Friday, October 21, 2011

Today's Day in Rock






Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx Undergoes Surgery
(hennemusic) Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx is recovering following knee surgery on Wednesday.

The rocker injured his left knee during a Crue show over the summer, and has found time in his schedule to get the repair job done.

"Surgery on left knee went amazing today," posted Sixx on Faecbook afterwards. "Nothing like a little tune up and TLC from the people who love you to recharge the life batteries. Now to see how many sympathy votes i can get..I think my kids and girlfriend are already onto me...Who's a bigger baby, men or woman in theses situations?" more on this story



Metallica The Big Four Tour Hold Out?
Loudwire has this insight into what might be preventing a full blown Big Four tour from happening. They report that members of Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth have said in interviews that they'd love to do a full tour next year but Metallica is keeping mum on the topic. Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian has plenty to say on the subject.

"It's funny that I've done 400 interviews, I guess, in the last month and that's the one question I've been asked in every interview. And I tell everybody, 'What makes you think we have any say at all over what happens with the Big 4?,'" Ian tells SF Weekly.

"I mean, I get it; we're a part of it and all that, but Metallica is steering the ship. This is their thing. They installed this red phone with a big red '4' at our manager's office and when it rings, you just say when and where." More from Scott here



Muse Working On New Album
(hennemusic) UK rockers Muse are in the early stages of work on the follow-up to 2009's "The Resistance," an album that saw the band tour the world for 14-months, starting in October 2009 and wrapping up this summer with a headline slot at the U.K. dual-site Reading and Leeds festival.

Band manager Anthony Addis confirmed the group is already working on what comes next – album number six.

"They've now gone into the recording studio," Addis tells Billboard.biz. "The plan is to do it all in London...Hopefully, [the album] might come out October next year. They've written a lot of material already but you don't know how it's going to gel between them all. They write constantly. They write on the road, so before or after a gig they'll write nearly every night. It's a serious process, but you don't know how it's going to turn out [until] you start practicing it together, because everybody's done it individually." more on this story



Rolling Stones Some Girls Rarity Released
(hennemusic) We'll be getting a taste of some new old Rolling Stones material today, when the band officially issues an unreleased track from the upcoming, expanded "Some Girls" rerelease.

The 1978 album is getting the reissue treatment with its November 21st street date, but on Thursday, Stones fans will be able to get their hands on "No Spare Parts," one of the tracks from the original sessions.

The new version of the song made its debut on BBC Radio 2 early Thursday, but the official version hasn't surfaced as of press time – however, a bootleg version has been floating around online for years. Check it out here



New Bob Segar Collection Coming
Capitol/EMI has set a November 21st release date for a new double disc Bob Segar collection called Ultimate Hits: Rock And Roll Never Forgets.

For the first time, all of Bob Seger's top hits have been gathered for a career-spanning 2CD and digital collection titled

The 26-track collection includes "Night Moves," "Turn The Page," "Hollywood Nights," "Mainstreet," "Old Time Rock And Roll," "Like A Rock," "Her Strut," "We've Got Tonight," "Against The Wind," "Still The Same," and many other Seger classics, as well as the Detroit rocker's two #1 radio singles from this year, "Downtown Train" and his current #1 Classic Rock hit, "Hey Hey Hey Hey (Going Back To Birmingham)." more on this story



Bridge School Concert To Be Streamed Online
Don't worry if you can't attend The 2011 Bridge School Concerts this weekend, because you catch night one online.

For the first-time ever, The Bridge School Concert will be webcast live from The Shoreline Amphitheatre this Saturday only, Oct 22nd and will stream in its entirety on Facebook and YouTube.

The artists set to appear are: Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Arcade Fire, Eddie Vedder, Los Invisibles (featuring Carlos Santana, Cindy Blackman Santana & guests), Beck, Mumford & Sons, Devendra Banhart and Norah Jones with The Little Willies. more on this story



That 70s Rock Show From Mick Jagger and Martin Scorsese
(Gibson) Mick Jagger is about to add television producer to his extensive list of accomplishments. The Rolling Stones frontman is teaming up with filmmaker Martin Scorsese to create a new HBO drama depicting the 1970s rock scene, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Terence Winter – best known for creating HBO and Scorsese's current hit drama, Boardwalk Empire – penned the show's script. What, exactly, will this rock-saturated drama entail? The hour-long series promises to track the adventures of "a cocaine-fueled record executive in New York City circa 1977," a time "when punk, disco and a new form of music called hip-hop collided."

The Rolling Stones rocker first proposed the idea for the series as a film project, initially going to Disney and then Paramount. Jagger will executive produce the series along with his producing partner, Victoria Pearman. Pearman and Scorsese's manager, Rick Yorn, are executive producers. The project will serve as a reunification for Scorsese, Jagger and Pearman, who collaborated on the 2008 documentary, Shine a Light. more on this story



Imagine Owning John Lennon's Tooth
(Rock News Desk) When John Lennon pulled out one of his own teeth at home in the late 1960s, he gave it to his housekeeper as a souvenir. Now it's up for auction – and experts reckon it could be yours for around £10,000.

Dot Jarlett was working for the Beatles icon when he pulled the tooth at his home, Kenwood, in Surrey.

Her son Barry tells the BBC: "He was in the kitchen and he had this tooth which which he wrapped in pieces of paper. He said, 'Dot, will you dispose of this?' Then he said, 'Or, as your daughter is a Beatles fan, you can give it to her as a souvenir.'" more on this story



Stormdroopers of Death Are Finished
(Rock News Desk) Scott Ian insists Stormdroopers of Death will never reform. The outfit starred Anthrax men Ian, Charlie Benante and Dan Lilker along with frontman Billy Milano. Most active in the late 80s, they played occasional shows since until 2000.

Ian says: "I think I can safely say that there is no chance of us re-igniting that spark. It was never meant to be a 'real' band, with a schedule and making records and touring. SOD was supposed to be the 'anti' of that – it was supposed to just about having fun and never turning into a job or a business.

"We played everywhere in 1999 and 2001, and I don't feel the need to go out and do that again." (None Louder) more on this story



The Doors Limited Edition Box For Black Friday
The Doors 40th anniversary L.A. Woman Vinyl Singles Box created especially for indie record stores will be released on Black Friday, November 25th.

The must-have four 7" singles box will feature the now-classic album tracks from L.A. Woman, "The Changeling," "Riders on the Storm," and "Love Her Madly," backed with newly-discovered and never-before-heard alternate takes of each song, and a fourth single of never before-released studio banter. The box artwork will also include the original Messianic image of the naked woman nailed to the telephone pole used for the album's inner sleeve.

2012 will see the 40th anniversary of L.A. Woman, the last Doors recording, which upon its 1971 release just 3 months before Jim Morrison's death in Paris, was proclaimed "A landmark worthy of dancing in the streets" by Rolling Stone's Robert Meltzer. more on this story



Chris Shinn Solo Album Coming
Former Unified Theory frontman Chris Shinn will release his self-titled debut solo album, in January 2012 (Black Cicada).

We were sent the following details: With his striking vocals and passionate songwriting, Chris Shinn delivers an eclectic album pulling from elements of rock, country, jazz and blues. He will be playing a special showcase on November 16th at the Converse Rubber Tracks Studio in Brooklyn.

Recorded in Nashville, Shinn has orchestrated a band of heavy hitting musical legends for his solo debut made up of Brent Mason (Neil Diamond, Alan Jackson) on lead guitar, Bobby Ogdin (Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson) on piano, Billy Ward (Yoko Ono, B.B. King, Carly Simon) on drums, Tim Smith (Kris Kristofferson, Bill Evans, Boots Randolph) on bass, Paul Franklin (Sting, Barbara Streisand, Megadeth) on steel, and Roddy Smith (Boots Randolph, Bill Evans, George Hamilton IV) on rhythm guitar along with Steve Marcantonio (Taylor Swift, George Strait, Billy Falcon, Alabama) who mixed and engineered the album. more on this story



New Jon Anderson Release Coming Next Week
Jon Anderson, the legendary voice of YES, has set an October 25th digital release date for "Open". Here is what it's all about:

A return to the long-form composition that Jon Anderson is best known for, ("Close To The Edge", "Gates of Delirium", "Revealing" and "Awaken"), OPEN is a 21-minute exhilarating musical journey; a pioneering effort that weaves intricate melodic and harmonic themes within a classical music framework whilst showcasing Anderson's iconic vocals and timeless melodies throughout. In many ways OPEN is a return to Jon Anderson's musical roots, as YES music continually flows through his veins, making it only natural to revisit now and again. Coupled with wonderful orchestration by his neighbor and good friend Stefan Podell, messages of peace, love, light and freedom are further explored within OPEN, making listening an uplifting and joyous experience!

" 'Forever taken to that place of understanding,' are the first lyrics of 'OPEN', as though I am always remembering my true musical journey. To create this work, I sat with my 19th Century guitar and strummed ideas last spring 2010. Songs just poured out of me that week, and before I knew it I had created a long form musical idea, and with the help of Stefan Podell's powerful orchestration, we put together what is now 'OPEN.' more on this story



America Announce Two Special Shows
America will perform two special shows, one in San Diego and one in Los Angeles, for the Grammy Museum.

The Friday, November 4 performance at 8:00 PM and audience Q&A in San Diego is part of the ongoing Pacific Standard Time: Art In L.A. 1945-1980 series taking place at museums throughout southern California and will be held in the Sherwood Auditorium at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.

After the interview, moderated by Grammy Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli, America will take audience questions and will perform an acoustic set. All proceeds benefit the Grammy Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. more on this story



Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience Resumes Next Week
Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience will hit the road next week for a final 2011 run of performances beginning October 27 in Englewood, NJ and wrapping November 13 in Clearwater, FL.

The tour will also return to the heart of New York City on Tuesday, November 1 for a special show at Best Buy Theater.

Show highlights include a heartfelt duet with JASON performing "Moby Dick" off Led Zeppelin II side-by-side with a giant video of his late father from Led Zeppelin's landmark Royal Albert Hall gig. more on this story



The Lemonheads Add 50 Tour Dates
(CS) The Lemonheads have announced an additional 50 North American tour dates for early 2012.

The group will be performing their classic 1992 album, It's A Shame About Ray, from beginning to end.

Evan Dando will be joined on this tour by guitarist Josh Lattanzi (The Candles) and drummer Brian Nolan (American Hi-Fi). more on this story



ZZ Top's La Grange Fest This Weekend
ZZ Top's La Grange Fest is taking place this weekend in Austin, TX. It's a ZZ Top-hosted music festival on Saturday, October 22 at Austin's The Backyard. Doors are open at 5 PM and the show kicks off at 6 PM.

Featured with ZZ Top are Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jamey Johnson and Corey Taylor. Skynyrd and ZZ Top have a relationship that dates back to the early 1970s and they have worked together extensively ever since. They've most recently shared concert bills on the Rebels & Bandoleros Tour.

Jamey Johnson is one of the key contributors to the just-released A Tribute From Friends, the album of ZZ Top cover songs by a slew of the band's admirers including Nickelback, Grace Potter, Daughtry, Wolfmother and The M.O.B. (Mick Fleetwood, Steven Tyler, Johnny Land and John McVie) and others. His contribution to the collection is, appropriately, "La Grange" with none other than ZZ ax man Billy Gibbons guesting on the track that's the album's closer. more on this story



Cerebral Bore Mini Tour
Cerebral Bore kicked off a mini UK tour last night at the Purple Turtle in London.

Cerebral Bore have joined Severe Torture for the four-date tour, just two weeks before the band will perform at Damnation Festival in Leeds alongside the likes of Devin Townsend Project, Godflesh, Decapitated, Evile and more.

Cerebral Bore guitarist Paul Mcguire recently commented: "Us and Severe Torture have been talking about touring together for years now, so it's great to finally make it happen. Not many CB shows left in 2011, so we hope to have as much fun as you can without being arrested this weekend." more on this story



East Of The Wall Kick Off Tour Today
East Of The Wall hit the road today for their month-long U.S. tour in support of their latest full-length, The Apologist.

The quintet set it off with three record release events in their usual stomping grounds between the coast of New Jersey and New York City

The trek includes a show at The Saint in Asbury Park, a CMJ-related show in Brooklyn and an in-store performance at Vintage Vinyl in Fords. more on this story



Modest Mouse Announce Dates
Modest Mouse have announced plans to visit the Lone Star state to play a couple of shows before playing a festival in Brazil.

The band has booked shows at Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin, TX on November 9th and the Palladium Ballroom in Dallas, TX on November 10th.

On November 13th, the band will appear at the SWU Music and Arts Festival in Sao Paulo, Brazil. more on this story



Singled Out: The Heavy Pets' Song for John
Today Mike Garulli from The Heavy Pets tells us the moving story behind "Song for John" from their brand new album "Swim Out Past the Sun". Here is the story:

About a year after John's death in 2006 I felt compelled to write a song about his life and our friendship. John McCann was a good childhood friend of mine. He's one of the first guys I ever jammed with and probably the first friend that I ever attempted songwriting with. In fact, the lyric "remember when everything was just gold or grey" refers to a lyric that he wrote for one of the first tunes we worked on together. He was an Insane genius type, a great lyricist. He was mad about music and literature and his knowledge of both far surpassed anyone I had ever met.

Looking back now, it's easy to see that he is responsible for introducing me to all of the great music that would grow to influence me so deeply in my life. He was kind of a mentor to me in that respect. I think the song, in part, is an attempt to show him how grateful I am for that.

In early 2010 I was in Mill Valley California working on the album "Swim Out Past The Sun" when we got word from our producer that David Grisman was interested in laying down some tracks with us. John had always been a big Garcia/Grisman fan. We had already picked "Song for John" as one of the tunes for the album, and knowing for sure that John had turned me on to Grisman's music so many years earlier, I thought it was only appropriate to have Grisman play on that specific track. Having the opportunity to work with Grisman was truly an honor, and being that the song is a more Americana/Folk type thing, he added to it in an incredibly natural and authentic way. I'm totally happy with the way the track came out, It's one of my favorite songs on the album and I can't think of a better way to honor my boys memory.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Today's Day In Pop!



Today's Full Report


Justin Bieber Faces Five Years In Prison Under Proposed Law?
(Opinion) We typically stay away from politics, especially partisan politics unless it directly affects music and this issue does just that. We were sent an announcement from an advocacy group which presents one side of the argument over a proposed law.

We encourage you to investigate the issue for yourself to learn the pros and cons (also visit opensecrets.org and find out how much money the politicians and your representatives were given by the entertainment industry which supports this bill. The sponsor of this bill's 4th largest special interest/industry group contributions for the 2012 cycle has come from TV/Movies/Music industries, up from 10th place for 2010. See the records here. We provide this link to illustrate how proposed laws like this may have been purchased encouraged. Contacting your representatives if you oppose this bill might not work if they too received large contributions from the organizations supporting the proposed law.) But for now, we do have one organization's con argument (and call to action) for you that uses Canadian pop star Justin Bieber to make their point, which is obviously biased against the bill (they also provided the text of the proposed law in question):

Fight for the Future (FFTF), a new organization vowing to fight for Americans' tech freedoms, warns Justin Bieber and his fans that the teen pop sensation could suffer five brutal years in prison if a bill pending in the Senate becomes law.

S.978 by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) would make it a felony for Internet users to stream unlicensed content 10 times in 180 days. The bill is being pushed by the Recording Industry Association of America, the Motion Picture Association of America, and others who seek to crush to Internet freedoms for the sake of higher corporate profits. The legislation was passed unanimously by the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this summer; introduction of a House version is expected in coming weeks. more on this story



Britney Spears Delivers Steamy Criminal Video
(superLOUD) Britney Spears' has debuted her new music video for the song "Criminal," the 4th single from Femme Fatale.

The video is much gossiped about as being "X-Rated." Although it is steamy, "Criminal" in actuality is more PG-13.

Those expecting to see Britney truly naked will be out of luck. Instead, they'll see an impressive, high budget video with an abuse story. more on this story



Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes' Tru 2 Music Concert Postponed
The Tru 2 Music concert featuring Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, And Eric Bellinger that was scheduled for October 23rd, 2011 in Los Angeles has been postponed.

The concert will now take place on Friday, January 13th, 2012 at Nokia Theatre L.A LIVE.

The show headliner Rick Ross in recent weeks has raised health concerns in regards to his capability to perform. In an executive decision, Tru Royalty Entertainment has decided to postpone the show to offer Rick Ross a chance to properly rehabilitate. more on this story



Lenny Dykstra Strikes Grand Theft Auto Plea Deal
(TMZ) Former MLB great Lenny Dykstra struck a deal in his mega-criminal case, by pleading no contest to 3 counts of felony grand theft auto, and one count of submitting false statements to a financial institution.

Dykstra is charged with 25 crimes, but under the plea deal, 21 will be dismissed. Dykstra will be sentenced on January 20. He faces a maximum of 4 years in state prison, although under a new law, he'd serve any time he gets in county jail.

Dykstra is accused of leasing luxury cars from an L.A. dealership with fraudulent paperwork. There were also drug charges filed.

He's been released on his own recognizance until his sentencing. more on this story



Lindsay Lohan Deserved Judge's Rage?
(TMZ) Lindsay Lohan is telling friends ... she understands why Judge Stephanie Sautner threw the book at her yesterday -- and to prove her renewed commitment to community service, Lindsay plans to put in overtime at the morgue.

Sources close to Lindsay tell TMZ, she gets why Judge Sautner was pissed -- admitting she didn't follow Sautner's previous instructions to the T.

We're told Lindsay has internalized Sautner's admonitions -- and is taking the entire experience today as one big warning that she needs to get her act together, stat.

As a result, we're told Lindsay will be visiting the morgue tomorrow to get started on her community service. In fact, Lindsay says she's so serious about impressing the judge ... we're told she has promised to go to the morgue every day between now and her next hearing on November 2.

We're told Lindsay gets the message -- and doesn't harbor any bad feelings toward Sautner for taking a hard line.

Sources tell us, when Lindsay faces Sautner again next month, she'll argue she doesn't deserve jail time. more on this story



Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Krayzie Bone Releasing New Solo Album
(Sub) Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Krayzie Bone will release his new solo album "Under The Influence" on November 22nd.

The Bone Thugs release titled "Strength & Loyalty", released in the spring of 2007 was the groups first major label album after an absence of nearly five years, thus catapulting them back into the limelight. Debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 and containing many star studded guest-appearances, the executive produced Swizz Beatz album sold over 500,000 copies, reclaiming their place amongst hip hops greats.

BTNH dropped their last album "UNI-5", on May 4th 2010 and was the first album in over a decade with all 5 original members. Sparks flew as Krayzie, Layzie, Flesh, Wish and Bizzy were reunited and unified for the Warner Bros album that landed at Number 3 on the Billboard Rap Chart and sold over 200,000 copies. more on this story



Abba Limited Edition Vinyl Reissues Launched
Universal Music Enterprises have released a limited run of all the studio albums in ABBA's catalog. Here is the official word:

It's hard to imagine how different today's music charts might look without ABBA. From the moment they swept to glory at Eurovision in 1974, the Swedish pop group has been, and continues to be, a major influence on musicians around the world, and remains one of the most successful acts of all time.

To date, ABBA has sold over 370 million albums around the world with their "Gold" greatest hits collection selling well over 28 million copies alone. The musical Mamma Mia has gone on to be the world's No. 1 show with more productions playing simultaneously around the globe than any other musical. From their first hit single "Waterloo" in 1974, the phenomenon continues as new generations continue to discover the music of ABBA. more on this story



John Singleton's Hustle & Flow Against MTV Films and Paramount
(TMZ) John Singleton is suing Paramount Pictures and MTV Films, claiming they totally screwed him by reneging on their promise to finance and distribute 2 films -- especially galling because Singleton gave THEM the right to make untold millions by distributing "Hustle & Flow."

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Singleton gave Paramount the right to distribute the flick back in 2005 and Singleton took a relatively small, $9 million fee. In return, Paramount promised to green light and finance 2 Singleton pictures in the future, provided the budgets of those films didn't exceed $3.5 million each. Based on this promise, Singleton also says he later gave the studio the right to distribute "Black Snake Moan."

The suit claims Paramount made a fortune off "Hustle & Flow," which won an Oscar for Best Song and was critically acclaimed. But when it came time for Singleton to get his movies made, he claims Paramount started placing unwarranted conditions which made it impossible to make the movies.

Singleton says he passed up all sorts of opportunities to make big deals with other companies when he signed on with Paramount, and he's pissed.

The producer is suing for $20 million, minimum. more on this story



Il Volo Filming Concert For PBS
(PR) Il Volo will be filming their concert appearance at Detroit's Opera House on October 27th for the local PBS station.

The show will be produced by famed Grammy producer Ken Ehrlich, and Il Volo's managers, Michele Torpedine (who discovered Andrea Bocelli) and Steve Leber, are executive producers. The show will be part of their local pledge drive.

DPTV is a viewer supported PBS member station serving the nation's 11th largest television market in Southeast Michigan and over a thousand communities in Canada. It is a leading national producer and distributor of PBS fundraising programs. more on this story



Christmas Coming Early for Vanessa Peters Fans
Vanessa Peters will release her first-ever holiday recording, "The Christmas We Hoped For," on Amazon on October 25th, followed by iTunes and everywhere else on November 1st.

The twelve song album, recorded during the hottest Texas summer on record, features holiday standards such as "Winter Wonderland" and "White Christmas" as well as modern songs including a cover of "All That I Want" by The Weepies.

"I was building out a home studio and wanted to record some tracks to test out the acoustics. Temperatures were hitting 108 in Texas but on a lark, my producer and I decided to record some Christmas songs," said the singer. "Winter Wonderland" was recorded in my living room. We had to turn off the A/C to make sure the noise didn't show up on the track, and it was just brutally hot. Despite the heat, we were having so much fun that we just kept going. I chose my absolute favorite songs; I wanted to play what I love." more on this story



Kinky Friedman Hanukkah Tour
(Conqueroo) Kinky Friedman will hit the road this holiday season with his Hanukkah Tour of 2011.

Taking time off from finishing up a book with Billy Bob Thornton and formulating one with Willie Nelson, Kinky Friedman will visit 14 cities in the Midwest, West and Southwest, starting November 29.

In addition, the tour is bookended with two fundraisers in Salado, TX, for the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, one on November 26th featuring BJ Thomas (with Kinky as host), and the other on December 17 with Rodney Crowell and Billy Joe Shaver (Kinky will perform a full show on this one). more on this story



The Western States Motel Taking Up Residency At The Roxy
Carl Jordan is taking The Western States Motel to On the Rox at The Roxy in Los Angeles for a month long residency in November (8th, 15th, 22th and 29th), as a part of KROQ's Local's Only Showcase.

Playing live with a five-piece, the band looks forward to hitting the road, connecting with friends old and new.

The shows are in support of the new The Western States Motel album, Freeway Freeway Riverbed, which will be released on October 25th. more info



Pac Div Announce Debut Album
(Sub) Hip hop trio Pac Div will release their debut album, "The Div", on November 8, 2011, through a joint venture with RBC Records.

The album is already being touted as a classic, with production from No I.D. (Common, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Drake, Rick Ross and more), Swiff D and the group's very own, Like, and features from long time friends, Bleu Collar, Asher Roth, Casey Veggies (Sleeping in Class"), Tiron and Skeme.

Pac Div consists of two brothers, Like and Mibbs, and long
time friend, BeYoung. Formed in 2005, while still in the high school, Pac Div was originally an eleven-member crew that shrank to three when it became apparent that a group of that size just wasn't feasible. While most young rappers were under the spell of "microwave" music, these three were doing their hip-hop homework, studying rap's pioneers, honing their skills and developing their own styles. From their music to shows to videos, and unique approach to creating, the group proves to showcase undeniable talent in everything they do. more on this story



Shia LaBeouf Made Knife Threat After Beating?
(TMZ) The man who tried to calm down Shia LaBeouf moments after the beatdown in Vancouver last week tells TMZ ... the actor threatened to pull a knife on him in the wake of the fight ... but he never actually flashed a blade.

TMZ spoke with Shea Carter ... the man who restrained Shia after the fight ... who tells us he noticed the actor inside the Cinema Public House bar BEFORE the melee. Carter says LaBeouf had been drunkenly swaying into several patrons ... including one man who calmly warned Shia, "Hey man, watch out."

Carter says Shia replied, "Oh yea? Or what? What are you going to do about it?" That's when the two decided to take things outside ... and the guy beat Shia down to the ground.

Afterward, Carter -- a local hip hop artist and bar regular -- tried to stop Shia from getting back inside, but LaBeouf got aggressive, spouting, "Well what if I grabbed my knife on you?"

Carter says he quickly grabbed Shia in an effort to protect himself in case the knife threat was serious.

Carter says the actor eventually walked away ... so he went back inside the bar. But moments later, Carter says, Shia appeared outside a window and made a throat-slashing gesture at him ... before leaving for the night.

TMZ placed multiple calls to Shia's rep for comment -- no word back.
more on this story



Daniel Baldwin Divorce Back On
(TMZ) The Daniel Baldwin divorce is officially back on ... just months after the actor and his wife put the split on hold ... and this time, she's making some HUGE financial demands.

Joanne Baldwin has just filed a fresh set of divorce papers in Oregon ... claiming she and Daniel have irreconcilable differences that have caused "the irremediable breakdown of their marriage."

In the papers, Joanne is demanding $4k per month in child support for their 2 children -- plus HALF of all of Daniel's earnings, including 50% of a $100k payday the actor is allegedly set to make in Australia.

Joanne is also asking the court to require Daniel to take out a $1,000,000 life insurance policy for the benefit of their kids.

According to the docs, Joanne wants sole custody of the couple's children. She's also demanding to be awarded all of the furniture that she owned prior to the marriage.

As TMZ previously reported, Daniel had filed for divorce back in July ... but both he and Joanne agreed to dismiss the divorce petition in August.

Calls to both Joanne and Daniel have not been returned.

Today's Day in Rock






Axl Rose Takes A Fall During Guns N' Roses Concert
(hennemusic) Tuesday night, Axl Rose was rock-rock-rockin' on the stage floor in Mexico City after the Guns N' Roses frontman slipped and fell during the show.

While performing the Bob Dylan track, "Knockin' On Heaven's Door," Axl was slowly wandering across the stage when he slipped and fell awkwardly. Rose continued to sing through the incident and, as a roadie rushed to help him up, Axl waved him off and climbed back to his feet, to the applause of the crowd.

The show was the first of back-to-back gigs at the Sports Palace in Mexico City, with another two to follow this weekend, including Guadalajara (Sat) and Monterrey (Sun). See video of the fall here



Metallica and Lou Reed Full Album Preview
(hennemusic) The Lou Reed and Metallica album, "Lulu," is now available for streaming on the project's website .

The 10-track collaboration between the artists runs almost 90-minutes in length (!), ending with the 20-minute "Junior Dad."

The project is based on songs for a theatrical production of Frank Wedekind's classic femme fatale "Lulu" plays. Reed rewrote the concepts of the plays – 1895's "Earth Spirit" and 1904's "Pandora's Box" – from the perspective of Lulu herself. more on this story



KISS'd Off: Ace Frehley Fought Tommy Thayer
(Rock News Desk) Ace Frehley says he once knocked Tommy Thayer to the ground in an argument over backstage rules made by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley – which they regularly broke themselves.

The drama took place when Frehley was still a member of Kiss and Thayer was the band's tour manager, before taking on the 'Spaceman' persona after the founding guitarist left in 2002.

In his autobiography No Regrets, Frehley says mailmen Simmons and Stanley introduced a rule banning wives or girlfriends from the band's dressing rooms. He claims they frequently brought their own partners backstage – but when he did, Thayer confronted him, leading to the fight.

Simmons once deliberately reduced Frehley's daughter to tears, the axe icon adds. Find out how here.



Evanescence Come Back On Top
(hennemusic) Evanescence are back in a BIG way. The band's self-titled album – it's first in five years – debuts at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart after selling 127,000 copies in its first week.

It marks the band's second consecutive #1 debut; the group's last effort, "The Open Door," hit top spot in its first week with sales of 447,000 in 2006.

The project's first single, "What You Want," climbs the Billboard Rock Songs airplay list, moving from 15 to 13, while speeding to the #17 position on the Alternative Songs chart. more on this story



Sammy Hagar Bandmate Dies
(Rock News Desk) Chuck Ruff, who played drums with Edgar Winger and Sammy Hagar, has died after a long illness.

Ruff played on the 1972 Edgar Winter Group hit Frankenstein. He joined Hagar's band in 1997 and played on the Street Machine and Danger Zone albums.

Chickenfoot singer Hagar says: "I have only memories of great times and great music with Chuck." More rock news.



Very Limited Edition Tom Petty
(hennemusic) Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers have announced the November 25th vinyl-only release of "Kiss My Amps (Live)," a limited-edition, individually-numbered album that will only be available at independent retailers in support of the Back To Black Friday Record Store Day event.

"Kiss My Amps (Live)" features 6 tracks from Mojo recorded during the 2010 Mojo Tour and also includes "Sweet William," a fan favorite recorded live during the 2008 Tour that has previously only been released as a b-side to "Room At The Top" from "Echo."

The release of "Kiss My Amps (Live)" will be limited to 5,000 individually numbered pressings. Each copy will include a unique code to allow purchasers to also download the album at no extra charge in High Resolution FLAC or 320k MP3 formats. more on this story



Paul McCartney's The Love We Make Coming to DVD and Blu Ray
(Kayos) The Love We Make, a look back at Paul McCartney and his efforts to plan and perform a benefit concert in the aftermath of the worst day in the history of New York City, is coming to DVD and Blu-Ray on December 6th.

Eagle Rock Entertainment will release the film, directed by Albert Maysles (Gimme Shelter) and Bradley Kaplan, on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Shot in stark 16 mm black and white, complete with color concert clips, The Love We Make juxtaposes dramatic images of "The Concert For New York City," held mere months after 9/11, with that of scenes of McCartney himself as he walks the streets of the town that his former songwriting partner, John Lennon, loved so much. more on this story



Final Lineup for Fun Fun Fun Fest With Slayer and Danzig
Slayer and the very special Danzig Legacy lead the final lineup for this year's Fun Fun Fun Festival. We were sent the following details

Fun Fun Fun Fest has announced the final lineup for its sixth annual music festival, set for November 4-6 at Austin, TX's Auditorium Shores.

In addition to Orange Stage headliner Slayer (moved from the "Black Stage" to accommodate a bigger stage show), FFFFest has ramped up its "Black Stage" heavy music platform again this year as genre giants The Damned, Murder City Devils, Cannibal Corpse, EyeHateGod, Boris, Russian Circles and Glenn Danzig -- performing Misfits songs with original Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein under the moniker "Danzig Legacy" -- and many more will light up the festivals darkest stage over the course of the three day event. more on this story



Transatlantic Releasing 5 Disc Package
Prog supergroup Transatlantic have announced an October 25th worldwide release of "More Never Is Enough," 2 DVD/3CD package featuring two new live shows.

Here is the background Glass Onyon sent over: First came the news that Transatlantic had returned with a new studio album. The Whirlwind was their best-received album to date. For true fans, though, the more tantalizing prize was the prospect of live shows. Band and fans alike were rewarded with a month-long tour, and an initial live release. But audiences reported seeing cameras and recording gear at other shows. Indeed, the best was yet to come.

"When you're on tour, sometimes you have the best gigs when the cameras aren't running," enthuses Neal Morse (Keyboards, Vocals). "Such was the case one night in Manchester." It was the final show of the tour, and the band was at their best. One last show to let go and unleash it all. Who knows if they'd ever get to do it again? And while video wasn't rolling, audio was - and when the final echoes faded, the beast had been caged. more on this story



Slash Completes First Sessions for New Album
(Gibson) Slash has completed the first recording session for his second solo album at Barefoot Recording in Hollywood, California, with producer Eric Valentine.

Joining Slash in the studio are the members of his touring band: vocalist Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge), rhythm guitarist Bobby Schneck, bassist Todd Kerns (ex-Age of Electric) and drummer Brent Fitz (formerly of Theory of a Deadman).

Slash has recently played three of the newly recorded songs – "Halo," "Standing in the Sun" and "Bad Rain" – for VH1 Classic's That Metal Show. One of the show's co-hosts Tweeted; "I can tell you the three songs I heard are heavy with killer riffs and vocals. It's the same band that he has been touring with last couple years on the album, and it sounds more cohesive because of it. Really strong!" more on this story



X The Unheard Music Silver Anniversary Special Edition DVD and Blu Ray
So Cal punk legends X's 'The Unheard Music Silver Anniversary Special Edition' will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on December 13th by MVD. Here are the details:

We see the band at its peak in this legendary film, which took five years to make. As vital today as the day it was released 25 years ago, The Unheard Music - preserved by the Sundance Collection as a "seminal independent film" - provides an indelible record of underground America.

This innovative and unconventional film puts us inside the world of X using a striking, visionary style reflecting the uncompromising passion and raw energy of their music. Includes seventeen X classics from their critically hailed first four albums: Los Angeles, Wild Gift, Under the Big Black Sun, and More Fun in the New World.

Available for the first time in HD, this Silver Anniversary Edition of one of the greatest rock films ever made includes a new film transfer and 5.1 mix, plus never-before-seen Xtras: a 25th anniversary dialogue with John Doe & Exene Cervenka; an inside look into the making of the film with Angel City Productions (circa 1983); a raw outtake of a live performance of the song "Some Other Time"; the original theatrical trailer; and a replica of the original souvenir song book. Check out the trailer here



Queen Set For Global Icon Award Performances
Queen will be honored with the Global Icon Award at the "2011 MTV EMA" which premieres Sunday, 6th November at 9PM CET* from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The legendary rock band will also take the stage for a special performance during the awards show. "We are honoured to be designated a Global Icon. We will do our best to be worthy!" said Queen's Brian May.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Queen's formation in 1971; since then, these Rock and Roll Hall of Famers have garnered a long list of accomplishments and accolades, including career sales of more than 300 million albums, 16 No. 1 albums, 18 No. 1 singles and the UK's top-selling album of all time (their Greatest Hits compilation has sold a staggering 5.7 million copies). more on this story



James Durbin Album Details
(hennemusic) American Idol's James Durbin is ready to go for the November 21 release of his debut album, "Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster."

On Wednesday, the American Idol rocker released details about the project, including confirmation of the first two singles: the anthemic "Stand Up" will go to rock radio and the power-charged "Love Me Bad" will hit Top 40 radio.

Durbin, who co-wrote five of the albums tracks exclaimed it was "surreal" to be working with this bevy of rock royalty and recalls, "When Mick Mars started shredding on his guitar I literally lost my mind." The long-time Mötley Crüe fan continued saying, "He's a true rock legend and he's playing on my record. It doesn't get any cooler than that." more on this story



In Flames To Chat With Fans Today
In Flames will be doing an interactive live video chat with fans today at 1:00 PM PDT / 22:00 CET.

Peter and Niclas from the band will be chatting on Yowie. At that time, fans will be able to submit text or video questions for the band to answer live on video.

In Flames are promoting their latest album, Sounds Of A Playground Fading, which was released earlier this year. Check out the chat here



The Binary Code Recruit Swallow the Ocean Vocalist
(Sub) The Binary Code are in pre-production on new material with new vocalist Rory Crumm (formerly of Swallow the Ocean).

Rory joined the band in September, working extensively in preparation for the sold-out show with Periphery & Textures at the Gramercy Theatre NYC Frak the Gods tour stop. After playing a handful of shows with the Binary Code, it was decided that Rory would join the band full-time not only as a vocalist, but also to handle synths/sampling.

The band is periodically writing and recording new pre-production full-length at their very own Studio Nil in Bloomfield, NJ. Upon completion of the pre-production, the group will enter the studio in late-Winter/early-Spring with a yet-to-be-announced engineer. more on this story



Onslaught Do Over
(Rock News Desk) Onslaught are planning to re-record their In Search Of Sanity album with current vocalist Sy Keeler.

The album was originally released in 1989 with Steve Grimmett on vocals. Guitarist Nige Rockett hopes that the new recordings will be heavier.

He says: "We're really gonna try to recapture the feel that the early demos of those songs had before it all became polished and soulless. It's gonna be heavy and angry, and Sy is really gonna tear these songs a new asshole." (Rage Reviews) More rock news.



How Keith Richards Hooked Up With Tom Waits
(Gibson) While promoting his new album Bad As Me, due out next week, Tom Waits relayed the story of how Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards happened to get involved in the project.

"I was talking to the record company and they say, 'Any guests you want on the record?' And I said, 'What about Keith Richards?' I was just joking, but somebody went ahead and called him," Waits told Pitchfork. "And then he said, 'Yeah.' And I said, 'Now we're really in trouble.'

"I was really nervous. He came with about 600 guitars in a semi-truck. And a butler. We were in these huge studios in New York, like The Poseidon Adventure. Huge, high ceilings in these rooms like football fields. They'd fill these things up with orchestras and we were in there with five guys. It felt a little weird. He killed me. I was really knocked out that he played on all those things." more on this story



Rare Beatles Letter Up For Grabs
(Gibson) A handwritten letter by The Beatles inviting a drummer to audition for the band is to be auctioned. Paul McCartney penned the letter on August 12, 1960 in response to a notice in the Liverpool Echo newspaper from the drummer advertising their availability. At the time, Pete Best was the band's sticksman and it was not known whether The Beatles were seriously looking for a replacement drummer.

McCartney wrote: "We would like to offer you an audition for the position of drummer in the group. You will, however, need to be free soon for a trip to Hamburg (expenses paid £18 per week (approx) for two months). If interested ring Jacaranda club and ask for a member of The Beatles."

Three days later, The Beatles travelled as a five-piece, with Pete Best on drums and Stuart Sutcliffe on bass, to Germany. The identity of the drummer is not known, nor if the proposed audition ever took place. Pete Best was eventually "dropped" from the group. Ringo Starr, who knew the band from English and German dates, joined The Beatles in 1962. more on this story



65Daysofstatic's Polinski Releases Debut Solo Video
(UTG) 65Daysofstatic's Paul Wolinski has released the first music video from his forthcoming solo debut under the nom-de-tune Polinski.

The song "Stitches" is hosted by Consequence of Sound and available to watch right here.

The Polinski album, titled Labyrinths mixes sci-fi soundtrack moods with Daft Punk styled beat-laced anthems. It will be released in North America on November 7th, 2011 via Monotreme Records. more on this story



Orphaned Land DVD Coming
Orphaned Land's debut DVD, The Road To Or Shalem will be released in North America on November 1st via Century Media Records.

The DVD is said to document the band's mission to unite warring factions in their home region through the power of music.

Filmed in Tel Aviv, Israel in December, 2010, The Road To Or Shalem features nearly two hours of live performance, as well as a 2nd bonus DVD. Check out the cover art here



Havok Hitting The Road
Havok are hitting the road next week for a North American tour with Exhumed and Goatwhore.

The band will play two warm-up shows in Colorado on October 21st and 23rd before joining Exhumed in Amarillo, Texas.

The band will be touring in support of their latest album, Time Is Up, which was released earlier this year via Candlelight Records. Said vocalist/guitarist David Sanchez: "I hope everyone is ready for a sore neck! This tour is gonna be a rager! We'll supply the tunes, you guys bring the mosh!" more on this story



Singled Out: Broadway Mile's Til The End
Today Brendan Kelso from Broadway Mile tells us about "Til The End" from their brand new EP "Now You Know". Here is the story:

The song "'Til The End" started as a guitar riff that Justin brought to the table one evening.

It was played with more of a straight beat, punk rock vibe which was cool, but we thought it might be time to change things up a bit. We gave the riff a swing feel and based the chorus and bridge around more of an acoustic-pop feel – which differed from our previous upbeat, pop-rock tunes.

As far as lyrics were concerned, we went with a nostalgic focus; looking back on things and realizing how much each moment counts.

Not long after the song was written, we took a trip down to Melbourne to record some demos. We thought we'd give "'Til The End" a go and take a risk - especially after hearing some positive feedback from our friends and family on the song. Since we'd flown to Melbourne, I didn't have my drums, so we had to be more creative with the rhythm section. Tim and I scoured the streets of Melbourne looking for an egg shaker, without much luck. One woman (who didn't speak English very well) asked, "Is it something you eat?" ...yeah... so we gave up, went to the local supermarket, grabbed the cheapest rice we could find, a plastic cup and some cling wrap and there you have it, an egg shaker! It sounded pretty good too....and you could probably eat some of it :P

We also had to learn how to play a glockenspiel on this track; honestly....it must be the easiest instrument on the planet!

Since we released the track on our EP, Now You Know, the response has been amazing. Every night that we play this song it gets the biggest crowd reaction of all our tunes. It seems like there is a hunger for something different, not just another indie rock song or club track about "slappin' booty" and "getting crunk."

Ulrich ducked Quentin Tarantino movie offer



Sad But True: Lars let Kill Bill deal die
Ulrich ducked Quentin Tarantino movie offer – because he couldn’t understand script that had been choreographed to match Metallica tracks
Lars Ulrich in Kill Bill



Quentin Tarantino wanted Metallica to appear on the soundtrack of 2003 movie Kill Bill – but Lars Ulrich avoided giving him an answer because he couldn’t understand the script.

The drummer describes the move as his “favourite mistake” in a Newsweek series of similar stories.

And he reveals Tarantino choreographed the movie’s fight scenes to match the thrash band’s tracks Enter Sandman and Sad But True.

Ulrich explains how the conversation unfolded after he “facilitated” a dinner with the director.

“One of the most surreal 30 minutes of my life was having QT six inches from my face, eyes dancing, intensely animated, explaining in intricate detail how he had written and choreographed the two main fight scenes.

“Kicks would land on cymbal hits. Bodies would twirl along with the rhythm of the music. Tarantino’s next-level movie magic married to Metallica music – all turned up to 11.”

The drummer imagined himself watching the resulting movie 18 months in the future, enjoying “the greatest marriage between music and film the world had ever seen.”

But he came crashing back to earth after Tarantino sent him the “thick and dense” 180-page script.

“Page by page, I realised that most of this was written in a language that was outside of my realm of understanding.” says Ulrich.

“I had never encountered a narrative like this, set in, to me, a very foreign culture of martial arts and Asian myths.

“I just couldn’t wrap my thick Danish head around it. I wasn’t capable of appreciating its brilliance.”

As a result he ignored his gut instinct, and instead of giving Tarantino permission to use the tracks, he simply ignored the offer.

“In the end I never got back to him,” Ulrich admits. “Probably the single biggest mistake I’ve made in the creative department.

“To this day I worship the ground QT walks on. If only…”

Kiss Frehley decked Thayer



Ace says he floored his replacement in argument over rules made by Simmons and Stanley – which they broke themselves
Ace Frehley



Ace Frehley says he once knocked Tommy Thayer to the ground in an argument over backstage rules made by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley – which they regularly broke themselves.

The drama took place when Frehley was still a member of Kiss and Thayer was the band’s tour manager, before taking on the ‘Spaceman’ persona after the founding guitarist left in 2002.

In his autobiography No Regrets, Frehley says mailmen Simmons and Stanley introduced a rule banning wives or girlfriends from the band’s dressing rooms.

He claims they frequently brought their own partners backstage – but when he did, Thayer confronted him, leading to the fight.

Simmons once deliberately reduced Frehley’s daughter to tears, the axe icon adds.

Monique was 18 years old when she flew across the US to appear in Kiss movie Detroit Rock City. But when she got there, Simmons announced her character had been axed.

Her dad says: “I knew it was no accident. Gene had been involved in the editing process on a daily basis.”

He assumes it was the bassist’s way of exacting revenge for something he’d done, but says: “To get back at me by hurting my daughter? He had reached an all-time low with me.”

Frehley maintains: “I can’t help but remember all the fun we shared in our formative years,” and he’s glad Kiss is part of his past. But he warns his ex colleagues: “What comes around, goes around.”

Simmons recently said he’d had lunch with Frehley and the pair were on good terms, although there could be no question of a reunion.

No Regrets is published on November 1.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

“Eddie Van Halen” Hardcover Photo Book by Neil Zlozower Released Today



Autographed Copies Exclusively at VanHalenStore.com
Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Legendary rock photographer Neil Zlozower’s second Van Halen hardcover coffee table photo book, Eddie Van Halen, was released today! Once again Van Halen Store is the exclusive retailer of autographed copies, signed by the author himself, at no additional charge. SIGNED copies ship next week, while UNsigned copies are in stock and shipping now.

Book details:

The definitive visual history of early Eddie Van Halen! This hardcover photo book is jam packed with classic and never before published photos! A MUST HAVE for Van Halen fans and guitarists alike!

One of the most revolutionary and influential players ever to pick up a guitar, Eddie Van Halen’s music and technique continue to energize legions of fans and guitarists around the world. This book of photographs and text focuses on the innovative early years of the band Van Halen, when Eddie burst on the scene and changed the face of electric guitar-playing and melodic hard rock. Nearly 200 images of Eddie in action–both classic and never before seen–are complemented by text and testimony from famous guitarists, music writers, and many others. Also featuring a foreword by guitar legend Slash, this is the definitive visual history of classic Eddie Van Halen.

Famous guitarists who contributed text: Angus Young, Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, Les Paul, Stave Vai, Joe Satriani, Nuno Bettencourt, Ritchie Blackmore, Gilby Clarke, Phil Collen, Billy Gibbons, Peter Frampton, Paul Gilbert, Allan Holdsworth, Scott Ian, Tony Iommi, Steve Lukather, Mick Mars, Ronnie Montrose, Gary Moore, Tom Morello, Dave Navarro, Rick Nielsen, Ted Nugent, Paul Stanley, Nancy Wilson, Zakk Wylde, Dweezil Zappa, and many others.

Van Halen insiders who contributed text: Eddie Anderson (director of security 1980-84), Pete Angelus (creative consultant, production/lighting designer), Marshall Berle (personal manager 1977-78), Bill Gazzarri (owner: Gazzarri’s nighclub), Michael Karlin (Van Halen business manager, 1978-present), Jas Obrecht (editor: Guitar Player magazine), Patrick Whitley (production manager 1978-84) and Michael Anthony.

Neil Zlozower’s rock photography spans more than 40 years and includes work with The Rolling Stones, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Motorhead, Tom Waits, Slipknot, and many others. From 1978 to 1984, Zlozower was the “fifth member of Van Halen,” touring with and capturing images of the band during the David Lee Roth era.

Hardcover, 176 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, Nearly 200 color and b/w photographs.

STEVE PERRY WILL CALL YOU!




October is Breast Cancer Awareness month! Fan Asylum has launched an eBay auction to raise awareness & funds to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Win a phone call from Steve Perry!
Check out the auction and bid at: www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330628535238.

Today's Day In Pop!



Today's Full Report


Eminem Suffered Massive Memory Loss- Robin Gibb Released From Hospital- Taylor Swift Surprises Coming?- Michael Jackson Case To Resume- more
(Jam!) Eminem suffered massive memory loss because of his five-year battle with prescription drugs and still can't recall many key events from his career. He blames Ambien for erasing years of his life. more

(Jam!) Bee Gees legend Robin Gibb has been released after being admitted to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, England last week after suffering acute abdominal pains, caused by inflammation of the colon. more

(FMQB) Taylor Swift says she is already writing for her next album, but that's not the only project she has in the works for 2012. The singer told MTV News she's working on "some surprise projects that may or may not happen, and possibly some acting." more

(AP) A judge says the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor will resume Wednesday and defense attorneys will begin their case on Friday. more

(Billboard) Justin Bieber is in the holiday spirit: The singer says he's the first artist on the Universal Music roster to have part of his album sales benefit charity. "Universal never actually allowed money from the album to go to charity, so it's kind of a unique thing and I'm very happy and proud of what we've done," the 17-year-old said in an interview from Lima, Peru, on Monday. more

(FMQB) While Lil Wayne is still successful with Tha Carter series of albums, he has not forgotten about Rebirth or I Am Not A Human Being. He is currently working on sequels to both of those albums as well. more

(Billboard) Will Smith has acquired a minority stake in the Philadelphia 76ers along with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, it was announced on Tuesday (Oct. 18). more

(FMQB) Justin Bieber will "perform" live in New York's Times Square as part of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest on Saturday, December 31 more




Soulja Boy Arrested
(TMZ) The weed and the gun discovered during Soulja Boy's arrest Tuesday morning were inside a briefcase ... which allegedly belongs to the rapper ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

TMZ broke the story ... 21-year-old Soulja and 4 other men were arrested in Temple, GA early Tuesday morning ... after cops pulled over their Escalade because one of the lights on the vehicle was out.

Sources tell us ... when cops approached the car, they detected a "strong odor" of marijuana ... and searched the SUV.

We're told cops found a briefcase during the search, which they believe belongs to Soulja Boy ... and inside, officers claim they found a "substantial amount" of weed and a firearm.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... all 5 men were hauled to a nearby jail and booked for marijuana possession and a gun charge.

All 5 men have since been released after posting bond. more on this story



Lingerie Football League Wants Michael Jackson's Teenage Daughter
(TMZ) Michael Jackson's 13-year-old football playing daughter is being recruited to be the face of an organization that swears it's helping break down barriers for women ... problem is, it's the Lingerie Football League.

TMZ has learned .. the LFL took notice when Paris Jackson became the first female in her L.A. private school to join the flag football team earlier this month ... and fired off a letter to the MJ Estate in the hopes PJ would be the spokesperson for the league's "youth program."

In the letter, obtained by TMZ, LFL Commissioner Mitchell S. Mortaza acknowledges a "lack of options for competitive female football" ... and says the league will "be introducing youth clinics across the country to introduce the game of football to young ladies at an earlier stage in life."

Mortaza adds, "We ... would like to invite Paris to become the spokesperson for the LFL's youth program and perhaps start training for a future football career in the LFL when she reaches the age of 18."

Mitchell makes a good point about the lack of football options for girls, but is a league that parades adult women around in their underwear really the right fit for mentoring KIDS????

We gotta ask ... more on this story



Kelly Clarkson Going Unplugged Next Month
VH1 Unplugged: Kelly Clarkson is set to debut next month both online and over cable and satellite for subscribers to MTV's HD channel.

The online debut will be at Unplugged.VH1.com on Thursday, November 17 at 8PM ET. The on-air premiere follows on VH1 Friday, November 18 at 11PM* and on Palladia, MTV Networks' high-definition music channel on Saturday, November 19 at 9PM*.

Here is what the network had to say about it: Kelly's extremely personal set will include performances from her forthcoming album Stronger as well as other past favorites. more on this story



Lindsay Lohan Being Sent To The Morgue?
(TMZ) Good News for Lindsay Lohan: The judge who could end up sending her to jail has decided she doesn't have to do any community service, at least for now. Bad News for Lindsay Lohan: She'll be sweeping up blood and guts at the L.A. County Morgue.

Sources connected with the Probation Department tell TMZ ... Judge Stephanie Sautner contacted Probation officials and told them to immediately yank Lindsay from her current community service assignment with the Red Cross. We're told Judge Sautner ordered the Probation people to immediately assign Lindsay to morgue duty.

It's clearly a sign the judge is pissed off -- probably at the Probation Dept. for pulling a switcheroo by taking Lindsay out of the Downtown Women's Center, where the judge ordered Lindsay to perform 360 hours of community service. Judge Sautner also ordered Lindsay to do 120 hours at the morgue, and now that's taken top billing.

As for pissing off the judge, we've learned there's something in the Probation report that will probably do just that. Lindsay's probation officer wrote that Lindsay had problems with the Women's Center, because it was "not fulfilling." One more time -- Lindsay complained the Woman's Center was "NOT FULFILLING."

We broke the story the Probation Department believes Lindsay has NOT violated her probation, but prosecutors feel the opposite is true and they want her in the slammer.

Lindsay is ordered to court this morning at 10 AM PT. It promises to be a showdown -- and possibly an epic one. Yes, we'll livestream from start to finish.



Dixie Chicks Storytellers Coming to DVD and Blu Ray
Dixie Chicks Storytellers is being released for the first time ever on DVD and Blu Ray on Tuesday November 29, 2011.

Recorded live in September 2006 at the historic Los Angeles Theater, Dixie Chicks Storytellers was the grand finale in the whirlwind that surrounded the release of the band's 5x Grammy Award winning album Taking the Long Way.

Fans are treated to personal anecdotes and inspiration around some of the band's biggest hits including "Not Ready to Make Nice," "Cowboy Take Me Away" and "Wide Open Spaces." Dixie Chicks Storytellers will also feature three never before seen performances from the original broadcast including "Lullaby," "Easy Silence" and "So Hard" more on this story



Dave Koz for Christmas
Dave Koz is in the Christmas spirit. Not only has released a new Christmas album this week but he is also hitting the road for a Christmas tour. We were sent the following details:

Ultimate Christmas, featuring 18 holiday songs performed by Dave Koz, was released today by Capitol/EMI. The collection features Koz's renditions of such perennial holiday classics as "The Christmas Song," "Winter Wonderland," "Deck The Halls," "O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree)" and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" plus "White Christmas" featuring Kelly Sweet and "Please Come Home for Christmas" featuring Kimberley Locke.

The songs were hand-picked from Dave's three previous holiday albums - December Makes Me Feel This Way, A Smooth Jazz Christmas and Memories of a Winter's Night. Koz also recorded two brand new instrumentals for Ultimate Christmas: "Welcoming the Season (Prelude)" and "Welcoming the New Year (Coda)." more on this story



Dr. Conrad Murray Defense To Call Michael Jackson Doctors To Testify?
(TMZ) Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyers will call one of Michael Jackson's doctors to the stand, and our sources say it could blow up in their faces.

Dr. David Adams -- a Las Vegas anesthesiologist -- treated MJ on 4 occasions, administering Propofol during dental procedures.

Dr. Murray told cops during his LAPD interview that Dr. Adams was one of the docs who gave MJ Propofol just to sleep ... once putting the singer under for 5 or 6 hours while Murray says he was present.

Murray also told cops MJ had asked Adams to be his doctor during the "This is It" tour, and Adams wanted between $1.2 and $1.3 million.

We're told the defense will call Dr. Adams to the stand -- possibly as early as today -- to establish that MJ was a hard-core Propofol user and that other doctors, including Adams, were fueling his addiction.

But here's what we know. Sources connected to Dr. Adams tell TMZ ... Adams will make it clear -- he NEVER put Michael under just to help him sleep, although Adams will say he did administer Propofol for legitimate dental procedures.

But even more important ... Adams wants to tell the jury he strongly believes Michael became a victim to Murray's financial greed. Adams will say Murray actually negotiated with him and cut him out of the tour so Murray would be the sole beneficiary of Michael's medical budget. more on this story



Shwayze & Cisco Island In The Sun Tour and Party With Ron Jeremy and Pauly Shore
Shwayze & Cisco sent over the following word that they will be hitting the road soon for the Island In The Sun Tour, starting November 2 in Washington D.C. and ending in San Diego, CA, on November 25th, to promote thier new album, Island In The Sun, which we released September 13, 2011.

Supporting artists on tour will be Mod Sun, who recently released his mixtape titled Blazed By The Bell, and G-Eazy who is most recently known for his Doo-Wop inspired mixtape, Endless Summer.

Also coming out soon is our new music video for Drunk Off Your Love feat. Sky Blu of LMFAO. The making of this video was a nonstop party with a carnival's worth of characters stopping by. Where else can you find Ron Jeremy and Pauly Shore at the same party as Olympic snowboarders and the best skaters in the world? more on this story



honeyhoney To Deliver New Album Next Week
honeyhoney will release their new album, Billy Jack, next Tuesday, October 24th , via their very own honeyhoney Records/Lost Highway.

Not country, not folk, not indie rock, their music is a hybrid that defies simple definition. Produced primarily by Raymond Richards (Local Natives), Billy Jack finds the musicians Suzanne Santo and Ben Jaffe threading sweet melodies from start to finish.

Their first single, "Turn That Finger Around," is a steady-grooving story detailing hard times with a memorable hook and some Southern twang. A slow burn seethes beneath the gospel-flavored tale of romantic doubt, "Don't Know How (Slow Mover)," while strings baste the mourning ballad "Angel of Death," and "Thin Line" explores dissatisfaction, good times and loss through the blues. From the dark smolder of "Glad I Done What I Did" and stark piano of "LA River," to the euphoric romp of "Let's Get Wrecked"—honeyhoney's music embraces the sound of what it means to be alive. more on this story



Cathy Rigby To Reprise Peter Pan Role
(Sub) Olympic gymnast, Cathy Rigby, is set to once again take flight in her Tony nominated and Emmy Award winning role as Peter Pan.

An all new production of the musical Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby recently embarked on a 2 year international tour that will include a stop at Madison Square Garden December 14 - 30, for the 2011 holiday season.

Previous productions of Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby have grossed over $200 million dollars in ticket sales while, receiving multiple Tony Award nominations including "Best Actress in a Musical & Best Revival of a Musical". A nationally televised broadcast of the show on A&E earned the show 2 Emmy Awards. more on this story



Ultimate Fighting Champ To Show His Country Faith
(Webster) Three time World Ultimate Fighting Champion Rich "Ace" Franklin will be a part of the 17th Annual ICM Faith, Family & Country Music Awards at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center on October 28.

"Rich Franklin is a legend, a champion, an ambassador for his sport, and one of the most respected athletes in the world, so we are especially thrilled with his involvement with this year's Awards," noted Association Executive Director, Jason Higgins in making the announcement. "For a sports hero of this caliber to add his enthusiasm to support our 2011 theme message for Breast Cancer Awareness Month moves the media awareness to a whole new level," added Higgins.

Franklin is recognized as one of the most competitive fighters to ever step into the Octagon™ . His popularity as one of the most popular UFC fighters in the history of the sport is widely credited as a major factor in propelling Ultimate Fighting over to wider market mainstream awareness and audiences. UFC now boasts the fastest growing fan base in the world of sports.

Today's Day in Rock






Guns N' Adler Halloween- Sonic Youth Founders Split- Clarence Clemons Songs Coming- Historic Beatles Letter Up For Auction- Silverstein Short Songs- more
Rocktober has turned out to be blahtober so far, let's hope things pick up soon. In the meantime, here are some quick rock news bits that might be of interest:

(Loudwire) Asking Alexandria and ex-Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler will join forces to perform songs from Guns' classic 'Appetite for Destruction' album on Halloween at the Wiltern in Los Angeles. The set will be filmed for an upcoming DVD. more

(The 1st Five) Matador Records have confirmed that Sonic Youth founding members Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore have announced their separation after 27 years of marriage. The couple were two of the original members of Sonic Youth, who formed in 1981, and married in 1984. more

(The 1st Five) Silverstein has announced via video that they've entered the studio to record material for a new release. The band is working, yet again, with producer Jordan Valeriote to record twenty-two songs, each clocking in around 90 seconds or less. The record will be titled Short Songs, and the band hopes to have it out in January of 2012. More including the video here

(FMQB) Fans of the late E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons will get to hear the Big Man in time for Christmas. Two Christmas songs recorded by Clemons will be released at The Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, N.J., on Nov. 18. more

(BBC) A handwritten letter from Sir Paul McCartney inviting an unknown drummer to audition for the Beatles is to go under the hammer in London next month. more

(Lambgoat) Graves of Valor is breaking up. Vocalist Damon Welch sent the following statement to Lambgoat: "After 6 years, Graves of Valor is at its end. This isn't a decision reached overnight. It has been coming for a while." more




The Stone Roses Announce Reunion
(Gibson) It's official. After 15 years apart, the original members of The Stone Roses are reforming for a world tour in 2012. The band announced the news in a London press conference, according to Spinner.

The Roses, who include Ian Brown (vocals), John Squire (guitar), Gary "Mani" Mounfield (bass) and Alan "Reni" Wren (drums), will play two hometown shows in Manchester, England on June 29 and 30. A tour will follow.

There have been rampant rumors about the group getting back together in recent years – following a long spell during which Brown and Squire didn't speak to each other. But things have changed. According to a report in the Manchester Evening News, Squire said, "It might even be enjoyable." more on this story



Metallica Obey Your Master Exhibit Coming
An interesting bit of news from Metallica land: Exhibit A is teaming up with pro skateboarder Tony Alva for the Obey Your Master art exhibit which will feature a collection of artists from the worlds of Art, Fashion, Film, Music and Skateboarding coming together to pay tribute to Metallica.

For the exhibit, the artists have all chosen a song by the heroes of metal, and will execute their vision in their individual artistic mediums, based on their interpersonal relationship to Metallica's lyrics and music.

The final art pieces will represent each chosen song, and will be revealed on January 20th, 2012 at Exhibit A Gallery to a private reception, with all of the artists and Metallica in attendance. The pieces will be available for purchase starting that evening, through March 23, 2012.

Rock music has always inspired fans and creative types alike, empowering and influencing them personally, sonically and artistically. Some examples of the influence of Metallica's music on artists are with Obey Giant's renowned street artist Shepard Fairey and his politically driven propaganda art. One could make the connection between Fairey's art and an album like Metallica's ...And Justice for All. Starting in the early 1980's, iconic skateboarder, Steve Caballero during skate competitions would correlate his music with his aggressive skate style, he would insist to organizers to turn up the volume and blast songs off Metallica's Kill 'Em All album. more on this story



Rush Sectors Box Sets Details
UMe have set a November 21, 2011 released date for Rush Sector box sets consisting of three separate six-disc box sets which together spans their entire historic Mercury Records recording career.

Each "Sector" contains five of their 15 Mercury albums in chronological order, all transferred to high resolution 96kHz/24-bit audio and digitally remastered for optimal quality.

In addition, each volume includes an exclusive booklet packed with unpublished photos, original album lyrics and credits, and features one album from each set specially remixed on DVD in high resolution 96kHz/24-bit, 5.1 surround sound and stereo, compatible with both DVD-Audio players and DVD-Video players. Each album is packaged in a replica vinyl mini-jacket of the original album release with all three box sets forming a Rush CD road case track details



Radiohead Star Confirms Tour Plans
(Gibson) In an interview with BBC 6 Music Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien said that the band are finalizing their 2012 tour of the U.K. and U.S. O'Brien revealed that the trek will likely take the band from the end of February through November and hit "the usual ports of call."

Although there will be some shows at outdoor spaces, the tour will focus on indoor venues. The guitarist said that playing music from The King of Limbs (released earlier this year) "just doesn't feel right this time." He also said that the setlists won't just combine Radiohead hits with new album selections, but will be a bit different.

"I think the important thing is that it's got to be a set in itself, it's got to work," O'Brien said. "Last time we went out, it felt very much like In Rainbows plus the greatest hits. And it's not going to be like that this time. I guess it's going to be predominantly from this record and the last record, and then see which songs fit around that."



Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds Unplugged Dates
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds are teaming up for a pair of acoustic shows next month.

The duo will play one acoustic show at New York City's United Palace Theater on Friday, November 18.

On Saturday, November 19, Matthews and Reynolds will perform at the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, CT. more on this story



The Smashing Pumpkins Classics Revisited and Expanded
EMI have set a November 29th release date for The Smashing Pumpkins' reissues of Gish and Siamese Dream in CD, deluxe 2CD/DVD, vinyl LP, and digital configurations (They will be released internationally on December 5th). They sent us these details:

Both albums, each with bonus content and special features that were curated from the band's archives by founding member Billy Corgan, have been painstakingly remastered for the first time from the original master tapes by Bob Ludwig.

With the full support and guidance from The Smashing Pumpkins--who've created one of the most acclaimed bodies of work in musical history, selling over 30 million albums--EMI's global catalog reissue campaign will last through 2013; it will encompass all the band's albums and B-sides from 1991-2000, with other release dates to be announced. more on this story



Adele, Sting and Patti Smith Doing Bob Dylan
(Gibson) Adele, Sting, Patti Smith and Ke$ha are teaming up to cover songs by Bob Dylan for a new compilation.

U.K. newspaper the Daily Express, reports that Adele, Dave Matthews Band, Sting and Ke$ha are featured on Chimes of Freedom: Songs of Bob Dylan.

Ke$ha, it turns out, is a massive Dylan fan. She told Rolling Stone magazine, "When you think of me, you wouldn't think of Bob Dylan. My music is more about going crazy than politics. But he's a huge influence – he writes his own music and means what he says. I write my own music and I f---ing mean every word I sing. [In the song] you can hear the snot running down my face."



New Home For Bruce Springsteen Collection
(hennemusic) Bruce Springsteen's home state has found a new home for a Boss collection. The world's largest Springsteen printed memorabilia collection, having outgrown its long-time home at the Asbury Park library, will move to Monmouth University in West Long Branch on November 1.

The Star-Ledger reports the move has involved a four-year search for a new home, as the collection now features 14,900-documents devoted to the Boss and his music.

Songbooks, tour programs, magazines and other documents from 44 countries are now housed at the Asbury Park Public Library, where they are kept in storage and available for viewing only by appointment. At Monmouth University, the collection will be better preserved and more widely available to the public, school officials said. more on this story



Joe Bonamassa Resumes Tour
Joe Bonamassa has resumed his UK tour. We were sent the following details: On Saturday October 15th, Joe Bonamassa came down with the flu and was forced to re-schedule his Blackpool Opera House concert Saturday October 15th to the new date of Thursday April 5th 2012.

Joe's Nottingham Capital FM Arena concert on Sunday October 16th has now been re-scheduled to Monday April 2nd 2012.

The good news is that Joe has now fully recovered from the flu, and will perform the remaining dates on the current leg of his UK tour more on this story



Young the Giant Unplugged
MTV Unplugged: Young the Giant is set to debut online at Unplugged.MTV.com on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at 7:00pm EST.

The band will perform selections from their self titled debut album, as well as a cover song.

Additionally, Young The Giant was nominated for an MTV Music Group O Music Award in the "Best Artist With A Cameraphone" category. The MTV Music Group O Music Awards 2 will announce winners October 31, 2011 live beginning 11:30pm ET at OMusicAwards.com. more on this story



Aborted Preview
Aborted recently finished recording their seventh studio album, Global Flatline, which is set for release January 23rd in Europe and January 24th in North America.

The band is now giving fans a preview of Global Flatline in their new teaser trailer on Youtube here.

Global Flatline was recorded, mixed, and mastered by the renowned Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Pestilence, Hatesphere) at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark, and it features several guest vocalists, including Trevor Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder), Julien Truchan (Benighted), Jason Netherton (Misery Index), and Keiijo Niinima (Rotten Sound). more on this story



Periphery Announce New Member
Periphery have named their new guitarist and announced winter tour dates including a run with Dream Theater.

Periphery will be touring as direct support to the legendary Dream Theater throughout Europe from Jan. 23rd through Feb. 26th. They will play two headlining shows amidst those dates. Brussels, Belgium, and Prague, Czech Republic, have been added to the band's schedule.

The band has also recruited guitarist Mark Holcomb to their lineup. (He had a project with Misha Mansoor called Haunted Shores and filled in on the "Frak The Gods" tour). more on this story



God Bless Ozzy Osbourne Hitting Canadian Theaters
(hennemusic) Canadians will get a chance to check out "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne," the new documentary by son Jack Osbourne, on the big screen when it comes to Canadian theaters on October 26.

"God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" examines many vital moments of the famed performer's life beginning with his troubled youth, through his career with Black Sabbath, his battles with fame and addiction, and his life as a family man with Sharon.

The documentary will also provide unprecedented behind the scenes clips of Ozzy - on and off stage - as well as interviews with Motley Crue's Tommy Lee and others. more on this story



The Haunted Headed To China
The Haunted have announced three shows in China as part of their upcoming Asian tour in December.

The band says, "We are currently preparing for some club shows in Greece, in Sweden with Entombed, as well as a tour of Japan & China. China will be a first for us and we are very excited about this. We are also looking at some more touring next year, but more info about that soon. 'Til then, keep checking our website & facebook for updates and news."

The Haunted have launched the first promotional video clip for the Unseen album. The song "No Ghost" (in a special live rendition from Wacken Open Air festival 2011) can now be viewed online. more on this story



Twelfth Gate Reunion
(PR) Twelfth Gate have reunited with original singer Scott Huffman and guitarist Rich Knight, and have scheduled a reunion show to take place on Saturday, Dec 10th at Reggie's Rock Club in Chicago, IL.

Rounding out the live lineup will be original bass player Rob Such, original live rhythm guitarist Gabe DeLaurie, and drummer Sean Scala. The band is planning on playing their debut album, Summoning (2003, Crash Music) in its entirety, with maybe a select track or two off their sophomore album Threshold of Revelation (2006, Season of Mist).

Rob also commented: "Jamming with Rich and Scott again has made me realize how much I really missed the old Twelfth Gate lineup...the chemistry we have, both musically and as friends, just makes jamming that much more fun! Also, bringing Gabe back into the fold, with his flawless execution of our songs, and adding the monster of a drummer in Sean, has brought a new life back into the band. I believe that without all these players, the reunion would not have been possible. Rich and I have also always been a great writing team, and the material we're already coming up with is proof positive of that fact! I can't wait to finish some of these new ideas and have Scott add his unquestionable creativity into the mix. Once everything gets rolling again, there will be nothing stopping us...Twelfth Gate is back!"



Scars on 45 Streaming New EP Online
Scars on 45 will release their new four song digital EP, "Heart on Fire," next Tuesday, October 24th.

But if you can't wait until next week, "Heart On Fire," is currently streaming exclusively at PasteMagazine.com here

Scars on 45 will support the "Heart On Fire" EP with a series of North American tours, including dates alongside Matt Nathanson beginning October 18th at The Pageant in St. Louis. more on this story



Abacinate Return With Original Frontman
Abacinate have ended their year-long hiatus which followed the tragic loss of vocalist Jason "Plunger" Sica.

Rejoined by original vocalist Ian Neal, who appeared on the band's full-length debut, Ruination, Abacinate is picking up right where they left off over a year ago.

Denied the opportunity to tour in support of their last album, Genesis, which was released earlier this year, Abacinate is currently planning on hitting the road in the spring of next year in order to give fans across the country a dose of their energetic live performance. more on this story



Graham Parker Knocked Up
(Gibson) Comedy writer-director-producer extraordinaire Judd Apatow is currently at work on a spin-off to 2007's blockbuster Knocked Up, and the movie will feature cult music hero Graham Parker reuniting with his band, The Rumour. Rolling Stone reports that the untitled film is due out next year and stars Paul Rudd.

Rudd and Leslie Mann reprise their Knocked Up roles as Pete and Debbie, who are both dealing with midlife crises. Albert Brooks, Jason Segel and Megan Fox also appear in the movie.

So how does the former "angry young man" Parker fit in? Pete is a record industry A&R man who starts his own record label and signs Parker and the Rumour. "As far as I can tell, I'm basically a metaphor for abject failure in Judd's movie – and I couldn't be more thrilled," Parker said.. "This whole experience is proof of that old show business rule I did not think would ever apply to me – that if you stick around long enough, anything can happen. You can't write this stuff. Except Judd did." more on this story



Singled Out: Dischordia's Creator, Destroyer
Today progressive death metallers Dischordia tell us about the title track to their new EP "Creator, Destroyer". Here is the story:

Our new EP's title track, "Creator, Destroyer," was the first song we wrote after our vocalist, Josh Turner, joined the band. He presented a rhythmic idea based on his experience in marching percussion. The main riff is a 7/8 sextuplet figure layered over two different 4/4 drum ideas.

Our drummer, Josh Fallin, took the initial idea and ran with it. He and Keeno then met up soon after and finished the song in a night. Keeno then wrote the lyrics within a week. Musically, this is easily our heaviest and most straightforward, death metal type song.

Lyrically, the song is based on Keeno's personal, spiritual journey; namely his questioning of faith. The song itself is one our favorites in that it came together so easily and is a departure from our other material.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Today's Day In Pop!



Today's Full Report


Shia LaBeouf Brutally Attacked
(TMZ) Shia LaBeouf was repeatedly PUNCHED IN THE HEAD by a shirtless, hairy-bellied man on a Vancouver sidewalk last week -- and TMZ has obtained footage of the brutal ass whooping.

It's unclear exactly what provoked the attack -- but we're told Shia originally got into it with the man inside a bar called Cinema Public House ... and after security kicked them both out, the man tore off his shirt and unleashed the fury all over Shia's face.

Moments after the attack, Shia tries to chase after the guy -- but someone who appears to be his friend holds him back, telling him, "You gotta lay low right now!"

A rep for Cinema Public House tells TMZ, no one on staff noticed the brawl outside -- but the rep confirms ... Shia has been a regular at the place since he's been in town to shoot "The Company You Keep." Check out the video here



LAPD Investigating Selena Gomez Death Threat
(TMZ) Justin Bieber's girlfriend Selena Gomez has received a death threat that is so serious ... the LAPD's Threat Management Unit is on the case, and Selena has obtained a restraining order ... TMZ has learned.

Thomas Brodnicki -- a man with a criminal history of stalking -- allegedly told his shrink he was going to kill Selena.

According to the declarations of Selena and her lawyer, Blair Berk ... Brodnicki told the shrink he traveled from Chicago to L.A. to meet her, visited her workplace at least 3 times and has told people he had conversations with God about killing her. Selena says she is in "extreme fear," believing he will carry out his death threat against her if he isn't stopped.

Brodnicki was picked up for mental evaluation last month for allegedly threatening to "scratch people's eyes out on the street." While he was being held for mental evaluation, he made the threats to the shrink.

According to court docs, LAPD detectives are taking the threats "extremely seriously" because of Brodnicki's history of mental illness and making criminal threats.
more on this story



The Roots undun For New Album
The Roots have set a December 6, 2011 release date for their new album which is entitled "undun". Here is the official word:

undun marks the first conceptually-based album from The Roots and quickly reaffirms the creativity of the outfit that are notorious for pushing the envelope. The album's first single, "Make My" featuring Big K.I.R.T. is set for release November 1st on iTunes. In addition to their new album, The Roots are set to perform in New York City on November 29th and 30th and December 5th at the Highline Ballroom.

undun is an existential re-telling of the short life of one Redford Stephens (1974-1999). Through the use of emotives and Redford's internal dialogues the album seeks to illustrate the intersection of free will and prescribed destiny as it plays out 'on the corner'. Utilizing a reverse narrative arc, the album begins as the listener finds Redford disoriented--postmortem--and attempting to make sense of his former life. As he moves through its pivotal moments he begins to deconstruct all that has led to his (and our own) coming undun. more on this story



Rick Ross Taking Bus To Avoid Seizures
(TMZ) No more emergency landings ... for now -- TMZ has learned Rick Ross will be traveling back home to Atlanta on his friend's badass tour bus ... after suffering two in-flight seizures last week.

Ross -- who was hospitalized in Alabama Friday -- was picked up by his friend DJ Khaled ... who transported him to Memphis in his luxury tour bus for the opening of a chicken wing joint last night.

Sources close to Ross tell us ... Khaled has offered to take Ross back to Atlanta in the bus, so he won't have to risk another in-flight emergency. more on this story



Hannah Montana Star Arrested
(TMZ) Mitchel Musso -- the Disney star who played Oliver Oken on "Hannah Montana" -- was arrested for drunk driving in Burbank, CA this weekend ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... 20-year-old Musso was pulled over at 3:43 AM Sunday ... after he failed to slow down for cops who were directing traffic for an unrelated accident.

We're told ... cops approached Musso's 2007 black Mercedes Benz and detected a "strong odor of alcohol."

Musso -- who also stars on the Disney hits "Pair of Kings" and "PrankStars" -- was given a field sobriety test ... and we're told he performed poorly.

Law enforcement sources also tell us ... Musso was given a breathalyzer test and blew WELL ABOVE .08 ... the legal limit in CA for people who are OVER the age of 21.

Musso was booked on suspicion of DUI and hauled to a nearby station. Bail was set at $5,000.

According to his booking sheet, Musso is 5'8" and 133 lbs. more on this story



Neal McCoy A-OK Today
(Webster) Neal McCoy is releasing "A-OK," the first single off his twelfth career album, XII, today at all digital music outlets.

In the 21 years since the 'consummate live performer' released his first single, Neal McCoy has had his share of feel good radio records. With over 25 charted singles, five #1 hits, two BMI Song of the Year awards with "Wink" and "The Shake," and a whole lot of fun along the way, the entertainer has spent the better part of two decades chasing 'that song.'

With "A-OK," McCoy's quest may be complete. "Everybody wants to find that song that hits the sweet spot, which is pretty much them, but everybody else, too. I think I finally found that song!," McCoy explains. more on this story



Tommy Emmanuel Christmas Album and Tour
(Noble) Tommy Emmanuel will release the new holiday album 'All I Want For Christmas' in the UK on Monday November 7th.

The album coincides with Tommy's nationwide UK tour that starts on Thursday December 1st at Hull City Hall. 'All I Want For Christmas' follows Emmanuel's last studio album, 'Little By Little', released February 2011.

Released on Steve Vai's 'Favored Nations Entertainment' record label, Emmanuel, honoured as the Country Music Awards' Global Artist earlier this year, co-produced the album with veteran Nashville picker/arranger John Knowles, CGP. The pair collaborated of new arrangements on nine Yuletide classics including 'I'll Be Home For Christmas', 'The Christmas Song', and 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer'. Emmanuel also wrote one original for the collection, 'One Christmas Night', and arranged a second new composition, 'The Magic Of Christmas Time'. more on this story



James Morrison Livestream Today
James Morrison will be doing a Livestream Performance this afternoon (Oct 18th) at 3 PM EST.

With James' new album "The Awakening" having come out last week in the United States and no North American tour dates currently planned, James has specifically scheduled this performance with his U.S fans in mind!

You'll be able to watch the stream directly from James' website and he will also be answering fan questions, which you can ask by commenting here



Scott Lucas & the Married Men Recording New Music
(JMM) Scott Lucas & the Married Men are in the studio this month to record the follow-up to their 2010 debut George Lassos the Moon and last fall's The Absolute Beginner's EP.

The Local H frontman's seven-piece "solo" band laid down tracks at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio studio, with producer Andy Gerber (the Tossers, Smoking Popes, the Effigies) and engineer Greg Norman (Neurosis, Pinebender, Russian Circles).

The band is finishing the album at Gerber's Million Yen Studios, with renowned metal producer Sanford Parker (Bloodiest, Pelican, Yakuza) lined up to mix it. An early 2012 release on a to-be-determined label is planned. more on this story



Anya Marina For Valentine's Day
Anya Marina will deliver her new album "Felony Flats" on Valentine's Day, February 14th, 2012.

The self-produced album sees Marina joined by some of the Pacific Northwest's finest musicians, including guitarist Cody Votolato (Blood Brothers, Telekinesis), bassist Jeff Bond, drummer Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse, Mister Heavenly), and Blitzen Trapper's Eric Earley, who contributes additional piano and guitars.

"If albums are like children, this one is my favorite (don't tell the others)," Marina says. "It's the one I put the most heart and soul into. It's the one that taught me the most about myself, and it's the one that looks most like me."

http://www.anyamarina.com/



Jacob Latimore BET's Young Starz 2.0 Week
RCA sent over word that 15 year old singer, dancer and actor Jacob Latimore joins BET's Young Starz 2.0 week.

BET will be premiering the video for his first official single, the "Like 'Em All" Radio Version Ft. Issa on today during "106 & Park" hosted by Terrence and Rocsi. Jacob will be on "106 & Park" for his first live performance of the track on Friday, October 21, 2011.

Last year BET's Young Starz week helped launch the careers of Willow Smith and Diggy Simmons and is now seen as one of the go to destinations for new talent to explode. more on this story



Renee & Jeremy With You A Sunny Christmas
(SpinLab) Family music duo Renee & Jeremy have a holiday single entitled "Sunny Christmas" which ships to radio this week and will soon be at online retail outlets everywhere.

A warm and bouncy holiday message that entreats music fans to spread love and appreciation to everyone in their lives.

"Sunny Christmas" features the cheery vocals of Renee Stahl and Jeremy Toback, who are both parents in addition to being accomplished veteran solo artists. Listen here



Camron and Macy Gray Begin Filming Percentage
42 West sent over word that Queen Latifah and Shakim Compere of Flavor Unit Entertainment, announced the start of principle photography on the company's first feature film, "Percentage."

Here is the synopsis: 2 New York hustlers who are on the run from a drug deal gone bad. Ant (played by Camron) and Carter (played by Omar Gooding) move to Miami to build a new empire in the world of credit fraud. As the business grows, so does the unwanted attention from law enforcement and Miami's most notorious criminals. The film also stars Macy Gray, Ving Rhames, Antwan Tanner, Robert Watson and Malinda Williams.

The film is Flavor Units first production to be shot in their new sound stage, Flavor Unit Studios. Located in Miami, FL, Flavor Unit Studios will be home to multiple Flavor Unit productions. Flavor Unit Entertainment is owned and operated by Shakim Compere and Queen Latifah. Among their many accomplishments, they have served as producers on Paramount's box office hit THE PERFECT HOLIDAY, Disney's # 1 film BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, MGM's BEAUTY SHOP and Lions Gate THE COOKOUT.

Popular Posts

Popular Posts

Search This Blog

Powered By Blogger