Here are the top stories from this past week's Day in Rock report
Ex-New Found Glory Guitarist Facing Child Porn, Lewd Conduct Charges
Former New Found Glory Guitarist Steve Klein is facing multiple felony charges for lewd conduct with a minor and child pornography and both his attorney and the band have issued statements about the charges.
Klein entered a plea of not guilty to two counts of lewd conduct with a minor under the age of 14, three counts of lewd conduct with a minor 14 or 15, one count of intent to commit lewd acts with a minor and one count of possession of child pornography back on December 12, 2013 at San Luis Obispo Superior Court, according to Alternative Press.
After they published their original report they received the following statement from Klein's attorney, Debra White: "It is a difficult challenge to defend oneself in the media when there is a pending criminal case. This is because people are quick to assume that if a person is charged with a crime, they are also guilty as charged. And it is especially difficult because criminal defense attorneys insist that their clients not talk about the case to ensure that their constitutional rights are protected. Furthermore, attorneys are limited by law as to what can and cannot be said about a case to the public.
"In the matter of Steve Klein, since his case has now been brought into issue by the media, I am permitted to make a few statements. To that effect, I offer you the following indisputable facts about the accusations:
"1. Steve Klein is not accused of having any lewd actual physical contact with any minor.
"2. ALL charges against Steve are derived solely from online consensual video chats between Steve and some female strangers he met on an adult website. Steve believed the females were over the age of 18.
"3. The females alleged to be "minors" in this case are not known females. This means that no one, not the prosecution, not the police, and not the defense, actually know who the females are and no one knows their true age.
"4. The possession of child pornography charge is based solely on Steve allegedly "possessing" the videos of chats with the female strangers from the adult website.
"This is about all I am permitted to disclose at this time. But I can tell you, from my many years of experience in this specialty area of criminal defense, I wholeheartedly believe that Steve Klein is innocent of all of these charges.
"Steve is devastated by these accusations. He has lost his band, his livelihood, and his ex-wife continues to push for full custody of his children using this case as her pawn while he literally fights for his life. Despite this heavy hand, Steve remains strong and hopeful that he will be vindicated."
Alternative Press have an extensive report with more details including the possible amount of time that Klein faces if he is convicted on these charges. Read that here
Klein's former bandmates in New Found Glory issued this statement after the news about his charges broke: "Upon our return from Warped Tour Australia, Steve made us aware of possible allegations that might be made against him. At that point, not knowing all the details, we made the decision to part ways in order for him to deal with these personal issues. Us 4 members of New Found Glory have given our entire lives to this band and will continue to do so. We've been able to play all over the world for the most amazing fans. We can't wait to get in the studio to make a new album and we can't wait to get back on the road! Just coming off the Parahoy cruise and a surprise show in our hometown we are more inspired than ever! Thank you so much to everyone around the globe for always sticking by us. The future is bright." - more on this story
SXSW Fans Killed In Hit-And-Run
(Classic Rock) Two festival fans have been killed and several seriously injured after a driver drove his car into a concert queue then fled the scene on Wednesday night.
The hit-and-run took place around 12.30am outside a venue in Austin, Texas which was taking part in the annual South By Southwest music event. Austin Police have confirmed the unidentified driver has been arrested. They report: "23 individuals have been transported to hospital. Of those, five are in critical condition, two deceased."
Eye witnesses say fans were waiting to enter the Mohawk venue to see Tyler, The Creator perform. Complex associate editor Insanul Ahmed describes the vehicle as knocking people down "like popping popcorn". - more on this story
KISS Discuss Eddie Van Halen Wanting To Join The Group
KISS co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley discuss Eddie Van Halen wanting to join the group after Ace Frehley left the band in 1982 in a new interview in the April issue of Guitar World.
Leading source for Van Halen news and information, Van Halen News Desk have excerpted the parts of the interview where Stanley and Simmons discuss the long running rumor.
When asked about it, Stanley replied "I never heard that. Eddie did come down to the studio during Creatures, and he spoke to me on the phone during that period. There was real dissension in the band at that time, that much was clear. But as far as I'm wanting to join Kiss? No, not that I know about. Doesn't mean it didn't happen, but I never heard it. But you have two interviews here."
Simmons, who worked with Van Halen prior to them signing their major label deal with Warner Bros., tells a different story, "That is true. And he was very serious. He was so unhappy about how he and [David Lee] Roth were - or weren't - getting along. He couldn't stand him. And drugs were rampant. And so he took me to lunch, to a diner right across the street from the Record Plant. Vinnie Vincent, who was not yet in Kiss, tagged along, too. Sneaky guy. And Eddie said, "I want to join kiss. I don't want to fight anymore with Roth. I'm sick and tired of it. " But I told him, "Eddie, there's not enough room. You need to be in a band where you can direct the music. You're not going to be happy in Kiss." I talked him out of it. It didn't fit."
However, VHND have a slightly different story about what happened. Read about that - here.
Megadeth and Anthrax Supergroup Release New Video
(Classic Rock) Altitudes And Attitude, the band formed by thrash bassists David Ellefson of Megadeth and Frank Bello of Anthrax, have released a video for their track Tell The World.
The song is taken from Altitudes And Attitude's three-track self-titled EP, released in January, when Ellefson predicted the material would surprise fans.
He said: "They would never suspect that a couple of metal bass players would have songs like these inside of us. It's exciting to write melody with diversity while still pushing the limits of lead bass playing."
Jeff Friedly of A Perfect Circle plays drums and percussion on the EP, and Gus G guests on guitar. Check out the video - here.
Lombardo Says Slayer Members Only Paid $400K Out of $4.4 Million
Former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo provided a fan with more details about the financial issues that reportedly caused him to be dismissed from the band when he questioned the band members' compensation.
Lombardo has publicly addressed the issue in the past but he went into more details when he was asked about it during a question and answer session at a drum clinic in North Ireland last week.
Video of his answer has been posted online and metal site Lambgoat have published the following transcript of Lombardo's comments: "I did my best to try to keep it together, but I couldn't go on, man. I had to step out, because you can't be shackled like that; nobody can take advantage of another person like that anymore. I did it for too many years, and I held my breath. Red flags kept going on in my books. It's, like, 'Really? I'm supposed to make more money? Why am I on the same salary? I'm making the exact same thing I've been making the past two years. And this is back in 2004. So I knew something was up. And I tried my best to work it out with the guys. I brought Tom into the picture. I had Tom in a hotel room with me talking to my attorney, and my attorney was telling him everything their management company had been doing to them for the past 30 freakin' years. And we had an accountant, a forensic accountant, ready to go in there and look at the stuff."
"Tom got bought out. Management flipped him over a couple of hundred grand - who knows how much? - and Kerry [King, guitar] as well, to keep quiet and go against Lombardo. So they turned their backs on me. And on the last day, when I'm at rehearsal with them - and I saved it all the way until the end - I said, 'Guys, we need a new business plan. You guys have been on the same business plan after 30 years. Now I'm an income participant. In other words, I 'm a percentage holder.' So if you're a percentage holder, you know, you have the right, and you're contracted as a percentage holder, you have the right to see where all the expenses are going. Because here you are getting paid off of net, and then out of 4.4 million dollars, the band gets 400 thousand dollars. Where's the four million? And that's just 2011. [It goes to] lawyers, accountant and the manager.
"For the past 30 years, they were doing that to the guys. And they took my information... I'll never forget the day, I just said, 'Guys, look at this. This came from your accountant.' And it showed all the money. It wasn't showing where the money was going, it was just showing 'gross,' 'expenses,' 'net.' And out of that net, I made, on tour, in 2011, 67 thousand dollars. Kerry and Tom, that was about 114 thousand dollars they made on tour. So if you did about 60 shows, divide that up between 60 shows… Anybody have a calculator? No, not 60... Let's say about 90 shows per year: 30 in the spring, 30 in the summer and 30 shows in the winter, in the fall. So you break that up per show... Really? It's disgusting. I'm not gonna... I bust my ass up there playing drums. I mean, I am just sweating, I'm beat. And for the guy in the Hollywood Hills, for his facials, his manicures... No, I'm not gonna play for that. No.
"So, guys, I did everything I could. All I can say, right now my schedule is open. I can do whatever I want whenever I want. I can go over to Europe, do some clinics, hang out with you guys." - Watch the video here.
Wayne Static Reveals 'Wisconsin Death Trip' Tour Details
Wayne Static has revealed the details for his upcoming North American tour where he will be performing Static-X's debut album 'Wisconsin Death Trip' in full.
Static and his solo band will be launching the tour on April 5th at Club Red in Tempe, AZ and wrapping up the trek on June 21st in Salt Lake City, Utah at Lofi Café.
The tour will feature support from We Are the Riot and Corvus. Static had the following to say about the upcoming tour,
"I can't believe it's been almost 15 years to the day since 'Wisconsin Death Trip' was released, and in 1999 I never could have predicted all the love from all you Evil Disco followers for so many years," Static says.
"This tour is for all the hardcores as a celebration of what we have accomplished together. 15 years later and I'm still kicking thanks to all of you!"
Static then explains what fans can expect on the tour, "We are going to play the CD top to bottom and it's gonna be a blast to pull out some of the old tracks that I have not performed live in years, some that have never been played live, and of course all the songs that have become staples of my show. 'WDT' is a rather short CD, so you can also look forward to a hefty encore that will be different every night! This is going to be insane!" - more on this story
Eric Carr's Sister Thanks KISS For Addressing Lawsuit Reports
(hennemusic) The family of late KISS drummer Eric Carr are thanking Paul Stanley for his support following reports this week that they were involved in a newly-filed lawsuit against the band over unpaid royalties to Carr's estate.
"Hi Paul, This is Eric's sister Loretta, my family and I would like to thank you for coming out so quickly in my families defense," began the note. "We were just as shocked as you, When we saw that nonsense article in the paper.
"I was at a loss, we knew nothing about this. So thank you for helping to put out the fire and hopefully stopping the negative comments online about my family."
"My brother loved KISS and would have never done anything that would hurt the band," she continued. "We have respected that and will continue to keep his memory with KISS in a positive light." - more on this story
Rolling Stones Announce Initial Summer Tour Dates
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones have revealed that they will play a pair of festival shows in Europe in June, the first dates announced for an early summer tour on the continent.
The Stones will headline the Pinkpop Festival in Holland on June 7 and the TW Classic Festival in Belgium on June 28 as part of their 14 On Fire tour.
The band will be playing more major shows in Europe in May and June, and these will be announced over the next two weeks. "I love festivals in the summertime and can't wait for the tour to get to Europe," said Mick Jagger.
Keith Richards adds, "Let's keep this show on the road. The band are in top form, so I'm really looking forward to getting back to Europe." - more on this story
Testament Apologize After Altercation With Local Band in Indonesia
Veteran metal group Testament have issued a statement where they explain and apologize after they had a altercation with the local band Power Metal during their appearance at the Kukar Rockin' Fest in Tengarrong, Indonesia.
They explain, "As Testament returns from our first trip to Indonesia, a country we've looked forward to visiting for many years, it is with deep disappointment that our performance didn't turn out as planned. While our experience in this great land had been nothing but wonderful from the time our first plane first touched down - from the warm hospitality of our fans, local staff and others to whom we are grateful, to being honored by the mayor and the press shortly before appearing in front of 50,000 fans at Kukar Rockin' Fest 2014, things went awry only at the moment we were scheduled to hit the stage.
"That's when the support act directly before us began their set. Normally this would not be a big issue - rock'n'roll shows don't always run on time as everyone knows - but in this case, there was a serious problem: we had a flight to catch in just a few hours. The flight was from Balikpapan Airport, several hours from Tengarrong (the location of the concert) which required several hours driving over rugged terrain. Making matters worse, several pieces of luggage had never arrived and these needed to picked up in Jakarta before we could board our connecting flights. Missing our connecting flights in Jarkata would have caused the entire band and crew to miss our further connecting flights home (after nearly a month on tour) followed by a trip to Mexico City's Hell Heaven Fest within three days of arrival back to the US.
"So in order to play our full set and be sure we made this flight, an attempt was made to play our set on time, with the support act following us. The local stage managers, while well intentioned, did not seem to grasp the urgency of the situation as the support act (Power Metal) continued to play and we watched our set time disappearing. When our singer, Chuck Billy, came out and attempted to address the support band and audience, he was not understood. Regretfully, this led to a minor confrontation with the support act who only stopped playing once their gear was finally turned off by our crew (for which they responded by dousing water on one of our own amplifiers). While this situation was interpreted as the headliner being disrespectful to the local band, that was not the intention.
"Not helping these miscommunications was the language barrier for which no one can be blamed - our concern wasn't understood and nobody in our entourage speaks Indonesian. We were also short of our full crew, some of whom hadn't been available when this show was added to our tour at the last minute. Regardless, the result was a crowd that was visibly unhappy during our set and for that we accept responsibility.
"To our Kukar Rockin' Fest audience: We deeply apologize for any hurt that was caused. While we would have appreciated the support act being more accommodating, we nonetheless apologize to them as well and meant no disrespect. In hindsight, it might have been a better decision to just let them continue and cut much of our own set. But in the heat of the moment, a judgment call was made that backfired. We regret this turn of events, which does not represent what Testament is all about, nor what we'd travelled all that way for Testament deeply appreciates the fans of Indonesia and hopes they find it within their hearts to understand what has happened and forgive. We truly hope to return to this region one day amidst deeper understanding and better circumstances." -
Paul Rodgers To Rock 40th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
Legendary Bad Company and Free frontman Paul Rodgers has announced that he will be headlining the "Rock-N-Roar" Concert on April 12th during the 40th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Rodgers camp says that the show will be free to all Saturday race ticket holders and the concert will take place on the Convention Center stage facing Ocean Blvd beginning at approximately 6:45 p.m.
Rodgers had this to say, "I would like to congratulate the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on its 40th Anniversary. This is a fantastic celebration to kick off my North American Tour. Dare I say a Rock n' Roar Fantasy."
You can find more details, including about tickets, - here.
Warren Haynes Reveals More Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration Dates
The Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration Featuring Warren Haynes has now expanded from the original two shows with The Boston Pops to now include four additional cities.
The orchestral show, curated by Garcia's family and lead by the Allman Brothers Band and Gov't Mule star Warren Haynes, will now also stage performances in Wallingford, CT, Chicago, IL, Milwaukee, WI and St. Louis, MO.
Round Records has announced that they will be celebrating Record Story Day this year with a reissue of Garcia's solo debut album "Garcia". The reissue will be released on white 180-gram vinyl and feature audio newly remastered from the original master mix tapes.
The Record Store Day edition of "Garcia" will be released in individually numbered foil-stamped packaging (in limited edition of 1,500 copies) and include a free MP3 download card. - more on this story
Ian Anderson Introduces New Album In Online Video
(Prog) Prog is currently streaming a trailer video in which original Yes frontman Ian Anderson introduces his upcoming solo album Homo Erraticus and of its release next month.
It's the third record to feature Gerald Bostock, who first appeared in 1972′s Jethro Tull release Thick As A Brick, then returned in Anderson's Thick As A Brick 2 in 2012. Prog last month launched a clip from an in-depth interview about the new LP.
Homo Erraticus will be released on April 14 in the UK and Europe (April 11 in Germany, April 15 in North America) on Anderson's imprint Calliandra Records via Kscope.
He kicks off an extensive UK tour on April 28, with shows featuring the album in full along with a selection of Jethro Tull classics, updated with video and theatrics.
Watch the video and grab the tour dates - here.
Deep Purple's Live In California 74 CD Set For Release
(hennemusic) Deep Purple's "Live In California 74" will be released on CD and Digital Audio on April 1st. Taking place at the end of the band's 28-date tour promoting "Burn", the CD showcases the group performing before 200,000 people.
Previously issued on DVD in 2006, the project features the band's appearance at California Jam, a festival co-headlined by Deep Purple and Emerson, Lake & Palmer that was held at the Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California on April 6, 1974.
The Deep Purple lineup of Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), David Coverdale (vocals), Glenn Hughes (bass), Jon Lord (keyboards) and Ian Paice (drums) rocked through a set of songs from "Burn", as well as classics like "Space Truckin'" and "Smoke On The Water."
Tracklist and video - here.
Queen's Musical Ending It's London Run After 12 Years
(hennemusic) Queen's musical, "We Will Rock You", is set to close in London on May 31st after a 12-year run. When it close, "We Will Rock You" will have been performed 4600 times at the Dominion.
The show has played to more than 6.5 million people at London's Dominion Theatre, where it is the longest-running show at the venue and one of the Top 10 longest running musicals of all-time in the city's West End.
"We want to thank every one of the many hundreds of incredible musical theatre artists, musicians and crew with whom we've had the privilege of working at the Dominion since 2002," say co-creators Brian May, Roger Taylor and Ben Elton. "And of course, the incredible audiences who have rewarded them with over four and a half thousand standing ovations!" - more on this story
Bad Company In The Studio For Desolation Angels' 35th Anniversary
(ITS) Paul Rodgers is the featured guest on this week's edition of the syndicated radio show InTheStudio: The Stories Behind History's Greatest Rock Bands which celebrates the 35th anniversary of Bad Company's 1979 album Desolation Angels. The show sent over these details:
With their self-titled debut album five years earlier, Bad Company had become one of the essential bands of the '70s, a super-group made up of ex-Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs, King Crimson bass player Boz Burrell, and Free alumni singer/songwriter Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke. But by 1977 the endless tours had taken their toll, and the band's disappointing Burnin' Sky album proved to be a career wake-up call.
After a two year hiatus Bad Company re-emerged in 1979 with the album Desolation Angels and their strongest batch of songs since their debut, including the popular "Rock'n'Roll Fantasy", "Oh Atlanta" and "Gone, Gone, Gone".
Paul Rodgers shares with InTheStudio host Redbeard what impact their time off had on the success of Desolation Angels. "We took our time and made a good album. Even the cover reflects care and attention to detail and it all counts.... All of the guys in Bad Company were professional musicians who loved what they did. We wanted, at all times, to make a great album and I think (Desolation Angels) is the result of being rested and it reflects in the freshness of the feel." - Stream the episode here.
Josh Homme's Post Grammy Rant Was Misunderstood
(Radio.com) Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme has apparently cooled down a bit since his Grammys performance of "My God Is The Sun" was unceremoniously abbreviated on live television. The first of the supergroup to speak out was Trent Reznor who called the Grammy's actions "disrespectful."
After frontman Josh Homme took a stage-crasher to task in Florida, an onstage tirade in Houston, Texas, found the singer taking aim at a litany of targets including band Imagine Dragons and the Grammys during an F-bomb-riddled rant, saying "F*** Imagine Dragons and f*** the Grammys."
In a new interview with Australia's Faster Louder, Homme says he says he was misunderstood and his anger was directed at an audience member. "I was really drunk," he said.
Adding in regards to the Grammys debacle, "The truth is, is that, I'm a musician, I play my music and I don't really worry about the rest. I don't think it's necessary to worry or sweat the rest of this stuff, you know? Just go and play your music, I go and play my music. I don't like to be disrespected, but nobody likes that."
Homme didn't rule out playing the Grammys again in the future. - Read about that here.
Aerosmith's Joe Perry Goes Really Old School For Boston Magazine
(hennemusic) Aerosmith's Joe Perry did a photo shoot on Tuesday for Boston Magazine dressed as a Colonial soldier, and the guitarist is sharing some images from the session.
Perry drew a crowd of over 200 as he was photographed in front of the Paul Revere statue in the city's North End, equipped with his own personal musket.
The rocker will be featured in an upcoming issue of Boston Magazine. He will also publish his autobiography, "Rocks: My Life In And Out Of Aerosmith", on October 5. - See the photo here.
Rush's Alex Lifeson Helps Launch Online Kidney Risk Assessment Tool
(hennemusic) Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson is helping The Kidney Foundation Of Canada launch their new free Online Risk Assessment tool for kidney disease as part of Kidney Health Month in Canada.
Lifeson, whose family has suffered from conditions that cause kidney disease, has recorded a new public service announcement (PSA) to help raise awareness of the campaign.
The guitarist has been a longtime supporter of The Kidney Foundation…and for him, it's personal. "A little over [ten] years ago, my father passed away after two very difficult years of failing health," explains Lifeson. "Both his kidneys ceased to operate and he was on dialysis for over two years. Many times, he was nearly lost during his dialysis and it was heartbreaking to watch his demise, and that's why this is especially important to me."
Watch the PSA - here.
Fairport Convention Reveal Semi-Acoustic Tour Plans
(Prog) Fairport Convention have announced an extensive semi-acoustic tour to take place during May and June this year. Bassist Dave Pegg will be back in the fold after an arm injury forced him to sit out the band's winter travels.
He says: "In January I severed a tendon in the finger of my left hand while I was emptying the dishwasher - the irony is I'd just spent two days chainsawing firewood without incident. My hand was in a splint for six weeks.
"Luckily my son Matt is a bass player too and he was available to deputise. I'm raring to get back on the road and really looking forward to playing with the band again."
He adds, "Fairport will deliver a set of old and new songs on the tour, which is described as having "an intimate feel."
They'll follow the run of shows with their annual Cropredy Convention on August 7-9, which this year features Marillion, Steve Hackett and The Australian Pink Floyd Show among many others.
Grab the dates - here.
Tool Frontman Maynard James Keenan Selling Hollywood Home
(Radio.com) Fans of Tool, Puscifer and A Perfect Circle, have we got a real estate opportunity for you! According to Curbed, Maynard James Keenan's home, which is "tucked underneath the Hollywood sign," is on the market. All you need is a cool $2.75 million.
According to the listing, the Mediterranean-style house was built in 2001 and is located on the top of Beachwood Canyon, which "offers privacy & seclusion for the discerning."
The home was personally decorated by the Tool frontman himself, who studied interior design (who knew?) and tells the stories of his journeys around the world from Bali to other exotic locations.
If all this wasn't enough, the house includes 4 bedrooms, 5 and a half baths, plus a separate guest house, recording studio and stand-along garage. - more on this story
Arcade Fire Cover Stevie Wonder's 'Uptight (Everything's Alright)'
(Radio.com) Arcade Fire have a little soul in them, as proven by their cover of Stevie Wonder's "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" at Monday night's (March 10) show in Auburn Hills, Missouri.
It all starts with The Reflektors, all done up in their paper mâché heads, playing a little of Wonder's "Superstition." But don't be fooled, the real band is much more interested in partying than fearing the unknown.
Win Butler, wearing a mask that also acts as a screen, leads the charge doing more spoken word than actual singing, as the band shows off their impressive horn section.
Arcade Fire is currently on tour in North America, making stops in Toronto, Austin, Cleveland, Denver and Brooklyn, for a two-night stand at the Barclays Center. The band is also set to headline night three of this year's Coachella, alongside OutKast and Muse, taking place on two weekends in April.
Watch the Stevie Wonder cover performance - here.
KXM Streaming New Song Faith Is A Room
(Classic Rock) Supergroup KXM have released a stream of their track Faith Is A Room from their self-titled debut album, which was released in North America this week.
The band is made up of King's X frontman Doug Pinnick, ex-Dokken and Lynch Mob guitarist George Lynch, plus Korn drummer Ray Luzier. KXM launched a video for their track Rescue Me earlier this week.
The label say the album is a "true gem," adding: "It's something truly unique - the songs are powerful, precise, and transcend the boundaries of the imagination."
Listen to the song - here.
Queen and Adam Lambert Release Full Press Conference Video
(hennemusic) Queen and Adam Lambert announced a 19-date summer tour of North America last week, and the group are now sharing video of their full press conference at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Shows begin June 19 in Chicago and wrap July 20 in Washington, D.C. Queen have previously toured Europe with Lambert, the former American Idol contestant, and played the iHeart Radio Music Festival in Las Vegas last fall, but the 2014 run will give many fans their first chance to see the band for the first time.
Things have come full circle for Lambert, who auditioned for American Idol five years ago by singing Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Will Rock You." - Watch the video here.
KISS and Def Leppard Teaming Up For Summer Tour?
(Gibson) KISS and Def Leppard have announced they will stage a press conference in Los Angeles on Monday (March 17) to deliver "major news." Though the word is unofficial, a source close to one of the bands has told ABC News Radio that the two groups are planning a co-headlining tour, set to kick off in late June and run through the end of August.
The source went on to say KISS would serve as closing act for all the shows, adding that only U.S dates are planned for now, but that the tour could extend internationally.
Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell had previously fueled speculation about a rumored tour in an interview with TicketsThere.com. Asked about possible shows with KISS and Poison, Campbell replied, "I'd say you'd be half right there, but only half right and half wrong.
"There will be an announcement of our tour imminently. We're talking a matter of days. It has to be announced because we're almost at summertime."
The Monday press conference will stream live on the Live Nation website. - more on this story
Led Zeppelin Reveal Expanded Remasters Release Details
Led Zeppelin had some big news for fans on Thursday. The first installment in their long-waited newly remastered and expanded albums series are set to be released on June 3rd.
The first three Led Zeppelin albums have been remastered by guitarist Jimmy Page and the new reissued with the deluxe and box set editions each featuring a bonus disc that will feature previously unreleased material.
"The material on the companion discs presents a portal to the time of the recording of Led Zeppelin," says Page. "It is a selection of work in progress with rough mixes, backing tracks, alternate versions, and new material recorded at the time"
Each album, Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, and Led Zeppelin III, will be released in various formats including a single CD featuring the remastered album packaged in a gatefold card wallet, a single LP on 180-gram vinyl that will be packaged in a sleeve that replicates the LP's first pressing in exacting detail. (For example, III will feature the original wheel and die cut holes.)
There will be a digital version that will include the remastered album and the bonus material. A special Deluxe vinyl edition will include the remastered album and bonus disc on 180-gram vinyl.
There will also be a Super Deluxe Boxed Set that will include the remastered album on CD in vinyl replica sleeve, the bonus CD in a card wallet, the remastered album on 180-gram vinyl in a sleeve replicating first pressing, the bonus CD on Companion audio on 180-gram vinyl, a high-def audio download card of all content at 96kHz/24 bit. (Live tracks are 48kHz/24 bit), a 70+ hard cover page book filled with rare and previously unseen photos and memorabilia, a high quality print of the original album cover, the first 30,000 of which will be individually numbered.
The new reissue of the band's self-titled debut album's bonus disc will include a previously unreleased performance recorded on October 10, 1969 at the Olympia Theatre in Paris featuring a nine-song set of tracks from their debut album. The box set version will also include a replica of the band's original Atlantic press kit.
The bonus disc for Led Zeppelin II includes alternate mixes of five songs from the album, backing tracks to "Thank You" and "Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman)," and the previously unreleased track "La La."
Led Zeppelin III's bonus disc features seven studio outtakes of songs from the album and three previously unheard compositions: "Jennings Farm Blues" (an instrumental forerunner of "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp"), "Bathroom Sound" (an instrumental version of "Out On The Tiles"), and their take on the blues classics "Keys To The Highway/Trouble In Mind." - more on this story
Metallica To Premiere New Song At Tour Kick Off This Weekend
(hennemusic) Metallica revealed that they plan to debut a brand new song this weekend when they kick off their South American tour in Bogota, Columbia on Sunday.
The group posted an image of the four members in deep discussion about the track, along with the message: "Working out the kinks in the new song that we'll be debuting in South America in a couple days."
The band's 2014 concert schedule features a "Metallica By Request" format, which sees fans vote on 17 songs the band will perform along with one new tune in the set.
The South American schedule runs to March 30, following which the band will bring its "request" show to Europe for dates beginning May 28 in Helsinki, Finland and to the Heavy Montreal festival in August. - See the photo here.
SXSW Hit-And-Run Suspect Charged With Murder
(Classic Rock) A suspect in the hit-and-run that left two dead and 23 injured at the South By Southwest festival in Texas is to face two charges of murder, police have confirmed.
Rashad Charjuan Owens, 21, was tasered and arrested after a car ploughed into a queue of fans on a pedestrian walkway outside a venue late on Wednesday night. The collision left several victims severely injured before hitting and killing a man on a bicycle and a woman on a moped.
An eyewitness account described people being thrown into the air "like popping popcorn". Black Star Riders frontman Ricky Warwick spoke of his relief as his wife survived the incident.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo has confirmed Owens will be charged with two counts of murder and 23 counts of assault, saying: "It's clear to me from his actions that this is an individual who showed no regard for human beings that he ploughed through in his attempt to get away." - more on this story
Robert Plant May Have Helped Find Marrow Donor Match
(hennemusic) A potentially lifesaving match was located at a Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters concert in support of Love Hope Strength, an international, music-centric cancer charity dedicated to saving lives, one concert at a time.
Throughout the 2013 tour, Robert Plant fans got on the list in support of Love Hope Strength to be marrow donors as they entered his shows. Now, it has been revealed that a potentially life-saving match was located at one of last summer's shows.
"Knowing that each one of our gigs has the potential to save lives is very humbling," said Robert. "LHS is doing a great job out there in educating and raising awareness for this type of cancer. More people need to realize how simple and painless it is to get on the register and help save a life." - more on this story
More on Robert Plant - Robert Plant Music - Robert Plant Tour Dates/Tickets - Robert Plant CDs, vinyl and rarities
U2 Music Mavericks TV Special Airs This Weekend
The cable and satellite network Ovation have announced that this week's edition of the Music Mavericks series will focus on U2 and the show sent over some preview clips of the episode.
Music Mavericks airs on Sunday nights at 7 p.m. ET on Ovation. This Sunday, March 16, Music Mavericks explores how four Irish "mavericks" of U2 went from humble roots in Dublin to become international superstars, as well as champions of human rights and philanthropic causes.
The preview clips from the episode include clips entitled How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb here Finding America here and War - here.
Taking Back Sunday Streaming New Album Online
(TeamRock Radio) Taking Back Sunday are giving fans an early listen to their upcoming album Happiness Is, by streaming the album in full ahead of it's official release next week.
The band's sixth full-length release is launched on Monday, March 18 - and vocalist Adam Lazzara recently said it was "a lot more rich" than their previous outings.
He explained: "We played around a lot with arranging the harmonies and playing with layers. I tried to be a little more loose - I was more focused on being myself than trying to sound perfect or anything." - Check out the stream here.
Neil Young Collaborates with Jack White on Upcoming Album
(Radio.com) It seems Neil Young didn't just make good use of Jack White's recording studio, he seemed to find some use for the owner himself. In an interview with Billboard, Young said his forthcoming album, A Letter Home, which was recorded at White's Third Man studio in Nashville, features White on two tracks.
Young also said the record would be coming "very soon." "It's not ready for prime time yet," Young said of the album, which includes covers by his favorite writers. "They're songs that I love, songs that changed my life, songs that made it so that I understood what someone else was saying to me, songs by greater writers."
Young called the record "very unique" and "like a time capsule." "It doesn't sound like anything you've heard that was made recently," he said. "And some great songs, some beautiful music." - more on this story
Tony Franklin, Joel Hoekstra Supergroup VHF Tease New EP
VHF, the supergroup featuring Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder), Joel Hoekstra (Night Ranger, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rock Of Ages) and Todd Vinny Vinciguerra, have released a teaser video for their new EP.
The band expects to release the predominantly instrumental EP, Very High Frequency, this spring. The effort is currently being mixed and mastered by Tommy Kessler (Blondie).
VHF also offered up the following description, "Taken from the blueprint set by Miles Davis' groundbreaking record Kind Of Blue, VHF starts with drummer Todd Vinny Vinciguerra setting the initial tone of the song, The song arrangement is made on drums, then passed along to legendary bassist Tony Franklin for chord progression and underlying groove. Once a groove is established, the rhythm tracks are set in place for guitar virtuoso Joel Hoekstra's independent interpretation. The music is created from the bottom up, that is the drums are the creative force behind the band. The final piece contains parts by each musician uniquely composed, completely independent of each other, and done with complete artistic freedom by each musician. The sound of the band varies from piece to piece, but it is a combination of ethereal trippy sounds and driving rhythms, enticing the listener to create a picture or movie to play out in their mind." - Check out the teaser video here.
Godsmack Begin Making New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Godsmack have begun tracking what will be their sixth studio album and the band's frontman Sully Erna has warned fans that it's going to be "one badass record."
They completed pre-production work earlier this week, and Erna is now making his way through vocal duties. He tells fans: "We've officially started recording. Rock'n'roll better watch out, 'cuz here we come - again."
It's four years since the band launched The Oracle, but drummer Shannon Larkin has vowed it's going to have been worth the wait" Read what he had to say - here.
Metallica Teaming Up With the Giants Again
(hennemusic) Metallica will team up with the Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants for the 2nd annual Metallica Night at AT&T Park on Friday, May 16th.
"We had a lot of fun during Metallica Night last May and they must've had fun too because they've invited us back for 2014!," posted the band. "Can ya believe that?!"
The game will see the Giants host the Miami Marlins. "Get there early as we'll be on hand to do all the fun pre-game rituals," advises Metallica. "... the National Anthem, throwing out the first pitch, and so on. If you're into Metallica, baseball and, most importantly, the San Francisco Giants, make sure you snag a ticket for the game." - more on this story
Queen's Brian May Says Freddie Biopic To Begin Shooting In May
(hennemusic) Queen guitarist Brian May shared an update on the forthcoming film about their late singer, Freddie Mercury in a new interview with VH1 Radio Networks.
"The movie is about to go. Yeah, we will be shooting in May," May said. "At this point, Roger and I kinda step backwards because we have a great team to put the film together under the leadership of Graham King, who is, you know, probably the greatest independent producer in films. We will sort of let them do it and shoot it and hopefully it will be an interesting thing."
"I've learned a lot about films in this process," he continued. "What you discover is films don't really tell history, films are an entertainment and so that's an interesting journey to make. You realise that it cannot be absolutely true. What is the truth? The truth would be different for the people telling the story, but it will be a hell of an entertaining film I think." - more on this story
Taj Mahal Planning New Album
(The Blues) Taj Mahal is planning to record what will be his 26th album - six years after he last released an LP. The follow-up to 2008's Maestro is due for launch before the end of 2014, by which time the veteran bluesman will be 72.
But that doesn't mean he's thinking of taking any easy options. Mahal tells Commercial Appeal: "There's going to be some interesting music, some changes in things, to shake everybody up."
His most recent recording venture was laying down a track for a documentary series made by Jack White, T Bone Burnett and Robert Redford. He was filmed using Western Electric equipment from the early 20th century, just like the early blues greats did. - more on this story
Ask Alice Cooper
(Gibson) Alice Cooper is inviting fans to submit questions for a special "Q&A" session that will be coupled with theatrical screenings of his forthcoming film documentary.
As reported previously, Super Duper Alice Cooper will premiere at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival and will hit theaters nationwide beginning May 30. The veteran shock rocker is putting together a special pre-recorded "Keep Calm & Go Ask Alice" Q&A-in which he answers fan-submitted questions-that will be presented in theaters following each screening. Fans can submit questions by visiting the Super Duper Alice Cooper website and clicking the "Keep Calm & Go Ask Alice" graphic.
Alice himself will decide which questions make the cut. The film documentary is said to blend archival footage, animation and rock opera. The project includes exclusive interviews with members of the original Alice Cooper band, Elton John, Iggy Pop, John Lydon and Dee Snider. - more on this story
Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page To Receive Doctorate From Berklee Music
(hennemusic) Led Zeppelin guitar legend Jimmy Page will receive an honorary Doctor Of Music degree from Boston's Berklee College Of Music at their 2014 commencement ceremony on May 10.
The event, at Boston University's 7,000-seat Agganis Arena, will see more than 900 Berklee students graduate, with Page being honored alongside Geri Allen, Valerie Simpson and Thara Memory.
Past recipients include Duke Ellington (the first, in 1971), Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, Smokey Robinson, Steven Tyler, Loretta Lynn, David Bowie, Juan Luis Guerra, Paco de Lucia, Carole King, Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss and George Clinton. - more on this story
Mekong Delta Reveal New Album Release Details
(Prog) Mekong Delta have confirmed their tenth album, In A Mirror Darkly, will be released on April 28 via Steamhammer/SPV. And mainman Ralf Hubert says the prog metal outfit's latest work develops themes presented in 2010 record Wanderer On The Edge Of Time.
He explains: "For me, music doesn't start with A and end with Z - it's an ongoing process. You could call In A Mirror Darkly the continuation of Wanderer, but it's no copy; it's an independent recording.
"Each Mekong album sounds unique and forward-looking in the original sense of the term. As a composer, I consciously allow myself to drift to be able to consistently explore new horizons." - more on this story
Messenger Announce Free Album Release Show
(Prog) Rising-star prog trio Messenger will celebrate the launch of debut album Illusory Blues at a release show at Birthdays, Dalston, London on April 2 - and entry is free.
The first record by Khaled Lowe (vocals, guitar), Barnaby Maddick (bass, guitar, vocals) and Jaime Gomez Arellano (drums, percussion, production) will be released via Svart Records on March 28. Hear their track Midnight below.
Prog tipped the band for success last year when we covered them in our Limelight feature, and they signed their record deal soon afterwards. Hear why - here.
Gene Simmons Guest Appearance On CSI Goes Online
(hennemusic) KISS bassist Gene Simmons guest starred on this week's episode of the CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and video from the program is available online.
In the episode, entitled "Long Road Home", the CSIs investigate the murder of a rock and roll groupie and the disappearance of a prostitute that both have ties to a mysterious band.
"A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of working on this week's episode of CSI," posted Simmons. "One of my favorite shows. Thanks to director Phil Conserva and the entire staff for making me feel welcome." - Watch the video here.
Y&T Reveal UK Tour Details
(Classic Rock) Y&T have announced a UK tour kicking off at the end of October. They'll play 10 shows, including a set at Hard Rock Hell 8 in North Wales on November 14.
Dave Meniketti and co. are this year celebrating their 40th anniversary. The mainman recently told Classic Rock Revisited: "The general idea is we're going to do a lot of touring.
"Besides that we're trying to put together some sort of fortieth-anniversary video - following us on the road, on stage, in the hotels, in the tour bus, interviewing previous band members, trying to get a full retrospective kind of thing."
He said a new album could be in their plans too, but added: "I hate to predict things like that. I work off of an emotional level and off of a 'sitting down and getting into it' level. So we'll see what happens, but that's the general plan." - more on this story
Dance Gavin Dance Release Death Of The Robot With Human Hair Video
Dance Gavin Dance have released a new animated video for the song "Death Of The Robot With Human Hair". The track is the second video from the band's 2013 release, Acceptance Speech.
The "Death Of The Robot With Human Hair" music video builds off of the scene that can be found on the album's cover art. Watch the new animated clip here.
Fans can catch the band on the road this spring on their headlining The Acceptance Speech Tour that will feature support from Capture The Crown, Palisades and Bleach Blonde.
The Acceptance Speech Tour is scheduled to kick off on April 16th in Seattle, WA at Studio Seven and will conclude on May 17th at the Marquis Theatre in Denver, CO. - more on this story
Walter Trout Thrilled With Reissue Series
(The Blues) Walter Trout has described a series of vinyl releases marking the 25th anniversary of his solo career as "a thrill of the highest order." A selection of the veteran's music will be presented on 10 high-quality albums, with a limited number of each title available.
The first, No More Fish Jokes, has already been launched via Provogue Records. The first run sold out in a matter of days, but more stock will be available later this month.
Trout says of the 25th Anniversary Edition Vinyl series: "To have some of the best parts of my earlier recordings re-released and celebrated in high-quality audio is a thrill of the highest order.
"There's something about re-hearing the music on vinyl. The warmth and expansiveness of the sound takes me right back to the day it was recorded." - More details include release dates.
Rolling Stones Shanghai Performance Videos Go Online
(hennemusic) The Rolling Stones brought their 14 On Fire tour to the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai on Wednesday, and video of three song performances from the show is available online.
The sold-out date included the fan-voted "Street Fighting Man", and a performance of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" with the Dulwich International Singers.
"Was a fantastic audience in Shanghai last night, everyone was up for a good time including me!", posted Mick Jagger. "Some people even understood my Mandarin!"
The Stones will perform the final date of their Asian run this Saturday in Singapore before playing shows in Australia and New Zealand. Watch the video - here.
Paul Stanley Previews Memoir Audiobook
(hennemusic) KISS frontman Paul Stanley is sharing a preview of the audiobook version of his upcoming memoir, "Face The Music: A Life Exposed", which will be published April 8.
The 432-page memoir chronicles Stanley's life and rise to global success with KISS, which he co-founded in January of 1973 with bassist Gene Simmons from the ashes of the pair's previous band, Wicked Lester.
The book will feature rare photographs and candid memories about Stanley's wild life with KISS. Two days after the book is published, KISS will be inducted into the 2014 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame at a ceremony in New York, along with Nirvana, Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, Cat Stevens and Linda Ronstadt. - Check out the preview.
Lacuna Coil Premiere Die And Rise
(TeamRock Radio) Lacuna Coil have released a lyric video for their track Die And Rise. It's taken from their seventh album, Broken Crown Halo, which will be launched on March 31 via Century Media.
The band recently parted ways with guitarist Criz 'Pizza' Migliore and drummer Criz Mozzati and plan to continue as a five-piece for the time being, with touring sticksman Ryan Blake Folden continuing in the role.
Frontwoman Cristina Scabbia had this to say about the departure: "I believe it's the most friendly split that ever happened to a band. No fight, no ego problems, no anger."
Watch the video - here.
Don Jamieson and Mitch Lafon Guests On Talking Metal
VH1 Classic "That Metal Show" host Don Jamieson and the former host of the KISS themed talk show "3 Sides of the Coin" Mitch Lafon were the featured guests on the latest episode of "Talking Metal".
Hosts Mark Strigl, John Ostronomy were also joined by a special guest host, Victor Ruiz of the Mars Attacks podcast, on this episode. They sent over these details:
Interview topics with Don Jamieson include "That Metal Show," Mick Mars, Andrew Dice Clay, and his new Metal Blade album, "Hell Bent for Laughter."
Interview topics with Mitch Lafon include Kiss, Bumblefoot, LA Guns, Ace Frehley, Kirk Hammett, Bob Kulick and the 3 Sides Of the Coin show.
Check out the episode on here or directly - here.
KISS Lawsuit Filed Without Carr Family Support
(Classic Rock) This is an update to a story publisher earlier today, with breaking new details: The lawsuit filed against Kiss in respect of royalties allegedly unpaid to Eric Carr was filed without the support or knowledge of the late drummer's heirs.
They've instructed the lawyer who launched the legal action to cease and desist - and the band's frontman Paul Stanley has vowed to "deal with this attempted scam appropriately."
Last night attorney Robert Garson reported that he'd initiated the lawsuit on behalf of an unnamed friend and an unnamed relative of Carr, who died in 1991, because it had been discovered money was sure from overseas sales of his songs.
But Mark Abbattista, representing Carr's family, tells Blabbermouth: "This proceeding was filed by a non-related third party without any knowledge, authorisation or consent. - more on this story
Megadeth, Anthrax, Zakk Wylde To Set Sail With Motorhead
Motorhead are pulling out all the stops for their upcoming Motorboat cruise, now announcing that the lineup will include metal heavy weights Megadeth, Anthrax and Zakk Wylde.
"The Loudest Boat In The World" onboard the Carnival Ecstasy is set to sail from Miami on September 2nd and visit Key West and Cozumel off Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
Organizers have also revealed that Motorhead, Megadeth, Zakk Wylde and Anthrax will be joined by performances from Jim Breuer, Danko Jones, Fireball Ministry and Wilson. They also advise that there will be some big surprises and future band announcements coming.
Tickets for the Motorboat cruise next Tuesday, March 18 at Noon ET and the band will be launching special website later this week with more details and prices etc here.
Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister had this to say, "This will be everything you've come to expect from a night out with us, except even louder, with more great bands and no way of escaping! If you thought waves could rock a boat, you've got another thing coming with this lovely little outing!"
Megadeth's Dave Mustaine says, "There never has and never will be another cruise like Motörboat cruise. Come on a thrashing voyage with Motörhead, Megadeth, Anthrax, Zakk Wylde and all Lemmy's friends. This is the coolest way to ever see a metal concert."
Scott Ian of Anthrax adds, "Anthrax, Motörhead and Megadeth at sea??? To quote Chief Brody [Jaws], 'We're going to need a bigger boat.'" - more on this story
Rock Hall Only Wanted Original KISS To Perform at Induction
(hennemusic) KISS frontman Paul Stanley says the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame only wanted the original KISS lineup to play at the band's induction in New York next month, and that's one of the reasons he and partner Gene Simmons turned down the offer to perform.
"They wanted the original four guys to play, in makeup," Stanley reveals in a new interview with Billboard. "But, honestly, I don't want to roll the dice and possibly negatively impact on what I personally have been involved in building for 40 years. I have too much invested at this point. It really is a can of worms that I feel is better off left closed. So there's been a lot of issues, and perhaps the best way to deal with them is to celebrate the four original guys and go there and get our award and to look past the differences that will always be there."
"It doesn't change the big picture," he adds. "We have differences and we will continue to have differences. It doesn't change who I want to play with and who represents KISS. There are a lot of people who are great inspirations to me, and still are, who are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and for that reason and the fact that fans want us in there, I graciously and vigorously will be there to accept the award. We should salute and enjoy an evening that celebrates what the four of us started. But there's always a lot of cloak and dagger stuff and a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes."
Stanley also continues to question the validity of the Rock Hall. Read what he said about that - here.
John Deacon Too Fragile To Tour With Queen?
(Classic Rock) Queen men Brian May and Roger Taylor admit they have almost no contact with retired bassist John Deacon, except over business dealings - and they believe he's too "fragile" to take things any further.
Deacon won't be involved in their upcoming North American tour with singer Adam Lambert - but his former bandmates insist the shows will be worth seeing.
But there's to be no contribution from Deacon, who retired in 1997. Asked if they keep in contact with him, May admits: "We don't, really. He doesn't want to. He wants to be private and in his own universe."
Taylor adds: "He's completely retired from any kind of social contact. I think he's a little fragile and he just didn't want to know anything about talking to people in the music business, or whatever. That's fair enough; we respect that." - more on this story
Don Felder Expanding Road to Forever Ahead of Styx and Foreigner Tour
The legendary former guitarist of the Eagles, Don Felder, has announced that he will be releasing an extended edition of his "Road To Forever" album on March 25th.
The new version, dubbed "Road To Forever: Extended Edition" will include four songs that did not appear on the original release: "Can't Stop Now," "Southern Bound," "She Runs Free" and "Sensuality."
Felder will be supporting the new expanded reissue by hitting the road this summer with Styx and Foreigner for the "The Soundtrack of Summer" tour, which is scheduled to kick off on May 14th in Wichita, KS.
The tour will feature Styx and Foreigner alternating in the headline spot and will visit various markets across North America before wrapping up on July 27th in Santa Barbara, CA. - more on this story
Sammy Hagar Releases Video For His Version of Depeche Mode Classic
(hennemusic) Sammy Hagar has released the music video for his cover of the Depeche Mode classic "Personal Jesus", a track from his current album "Sammy Hagar & Friends."
Directed by Arthur Rosato, the video and tune features Hagar, Journey guitarist Neal Schon, and Chickenfoot bandmates Michael Anthony and Chad Smith.
"Personal Jesus" originally appeared on Depeche Mode's 1990 album, "Violator." "Sammy Hagar & Friends" marks the Red Rocker's first solo release in five years and sees him team up with a variety of artists, including Kid Rock, Nancy Wilson (Heart), Ronnie Dunn (Brooks & Dunn), Neal Schon (Journey, HSAS), Chickenfoot pals Chad Smith, Michael Anthony and Joe Satriani; Montrose bandmates Bill Church & Denny Carmassi, his solo band The Wabos and more. - Watch the new video here.
Phish Reveal Summer Tour Plans
Phish have revealed plans to hit the road this summer for a North American tour. Prior to that outing they will be giving a headline performance at this year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in late April.
The summer tour is scheduled to kick off on July 1st in Mansfield, MA at the XFINITY Center and will conclude with a three night stand over Labor Day weekend at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO.
The tour will also include a Fourth of July celebration with three nights of shows at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY on July 3rd, 4th and 5th.
The band have also revealed that they will also be performing their very first shows at New York City's Randall's Island (July 11-13) and announced a string of shows in the Chicago market at Northerly Island (July 18-20). - more on this story
Rolling Stones' Keith Richards Releasing Children's Book
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers have announced that they will be releasing a children's book from Rolling Stones star Keith Richards and his daughter September 9th.
Richards daughter Theodora Richards illustrated the forthcoming book, entitled "Gus & Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar", which was inspired by Richards' grandfather.
The autobiographical story centers on Richards being introduced to music by his grandfather Theodore Augustus Dupree, who was known as "Gus" and was a member of a jazz big band.
The book will also feature photographs from Richards' family collection and the hardcover edition of the book will include an audio CD that will feature bonus content.
"I have just become a grandfather for the fifth time, so I know what I'm talking about," says Keith. "The bond, the special bond, between kids and grandparents is unique and should be treasured. This is a story of one of those magical moments. May I be as great a grandfather as Gus was to me."
"When I found out they wanted me to be a part of this project, my immediate instinct was to say yes, and I am so happy I did," says Theodora. "To be able to explore my father's relationship with his grandfather was a gift in itself. The things that I've learnt during this whole process have just been life affirming." -
Paul McCartney Composing Music For Animated Movie
(Gibson) Paul McCartney is a busy man. Having released his sixteenth solo album New last fall, and completing a tour of Japan, the former Beatle is ready to take on his next project.
Speaking to KCSN Radio in Los Angeles, McCartney revealed that he is going to compose the music for an upcoming animated movie. "It's like being a kid getting to play with some of the most creative people in the world," said Paul (via Billboard).
During the hour-long interview McCartney also talked about his feelings surrounding the recent celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Beatles arrival in the US. "When people tell you that you wrote the 'soundtrack to their life,' that's pretty meaningful," said Paul. McCartney also touched on how pleased he is with his current touring band consisting of Brian Ray, Rusty Anderson, Wix Wickens and Abe Laboriel Jr.
It was McCartney who initiated the interview with KCSN upon hearing from friends how the radio station had been playing songs from New. KCSN's program director Sky Daniels was touched by Sir Paul's gratitude towards the station: "When Paul McCartney's friends sing the praises of KCSN, and he feels compelled to listen and reach out to say thanks, it validates the support of our members and the hard work of our staff. It really is a statement that radio can still touch hearts and minds, even those of the greatest songwriter of our time." - more on this story
Metal Supergroup WAMI Release Debut Track
(Classic Rock) WAMI, the supergroup formed by vocalist Doogie White, drummer Vinny Appice and guitarist Marco Mendoza, have released their debut track "Wild Woman (You Oughta Know)".
The band are completed by 16-year-old Polish axeman Iggy Gwadera, and they revealed their existence to the public last week with Appice confirming his departure from Kill Devil Hill to concentrate on his other projects
Appice had this to sya, "The music is quite heavy, but not as dark as Sabbath - I would label it high-quality heavy rock. It's melodic music and very well performed."
WAMI's debut album Kill The King will be released in May via Metal Mind Productions. Check out their first song - here.
Eyehategod Reveal New Album Release Details
Eyehategod have revealed the release details for their new self-titled studio album. The self-assembled and financed album is set to be released by Housecore Records in North America on May 27th.
The band have also partnered with Century Media who will be releasing the album in Europe, Australia and New Zealand on May 26th and Daymare will be releasing the album in Japan on May 21st.
Frontman Mike IX Williams had these details for fans, "I have to say I don't believe we've lost nary a step in the creation of this album and we think these newer songs are a killer combination of classic Eyehategod mixed along with our best production, mixing, engineering and songwriting in thirteen years.
"The main and total tragic break in the chain, was obviously last year's death of our great friend and drummer, Joey LaCaze. However, his original drum tracks made it onto the final master recordings and we're f***ing psyched about that... As for working with Housecore, it was a no-brainer. We've always been a family, and will always remain a family."
Housecore founder Philip H. Anselmo had this to say, "Being a part of the new EHG record is a dream come true. I've known, supported and loved the guys for almost as long as I've been playing music myself, and it is our pleasure here at The Housecore Records Compound to have 'em aboard. And I gotta mention, having heard the new record, this is the Eyehategod record every true fan has been waiting for.... Hail!"
The band also announced that they will be playing a special one-off show in Baltimore on April 27th that will also feature performances from High On Fire, Corrosion Of Conformity, Magrudergrind, Strong Intention and Ilsa. -
Carrie Underwood Joins Thousand Foot Krutch at Tulsa Concert
Thousand Foot Krutch fans that attended the band's show at the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK on March 9th received a special surprise when the band was joined on stage by Carrie Underwood.
Underwood tweeted her fans after the show, "Just got to rock the stage with @OfficialTFK in Tulsa! So much fun! Thanks, guys for letting me crash your party!"
Underwood took the stage to join the band in a performance of their song "Let The Sparks Fly." You can see fan filmed footage here and here. The track comes from the Thousand Foot Krutch's Hard Rock chart topping album "The End Is Where We Begin."
Thousand Foot Krutch are currently taking part in the Winter Jam 2014 Tour and have also announced appearances at Carolina Rebellion (Concord, NC 5/3), Rock On The Range (Columbus, OH 5/16) and Rocklahoma (Pryor, OK 5/23). -
Vampire Weekend Expand Tour and Announce Tonight Show Appearance
Vampire Weekend have expanded their upcoming tour plans and also announced that they will be making an appearance on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The Tonight Show appearance will be taking place on March 24th and the band have added several amphitheaters shows to upcoming North American tour.
The tour is scheduled to kick off on April 24th and 25th in Austin, Tx and includes headline appearances at the Governors Ball and Bonnaroo music festivals.
Later this month the band will be heading to South America beginning with an appearance at Lollapalooza: Chile and the trek will include performances at Rock N'Fall Festival in Montevideo, Lollapalooza: Argentina, Festival Estereo Picnic in Bogata and concluding with an appearance at Lollapalooza: Brazil.
The band will be touring in support of their chart topping album Modern Vampires of the City. - more on this story
Slash Releases Latest Recording Studio Update Video
(hennemusic) Slash has posted the third episode of "Real To Reel", a new web series documenting the recording of his third solo album. The series gives fans a behind-the-scenes sneak peek inside the recording sessions.
This time out, "Real To Reel" features the band members talking about the atmosphere in the studio and the pressure to nail a song when tape is rolling."The studio itself has always been sort of intimidating," says Slash.
"There's a certain sense of abandon that I have when I'm playing live, and you want to sort of create as much of that in the studio as possible. As soon as the red light goes on, you are aware that you're being scrutinized at that moment to do a performance; it becomes a much more intimidating state of affairs." - Watch the video here.
Santa Cruz Release 'We Are The Ones To Fall' Video
(Classic Rock) Finnish rockers Santa Cruz have unveiled a "head-turning" video for brand new track, We Are The Ones To Fall. The Helsinki band's promo clip was directed by Ville Juurikkala, a leading Finnish rock photographer.
This new single is available digitally and on limited-edition coloured vinyl 7-inch. Both versions include B-side Fxckin' High, another new composition.
Along with WATOTF, this is the first new material released by Santa Cruz since their 2013 debut album Screaming For Adrenaline, out now via Spinefarm. - Watch the video here.
Beth Bombara Releases Right My Wrongs Video
(The Blues) St Louis singer-songwriter Beth Bombara has released a video for her track Right My Wrongs. It's taken from the award-winning musician's 2013 EP Raise Your Flag, and sees Bombara blending traditional blues with a host of other influences.
She says of the song: "It wrote it while feeling the heaviness of people around me whose lives were all in different stages of destruction and rebuilding.
"It's about breaking free from the things that bind us, discovering who we are and holding onto our glimmers of hope." Listen for yourself as you watch the Right My Wrongs video - here.
Tonight Alive Announce UK Headline Tour
(TeamRock Radio) Tonight Alive have confirmed a UK tour for November - and it's their biggest to date. The Australian outfit are continuing to promote second album The Other Side, launched last year.
The band are currently supporting All Time Low on the road, but look forward to performing their headline sets towards the end of the year across the UK.
Vocalist Jenna McDougall says: "Each time we play the UK is better than the last. For this tour we'll be bringing a lineup of good friends, as well as playing a setlist of more tracks from The Other Side." - more on this story
3 Years Hollow Announce Tour With Saliva and Release New Video
3 Years Hollow have announced that they will be hitting the road next month with Saliva for a string of U.S. tour dates and the band has released a new music video.
The new music video is for the track "Hungry," the new single off the band's brand new studio album "The Cracks", which was produced by Clint Lowery of Sevendust. Watch it here.
3 Years Hollow frontman Jose Urquiza had this to say about the new video,
"We've been working with Davo and Music Media Group on every video we've released so far in our career. He directed the first video we released back in 2012 called "Chemical Ride" which is closing in on 450,000 views, and then did two other videos in 2013. It felt amazing for us to be able to work with Davo again for Hungry. He has an amazing and incredibly unique style and he is always able to bring a story or song to life visually. He's been part of the 3YH team for a long time and hopefully the fans love what we've done together."
The band will be supporting the album next month when they join Saliva on tour. The trek will kick off on April 1st at Hipps Pub in Eau Claire, WI and will conclude on April 28th at Exit/In in Nashville, TN. - more on this story
Voodoo Six Release Lead Me On Video Filmed On Iron Maiden Tour
(Classic Rock) Voodoo Six have lined up the release of a four-track EP containing a brand new radio edit of Lead Me On, the original version of which can be found on their current Songs To Invade Countries To album.
Due to be released on April 21via Spinefarm, Lead Me On (Edit) will be bundled with All That Glitters (live in Paris), Take The Blame (acoustic) and Respect (acoustic).
A video has been unveiled in support of the EP's release, filmed during Iron Maiden's Maiden England European tour last year, on which V6 were main support, playing 28 shows in 18 different countries. - Watch the video here.
Trailer for Corey Taylor's Horror Film Debut Release
(TeamRock Radio) Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor can be seen in the trailer for upcoming horror movie Fear Clinic. A release date for the film hasn't yet been confirmed.
Taylor makes his acting debut alongside A Nightmare On Elm Street icon Robert Englund in a film based on the popular web series also entitled Fear Clinic.
Slipknot recently started recording their long-awaited sixth album after blacking out their social media presence so they can concentrate fully on the work.
Watch the trailer - here.
Camel Releasing The Snow Goose Live DVD
(Prog) Camel have confirmed the release of a live DVD filmed at the Barbican in London last October, where they performed classic album The Snow Goose in full.
The 130-minute movie also includes nine tracks from across the veterans' career. It's initially available via their merchandise stall, with a general release to follow.
The band - who returned to action last year after a 10-year hiatus - are midway through a European tour without keyboardist Guy LeBlanc, who requires continuing treatment for renal cancer
