Here are the top stories from this past week's Day in Rock report
Mick Mars' Health Part of Motley Crue's Retirement Decision
(hennemusic) In the latest episode of the online series "Coffee Run" with Canadian producer and performer Deadmau5, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee reveals that guitarist Mick Mars' health issues are a contributing factor in the timing of the band's farewell tour plans.
"The farewell tour is next," says Lee. "This will be it. Our guitar player [Mars] has a spinal disease that's slowly fusing his vertebrae together. It's one of those things that's treatable, but not curable. So it's just progressively getting really worse and it's painful for him, so he doesn't wanna tour much longer. I can't say I blame him."
When Deadmau5 asks if the Crue would bring in another guitarist to substitute for Mars, Lee says, "The last thing we ever wanna do is go out running on two cylinders with some hired guy playing guitar; that's just whack.
"So we wanna go out with one big hurrah with the original guys and be done with it. That's such a bad look when bands are still playing the f**king fairgrounds — those county fair shows — and it's just like two of the original guys, or one original guy, and the rest, no one knows who they are. We don't wanna do that." - more on this story
Iron Maiden Once Again Top Hot Tours List
(Classic Rock) Iron Maiden have raked in more than $15m in ticket sales from just nine live shows to cement their position at the top of Billboard's Hot Tours List for the third time in a year.
The legendary rockers shot to the top of the pile by making the huge amount from their final nine shows of the group's Maiden England world tour which set off in June 2012.
Over the two-year span of the entire tour Maiden ticket sales were reported to be more than $57m from 54 concerts where total attendance soared above 903,000. - more on this story
Sammy Hagar Day Coming To New England City
(hennemusic) The City of Lowell, MA has declared October 25 as "Sammy Hagar Day" in appreciation for the Hagar Family Foundation contribution to the local food bank, The Merrimack Valley Food Bank.
The Merrimack Valley Food Bank will receive a gift from the Hagar Family Foundation as part of the Four Decades of Rock tour, which plays the Tsongas Center in Lowell on the 25th.
Sammy is donating to local food banks in each U.S. city he visits and in celebration of National Food Day, there will be a gift of $5,000 presented to the Merrimack Valley Food Bank. - more on this story
Fans Can Jam With John Lennon, Hendrix, Freddie Mercury Holograms
(Gibson) Rock fans will soon be presented with a chance to "perform" live with some of their heroes. Set to open next year is The Music Hall of Fame, a museum located in Camden, north London, that will feature interactive holograms of John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Freddie Mercury, Kurt Cobain and other music icons. Attendees will be able to interact with the holograms, with footage of their "meetings" available for purchase on DVD.
The innovative idea was triggered by the "appearance" of rapper Tupac Shakur—in hologram form—during a performance staged by Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre at the 2012 Coachella festival.
"You could be transported back to a specific moment of music or play with artists who are no longer alive, even playing back-to-back with a hologram," said project manager Lee Bennett, speaking to the London Evening Standard . "I was at Coachella watching Tupac and it blew people's minds." - more on this story
TNT Reunite With Tony Harnell
TNT have announced that they have reunited with Tony Harnell following the departure of Tony Mills this summer and the reunion comes just in time for the 25th reunion of the band's "Intuition" album.
Harnell had this to say about the reunion, "After much discussion and lots of soul searching I'm happy to officially announce that I'll be back behind the microphone with TNT.
"I'm very proud of all we accomplished over the years and proud to have written and recorded all those great songs with my brother from another mother, Ronni Le Tekro. Sometimes it's just time to give the fans what they're asking for.
"2014 is the 25th anniversary of the successful Intuition album and we thought it would be a good time to get out and re-launch this little machine for you guys! Can't wait to see you all on tour!" -
Black Sabbath Release 'Loner' Video
(hennemusic) Black Sabbath have released a new music video for their new single "Loner", which is a track off the band's reunion album with original frontman Ozzy Osbourne, "13".
Black Sabbath are currently playing shows on a South American tour with openers Megadeth; the dates wrap up October 26th in Mexico City, Mexico.
On November 26, Sabbath will release a live DVD entitled "Gathered In Their Masses." The band was recorded over two shows – April 29 and May 1 – in Melbourne, Australia during the early stages of the group's current world tour. - Watch the new video here.
The Scorpions Reveal More MTV Unplugged Release Details
(hennemusic) The Scorpions have revealed more details about their upcoming release, "MTV Unplugged - Scorpions Live In Athens", due November 29th in Europe.
Last month, the band performed three MTV Unplugged concerts in Athens, Greece at the city's Lycabettus Theatre. "When we were approached with the idea of playing an unplugged show, we immediately thought of Greece," says singer Klaus Meine.
"We played here many years ago. It is a beautiful place. I can remember that even back then the fans climbed onto the surrounding rocks. Of course we played some of the greatest classics this time, but we also performed a few new songs as well as material that we had never played live up to then. Those are songs which are very popular with the fans but which somehow never made it onto the set lists."
"We have fabulous fans all over the world," adds guitarist Matthias Jabs, "but the Greeks are absolute die-hard fans." During the shows, The Scorpions performed some new songs and several duets with Morten Harket, Cäthe and Johannes Strate. - More including a promo video.
More on Scorpions - Scorpions Music - Scorpions Tour Dates/Tickets - Scorpions CDs, vinyl and rarities
Vinyl Sales Doubled This Year
(Gibson) Sales of vinyl LPs in the U.K. are now at a 10-year high, thanks to a big boost by such artists as Arctic Monkeys, Black Sabbath and Queens of the Stone Age.
Data released yesterday (Oct. 17) by the British Official Charts Company reveals that 532,000 LPs have been purchased in 2013 thus far, an increase of more than 100 percent over last year.
BPI, the British music industry's trade body, estimates that sales of vinyl will likely surpass 700,000 by year's end. "We're witnessing a renaissance for records," says BPI chief executive, Geoff Taylor. "They're no longer retromania and are becoming the format of choice for more and more music fans. While sales only account for a small percentage of the overall market, vinyl sales are growing fast as a new generation discovers the magic of 12" artwork, liner notes and the unique sound of analogue records, often accompanied by a download code for MP3s."
See the top 10 selling vinyl albums of 2013 in the UK so far - here.
More on Arctic Monkeys - Arctic Monkeys Music - Arctic Monkeys Tour Dates/Tickets - Arctic Monkeys CDs, vinyl and rarities
Prog Supergroup Transatlantic Reveal Album and Tour Plans
Prog supergroup Transatlantic, have revealed some details about their forthcoming fourth studio album "Kaleidoscope", which will be released on the January 27, 2014 and announced their tour plans.
Transatlantic includes Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse, Roine Stolt and Pete Trewavas and their new album is set to feature the following five tracks: "Into The Blue," "Shine," "Black As The Sky," "Beyond The Sun," and "Kaleidoscope."
A few days after the album release, the band will be launching a world tour in support of the new album in Los Angeles at the El Segundo Performing Arts Center on January 31st.
The band will once again be joined by their "5th touring member" Pain of Salvation's Daniel Gildenlöw for the trek which includes dates in North and South America, Europe, and also a headlining spot on the 2014 Progressive Nation At Sea cruise in February. - more on this story
More on Transatlantic - Transatlantic Music - Transatlantic Tour Dates/Tickets - Transatlantic CDs, vinyl and rarities
Rush Release The Garden Video From Upcoming DVD
(hennemusic) Rush have released a performance of "The Garden" from the band's forthcoming live package, "Clockwork Angels Tour", due on DVD/Blu-ray and CD November 19.
The project was filmed and recorded last November at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas. The 11-month marathon world tour crossed North America twice and ventured overseas to Europe in support of the band's acclaimed 2012 studio release "Clockwork Angels."
In capturing the tour's three-hour set, "Rush: Clockwork Angels Tour" pairs Rush classics ('Tom Sawyer', 'The Spirit Of Radio', '2112'), with a nod to the '80s Rush era ('The Analog Kid', 'Territories', 'Subdivisions') alongside newly reworked arrangements specifically for the tour featuring the Clockwork Angels String Ensemble ('Headlong Flight', 'YYZ', 'Red Sector A'). The string section marks the first time the trio has brought additional musicians on the road with them. To showcase their latest studio release, the epic set list also features nine tracks off "Clockwork Angels." Other highlights include tracks rarely performed and never before recorded live ('The Body Electric', 'Middletown Dreams'), in addition to three separate drum solos by Neil Peart.
The DVD also includes a 25-minute tour documentary, featuring interviews with all three members and exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage. - Check out The Garden clip here.
Of Mice & Men Nearly Finished With New Album
Of Mice & Men have reached the mixing stages of their new studio album, which will be the group's first new album to feature Aaron Pauley (vocals / bass).
The new album is being produced by David Bendeth (Paramore, Papa Roach, A Day To Remember, Breaking Benjamin) and the band have been recording the effort at the House of Loud in New Jersey.
"This new record encompasses everything we have ever released in our short career," says frontman Austin Carlile. "Every track on the album was written with our fans in mind. I wanted to make every line come from a real life experience or struggle that I've overcome. It's raw, and I really believe our fans will see that I tore myself apart to present them with the most real sound and message we've come out with to date."
The band's new member Pauley adds, "I couldn't be happier to have joined Of Mice & Men," Pauley said. "As a musician, it's what you always want in a band; a bunch of amazingly talented, open-minded musicians who believe in taking the time and putting in the blood sweat and tears to make great songs, and who aren't afraid of making something different. I feel like I've found my true musical home with this band, and I can't wait for the world to hear this album." -
311's Nick Hexum Explains Why He Went Solo
(Gibson) Nick Hexum is best known for fronting alternative rockers 311, but now, he's branching out on his own. Hexum just released his debut solo album, My Shadow Pages, and the album shows him taking a new, fresh direction, with songs that blend pop, jazz, funk and classic rock.
When laying down guitar lines for My Shadow Pages, Hexum took to his black ES-355. We chatted with Hexum about the new album, going solo and why Gibson guitars are "the whole package."
Congratulations on your solo release, My Shadow Pages. This is your first solo album. Why the decision to step out on your own now? It just happened organically. My brother, Zack (a very accomplished jazzbo) and I were talking about making an instrumental funky jazzy jam band. We started writing instrumentals, but we both love to sing, so we started adding vocals. Next thing you know, we had "Blame the Sky" finished and loved it! Then I started making the rounds with my friends who are in the co-writing songwriters' circuit, and the album practically wrote itself. It was just really nice to have no expectations and be able take the tunes wherever I saw fit. I had such great help from the band I put together, my co-writers, producer Jim Scott and my managers Adam and Peter Raspler. There are so many to thank that have made it possible. The term "solo album" is a bit of a misnomer.
How does this release differ from what you do with 311? Do you think it will surprise 311 fans? Well, the instrumentation is different. The funk I like relies quite a bit on Hammond B-3, Rhodes and Clav, so those are new ingredients for me to work with. The quintet has two keyboardists (Luke "Chops" Miller and Zack Hexum), so that's a big difference from 311 right there. Plus, Zack plays a lot of sax on the album. And rhythm guitar and flute, for that matter! I think it has surprised some fans, and that's good to keep them guessing!
What was it like working with producer Jim Scott? He has a great résumé. Jim was a real pleasure to work with. He and drummer Gary Novak got amazing drum sounds. Plus, he has pretty much every rock instrument known to man all set up in his studio so we were like kids in a candy story. Bassist, Andres Rebellon, played a different one of Jim's vintage basses on every song. We cut all the instruments in just five days so it was just "throw and go." Jim said he doesn't remember being part of a project where he got so much great stuff so quickly. He said, "There was a lot of trust in the room." - Read the rest of the interview here.
Brian Wilson and Jeff Beck's Odd Pairing Works On New Tour
(Radio.com) The pairing of Brian Wilson and Jeff Beck for a co-headlining tour (which hit Montclair, New Jersey's Wellmont Theatre on October 16 night) was an interesting one. While both are icons of '60s music their approaches (and amount of time spent on the Billboard singles charts) could not be more different. Wilson, of course, is a former member of, and genius behind, the Beach Boys, and wears that proudly.
Wilson reunited with his former group in 2012 for one of the year's hottest tours, before being unceremoniously dismissed by bandmate Mike Love, the guy who owns the name of the band. Beck, on the other hand, was a member of seminal '60s British invasion band the Yardbirds: he replaced Eric Clapton in the group, but was fired a few years later. He has rarely looked back at that era of his career. After the Yardbirds, he formed the Jeff Beck Group with a young Rod Stewart and Ron Wood, releasing two classic hard rock albums.
But most of Wilson's set is rooted in the '60s, while Beck's set pretty much ignores his most celebrated history, and sticks with relatively recent material. Wilson's stage is covered with microphones, in an attempt to match the soaring vocals of the old Beach Boys records. Beck has one mic so he can say "hi" to the audience. As different as they are, their sets complimented each other well, culminating in a wonderful, collaborative encore.
Wilson's large band started off with an a capella song from the Beach Boys catalog, "Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring," before launching into the more familiar "California Girls," after which he thanked the audience for the first of many times. Wilson's band clearly loves him and the material, and it comes through in their performance. Wilson mainly just sits behind his piano, sometimes barely playing. But his band is able to replicate the sound and spirit of some of the Beach Boys' greatest hits, so Wilson doesn't really have to do the heavy lifting, and the man was visibly enjoying himself during the show. The set contained some of the band's most celebrated classics, including "Don't Worry Baby," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "I Get Around," "Help Me Rhonda" and "Sloop John B." But the set also featured some lesser known songs like "Little
Bird," "Darlin'" (which Brian called "One of the best songs I ever wrote") and "Marcella." They also mined the Americana songbook with a medley of "Old Man River" and "Cottonfields." Another highlight, though, was Chaplin joining the band for "Sail On Sailor." - More including photos
Paramore Singer Finding Inspiration From Queen and Blondie
(TeamRock Radio) Hayley Williams says she looks to Freddie Mercury for inspiration while she reveals she also feels a 'connection' to Blondie. In an interview with U-T San Diego, the Paramore singer tells: "As a 24-year-old, I'm discovering (Queen front man) Mercury for first time.
"I'm looking at him and how he carried himself, on stage and off, and thinking: 'That's someone who really pushed his artistry to the limit.' I don't feel I'm nearly that talented. But I love to think that I could be, if I wanted to be.
"I also have this real connection with Blondie, for some reason, and that's only grown. I have always liked Blondie, but I'm absolutely enamoured now with their guitarist and the way Debbie Harry sings in different characters' voices." - more on this story
Bring Me The Horizon Never Expected To Rock Arenas
(TeamRock Radio) Bring Me The Horizon's guitarist doesn't believe the band will ever sell out arenas, but they are ok with that as he says it was something they never expected.
Speaking to The Star Online guitarist Lee Malia says: "We're never gonna sell out arenas. If you get that in your hopes, you're only gonna be let down."
During the same interview singer Oliver Sykes also moved to distance his band from the Metallica comparisons which were been placed on the band early on.
"I said: 'You're gonna be disappointed, mate'," when recalling the moment Metallica's name was mentioned as they penned their record deal. - He had more to say.
The Pretty Reckless Deliver Sins And Rock And Roll in New Video
(TeamRock Radio) Taylor Momsen has hailed new video 'Going to Hell' as a combination of sins and rock and roll. The Pretty Reckless singer was speaking after the band premiered the brand new video - the title track of their much anticipated new album due next year. Momsen says: "The new video for 'Going to Hell' captures the right look for the sound of the band.
"It's a subtle blast of sins and rock and roll meant to be watched over and over until the real meaning of the song sinks in. We're psyched for it to come out and for the fans to see it."
The band are in the midst of a North American headlining tour but they have so far previewed a trio of tracks of their forthcoming album – which will also be titled 'Going To Hell' – including the title track they have launched videos for 'Follow Me Down' and a teaser for 'Burn'. - Watch the video here.
Black Veil Brides Confident With Latest Album
(TeamRock Radio) Black Veil Brides frontman Andy Biersack says he is so happy with his band's latest album that for the first time he is content to sit still instead of continually looking forward.
The Black Veil Brides singer was talking about the band's third album 'Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones,' when he tells MyCentralJersey.com: "This is the first time in my life that I have ever been so pleased with an album that I'm not sitting around thinking, 'oh, what's the next move?'
"I just want to bring this record on tour, bring it around the world and let people hear it." Biersack also lifts the lid on the recording of 'Wretched and Divine' in which he pulled the plug on the initial tracks in the can to start over from scratch after failing to be won over by the band's first efforts. - more on this story
Recording Academy To Honor Neil Young
(hennemusic) Neil Young will be honored for his commitment to excellence and ongoing support for the art and craft of recorded music by The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing in January as it celebrates its seventh annual Grammy Week event.
"The efforts of the P&E Wing continue to raise awareness about the importance of sound quality and the preservation and integrity of recorded music," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy.
"This year, it is with great honor that we pay tribute to a musical icon who has been tireless in his own efforts to draw attention to the importance of hearing music as the artists who created it intended, and who has continually set precedents of excellence within the music community. The contributions of Neil Young are innumerable, as is his incomparable body of work, and we look forward to an unforgettable evening with this legendary artist."
The event will be held on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at the Village Studios in West Los Angeles. - more on this story
Jimmy Fallon Given New Les Paul
(Gibson) Late Night host Jimmy Fallon is now the proud owner of a brand new Les Paul Standard. Fallon accepted the guitar from Fred Yager, Gibson's Vice President of Media Creation during a visit to Nashville this week for a surprise event honoring him for his new duties as host of The Tonight Show.
Yager explained to Fallon that his new Les Paul was equipped with a special auto-tuning mechanism called Min-ETune™. Fallon had a ready quip: "Wow, this is both music and geek, combined!"
Jimmy also received a visit from a surprise guest, Brad Paisley who took an immediate liking to Jimmy's new Gibson. Fallon will assume hosting duties on The Tonight Show on February 17.
"I'm taking over from my man Jay Leno," he told the Orlando Sentinel on Wednesday (Oct. 16). "It's an honor, it's a privilege, I'm very, very lucky. I hope to make everyone proud." - more on this story
Robert Plant Finds Long Lost Led Zeppelin Recordings
(Classic Rock) Robert Plant has found some long-lost Led Zeppelin recordings – including two tracks with John Paul Jones singing lead – and he jokes he faces a fight with Jimmy Page to get them on to the forthcoming Zepplin box sets.
New quotes from Plant have emerged that are offering the exciting information about the much-anticipated release after he stumbled across some old spools.
Percy says: "I found some quarter-inch spools recently, and I had a meeting with Jimmy, and we backed them up and listened to them, and there's some very, very interesting bits and pieces that probably will turn up on these things." - He had more to say here.
Legal Battle Over Use of Van Halen Name
Veteran rock band Van Halen are taking legal action against the ex-wife of drummer Alex Van Halen for alleged trademark infringement, according to an exclusive report filed by The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday.
According to the report, Alex Van Halen was married to his second wife Kelly Carter for twelve years beginning in 1984 and now, almost two decades after the couple divorced, the band's intellectual property holding company ELVH Inc is taking legal action against Alex's former wife for her use of the Van Halen name in trade.
ELVH Inc filed a lawsuit in California federal court and is reportedly objecting to Kelly's filing of two trademark applications for the use of "Kelly Van Halen" for use in business.
According to the report, she has used the name for her construction and interior design company, which ELVH claims is an infringement of their trademark.
Read the Hollywood Reporter story for more details, including some details about the previous Supreme Court ruling which may touch upon this case. -
Aerosmith's Steven Tyler Records With Gangnam Style Singer Psy
(Classic Rock) Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has recorded a track with South Korean pop star Psy (best known for "Gangnan Style" who has also claimed to be a huge rock fan.
In an interview with Italy's L'Uomo Vogue Psy hailed Freddie Mercury as his life role model and hero while he also named Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi and Aerosmith as inspirations.
He says: "So for the first time ever, I will reveal some huge piece of information, because I really appreciate being on the cover, so this is like 'thank you'; and the big secret is… I just finished recording my next song with a legendary artist, Steven Tyler from Aerosmith.
"When I was in middle school, I literally cried when they were singing Crazy or Amazing or whatever, they were my lifetime role models, and now I am collaborating with Steven Tyler, what the f**, man? (laughter) I love my life." - more on this story
U2's New Album Coming Soon
(Gibson) U2 bassist Adam Clayton recently delivered some good news for U2 fans who are eagerly awaiting a follow up to the band's 2009 album No Line On The Horizon.
Clayton, who appeared on the Irish radio station 98 FM's Dermot and Dave show, had the following to say about the status of U2's current recording sessions: "We are still at it. We hope to have it finished very, very soon. And it will be out, oh . . . sometime early next year," said Clayton. "But it's a very exciting bunch of songs right at the moment . . . it's just about to be finished, so it's hard to know which way they'll go."
Adam went on to talk about the number of songs that would make it on to the final product, as well as what type of sound the band is aiming for: "I think it's a bit of a return to U2 of old, but with the maturity, if you like, of the U2 of the last 10 years. It's a combination of those two things and it's a really interesting hybrid," said the bassist. "We're in the studio. We're trying to get these 12 songs absolutely right and get them finished by the end of November, and then we can kind of enjoy Christmas." - more on this story
Iommi Wishes Former Sabbath Bandmate Bill Ward Speedy Recovery
(hennemusic) Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has posted best wishes to the band's original drummer Bill Ward who recently underwent surgery for a perforated diverticulitis.
"Sorry to hear you've been unwell, hope you make a speedy recovery," wrote Iommi in a new online posting. He is currently on tour with Black Sabbath in South America.
Ward's surgery in California was successful, and he is expected to make a full recovery over the next several weeks. The drummer was forced to postpone his "Absence Of Corners" reception at the Annapolis Collection Gallery in Maryland on October 26. - more on this story
Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington Debut on Album Charts
(hennemusic) Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington's new EP, "High Rise", has debuted at No. 24 on the US Billboard 200 album chart following first week sales of 12,000 copies.
The project is the band's first EP release with new singer Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, following the group's split with Scott Weiland earlier this year.
Bennington recently told Billboard that he plans to juggle his STP schedule with Linkin Park's, which will remain his priority moving forward. Chester explained that both groups "have great relations. We all respect each other," which makes it easier for him to be part of both bands. "We've treated this much like if you're doing business with somebody and want to go off and do business with somebody else," Bennington explains, adding that STP "needed to understand my priority will always be Linkin Park. In no way, shape or form do I want anything I do with Stone Temple Pilots to interfere with what we have to do as a band." - more on this story
John Lennon, Bon Jovi, Tom Petty Songs Raising Funds Special Olympics
(Gibson) A new collection that features a collection of classic rockers, including Christmas-themed songs by John Lennon, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Jon Bon Jovi and Rod Stewart. Proceeds from the release will go to the Special Olympics.
Icon: A Very Special Christmas , available now via Universal Music Enterprises, includes Lennon and wife Yoko Ono's tune "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," Tom Petty's "Christmas All Over," Bon Jovi's "Please Come Home for Christmas" and Stewart's "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" Other artists appearing on the collection include Aretha Franklin, Sheryl Crow, Sting and Elvis Presley. Check out the track listing for the set below.
The A Very Special Christmas series has proven very successful, raising over 116 million dollars for the Special Olympics programs since 1987. Check out the tracklisting of the new collection - here.
Pearl Jam Taking Over Jimmy Fallon Next Week
(Gibson) To celebrate the release of their 10th studio album Lightning Bolt, Pearl Jam's music will take over Late Night With Jimmy Fallon for the entire week spanning October 21 to 25.
On Monday October 21 fellow Seattle rocker Chris Cornell will appear on the show to perform the song "Footsteps" along with the Avett Brothers. Cornell is followed on Tuesday by Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold and special guests who will do a rendition of "Corduroy."
Wednesday October 23 marks the first day a member of Pearl Jam will appear on the show when guitarist Mike McCready is going to perform along with Jimmy Fallon house band The Roots, and country singer Dierks Bentley.
During the last two days of the week, October 24 and 25, Pearl Jam themselves will be on the show. This will be the band's only televised performances to promote Lightning Bolt. - more on this story
Gene Simmons Talks Rock Hall and Compares KISS Bandmates to Cancer
(Radio.com) When we recently sat down with KISS frontman Gene Simmons, the topic of conversation at hand was the band's new oral history, Nothin' To Lose. As is often the case with Simmons, the conversation veered toward an array of colorful topics, as you can see in the video interview.
In Nothin' To Lose, he says that Paul Stanley ripped off his idea for the classic "Detroit Rock City." He says,"I wrote a song called 'Too Young,' which begat a song called 'Acrobat.' Our producer Richie Wise cut it down, it was a seven-minute song. Paul heard it, and took it and went out and wrote 'Detroit Rock City.'" He goes on to tell Radio.com that Paul also took his ideas for "Psycho Circus" and "Black Diamond."
Finally, there's the matter of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an honor that has eluded the band. While Simmons has long said that he doesn't care about the award, when asked if he would perform with ex-bandmates Ace Frehley and Peter Criss if inducted, it's clear he's given it some thought.
"No! How many chances in life to do you get? Both of those guys had three chances to be in the band. Three times they f***ed it up. They were every bit as important as we were at the formation of the band," he says, though he later adds that they have the right to attend the ceremony.
"When you have a cancer in your system, its best to cut it out as fast as you can," he explains. "It used to be part of your body, it turned into cancer. You gotta cut it out. I believe that both Ace and Peter are happier now. They belong home, and doing autograph shows in clubs. They're happier." - Read more and watch the video here.
Alter Bridge Score A Hit With Their New Album
(hennemusic) Alter Bridge's new studio album, "Fortress", has debuted at No. 12 on the US Billboard 200 chart following first week sales of 30,000, which tops the sales of the band's previous release.
The band's fourth studio album and first since 2010's "ABIII" was overseen by long-time Alter Bridge producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette (Falling In Reverse, Story Of The Year, Incubus).
The band recently delivered the live debut of several songs from "Fortress" when they played their only US show of 2013 at the House Of Blues in Orlando, Florida and kicked off an extensive headlining world tour last night (October 16) in Nottingham, England. - more on this story
Megadeth Seeking Fan Pumpkins for Halloween
Megadeth are getting into the spirit of Halloween and the trash legends are inviting fans to take part in their newly launched Megadeth Pumpkin Instagram Sweepstakes.
hennemusic reports that the band is inviting fans to carve Megadeth's name and/or the band's mascot Vic Rattlehead into a pumpkin and send a photo using Instagram and the hashtag #megadethpumpkin.
Megadeth will then pick their favorite entries and showcase them on their official Facebook page and also choose a random winner to take home a $100 Amazon gift card and "Countdown To Extinction: Live" Deluxe Blu-ray/CD.
You can grab more details on a special website the band has setup for the contest - here.
Ian Rubbish Interviews The Clash
(Radio.com) In a new Funny or Die clip, Ian Rubbish/Fred Armisen's veteran punk rock character from Saturday Night Live–gets a chance to interview his idols, The Clash.
The nearly 7-minute mockumentary, The Clash: The Last Gang in Town, has Rubbish giving his take on the punk movement, which included not only The Clash, but the Sex Pistols and Ian's own band, Ian Rubbish and The Bizzaros, who owed a lot to the "London Calling" band.
"What we would do with The Clash," Rubbish explains, "is when they would say something political, we would say something like, 'We agree with The Clash' or 'What they said.'"
Two members of the band, guitarist Mick Jones and bassist Paul Simonon, actually sit down for a chat with Rubbish discussing their past, including the lost Clash record that couldn't be released because it didn't have a hole in it. Turns out Rubbish and his band released an album that only had a hole in it.
While Rubbish tries to claim The Clash sort of copied his band, "In a way they did a past tense copy of us." Jones plays it cool, complimenting his interviewer. "I would say it's a shared influence," he said. "Influence for everybody."
Best part is when the three jam on Rubbish's "Hey Policeman!," a hit in Rubbish's mind only. Check out the video - here.
David Bowie Voted Best-Dressed Briton In History
(hennemusic) David Bowie has been voted the best-dressed Briton in history in a recent poll by BBC History Magazine, winning the title with 48.5 per cent of the votes.
hennemusic reports that Bowie was among the ten Britons that was nominated "in the October issue of BBC History Magazine for their sartorial style and impact on British fashion history."
The Ziggy Stardust start went up against stiff competition from Queen Elizabeth I; Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire; and fashion icon Beau Brummell. Read what the designed who nominated Bowie had to say - here.
Limited Edition Zakk Wylde 'Moderne of Doom' Guitar Released
(Gibson) All right, Zakk Wylde fans. There's a new Wylde guitar for your arsenal. Yesterday, (Oct. 16), Gibson Brands, Inc., unveiled the limited-edition Zakk Wylde Moderne of Doom.
The guitar is based on the legendary, yet never released, third member of the Modernist Series of the late 1950s: the Gibson Moderne. Production is limited to 250 guitars.
Intended to complement the revolutionary Explorer and Flying V, the Moderne never saw the light of day, though rumors of existing examples persist to this day. In the hands of Gibson USA, the radical Moderne style taken from factory design sketches of 1958 unfolds as an unrelenting, flamethrowing modern-rock tone machine.
Wylde recently chatted with Gibson about his love for the Gibson brand. "Being a kid, it's the coveted grail," he said. "When see all your favorite players playing a Gibson Les Paul. Obviously, seeing Jimmy Page play one was a huge influence on me, and obviously Saint Rhoads – Randy. That was the thing: to try to get a Les Paul. I just love the body shape of it, the sound of it. To me, it's a perfect guitar. Les Pauls, you have the custom guys and the standard guys. Like, Slash is strictly a standard guy. But other guys, like Randy and me, I just love the way a custom is, for the style of music that I do. But, I have a bunch of standards, as well. I think for that classic rock tone, it can't be beat." - Check out a photo here.
Motorhead Fanpack Teaser Video Released
(Classic Rock) Classic Rock Magazine have released a new video trailer for their special Motorhead: Aftershock fanpack that will include the legendary band's new studio album a ton of extras.
Classic Rock Presents Motörhead: Aftershock features the new album in full plus a 132-page magazine that forms the 'ultimate sleevenotes' to the new release, with extensive and exclusive interviews with Lemmy, Mikkey Dee and Phil Campbell.
Inside is everything you need to know about Aftershock (the band's 21st studio album) and the world of Motörhead in 2013: inside the making of album, new features covering all eras of the band's career from 1975-2013, and tons of unseen pics.
That's not all. Find out what else is including and view the exclusive Motörhead Fanpack video trailer - here.
Nine Inch Nails Show Their Evolution On Tension Tour
(Radio.com) Trent Reznor is ambitious. In the past year, he's released a new album and toured with his other band How To Destroy Angels, and reactivated Nine Inch Nails for a new album and tour. So, after playing a string of festival dates, including Lollapalooza, Outside Lands and Made In America, you might think he'd stick with the same set from those shows for his Tension 2013 tour (which hit Newark, New Jersey's Prudential Center on October 15), maybe adding just a couple of extra songs from the new album, Hesitation Marks.
But you'd be wrong. Reznor seems to be going through a creative rebirth lately, and doing the same show that he was doing just a few weeks ago on the festival circuit would just be too easy for the man. In fact, not only has he revamped the set and the production, but even his band. Preeminent ringer Pino Palladino has joined as the new bass player, and Trent has enlisted backing singers Sharlotte Gibson –part of the American Idol backing band– and Lisa Fischer, backing singer to the Rolling Stones who has duetted with Mick Jagger on "Gimme Shelter" on every Stones tour since 1989. The expanded lineup allowed Reznor to stretch out a bit, play less guitar, and focus on being the frontman (and also dancing a bit during the instrumental jams).
The band opened with the new album's "Copy Of A," as he did on the festival circuit, but with a totally different presentation. Gone was the Talking Heads Stop Making Sense tribute where Trent stepped out alone to start the song on a sampler, and the Kraftwerk tribute with the band all playing in a straight line. Nine Inch Nails just went right into it. Turns out that Trent doesn't want a copy of himself.
The show drew from all eras of NIN's career, giving the old fans enough '90s classics (although skipping "Closer"), but without becoming a nostalgia act. The new additions to the touring group definitely add to the sound: Palladino's bass adds a bit of bounce to "March Of The Pigs," and the backing singers add new dimensions to new songs like "All Time Low" and older ones like "Survivalism" and David Bowie's "I'm Afraid Of Americans."
The power of their light and stage presentation can't be understated. Rob Sheridan, who handles the band's visuals and album art is a full-fledged member of How To Destroy Angels and probably should be considered a band member here as well. Nearly every song has its own "design." Unfortunately, Nine Inch Nails– as with most other major acts– only allow photos for the first three songs, which featured mostly a white wash. Throughout the show, see-through curtains dropped in front of the band, allowing for amazing light effects in front of the band. Watching Sheridan's work with NIN makes one wonder what bands like Pink Floyd could do today if they were still touring. - More including photos.
Prog Legends Yes Finally Nominated For Rock Hall
(Prog) Prog rock legends Yes have finally been acknowledged by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The band were announced as one of the nominees for 2014, alongside Peter Gabriel, Deep Purple, Cat Stevens, The Zombies and others.
Once again the public will play a key role in deciding who will inducted into the Hall Of Fame as they vote alongside the artists, historians and music industry insiders of the Rock Hall voting body. From now until December 10, fans can vote on RollingStone.com for the nominees they'd like to see inducted. The top five acts will comprise a "fan's ballot" that will count as one of the more than 600 ballots that determine the class of 2014.
Despite Genesis being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame back in 2010 and Rush being inducted last year, progressive rock has been, in the eyes of many fans, largely overlooked over the years, especially bands like Yes, ELP and Jethro Tull, who were all massively successful in the States throughout the 70s.
To that extent a US cross party group of Republicans and Democrats joined forces earlier this year to form a pressure group aiming to have Yes inducted. - more on this story
Leslie West Releases 'Feeling Good' (Featuring Dee Snider)
(Classic Rock) Leslie West is set to release his forthcoming album Still Climbing on Provogue Records on October 28 and classic rock have premiered the track 'Feeling Good' which features a guest appearance from Twisted Sister's Dee Snider.
Apart from the Twister Sister frontman, the record also features guest appearances from Jonny Lang, Johnny Winter, and Alter Bridge and Creed's Mark Tremonti.
Leslie says: "I always loved Twisted Sister, especially We're Not Gonna Take It and Heavy Metal Christmas, plus I've known Dee since he made the Stay Hungry album. I knew he'd be perfect for the standard I wanted to do, a song which I associate with Traffic – Feeling Good [sung by Steve Winwood on Traffic's album Last Exit, although the Anthony Newley song is an oft-covered chestnut, famously done by Nina Simone, Muse, Eels and the usual Broadway suspects]. Dee is great with show business and he nailed that for me." - Check out the song here.
Flower Kings Premiere 'Desolation Road' Lyric Video
(Prog) Prog has premiered the Flower Kings latest lyric video. The song "Desolation Road" is taken from upcoming album Desolation Rose, due for release via InsideOut on October 28.
Mainman Roine Stolt tells Prog that the trac Desolation Road "portrays a human race hell-bent on destroying environment, peace and inner harmony.
"It's a very dangerous path we're on at this very now. We put profit and control of the individual before physical and mental health. It's a world up for grabs to those who spin upon the axis of greed and individualism.
"Half the world lives without proper education, and sometimes without food for the day, while the other half live in a danger zone of consuming addictions and made-up realities.
"We have money and we have freedom and we are spoilt. We have the gift of knowledge but we constantly abuse it. And in perpetual outbursts of religious and monetary conflicts we pave the way for a true road to desolation. Uplifting?" - Check out the song here.
Matt Sorum and His New Wife Go Sonny and Cher
(hennemusic) Former Guns N' Roses drummer Matt Sorum and his new bride, Adriane 'Ace' Harper, have followed up their wedding last weekend with a duet video.
The couple was married in Palm Springs, California on Saturday and has now released a video of them singing the 1965 Sonny & Cher classic, "I Got You Babe."
US Weekly reports the many stars turned out for the wedding, including Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Juliette Lewis, John Varvatos, Jane Lynch, John Stamos, Dave Navarro and former Guns N' Roses bandmates Slash and Duff McKagan. - Watch the video here.
Gibson Tribute Link Wray Following Rock Hall Nomination
(Gibson) On heals of his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination, Gibson's Ted Drozdowski is paying tribute rock and roll icon Link Wray. Guitar blaster Link Wray always came to the stage ready to rumble, with his amps opened wide, his right hand heavy as a jack hammer and, in the days before gain, his speakers sliced with a knife to create nasty sawtooth waves.
After all, nasty sawtooth waves weren't a staple of rock until Wray came along with his 1958 instrumental wonder "Rumble" – a song so profound it propelled his career for the duration of his life. And while there were lean years, once he was embraced by the punk rock movement of the 1970s as one of its granddaddies, his status and gigging schedule were assured. He also became part of the rockabilly revival of the '80s, sharing bills with post-modern greaser god Robert Gordon and headlining festivals in Europe.
Wray – who favored Gibson Les Paul Gold Tops early on and moved on to lighter Gibson SGs often decked out with whammy bars – was born on May 2, 1929 as Fred Lincoln Wray in Dunn, North Carolina. He caught guitar fever at age eight when he heard a bluesman called simply "Hambone" playing slide at a carnival.
Nonetheless, he didn't attempt to play in a serious way until he was in his 20s and had returned home to Virginia – where his father had moved the Wrays a decade earlier to find shipyard work – from the Korean War with enough money in his pocket to buy an axe. Initially the plan was to write songs and accompany himself on guitar, but he'd contracted tuberculosis in the jungles of Asia and eventually it crept up on him and destroyed one of his lungs. Doctors told Wray he'd not be able to sing with just one lung – this was before Willie Nelson put the lie to that – so he decided to concentrate on his picking.
Strictly speaking, Wray was a rockabilly artist, and like so many rockabilly cats, his entry point was country music. His first band was Link Wray and the Lazy Pine Wranglers. After a few years playing gigs in the Washington, D.C., area, the group got a slot as the band on a TV show called Milt Grant's House Party. By 1956 they were recording for the Starday label.
Wray, who was self-taught, was never the sharpest technician on the instrument, but had a great sense of melody and understood the power conveyed by hanging chords. From those two strengths he created "Rumble" in 1958. From its surfy vibrato to its descending single note riff, "Rumble" sounds like a Dick Dale tune, but the fact of the
matter is that Wray was likely an influence on surf-rock king Dale. "Rumble" was issued a year before Dale's first single, and rapidly climbed the charts thanks to its dance-ability.
Nonetheless, Wray's song was an attempt to emulate another group: the Diamonds, whose hit "The Stroll" kept the dancers at the live House Party broadcasts on the floor. Essentially it's a dark 11-and-a-half bar blues. When Wray and his band debuted the tune on the show, the audience made them perform it three more times. Archie Beyer, the owner of Cadence Records, decided to sign the group and release the tune, then called "Oddball," as a single. He hated the name, so turned to another Cadence artist, Phil Everly, for a suggestion, and thus it was renamed "Rumble" for its ominous tones and moody vibe. - more on this story
KISS, Deep Purple, Yes, Nirvana Among Rock Hall Nominees
The 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations were announced yesterday (October 16th) with KISS, Deep Purple, prog rock legends Yes, Nirvana, the Replacements and Peter Gabriel are among the nominees.
Other nominees include Linda Ronstadt, The Zombies, Cat Stevens, rock and roller Link Wray, the Meters, disco band Chic, and rap stars LL Cool J, and N.W.A.
Fans will once again have a small say in who may be inducted next April at a black tie ceremony in New York City by voting in a poll on Rolling Stone magazine's website that will be open until December 10th.
The top five winners of the poll will get one ballot among the reported over 600 ballots that will be cast for next year's nominees. Long snubbed by the Rock Hall, KISS is featured in a photo above the online poll. You can place your vote for up to five artists here and you can read a run-down of the nominees put together by our news partner Radio.com - here.
Motorhead Streaming Their Entire New Album 'Aftershock' Online
(hennemusic) Motorhead have teamed up with Yahoo! Music to deliver an audio stream of the band's new album, "Aftershock." The record will be released in stages around the world, starting this Friday in Germany, next Monday in Europe and next Tuesday in North America.
"Aftershock" is the veteran rock and roll band's 21st studio album and was recorded at NRG Studios in North Hollywood with longtime producer Cameron Webb.
Motorhead will launch a fall tour in support of "Aftershock" starting November 7 in Zurich, Switzerland. Until then, you can check out the full album stream - here.
Metallica, U2 and Green Day Agreed To Tour Together
Metallica, U2 and Green Day are three bands that you wouldn't expect to tour together but Lars Ulrich revealed in a new interview that the members of the bands agreed to team up for a tour.
Ulrich was speaking to MTV News in the UK about Metallica's new movie "Through the Never" when he made the revelation, but fans shouldn't hold their breath waiting for it to happen.
"U2 came to San Francisco two summers ago and we ended up having a lot to drink with them and Green Day following a dinner." Ulrich said. "I was told in the wee morning hours following this outing that members of U2, Green Day and Metallica agreed to tour together. We haven't talked about it since, but speaking for myself I'd be very up for that."
Ulrich was also asked about the possibility of Metallica headlining the Glastonbury music festival next year. Read what he had to say about that - here.
Eddie Van Halen Biography Coming
(hennemusic) Faber & Faber have announced that they will be publishing a new biography of guitar legend Eddie Van Halen called "Eruption" by author Paul Brannigan in 2015.
The book promises to explore how it was the incendiary playing of the young guitarist which launched the band Van Halen into the consciousness of America in early 1978, and transformed the musical landscape. Offering the first real examination of a true musical icon, it will also turn up the volume on a life lived in popular music's fast lane.
Brannigan is the author of the bestselling biography of Dave Grohl, "This is a Call", and co-author of the forthcoming two-volume biography of Metallica, "Birth School Metallica Death." - more on this story
Slipknot Working On New Material
Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison reveals in a new interview that the masked band have been writing new material and the members are "in talks" but it doesn't appear that they will be recording together anytime soon.
Jordison was talking to Stereoboard.com about his current project Scar The Martyr when the subject of the return of Slipknot came up. "What I can say is that there is Slipknot material," he said.
"We're writing right now, and we're all in talks. I got Scar The Martyr going on now and I'm making sure it's gonna get the attention it deserves, but at the same time, I'm always ready for Slipknot too. I've got so much Slipknot material, I started writing this a long time ago.
"Y'know, when the time is right. Everyone works at their own pace and I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, I just kinda put myself in the mindset where I'm writing for a certain project. I kinda just take myself to that place, get in that mindset. When the time is right. I think he (Corey) was referring to that old saying: time flies. If you don't stop and look around then you're gonna miss it." - Check out the full interview here.
Linkin Park and Steve Aoki Release 3D Animated Video
(Radio.com) Linkin Park surprised fans in August by bringing out famed EDM producer Steve Aoki for an unexpected collaboration at Japan's Summer Sonic Festival.
A Light That Never Comes was first officially debuted September 12 as part of a Linkin Park Facebook game, but now it's been given a 3-D animated video directed by the band's own Joe Haan.
Band members were subjected to full body 3-D scans. The song serves as the opening track of Linkin Park's second remix album, Recharged, due October 29. - more on this story
Every Time I Die Announce Tour With A Day To Remember
(TeamRock Radio) A Day To Remember have tapped Every Time I Die to join them on their UK tour in early 2014 when they launch a tour in support of their new studio album "Common Courtesy".
Every Time I Die Frontman Keith Buckley had this to say: "In January we will be postponing the writing process to visit the UK and Europe one more time with our friends in A Day To Remember.
"We've never toured with them before anywhere in the world and we love playing shows across the pond, so these will be an entirely new breed of fierce animal. " - more on this story
Arcade Fire Added To Annual Bridge School Benefit
(Radio.com) As Arcade Fire gears up for the release of their new album, Reflektor, later this month, the band has been adding secret and not-so-secret shows to their docket as AF-cover band "the Reflektors" including a couple of warm-up gigs in New York City this week (October 18 and 19) and an upcoming show in Miami.
On Monday (October 14) it was announced that Arcade Fire had been added to the 27th Annual Bridge School Benefit lineup. Though the benefit takes place over two days — Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27 — at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA, the band is only scheduled to perform on Saturday night.
Arcade Fire joins the bill with already announced acts like Queens of the Stone Age, My Morning Jacket, Elvis Costello, The Killers (Saturday only), fun., Diana Krall, Heart, Jenny Lewis, Tom Waits, Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young and Jack Johnson, who was added to the show's lineup late last week. - more on this story
Muse Using Cutting-Edge Tech On New Concert Film
(Classic Rock) Muse are set to show Hollywood the future of moviemaking as they confirm plans to release a live concert filmed using cutting-edge technology which is being tipped to become industry standard for blockbuster movies.
The band filmed Live at Rome Olympic Stadium in front of a full house of more than 60,000 fans using 4K, a new format meaning more pixels which burst off the screen in every frame, and a staggering four times more than the standard in the cinema.
Dubbed Ultra High Definition, the new format will give Muse fans the chance to experience the full visual spectrum of their Rome stadium show in the comfort of their own home. - more on this story
The Scorpions Honored With Steiger Award
(hennemusic) The Scorpions were awarded the Steiger Award on Saturday in Bochum, Germany. The international award was established in 2005 and presented annually by the award organization based in Bochum.
The title translates as The Miner, and reflects the qualities of responsibility, honesty, openness and hard work valued in the North Rhine Westphalia region where the award is presented.
"Thanks a lot for the Steiger Award 2013!!!," posted the band. "We feel honored!" Formed in 1965, The Scorpions released their debut, "Lonseome Crow", in 1972 and have gone on to sell more than 180 million albums worldwide. - more on this story
Iron Maiden's Trooper Beer A Hit Around The World
(hennemusic) Iron Maiden's Trooper Beer has passed the million pint mark in exports from UK's Robinsons Brewery. Launched in the UK five months ago, and only made available to the USA and most other countries less than two months ago, this is a remarkable accomplishment for the Cheshire family brewers and takes the total number of Trooper pints sold globally to over 2 million pints.
"The beer itself is fantastic in terms of quality and taste, hence repeat purchases are high, but we are astonished to reach this second millionth mark in less than six months," says Robinsons Managing Director Oliver Robinson.
"To add to this, we have discovered that Trooper is driving the sales of cask ale across the board. Within our Robinsons estate beer sales of the pubs that have listed Trooper are actually 8% ahead of those which have not. This is a beer that not only drives customers into pubs; it also drives the sales of our other brands. There are not many beers in the world that can do that. Establishing a new beer in the UK and globally is a long and difficult process but we feel we are off to a great start" - more on this story
The Beards Forced To Cancel North American Tour
Australian rockers The Beards announced this week that they have been forced to pull the plug on their planned North American tour after they were denied visas by U.S. officials.
The band's statement says that the U.S. consulate has not yet given them a reason for their decision to refuse them performance visas and they are making an appeal in hopes of launching a tour at a later date.
"We want to sincerely apologise to all of our fans in North America," said frontman Johann Beardraven. "We were devastated to learn that our visas were refused.
"We will be appealing the decision and if it is overturned, we will return to America and Canada to play shows as soon as we possibly can, but unfortunately we've had no choice but to cancel this tour." -
Biffy Clyro Announce Intimate Samsung Show
(TeamRock Radio) Biffy Clyro fans in the UK can win the chance to attend an exclusive, and intimate gig, to see the band as part of a series of live events hosted by Samsung.
The multi-million selling Scots rockers have been confirmed as one of four ticketless and cashless live music events. Other acts confirmed are Laura Mvula, Bullet For My Valentine and Bastille.
Samsung are running a ticket ballot for the each event with the Biffy show taking place at Guildford's G Live on October 28, where fans can win the opportunity to buy two tickets for your chosen gig. - more on this story
Sacred Mother Tongue Breaking Up
(Classic Rock) British metallers Sacred Mother Tongue have revealed their forthcoming co-headline tour with Voodoo Six will be their last and lead singer Darrin South says the internet is to blame.
The band's second album Out Of The Darkness was well-received upon its release earlier this year but in a statement on the band's Facebook page South has admitted they simply can't afford to continue.
He says: "Our favourite thing to do is play shows and bring new music to the world; performing our songs on the road and interacting with our fans is the most rewarding experience we can imagine.
"But with the current climate and the effects the Internet has had on the music industry, each tour we do costs us far too much money. We obviously receive support from our label, and generally get back 'some' of what you pay for your ticket, but it's a far cry from being enough to keep the band on the road, and the result is that we spend all our own money to come and play for you guys which is impossible for us to sustain. Hopefully you'll go easy on us for our decision." - more on this story
HRH: Prog 2 Festival Lineup Expanded
(Prog) HRH: Prog 2 Festival, in proud association with Prog magazine, has announced a second wave of artists that will be taking the stage to perform at next year's event.
Running from March 20-23 2014, the second edition of the Prog weekender will continue to embrace both the classic and new artists of the prog scene. This year's event will take place at Hafan y Môr Holiday Park, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, North Wales.
The Enid, Panic Room, Arcane Roots, Solstice, The Custodian, Luna Kiss and September Code are all among the new acts added to a line-up. See who else is on the bill and check out the promo video with highlights from last year's event - here.
Metal Stars Discuss The Impact of Birmingham and Black Sabbath
(Radio.com) Jason Newsted, who played bass in Metallica for 15 years (and Ozzy Osbourne's band for a year), sums it up nicely: "Black Sabbath is timeless, ageless, and I guess could be considered the godfathers of our kind of music."
Most metal artists and fans can agree: Sabbath is heavy metal's ground zero. But what was ground zero for Sabbath? The original lineup — Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward — hailed from working class Birmingham, England, in the rubble of World War II. The bleakness of the bombed-out factory town was reflected in their music, and also in that of Judas Priest, who debuted just a few years after Sabbath hit the scene.
Miraculously, both bands are still active today, albeit without all of their classic-era members. Osbourne, Iommi and Butler recently released 13, the first Sabbath studio album to feature Ozzy in 35 years, and it topped charts worldwide. Meanwhile, Judas Priest, with a new guitarist Richie Faulkner has been touring and — as frontman Rob Halford tells Radio.com -- working a new album of their own.
In the new video, Halford, Faulkner and Newsted, as well as Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains, Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour, Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal co-authors Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman, Merciless Book of Metal Lists co-author Howie Abrams metal writer and DJ Zeena Koda and more discuss the impact of both bands on metal as we know, and how their hometown affected the music. - Check out the video here.
Airbourne Release Back in The Game Video
(Classic Rock) Classic Rock has premiered Airbourne's new video for the track "Back In The Game". It's taken from the Aussie outfit's third album Black Dog Barking, which was released in May.
Frontman Joel O'Keeffe says the title was inspired by the mythical animal that's said to appear in dreams, foreshadowing bad times ahead. "You've got to rock your way through the bulls***," he declares.
"This album is everything we've got to give – we put our hearts and souls into this one." Airbourne appear at Hard Rock Hell in Wales on November 30 as part of a UK tour. - Watch the video here.
Black Star Riders Release Behind The Scenes Clips From Video Shoot
(hennemusic) Black Star Riders released new video clips where singer Ricky Warwick checks in from the set of the video shoot for "Kingdom Of The Lost", the next single from the band's debut album, "All Hell Breaks Loose."
In the new clip, Warwick is on location out in the desert, 15 miles from the Mexican border, with filmmaker Michael Beattie as they shoot the new music video.
The band issued a lyric video for "Kingdom Of The Lost" back in the spring; the track will be the third single from the album, following "Bound For Glory" and "Hey Judas." - Check out the behind the scenes clips here.
Fall Out Boy Release 'Just One Yesterday' Video
(TeamRock Radio) Fall Out Boy have released a new music video for the song 'Just One Yesterday.' The video release is the sixth video of their planned 11-part video series.
And the weirdness has continued in their newest offering with the band indulging in bloody apples while combating a snake and meeting a stunning hitchhiker played by singer Foxes.
Their ambitious plan to release a video for every song in the album has been a big success with the band facing different trials and tribulations in each new episode.
