horror movies.

The event, called "The Great American Nightmare," will offer three haunted houses: "Lords of Salem Total Black Out," "The Haunted World of El Superbeasto 3D" and "Haunt of 1,000 Corpses." The houses feature 3D effects and animatronics for an extra creepy twist.

"This is...the ultimate badass Halloween experience!" Zombie said in an official statement. "No one will walk away disappointed. I am thrilled to bring The Great American Nightmare to California and begin a reign of bloody terror!"

On top of the haunted attractions, the Great American Nightmare will offer 15 evenings of creepy concerts arranged by Zombie, including performances by the Used, Andrew W.K., Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish and more. more on this story






Arctic Monkeys Streaming New Song Online
(Radio.com) After premiering the song in concert last month, British rockers the Arctic Monkeys have released the studio version of their new single, "Do I Wanna Know?"

The band's sound continues to evolve beyond the snappy and upbeat kick of early singles like "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor," with the new single riding on a slow-burning big-beat stomp, falsetto backing vocals and a massive sing-along chorus.

According to drummer Matt Helders, the band will release a new album this year, their first full-length since 2011′s Suck it and See. The Arctic Monkeys only have one U.S. date on their tour itinerary this summer, with the band scheduled to play the Music Midtown 2013 festival in Atlanta, Ga., over the weekend of September 20-21 alongside such acts as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Imagine Dragons, 2 Chainz and Journey. Check out the song here.




Homme Explains Elton John and Queens Of The Stone Age Collaboration
(Gibson) Queens Of The Stone Age has a very unexpected collaboration on their new album ...Like Clockwork. The band teamed up with piano rock legend Elton John on the song "Fairweather Friends." In an interview with BBC 5 Live Josh Homme talked about working with Elton:

"He's a workaholic. He's a music fan who's constantly searching for new music to get involved with. He's signing acts from YouTube, it's really intense. He's always playing 200 plus shows a year and he's an amazing piano player."

Speaking about the track "Fairweather Friends," Homme said: "He called me on the phone and it took me a minute to work out if I was being punked or not. He came in and we tracked a rock song live together, which was a wonderful experience.

"That is what collaboration is all about, learning something from someone else and about someone else and maybe reminding them of something they enjoy too. To experience that with Elton was wonderful. There are piano-based, mellower songs on our record but that's not really the point. It's about strange chemistry and doing what you're not supposed to do."

Queens Of The Stone Age are touring Europe during June and July, before heading Stateside for shows throughout August and September, starting with an appearance at the Lollapalooza Festival on August 2. more on this story






Queensryche Rift Goes Back A Decade
(Classic Rock) Queensryche drummer Scott Rockenfield says the rift between the band and fired frontman Geoff Tate go back ten years. They're poised to release their self-titled album with new singer Todd La Torre, and streamed the full record online yesterday.

Tate was sacked in 2012 following a series of disagreements – but Rockenfield says the process leading up to the band's decision started a decade ago.

"It's been, like, ten years – things were starting to come uncomfortable," He tells Ghost Cult. "It was a slow process, but over time if became apparent that Michael Wilton, Eddie Jackson and I were drifting apart from Geoff, especially when it came down to the music and the general direction of Queensryche."

Rockenfield says there's a good reason they didn't take action sooner.




Killers Team Up With M83
(Radio.com) In a surprise announcement, drummer Ronnie Vannucci has revealed that the Killers have collaborated with M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez on a new song.

"Not just demos. Real recordings," Vannucci told NME about the studio collaboration. "I mean, you never know what it's gonna be, I guess. But we have our engineer, and we're working with a couple of surprise guests, in the producer capacity. Some of it is sounding really cool.

"We can be guilty of making things so ornate, and sometimes that's a bad thing. So I always have conversations with Brandon [Flowers, Killers frontman] about working from a smaller palate, simplifying things. If these new tracks develop a theme, a common thread, then that could be the start of something."

The Killers are currently on tour in Europe, with a string of U.S. dates this summer including an appearance at Lollapalooza in Chicago (August 3) and LouFest in St. Louis (Sept. 8). The band is still supporting their most recent album, Battle Born, which came out in September of last year. more on this story




Everyone Dies In Utah Replace Justin Yost
Everyone Dies In Utah frontman and bassist Justin Yost has left the group and started a new band and has been replaced by former Us, From Outside singer Michael Crimlis.

Crimlis had this to say about his new gig, "I used to be the vocalist for another band on Tragic Hero, so I've been labelmates with the EDIU dudes for a while and I was always a big fan of their style," he said. "When I was offered the position to be their new vocalist it was pretty much a no brainer."

The rest of Everyone Dies In Utah had this to say about Crimlis, "We look forward to the opportunity to share the adventure with such a talented musician!"

Everyone Dies In Utah did not address Justin's departure but assured fans that they will still be performing on the upcoming Scream the Prayer tour.

Justin Yost posted a series of tweets following the announcement and says that he is "coming out with a solo record this summer and a new song with my new band this weekend. ;)"

A few hours later he said, "Boy, oh boy, do we have some awesome stuff for you guys soon. Things no one does anymore. #backtotheroots #appreciatefans #newband "

He also had a message for fans and friends, "Through all this band craziness I just wanted to say thanks to all the friends/fans who are still supporting me. Real love goes far. #thanks"




Sunset Strip Music Festival Lineup Expanded
Awolnation, Wale, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Logic, Slick Rick/Doug E. Fresh, Asher Roth, Finch and Street Drum Corps will be joining headliners Linkin Park as the outdoors performances at this year's Sunset Strip Music Festival.

The sixth annual festival will be taking place in West Hollywood at the Sunset Strip's famed music venues on August 1-3 and will culminate on Saturday, August 3 with a 3-11 PM street festival.

In addition to the two outdoor stages on The Sunset Strip, venues inside the street festival closure – including The Roxy, Whisky A Go-Go and a special outdoor Viper Room stage -- will feature full lineups throughout the day and into the night, including performances by Warren G and Bizarre Ride featuring Fatlip & Slimkid3 at The Roxy and Orgy at the Whisky. more on this story




Don Felder Describes The Difficult Road to Forever
Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder describes in a new interview with antiMusic's Morley Seaver a tragedy that occurred as he was preparing to record his latest solo album, "Road To Forever," as well as the story behind the title track and other songs on the album. Here is that portion of the interview:

There was a record producer called Greg Ladanyi, a really famous guy. He's produced tons of great records that I loved and admired and I worked with Greg on several other projects along the way. He was originally going to be the producer on this record. He and I had spent months playing golf and having lunch and listening to song ideas and deciding where we would record and who the players would be. And just kind of putting out the roadmap in advance of how we were going to go about making this record, song selection and all that other stuff.

Then about a week before we were scheduled to actually come into the studio, Greg got on a plane and flew to Greece to see one of his Greek Madonna artists, who isn't really known in the states but is huge in Greece. And he had an unfortunate accident where he fell off the back of this really huge stadium stage and passed away. So I was kind of left with this roadmap that Greg had laid out for me and really saddened by his not being able to be part of this record. But he had given me the plan to do it.

So myself and one of the guys that I had been introduced to by Greg, Robin DiMaggio, decided we would pick this up, go into the studio, record three or four songs and kind of see how they turn out. See how we'd do. One of the songs that I wanted to do was a song called "Road to Forever", which I started writing as a really kind of acoustic guitar song when my father passed away. My father never really got to see and enjoy the celebration of my success. He passed away before I really went anywhere with the Eagles. I was in the band but we were just starting to tour and stuff.

So I wanted to record that song and we put together that group of people that Greg had talked about doing on that song. I wanted to make it tougher so I rewrote some of the song and took it in from a pretty acoustic song to this harder rock song. Brought in Steve Lukather and David Paich…a whole bunch of guys to play on it that we had talked about. And at the very end of the record I created this affect that sounds like what I would imagine the pool of souls sounding like. You stick your head up into heaven, you could hear the millions an millions of souls that's gone before us, just a swarming sound and you couldn't really understand what they were saying but you would hear all these millions of voices.

We simulated that in the studio by having a bunch of people speaking and saying prayers and saying stuff, women and all sorts of kids and everything to create that. And at the very end of that pool of souls, on the "Road to Forever" song, I found this thing online of Greg at a conference for recording engineers and producer. And he was speaking about the difference between digital recording and analog recording and he said at the very end of his speech, "and that's the difference between the two worlds." So I took Greg's voice and put it in the very end of the pool of souls. So as it fades down you can hear Greg say, "And that's the difference between the worlds." So Greg ended up on the record.

That song was kind of done in his honor and my father's honor, but it's the same pathway for us all, if you know what I mean. So kind of the theme of the record was, you may be living through all of these experiences, as fun and uplifting and tragic as they may be, and you may be living your life in the fast lane but we're all on the road to forever. So that kind of was the underlying theme of the record. And that's why I chose that title to be on the record.

All the other things are other experiences that I've gone through that were quite tragic. Like the separation and divorce from my wife produced the song "Fall from The Grace of Love". Living through those three or four years of really desperate bad economy, I wrote the song "Money", where I saw single moms who couldn't feed their kids and thieves on Wall Street just ripping off everybody. And Uncle Sam is raising taxes and guys working as hard as they could to just earn enough money to get by and how difficult that was. So I wrote songs about life experiences that I either observed or living through, and said that was part of the road to forever. Read the full interview here.




Megadeth's Dave Mustaine Rockline Appearance Posted Online
(hennemusic) Megadeth's Dave Mustaine was the guest on Rockline with host Bob Coburn this past Monday, and a reply of the broadcast is now available online.

Mustaine was on the show to promote the band's new album, "Super Collider," which debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 last week with opening sales of 29,000 copies. Listen to the replay here.

The record was the final project recorded at Mustaine's Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California with producer Johnny K; the guitarist has since closed the facility and is moving it to another location. more on this story




Metallica Release Orion Fest Day 2 Recap Video
(hennemusic) Metallica are sharing more footage from their recent Orion Music + More festival from Belle Isle in Detroit, MI with the release of a recap of day two of the festival.

A recap of day 2 (Sunday, June 9) features the pre-show meet-and-greet, "I Disappear" in the tuning room, and "Carpe Diem Baby" and "The Day That Never Comes" from the show.

Orion 2013 marks only the second time that "Carpe Diem Baby" had been performed live, and just the second time that "The Day That Never Comes" had been played over the past two and a half years.

The June 8/9 weekend event featured more than 30 bands across five live music stages plus a variety of activities and on-site events; the Red Hot Chili Peppers headlined the first night and Metallica closed out the festival on Sunday evening. Check out the recap here.





Singled Out: The Custodian's Necessary Wasted Time
Today Richard Thomson from U.K. prog rockers The Custodian tells us about the title track from their brand new debut album, "Necessary Wasted Time". Here is the story:

So this song I think is the most important song lyrically for me on the album, as it sums up the entire writing process. Looking back on this now, the basic meaning of the title is a rather childish observation of "wanting to be able to do what you want to do all the time instead of having responsibilities".

During the initial creation of the music that appears on the album, I was working a really high stress job for a pay that didn't nearly match the pure anguish I was having to deal with on a daily basis. I would start real early and get back real late, so as soon as id had a very modest gym session to de-stress and de-fat, I would have about 2 hours left in the evening to eat and hopefully, write some music. Or do anything productive at all for that matter. I saw my job obviously, as utterly necessary for my continued survival but still got mad at it for cutting into my "me" quite time so severely. This album was all that mattered and I got incredibly frustrated when I wasn't able to contribute to it.

At one point it became pretty awful and it seemed that I had permanently cut all fun from my life. Every weekend, evening and small morsel of free time was consumed with the writing process. In all honesty it started to become a little obsessive. I barely saw my housemate and tended to be moody and snappy when I did bump into him which I'm sure he appreciated greatly (sorry Sam). I never saw my friends and constantly forgot to call any of my family members back when they felt like having a chat with their distant, surly butthole of a son. Oh yeah and my girlfriend left me too which was entirely expected. (get out your tiny violins). In hindsight I should of left her first and retained some pride. Strangely, the songwriting process became easier after that. Id hate to subscribe to the cliché that being in a strangely (for me anyway) emotional funk can lead to creativity but hey, it worked for me.

So I guess that's about it. The entire album was written over about a year's period in a tiny bedroom in Warwickshire. The process was solitary and a bit isolating but social skills CAN be re-learnt with no huge conscious effort it turns out. The album is being released professionally by Laser's Edge and I couldn't be happier with the result. Its just a shame it took 5 years from the completion of the material for it to appear on the store shelves. I guess I just had a lot of necessary time to waste before then!

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




Chimaira Release 'No Mercy' Video
Chimaira have premiered a new music video for their latest single "No Mercy," which is featured on their forthcoming studio album "Crown of Phantoms."

Frontman Mark Hunter had these details about the new video, "We are pumped to present the first official video for our new album 'Crown of Phantoms.' Directed by Cleveland native Patrick Finegan, 'No Mercy' is a ferocious, twisted, cerebral ride through hell and back. Enjoy the trip!"

"Crown of Phantoms" will be released on July 30th and the band enlisted fans via a Indiegogo campaign to help fund the creation of the album. You can watch the new music video here.




The Boxer Rebellion Rock Leno
The Boxer Rebellion were the special musical guests on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno last Friday night and video of their appearance has been posted online.

The UK band made their American late-night television return by performing their song, "Diamonds," which is the first single off their recently released full-length album 'Promises.'

The Boxer Rebellion is currently on a run of North America that includes a headlining show at Webster Hall in New York City tonight, June 20 and a final show at Sinclair in Boston, MA on Saturday, June 22. Watch the Leno performance here.





King Khan & The Shrines Streaming New Song Online
(Classic Rock) King Khan & The Shrines have unveiled the first track, "Born To Die," from their upcoming album "Idle No More," which is set for release on September 3 via Merge Records.

Six years since the release of KK&TS' last album What Is!?, Idle No More is full of sweat-drenched, ass-shaking, psyched-out numbers, complete with rip-roaring horn lines, southern-fried guitar riffs and lysergic melodies.

Or, as Classic Rock Ed in Chief Scott Rowley comments: "Pretty good, totally mad garage rock. They played the Austin Psych Fest dressed as Egyptian kings from what I could tell."

Today's Day in Rock News !

Today's Day in Rock


Mustaine and Newsted Plan Metallica Jam On Gigantour
Over the past month Megadeth's Dave Mustaine and Jason Newsted have both hinted in interviews that they may team up on the upcoming Gigantour and jam a song together from their previous band Metallica and now Mustaine appears to confirm that they will be doing it.
The idea first appeared in an interview SkullsnBones.com conducted with Newsted where he said, "There is a chance that Mustaine and I will bust out some old Metallica that he was a part of. it has been talked about. I'm willing to throw down Phantom Lord – actually, whatever he calls out, I'm gonna throw down."

A short time later Mustaine told Grammy.com, "There's a really cool new relationship between the two of us. I saw he said something about us playing a song together and I thought, 'Wow, that's pretty interesting. It's doable, and I think it would be fun.'"

It now appears that Mustaine wants to make it a reality as he tweeted the following question to fans last week, "If I play a song I wrote in @Metallica w/@JasonCNewsted, which should it be? Ride, Metal Militia, Phantom, Jump, Khutulu, or Four Horsemen?"




Ozzy Osbourne Can't Remember The 90s
(hennemusic) In a recent interview to promote the new Black Sabbath album, "13," frontman Ozzy Osbourne says he was in such a booze and drug-fueled haze through the 90s that he can't even remember the decade.

"The best thing is that we are still f**king all alive to be in a band," Ozzy tells news agency Reuters. "I don't know about the rest of the guys, [but] I certainly had a good go at trying to kill myself with the alcohol and booze for all the years. I kind of missed the '90s, you know? I must have been in a cocaine haze, because I can't remember the '90s at all."

"We've all come out the other side, the other end," Ozzy continued. "It is good to be back sober and clean [even though I have had] a hiccup now and again along the way. I don't get up and the first thing I say is that I will have a shot of brandy. I don't do that or smoke cigarettes anymore. We are alive and it is a lot more fun being sober and enjoying your fellow workers that you are working with." more on this story





Metallica's Full Kill 'Em All Set Goes Online
(hennemusic) Video has surfaced of Metallica's full surprise afternoon set at the Orion Music + More festival on Saturday, June 8, which saw the group perform their 1983 album, "Kill 'Em All," in its entirety.

James Hetfield appeared on stage to introduce a mystery band on the Orion bill named Dehaan; the guitarist was then joined by the other members of Metallica and the group blazed through their full debut album.

Metallica fans will recognize the band name Dehaan was inspired by the band's association with actor Dane DeHaan, who plays a lead role in the group's upcoming 3D concert film, "Through The Never," due for release in September. Check out the video here.




Aerosmith and Foreigner Duos Honored
(Gibson) Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry as well as Mick Jones and Lou Gramm of Foreigner were inducted to the Songwriters Hall Of Fame on June 13th in New York City at the Marriott Marquis Hotel.

Tyler commented on the honor saying: "I love that Joe and I are getting inducted tonight because we put our nose to the grindstone. We can't get harmony if everybody is singing the same note."

Perry added, "It means that people are listening to what we're doing. Like Steven said, we're always under the hood working, or we're on the road, whatever. That's what the band is, it's work, and we're doing it."

Nickelback performed a cover of Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" during the ceremony, while Tyler and Perry took to the stage and performed "Walk This Way." more on this story






Queensryche Already Thinking Ahead To Their Next Album
(Gibson) The Todd La Torre-fronted version of Queensryche have not yet released their first album with the new line-up but they're already talking about where they'd like the follow-up to go.

With the band's self-titled album due on June 25, La Torre says he'd like to see the next album get heavier than its predecessor, and to explore longer song structures.

Speaking to London Rocks, La Torre said, "I wouldn't mind the next record kind of letting the music breathe a little bit more in the sense of… Today, people really want you to be into the meat of the song in a relatively short period of time. I think if we can write a long song in a very creative way, then that would be something that I'm looking forward to. A song like 'Roads To Madness' — that's a ten-minute song," adding "So we're just gonna try to outdo his record on the next one and see what we could come up with."

As for the impending court decision on the future of the Queensryche name, La Torre is confident he knows where it will go. "I feel very confident, everyone on our side feels very confident that Michael [Wilton] and Scott [Rockenfield] and Eddie [Jackson] will be awarded the name. And obviously, it'll boil down to whatever kind of corporate contracts are established and put in place and that kind of a thing.

"I'm sure there will have to be some type of financial compensation for whichever side gets it. But these guys were the majority, they were the songwriters." more on this story






Paramore To Rock Teen Choice Awards
Paramore have announced that they will be performing their song "Still Into You" from their recently released self-titled album on Teen Choice 2013 awards.

The Teen Choice 2013 awards will be airing live from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, August 11 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.

While Paramore have previously won eight Teen Choice awards, this will be the first time that the group will make an appearance and perform at the event.

This year Paramore have been nominated for the Choice Music: Rock Group. Their previous wins include Choice Music: Rock Group 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; Choice Music: Rock Track 2008, 2009 and 2011 and Choice Music: Album – Rock 2010.

The broadcast will also feature appearances from Liam Hemsworth, Logan Lerman, Lily Collins, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson, Chloë Grace Moretz and Tyler Posey.

Voting is currently taking place here.





Korn, Queens Of The Stone Age, Black Crowes To Rock Sturgis
Korn, Queens Of The Stone Age, The Black Crowes and Gary Allan will all be rocking the 2013 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally when they take the stage at The Broken Spoke Campground.

Korn was the latest artist announced for the concert series that will be taking place at The Broken Spoke Campground during the Sturgis ralley. They will be performing on Tuesday, August 6th.

The Black Crowes will kick the series off on Sunday, August 4, Queens Of The Stone Age will perform on Monday, August 5 and Gary Allan will perform on Wednesday, August 7.

Organizers expect to announce more concerts and events in the coming weeks for The Broken Spoke Campground at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally which will be open from July 29 – August 11.

Additional entertainment including added concerts and motorcycle events at the Broken Spoke Campground will also be announced in the next several weeks. More details here.





Brad Paisley Performs With The Rolling Stones
(hennemusic) Brad Paisley was the featured guest Tuesday night in Philadelphia as the Rolling Stones played the 16th stop on their "50 & Counting" arena tour.

Paisley joined the band for "Dead Flowers," which was also the fan-voted song for the show. The country star is currently on the road for his "Beat This Summer" tour in support of his latest album, "Wheelhouse."

The Stones will play Philadelphia again on Friday before wrapping up the North American tour in Washington on June 24. You can watch video of the Paisley/Stones jam here.




Ministry Announce Release of From Beer To Eternity Album
(Classic Rock) Ministry's new album From Beer To Eternity will be released on September 5 in the UK and on September 6th in North America by 13th Planet Records.

The record was never meant to exist – but mainman Al Jourgensen says he "didn't have a choice" about making it. The record came out of a mammoth session of laying down rough tracks, followed by the tragic death of guitarist Mike Scaccia three days later.

Jourgen says: "We have never, in the history of Ministry, ever had a tracking session like that before. Everything went so smoothly. Mikey was on fire and inspired, and really a driving force."

"During the tracking sessions, Mikey was smiling and going, 'You know what, Al? This is by far and away the best Ministry album we've ever done together. This is awesome.' I'm super proud of From Beer to Eternity because it's my tribute to Mikey's incredible talent, and I feel it honors him and all of the years we spent together making music." more on this story





Megadeth Announce Additional Gigantour Dates
(hennemusic) Megadeth have announced the addition of two New York dates to their upcoming Gigantour schedule. The tour will kick off on July 3rd in Gilford, NH and wrap up on August 11th in Toronto, ON.

Touring in support of their new album, "Super Collider," Megadeth and their touring festival will hit New York's Hammerstein Ballroom on August 6th and 7th.

Megadeth's support acts will be split between the two shows, with Device, Hellyeah and Death Division playing the August 6th show, while Black Label Society and Newsted are confirmed for the August 7th date. more on this story





Yes To Play Three Classic Albums On Upcoming Tour
(Classic Rock) Yes will tour the UK next spring, performing the three-album concert that's taken the US by storm. The veteran prog outfit will deliver The Yes Album, Close To The Edge and Going For The One in full at ten shows, kicking off on April 29, 2014.

Guitarist Steve Howe – who recently gave his reasons for bowing out of Asia – says: "We performed these three albums in their entirety on our North and South American tours, and the fans absolutely loved it."

Bassist Chris Squire adds: "So did we! Plus, we'll be performing pieces we've rarely played live. I believe the one song we never performed in concert before our three-album tours is A Venture from The Yes Album." more on this story




Bruce Dickinson Secures Big Investment in His New Company
(hennemusic) Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson's aircraft maintenance business, Cardiff Aviation, has secured a £5 million (approximately $7.68 million) investment that will help the new company develop across the South Wales aerospace industry.

About one third of the funds will be contributed by Finance Wales, the U.K. SME investment company and Welsh Government subsidiary, with the remainder coming from private or privately-owned investors, including Dickinson and his business partner Mario Fulgoni, according to Wales Online.

"The Welsh Government has played a fantastic role in a difficult economic environment in providing tremendous support and enthusiasm," says Dickinson. "Finance Wales' long-term backing is the fuel not just to put St Athan on the map, but has the potential to create a consequentially much wider impact across the entire South Wales aerospace industry." more on this story




Bob Dylan Spotted Painting Topless Women in Central Park
(Radio.com) Bob Dylan ditched his microphone for an easel last Thursday (June 13) when he was spotted in Central Park, seemingly painting portraits of topless models lounging in the grass.

The musician tagged along with artist pal Richard Prince for the outing, which has caused a bit of a stir. While onlookers and art bloggers initially assumed Dylan was basing his work off the live models in front of him, it has been revealed that the inspiration behind his painting is actually a photo of Italian actress Sonia Aquino by fashion photographer Bruno Bisang. Read more, and see the NSFW image here.

This comes over a year in the wake of his 2011 painting scandal, in which Dylan was confronted with the very same issue of basing his work off of existing photographs.

Some even speculate as to whether Dylan even painted the latest work himself at all, or if Richard Prince might have lent an artistic hand. Critics of Dylan's past shows addressed the probability of his work acting as social commentary rather than art, making the integrity of its originality irrelevant.

Animal New York points out that Dylan is not be the first artist to take inspiration from others' photos. And, of course, Dylan comes from the music industry where plagiarism is always an issue. Indeed, Dylan has accused others of copying him (notably Hootie & The Blowfish in 1995, when they borrowed five lines of his "Tangled Up In Blue" for their "Only Wanna Be With You"; they reportedly settled out of court) and has also been accused of plagiarizing other people's music (though he told Rolling Stone that those who accuse him of that are "wussies"). more on this story





Van Halen Expand Set List At Tour Kick Off
(hennemusic) Van Halen kicked off their Japanese tour on in Nagoya on Tuesday at the city's Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, and the show featured 27 tracks and clocked in at 2 hours and 20 minutes, according to The Van Halen News Desk.

The band's expanded set list (that is normally 24 songs on this tour) included three additional tunes: "Atomic Punk," "Jamie's Cryin'" and "Mean Street."

Frontman David Lee Roth's solo featured a new twist from the 2012 shows, with his recent short film trailer "Tokyo Story" playing behind his introduction to "Ice Cream Man" as opposed to last year's "Dog Story" vignette. more on this story





Soundgarden's Live From The Artists Den Premiere Announced
(hennemusic) Soundgarden's appearance on the public television series Live From The Artists Den will premiere next month as part of the show's 6th season.

The episode featuring the Seattle rockers will be broadcast the week of July 11 - check your local PBS station for the time and date in your area. The series filmed the final date of the first leg of Soundgarden's North American tour, in support of "King Animal."

The band were captured at The Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on February 17; Soundgarden's performance mixed brand new songs with classics, radio hits, and rarities. more on this story





Little Angels Play Their Final Show
(Classic Rock) Little Angels singer Toby Jepson has thanked fans for their support after the band played their last-ever gig. They wound their reunion down at the Isle Of Wight Festival on Sunday following a year of appearances.

The band originally split in 1994. Jepson, Bruce and Jimmy Dickinson, Mark Plunkett and Mark Richardson announced last January that they were getting back together for a set at the 2012 Download festival. They'd rekindled their relationships at the funeral of original drummer MIchael Lee in 2008.

Little Angels went on to tour the UK with Skin under the title One More For The Road, then last month confirmed that the Isle Of Wight show, and its two warm-up appearances, would be their last.

Jepson tells fans: "I know it's all been said, and reading all your wonderful comments, in ways far better than I could ever muster – but thank you for the tireless support and the memories that will last forever." Read the rest of his message here.





Bruce Springsteen Even Keeps The E Street Band Guessing
(Classic Rock) E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren needs all of the 30 guitars he takes on stage with him because no one knows what Bruce Springsteen will decide to perform next.

The Boss always writes a set list but he never ever follows it, says Lofgren. He explains: "Sometimes he'll change the first song on the way to the stage because he hears the roar of the crowd and gets a better idea. All night long he's getting better ideas.

"He's a master of stream of consciousness – he's always challenging himself to make each show unique, something you'll never see again." More rock news stories.




Singled Out: Days Between Stations
Today Sepand Samzadeh of Days Between Stations tells us about the song "Eggshell Man" from their brand new album "Extremis". Here is the story:

This is a track featuring the late Peter Banks, Rick Wakeman, Billy Sherwood and Tony Levin, and is the seventh track in our concept album 'In Extremis'. The concept being, the story of a man at the point of death (the Latin definition of 'In Extremis') with his memories whirling around him. The album, in not so chronological order, follows the story of this man, and by the time Eggshell Man appears, the protagonists empire has crumbled. As much he tries to persevere, he keeps falling down. The title comes from the neurotic obsession Oscar and I had developed, by this time, to finish the album… my wife kept saying she was walking on eggshells around us. It is also loosely based off of the Humpty Dumpty fable, which Paul Whitehead depicted in his own fashion in the album artwork.

As the guitarist for Days Between Stations, I wanted to record an acoustic guitar track for the first time. In addition, I was excited to play a Persian lute, named a Tar, on this song. This instrument was part of my many influences growing up and I had always dreamed of introducing it as a Rock worthy instrument to a Western audience. The Persians use this instrument in the classical genre of their music, namely Sonati. Ali Nouri lent his talent on the tar solo on this track, and we really had a great deal of fun recording this with him. The song really fell into place organically.

This is the thunderous Rock track of the album, and definitely my favorite. Oscar hammers away using the Piano, Moog, Electric Piano and Mellotron along with the guitar rhythm and Billy Sherwood's ear shattering and earthquake inducing drums. Tony Levin and Rick Wakeman deliver jaw dropping performances, and I remember being choked up listening back to the track that Billy Sherwood had mixed us towards the end. This track is even more special because it was one of Peter Banks' last tracks. Peter was especially fond of working with us, he had so many great ideas and sometimes flipped an original concept we had on its ear. He would send us 20-30 guitar tracks at a time, giving the song a new dimension, direction and life. Even adding further to the uniqueness of the track, Yes alumni Rick Wakeman and Peter Banks play together for the first time, along with our friend Billy Sherwood. After Peter Banks recorded his parts we spoke over the phone and he was unsure if what he recorded was "it" (he mainly recorded guitar textures, and a few riffs during the tar solo). I told him that he gave the song a new life and we were really excited. He was very happy to hear that. I said, "Rick will have a go at it at the end with a solo, and then I will call you to see if anything else needs to be recorded". As fate would have it, our dear friend passed away.

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




Alice In Chains Release New Album Sampler
(Classic Rock) Alice In Chains have released an 18-minute sampler containing material from their latest album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, released last month.

It's their second album with frontman William DuVall, following 2009′s Black Gives Way To Blue. Despite having been in the band since 2006, DuVall recently said he was "still settling in."

He explained: "It's always work in progress. There are a lot of things we have in common, then there are a lot of things that set us very much apart from one another." Check out the sampler here.



Michael Schenker Talks Past and Future on Wikimetal
Legendary guitarist Michael Schenker was the featured guest on the latest episode of Wikimetal and the show sent over the following details about the interview:

Schenker talked about the new album of Temple of Rock and he remembered his first gig with Scorpions, when he was only 11 years old.

Among other stories, Michael Schenker spoke about the bands that have invited him to be their guitarist and he also told us his future plans.