Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Today's Day in Rock News!





Today's Day in Rock


Rolling Stones' Bobby Keys Dead At 70
(Classic Rock) Bobby Keys, saxophonist with the Rolling Stones, has died at the age of 70. His death was confirmed by Michael Webb, keyboardist for his band Bobby Keys And The Suffering Bastards.

He started working with the Rolling Stones in 1969 and continued until he was forced to stand down due to ill health in October - although at the time the Stones reported: "He's under doctor's orders to take it easy for the next month and hopes to see everyone soon."

Keys, a Texan, became a full-time musician at the age of 15 and worked with Buddy Holly and Bobby Vee. He first met Mick Jagger and co in 1964 although he didn't play with them until five years later when he appeared on Let It Bleed. He played on every subsequent record until 1974's It's Only Rock And Roll, then returned from 1980's Emotional Rescue to 2005's A Bigger Bang.

Other work included stints with Eric Clapton, John Lennon, George Harrison, B.B. King, Joe Cocker and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Read more here.




Metal Star Ruptures Testicle In Stage Mishap
(TeamRock Radio) Delain bassist Otto Schimmelpenninck has ruptured one of his testicles after a stage mishap. The Dutch symphonic metal outfit were performing at the O2 Academy in Birmingham when the incident happened - and it was because he was standing too close to a streamer cannon.

He says on Facebook: "They shoot silver streamers into the audience usually during The Gathering. We've been using this for ages without any problems at all, but in Birmingham things went wrong.

"In my enthusiasm I did not pay attention, and happened to be very close when the streamer fired. It hit me from the back, in my genitals. Although pain was pretty bad, I was merely pissed off at myself for not paying attention.

"During the next song, pain got worse, and I had the feeling I was bleeding. Pretty soon pain got to the point where I could barely stay conscious any more. I did manage to finish the show and even squeeze out some grunts."

It was only after the show that the extent of the damage became obvious - and he says he came close to losing the testicle. Read more here.




AC/DC's Malcolm Young Had Other Serious Health Issues
(Classic Rock) AC/DC mainman Malcolm Young faced heart and lung surgery on top of his dementia. His brother Angus says the health issues hit "all at once" - but that the retired musician is in good physical shape.

Malcolm ended his career earlier this year and didn't appear on latest AC/DC album Rock Or Bust. The symptoms of dementia began to appear before the band's three-year Black Ice world tour in 2008, and he was forced to re-learn some of his own riffs - while bandmates held themselves back from showing too much sympathy. He hasn't heard the band's 17th record.

"He had a lung operation, he had a heart operation. He seemed to get everything hit him at once," Angus tells KISW 99.9. "So he had quite a lot of things going on. But the physical side of him is great, because he got the best treatment for his lungs and for his heart. And he's also in good care. He's happy himself, because he's being well looked after." Read more here.




Son Says Scott Stapp Chose Drugs Over Family
(Classic Rock) Scott Stapp's teenage son says his father "chose drugs over his family." Jagger Stapp has urged his father to get the help he needs and claims the singer has been on a "nine-week" drugs binge.

16-year-old Jagger Stapp has told fans on Twitter that his dad refuses to get help. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, Jagger was responding to a series of posts on Creed's and his dad's personal Facebook pages in which Stapp has been telling fans what songs he is listening to.

Jagger's tweet reads: "My dad is too busy posting songs on his FB hiding out for attention rather than getting his act together. To all those confused, my father once again chose drugs over his family. He needs help, but refuses to get it. He's been on a nine week binge." Read more here.




Corey Taylor Explains Stone Sour's Split With Jim Root
(Classic Rock) Corey Taylor says Stone Sour's split with Jim Root was the right thing for the band - and for Slipknot. The frontman feels that dismissing the guitarist was the best way to ensure a future for both bands, even though it's led to some "awkward" moments as the pair worked on Slipknot's album .5: The Gray Chapter.

Root was fired from Stone Sour last year, although the move wasn't made public for several months. He recently told TeamRock that, while he'd been surprised, the band had become like a "sinking ship."

Now Taylor tells Loaded Radio: "With all due respect to Jim, I just want him to be happy - and for the longest time it seemed like he wasn't. It made sense to do what we had to do to make sure that both bands could still exist."

He admits: "It was awkward at first. But the more we've talked, hung out and seen the success of the album burgeon, that takes a lot of the pressure off. It's helped him see it was the right decision - he just seems happier in Slipknot." See what's next for the band here.




The Eagles Go After Alleged Bootlegger
(Classic Rock) The Eagles are suing a man who they say charged fans to watch bootleg footage of the band in concert. According to the New York Daily News (via Rolling Stone) Don Henley and Glenn Frey say New York man William Shelley was asked to stop showing the concert footage at a cinema in Connecticut, USA - but he failed to do so.

Now they are suing him for violating copyright. In a case filed at Brooklyn Federal Court, The Eagles say they are trying to reclaim the footage along with his entire archive which includes film of performances by Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac and the Rolling Stones, among others.

Shelley allegedly started filming concerts in the 1970s. The Eagles accuse him of trying to "bolster his reputation as a purported music industry 'insider' with close connections and ties to many classic rock greats." He is also accused of profiting from the screenings. Read more here.




The Who Releasing Classical Version Of Quadrophenia
(Classic Rock) The Who are to release a classical version of their Quadrophenia album in June 2015. It was recorded in October at London's Air Studios and features the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Oriana Choir and was orchestrated by guitarist Pete Townshend's partner, singer/songwriter Rachel Fuller. Who frontman Roger Daltrey has taken a back seat on the album and vocals will instead be performed by tenor Alfie Boe.

Quadrophenia Classic will receive its debut at the Royal Albert Hall, London on July 5. Tickets to go sale this Friday (December 5). The album is expected to launch at the same time via classical label Deutsche Grammophon.

Townshend, who plays electric guitar on the record, says they decided to take on the project as they wanted to reinvigorate audiences and attract people who wouldn't normally attend a classical performance. Read more here.




Peter Criss May Try Different Approach To Releasing New Songs
(Classic Rock) Former Kiss drummer Peter Criss says he is toying with the idea of releasing his next batch of music as standalone singles. Criss says releasing an album in the modern age "isn't fair for the artist".

He tells Eddie Trunk: "I've been sitting on a record. I'd done this thing five years ago and I'm still messing with it. I'm not done, because I don't wanna rush it.

"The sad thing is, you put music out today, and you download it immediately. Rock 'n' roll is not dead - I don't wanna hear that. It's far from dead. But it's just not maybe doing what it used to do.

"So I'm gonna release, probably, singles again. Like a 45, with two songs instead of putting out 13. Because it just isn't fair for the artist - you put out your songs, you download it and there's really nothing going on." Read more here.




Megadeth Star Reassures Fans About Band's Future
(Classic Rock) Megadeth will keep going following the departure of Chris Broderick and Glen Drover, says David Ellefson. He made the commitment during a fan club question-and-answer session last night. It's the first comment from within the band, which currently only features the bassist and mainman Dave Mustaine.

Guitarist Broderick and drummer Drover both announced they'd quit last month, after stints of seven and ten years respectively. Broderick cited "artistic and musical differences" while Drover said he wanted to pursue his "own musical interests."

After fan speculation, ex-axeman Glen Drover said there was "no chance" of him returning to the thrash giants. This week Jeff Young stated: "The band is done. Put a fork in it."

But last night Ellefson told fans: "As you can tell by me being here today, we are not disbanding. As of right now we're looking at all the options, of which there are many.

"We'll certainly continue working on the songs for the next record." Read more here.




Geoff Tate's Operation: Mindcrime Ink Trilogy Album Deal
(Classic Rock) Geoff Tate's outfit Operation: Mindcrime have signed a deal with Frontiers Music Srl for the release of their planned trilogy of albums. The former Queensryche frontman gave up using his old band's name earlier this year following an out-of-court settlement and vowed to continue under the Operation: Mindcrime moniker - named after his old group's 1988 and 2006 albums.

And he says signing the deal with Frontiers Music Srl will give him the freedom he needs to turn his musical ideas for his latest project into reality. Tate says in a statement on the label's Facebook page: "All of us in Operation: Mindcrime are looking forward to the new frontier with our new label Frontiers Music Srl. They're giving us the creative freedom necessary to do the trilogy project I've envisioned for the past few years.

"It's going to be great fun for all of us involved and we hope our fans will enjoy listening to it as much as we plan to enjoy creating and recording it." Read more here.




Queen's New Year's Eve Show To Be Broadcast
(hennemusic) Queen and Adam Lambert will play an intimate UK show on New Year's Eve that will be broadcast by BBC One. The concert at Central Hall Westminster - close to the iconic landmark of Big Ben - will see just 2000 fans on hand to watch the legendary band ring in 2015.

"Queen + Adam Lambert Rock Big Ben Live" will take place in the build up to the clock striking midnight to see in 2015 and continue after the spectacular, world famous fireworks display along the river Thames, which will also be shown live on BBC One.

Queen drummer Roger Taylor had this to say about the special show, "I never imagined we would be around to usher in the year of 2015, what a thrill!" We promise you a great night."

"Words can't describe how excited I am," says Lambert, "we are going to kick off 2015 in style!" Guitarist Brian May adds, "OK - Let's Rock into 2015!" Read more here.




Jared Leto Lands DC Comics Villain Role In New Movie
(TeamRock Radio) Thirty Seconds To Mars frontman and Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto will play classic DC Comics villain the Joker in upcoming movie Suicide Squad, it's been confirmed.

He'll appear alongside Will Smith, Tom Hardy, Margot Robbie, Jai Courtney and Cara Delevinge. Warner Bros president Greg Silverman says his firm's "roots are deep" in the project. He adds: "David Ayers returns with his incredible ability to craft multidimensional villains to this iconic DC property.

"We look forward to seeing the terrific ensemble, under Ayer's guidance, give new meaning to what it means to be a villain and what it means to be a hero." Read more here.





The Neal Morse Band Reveal New Album Details
(Prog) The Neal Morse Band have confirmed the release of their album The Grand Experiment on February 16 via InsideOut. And a European tour with Beardfish as opening act includes a London date the following month.

For the first time ever, Morse - along with Mike Portnoy, Randy George, Eric Gillette and Bill Hubauer - began studio sessions without any material written in advance.

"I wanted to see what it would be like to create freely in the room with no preconceived notions. It was quite a risk," The bandleader says. "I used to be paranoid about whether things would turn out in the short time we had available, so I'd fill all the spaces in advance. This time I made a lot of room for the guys to express themselves - and the result is outstanding." Read more here.





Megadeth's David Ellefson Launching Spoken Word Tour
(hennemusic) Megadeth bassist David Ellefson has announced a spoken word tour of Australia for March 2015. "An Evening With David Ellefson" will feature stories from life on the road and about life as a founding member of Megadeth, as told through his 2013 memoir, "My Life With Deth."

Written with Joel McIver, the book chronicles the story of Ellefson's fall into addiction during the band's early years, followed by his subsequent recovery and the return to faith which championed the band's rise to fame over the past several decades.

The spoken word events will also feature a bass demonstration and audience Q&A. Ellefson will make appearances in five Australian cities in March, including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Read more here.





Napalm Death Reveal New Album Details
(TeamRock Radio) Napalm Death have released the artwork and tracklist for their upcoming new album. The British grindcore heroes will release 15th album Apex Predator - Easy Meat in January via Century Media Records.

The artwork was created by Danish designer Frode Sylthe who has previously worked on the band's previous album Utilitarian as well as with At The Gates and The Haunted.

Napalm Death bassist Shane Embury says: "There are many meanings that you could grab from the new album artwork, I think. But one is the representation of how our natural and most basic needs for happiness and communication are being stripped away by materialism and pre-packaged garbage - crap that we don't need, filtered to us through the media via the mega-corporations with the goal to maintain the bloated bottom line of profit.

"It's all just stuff that will be obsolete in six months time. And behind the scenes of course, modern day slavery is alive, well and obscured by this facade. It's all an exercise in deceit to shower us with fake fulfilment, while the poor and underprivileged fall further by the wayside." Read more including the track details here.





Moody Blues' Justin Hayward Launching Solo Tour
(Prog) Moody Blues mainman Justin Hayward will hit the road for eight solo UK shows next year, he's confirmed. He'll play a selection of tracks from his most recent studio release Spirits Of The Western Sky which launched in 2013 along with a selection of Moody Blues songs.

Hayward says: "This tour is a joy for me. I'm able to present these songs as they were written, on the guitars that I played on the original sessions. It gives me a chance to share all the stories behind the songs. Brilliant young English guitar player Mike Dawes joins me on stage and brings extra magic to the music."

Hayward recently released Spirits… Live At The Buckland Theatre, Atlanta on CD, DVD and Blu-ray via Eagle Rock. It was filmed in late 2013 and features 15 tracks. Read more here.




Slipknot and Korn's Next Tour Leg To Include King 810
(TeamRock Radio) King 810 will join Slipknot and Korn on the European leg of the Prepare For Hell tour. Slipknot's jaunt in support of new album .5: The Gray Chapter arrives in Dublin on January 16, before nine shows in the UK and a further 11 across Europe.

And as they release a new video for their track Desperate Lovers, controversial metal newcomers King 810 today confirmed they will also be onboard for the 21 dates.

Korn and King 810 are currently on the road with Slipknot on the North America leg of the tour - although King 810 were refused entry to Canada for this week's scheduled show due to frontman David Gunn's "criminal past."

Gunn says: "We're glad to be bringing King back to the UK so soon. We're just as glad that the Prepare For Hell tour isn't coming to an end just yet and we get to watch Korn and Slipknot for another 21 shows." Read more and watch the new video here.




Funeral For A Friend Add Creeper and No Bragging Rights To Tour
(TeamRock Radio) Southampton punks Creeper and California hardcore outfit No Bragging Rights have been announced as the support acts for Funeral For A Friend's UK tour next month.

The Welsh rockers have lined up a run of eight headlining dates in January to support their upcoming seventh album Chapter And Verse. It launches on January 19 via Distiller Records and they've issued a promo for the track 1%.

Creeper will launch their debut EP on December 8 and the upcoming gigs will be their first chance to play new material live. The band say in a statement: "This is a total dream come true for the members of this band. It marks the first time Creeper have played any further out than London and will also mark the live debut of a new song on the set."

Read more and see the dates here.




Opeth Prefer Historic Venues
(TeamRock Radio) Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt says he prefers venues with a bit of history over many of the "sterile new ones." The frontman brings the band to the UK for a one-off show at the London Palladium on October 18 next year. The gig will see Opeth play their 2005 album Ghost Reveries in full as part of the band's 25th anniversary celebrations and the album's 10th anniversary.

Akerfeldt tells Roadrunner: "If you're gonna put it to extremes, if you're playing in a Mexican restaurant, which we have, with the menus and stuff and people eating tacos while watching the show, it probably generates a different atmosphere.

"The worst types of venues for me are, actually, the sterile new ones. They might sound good and stuff like that, but it feels like a warehouse. I'm not gonna say I don't enjoy playing those places - it's alright - but I prefer places with a bit of history."

Read more and stream the full interview here.




Renaissance Reveal Spring Tour Dates
(Prog) Renaissance will tour the UK in April next year, they've confirmed. Annie Haslam and co will return to the road for seven shows in support of this year's album Symphony Of Light, originally released the previous year as Grandine Il Vento.

It was their last to feature late guitarist Michael Dunford, who died after it had been completed. He was replaced by Ryche Chlanda, who's now completed four tours with the band. The Symphony Of Light edition features three bonus tracks including Renaissance Man, a tribute to co-founder Dunford.

Haslam will this week launch her Live In Philadelphia DVD, which was recorded in 1997. She describes the show as "a very special experience for us all." More including the dates here.






Linkin Park Helped Frontman Battle His Demons
(TeamRock Radio) Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda says the band pulled together to help Chester Bennington through his drink and drug problems. The frontman dabbled with drugs from an early age and the problems returned at the height of the band's success as alcoholism took a firm grip of his life.

But fellow singer Shinoda says he and the rest of the group pulled together to make sure Bennington's personal life got back on track. He tells the Metro: "When Chester had some problems, everybody jumped up to help him and tell him how supportive we wanted to be and how much it means to us that he was doing something positive.

"We're lucky to have a band full of guys who have their head screwed on straight. A lot of life experience goes into that, but we just support each other. We have each other's back. At the end of the day we love what we do. We're not willing to throw that away on anything." Read more here.




The Kinks' Davies Brothers In New Dispute
(Radio.com) The Kinks' classic "You Really Got Me" is the latest subject of a tiff between Kinks founders and brothers Ray and Dave Davies. In a recent interview with NPR, Ray claimed credit for the song's signature distorted sound.

"My brother Dave and I played records so loud it made the speakers distort, and we thought it'd be a nice idea to make the guitar sound that distorted, and we cranked up the amplifier and I stuck a knitting needle in it," he told NPR.

He gave the same account to the Wall Street Journal, and that storyline, much to Dave's umbrage, is in the play Sunny Afternoon, now playing in London.

Dave took umbrage with this, and took to his official Facebook page to address it. "My brother is lying," he wrote. "I don't know why he does this but it was my Elpico amp that I bought and out of frustration I cut the speaker cone up with a razor blade and I was so shocked and surprised and excited that it worked that I demonstrated the sound to Ray and Pete," referring to Pete Quaife, the band's original bass player who passed away in 2010.

"Pete didn't even like it and laughed and said it sounded like a dog barking. Ray liked the sound and he had written a riff on the piano which formed the basis of the song 'You Really Got Me' and I played the riff on my guitar with MY new sound. I ALONE CREATED THIS SOUND. Ray wrote 'You Really Got Me' and we used my guitar sound to embellish the song and riff. He never stuck a knitting needle or anything else in my amp. I wouldn't let anybody come near it. My amp was the ONLY amp we used to create this sound and I don't know why only in the past few years Ray has started changing the whole concept. I am just flabbergasted and shocked at the depth of his selfish desire to take credit for everything. I never once claimed songwriting royalties on 'You Really Got Me' yet this song would not have happened without my guitar sound."






Smashing Pumpkins Streaming New Album 'Monuments to an Elegy'
(Radio.com) The Smashing Pumpkins reportedly have two albums in the can--and now, at least one of them can be heard. Monuments to an Elegy, the first of two Pumpkins albums slated for release soon, is out next week (Dec. 9) but is streaming in full via iTunes Radio's First Play feature.

The album includes a small handful of songs that were already released to the general public, including first single "Being Beige" and other songs like "Tiberius," "One and All" and "Drum and Fife."

That's nearly half of the album's nine-song tracklist, but fans are certain to snap this pre-release chance to listen anyway. For the album, frontman Billy Corgan was joined by Jeff Schroeder on guitar and then guest member Tommy Lee on drums.







Angels & Airwaves Release New Song 'Tunnels'
(Radio.com) Angels & Airwaves, the side-project of Blink-182 co-founder Tom DeLonge, is about to release their fifth album on December 9, titled The Dream Walker.

The group released a new song from the album, titled "Tunnels," and DeLonge gave a little interview to Billboard to commemorate the event. But, as exciting as the new A&A song might be to fans, DeLonge's Blink-182 update in the interview might even be more exciting.

"I think we found the house we're going to start recording the next record in," DeLonge said of Blink's follow-up to 2011's Neighborhoods. "That's a big deal, finding location, for us. That's usually the biggest obstacle, finding a place everyone can get to."

DeLonge goes on to reveal the first or second week of January as the time they plan to start on the album, noting "I think the goal on this record is to really craft it together form scratch as much as we can, but it'll be a good mix of things that are partially planned out and a lot of stuff we just really dig in and create from scratch, with everyone's influence. Our best records were made that way."






Chrissie Hynde Revisits The Pretenders Christmas Hit
(Classic Rock) Chrissie Hynde releases a brand new version of The Pretenders 2000 Miles on December 15. The song was originally a Christmas hit in 1983, when it reached number 15 in the singles chart. The new version was recorded during the sessions for Hynde's first solo album, Stockholm.

"Last year while finishing up the album Stockholm, Bjorn Yttling and I made up this version of the Pretenders' 2000 Miles," says Hynde. "I think it captures the mood of the season perfectly as it gets cold in Sweden, reindeer wander the streets freely and the snow was coming down! Happy Christmas!"

The track is also available on the deluxe version of Stockholm, alongside seven live tracks - including I Go To Sleep and Brass In Pocket - recorded at the singer's recent iTunes Festival show at London's Roundhouse. Check out the song here.




David Bowie Releases Final Nothing Has Changed Trailer
(hennemusic) David Bowie has released the third and final episode of a series of trailers for his newly-released collection, "Nothing Has Changed." The compilation presents material from the singer's 50-year career and includes new songs alongside unreleased tracks and greatest hits.

"Nothing Has Changed" debuted on the UK album charts last month at No. 9 and currently sits in the No. 3 spot. Last week, the project landed at No. 1 on the Official UK Vinyl Album Chart, ahead of Pink Floyd's "The Endless River."

"Nothing Has Changed" is available as 2- and 3-disc packages, a 2-LP set, and as corresponding digital releases. You can watch the new trailer and the previous two here.




Rolling Stones Pay Tribute To Bobby Keys
(TeamRock Radio) The Rolling Stones say they've been devastated by the death of saxophonist Bobby Keys, who passed away yesterday at the age of 70. He'd worked with the band since 1969 and only stepped down in October due to ill health, with the band saying he hoped to be back after a short break.

Mick Jagger and co say via Facebook: "The Rolling Stones are devastated by the loss of their very dear friend and legendary saxophone player, Bobby Keys. Bobby made a unique musical contribution to the band since the 1960s. He will be greatly missed."

Guitarist Keith Richards wrote a personal note and published it via Twitter. It reads: "I have lost the largest pal in the world and I can't express the sense of sadness I feel - although Bobby would tell me to cheer up. My condolences to all that knew him and his love of music." Read more here.




Melissa Etheridge Releases First Video From New Album
(Classic Rock) Melissa Etheridge has released the first video from her forthcoming album. Take My Number comes from This Is M.E., the follow-up to 2012's 4th Street Feeling, and is out on January 19.

The new album includes collaborations with former OneRepublic drummer Jerrod Bettis, former Fugees producer Jerry Duplessis, Nelly Furtado songwriter Jon Levine, rapper RoccStar and Lumineers' multi-instrumentalist Neyla Pekarek.

"I haven't been this excited about making music and creating in ages," says Etheridge. "Song after song was a great experience." Check out the new music video here.




Scott Stapp Says Hurt And Frustration Inspired Facebook Video
(TeamRock Radio) Creed singer Scott Stapp has removed a video he posted on Facebook last week in which he claimed he was penniless and had been sleeping in his car. The clip was uploaded in the days after Stapp's wife Jaclyn filed for divorce, saying he'd become a "paranoid shell" by taking crystal meth, amphetamines and steroids.

She also claimed he had tried to take his own life and that the had sent her a series of threatening text messages. Stapp has since removed the video and replaced it with a statement.

He says: "I'm going to step back and let God control everything from here on. I should have continued to do that before I allowed my hurt, frustration, and emotions take control and post those videos.





Exodus Says Souza Wanted Job More Than Dukes
(Classic Rock) Exodus drummer Tom Hunting says returned frontman Steve 'Zetro' Souza "wanted it" more than the sacked Rob Dukes. Zetro returned to the band for a third spell during the recording sessions for new album Blood In Blood Out, with Exodus saying they wanted their 10th album to be "special." Dukes - who had held the job from 2005 until this year - had to make way for the man he replaced almost 10 years ago.

Hunting tells JamMagazine: "I think he wanted it more than Rob did, and we really needed somebody that wanted it like we did. I think album was 92% done, I would say, before we asked Zet to come in and do vocals.

"And he had the material for about six hours, worked on it by himself at home, and he came in and he just f***ing crushed on it. And not to take anything away from Rob, but when Zet came in and sang on it, it just sounded really natural." Read more here.




Steve Cropper Found His Style By Accident
(The Blues American guitarist, songwriter and producer Steve Cropper has revealed he discovered his playing style by accident. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and Rhythm And Blues Hall Of Fame inductee has played with a host of artists over the years including Peter Frampton, Rod Stewart, Art Garfunkel while also forging his own music with the original Blues Brothers Band and Booker T & the MG's.

And he says when he was starting out, he had to play the role of two guitarists - a move which led to him developing his own sound. He tells Get Read To Rock: "It was all accidental. I didn't sit down with a pencil and a piece of paper and say, 'I'm going to play this tomorrow.' All of that stuff just fell out of the ceiling, and we did it.

"The way I looked at it was, I had to be two guys, because they couldn't afford two guitar players. They didn't have the money to pay in those sessions for an extra guy." Read more here.




Singled Out: J.O.S.'s Get Up
Today Rosie Botterill from UK rockers J.O.S. tells us about the song "Get Up" from their brand new eponymous debut EP, which they are giving away for free. Here is the story:

Our new release 'Get up' was written by our singer John, its main inspiration comes from making hard decisions and I think when you really listen to the song and the lyrics the meaning behind it is very clear. But the great thing about it is that its not subjective, it can mean anything to anyone and the subject is just so appealing to everybody, I don't think anyone has gone through life without feeling like they are at a crossroads and maybe even feeling a bit lost.

Its just so easy to relate to and hopefully everyone who listens to and downloads the track will hear that. The other thing I love is that its not a sad song! You might read the description I gave and assume it'll be a slow piano ballad, thats just so over done it gets a bit boring now. Its nice to hear a song with a good meaning that people can relate to and at the same is upbeat. I think music with meaning is really lacking in the industry today.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Today's Day in Rock News!!





Today's Day in Rock


AC/DC's Phil Rudd Going To Trial
(Classic Rock) The trial of AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd for threatening to kill four people and possession of drugs is to take place next year, a judge has decided. He wasn't present at Tauranga District Court in New Zealand Tuesday as a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf.

He's likely to face a judge-alone trial with no jury. Judge Tom Ingram ruled that a decision will be made in February. The media were ordered not to report details of the case.

Rudd, 60, was arrested last month and originally charged with procuring a murder before the accusation was dropped less than 24 hours later. He appeared at Tauranga High Court last week for a short but dramatic hearing, at which the case was sent down to a lower court since the most serious charge had been removed.

His status in AC/DC remains in doubt, with the band having insisted they'll tour next year regardless of the results of his trial. Read more here.




Scott Stapp Trying To Raise $480K From Fans
(Classic Rock) Troubled Creed singer Scott Stapp has asked fans to crowdfund him to the tune of $480,000. It follows a week in which he released an emotional video saying his bank account had been frozen and he was under attack. He later withdrew it, explaining he "should have known better."

But in the meantime it was revealed that his wife had filed for divorce, citing his heavy drug use, threatening behaviour and a suicide attempt. Now Stapp has opened a Fundly page and hopes to raise nearly $500,000.

His intro reads: "Raising funds 4solo album #3. Using same team, Howard Benson (producer) & Chris Lord-Alge (mix). At the same time, my first book in the fiction category. Need 2fund both projects." To date, 74 people have pledged a total of $422. The story doesn't end there. Read more here.




Former Megadeth Guitarist Says Band Is Done
(Classic Rock) Former Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young says the band is "done" and he'll never rejoin them. He was a member of Dave Mustaine's outfit long enough to record 1988 album So Far, So Good… So What before leaving under a cloud, with the mainman accusing him of talking "pure horse sh*t" during his tenure.

Last week guitarist Chris Broderick and drummer Shawn Drover quit the thrash giants, leaving Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson the only current members.

Asked on Facebook whether he'd consider going back, Young says: "I have zero interest in 'the Megadeth situation.' The band is done. But a fork in it." Read more here.




Vinnie Paul Leads Dimebag Darrell Tribute Special
(TeamRock Radio) Vinnie Paul says he continues to play as it's what his late brother Dimebag Darrell would have wanted. TeamRock Radio have recorded a one-hour special to mark the 10th anniversary of the Pantera and Damageplan guitarist's death.

The special available now on demand here and will also be broadcast on December 8 - exactly a decade on from the shooting which took the metal icon's life.

Paul says: "I do my best to carry on that same torch and that flame - I know he would kick my ass if I didn't. That's why I continue to do what I do. I'm happy that I'm part of HellYeah - it's part of the legacy that me and him started a long time ago."

The radio special also features contributions from Machine Head, Halestorm, In This Moment, Phil Anselmo and music from the guitar icon. Read more here.





Mike Portnoy Warns Fans Of Online Scams
(Classic Rock) Mike Portnoy has warned fans to ignore any Facebook messages they receive from him, because they're fake. Portnoy has worked with a range of outfits since leaving Dream Theater in 2010.

The drummer is the victim of a fraudster who's created a false account and may use it to acquire personal information that could be used in financial crimes.

Portnoy says: "Beware - I've been informed by several people that somebody made a fake Mike Portnoy page and has been writing to people, as me, with scams.

"If you've received an inbox message from me in the past few days, it's not me." Read more here.




AC/DC Discuss Replacing Malcolm Young
(Classic Rock) AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson says seeing Stevie Young grow into his role in the band was "wonderful." He was brought in to take over guitar duties from Malcolm Young who has been forced to retire from the band due to his battle with dementia. He appears on new album Rock Or Bust and will tour with the band in the future.

"Steve's got this wonderful character and he lets out these bellowing laughs and you need that in any situation," Johnson tells Absolute Radio. "He came in to do this album and I've just got to applaud him. Every night he was learning his chops and it was wonderful to see the weight lifting off his shoulders and he felt really part of the band."

Although no tour dates have been announced, Johnson says he's eager to hit the road as it's a great way to connect with the fans. He adds: "As you get older, you take things for granted and you start realising what a great gig you have." Read more and stream the interview video here.




Slipknot Won't Take Same Step As KISS
(TeamRock Radio) Corey Taylor believes Slipknot will never follow Kiss down the route of abandoning their stage costumes. Gene Simmons and co abandoned their trademark makeup in 1984 before putting it back on a decade later. And while Taylor says his band could easily perform without their masks, he doesn't believe they ever will.

The frontman tells HTZ-FM: "I don't think we'd want to. I always think back to when Kiss took the makeup off. I know why they did it - they kind of hit a wall and it was time to evolve.

"But for us, the masks always evolve and our look always evolves. We don't feel that pressure to take them off because we allow ourselves to roll with the times and to change with the albums.

"So even though I think we could, I don't think we will. Because it's not just about the masks - it's about everything." He had a lot more to say on the subject here.





Queensryche Looking For Investors
(Classic Rock) Queensryche are giving fans a chance to share in profits the band generates through record sales and merchandise deals. For a minimum of $50,000, investors can buy an ownership stake from a private holding company that will entitle them to a fixed percentage of any revenue generated by the band.

Attorney Marc LoPresti helped the group set up the limited liability company (LLC) and he says this could just be the start of similar projects. He tells the Seattle Times: "We think it's a first. If it's successful, which we expect it to be, we may do it again with other bands."

LoPresti reckons the stock sale could replace a label's usual role in financing tours and album recording sessions - and would mean more money for the band and investors as the label wouldn't be taking such a big slice of the profits. Read more here.





Eddie Van Halen To Headline Smithsonian Event
(hennemusic) Eddie Van Halen will be among those helping launch "What It Means To Be American", a new three-year initiative by The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History and Los Angeles-based Ideas Exchange Zocalo Public Square.

The project is aimed at engaging leading thinkers, public figures and Americans from all walks of life to explore how the United States became the nation it is today.

One of the campaign's goals is to foster a national conversation through a series of free public events across the U.S. The kick-off event on January 14 will feature former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Anna Maria Chavez, CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA, at the Heard Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate in Phoenix.

Eddie Van Halen will headline the next event at the National Museum of American History in February. Read more here.





Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl To Appear On The Daily Show
(hennemusic) Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl will appear as a guest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart tomorrow night, Wednesday, December 3.

Grohl will promote the band's new album, "Sonic Highways", which recently debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200 after opening week sales of 190,000 copies.

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. Read more here.





Slayer Got Corrosion of Conformity Their First Record Deal
Reed Mullin of Corrosion of Conformity tells antiMusic in a new interview that Slayer landed the group their first record deal with Metal Blade Records.

Mullin was discussing the band's early days when he made the revelation. He said, "I think when we first started, it was kind of a new music form. American hardcore and punk rock were new things; there was a small scene, but everybody was tight and knew each other. When we did it, it certainly wasn't a thing where we thought we were going to make money. To us, the biggest bands in the world were Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, The Misfits, and they didn't make that much money. It's not like today. We did it just to do it, and when we were first playing, influences from Deep Purple and Black Sabbath seeped in, and we kind of morphed into this punk-metal flavored kind of thing. We became really good friends with the Metallica dudes and Slayer. Slayer got us our first record deal."

He explains, "We had known them from playing out in LA, and when they went on their first US tour, they played Baltimore, and they asked us to play. It was a great show. They knew we had put out our first album ourselves, and they mentioned getting us signed. We thought they were just being nice. This was the Haunting The Chapel Tour. Tom and Dave Lombardo said they were going to get us on Metal Blade. I gave those guys my parents' business scoop; my dad had a fax machine.

"Sure enough, that Monday morning, there was a contract for Metal Blade Records. From there, we did a little more stuff. Then, the punk version broke up, and Woody and I put the band back together. We did a one-off with a singer named Karl for Relativity Records-an album called "Blind," which is much more metal. Then, we started doing all the stuff with Pepper.

"We've had an interesting career. It gets a little confusing for our fans, particularly those who like certain eras. Some like all of it, but there's a lot of people who just like Pepper stuff or the punk stuff. Our name definitely makes sense."




Biffy Clyro Taking Next Year Off From Performing
(TeamRock Radio) Biffy Clyro will effectively take a year off during 2015, bassist James Johnston has said. The trio want to avoid becoming over-exposed after a busy 12 months that included headline appearances at T In The Park and the Isle Of Wight festivals.

Instead, they'll focus on completing their seventh album to their satisfaction. Johnston tells NME: "I think we'll have a quiet one - we don't like to be in people's faces too much. That last thing we want is for people to get bored of us. So you could almost call it a year off."

He adds of the follow-up to 2013's Opposites: "It's coming along. We're not in any massive rush; we don't want to do anything that's not perfect. We've got too many songs, which is a great place to be at." Read more here.




The Blackout Breaking Up Following Final Tour
(TeamRock Radio) The Blackout will split after a final UK tour, they've confirmed. The Welsh outfit believe they're "unable to sustain the band any more" and therefore October's crowdfunded EP Wolves will be their last release.

The Blackout say: "We feel the time is right to bring it to a close. This is the hardest decision we have ever had to make as a band - and although we do it with heavy hearts, we also do with our heads held high.

"We are all extremely proud of Wolves, and are eternally grateful to each and every one of you who helped it get made." Thanking fans for their support, they add: "We achieved more than we ever dreamed of when we started. We play our farewell shows in March 2015 - there are no plans for anything more for The Blackout, so we hope you would like to come and party with us for the final time."




Robin Trower Celebrating 70th Birthday With Album Release
(Classic Rock) Robin Trower will release his next album, Something's About To Change, on March 9 next year - his 70th birthday. A 17-date UK tour will support the launch, with Joanne Shaw Taylor in support.

Trower says of the new album, the follow-up to 2013's acclaimed Roots And Branches: "I can't remember ever being so happy with a finished album before."

He's recorded bass parts for the first time, reflecting: "As a songwriter and a performer, you use everything at your disposal to put into songs. There's some sort of feeling of emotional release when you play a note that rings out right." Read more here.



Five Finger Death Punch Guitarist Calls Out Metal Sub-Genre Labels
(TeamRock Radio) Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory reveals he dislikes metal sub-genres as it takes the focus away from the music. And he says he misses the "brotherhood" that previously united bands before it was fragmented into divisive categories.

He tells Ultimate Guitar: "I don't even know what genre we would fall into. We are coasting on our own edge of hard rock and heavy metal. I don't really care much for these sub-genres and that's one of my peeves with heavy metal.

"At one point it was all just one big genre and it wasn't broken down to these crazy sub-genres - and all these sub-genres don't like each other any more. It was just one big brotherhood but that's gone - it's segregated into these little sub-cultures."

He adds: "We still incorporate other styles so in some ways it's accessible to a lot of people as there are a lot of elements from everywhere. Some people don't like it because they say it's not true to one specific genre." Read more here.




Bring Me The Horizon To Play One-Off Intimate Show
(TeamRock Radio) Bring Me The Horizon have announced that they will be playing a special one-off gig at an intimate venue in London this week as they prepare for a big arena show.

The Sheffield metallers will play warm-up show at The Underworld in Camden on Wednesday (December 3) - two days before their appearance at Wembley Arena, where they will be supported by Young Guns, Issues and Sleepwave.

Bring Me The Horizon will release new single Drown on December 7 and are set to record a new album - the follow-up to 2013's Sempiternal - next year. Read more here.




Porcupine Tree's Steve Wilson Reveals New Solo Album Details
(Prog) Steven Wilson has revealed details about his upcoming album Hand. Cannot. Erase. It's due to launch in the UK on March 2 via Kscope and will be the follow-up to 2013's The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories).

The Porcupine Tree mainman recently announced a run of six-UK dates to promote the new record and revealed he was working on making the shows a spectacular experience.

He said: "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 for a few surprises."





Bob Dylan Reveals Early Unexpected Songwriting Inspiration
(Classic Rock) Bob Dylan says he started writing songs in the 60s as he had nothing else to do. The music icon was interviewed on US series Showtime to mark the launch of Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes.

The album features a host of stars including Elvis Costello and Marcus Mumford, who recorded tracks based around Dylan's 'lost' lyrics penned during his Basement Tapes sessions in Woodstock, New York in 1967.

And Dylan reveals that while the US was enjoying the Summer Of Love that year, he and guitarist Robbie Robertson found musical inspiration from more conventional sources.

He says: "The events of the day seemed to be a million miles away. We weren't really participating in any of that stuff, well it was the Summer of Love, but we weren't there. So we did our thing where we wrote Million Dollar Bash. We had nothing else to do, so I started writing a bunch of songs.

"I wasn't going to write anything about myself - I didn't have nothing to say about myself that I'd figure anybody else would be interested in. You look for ideas on TV and just any old thing would create the beginning to a song: names out of phone books and things." Read more here.




Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Caffery Cried At Dream Show
(Classic Rock) Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist Chris Caffery has revealed he cried with pride ahead of their 2004 gig at New York's Madison Square Garden. Caffery and the band headlined the venue in 2004 and he reveals it's the stand-out moment of his career.

He tells NorthJersey.com: "I remember going home to my house in Queens the day we played. Producer and composer Paul O'Neill insisted I didn't because he was worried about me traveling on a show day.

"I snuck home and took the subway back to the Garden. I walked off the train with a tonne of fans who had no idea I was there, hidden in a ski hat. I looked at the huge marquee and it flashed, 'Tonight Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Sold Out.' I stood there and cried." Read more here.




Fish Reveals Rescheduled Tour Dates
(Prog) Former Marillion frontman Fish has announced a string of rescheduled dates across mainland Europe after illness forced the postponement of the originals.

The singer last month called off a series of appearances after being diagnosed with viral laryngitis, making it impossible for him to perform. It followed the cancellation of earlier dates as a result of guitarist Robin Boult's own illness.

His December UK dates, in support of acclaimed 2013 album A Feast Of Consequences, remain unaffected. Fish says: "Shows that aren't in this schedule did not have available dates or did not fit into the routing - which, as you can see, is demanding to say the least.

"For 'days off' read 'travel days.' Manager Yatta and the promoters did a marvellous job saving what we could. No more shows will be added to this itinerary." Read more and see the new dates here.




Lifesigns Recording Upcoming Shows For DVD
(Prog) Lifesigns have revealed that they will be recording two shows in London next month for their live DVD after they hit their crowdfunding target for the project.

Shooting will take place on January 22 and 23 at Under The Bridge in Chelsea, London. Most of the audience will consist of those who supported the Pledge fund, although some tickets will go on general sale soon.

Lifesigns say: "Thanks to everyone for helping us reach our goal. We understand people are already making plans from far afield to fly in for the event, and we look forward to welcoming you." Read more here.



Alan Parsons Announces First UK Show In Over A Decade
(TeamRock Radio) Alan Parsons will be playing his first UK show in over a decade on March 18 when he takes the stage at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, he's confirmed.

He'll be joined by PJ Olsson, Alastair Greene, Danny Thompson, Guy Erez, Manny Focarazzo, Todd Cooper and Dan Tracey, with support to be confirmed.

The show is billed as an evening of greatest hits, with Old And Wise and Don't Answer Me to be on the setlist. Artist, engineer and producer Parsons recently spoke of the studio apprenticeship that led to his work with the George Martin and the Beatles at Abbey Road Studios, and his later work on Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon. Read more here.






Bruce Springsteen, Kanye, Carrie Underwood Rock With U2
(hennemusic) U2, billed as U2 Minus 1 without injured frontman Bono, were joined by Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay's Chris Martin, Kanye West and Carrie Underwood in New York's Times Square Monday evening for a live performance on World AIDS Day.

U2 opened the event with Martin handling vocals on "Beautiful Day" and "With Or Without You"; guitarist The Edge then joined Underwood for a song before she played her set, which was followed by West's performance.

Springsteen wrapped up the hour-long show by teaming up with U2 on "Where The Streets Have No Name" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", which he dedicated to the absent Bono as he recuperates at home in Ireland after facing surgery following a bicycle accident in New York's Central Park recently.

"This year is a World AIDS Day like no other," said Bono, speaking from Dublin. "The world reached a tipping point in the fight against AIDS - more people were newly added to life-saving treatment than were newly infected with the virus. A lot of people are calling it the beginning of the end of AIDS."

"We wouldn't be at this point without American leadership, people from the left and the right," he added. "Today, 13 million people have access to life-saving treatment, up from 300,000 just over ten years ago. Americans don't know the role they've played in this fight. Tonight's event is to inform them and thank them."





Steven Tyler Brings Some Rock To CMA Country Christmas
(hennemusic) Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler teamed up with Brad Paisley to perform the 1958 Chuck Berry classic, "Run, Run, Rudolph", on ABC-TV's CMA Country Christmas special Monday evening.

Hosted by Sugarland vocalist Jennifer Nettles, the two-hour program celebrated the holidays with some of the biggest names in music performing holiday classics.

Joining Tyler and Paisley were Alan Jackson, Dan + Shay, Brett Eldredge, Sara Evans, Lucy Hale, Hunter Hayes, Little Big Town, Idina Menzel, Nettles, LeAnn Rimes, Michael W. Smith, and Carrie Underwood.

The special was taped in front of a live audience last month at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Watch video of the Tyler performance here.



Queen And Adam Lambert Perform On The X Factor UK
(hennemusic) Queen and Adam Lambert are sharing video of their performance of the band's 1976 classic, "Somebody To Love", presented live on The X Factor UK on Sunday.

Queen recently released "Queen Forever", a new compilation that presents a mix of the group's hits and classic tracks, including three previously unreleased songs featuring Freddie Mercury.

The package includes a long-anticipated track from Queen and Michael Jackson, "There Must Be More to Life Than This", a previously unfinished Mercury-Queen tune, "Let Me In Your Heart Again", originating from the band's "The Works" album recording sessions, and a new stripped-down ballad take on "Love Kills."

"Queen Forever" is available as a 20-track single CD and as an extended 36-track, two-CD set. Watch video from the TV performance here.



Roger Daltrey Crashes Wedding and Performs Who Classic
(hennemusic) Roger Daltrey made a surprise appearance at a Scottish wedding on Saturday, where he joined the evening's live band to perform The Who classic, "Can't Explain."

Daltrey teamed with The Milestone Band at the Mar Hall resort in Bishopton, Scotland during the wedding celebration of Susan and Carl Smith.

"Basically we were coming towards the end of our set and we were sort of halfway through a song," lead guitarist Graeme Allan told the BBC. "I remember looking over to the side of the dance floor and a wedding guest was actually walking with Roger, coming towards the band. Roger came up and he took the mike and he congratulated the bride and groom."

"Because the groom had served in the parachute regiment he also mentioned them as well," he added. "Then he turned to the band and he said, 'I was through next door and I heard the band and they're brilliant, so I had to come through'."

The newlyweds spoke of their joy at the experience on Facebook, with Mrs. Smith posting: "Absolutely overwhelming! The story we will be telling for the rest of our lives. Thank you so much x."



Lunatic Soul Release Documentary Teaser Video
(Prog) Lunatic Soul have issued a teaser clip for their documentary In Between. The 25-minute film appears on the special edition of their latest album Walking On A Flashlight Beam which launched in October via Kscope. It's the follow-up to 2011's Impressions.

In the clip, mainman Mariusz Duda reveals: "My music is born from unspecified fragments - I only have a general idea, a colour and a main concept and for me that's how working on an album begins."

The band have also released a promo for album track The Fear Within. They previously issued a promo for Shutting Out The Sun and released a stream of Cold. Check out the new song and the documentary teaser here.




Black Metal Legends Von Reveal New Song
(TeamRock Radio) Von are unveiling the first taster for their new album in the from of a ultra-stark lyric video for the track Mother, and debuting a new, doom-laden and gothic sound.

One of the most legendary bands to have emerged from the forging fires of black metal, San Francisco's VON were arguably the genre's first band to have emerged from the US. Much like Finland's Beherit, their ultra-primitive sound horrified many yet enthralled a legion of devout worshippers. Their rare, ritualistic live shows, featuring animal skulls and copious amounts blood nigh on two decades before it became de rigeur and initial demo release (not releasing a studio album under the name until 2012) tapped into dark and irrational and rudimentary regions of the human psych. In the process, they setting out a path that's been in large part responsible for the current wave of occult-steeped death and black metal, not least for Watain, who named themselves after the track on 1992's Satanic Blood cassette, and Dublin's rising underground metallers and wielders of capitalised letters, ZOM.

VON's history since has been as tempestuous as their music, lurching from long hiatuses through internal fights, splits and more, but now they're back in a new incarnation fronted by VENIEN, and with both a new album, Dark Gods: Birth Of The Architects, released on VON Records next March, and a comic book Dark Gods, written and illustrated by VENIEN himself, that will be published in 12 parts on a weekly basis from December 1 through to February 6, and each one coming with an exclusive CD single.




The Amsterdam Red Light District Release A Chance To Change Video
(TeamRock Radio) TeamRock are premiering the new music video from The Amsterdam Red Light District for A Chance To Change, which is taken from latest album Gone For A While.

Speaking about the new video, guitarist Max Comby said: "We are so stoked to reveal our brand new music video for A Chance To Change with Metal Hammer.

"It's much heavier than our first single, Gone For A While and far more intense and fast! We hope that you enjoy it." Their latest album Gone For A While was released last week via Red-Light Records.





Wicked Snakes Release 'unusual' Video For Wonder & Delirium
(TeamRock Radio) TeamRock are premiering the new music video from psychy riffers Wicked Snakes for the song "Wonder & Delirium," which comes from their debut record Sleep Dance, out now on A Wolf At Your Records.

Speaking to Metal Hammer about the video, frontman Luke Davis says: "Wonder & Delirium is probably one of the most melodic tracks on [debut album] Sleep Dance."

"So naturally we felt that this rather 'unusual' video to accompany and compliment would be most appropriate. Don't be fooled!" Check out the unusual video here.



Lynyrd Skynyrd, Twisted Sister Lead Rockin' Christmas Album List
(Gibson) Going back to Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" and Chuck Berry's "Run Rudolph Run," rock and rollers have tried to put a modern spin on the spirit of Christmas. Vying against crooners like Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, and Johnny Mathis is never easy this time of year, but a handful of more raucous artists have acquitted themselves well. Below are ten albums that would fit nicely in any rock lover's stocking.

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Christmas Time Again: Deciding a southern rock Christmas was in order, Skynyrd recruited guests 38 Special and the Charlie Daniels Band to help fashion this inspired collection. Skynyrd gives Chuck Berry's "Run Rudolph Run" a Stones-like, garage band treatment, and tosses in a bit of Yuletide lasciviousness with the original tune "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'." The Daniel Band's version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" is basically a rewrite of "Devil Went Down to Georgia."
Beach Boys - Christmas with the Beach Boys: Originally released in 1964, this album mixes holiday standards with original songs penned by Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson. The group's trademark vocal harmonies are in full bloom on "Frosty the Snowman," and their a cappella version of "Auld Lang Syne" is pure magic.

Twisted Sister - A Twisted Christmas: Here we have Dee Snider delivering "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" in his own inimitable way. Actually, this 10-song collection comes off as reverent in spite of itself. True, "Deck the Halls" sounds like a Ramones outtake, and "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (sung by guest Lita Ford) is pure arena rock, but the disc has a goofy charm. On "Twelve Days of Christmas" (rechristened "Heavy Metal Christmas"), Snider replaces the refrain "partridge in a pear tree" with the words "a tattoo of Ozzy."

Elvis Presley - Christmas: Recorded in 1957, when the King ( was in full rock and roll flight, this disc rates just a tad below the Spector album on the classic scale. "Blue Christmas" is embedded in the national consciousness, but Presley's magnificent takes on "White Christmas" and the Leiber/Stoller original "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" are nearly as good.

Jethro Tull - Christmas Album: Tull frontman Ian Anderson's goal on this 2003 disc was "to find some uplifting traditional Christmas carols, some new songs, and to re-record some old Tull pieces on the Christmas topic." The eccentric minstrel was obviously inspired by the process, as he and his Tull 'mates delivered their finest folk-prog album since the '70s. Guitarist Martin Barre's acoustic work is especially dazzling.

Friday, November 28, 2014

Today's Day in Rock News!





Today's Day in Rock


Megadeth Frontman's Missing Mother-In-Law Found Dead
(hennemusic) Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine has confirmed that his missing mother-in-law, Sally Estabrook, has been found dead. The 75-year-old with Alzheimer's disease was last seen around 4 p.m. on October 4 at the Pinezanita RV Park and Campgrounds on Highway 79 in Julian, California - about 60 miles east of downtown San Diego.

"We would like to thank everyone for your support and help in finding our Mom," posted Mustaine. "It has been confirmed that she has been found deceased a short distance from the Campground and we know she is with the Lord. It doesn't appear there was any foul play, and she had walked from the campground to an area that wasn't easy to find, and a rough walk uphill to get too but appears to have gone home to be with the Lord shortly after her disappearance."

"Thanks again to all the volunteers who searched tirelessly in hopes of us finding her earlier, and alive," he added. "Somehow we missed her in the time we needed to find her, but we are so thankful for everyone who helped, and believed with us, and never gave up hope and looking." Read more here.




Kid Rock Mixing Aerosmith With Country On New Album
(Radio.com) Kid Rock will release his tenth studio album First Kiss on Feb. 24. Not much has been known about the release-that is, until now. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Kid Rock opened up about the album, which will blend "Aerosmith-style rockers" with his country influences.

Rolling Stone reports that the album will highlight his country side with a pedal steel track called "Drinking Beer with Dad," which Rock says is "one of the best songs I've ever written."

Meanwhile, two other songs featured on First Kiss, "Jesus and Bocephus" and "Johnny Cash" pays tribute to country greats Hank Williams Jr. and Johnny Cash. The latter, fittingly titled "Johnny Cash," is a love song that is dedicated to the love between Cash and June Carter Cash.

"Their whole relationship, it's pretty f-ing sweet," he told Rolling Stone. "[It's] coming to a wedding near you!" Read more here.




AC/DC's Phil Rudd Plays Air-Drums While In Court
(Radio.com) AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd briefly appeared in a New Zealand court on Wednesday (November 26) to face charges of threatening to kill and possession of drugs. His court appearance had a bit of drama to it: according to the BBC, he showed up late for the hearing, resulting in the court briefly issuing an arrest warrant for the drummer.

The warrant was withdrawn when Rudd, 60, appeared minutes later. He entered no plea, and was remanded on bail until December 2. His charge of attempting to procure a murder (hiring a hit man) was dropped earlier this month.

The BBC also reported that Rudd put on a bit of a show for the courtroom, winking at the media and tapping out rhythms during the session. As he left, he jumped on his security guard's back and was carried to his sports car.

In a recent interview with Howard Stern, the radio host asked guitarist AC/DC Angus Young if Rudd is still in the band. "We've got to resolve that," he said, noting that it was difficult to get Rudd into the studio to work on the band's upcoming album, Rock or Bust, which is due out December 2. "He was shaky."

Read what frontman Brian Johnson had to say about Rudd's future with the band here.




Scott Stapp's Wife Cited Drugs And Suicide Attempt In Divorce
(Classic Rock) Creed singer Scott Stapp's wife has cited his heavy drugs use and attempted suicide in her divorce papers. Jaclyn Stapp wants to end their eight-year marriage after saying he'd become a "paranoid shell" by taking crystal meth, amphetamines and steroids.

She says he was held in a psychiatric ward after after trying to take his own life earlier this year. She alleges his latest drugs lapse is his seventh since their wedding, and included an episode in a hotel room where he "became hostile and physical and proceeded to demolish the room" in the presence of her and their teenage son.

Her paperwork includes a series of threatening text messages he's said to have sent after disappearing from their Florida home in October. She recently applied to have him forced into rehab - subject to a court hearing, he could be ordered to undergo treatment for up to five months.

Stapp earlier this week posted a self-shot video on Creed's Facebook page, claiming he'd been living in his truck, had his bank accounts frozen and needed a lawyer to help him fight "slanderous, libelous accusations."






David Bowie Previews Nothing Has Changed
(hennemusic) David Bowie has issued the first two episodes of a series of trailers for his newly-released collection, "Nothing Has Changed." The compilation presents material from the singer's 50-year career and includes new songs alongside unreleased tracks and greatest hits.

"Nothing Has Changed" was introduced by the lead single, "Sue (or In A Season Of Crime)", which will be released as a Record Store Day exclusive 10" single on November 28.

The set also features the previously unreleased track, "Let Me Sleep Beside You", from the "Toy" sessions; the download-only "Your Turn To Drive" makes its debut on CD alongside the 2001 re-recording of the 1971 outtake, "Shadow Man."

"Nothing Has Changed" is available as 2- and 3-disc packages, a 2-LP set, and as corresponding digital releases. Watch the videos here.




Ginger Wildheart Releases Duet With Courtney Love
(Classic Rock) Ginger Wildheart has released a video for Honour, a duet with Courtney Love. The single was first released through Ginger's membership scheme GASS in August, and was A-listed by TeamRock Radio earlier this week. Ginger has spent much of 2014 as a touring member of Love's band.

"She's great to work with, very funny, generous and spontaneous," Ginger told Last Year's Girl last month. "She was also kind enough to let me film the video at her recent sold out Sydney show. Wait until you hear it, she sounds like Celebrity Skin era Courtney. She nails it so good. As a fan you're going to love it."

GASS (Ginger Associated Secret Society) was launched earlier in the year, while GASS Lite, a free version of the service - offering unique tracks, videos, diary entries and other content - was announced yesterday. Watch the video here.




Pink Floyd Help Resurrect Vinyl
(Classic Rock) Pink Floyd have helped push vinyl sales through the million mark for 2014 - their highest level since 1996. Floyd's new album The Endless River became the fastest-selling vinyl release since 1997 earlier this month.

With overall sales of LPs hitting the million milestone in the UK for this year, the prog heroes are at the centre of a resurgence in the format that will see The Official Chart Company launch a new vinyl chart in the coming weeks.

Although The Endless River has sold a relatively small number of vinyl copies so far - around 6000 - the music industry is seeing the format as a real money maker again.

Martin Talbot, managing director of the Official Charts Company, tells the BBC: "In an era when we're all talking about digital music, the fact that these beautiful physical artefacts are still as popular as they are is fantastic." Read more here.




Tom Petty Looks Back At The Traveling Wilburys
(Classic Rock) Tom Petty recalls short-lived supergroup The Traveling Wilburys as "a wonderful time" in his life. The band - which featured Petty, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne and Bob Dylan - recorded their debut album over two weeks in 1988.

It came about during a recording session for a B-side for Harrison's single This Is Love, on which the Beatle roped in his friends. Petty only became involved when Harrison turned up at his house to pick up a guitar.

Petty decided to tag along to the studio, and ended up taking part in the session and joining the group. But the song Handle With Care was deemed too good for a B-side and it later appeared on the Wilburys' debut album Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1.

Petty tells HazyRock: "That extra track turned into the Traveling Wilburys. It was a wonderful time. I think the one thing I remember is, there was never a negative moment doing that. We really enjoyed that. I think we made that record for us, really. We just enjoyed it.

"Those 10 tracks were all we did. There's not anything left over. And we did it pretty fast. We'd all sit on the floor in a circle, and write the songs. Then we'd go and cut the track. We'd have dinner, and work on the lyrics over dinner, and then go do the vocals - bang. I love all of those guys." More including a stream of the full feature here.





Jimmy Page Proud of Performing Led Zeppelin Classic At Olympics
(Classic Rock) Jimmy Page says his greatest moment outside of Led Zeppelin was performing Whole Lotta Love with pop star Leona Lewis at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

He admits his choice will "surprise everyone" but insists the moment, part of the event's closing ceremony, was important and made him proud. Page tells Uncut: "I'd be very sincere if I said doing the Olympics with Leona was phenomenal. She's really plucky - she's superb, and she sang Whole Lotta Love brilliantly.

"We managed to do the full length. It wasn't edited. It was so cool the way she approached it. For that audience, and the fact we didn't f*** it up, that was important. It was a Led Zeppelin number, but it took on another persona." Read more here.




KISS Appear At Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
(hennemusic) KISS were on hand to lip sync a performance of "Rock And Roll All Night" as part of the 88th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

The band recently released an expanded, deluxe edition of their 1977 album, "Love Gun." The 2CD / digital edition includes the complete original album re-mastered on the first disc, while the second features previously unreleased demos of "Plaster Caster", "Then She Kissed Me", "Tomorrow And Tonight" and "Much Too Soon".

The group also just wrapped up their first Las Vegas residency, "KISS Rocks Vegas", at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. KISS performed 9 shows at The Joint between November 5 and 23.

Watch the parade appearance here.




Intervals and Singer Mike Semesky Part Ways
(Prog) Canadian prog-metal outfit Intervals have parted ways with frontman Mike Semesky, they've announced. He initially joined in 2013 as the band's bassist when the group were a purely instrumental touring outfit.

He took over vocal duties for their debut album A Voice Within which launched earlier this year. But the band say they've now reached a "fork in the road" and they've parted ways with the singer amicably.

The group's guitarist Aaron Marshall says: "It's with a heavy heart that we announce that we have decided to part ways with Mike Semesky. Writing and recording A Voice Within was a gratifying and enlightening experience and touring in support of that record with Mike has been nothing short of spectacular.

"That said, we have reached a fork in the road and have come to an amicable parting of ways. We wish Mike the best in future endeavours and beyond." Read more here.




Adrian Belew Releases 36-Years-In-The-Making Flux Project
(Prog) Adrian Belew has launched his Flux music creation environment after 36 years of planning and development. It's now available as an iOS mobile device app, and promises "a new and exciting way to experience music."

The former King Crimson and Frank Zappa collaborator explained via the project's Kickstarter page: "Technology has changed our lives so dramatically. Our ability to multitask is greater, but our attention spans are shorter.

"Modern music does not reflect these changes - most music has remained unaltered, still made in the same format used for over 60 years: the three to five minute song. Nothing wrong with that, but how about an alternative?

"Flux is an ever-changing variety of songs, downs and visual art that comes at you in quick, exciting pieces. You get exposed to a lot of content quickly and every listen is new. It will never happen the same way for you or anyone else." Read more here.




Thunder Reveal New Album Details
(Classic Rock) Thunder have released details of their upcoming new album Wonder Days. The band's 10th album - and first since 2008's Bang! - is released on February 16 via earMUSIC and follows this week's unveiling of the video for the record's title track.

Wonder Days was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, with guitarist Luke Morley doubling as producer. The record label describe the album as "a potent mix of blues, soul and rock 'n' roll that is as contemporary as it is steeped in the finest music of the last few decades."

Wonder Days was recorded without Thunder's rhythm guitarist Ben Matthews, who was receiving treatment for throat cancer. He has since been given the all-clear. Read more here.




Entombed Reveal Reissue Plans
(TeamRock Radio) Three of Entombed's albums from their back catalogue are to be remastered and reissued. 1997's DCLXVI - To Ride, Shoot Straight And Speak The Truth, 1998's Same Difference and 2000's Uprising will launch in early 2015.

The special editions were made possible thanks to a PledgeMusic campaign started by Threeman Recordings which raised 152% of its target. They've now struck a deal with SPV to distribute the albums across the US and Europe.

Each recording will be fully remastered and feature bonus material including previously unreleased tracks. All three will be released on heavyweight 180g double vinyl and double CD. Each will come with a 24-page booklet containing fresh liner notes and rare photographs.

Dave Thorne of Threeman Recordings says: "It's great to finally find a home for the Entombed back catalogue, and I know that with their many years of experience, SPV is the perfect partner to handle these historic albums and really do them justice." Read more here.




Crisis Fueled Lacuna Coil's Nothing Stands In Our Way
(TeamRock Radio) Lacuna Coil frontman Andrea Ferro says they were inspired to pen the track Nothing Stands In Our Way by the global financial crisis. It appears on their latest album Broken Crown Halo which launched earlier this year - and Ferro says although it was written during a negative time, they gave the song a positive spin as they wanted to give people hope.

He tells Capital Chaos TV: "The inspiration for the song came from the negative situation that surrounded us while we were writing the album - news that the economy was collapsing, and people were losing their jobs and committing suicide because of that.
"All the negativity pushed us to focus on our dreams. Even if your dreams seem very far away, you need to be focused on them even in very negative times. Even if you have the worst thing happen to you, you still need to find that special energy to go on. That's the message of that song."

He also says people have to strike a better balance between their daily lives and using social media - a theme that runs throughout their seventh album. He continues: "We feel there must be a better balance between how much we are slaves to these things and how much we could live our real lives.





Rob Reed Releases Willow's Song Video
(Prog) Rob Reed has released a video for his version of Willow's Song from the soundtrack of cult horror movie The Wicker Man. It's taken from the Magenta mastermind's solo EP, also called Willow's Song, which is launched on December 1. It features vocals by Angharad Brinn, who also appeared on Reed's Kompendium album Beneath The Waves.

The piece was originally to be part of Reed's Tubular Bells tribute Sanctuary. Reed tells Prog: "The plan was to have two long tracks and a short song at the end. But when I finished the album the short song just didn't fit. I was worried that the album would be a little short without it, but I confided in producer Tom Newman and he told me not to worry - to think of it musically and in no other way."

He says of the video: "We rented a haunted house in Wales and dressed up my children in pagan masks. It really was a disturbing experience. But it looked amazing."






Ian Anderson, Pineapple Thief and Messenger Added To Ramblin' Man
(Prog) Ian Anderson, Pendragon, Riverside, The Pineapple Thief and Messenger have been added to the bill for the first Ramblin' Man Fair. They'll join Prog Stage headline acts Camel and Marillion at Mote Park, Maidstone, Kent on the weekend of July 25-26 next year.

Anderson has confirmed he'll deliver a set of Jethro Tull classics at the two-day event, created in association with Prog and TeamRock. He says: "Oh what fun it is to ride like a Ramblin' Man to the far corners of Darkest Kent, to play once again with the support and organisation of TeamRock, Prog and those other fine publications to delight the discerning music fan. See you there - don't forget to pack the brolly and the gum boots."

TPT mainman Bruce Soord adds: "The band can't wait to get on stage for this wonderful festival and join such a fantastic lineup. Sharing the same stage as Camel is something particularly special. Live music - rock and progressive - is very much alive and well thanks to Ramblin' Man! Looking forward to rocking our brand new set for you all."





The Pop Group Release First New Song in 35 Years
(TeamRock Radio) The Pop Group have revealed details of their comeback album - to be issued 35 years after their last record. The English post-punk outfit will release Citizen Zombie on February 25 via Freaks R Us. They've made the title track available to stream.

Singer Mark Stewart, bass player Dan Catsis, drummer Bruce Smith and guitarist Gareth Sagar reunited in 2010 after their 1981 split, but until now haven't recorded any new music since 1980's For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder?

They have recruited producer Paul Epworth to work on the record, which is the subject of a Pledgemusic crowdfunding campaign. Epworth, who's worked with Adele, Coldplay and Florence And The Machine, says: "The energy is still there, the ideas are still there, it still fizzes with a life that most young bands just don't have."






A Day To Remember's McKinnon Producing Neck Deep Album
(TeamRock Radio) A Day To Remember frontman Jeremy McKinnon has been confirmed as the producer of Neck Deep's upcoming second album. The British pop punk outfit will start work on the follow-up to this year's debut Wishful Thinking at the weekend, where McKinnon will be joined by former ADTR guitarist Tom Denney behind the desk.

Neck Deep singer Ben Barlow says: "When we started looking into recording album two, we knew we wanted it to be bigger and better than Wishful Thinking.

"We wanted to step things up in a big way. We'll be working with someone we've always looked up to. When we initially spoke to Jeremy about producing the album his enthusiasm was what caught us.

"Not only is he someone who knows what they're doing, and has achieved everything we could hope for, but he's just as stoked on the album as we are, and that's a huge thing."

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Tim Abrigg Jr. Rants/Raves:: Today's Day in Rock News!

Tim Abrigg Jr. Rants/Raves:: Today's Day in Rock News!: Today's Day in Rock Megadeth Loses Two Members (Classic Rock) Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover have quit Megadeth, they'v...

Today's Day in Rock News!




Today's Day in Rock


Megadeth Loses Two Members
(Classic Rock) Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover have quit Megadeth, they've announced separately. Guitarist Broderick says he's left due to "artistic and musical differences" after seven years in Dave Mustaine's outfit, while drummer Drover reports he wants to pursue other musical interests after a decade-long stint.

The split leave Mustaine and co-founding bassist David Ellefson as the only current members of the thrash giants - despite plans to start recording their 15th album in January.

Broderick's statement reads: "It is with great reluctance that I announce my departure from Megadeth to pursue my own musical direction. I want all of you to know how much I appreciate the amount that you, the fans, have accepted and respected me.

"I wish Dave and everyone in Megadeth all the best. I am working on a few things of my own, and hope that when they come out, you'll all dig it." Read more here.




New Court Drama For AC/DC's Phil Rudd
(Classic Rock) AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd faced a new arrest warrant after arriving at court late to answer a charge of threatening to kill today. He'd been accused of attempting to procure a murder earlier this month, although that charge was dropped by New Zealand authorities the following day. He could spend up to seven years in jail if found guilty of the charges that remain, including possession of methamphetamine and cannabis.

Rudd, 60, had been ordered to appear at Tauranga High Court at 9am, but failed to arrive in time. Justice Timothy Brewer was in the process of issuing an arrest warrant when the drummer entered the room. The warrant was then dropped.

He entered no plea via attorney Paul Mabey and Justice Brewer ordered the case to be sent down to a lower court, since the most serious charge had been dropped. Read more here.




Guns N' Roses Members Says Band Has Fantastic New Songs
(Classic Rock) Guns N' Roses keyboardist Dizzy Reed says the band have a great mix of new and previously recorded tracks to hand. He previously stated they had a "sh*tload" of songs written, while frontman Axl Rose revealed they had what he called the second half of Chinese Democracy. It launched in 2008 and Reed says the leftover material from the sessions is so good he's desperate for people to hear it.

He tells BackstageAxxess: "There's a lot of music that's been recorded, a lot of stuff that's done and a lot of stuff that's almost done. The main thing is, when it's ready to come out, it'll come out.

"There's a lot of material. You can call it leftovers, but since no one's heard it, technically it's new material. But there's stuff that's been recorded and conceived since then as well. But it's fantastic music, and I really hope it gets out because people need to hear it. It's great stuff." Read more here.





Metallica To Headline Iconic Festivals
(hennemusic) Metallica have confirmed headlining slots at two UK festivals as part of their summer 2015 European tour. The band will play the Reading Festival on August 29 and the companion Leeds Festival on August 30.

"It's been seven long years and we can't wait to hit the stage for one of the longest running, most historic rock festivals," said the group about playing the events.

The UK shows follow previously-announced slots at three European festivals, including Der Ring - Grüne Hölle Rock at Nürburg, Germany and Munich's Rockavaria Festival - both running May 29-31 - and Vienna, Austria's Rock In Vienna on June 4.

Metallica will launch the summer 2015 run at the inaugural Rock In Rio USA festival in Las Vegas next spring. Read more and check out the promo video for the festival appearances here.




Red Hot Chili Peppers To Begin Recording New Album
(Classic Rock) The Red Hot Chili Peppers aim to start recording their 11th album in January, says drummer Chad Smith. He reports that writing for the follow-up to 2011's I'm With You is nearing completion - and they're not planning to work up as many tracks as they did last time round.

Smith tells MusicRadar: "We're really close to getting in to start recording. I think we'll probably go up to December, do a little pre-production, then take a little Christmas break. I hope to recording after the first of the year.

"We probably have close to 30 songs. I think last time we overdid it a little; traditionally we've always recorded 25 or 40 songs. It won't be 50, like last time. " Read more here.




Kurt Cobain Documentary Coming
(hennemusic) "Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck", a new documentary about the late Nirvana frontman, will premiere on HBO next year. The film will feature dozens of Nirvana songs and performances as well as previously unheard Cobain originals.

Directed by Brett Morgen ("Rolling Stones: Crossfire Hurricane"), the project is the first film to be made with the cooperation of Cobain's family, with daughter Frances Bean Cobain serving as executive producer.

"Montage Of Heck" is billed as a raw and visceral journey through Cobain's life, providing no-holds-barred access to Cobain's archives, home to his never-before-seen home movies, recordings, artwork, photography, journals, demos, personal archives, family archives and songbooks.




Pearl Jam Release Live No Code Performance
(hennemusic) Pearl Jam have released a concert bootleg featuring the first-ever performance of the band's 1996 album, "No Code", in its entirety. Part of the group's fall US tour in support of their latest release, "Lightning Bolt", the October 17 show at the I Wireless Center in Moline, Illinois also featured the debut of a new song, "Moline", written just before showtime.

"It literally was written about 10 minutes….it was finished right before we walked out here," frontman Eddie Vedder told the crowd. "But now we've played all those songs and I've had just a little bit of wine -, just a litte bit - so just give me one second to learn it and I'll be right with you."

The concert also featured covers of songs by Pink Floyd ("Interstellar Overdrive"), John Lennon ("Imagine"), Van Halen ("Eruption") and Neil Young ("F***ing Up"). Read more and check out some videos from the show here.




Jimmy Page Announces Unusual Book Event
(Classic Rock) Jimmy Page will give fans a unique memento at a book 'signing' event in London. The Led Zeppelin guitar hero will meet fans at the Piccadilly branch of Waterstones on December 2.

But rather than sign copies of his book Jimmy Page, he will be hand pressing them with a 'Zoso' stamp which features a design unique to the event. Only 250 people will be given access and Page will not sign any other items or pose for photographs on the day.

Page says: "I always like to do something different - if you're inspired by an idea, really make something of that inspiration. To have a photographic autobiography is a totally different way of looking at things, but it does the job very well and I think it will bring a lot of pleasure to people." Read more here.




Wet Nuns' Alexis 'Leki' Gotts Takes His Own Life
(TeamRock Radio) Wet Nuns frontman Rob Graham has paid tribute to late drummer Alexis 'Leki' Gotts. Graham reports on the band's Facebook page that Gotts took his own life after a "long and terribly difficult battle."

Graham says: "It's with a deep sadness and a heavy heart that I try to find the words to express the deep sense of grief that I feel as I come to terms with the loss of my friend, band mate and brother Leki.

"It's only really the sense of duty to you all as fans of our band that I wrote this now as I think it will take a good while to really understand what has happened.

"Leki took his own life as an end to a long and terribly difficult battle." Read more here.




Amy Adams To Star In Janis Joplin Biopic
(Classic Rock) Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee Amy Adams has reportedly signed on to portray rock icon Janis Joplin in an upcoming biopic about the late singer.

The Hollywood Reporter claims in a new report that Adams has finally been confirmed for the role, after she was first linked with it in 2010 before withdrawing.

The film has been in the works for years, with various directors and stars taking an interest and dropping out. It's now set to begin filming in 2015, with director Jean-Marc Vallee at the helm. Read more here.




AC/DC Frontman Hoped For A Miracle For Malcolm
(Classic Rock) AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson has recalled the pain of realizing that Malcolm Young wasn't going to recover from dementia. The Aussie giants' mainman was forced to retire before work began on 17th album Rock Or Bust. Brother Angus recently reported that, although Malcolm is credited as a co-writer, he hasn't heard the record.

Speaking at a promotional event for the Alzheimer's Association's Highway To Help initiative, Johnson tells NC9: "Malcolm was the man who started the band. He was our spiritual leader. He was our Spitfire.

"I guess we're like everyone else with loved ones who have this condition. It was that desire to fix something that's unfixable. You just expect that they're going to get better. You think there's going to be a pill that's going to fix them. You think there's going to be a miracle - and of course, one day you wake up and realise there isn't, and it hurts." Read more here.





Beatles' Abbey Road Photos Fetch Big Money At Auction
(Classic Rock) A collection of rare photographs that were taken during the photoshoot for the Beatles' iconic Abbey Road album cover have sold for £180,000 at auction.

The images were put up for sale at Bloomsbury Auctions in London. The set of six snaps include the pictures used on the front and back cover, along with four rare outtakes and were taken by Iain Macmillan, a friend of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, on August 8 1969.

Lennon selected image number five for the Abbey Road album sleeve. They were originally expected to fetch between £50,000 and £70,000. An overseas buyer made the winning bid over the phone. Read more here.



Sanctuary Announce European Tour
(Classic Rock) Sanctuary have announced a European tour for March next year. They'll kick off the live jaunt with a gig at London's Underworld on March 3 - their only UK show.

They'll then hook up with Overkill for a run of 13 dates across mainland Europe before playing two headlining slots in Greece at the end of the month.

Four of the band's original members, Warrel Dane, Jim Sheppard, Lenny Rutledge and Dave Budbill got together in 2010 after splitting in 1992 for a run of live shows.

They then inked a deal with Century Media and brought in guitarist Brad Hull to replace original member Sean Blosi. Read more here.




Vision Of Disorder Reissuing Still EP
(TeamRock Radio) New York hardcore outfit Vision Of Disorder are to reissue their Still EP. The record was originally launched on 7-inch in 1995. And as it approaches its 20th anniversary, it will be released on limited-edition 12-inch vinyl and digital formats on December 9 via Dignified Bastard.

Along with the four tracks that appeared on the original disc, three extra recordings will be included on the new release - all taped during the Still sessions.

The 12-inch vinyl comes in six colours, while a box set including all six discs along with signed test pressings is also available to pre-order. Read more here.




Dave Ellefson's Johnny Wore Black Streaming New Album Online
(Classic Rock) Johnny Wore Black have issued a stream of their latest album ahead of its official release. Walking Underwater Pt. 2 launches on November 26 via Dead Cherry and the band are letting people listen to the album via Yahoo! Music

Along with Megadeth's Dave Ellefson, the album features mainman Jay, aka Johnny Wore Black, who says Ellefson's contribution brings a "unique flair" to the record.

He tells Yahoo! Music: "It's great to work with Dave because he's an extremely talented bass player with his own unique flair and style which adds a distinctive sound to the music."

And while the sound on the project is a departure from Megadeth, Ellefson reveals it works as both artists are open to new ideas. He reports: "I would send him back things that were clearly not thrash metal. It's cool because we live in this world of virtual recording studios, so we didn't have to be in the same place to work on the songs."







Tomas Lindberg Officially Leaves Lock Up
(TeamRock Radio) Grindcore supergroup Lock Up have confirmed At The Gates' frontman Tomas Lindberg has left the band on a permanent basis. The group, Anton Reisenegger (Pentagram, Criminal), Shane Embury (Napalm Death, Venomous Concept, Brujeria) and Nick Barker (Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir), have issued a statement stating he's departed because of his commitments with his main band.

They say: "Unfortunately, we have to announce the departure of our brother and long-time vocalist Tomas Lindberg. There is absolutely no bad blood or drama involved and we wish Tompa nothing but the best in all his future endeavours.

"At The Gates have just released a brand new, killer album and the subsequent touring schedule that will follow means Tompa simply won't have any free time to commit to Lock Up's imminent future plans of recording a new album or any live performances that will follow." Read more including who is signing for them now here.




Eddie Jobson Announces UK's Final Tour
(Prog) Eddie Jobson has confirmed the last six shows UK will ever play, including one in London on March 1. He'll bring the curtain down at a star-studded event in Tokyo, Japan, on April 1, following a short European tour.

The violinist and keyboardist believes it's time to "focus on a more creative future" after masterminding the band on and off from 1977 until 1980 then again from 2011. The band for his last tour will feature John Wetton, Alex Macchacek and Virgil Donati.

Details of the Tokyo show are yet to be revealed, although Jobson has promised "very special guests" will take part. Check out the announced tour details here.





Ensiferum Announce Tour With Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum
(TeamRock Radio) Ensiferum have announced a 2015 European tour with Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum. The three Finnish bands hit the road in March - just weeks after Ensiferum release their sixth album One Man Army on February 23.

In a post on their Facebook page, Insomnium say: "We'll be moshing alongside Ensiferum and Omnium Gatherum in March and April 2015 around Europe. Finnish melodeath to the max."

Also on Facebook, Omnium Gatherum add: "We've already been busy touring Europe, Asia and North America after the release of Beyond but apart from that we've had some secret time to forge some new OG anthems in the woods too, so we're on a good path towards the next album sessions.

"For now it's seven songs ready and willing, nothing confirmed with the schedules and all yet, but just to say that the great days of the next chapter are coming nearer."

Check out the dates here.





Patrick Kistler Says He Was Fired By Eluveitie
(TeamRock Radio) Former Eluveitie piper Patrick Kistler says he was fired from the band after a democratic vote - but that he didn't want to go. He's denied drugs were involved in the breakdown of relations that led to his departure. And he's suggested that some band members have forgotten the values that created their six-album legacy.

The Swiss folk metal outfit last week announced the lineup change midway through a European tour in support of latest record Origins. Matteo Sisti of Krampus has taken his place on a temporary basis.

Kistler says in a statement: "Personal issues increased within the past 12 months in my life, as well as in the Eluveitie hood. I have been going through some personal difficulties that also affected the relationship to some band members, and my ability to fulfill expectations. No addiction problem and they are solved in the meantime.

"All this got more exaggerated with the album production and intensive touring. In the end the majority of the band decided to expel me from the hood by a democratic vote - we're still very Swiss." Read more here.





Palm Reader Reveal Album Release Plans
(TeamRock Radio) Palm Reader have confirmed details of their upcoming second album. The UK hardcore outfit will release Beside The Ones We Love next spring, they tell Rocksound. They released debut album Bad Weather in 2013.

Singer Josh McKeown says: "We couldn't be happier with the end result. It's been 18 months since we released Bad Weather where as songwriters and people, we've grown a huge amount.

"We can't wait to give everyone more details about the release and for everyone to begin the next journey for Palm Reader with us." They also will head out on a UK and Ireland tour with Protest The Hero this week. Check out the dates here.




Singled Out: Sunshine Riot's Dead Baby Cocaine Blues
Today from Sunshine Riot tells us about "Dead Baby Cocaine Blues" from their forthcoming sophomore album "Black Coffee Sigh," which will be released in January. Here is the story:

Mark, our lead guitarist, wrote this song about a year ago. Mark's a great guitarist (if we do say so ourselves) and a great dude. He's also straight up f***in' bonkers. So, when he walked into our rehearsal space one night and said he'd written a song called "Dead Baby Cocaine Blues", none of us were too surprised.

Strictly speaking, the song is about the practice of prescribing cocaine medicinally at the turn of the century, even for children and babies. The results of that practice were predictably not-so-great and often led to death (this phenomenon has recently gained attention on the Cinemax series, The Knick). The subject fascinated Mark enough to write a song about it.

Beyond the literal translation, though, I think what we're trying to get at is the notion of bad medicine as a metaphor for bad love or toxic relationships. To quote Simone Felice, formerly of the Felice Brothers, we all have a way to love badly. Sometimes in an effort to save someone or something, we break it. That's a tough pill to swallow. No pun intended.

As a band, we love playing this song live. We're big believers in the classic high point / low point set list structure - lots of high energy tunes punctuated with a few soft, low and slow ones. Dead Baby is definitely a high energy one. I think because the title is so absurd, we all feel a responsibility to play with a commensurate level of madness. We typically lose our sh*t when we play Dead Baby Cocaine Blues and we encourage the audience to do the same.

Honestly, we want to entertain people. That's our job, and we don't hesitate to be ridiculous...in fact, that's kind of our thing. So, "Dead Baby Cocaine Blues" fits pretty well into the Sunshine Riot song book.









Nickelback Poke More Fun At Themselves Than Net Haters
(TeamRock Radio) Nickelback say no amount of internet hate can match the harshness of the jokes they make about themselves. The Canadian rockers are regular targets of online haters, but insist it's nothing compared to their self-effacing tour bus banter.

Frontman Chad Kroeger tells Absolute Radio: "We are one of those bands that a lot of people think take themselves seriously. And no one - and I know this is hard to believe - can make as much fun of us as we make fun of ourselves.

"And we are harsh. If you think the internet's rough, you should sit in a van with us. We make up the best alternate lines to our own songs. And this is some top-shelf stuff."

Guitarist Ryan Peake adds: "I go home crying sometimes - and it's jokes I've made about myself." Read more and stream the video here.




Nikki Sixx Calls On Musicians To Stand Up For Themselves
(Classic Rock) Nikki Sixx has called on musicians to stand up for themselves in royalty battles if their managers and lawyers won't. The Motley Crue bassist has taken direct aim at a practice known as "digital breakage" which can be used to reduce the amount of money an artist receives from streaming services.

The concept of breakage arises from traditional media, where record labels covered the costs of manufacturing, distributing and marketing music, and also carried charges associated with the return of unsold and damaged items. Those costs were removed before calculating musicians' share of income.

Since there are no such costs associated with streaming, it's possible for labels to use the breakage concept to secure a clear stream of profit without having to share any with artists. The amount of breakage can be extended when labels argue that having their music available via a streaming service increases the value of that service - and once again, none of that income has to be handed on to musicians.

Sixx says: "A record label signs an artist to sell music at different destinations. They license music to streaming companies, and when they do, they get around 70% of the money. On downloads, just like on CDs, they pay a royalty to the artist. But on streaming they don't - they use a legal loophole called 'breakage.'






Soundgarden Release Storm Video
(hennemusic) Soundgarden are premiering a new music video for the song "Storm", a track from the band's new collection, "Echo Of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across The Path."

The package is a 3-disc, 50-track rarities compilation of original B-sides, unreleased tracks, instrumentals, covers and demos curated by guitarist Kim Thayil.

Disc 1, dubbed "Originals", is filled with Soundgarden songs - mainly B-sides - in addition to two unreleased tunes, "Kristi" and "Storm." Disc 2, "Covers", presents covers of tracks by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, The Ramones, Devo and others. Disc 3, "Oddities", offers instrumentals, remixes and demos, including Steve Fisk's unreleased "The Telephantasm (Resurrection Remix)", "Twin Tower", and "Night Surf", an instrumental performed by bassist Ben Shepherd.





At The Gates Animated For Heroes And Tombs Video
(TeamRock Radio) Swedish death metallers At The Gates have unveiled this new animated video for Heroes And Tombs, taken from their comeback album At War With Reality (out now on Century Media).

The bleak video was created by Costin Chioreanu who designed the artwork for At War With Reality. At The Gates' frontman Tomas Lindberg says of the video:

"To have Costin work on one of our songs this way has been very rewarding. It's like the next step of the album artwork, and basically more than I could have ever hoped for."

He adds: "Costin paints up a fevered and dark nightmare world that complements the lyrics and music up to the point of perfection. Now I just have to go convince him to do a full length movie for the whole album..." Watch the video here.




Mogwai Release Teenage Exorcists Video
(Prog) Mogwai have released a music video for their track Teenage Exorcists. It's taken from upcoming EP Music Industry 3. Fitness Industry 1 which launches on December 1.

It will be their first studio release since eighth album Rave Tapes, which launched in January via Rock Action Records. The EP features three tracks recorded during the Rave Tapes sessions along with three remixes of tracks from the album by Blanck Mass, Nils Frahm and Pye Corner Audio.

Along with a digital release, the EP will be available on CD and limited-edition 12-inch vinyl. The band were nominated in the Band/Artist Of The Year category at this year's Progressive Music Awards. They've lined up a date at the Sydney Opera House in March and will then head to Japan for three shows later that month.





Status Quo Release Unplugged Matchstick Men Video
(Classic Rock) Status Quo have released a short video clip to accompany the acoustic version of the band's early classic Pictures Of Matchstick Men. The song, first released in 1967 on the Picturesque Matchstickable Messages album, was re-recorded earlier this year for the band's Aquostic set.

The clip features the whole band apparently naked, although several eagle-eyed viewers have pointed out that guitarist Rick Parfitt does appear to be wearing a pair of slender black briefs.

Status Quo announced the Aquostic album in an exclusive interview with Classic Rock in August and released a promo for And It's Better Now in September, before playing at the Roundhouse in October. Watch the video here.




Thunder Release Wonder Days Video
(Classic Rock) Thunder have released a video for Wonder Days, the title track of the band's forthcoming album. Full details surrounding the release, the follow-up to 2008's Bang!, will be announced tomorrow. The video was filmed recently in Tokyo in front of 15,000 fans.

Singer Danny Bowes says, "What can I say about 'Wonder Days'? Well, it's the title track from the new Thunder album, our first in six years, and if you listen closely it tells the story of why we came together all those years ago to form the band. So with that in mind, we thought it's the perfect track to introduce everyone to what we've been up to recently… which is making an album that we are all incredibly proud of! We played it live for the first time last month at Loud Park in Tokyo and filmed it for your pleasure. We like the song so much, we think we'll play it again next March, along with a lot more from the new album. Come see us - a good time is guaranteed for all!"

Last month Thunder played a free show for fans at London's Brooklyn Bowl venue, a show recorded for release as a cover-mount CD accompanying the January 2015 edition of Classic Rock. In September, the band promised the new album would be worth the wait, and announced a short UK tour for March 2015, where they'll play alongside Reef and Tax The Heat. Watch the new video here.



Rev Peyton's Big Damn Band Stream New Song, Announce Album
(The Blues Rev Peyton's Big Damn Band will launch fifth album So Delicious on February 17 via Yazoo Records, they've confirmed. They've launched a stream of Let's Jump A Train to act as a taster for the follow-up to 2012's Between The Ditches.

The Rev tells American Blues Scene: "I've been obsessed with the idea of taking fingerstyle guitar to a place it's never been before." He adds: "When people hear So Delicious and see us play live, I think they understand that what we're singing about is real to us.

"We believe in the stories we're telling and in the way we play. And when we're on stage or off, there's nothing fake about us. We are what we do, and I'm proud of that."

Stream the new song here.



Eli Cook Releases Baby Please Don't Go Video
(The Blues Eli Cook has released a video for his instrumental track Baby Please Don't Go. It follows the 27-year-old bluesman's fifth album Primitive Son, launched earlier this year via Cleopatra Records.

Cook tells The Flame Still Burns: "I try to put an emphasis on original songwriting, lyrical content; I try to give it a bit of a unique presentation. My vocal style is a little different than the typical blues and R&B vocalists.

"I try to do things with a little bit more intensity - for lack of a better word, do them a bit heavier, even if it is an acoustic song. Just make it bigger and more dynamic, but organically, if at all possible."

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