Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Bret Michaels Details Recent Emergency Room Visits
(TeamRock Radio) Poison singer Bret Michaels has reassured fans that he doesn't have a death wish after attempting to keep working through his latest spate of health issues.

He only made small adjustments to his current solo tour after experiencing kidney problems that required surgery. Guitarist Pete Evick hailed his boss's commitment to staying on the road - but admitted: "as a friend it's hard to encourage or agree."

Now lifelong diabetic Michaels says: "I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank everyone for their concern, prayers and well wishes. I also want to thank the several emergency rooms and their staff for the immediate attention. This has been going on for several weeks and was extremely painful.

"I thought I was well enough after the first operation - however I got a blood clot, as well as an infection, which complicated the matter. I am fortunate that I work hard to keep my diabetes under control; however there's no doubt after 45 years my healing process is a little slower than a non diabetic."






AC/DC Members Surprise Fans At Listening Party
(hennemusic) AC/DC members Angus Young and Brian Johnson surprised fans with an appearance at the "Rock Or Bust" world album premiere listening party at Webster Hall in New York Tuesday night.

The pair were joined on stage by the project's producer, Brendan O'Brien, and they shared a few words with the crowd before debuting the video for the album's title track and second single.

"I hope you enjoy the album," said Johnson. "We had such a fun time making it. Malcolm wasn't in. Stevie [Young] stepped up to the plate. Malcolm is in a happy place, I want you to know that. And we love him, and he was with us right through the album."

"Everyone who is into AC/DC and is a fan; you're the guys that make it," added Young. "We keep going for you." AC/DC guitarist and founding member Malcolm Young retired from the band earlier this year as he deals with health issues related to dementia. The group brought in nephew Stevie to handle rhythm guitar on "Rock Or Bust", which will be released December 2.






Gregg Allman Biopic Death Suit Settlement Reached
(Radio.com) Earlier in the year, Sarah Jones was killed while working as a camera assistant on the film Midnight Rider, a biopic based on the life of Gregg Allman, after being struck by a train.

The incident saw a lawsuit filed by the parents of Jones, as well as a suit from Allman himself, asking for the film to be stopped altogether. While Allman dropped his suit months ago, Jones' parents did not, but have now reached a confidential settlement with many of the defendants.

According to Billboard, director Randall Miller, producer Jody Savin, executive producers Jay Sedrish and Don Mandrik, location manager Charles Baxter, Miller's production company Unclaimed Freight, first assistant director Hillary Schwartz, director of photography Mike Ozier, Epozier Films, Inc., and Rayonier Performance Fibers have all settled with the family.






Sammy Hagar Announces Free New Year's Eve Show
Some lucky Sammy Hagar fans will have the chance to ring in the New Year with the Red Rocker for free at his Cabo Wabo Cantina in Los Cabos, Mexico.

Hagar has announced a free New Year's Eve show at the venue where he will be performing with the house band Cabo Uno. "Cabo's battling back, baby - and that's the best reason in the world to celebrate and support the community." said Hagar

He was forced to cancel his annual birthday bash celebration at the venue earlier this year due to Hurricane Odile and he is using this free show as a way to encourage fans to make donations to Los Cabos Children's Foundation via donation boxes in the venue.

According to the announcement, the free admission will be "on a first come, first serve basis. Fans can also make dinner reservations at the Cantina and stay for the show. "




Saint Vitus Frontman In Treatment Following Drug Arrest
(TeamRock Radio) Saint Vitus frontman Scott 'Wino' Weinrich has apologized to fans after being arrested and deported from Norway for possession of drugs. He's taken "full responsibility" for his actions, which forced the doom metal outfit to continue their 35th anniversary European tour without him. And he reports he's "actively engaged in treatment" for his addiction.

Wino says in a statement: "The other members and crew were unaware of my substance use. I was truthful with the authorities, and initially sentenced to 16 days in jail, minus the three days immediately following my arrest.

"Initially I believed I would be fined, allowed to continue the tour, and upon its end, I agreed to return to Norway to finish my sentence. I was disheartened to realise that I was to be deported back to the US, and not allowed to finish the tour.

"... As of now I am off the road and actively engaged in treatment. And the struggle continues." Read more of his statement here.






Faith No More Return With First New Song In 17 Years
(Classic Rock) Pioneering alt-metallers Faith No More have released new song Motherf***er - the first official single from their upcoming eighth album and their first new music in 17 years.

Since the band disbanded in 1998, anticipation has been high for new Faith No More material and now they've debuted it over on the Rolling Stone website.

In an interview with Rolling Stone it was also revealed that the new studio album will be released on Faith No More's own label Reclamation Records. Read more here.




Babes In Toyland Reunite
(Classic Rock) Babes In Toyland have reunited and will hit the road in early 2015. The classic lineup of the all-female rock band will play their first show in 18 years at the Roxy in Los Angeles on February 12 - ahead of a string of other dates to be announced in due course.

Kat Bjelland, Lori Barbero and Maureen Herman have been rehearsing in LA in recent months. Singer Bjelland says: "It was brought to my attention that not only do we have a lot of diehard fans from back in the day, but also a whole new generation of kids - my son Henry included - that were eager to see us live.

"I felt some kind of obligation for them to see us, too. But mainly, I just missed my girls and the feeling that comes from playing with them - visceral live therapy." Read more here.




AC/DC's Angus Young Shares His Reaction To Phil Rudd Arrest
(hennemusic) AC/DC guitarist Angus Young and singer Brian Johnson were guests on Wednesday morning's edition of The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM satellite radio.

The pair were on hand to promote the band's forthcoming album, "Rock Or Bust", due December 2. Among the topics discussed with the recent headlines made by drummer Phil Rudd, who was charged on November 6 with attempting to procure a murder by New Zealand police after he allegedly tried to have two men killed, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cannabis and threatening to kill.

Authorities dropped the charge of attempting to procure a murder the next day due to lack of evidence. "I fell out of bed, actually," said Angus when he heard the news. "My wife woke me up and they said, 'Hey, Phil's been up to no good.'"

"I just got up and I was getting ready to fly home to the States," added Johnson. "I had a cup of coffee in my hand and I said, 'I'm gonna watch the news in the morning.' And the first thing I saw was this guy getting led out of a car with no shoes on."

As for Rudd's status with the band, "We've got to resolve that," said Johnson. "The thing is, I don't think we have to do anything… fire him, or anything like that. I think the situation is gonna take care of itself. I mean, he's got himself into a pickle, and there's nothing we can do about it. I mean, we're talking about criminal courts here and we're talking about judges and we're talking about juries. But we are gonna go on tour. And nothing's gonna stop us."






Gene Hoglan Returns To Death
(TeamRock Radio) Death drummer Sean Reinert has left the band's current tour due to ill health and has been replaced by Testament and Dark Angel sticksman Gene Hoglan.

Hoglan - who was a member of Death between 1993 and 1995 - will fill in for Reinert on the remainder of the Swamp Leper Stomp tour, which sees the band on the road with Obituary, Massacre, Rivers Of Nihil and Untimely Demise.

Death's lawyer Eric Greif had the following statement about Sean Reinert. He said, "We wish Sean all the best and that his health will bounce back quickly."






The Haunted and Decapitated Stars Form New Band
(TeamRock Radio) The Haunted guitarist Ola Englund and ex-Decapitated drummer Kerim 'Krimh' Lechner have joined forces to form Eldvag. The pair are now actively looking for a singer for the project - and Englund reveals he doesn't have a set sound in mind.

He says: "We're not searching for any particular kind of vocalist. We just feel that the singer is the last piece of the puzzle that will form the outcome of this project. It could be clean, opera, growling - you name it. We want to hear it all."

They've released a video of them in the studio playing together on an un-named track and are asking potential candidates to download it and then upload their versions to either YouTube or Soundcloud. Check out the video and read more here.




Porcupine Tree Frontman Steven Wilson Announces Album and Tour
(TeamRock Radio) Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson has confirmed his fourth solo album is to be called Hand. Cannot. Erase. and it's set for launch in March next year via Kscope.

Wilson also announced that he will support the release with a six-date UK tour the same month, with further dates to be announced across Europe in due course.

Wilson says: "We're currently developing a show that I hope will raise the bar musically and visually from my previous tours. The setlist will be based around the new album, of course, as well as casting the net further back into my past for a few surprises."






Periphery Reveal Juggernaut Details
(Prog) Prog-metal outfit Periphery have issued more details about their upcoming Juggernaut: Alpha and Juggernaut: Omega releases. They previously announced the dual albums would launch on January 26 via Century Media Records. Now they've released full track details of an record they decided to split between two discs.

Drummer Matt Halpern explained: "Because Juggernaut is very detailed and dense in terms of character development, peaks and valleys, climaxes and resolutions, we've divided the story and the music in two."

Founder and guitarist Misha Mansoor, who won the Dimebag Darrell Shredder Award at this year's Metal Hammer Golden Gods, explains the band recorded together for the first time in their history - a move which gave them a fresh perspective. Read more here.



Royal Blood Cancel More Shoes Due To Illness
(Classic Rock) Royal Blood have been forced to cancel more gigs on their current tour. They previously pulled the plug on shows in Portsmouth, Oxford and Bristol as singer and bassist Mike Kerr was suffering from severe tonsillitis.

They've now announced planned dates in Italy, Spain and Portugal will also be shelved as Kerr follows medical advice to rest his voice. The band say in a statement:

"Customers are advised to retain their tickets and await further information with regard to rescheduled dates which will be planned and announced as quickly as possible. We wish to sincerely apologise to all ticket holders for the inconvenience and disappointment this has caused."






Terrorvision's No. 1 Chance Foiled By Spice Girl?
(Classic Rock) Terrorvision frontman Tony Wright says his band's track Tequila was robbed of the chance to reach number one because pop starlet Geri Halliwell blocked its release at the right moment.

He believes the quirky song could have topped the charts in 1999 if the former Spice Girl's management hadn't leaned on the label to postpone its launch.

Wright tells TeamRock: "We were going to release Tequila the week before we did. But we went to the meeting with the record label, and Geri's management were really good. They told us we couldn't do it that week.

"They said it was too strong, that Geri wanted to talk her way through another cover version and it had to get to number one. Our management didn't have the same clout, so we released a week later.

"We sold something like 60,000 copies more than Geri did - but we only got to number two." Read more here.




Angra Recruit Doro Pesch and Epica's Simons For New Album
(Classic Rock) Brazilian metal outfit Angra have announced details of their upcoming 8th album. Secret Garden, the follow-up to 2010's Aqua, launches on January 16 via earMUSIC and will feature guest appearances from singers Doro Pesch and Epica's Simone Simons.

Angra say in a statement: "Secret Garden brings together everything that has established Angra as one of biggest bands in its style: contemporary sound combined with inspired compositions. It shows the maturity of a band that, after 23 years on the road, continues with the same motivation and passion for music that drove the glorious beginning of the group."

Simons provides the vocals on the album's title track, while former Warlock frontwoman Pesch features on a duet with Angra's guitarist Rafael Bittencourt on Crushing Room.

To mark the announcement, the band have released a lyric video of opening track Newborn Me. View it and read more here.




Tesla's Frank Hannon Releasing Solo Album
(Classic Rock) Tesla Guitarist Frank Hannon will release his latest solo album World Peace before Christmas. Earlier this year, Tesla released 9th album Simplicity - their first studio outing since 2008's Forever More. And it's been revealed Hannon started working on new solo tracks immediately after the Californian rockers wrapped up their most recent offering.

A statement of his website reads: "In a burst of creative energy, Hannon started writing his own batch of songs shortly after Tesla released their latest album Simplicity.

"While on the road touring during the summer or 2014, Frank spent all the lonely hours in his hotel rooms recording musical ideas and the ideas started flowing so he would literally be recording music in the dressing room five minutes prior to Tesla stepping on stage.

"After returning home Frank knew he had a batch of strong material, so current Frank Hannon Band members bassist Aaron Leigh and drummer Kelly Smith joined him in the studio to help put the album into fruition."

To mark the announcement, Hannon's released a teaser featuring snippets of tracks from the album. Hear it and read more here.



Focus Members Releasing Swung Album
(Prog) Three members and one former member of the group Focus have worked together to launch a double instrumental studio album under the band name Swung.

The first volume features bassist and producer Bobby Jacobs and drummer Pierre van der Linden plus ex-guitarist Niels van der Steenhoven. The second sees the rhythm section team up with current guitarist Menno Gootjes.

Jacobs says: "These are studio versions of all the fun we have during our Focus sound checks - often before Father Focus, Thijs van Leer, arrives. We always start to play from zero, and is is what happens."



JJ Grey & Mofro Announce New Album
(The Blues JJ Grey & Mofro have announced they will release new album Ol' Glory in March. The Nashville ensemble release the record on March 2 via Provogue Records.

Ol' Glory features 12 new tracks that the band say "feature the deep, soulful blend of blues, rock, folk, funk, gospel, gritty R&B and personal, Southern-inspired narratives" that they have become synonymous with.

Ol' Glory was recorded at Retrophonics Studio in Saint Augustine, Forida, where Grey has tracked many times. An avid surfer, Grey often spent the mornings at the beach and the afternoons recording. Special guests include Luther Dickinson on dobro and electric slide guitar and Derek Trucks on electric slide guitar.




Haken Working On Next Album
(Prog) London-based prog outfit Haken are assembling ideas for their fourth album, according to guitarist Richard Henshall. And although in its early stages, he says the songwriting process won't be a one-man project on the follow-up to 2013's The Mountain.

He tells Prog Sphere: "We've decided to take a different approach with the writing process of the next album. We're going to write the album as a band, whereas in the past, I've taken care of the main writing duties.

"We've never really worked this way before, so it's really exciting to see what we can create together. It's still very early days, but the stuff we have is already sounding very promising. Most of the ideas are still in their infancy, so I'm really exited to see what they grow into." Read more here.




Solstafir Announce UK Dates
(Prog) Solstafir have announced that they have extended their European tour to include five UK dates at the end of January. The Icelandic outfit are currently on the road to support the launch of fifth album Otta, which appeared in August via Season Of Mist.

Frontman Addi Tryggvason recently described the follow-up to 2011's Svartir Sandar as "a sudden change," adding: "There are more vocal harmonies, exotic vocal lines.

"I want to try new things. I was really uncomfortable - I thought, 'this is way too vulnerable!' But you gain more confidence in doing it." Check out the UK dates and a video here.






Foo Fighters Perform New Song On Ellen
(hennemusic) The Foo Fighters performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Wednesday as they continue to promote their new release, "Sonic Highways" and video of their performance and an interview segment have gone online.

The band played "In The Clear" from the project after frontman Dave Grohl joined Ellen for an interview to discuss the record, the companion 8-part HBO series, and life as a rock Dad.

Produced by Butch Vig, "Sonic Highways" was recorded in 8 American cities - Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

The project was launched last month with an 8-part HBO series about the recording of the album, with the Foo Fighters unveiling new songs eack week in sync with the series, which premiered October 17.





Metallica Rock Fuel On Craig Ferguson
(hennemusic) Metallica performed their 1997 track, "Fuel", on the second night of their week-long residency on CBS-TV's Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Tuesday night.

The song was the third single issued from their 7th album, "Reload." The tune followed Monday's performance of their 1983 classic, "Hit The Lights."

Metallica frontman James Hetfield's award-winning Black Pearl will be on hand for the Los Angeles Auto Show, which opens this weekend. Built from the ground up and designed by Hetfield and world renowned custom car builder Rick Dore, the Black Pearl has been touring shows around the United States for the past year.

"The Black Pearl is one of those things that - we initially had been taking other vehicles and cutting and pasting, making you own prototype in a way," explains Hetfield. "This one we actually started from scratch. We started with a '48 Jag and basically tried to work it, work it down to frame and build it up from scratch from a drawing. It took it to a whole new level of car building: from a drawing."




Lacuna Coil Promise Heavier New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Lacuna Coil singer Andrea Ferro says the band's next album will be heavier than anything they've written before. The Italian rockers released their seventh record Broken Crown Halo in March and Ferro says the band's new drummer Ryan Blake Folden's influence will shine through on the follow-up.

Ferro tells The Metalheadz: "He's very good with really fast double bass, and a heavier kind of drummer, in a way. And so I think there will be a little bit of heaviness on the next record - which we always wanted to bring, but sometimes we couldn't, because it didn't appeal to the style of the drummer.

"I think at this point, in our age and in our career, we're kind of free to go wherever we want. Of course we're not gonna do something completely different, because it wouldn't make sense - you still need to recognise the style of the band." Read more here.



The Pretty Reckless Release House On The Hill Video
(TeamRock Radio) The Pretty Reckless have released a music video for the song House On The Hill, from the band's second album Going to Hell, which was released earlier in the year.

The band's previous single Messed Up World was a number one hit at US rock radio, their second song in a row to do so, following Heaven Knows. The last female-fronted group to achieve this feat was Chrissie Hynde's Pretenders.

In September, frontwoman Taylor Momsen revealed that she plans to concentrate more on the band after starring in various movies and TV shows. Watch the new video here.



Dave Kerzner Leads Tribute To Classic Genesis Album
(Prog) Dave Kerzner has announced a tribute to classic Genesis album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway - 40 years to the week after the original was launched.

The former Sound Of Contact man is working with Francis Dunnery under the name Sonic Elements on a remake to be called IT. It's set to feature contributions from Nick D'Virgilio, Steve Rothery, Billy Sherwood, Nad Sylvan and others.

Kerzner says: "This tribute to the picaresque album is done in a classic rock-meets-modern film score style, combining authentic vintage instruments from the 70s - including sounds recorded at Genesis' studio with engineer Nick Davis - along with a full orchestra."

They've released a clip of their version of In The Cage for streaming.




Sammy Hagar Previews His Appearance On The Simpsons
(hennemusic) Sammy Hagar is sharing a first-look preview of his appearance on FOX-TV's The Simpsons on Sunday, November 23rd by posting a photo from the show online.

Hagar will guest star in the season 26 episode "Covercraft", which sees Homer have a mid-life crisis, take up bass guitar and form a cover band with some of the other dads in town.

Hagar's likeness previously appeared in a season 11 episode called "Behind The Laughter", a spoof of the VH1 series "Behind The Music." The 2000 broadcast saw Willie Nelson put on a phony awards show in order to reconcile the family … and also attempt to patch things up between Hagar and Van Halen.

The Simpsons episode featuring Hagar will air Sunday, November 23 at 8pm on FOX. Check out the photo here.




Public Service Broadcasting Release Gagarin Video
(Prog) Public Service Broadcasting have released a video for their new single Gagarin. The track is taken from their upcoming second album The Race For Space, out on February 23 next year. Single Gagarin will be available from December 1 as a free download to those who pre-order the album.

The video for Gagarin is directed by Alex Kemp, produced by Tony Powell and was shot in PSB's south London homeland. It features the band showing off their dance skills in fetching space suits.

Guitarist J Willgoose Esq says: "We didn't want to be too literal in our interpretation of the material we were given - material that was full of heroic language and a sense of exuberance, with lines like 'the hero who blazed the trail to the stars,' and 'the whole world knew him and loved him.'

"It seemed more appropriate to try and re-create some of that triumphant air with a similarly upbeat song - and when it came to creating the video, the best way we could think of to communicate that sense of joy was to get our dancing shoes on."





Devin Townsend Moving On From Ziltoid
(TeamRock Radio) Devin Townsend says while he's proud of his Z2 album, he's ready to move on. The record, which launched last month, includes two discs: Sky Blue and Dark Matters the latter being the follow-up to 2007's Ziltoid The Omniscient. And he says the idea of a split recording came as he wanted to show off his variety of styles.

He tells Bravewords: "I think there's a part of it that's kid-oriented, but there's another part to it. I've demanded a lot of my audience for years. I drew them in with heavy metal and gave them country, new age and ambient music.

"There's a part of me that, when the support came, I decided that I did my artsy-fartsy movie (Sky Blue) so I needed to do my Michael Bay-type movie (Dark Matters) and then reconsider what I want to do musically. It's not that the well is dry, it's just that it's been an intense amount of work for an intense amount of time.

"By finishing up with the Ziltoid thing, in one way it was a conclusion to what started seven years ago. Sure, it's still a metaphor because that's how I write, but the surface of this is much different. It's for people to enjoy."




In Flames Singer Once Autographed A Fan's Baby
(TeamRock Radio) In Flames guitarist Bjorn Gelotte says the band would do pretty much anything for their fans - even sign their babies. Gelotte recalls a time when the band's singer Anders Friden was asked to sign a fan's baby, and happily obliged.

And Gelotte insists that he couldn't ever see a time when the band don't interact with their fans. He tells EMP Rock Invasion: "It's extremely important. That's the one reason why we're hear. Without these people listening to what we do, it would make no sense to tour.

"The physical contact, and writing something on their paper - I think it's important. I'm still a fanboy when it comes to certain things, I do the same thing. I think Anders signed a baby once. That was quite funny."

He was also asked to comment on a rumored project featuring himself, Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt and Mastodon's Bill Kelliher. Read what he said here.



Mallory Knox Unplug For Shout At The Moon
(TeamRock Radio) Mikey Chapman and Sam Douglas of Mallory Knox visited TeamRock where they performed an acoustic version of Shout At The Moon, their September single.

Originally taken from the album Asymmetry, Shout At The Moon is a song about the moments before drifting off to sleep. Frontman Chapman had this to say,

"You can't really switch your brain off," says the singer, "and you're thinking about something - whether it's your deadline for tomorrow, or dreading going to work - but more specifically it's about the time when there's someone on your mind. It's about that moment when you look up at the ceiling and feel a multitude of emotions."





Dee Snider's Rock & Roll Christmas Tale Preview Video Goes Online
(hennemusic) Broadway In Chicago is sharing a preview of "Dee Snider's Rock & Roll Christmas Tale", a play featuring the Twisted Sister singer currently running at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place in Chicago through January 4.

"Dee Snider's Rock & Roll Christmas Tale" tells the story of Däisy Cütter, a heavy metal bar band looking to make it big even though the 80s are LONG over.

This year, these four guys are ready to take the ultimate step and, in mythic rock tradition, sell their souls to the devil in exchange for success beyond their wildest metal dreams. But every time they try to seal the infernal pact, their head-banging anthems turn into warm-hearted carols. Soon these rockers are forced to realize their dreams of stardom are no match for the Christmas spirit. Watch the video here.



Kamchatka Release Ain't Fallin' Video
(Classic Rock) Kamchatka, named after the Russian peninsular populated by volcanoes and bears that drops into the Pacific Ocean north of Japan, have released a video for Ain't Fallin', taken from the band's untitled sixth album.

The trio are made up of guitarist and singer Thomas Andersson, former Opeth keyboard player Per Wiberg on bass (both were also part of the collaborative King Hobo project alongside Clutch's Jean-Paul Gaster) and drummer Tobias Strandvik.

"I wanted to write and play a straight forward rock tune with lyrics that meant something important to me, the result became Ain't Fallin'", says Andersson. "It came out just the way we wanted it to, short, rapid and hard. Ain't Fallin' was the first one to be recorded during the sessions for The Search Goes On, although it didn't appear on the album, and it set the mood for the rest of the record. The video was shot outside our studio by the ocean in Varberg, Sweden.

"When the video was shot we had to take breaks every now and then, waiting for the curious people in sailing boats passing by, cheerfully waving and hollering. We had a great time recording and shooting the video. Enjoy!"

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


AC/DC's Malcolm Young Fought To Keep Making Music
(TeamRock Radio) Malcolm Young fought to keep making music as long as he could, says brother and bandmate Angus. The AC/DC mainman was finally forced to retire earlier this year as a result of dementia, which he'd begun struggling with before the band started 2008 album Black Ice.

"He was still writing until he couldn't do it any more. You were hoping that he'd get better," Angus Young says of his brother in a new interview with Pulse Of Radio.

"The physical side, he got great treatment for that, so he's good with all of that. But the mental side has just deteriorated. He himself said, you know, 'I won't be able to do it any more.'" Read more here.




Foo Fighters Announce North American Tour
Foo Fighters have announced that they will be hitting the road for a North American tour next summer and fall in support of their new studio album "Sonic Highways."

The tour will be hitting stadiums, arenas and amphitheaters across the United States and Canada beginning with a July 4th show at RFK Stadium in Washington DC.

The Foo Fighters have revealed support acts for several of the stops on the tour including Mission of Burma who will be playing the first of two concerts at Fenway Park and Royal Blood will be supporting the Foo Fighters on most of the dates in July and August. See the tour dates here.




U2 Frontman Bono Underwent 5 Hours Of Surgery
(TeamRock Radio) U2 frontman Bono underwent five hours of surgery after being seriously injured in a cycle crash in New York. The band had originally reported that damage to his arm had forced them to cancel a US TV residency.

Now it's been confirmed the singer suffered fractures to the eye orbit in his skull, his left shoulder blade and and his upper left arm. Trauma surgeon Dean Lorich of New York's Weill Cornell Medical Centre tells Rolling Stone:

"He was taken to the operating room where the elbow was washed out, a nerve trapped in the break was moved, and the bone was repaired with three metal plates and 18 screws."





Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder Giving Away 20 Song Solo Set
(Radio.com) Pearl Jam have long been letting fans download shows they attend, and even before this process, tape trading of Pearl Jam bootlegs was a practiced endeavor for diehards.

So what makes a new, free live set that PJ frontman Eddie Vedder played for 90 fans at a Microsoft event at their Seattle headquarters so special? Well, the setlist, mainly. The 20-song solo performance is filled with rare covers, everything from lead track "Trouble" (originally by Cat Stevens) to classics like John Lennon's "Imagine" and Neil Young's "The Needle and the Damage Done." (via CoS)

Also in the set are plenty of Pearl Jam and Vedder originals, like "Just Breathe," "Better Man," and "Porch." This is a must download concert for both Pearl Jam faithful fans and classic rock lovers alike. Check out the setlist and grab the download links here.




Slayer Finish Recording New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Slayer have all but finished work on their upcoming 11th album, says guitarist Kerry King. But they're planning to lay down additional material following a run of US dates with Exodus and Suicidal Tendencies.

King says: "We just pretty much got done recording. We're going to go in for ten days at the end and record some hire stuff. We've got enough for a record - we're going to record more because we have time."

The follow-up to 2009's World Painted Blood is expected early next year. It's Slayer's first without late guitarist Jeff Hanneman, and the first to feature drummer Paul Bostaph. here.



Hulk Hogan Wanted To Join Metallica and Rolling Stones
(Classic Rock) Wrestler Hulk Hogan has revealed he appealed to Metallica and The Rolling Stones to give him a shot at vacant bass posts. And he says despite his best efforts, neither band got back to him to offer an audition.

He tells Noisey: "I had wrestled so long and it got to the point where, with no Stone Cold, Rock or HHH around, I was the only guy for a long time so I had to be everywhere. I didn't really get tired but I was like, 'Man, I'm killing myself.'

"I always loved music and was in the UK for some award show, and Jerry Hall, Mick Jagger's old lady, was walking out with me to present this award. I heard her talking on the phone to Mick about, 'Oh, you got to find a bass player and you've only got two different choices.'

"She had already told me her kids were big fans and she wanted merchandise. I said, 'Look, I used to play bass. I know all The Rolling Stones songs. Tell Mick if you guys need a bass player, I swear to god I could show up.' I got home, sent her all the merchandise - and never heard a word back."

But the lack of response from Jagger didn't deter him and when he discovered Metallica were looking for a bassist, he decided to record a demo and send it to the thrash legends. Read more here.





The Smashing Pumpkins Announce Special Tour Dates
The Smashing Pumpkins have announced that they will be supporting the release of their new studio album by playing special shows in a handful of cities in the U.S. and Europe.

The lone U.S. date announced so far for the trek will take place on December 8th at Webster Hall in New York City, but the band says that they plan to announce additional shows in Chicago, San Francisco, and other select markets.

The tour is set to kick off in Berlin on November 30th followed by shows in London on December 5th and Paris on the 6th. The band also announced that the shows will feature a lineup that includes The Killers Mark Stoermer and Rage Against the Machine's Brad Wilk.

Frontman Billy Corgan had this to say, "We're absolutely thrilled and humbled to have Brad and Mark helping us out with these shows and if our rehearsals are any indication they should be one-of-a-kind."

The Smashing Pumpkins will also be making an appearance at the KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas show in Los Angeles on Sunday December 14th and they will playing the Jimmy Kimmel Live! outdoor stage on December 10th.

The band will be releasing their eighth studio album, Monuments to an Elegy, on December 9th. Check out the tour dates here.




Asking Alexandria Releasing Their First DVD
(TeamRock Radio) UK rockers Asking Alexandria have announced they're to release their first DVD next month. Live From Brixton And Beyond launches on December 15 via Sumerian Records and features live performances, a short film, every promo the band have recorded and behind-the-scenes footage. A trailer has been issued for the release.

Guitarist Ben Bruce says: "At long last, we're finally releasing our first-ever DVD. We have been promising this DVD for a long time now, but trust me when I say it was worth the wait.

"There is so much unseen footage on this release, including our sold-out show at Brixton in London, our Reckless Halloween concert in Hollywood, intimate behind-the-scenes footage, the Through Sin And Self-Destruction short film and every music video we have ever recorded."

Read more details, watch the trailer and check out the tracklisting here.




Black Tusk Star Memorial Fund For Jonathan Athon
(TeamRock Radio) Black Tusk have launched a memorial fund for late bassist Jonathan Athon. Athon died in hospital this month when his life support was switched off after a motorcycle crash in Georgia, USA, left him with severe brain damage. He was 32.

Now the remaining members of Black Tusk have thanked fans for their support. Many contributed to Athon's medical expenses while he was in an induced coma. And while those costs have been covered, Athon's girlfriend Emily still needs help. She is said to be "coherent" and is expected to recover, but the medical bills are piling up.

The band say: "We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the overwhelming amount of support received in the past week. Many of you have been inquiring about Athon's medical bills and how you can help. As of now, they are covered."

"...While Athon's medical expenses have been covered, his girlfriend Emily's have not. She has undergone surgery and faces a long road to recovery both physically and emotionally." Read more here.




Rush Anxious To Write New Music
(Classic Rock) Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson says he and Geddy Lee are desperate to start writing new material. The band haven't decided on what form their 2015 return to action will take - but the guitarist hopes it'll involve recording fresh tracks.

The Canadian giants recently began considering how to end the hiatus they took after three years of constant work, and aim to settle firm plans in the coming weeks.

Guitarist Lifeson tells Radio.com: "Some days I feel like being back out on the road and taking advantage of the fact that it's our 40th anniversary. On other days I sit around messing with musical ideas and think, 'We've got to start writing.'

"I was over at Ged's the other day, in fact. We were both chomping at the bit to get together. He wants to try out his millions of new bass guitars that he's got now. So we'll do some writing, and we'll see where that goes." Read more here.




KISS and Motley Crue To Close The Download Festival
(Classic Rock) KISS are the final headline act to be confirmed for next year's Download festival. The Rock And Roll Hall of Famers will close the main stage at Donington on Sunday, June 14, following headline sets from Slipknot on June 12 and Muse on June 13.

Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and co will play immediately after Motley Crue, who'll end their touring career later in 2015, making their Download set their last ever UK festival appearance. Also confirmed in the third batch of acts are Slash and Enter Shikari.

Paul Stanley, who fronted Kiss at Monsters Of Rock in 1988 and 1996 before headlining Download in 2008, says: "Download has become a tradition of stature that separates the pretenders from the contenders and the champs from the chimps. It will be an honor to take our turf and leave no doubt why we wear the crown." Read more here.




Volbeat's Rob Caggiano Explains The Downside To Producing
(Classic Rock) Volbeat guitarist Rob Caggiano says his work behind the production desk temporarily "ruined music" for him. The former Anthrax axeman was behind the desk on their albums We've Come for You All and Worship Music and he's also produced records by Cradle Of Filth, Ill Nino, Machine Head and his current employers Volbeat.

And pouring all his energy into producing meant he was unable to enjoy music as he spent too much time "picking apart" the songs. Caggiano tells TeamRock Radio's AOR Magazine Show: "When I'm working on music, I think about the whole picture. I think about what the kick drum's doing, what the bass player's doing.

"I got heavily into producing a long time ago and I was aways in that mode. It actually ruined music for me to a certain extent because when I was trying to just sit down with a CD and listen to it and enjoy it, I couldn't even do it. I was always picking things out and hearing all these different things.

"It took me a while to get away from that and turn that part of my brain off and chill out and listen to it for what it is." Read more here.




John Lydon Spent Thousands On iPad Apps
(Classic Rock) The Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd mainman John Lydon has revealed he's spend thousands on iPad apps. And the singer, who launched his autobiography Anger Is An Energy: My Life Uncensored last month, says he spent the money because he wanted to get a little bit of his childhood back.

He tells The Telegraph: "I wasted 10,000 f***ing pounds in the last two years on apps on my iPad. I got into Game of Thrones, Game of War, Real Racing, and I just wanted to up the ante.

And like an idiot I didn't check myself. I've been checked now. But there's a kid in me, see? A bit of my childhood was taken from me and I'm determined to bring it back." Read more here.




Slash Worked Out Deal With Tremonti Over Myles
(Classic Rock) Slash says he and Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti have worked out a system that will allow them both to continue working with singer Myles Kennedy.

Kennedy fronts Alter Bridge as well as Slash's backing band The Conspirators. And with both acts having massive profiles to go with their recording and touring commitments, it might be expected that something will eventually have to give in regards to Kennedy's availability.

But Slash is confident that won't be the case. He tells VH1: "We've built up such a good system for making it work. I don't have any intention of disrupting what Alter Bridge is doing and I don't think Mark has any intention of disrupting what we're doing." Read more here.





Frank Turner Ready To Record New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Folk-punk artist Frank Turner will hit the studio next month to begin work on his sixth album, he's confirmed. And while he keeping specific details a secret for now, he says he's eager to start recording the follow-up to 2013's Tape Deck Heart.

"After some behind-the-scenes confusion and plan-changing, we are finally about to hit the studio at the start of next month to make the sixth record," He says on his website. "Details about where, when and with who I'm still keeping close to my chest, but it's great that it's finally getting under way."

Prior to returning to the studio, he'll release the third in his compilation series The Third Three Years on November 24. It will feature demo, acoustic and live takes on a selection of his tracks along with cover versions of material by artists including Bruce Springsteen, Queen, Tom Petty and Paul McCartney. Read more here.




J.O.S. Giving Away Their New EP
UK rockers J.O.S. are giving away their new eponymous debut EP and we reached out to the band to find out why they decided to give it away and also to get a feel for their sound and their influences.

The band explain why they decided to offer the EP for free, "We're currently living in an age where people stream their music for free and where big acts give their music away for nothing. Whether you think this devalues music or not, what it has done has changed how people view the worth of music.

"Where people are more than happy to continually fork out for apps on their iPhone, spend nearly £4 for a coffee in Starbucks, or spend a fiver at McDonalds, if any artist dare suggest that people should pay for their music, that might connect with them on a profound human level or even change their lives, they are shot down for being a money crabbing pariah.

"In this climate it makes it very difficult for an unsigned band, such as J.O.S., to sell their music. As we're looking to reach out to as many people as possible giving the EP away for free seemed like a sensible thing to do under the circumstances."

We also asked them about their sound and their influences. They had this to say, "Even though we happily wear our influences on our sleeve, the J.O.S. sound is definitely unique. Our sound is a combination of rock, grunge, and punk, but at the heart of everything we do is melody. So even though we love heavy bands like Guns n' Roses, Nirvana, and The Offspring, we also love melodic bands like The Beatles and Queen, and our sound reflects that.

"So much so, where a lot of modern bands recoil at the idea of their songs being accessible to a mainstream audience and do their best to turn away from that, we feel that this only results in a vacuum which is inevitably filled with the kind vacuous pop music we see the charts riddled with today. As result we don't have such misapprehensions.

"For J.O.S. you can be heavy and melodic. For J.O.S. you can be mainstream and sincere. None of these concepts are mutually exclusives. They weren't mutually exclusive for The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Nirvana and they're certainly not mutually exclusive concepts for J.O.S."

You can stream and download the new EP here.




Extreme Announces Pornograffitti 25th Anniversary Tour
(hennemusic) Boston rockers Extreme have announced dates for the US leg of their Pornograffitti Live 25th Anniversary tour which they will be kicking off early next year.

The 10-date run will see Extreme performing their classic 1990 album, "Pornograffitti", in its entirety along with a greatest hits set. The tour begins on January 16th in Uncasville, CT and concludes on January 31st in Battle Creek, MI.

The band's second album, "Pornograffitti" featured two hit singles, "More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted", both acoustic-based numbers…while most of the album was a mix of hard rock and funk.





At The Gates' Tomas Lindberg Excited About Their 'Ultimate' New Record
(TeamRock Radio) Tomas Lindberg says the new At The Gates album is their "ultimate" record. The band's fifth album At War With Reality was released last month. It's a concept album - which Lindberg described as an "intriguing" and "challenging" way to make a comeback 19 years after their last album, 1995's Slaughter Of The Soul.

Frontman Lindberg tells Full Metal Jackie: "I guess the start of the writing process was a little bit scary when we tried out the direction, but as soon as things started to come together I wanted this to be the ultimate At The Gates record and it proved to be just that, musically.

"But lyrically, it was so hard to grasp everything within one concept, so I just, what would take the listener by surprise? What would really challenge them as a comeback record? No one has really done a concept record as a comeback record.

"And I thought this might be really intriguing for the fans and showing them that this is a real album. It's not just, like, the best of At The Gates riff collection, it's actually a real album." Read more here.





Ensiferum Confirm New Album Details
(TeamRock Radio) Ensiferum have confirmed their new album One Man Army will be released on February 23 next year. The Finnish folk metal outfit have wrapped up recording of their sixth album at Astia Studio in Lappeenranta, Finland with producer Anssi Kippo in the last few weeks.

Singer/guitarist Petri Lindroos says: "We worked hard and long days one after another while Kippo kicked our asses to make us do the very best, and you can hear that in this album. It's a killer album with killer sound. I'm very proud to a part of this masterpiece."

One Man Army is the follow-up to 2012's Unsung Heroes, and bassist Sami Hinkka says it contains no filler. "The material is pretty diverse and each song tells a tale of its own instead of being a crappy copy of previous song - so no fillers included." Read more here.




Amaranthe Feared Fan Reaction To New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Elize Ryd says Amaranthe feared their new album would be too much of a departure for some fans to accept. Ryd says the band write to please themselves, but always try to think about the fans' perspective too. And on new album Massive Addictive she is relieved that they appear to have struck a perfect balance.

Ryd tells Rabid Noise: "Sometimes you're just hoping, 'If I like it this much hopefully others will like it the way I do.' I try to make songs that I enjoy myself. I did like this album very much, but it's also a change from the previous two so we were a little bit afraid that people wouldn't like it, or think it was too big of a chance.

"But I think we found a pretty good balance there to make it new but still keep the Amaranthe sound. We couldn't be more happy than we are now, we've had very good reviews." Read more here.







Metallica Hit The Lights On Late Night TV
(hennemusic) Metallica kicked off their week-long residency on CBS-TV's Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Monday night, with the full episode devoted to the band.

Frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich joined Ferguson for an extended interview before the group performed their 1983 classic, "Hit The Lights."

Metallica are asking help from fans as they prepare deluxe reissues of their first two albums - 1983's "Kill 'Em All" and 1984's "Ride The Lightning" - for release in 2015.

"We want it all!," posted the group. "Did you manage to sneak a video camera into a show long before they fit in your pocket? Maybe your old instamatic camera for some snap shots? A cassette Walkman with a microphone? We're looking for anything and everything... audio, video, photos, fliers, ticket stubs, the set list you picked up off the floor, and in general any mementos you may have from that around that time."

"Make your mark on these albums by e-mailing us at submissions@metclub.com to share your story and receive more info about submitting photos, videos, audio recordings and other mementos."







Jimmy Page Explains Title Of Led Zeppelin IV
(hennemusic) Led Zeppelin mastermind Jimmy Page recently took part in a Q&A session with fans at a SiriusXM Town Hall as he promotes the band's latest reissues, "Led Zeppelin IV" and "Houses Of The Holy."

Page was asked why the band's iconic fourth album went untitled. "It was the right way to deal with things at that time," said Page. "You wanted to do things a lot of other people hadn't done.

"Although, there was a lot of friction with the record company 'cause the way they saw things was as things run normally. But the fact of having that album out and the old man with the sticks and the picture frame [on the album cover] is so iconic that it was the right thing to do."

The guitarist also shared some of the creative process behind the album's opening track, "Black Dog." "In effect, John Paul Jones had a riff, and that's the sort of riff that you know of Black Dog," revealed Page.

"But that's what it was, it was just a riff. He was sort of playing it over and over. It was tricky to play. Once I could play it with him, I said, 'Okay, well let's try this with a call and response.' So with Robert [Plant] singing and then the riff. And then all the other bits outside of the riff - those are all the bits that I put into it. So really, if you're asking me what my part of it was, it was actually taking it from a riff and making it into a piece of music."




Jimmy Fallon and The Roots Become U2 On The Tonight Show
(hennemusic) Jimmy Fallon and The Roots filled in for U2 on The Tonight Show Monday following news that the band were forced to postpone their planned week-long residency on the NBC late night program this week after frontman Bono broke his arm bicycling in Central Park on Sunday.

"The show must go," said Fallon. "It's just happened yesterday and it's never happened before to us, so I was thinking, 'who do we get to come on the show'. And then I realized that we already have the best band in the world - The Roots - are here every single night. And Bono's wardrobe is here because he was going to wear it tonight but obviously he's not going to need it now. So I thought 'let's have some fun with it."

Fallon donned Bono's gear and teamed up with The Roots for a performance of U2's 1988 hit, "Desire." U2 revealed news of Bono's accident to fans on Sunday.

"It looks like we will have to do our Tonight Show residency another time - we're one man down," posted the group. "Bono has injured his arm in a cycling spill in Central Park and requires some surgery to repair it. We're sure he'll make a full recovery soon, so we'll be back! Much thanks to Jimmy Fallon and everyone at the show for their understanding."

Watch video of the performance here.



Joe Walsh Jams With The Foo Fighters
(hennemusic) Joe Walsh joined the Foo Fighters at their November 14 Los Angeles club show at The Roxy. The Eagles guitarist was on hand to perform "Outside" from the band's newly-released set, "Sonic Highways." Walsh appears on the album version, which was written and recorded in Joshua Tree, California.

Walsh then performed his 1985 classic, "Rocky Mountain Way", before he and the Foos were joined by Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell to play that group's "Mountain Song."

Produced by Butch Vig, "Sonic Highways" was recorded in 8 American cities - Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Seattle and Washington, D.C.




AC/DC Praise Fans In New Behind The Scenes Video
(hennemusic) AC/DC are raving about the support they receive from their fans in a new clip featuring behind the scenes footage from their recent video shoot in London.

"The fans are a big part of what we do," says lead guitarist Angus Young and frontman Brian Johnson adds, "They are a member of the band by default".

The London set saw fans come in from all over the world to be a part of the video for the title track to their forthcoming album, "Rock Or Bust", due December 2.

"[The video] was greatly, greatly helped by the fans," explains director David Mallett. "And one chap - complete with an Angus outfit - flew from South America to watch AC/DC make a video for three-and-a-half hours…and then he flew home to South America."

"Why are AC/DC fans loyal to AC/DC?", asks Mallett. "Because AC/Dc are loyal to the fans." Watch the behind the scenes video here.




Prince Releases Funknroll Clip
(Classic Rock) Prince and ThirdEyeGirl have released a lyric video for the track Funknroll, a song which appears on both the albums the singer has released earlier this year.

Funknroll, which was first heard on the Arsenio Hall show in March, was featured on Prince's Art Official Age and Prince & ThirdEyeGirl's Plectrumelectrum, both of which came out in September.

This version of Funknroll is from the latter. The albums marked the singer's return to Warner Brothers, nearly 20 years after he left the label in 1995. Check out the video here.



Billy Corgan Covers Joy Division Song with Peter Hook
(Radio.com) Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" is a kind of crown jewel for musicians to cover. It's been taken on by everyone from Björk to U2, New Order, the Cure, Thom Yorke and Atoms for Peace, Fall Out Boy, Arcade Fire-the list goes on.

But if anyone has the "right" to cover it, that would be former bassist Peter Hook and his new band The Light. During their show at Chicago's Metro on Friday night, the band closed out their encore with a special rendition of the song featuring guest appearances from local resident Billy Corgan and his Smashing Pumpkins bandmate Jeff Schroeder.

The crowd predictably went nuts when Hook and co. strummed the iconic opening chords of the track. Corgan handled the vocals, doing his best Ian Curtis impersonation.

Corgan and Schroeder's appearance wasn't entirely due to The Light playing in their hometown. Back in 2001, Corgan supported New Order on tour. New Order grew from Joy Division following frontman Curtis' death.






BTBAM's Thomas Giles Releases Siphon The Bad Blood Video
(TeamRock Radio) Thomas Giles has released a video for his track Siphon The Bad Blood. The song is taken from the Between The Buried And Me frontman's upcoming solo album Modern Noise, out on November 25.

The new effort is Tommy Giles Rogers Jr.'s second solo album under the name Thomas Giles. He has also released an electronic record under the moniker Giles.

Between The Buried And Me released live studio DVD Future Sequence: Live At The Fidelitorium in September. Watch the Siphon The Bad Blood video here.




Radiohead's Philip Selway Releases Around Again Video
(Prog) Radiohead drummer Philip Selway has launched a music video for the track Around Again. The song comes from his second solo album Weatherhouse which launched in October via Bella Union. It's the follow-up to 2010's Familial.

Selway is joined on the record by multi-instrumentalists Adem Ilan and Quinta and he previously stated the album was "generally darker and fuller" than his debut solo outing - and he revealed they wanted to cover a variety of instruments on his latest recording.

He said: "From the outset we wanted the album to be the three of us, and we covered a lot of instruments between us. Different musicians stretch you; I felt stretched on Weatherhouse, but very enjoyably so."







Former Iron Maiden Singer Hated By Fans?
(Classic Rock) Former Iron Maiden frontman Blaze Bayley says some Iron Maiden fans hated him for taking over vocal duties from Bruce Dickinson. He joined the metal giants in 1994 and recorded two albums - 1995's The X Factor and 1998's Virtual XI. But he says a section of the group's fans were against him from the start as they blamed him for the departure of Dickinson.

He tells Mitch Lafon: "When I joined the band, there were a lot of people who just resented me and actually hated me for being in Maiden. They blamed me for Bruce leaving, which is a classic girlfriend problem, where you blame your friend for your girlfriend leaving or whatever. But a lot of people didn't want to listen to me.

"It was a very different time for Maiden. The music business was changing, MP3s were coming, the hardware was starting to disappear, CD sales were down for everybody worldwide. And it was a time when a lot of old-school Maiden fans didn't want Blaze Bayley to be the lead singer. " Read more here.



Nothing Release Chloroform Video
(TeamRock Radio) Just days ahead of the launch of their debut UK tour, shoegazey soundscapers Nothing have released a new music video for the song Chloroform.

Taken from the split 12" with Whirr, out now on Run For Cover Records, the video was directed by Don Argott (the man the Lamb Of God As The Palaces Burn documentary) and features a heavy bout of kidnapping.

The new split record features two new tracks from Nothing recorded with Will Yip who has worked with everyone from Cradle Of Filth and Title Fight to Schoolly D and Paint It Black. Check out the tour dates and watch the video here.




Singled Out: Winter In Eden's With Intent
Today Steve Hauxwell from UK symphonic rockers Winter In Eden tells us about the song "With Intent" and its new video, which comes from their brand new album "Court of Conscience". Here is the story:

'With Intent' was one of the first tracks we wrote for 'Court Of Conscience' and it is also one of my favourites to play live, so it seems fitting to explain it a little more.

Unlike some bands, all the members of Winter In Eden contribute to the writing process but the initial idea can come from any one of us. In this case, it came together really quickly with Sam hammering out a guitar riff and Steve J (keys) soon had a counter melody floating over the top. At the time, it kind of resembled the theme tune from an old children's TV show that aired in the UK and as such, the song quickly earned a working title of the same name. Incidentally, we are already writing for the next album and have another track with the same working title … that TV show must have been a major influence on all of us for some unknown reason!!

Anyway, back on topic … as the track developed the arrangements changed slightly (as they often do) but Vicky had the vocal melody nailed and already knew what the lyrics would be about. 'With Intent' is all about a stalker! Most of the time, when people think of stalkers they think of male stalking female but it could easily be the other way too. It could be someone who's known to you, someone you may have had a relationship with or a total stranger. We wanted the track to musically demonstrate both the light and the dark, the innocent and the sinister side of stalker and victim. Luckily for us, Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation) who produced the album, had some great ideas to make the heavy middle eight section sound aggressive and dark to contrast with the lighter, more up-beat chorus. Vicky also likes to make her lyrics slightly ambiguous, rather than to lay it all out. So you'll need to listen and make up your own mind as to who the stalker is.

The video which accompanies the track, depicts a young girl being stalked by ghostly figures after she finds a pocket watch, but is that really who this track is about? Or is there another, more down-to-earth but equally unfavourable meaning?

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Dropkick Murphys Involved In Fatal Traffic Incident
(TeamRock Radio) The Dropkick Murphys were involved in a fatal traffic incident on Sunday night in Texas, when a person ran in front of their tour bus in a suspected suicide.

They've thanked fans for understanding after being forced to cancel their show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, while they deal with the aftermath of the tragedy. The Celtic punks say in a statement: "We were en route to Dallas airport to drop off singer Al Barr, who's flying home for the funeral of a lifelong friend.

"Just north of Austin a pedestrian suddenly ran onto the highway in front of our tour bus. Police suspect a suicide. We were left with a driver who's been severely shaken up, and a bus too damaged to continue." Read more here.




Slipknot's Corey Taylor Vs. Gene Simmons
(Classic Rock) Corey Taylor has urged Gene Simmons to "get out more" while once again hailing the current rock scene as alive and very much kicking. The Slipknot frontman says he's thrilled with the success of his band's latest album .5: The Gray Chapter, but insists he doesn't always believe success relates directly to sales.

Taylor points to the success of the recent Knotfest festival as a true indicator of the thriving rock and metal scene. He was responding to Kiss star Gene Simmons' controversial comment that "rock is dead," which sparked a string of musicians to defend the genre.

Taylor tells KLAQ: "I think people put too much on sales, because that doesn't relate to how many people hear it. In this day and age it's more about getting people to hear the music.

"I love the fact that we had the highest sales in the first week for a metal band the whole year, in a long time. I'm proud of that. But at the same time that doesn't relate to how many people have heard it and bought specific songs.

"We had three million views for the Knotfest live streams and you don't get awards for that. We had so many million views of The Negative One video and The Devil In I video, and you don't get awards for that.

"Just the fact that we had almost 70,000 people over the Knotfest weekend proves something. You don't always need a platinum album to relate that to success so, with all due respect to Mr Simmons, he needs to get out more." Check out the full interview here.




Malcolm Young Hasn't Heard AC/DC's New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Retired AC/DC guitarist Malcolm Young hasn't heard the band's upcoming album Rock Or Bust, says brother Angus. And the health issues that caused his retirement began appearing before they'd made 2008 record Black Ice, reveals the only remaining original member.

Malcolm's family confirmed in September that his dementia had advanced to a stage that meant his career was over. Rock Or Bust was recorded with nephew Stevie Young in his place.

Angus tells Rolling Stone: "It's something that had been happening for a long time. The symptoms had surfaced even before the last project. He was still capable of knowing what he wanted to do.

"I said to him, 'Do you want to go through with what we're doing?' And he said, 'Sh*t, yeah.' He liked to finish what he started." Read more here.




Goo Goo Dolls Sued By Former Member
(Classic Rock) Former Goo Goo Dolls drummer Michael Malinin has filed a lawsuit against his two former bandmates over money he believes he's entitled to, according to reports.

He took over from original drummer George Tutuska in 1995 and left the band in 2013 after 19 years with founding members John Rzeznik and Robby Takac.

At the time he said on Twitter: "Got some news today. Just wanted to say thank you to the fans who've supported me for 19 years. Best of luck and happy travels to the band."

The following day he issued the message: "Thanks for the kind words and support. To clarify, it was not my decision to leave the band. But no grudges held. I wish them all the best."

But he's now issued his former bandmates with a lawsuit, claiming he was fired mid-tour when he took time off to see his wife Krista who was in labor with twins. Read more here.




Marilyn Manson Announces Hell Not Hallelujah Tour
Marilyn Manson has announced that they will be launching a North American tour early next year in support of his forthcoming studio album "The Pale Emperor."

Manson has dubbed the trek the Hell Not Hallelujah Tour and it is scheduled to kick off on January 21 in Washington, D.C. and will be concluding in Las Vegas on Valentine's Day.

"The Pale Emperor," Manson's ninth studio album and the follow up to 2012's Born Villain, is set to be released on January 20th, the day prior to the tour kick off. Check out the tour dates here.




Malice Guitarist Mick Zane Has Brain Tumor
(TeamRock Radio) Malice lead guitarist Mick Zane has been diagnosed with a small brain tumor. He was taken ill in Los Angeles last week during studio sessions and was rushed to hospital in Burbank, California.

He was due to undergo surgery on Monday to remove the tumor. He explains to KNAC how it was discovred, "I went to see Judas Priest at the Nokia Theatre last Tuesday night.

"I left the show with a terrible headache, and the next day I got sick in the studio. They had to call emergency medical technicians and rush me to the emergency room." Read more here.




Machine Head Almost Broke Up
(TeamRock Radio) Robb Flynn has given more details on Machine Head's acrimonious split with sacked bassist Adam Duce. The frontman recalls he, drummer Dave McClain and manager Joey Huston all said they were going to quit the band - before realising they had to fire Duce to keep the show on the road.

Just weeks after Machine Head released their new album Bloodstone & Diamonds, Flynn says in a new blog post: "Two years ago I never thought this feeling of releasing a new album would ever happen again. On December 14 we played the last show on Dethklok tour at the Roseland Ballroom (RIP) in New York City.

"It was a disastrous day and a disastrous ending to disastrous tour. At that point in time the tension in the band was so thick you could've tried to cut it with a knife, but the f***ing thing probably would've broke your hand. Dave McClain walked off stage and said to me, 'That's the last show I ever play with Adam Duce.'

"I was talking with Dave and our manager Joey, and at one point Dave threw out that he was serious about New York, he wasn't playing with our bassist ever again, or he was quitting the band. Joey laughed and said, 'Oh no you're not, cause I'm f***ing quitting the band.' I laughed and said 'F*** you guys, because I'm quitting the band.'

"We all laughed for a minute, laughed that all three of us had just quit the band. Read more here.




Allman Brothers Band Release Classic Concert Online
(Classic Rock) The Allman Brothers Band have released a video of their 1970 Fillmore East, New York performance on YouTube channel Music Vault. It was originally filmed as part of a TV special titled Welcome To Fillmore East which featured short sets by the Allman Brothers Band, the Byrds, Van Morrison, the Elvin Bishop Group and Sha-N-Na.

The band played four tracks on the night: Don't Keep Me Wonderin', Dreams, In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed and Whipping Post and came six months before their Live At Fillmore East double album.

The performance features the original lineup of Gregg Allman, Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, Jai Johanny Johanson and Tom Doucette. Read more and watch the concert here.




Jeff Loomis Joins Arch Enemy
(TeamRock Radio) Arch Enemy have hired Jeff Loomis as their new guitarist - replacing the outgoing Nick Cordle. Former Nevermore man Loomis joins the Swedish group ahead of their European tour, which kicks off on November 26.

Loomis says: "I'm very excited to be playing with Arch Enemy. Michael Amott and I have stayed in contact over the years since we toured together when I was playing in Nevermore.

"Not only do I admire his guitar playing and songwriting, but I also consider him a close friend. To be able to share the stage with Michael, Sharlee, Daniel and Alissa is something I'm really looking forward to."

Arch Enemy have been on the road in support of recent album War Eternal. They moved quickly to replace Cordle, who is leaving to work on other projects. Read more here.




Bruce Springsteen Launches Archival Concert Series
(hennemusic) Bruce Springsteen is launching a new archival concert series with the release of a 2012 live set from New York's Apollo Theater. The March 9, 2012 show was the opening night of Springsteen's tour in support of "Wrecking Ball."

The event also marked the singer's first show without saxophonist Clarence Clemons, who passed away June 18, 2011 at the age of 69 following complications from a massive stroke.

The Apollo concert was originally broadcast live on SiruiusXM's Bruce Springsteen's E Street Radio channel. Springsteen is making archival concerts available as high-resolution 24-bit downloads, MP3s, or lossless CD-Quality downloads. Read more here.




Bush Launching North American Tour
(hennemusic) Bush have announced dates for a North American tour in support of their latest album, "Man On The Run." The band will be joined by Theory Of A Dead Man and Stars In Stereo for the 6-week trek, which starts January 30 in San Francisco.

Prior to the tour's launch, Bush will perform a string of select shows in St. Louis, Detroit, Tulsa, Chicago, Nashville and Los Angeles; the latter will see them joining Linkin Park and System Of A Down at the L.A. Forum for KROQ's Almost Acoustic Xmas.

"Man On The Run", the band's sixth release, was produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Alice In Chains, Foo Fighters, Mastadon) at Studio 606, the Northridge, California-based studio owned by Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl.

The project is follow-up to 2011's "The Sea Of Memories", the group's first record in a decade. Check out the tour dates here.




Dan Lilker Considered Joining Metallica After Cliff's Death
(TeamRock Radio) Former Anthrax bassist Dan Lilker has revealed he considered the possibility of joining Metallica when Cliff Burton died. The bassists had been friends until the tour bus tragedy that killed Burton in 1986 - and other contacts and colleagues had noticed a similarity in their musical styles when Metallica began looking for a replacement.

Lilker tells Songfacts: "People came up to me, saying with a wink, 'Dan, you joining Metallica?' But I never got a call about it." And he's not sure if he'd have enjoyed working with James Hetfield and co because of the way the band is set up.

"Who knows if I would have lasted?" he says. "That's a band where two dudes make all the money and they pretty much dictate exactly what they want to do. Most of the bands I've been in, I'm one of the main songwriters and direct the nature of the music.

"And that first Metallica album that came out after Cliff died, that had Jason Newsted on it - there's no bass on it at all." Read more here.




Dokken Made 'Crazy Money' For Chicken Commercial
(Classic Rock) Don Dokken says his band were paid "crazy money" for their appearance in a Norton Internet Security commerical. Dokken were filmed in a huge warehouse and portrayed as a computer virus which was attacking a PC - represented by a chicken.

The bizarre advert was only ever shown online, but Dokken says the band were paid a small fortune for it. He tells Inside Metal: "A friend of mine, Ryan Ebner, was actually staying in my Beverly Hills house, and I had a guest house. And he says, 'I'm doing this commercial and one of my bands pulled out. Do you wanna do a commercial?'

"I said, 'Yeah, I'll do a commercial.' He's, like, 'It'll be you and the chicken.' And I went, 'No, no, no, no, no, no. I'm not gonna punk myself.' And then he told me how much he'd pay me. And I went, 'Really?' He goes, 'Dude, it's Norton Antivirus.' I said, 'For that kind of money, I'll wear a chicken suit. I will be the chicken. I will flap my wings and I will cluck.'" Read more and watch the funny ad here.




Prog Pioneers Lucifer's Friend Return After 20 Years
(Prog) German prog rock pioneers Lucifer's Friend have announced their comeback - which will be launched with a career-spanning compilation. Awakening will include some of their biggest hits as well as new material.

The band released their debut, self-titled album in 1970 but suffered a blow when singer John Lawton left to join Uriah Heep. After splitting in 1982, they briefly reformed in 1994 and released ninth album Sumo Grip.

Twenty years on, they are back, with Awakening due out in March 2015 and available now for pre-order via Cherry Red Records. They have been lined up to appear at Sweden Rock Festival in June next year. Read more here.




Joe Lynn Turner Says Fans Deserve A Rainbow Reunion
(TeamRock Radio) Rated X frontman Joe Lynn Turner would love a Rainbow reunion - to allow the band to go out in a "blaze of glory." Singer Turner has his hands full with supergroup Rated X, but he feels Rainbow still has a lot to offer fans and says he would be open to a reunion.

Turner still performs Rainbow songs live, as do fellow former Rainbow singers Graham Bonnet and Doogie White. Bonnet replaced Ronnie James Dio in the band in 1979.

Turner - who also fronted Deep Purple for a spell - tells Metal Forces: "In my opinion, for Rainbow it would be one last shot and then going out in a blaze of glory so to speak. I think the fans deserve it, and to honour all of the members of Rainbow, past and present.

"I always feel that in my sets, I play Rainbow, Purple, and things like that because no-one else is doing it. I play Ronnie's songs and all that stuff, Graham's, whatever - I have no compunction about doing that material." Read more here.




Guitarist Concerned About Bret Michaels' Health
(Classic Rock) Bret Michaels' guitarist Pete Evick says he finds it hard to watch his boss fight through illness onstage. Evick has given another road update on Poison frontman Michaels' solo US tour. Michaels has suffered a series of health scares this year, most recently resulting in him undergoing kidney surgery.

He has been taking painkiller Dilauded and anti-inflammatory Prednisone to help get him through the shows. And while Michaels "killed it" at a gig in Florida on November 13, ahead of a second Florida show, Evick said he wishes the singer would take a break.

Evick says: "Most people take weeks to heal from stuff like this and he should as well. Offstage I can tell he's still hurting, but he killed it last night and I suspect tonight will be exactly the same." Read more here.




Entombed AD Frontman Talks Split With Alex Hellid
(TeamRock Radio) Entombed AD frontman Lars Goran Petrov says the band's split with guitarist Alex Hellid had to happen. The fallout from the lineup change led them to alter their name from Entombed, and they finally released their album Back To The Front earlier this year - seven years after previous outing Serpent Saints: The Ten Amendments.

Petrov tells RevolutionMusic (via Blabbermouth): "It had to be done. There was too much bullsh*t, crying and whining about things. Some people are comfortable staying at home.

"We did what bands should do - release an album and go on tour, and that's what it's all about. We added two letters, but it's still the same band, only without people that want to stay at home or take millions of years over a riff." Read more here.




Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx Thought He Would Crash and Burn
(Classic Rock) Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx says he expected to crash and burn at a young age. And he reveals the reason he threw himself into music and the accompanying hedonistic lifestyle was because he didn't have a stable family life and never thought he'd make it through the other side.

He tells The Guardian: "I never had a template of what a family was. I never really thought I would ever make it to that place in my life. I thought I'd be one of these crash and burn kids.

So I threw myself headlong into music and that lifestyle - I never really figured I'd get out of the other side. A few years later, when I got sober and was able to become a father and have a family, that was when some of the greatest lessons came." Read more here.




Muse and Marilyn Manson Added As Download Headliners
(Classic Rock) Muse have been confirmed as the Saturday night main stage headline act for download 2015. Their set will follow Faith No More at Donington on Saturday, June 13 next year.

Also confirmed in the second batch of acts to be announced for the festival is Marilyn Manson, who will headline the second stage on Saturday. Making up the second batch of acts to be announced are pop punk heroes A Day To Remember. Yesterday, festival bosses revealed Slipknot, Judas Priest, Black Stone Cherry and Five Finger Death Punch were set to play on Friday.

Muse's appearance will be their first ever set at Download. The band say: "We're really looking forward to Download. We've never played the festival before so it's going to be really special." Read more here.



Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong Lands Role In Upcoming Film
(TeamRock Radio) Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong has landed a role in upcoming music drama Geezer. He'll also write and perform new tracks for the film which also stars Judy Greer, Fred Armisen and Selma Blair.

The movie focuses on the mid-life crisis of a husband and father who revisits his punk past by throwing a lavish party. Here, he comes face-to-face with his ex-girlfriend and former bandmates who have all moved on with their life.

And director Lee Kirk reckons Armstrong is a perfect fit for the role. He tells Variety: "Billie Joe Armstrong brings an exciting authenticity to the film. He's a dad, a musician and an incredible talent." Read more here.







AC/DC Release New Song Rock Or Bust
(hennemusic) AC/DC have released the title track to their forthcoming album, "Rock Or Bust", as the project's second single. The tune follows "Play Ball" as the band prepare to launch their first album in 6 years on December 2.

AC/DC filmed videos for both songs in London early last month without drummer Phil Rudd, who made headlines following his recent arrest in New Zealand.

On November 6, Rudd was charged with attempting to procure a murder by New Zealand police after he allegedly tried to have two men killed, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cannabis and threatening to kill. Authorities dropped the charge of attempting to procure a murder the next day due to lack of evidence.

Rudd does appear on "Rock Or Bust", which was recorded this past spring at Vancouver's Warehouse Studio with producer Brendan O'Brien (Aerosmith, Pearl Jam) and engineer Mike Fraser.

Guitarists Angus and Malcolm Young's nephew, Stevie, handled rhythm guitar on the album after Malcolm stepped away from the group to deal with ongoing health issues related to dementia, according to his family; he is now officially retired from AC/DC.

Listen to the song here.




Ice-T Gives 'Turn Down for What' A Metal Makeover
(Radio.com) You've heard the Star Wars version. You've made it through the voting awareness video. Now, you can enjoy the inevitable metal version of "Turn Down for What" with the release of Punk Goes Pop, Vol. 6, the long-running series from Fearless Records featuring rock bands of many dispositions covering the pop songs of today, along with other compilations of country, classic rock and even Christmas covers.

And perhaps the song to get the most attention is Upon a Burning Body's version of "Turn Down for What," which also features rapper and Body Count frontman Ice-T.

Upon a Burning Body's "Turn Down for What" doesn't deviate too much from the source material. The electronic blips of DJ Snake and Lil Jon's original are replaced with grooving metal riffs that ape the original, while frontman Danny Leal's screams mix with Ice-T's rhymes. There's even a quick insert of Metallica's "Sad But True" toward the end, in case you needed a song to try to mash up with "Turn Down for What" in the future.

In other words, if your "Turn Down for What" needed less Lil Jon shouting and more guttural growling (and a lot more profanity), you've found your match. Check it out here.




Foo Fighters Cover Jane's Addiction With Perry Farrell and Joe Walsh
(Radio.com) Over the past few days or so, Foo Fighters have made more headlines for frontman Dave Grohl's comments on Taylor Swift and Spotify and bands who play one classic album live.

But Friday night, the attention shifted back to their new album and HBO show of the same name, Sonic Highways. During a release party for the Los Angeles episode of Sonic Highways at Roxy Theatre on the Sunset Strip, the band played tracks from their new album and brought out a couple of surprise guests: Joe Walsh and Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction.

Together, they covered Jane's Addiction's 1988 single "Mountain Song," from Nothing's Shocking, with Farrell on vocals and Walsh on guitar duty, plus Walsh's own "Rocky Mountain Way," from his 1973 album The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get.

Check it out here.




Billy Idol Previews TV Special
(hennemusic) Billy Idol is sharing a preview of his appearance on the next episode of Guitar Center Sessions. Idol can be seen rocking classics "Dancing With Myself" and "White Wedding", along with "Can't Break Me Down", the lead single from his new album, "Kings & Queens Of The Underground."

Guitar Center Sessions with Billy Idol will air Friday, November 21 at 9pm on DIRECTV's AUDIENCE (channel 239). Currently on tour in Europe, Idol returns to the States next month to play a series of radio station-sponsored Christmas concerts before launching a North American theatre tour at the House Of Blues in New Orleans on January 21.

Last month, Idol published his self-written memoir, "Dancing With Myself." The autobiography delivers a brutally honest account of his journey to fame - from his early days as frontman of the pioneering UK punk band Generation X to his international solo career.

Watch the preview here.




The Smashing Pumpkins Release New Song Tiberius
(Radio.com) The Smashing Pumpkins continue to debut new music from their upcoming Monuments to an Elegy album; after premiering "One and All" two weeks ago, now comes "Tiberius."

The three-minute track features quite the juxtaposition of Pumpkins sounds, going from 0 to 100 in a matter of moments. After beginning with piano, a guitar riff mimicking the piano melody roars forth over crunching rhythm guitar.

Further into the song, Billy Corgan and co. are flanked by towering orchestral backing. The tune is far more classic Pumpkins than original single "Being Beige," sliding more in line with "One and All" earlier this month.

It's off Monuments to an Elegy, Smashing Pumpkins' 10th studio album, due out Dec. 9. The record will be followed by another album, Day for Night, that's scheduled for release sometime in 2015.

Listen to the song here.




Wayne Coyne Relives Armed Robbery In Animated Clip
(TeamRock Radio) Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne is the subject of the latest Blank On Blank animated interview, which focuses on the moment he thought he was going to be shot dead during an armed robbery when he was 17 years old.

The PBS Digital Studios series seeks to enhance the power of words by presenting audio recordings with original artwork. In the interview, which took place in 2002, Coyne says the experience changed him because it forced him to face up to the fact that life doesn't last for ever - and that it freed him to explore the concept in his music.

"We all laid on the ground and I thought, 'F***, this is it. I'm 17 and this is how it ends,'" he says. "You're just working one second, the next second you're laying on the ground and some guy puts a bullet in your head."

But the robbery ended with no shots fired. Coyne continues: "I remember the elation. We couldn't stop laughing and crying and jumping up and down. We were celebrating like we'd won a million dollars. I think it changed me.

"The idea of confronting the always-present idea makes living better. I hate the notion that I'd ever forget how temporary this whole thing is. Life is worth living, even though we're all headed to the same hole at the end of the day. Without coming to terms with it, you're not coming to terms with the joys of life."

Watch the clip here.




The Defiled Tribute Fans and Lost Loved Ones In New Video
(TeamRock Radio) The Defiled have posted a video for the song Five Minutes, which originally appeared in acoustic form on their third album Daggers. The video includes footage shot on the band's recent tip to Greenland, as well as tributes from fans who have lost loved ones.

Five Minutes is probably our most emotional song, and the one most personal to me" says The AvD. "We didn't originally plan to film a video for this, but when we were out in Greenland we had the opportunity to film the performance part. Despite the breathtaking beauty of our surroundings, that wasn't enough to really convey the deep emotions of this song, so as a song that deals with loss, we asked our fans to share their stories with us, and offered them the chance to pay tribute to their lost loved ones. The feedback was overwhelming - in more ways than one - and you couldn't help but be touched reading all the stories the 'defilers' shared with us.

"The day of filming was an emotional rollercoaster - bittersweet. So much sadness in the air, but also therapeutic at the same time. I think everyone there felt the same. It's easy to look at people like us - metalheads, goths, whatever you want to call us - and think we are morbid people obsessed with death, that death is something we welcome, but just 'cos we wear black it doesn't make us immune to grief. The pain one feels when losing someone close is universal, and something no one is exempt from.

"I want to thank all of the defilers who came along to take part in this. You are all beautiful, brave and have helped us make our best video yet - thank you""

Watch the video here.




Nightingale Streaming New Song On Stolen Wings
(Prog) Swedish prog-metal outfit Nightingale are streaming the track On Stolen Wings from their latest album Retribution. It was released last week via InsideOutMusic and is their first record in seven years. Now they've issued a stream of the opening track to support the record.

Mainman Dan Swano says: "After all the demos were done for the album, we gathered in the rehearsal room and gave them all a thorough spin. It took some time to get the arrangements right for On Stolen Wings and during the intense rehearsals there were a few happy accidents that completely changed the vibe of the song into something that I had been searching for all along.

"The lyrics deal with the kind of person that sucks the lifeblood out of creative people, that doesn't know how to bring their vision to the real world and then steals their ideas and takes full credit for it."

Read more and check out the song here.




Osada Vida Release Sky Full Of Dreams Video
(Prog) Polish prog-metal outfit Osada Vida have released a music video for the track Sky Full Of Dreams. The song is taken from fifth album The After Effect.

It's the follow up to 2013's Particles and their first record with guitarist Janek Mitoraj and drummer Marek Romanowski. They replaced Bartek and Adam Podzimski respectively.

They previously said of the album: "All the changes Osada Vida has undergone lately gave us new energy, enthusiasm and a drive to create new music. Music-wise, the new songs constitute a harmonious combination of our distinctive style with what we presented on the Particles album."

Watch the video here.




Sammy Hagar Guest Judge On TV Series On The Menu
(hennemusic) Sammy Hagar was the featured guest judge on the new TNT-TV series, On The Menu, on the November 14 episode and video clips have been posted online.

Hagar joined his friend, legendary Chef Emeril Lagasse, and host Ty Pennington for the program during the first season of their new show. In the episode, the competitors - four everyday cooks - were tasked to impress Hagar and create a new Mexican dish for both of his restaurants, the Cabo Wabo Cantina and Sammy's Beach Bar & Grill.

Hagar recently released his first acoustic album, "Lite Roast." The project sees the singer teamed with Waboritas guitarist Vic Johnson to deliver stripped-down versions of tunes from Hagar's career.

Check out videos from the TV episode here.




Scott Ian Reacts To Former Anthrax Singer's Criticism
(Classic Rock) Anthrax mainman Scott Ian has thanked former vocalist Neil Turbin for comparing his autobiography to The Lord Of The Rings. The singer, who left the band in 1984, recently called Ian's autobiography I'm The Man: The Story Of That Guy From Anthrax a "new work of fiction" as he was unhappy about the way he was portrayed in the book.

"I find it very sad that somebody I've had no contact with for 30 years feels that it's necessary to fabricate lies about me in order to draw attention to themselves," He said. "I wish them all the luck in the world on their new work of fiction. I'm sure it must be as good as The Lord Of The Rings."

Ian has now responded to Turbin's comments and insists he doesn't care what he or anyone else from outside the group thinks. He tells BackstageAxxess: "It's my book and I look at it in the same way as Anthrax looks at writing songs. When Anthrax writes songs, we don't care what anyone has to say about anything - good or bad - outside of the five guys in the band.

"And it's the same way I look at my book. I don't care what anybody has to say - good or bad. It's never changed the way I approach anything, so it doesn't matter to me.

"I will take the compliment of comparing it to The Lord Of The Rings, though. It's one of my favorite books of all time. I have to thank him for that." More including a full stream of the interview here.




Singled Out: Leon Alvarado's Red Like Blood
Today Prog musician Leon Alvarado tells us about the song "Red Like Blood" from his brand new album "2014, Music From An Expanded Universe". Here is the story:

The idea behind many of my instrumental pieces is to take the listener through a musical adventure of sorts. Having that in mind, my music can often be broken in parts or movements. Red Like Blood being no exception, can be broken in three distinct parts or movements.

The first movement starts with an esoteric ambient sound that slowly keeps evolving as it creates a "floating" atmosphere, somewhat calming but mysterious.

The second part or movement of the song is pretty much a crescendo beginning with a faint Mellotron playing a series of repeating chords. Throughout the duration of the second movement, more instruments keep being added to the mix until it becomes a very powerful rocking piece. By the time the second part reaches its climatic end, there are dual drum kits and dual guitar solos going on all at once.

The guitar solos intertwine with one another whilst the two separate drum kits mimic each other creating a massive percussive background. There are many subtle complexities being played by Trey's masterful control of the Warr guitar that aren't usually caught by the listener during first hearing the piece. The bass line is absolutely brilliant and the solid drumming guide the crescendo to it's climatic point as a train with no breaks would.

The last movement brings the listener to the return of a calmer state. It is an array of soft keyboards landscapes with a sprinkling of very ethereal guitar sustains. A sort of "calm after the storm" closing section to balance the previous portion's hectic pace. It also completes the circle of the musical adventure by ending closer to how it began. The title for the instrumental is a sort of tongue-in-cheek reference to King Crimson's double trio era.