Today's Day In Rock!

Slash Shoots Down Guns N' Roses Rock Hall Reunion Hopes
(hennemusic) Slash has confirmed the rumors surrounding the possibility of the original memebers of Guns N' Roses performing at their induction into to Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame next month.
"We're not playing," the guitarist tells the Toronto Sun. "I would imagine that they asked us to play but I know that we're not playing."

A staff member at Envision Radio Networks leaked the news recently while posting under musical director Paul Shaffer's twitter account; an Envision management type called the tweet "inadvertent" while not denying its accuracy. more on this story


Gene Simmons Slams Rihanna
(hennemusic) The KISS/Motley Crue summer tour double bill was officially announced this week at a press conference in Hollywood.

The veteran hard rockers will hit more than 40 cities across the continent starting July 20 in Bristow, Virginia, with shows scheduled through to September 23.

Dubbed "The Tour," the show will feature 90-minute headlining sets by both bands, with KISS bassist Gene Simmons declaring the trek the real thing. "Both Motley and KISS are united in one crusade: we are sick and tired of girls getting up there with dancers and karaoke tapes in back of them," said Simmons. "What you're going to hear on stage is live music. All the bombs are real, all the music is real, the guys you see onstage playing their instruments are playing their instruments. No karaoke singers allowed. No fake bulls**t. Leave that to the Rihanna, Shmianna and anyone who ends their name with an 'A.' This is real stuff." more on this story


Rolling Stones Movie Details
Eagle Rock Entertainment are helping the Rolling Stones celebrate their 50th anniversary with the upcoming release of a new documentary. We were sent these details:

The film features remarkable revelations from the world's most legendary band. This is the first film to ever trace the evolution of the Rolling Stones' from 1963, making it the ultimate Stones experience. The film will be showcased in September as part of the Rolling Stones 50th anniversary celebrations.

"We are thrilled to continue our relationship with the Rolling Stones and help to bring this extraordinary documentary film to millions of fans," said Terry Shand, Eagle Rock chairman and CEO. more on this story


Kasabian Streaming Live Tonight
Kasabian are in the midst of their first North American tour in five years and will be streaming a live show from New York City tonight. Here are the details:

Kasabian kicked off their first North America live dates in five years on March 12th at South Side Music Hall in Dallas, TX. The near 20 date tour comes in support of their recently released fourth full length album Velociraptor!, which came out this past September on Columbia Records.

The band is also the second act selected to take place in a series of streamed concerts resulting from a partnership between Youtube and Bowery Presents and viewable on either Bowery Presents Youtube page or Kasabianlive.com this Thursday night (3/22) from their show at Terminal 5. Check out a preview for the show here.


Joe Walsh Streaming New Song
(Sub) Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh returns with Analog Man, his first solo album in two decades to be released on June 5th, 2012 from Fantasy Records/Concord. Analog Man is both modern and timelessly soulful, packed with Walsh's beloved wit, charm and chops; it delivers an incredibly raw and intimate sound.

"It's been 20 years and I have a lot to say," said Walsh. "These songs come from the heart." Walsh, best known for his powerful guitar licks, joined the Eagles in 1976 and is credited for bringing a harder rock sound to the band with the acclaimed Hotel California, The Long Run and Eagles Live. A singer-songwriter and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Walsh has entertained for more than four decades, not only as a solo artist, but as part of admired bands like The James Gang and Barnstorm.

As a self-proclaimed Analog Man, also the album name and title track, Walsh refers playfully to the new digital age; one in which he has adapted to, but notes in the song, "I am what I am – I'm an Analog Man." Walsh developed the album over the last 10 years, drawing on personal experiences to breathe life into each track. "I just really feel like it's all come together and finally I feel like a complete person and a complete musician," said Walsh. "I think there is some confidence in there that I never had. That's what I was hiding." Walsh credits his wife of four years, Marjorie, for encouraging him to be the man and artist he is today and fondly dedicates this album to her. more on this story


Unusual Interview For Jack White
(Gibson) Jack White not only launched his new album, Blunderbuss, in London this week but he was interviewed by the Mayor of Lambeth, who was decked out in her mayoral robes, chains and all. Mayor Christiana Valcarel told White, "You are a genius, man, you are a talent."

According to Terry Staunton of Music Radar, White talked about the making of the album and how living in Nashville affected the project.

"If I didn't live in Nashville, I don't think I would have ended up making this record. I've been producing other people for my record label Third Man for the last three years, and through that I've collected a humungous family of people – pedal steel players, violinists, harpists, everything there is in town," he said."

"It was a new challenge for me, and if I hadn't been in Nashville, where there's such a plethora of people you can choose from, it would have been a very different record. There's so much talent in that neighborhood." more on this story




Gym Class Heroes Spy Mystery Video
(FTM) Warner Sound, the new Youtube Channel from Warner Music, has posted the first video in one of their new series called Staged.

Staged takes lyrics from one of Warner Music's favorite songs and dramatically re-interprets them in a short film.

The first one is from Gym Class Heroes: Moscow, 1963: An American secret agent finds himself outmatched in a high stakes poker game. While he must rely on his deadly skills and dangerous charm, his sinister rival and a gorgeous femme fatale have plans of their own.

Starring: Brandon Olive as Hero, Amy Vorpahl as Femme Fatale and Special Guest Star Creed Bratton as Villain. Watch it here.


Nonpoint Preview New Music Online
(Banana 101.5) Nonpoint announced the departure of guitarist Zach Broderick and founding bassist Ken MacMillan last Novemeber, shortly after announcing a new record deal with Razor & Tie and just days prior to announcing their replacements. With new guitarists Rasheed Thomas and Dave Lizzio and new bassist Adam Woloszyn in tow, the band quickly began work on a new album with a projected spring 2012 release.

With the first official day of spring behind us, it appears that Nonpoint still may hit their goal as they excitedly posted on Facebook that today (March 21st) would be the final day of recording: "Today the record will be finally tracked. Yesterday they started mixes, I got to hear a test mix and I was very blown away. I know a lot of you and impatiently waiting but the wait will be worth it. We hope to be able to let you hear a track but picking that track will be the most difficult!!!!"

As for the former members of Nonpoint, they've joined forces with guitarist C.J. Pierce and drummer Mike Luce of the now singer-less Drowning Pool to form Voodoo Corps. Check out a demo teaser of the new Nonpoint here.


Randy Rhoads Family, Friends and Fans Gather To Mark 30th Anniversary
(Gibson) More than 350 friends, family, fans and rockers have gathered to pay tribute to Randy Rhoads. It is now 30 years since rock guitarist Rhoads, sideman to Ozzy Osbourne, was killed in an airplane crash. Rhoads was just 25 years old.

The 30th anniversary marking his death (March 19) and celebrating his life attracted well-wishers to a marble mausoleum bearing the Rhoads name at San Bernardino's Mountain View Cemetery. Rhoads's professional life was all too brief, but his talent continues to inspire.

Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello said he was a huge fan. "In fact, I named my first son, Rhoads," Morello said. "His commitment to the instrument and his musicality were very inspiring to me."

Kelle Rhoads, Randy's older brother, said the annual memorial was difficult, but because people came from all over, the family wanted to continue doing it. The memorial gatherings for Rhoads still happen each year. "So many musicians have passed on, yet Randy's life is still celebrated," said Kelle, who played drums in his brother's first band, called Violet Fox after their mother's middle name. more on this story




The Flaming Lips Tap Nick Cave, Coldplay, Ke$ha For Special Release
(Gibson) The Flaming Lips like the unobvious. The Wayne Coyle-led band now have a new project called The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends. It includes disparate playmates such as Yoko Ono, Nick Cave, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Ke$ha and many more.

Some of these tracks have already appeared on previously released, extremely limited edition color vinyl 12" EPs released in past months. But soon there will be a full double album.

The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends will be pressed on two high-quality, multi-color vinyl discs housed in separate custom art jackets. Apparently, no two discs will look exactly alike. The double album will be limited and released exclusively for Record Store Day. more on this story




KISS Rock Classics On Kimmel
(hennemusic) KISS rocked a couple of their classic songs on Jimmy Kimmel's late night show on Tuesday night.

The current version of KISS played two classics from the band's original lineup days: "Detroit Rock City" and "Calling Dr. Love".

The band's appearance was designed to promote their upcoming summer tour with Motley Crue, which will hit more than 40 cities across North America starting July 20. Check out video of the performances.


Slash Documentary Goes Online
(Gibson) The seventh and final installment in a series of "webisodes" featuring behind-the-scenes footage from Slash can be seen online. The cameras have been constantly rolling for the making of Apocalyptic Love, the second solo album from the Gibson Les Paul legend.

The album drops May 22 on Slash's own label, Dik Hayd International, distributed through EMI, and follows his 2010 debut album, Slash, and his November 2011 first-ever live solo album, the two-CD/DVD set Made In Stoke 24/7/11.

The debut Slash album debuted on The Billboard 200 chart at #3 (#1 on the Rock chart, #1 on the Independent chart, and #1 on the Hard Music chart) and, digitally, the album also became the #1 overall digital album and hit #1 on iTunes in 13 countries.

For the sophomore album, Slash – along with Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums) and Todd Kerns (bass) – teamed with producer Eric Valentine, who also produced the first Slash disc. All the songs were written together by Slash and Kennedy, and cameras have been rolling throughout the entire making of the album. Watch it here.




All-Star Tommy Bolin Tribute Coming Next Week
A new tribute to Tommy Bolin, Great Gypsy Soul, will be released on 429 Records on March 26th in both a widely available single CD format and double CD with 39 minutes of bonus material available only at Amazon.com.

Peter Frampton, Warren Haynes (a key supporter of the project), Nels Cline, Steve Lukather, Steve Morse, Brad Whitford, Joe Bonamassa, John Scofield, Derek Trucks, Glenn Hughes and Myles Kennedy all contribute to this project.

A special event will be hosted by Amazon.com on Sunday, March 25th just prior to wide release-Amazon will offer a one day $3.99 "Daily Deal" special on the single CD in their MP3 store. more on this story


Janus Maps Out Spring Tour Dates
Janus are heading back out on the road for a handful of headlining shows before joining up with Cavo for a month-long trek.

It all kicks off with a hometown show in Chicago at the Cubby Bear on March 28. Dates with Cavo begin April 7.

Janus will be touring in support of their sophomore album, Nox Aeris, which is due out March 27 on Realid Records. more on this story


Bob Wayne Sets May Album Release
(CM) Bob Wayne will release his fifth studio album, Till The Wheels Fall Off, in North American on May 22nd.

Bob Wayne is beyond thrilled to get his new music out to fans and get back out on the road. "Till the Wheels Fall Off....it's not just a clever name!!! It's a way of life!! I'll be going to shows, supporting live music and hitting the Highway till the wheels fall off this Mother trucker!!"

Bob Wayne teamed up once again with Andy Gibson of Hank III for production on Till The Wheels Fall Off. Gibson produced Bob Wayne's previous foot-stomping album, Outlaw Carnie (2011). more on this story


Coffinworm Plan Special Reissue
San Francisco-based label The Flenser will be partnering Coffinworm for the first-ever vinyl release of their now-classic 'Great Bringer of Night' demo from 2009.

A release date was not provided but we were sent these colorful details: Coffinworm play ugly music for hateful people. The doomhauling quintet first came crawling out of the primordial ooze of Indianapolis' D.I.Y. underground in 2007, and have kept themselves busy doing the devil's work ever since. Their virgin offering, 2009's self-released three-track demo, demanded attention, and got it, as the press and fans of the heavy started to discover 'Great Bringer of Night.' Coffinworm had given volcanic birth to a wretched, heaving slab of noxious, blackened death sludge of the lowest order, one that eventually led to their signing with Profound Lore and invitations to perform a number of high-profile live actions across the country. Hellish, depraved, and heavy as a neutron hammer, Coffinworm had truly created a monster.

It all began here, though, and The Flenser have committed to dragging this filthy gem out into the sunlight to give it the treatment it so richly deserves, and adding the original versions of two extra songs that had found their way onto the band's Profound Lore debut. Sludge, tortured doom, snarling black metal, knuckle-dragging death metal and a few handfuls of crusted-over punk meld together into one of the nastiest, most misanthropic, most wonderfully ugly albums you'll ever hear, ripe for fans of Burning Witch, Eyehategod, Noothgrush, Darkthrone, and Corrupted. more on this story


Devin Townsend Releasing DVD Box Set
Devin Townsend will be releasing a new DVD box set, By A Thread -Live in London 2011, on June 18th in Europe and June 19th in North America through HevyDevy Records / InsideOut Music.

The set contains the unique, sold-out UK shows from last fall where he performed all four Devin Townsend Project albums: Ki, Addicted, Ghost, and Deconstruction.

By A Thread - Live in London 2011 contains all four shows on four DVDs, plus a 5-CD set (the four albums and one disc with all of the encores).


The Day Pink Floyd Took Another Brick In The Wall To The Top
(Gibson) On this day in 1980, Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)," started a four-week run at no. 1 on the U.S. singles chart. Also no. 1 in the U.K. Gibson takes a look back: By the end of the '70s, Pink Floyd had been around for more than a decade, morphing from Syd Barrett's psychedelic project into a progressive rock behemoth fronted by Roger Waters and David Gilmour. Although they had become hugely successful around the world, the band had never really conquered the pop charts and, seemingly, weren't interested in such a pursuit. Their expertise was geared to album-oriented rock (i.e. the classics The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here) and dense, winding, multi-part epics (such as "Echoes" or "Dogs"). But that was about to change.

Following Pink Floyd's 1977 In the Flesh tour, Waters began working on material that dealt with abandonment and isolation – partially inspired by uncaring concertgoers and his own personal history. The bassist and songwriter's desire to build a wall between him and the audience was channeled into Floyd's 1979 album, The Wall, a dark rock opera that marked a departure from the band's recent albums (certainly in structure, if not in tone).

In working on the album, Waters decided to create three parts of a song that would become "Another Brick in the Wall." Sharing the basic melody and refrain, the three parts came at different points in the story, all bringing the main character (named Pink) to isolate himself from other people. Originally, all three parts were meant to be relatively brief, with one verse and one chorus each. Parts 1 (about the death of his father) and 3 (about drugs and the end of a relationship) kept to that idea, but Part 2 ended up a little different. The middle composition, dealing with an imaginary children's revolt against abusive schoolmasters, grew in stature during the recording process.

The credit for this goes to Bob Ezrin, a producer who had worked with Alice Cooper, KISS and Peter Gabriel and was brought in to helm The Wall sessions. Upon hearing the rough version of "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)," Ezrin recognized that the song had the potential to be a hit. His suggestion was met with harsh resistance from Waters and the band. more on this story




Singled Out: Electric Sun's Don't Look Back
Today Electric Sun tells us about the song "Don't Look Back" from their EP The Gilded Cage. Here is the story:

It might have been the first song written for The Gilded Cage, which set the tone musically and lyrically for the EP's mood. I describe the sound of the song as loud, fuzzy, and crisp.

The lyrics came secondary, and reflected the size and positivity of the melodies. I wanted a feel-good/anthemic track that is as appropriate in front of 200 people in a NYC club as a chanting European soccer-sized arena crowd. Ole Ole!

KISS & MOTLEY CRUE - "THE TOUR":

Los Angeles, CA (March 20, 2012) – Rock 'n Roll doesn't get any bigger than this! Kiss and Mötley Crüe... On the same stage... On the same night. This spectacle of spectacles announced today, Kiss and Mötley Crüe are uniting to launch The Tour of 2012. The summer's biggest, baddest rock tour will level 40+ cities nationwide starting July 20th. The Live Nation promoted tour will go on sale beginning Friday, March 23rd at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com. Both bands will have fan club pre-sales beginning Wednesday, March 21 at 10am.
Citi® cardmembers will also have access to presale tickets beginning Wednesday, March 21st at 2pm local time through Citi's Private Pass® Program. For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com.

With combined album sales of almost 200 million, KISS and Mötley Crüe are more than just iconic; they remain today as the dominant powerhouses of rock music tallying 30+ chart-topping hits, countless sold out tours and awards and accolades from around the world. Known for their elaborate and spectacular stage shows, each band plans to give fans the ultimate summer concert experience with the most impressive lighting and sound production ever and their signature over-the-top pyrotechnics. This is the first time Kiss and Mötley Crüe will share a stage since 1982.

KISS consists of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. Mötley Crüe consists of Vince Neil, Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee.

These veterans of the music business are still at the height of their popularity. KISS is the juggernaut of them all, with 3,000 licensed merchandise products, including the KISS golf course in Las Vegas and a new album. KISS has broken box office records set by The Beatles and Elvis. Mötley Crüe is the first rock band in history to have just completed an epic sold-out Las Vegas residency at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The band is best known for continuing to reinvent not only their live show (with mind blowing elements such as Tommy Lee's 360 drum roller coaster) and music (brand new song due out this spring), but remain on the cutting edge via social media interaction. Mötley Crüe's New York Times bestselling book The Dirt is currently being adapted into a major motion picture. Last month, the band was featured in one of the highest rated Super Bowl ads of all time for the KIA Optima.
For tickets & VIP packages, including opportunities to meet Kiss and Mötley Crüe, please visit www.KISSonline.com or www.Motley.com.

Today's Day In Rock!

KISS and Motley Crue Confirm Tour Dates
Last week we told you that Kiss and Motley Crue are teaming up for a summer tour of North America and now we have more details including the name of the outing and the dates.
Dubbed THE TOUR, the trek is set to hit 40+ cities starting on July 20th in Bristow, VA. Tour promoters Live Nation had this to say: Known for their elaborate and spectacular stage shows, each band plans to give fans the ultimate summer concert experience with the most impressive lighting and sound production ever and their signature over-the-top pyrotechnics. This is the first time Kiss and Motley Crue will share a stage since 1982.

Kiss consists of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. Motley Crue consists of Vince Neil, Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee. more on this story


Of Mice and Men Singer Hospitalized
Of Mice & Men frontman Austin Carlile was hospitalized on Monday night with heart issues. Carlile was previously hospitalized in 2009 after he collapsed onstage in Spokane, WA. He was born with a heart disorder and had corrective surgery in 2010 according to Lambgoat.

He told fans about the latest hospitalization via twitter yesterday. He wrote: "Thank you @ESPN for keeping me sane this evening. Been at this hospital since 3:45 am because my heart is an idiot... They are keeping me again over night to do more tests in the morning and monitor me throughout the evening. I'm exhausted."

He later wrote, "So ready to get out of here. I look like death.... But I'm alive :) Thanks to all of you for the love and support. Means the world to me and you all know it." Read the latest tweets from Austin here.


New Pink Floyd Milestone
(hennemusic) Pink Floyd's 1973 masterpiece, "The Dark Side Of The Moon," has reached a new milestone on the US charts.

Currently sitting at #137 on this week's Billboard 200, the music industry magazine reports the album has extended its record-setting run to 800 weeks on the chart – roughly the equivalent of about 15 years and five months.

Floyd's chart record is far ahead of the second place album in this category, "Johnny's Greatest Hits" by Johnny Mathis – which clocks in at 490 weeks. more on this story


Van Halen Interviews Van Halen
(hennemusic) Prior to the February 7 release of "A Different Kind Of Truth," Van Halen shared video of some interesting interview sessions. Singer David Lee Roth sat down with Eddie and Alex Van Halen to reminisce about their early days together, their original inspirations and family histories, providing fans with an inside look at the formation and growth of one of rock's biggest bands.

Van Halen recently offered up more footage from the sessions: same setup, as the three members chat amongst themselves about a range of topics – this time, in an extended format, clocking in at 15 minutes. "Tone is one of the most important things about this band," offers Roth. "It's one of the things that really separates this band from everybody else in our genre."

"It's our voice," says Eddie. "It's my voice. A lot of it has to do with the way I play – you can't remove it whether you like it or not. Like in the old club days, I remember you guys saying 'why can't you make it sound like the damn record?' I'd go, 'Sorry!'" more on this story


Beatles Yellow Submarine To Sail Again
The Beatles Yellow Submarine is set to sail again this May with a new release of the film and soundtrack.

The classic 1968 animated feature film has been digitally restored for DVD and Blu-ray release on May 28 (May 29 in North America) and the film's soundtrack album will be reissued on CD on the same date.

Apple put out these details: Currently out of print, the film has been restored in 4K digital resolution for the first time by Paul Rutan Jr. and his team of specialists at Triage Motion Picture Services and Eque Inc. Due to the delicate nature of the hand-drawn original artwork, no automated software was used in the digital clean-up of the film's restored photochemical elements. This was all done by hand, frame by frame. more on this story


Chris Rock to Induct Red Hot Chili Peppers Into Rock Hall
(Gibson) Typically, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, acts get inducted by people who fit into one of three categories. Either it's a younger artist who was influenced by the inductee (Metallica for Black Sabbath), an older musician with an appreciation for the "new guys" (Bruce Springsteen for U2) or a musical contemporary of the act (Eric Clapton and The Band).

Things are going to be a little different this time around with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who have never been ones for falling into one distinct category. They will be inducted into the Rock Hall by comedic superstar Chris Rock. The choice is not completely out of left field – Rock is good friends with the band and directed one of their videos. Regardless, Rock's speech is the odds-on favorite to be the funniest of all time.

Other presenters include Public Enemy's Chuck D (for the Beastie Boys), John Mellencamp (for Donovan), Bette Midler (for Laura Nyro) and Steven Van Zandt (for the Small Faces/Faces). Robbie Robertson will welcome producers Tom Dowd, Glyn Johns and Cosimo Matassa into the Hall, while Smokey Robinson will helm a tribute to legendary backing groups, including the Miracles.

There is no word yet on who will be inducting Guns N' Roses, just to add to the mystery surrounding which band members will appear and perform at the event. more on this story




Zakk Wylde Posts Children's Book Promo
Former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist and Black Label Society mainman Zakk Wylde has launched a new promotional video online previewing the release of his new children's book.

The book, "Bringing Metal to the Children: The Complete Berzerker's Guide to World Tour Domination," hits stores on 04/10/12.

To get fans and parents ready for this heavy release, you can watch him bring them metal to the little ones here.


Rob Zombie Star Recording With Steven Adler
First Slash and now we learn Rob Zombie / ex-Marilyn Manson guitarist John 5 will be making a guest appearance on the new Adler album, the debut album from the new group feature former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler.

His camp sent over these details: The session is scheduled to take place today (Wednesday, March 21st) at a studio in Los Angeles.

Adler is the new band led by former Guns N Roses drummer Steven Adler. The line-up features frontman Jacob Bunton (Lynam, Mars Electric), and Lonny Paul (Adler's Appetite). "I love the music that we're creating!" states Adler. I haven't been this excited about my band since the GNR days. Jacob is exactly the singer I have been searching for. He has an amazing range and is a great writer and frontman. Lonny is an amazing guitarist and songwriter and the vibe is perfect!" more on this story


Duff McKagan Talks Other Lies on Morning TV
(hennemusic) Duff McKagan's 2011 autobiography, "It's So Easy (And Other Lies)," was released on paperback Tuesday.

It's a candid account of Duff's life and times, in and out of music, including his struggles with addiction, which he eventually overcame.

McKagan is making the rounds to talk it up, and joined the team at Fox's "Good Day L.A." program to discuss the project. Check it out here.


Demon Hunter Release My Destiny Video
Demon Hunter have released a new music video for their song "My Destiny" on their official website.

This is the first video released from the group's forthcoming full length album, True Defiance, which is due in stores April 10th.

The video was directed by Robby Starbuck whose credits include August Burns Red, Smashing Pumpkins, etc. Check out the video


Matthew McConaughey Jams With The Cult
(hennemusic) The Cult rocked SXSW in Austin twice over the weekend. The first show, on Friday night, was followed a second – and free – concert on Saturday.

The Cult's free show was part of the 25,000-capacity Auditorium Shores Stage Concert Series, and were joined by a special guest: actor Matthew McConaughey, who jammed on bongos for a couple of songs – including the band's 1984 classic, "Spiritwalker."

At both shows, The Cult performed a few tracks from their forthcoming album, "Choice Of Weapon," due May 22. Check out video here.


3 Inches Of Blood Preview New Album Track
3 Inches Of Blood are currently streaming their new song, "Metal Woman" on their official Facebook page.

"Metal Woman" is the third new track to be revealed off the upcoming album, Long Live Heavy Metal due out next week on March 26.

In support of the release, 3 Inches Of Blood will be heading out on the "Metal Alliance Tour 2012" with Devildriver, The Faceless, Dying Fetus, Job For A Cowboy, Impending Doom and Wretched. Check out the new song here.


Howl Recording New Album With Zeuss
Howl have entered the studio to record their sophomore album which is being recorded, mixed and mastered by Zeuss at his own Planet-Z Recordings and is expected for a Fall 2012 release.

Howl who built a reputation for their unforgiving Mastodon meets Lamb of God pummeling attack, previously released a full-length and EP via Relapse Records. More details on the upcoming release will be announced shortly.

Howl guitarist/vocalist Vincent Hausman commented on the new recordings: "This is the meanest and heaviest thing we've ever done, and we feel like the songwriting is a big step forward since 'Full Of Hell.' We're super psyched to team up with Zeuss, because we feel like he'll properly capture this monster of a record."


Rise To Remain Deliver Talking In Whispers Video
Rise To Remain are streaming their new music video for their song "Talking In Whispers" online.

The track comes from the band's debut album City of Vultures and was shot in the band's hometown of London, UK. The band recently finished their biggest UK headlining tour and will be heading out on the Vans Warped Tour this summer; the first time touring in the US.

Rise To Remain has been busy recording some additional material that will be included on the US release of City Of Vultures which is set for a June 5th release date. Check out the video here


Skeletonwitch Kicking Off North American Tour
Skeletonwitch are kicking off some North American tour dates this week in support of their latest album, Forever Abomination.

After a warm-up show in Cleveland on Friday, the band will join forces with The Black Dahlia Murder, Nile and labelmates Hour Of Penance for a four-week tour that concludes at the New England Metal And Hardcore Festival. This marks the group's first North American touring action of 2012.

In other Skeletonwitch news, the final color variant of the forthcoming Breathing The Fire vinyl reissue -- which, unlike the sold-out initial pressings of the album, comes in a gatefold Stoughton "tip-on" jacket -- has arrived at Prosthetic's warehouse. more on this story


Anniversary of the First Rock Show
(Gibson) The first rock and roll concert didn't have a light show. It didn't have a massive sound system or a smoke machine. Fans didn't hold up cigarette lighters or cell phones, and there was no t-shirt booth. There was no encore. In fact, only one song was even played. But it did light a fire in the hearts and feet of tens of thousands of teenagers and served as the opening shot of an unstoppable revolution in the history of popular music.

The Moondog Coronation Ball was the brainchild of Alan Freed, a Cleveland disc jockey who was making big waves on WJW radio in 1951. The 29-year-old Johnstown, Pennsylvania native had come to WJW in February 1951 as the host of a classical music show. But by July, clued in by a local record-store owner named Leo Mintz that kids were buying tons of traditionally black rhythm and blues music, Freed shifted to rhythm and blues and adopted a cool, fast-talking, on-air persona called the King of the Moondoggers. It may have stirred up a few fuddy-duddies in the white community, but the ratings didn't lie. The Ol' King of the Moondoggers was racking up big ratings and soon other stations were adopting similar formats.

With record sales and radio ratings up and kids all over town jumping and hopping to the music Freed was calling "rock and roll" — a slightly racy term that also referred to having sex in a moving automobile — Freed and Mintz thought it was time to take things to the next level. Working with a local promoter named Lew Platt, Freed planned a show that would take this music, that previously only existed in smoky night clubs, to a larger arena, literally — the 10,000-capacity Cleveland Arena, home of minor league hockey team, the Cleveland Barons and, later, the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers.

Mintz sold the tickets at his Rendezvous Records store, originally printing 7,000 tickets ranging from $1.50 to $1.75. He then left on vacation, leaving the task to his brother-in-law (dubbed "Uncle Miltie" by Freed), who printed out 2,000 more tickets when he'd run through the first batch. And elsewhere in the city, other industrious people were printing their own counterfeit tickets… at a disturbing rate.

The show itself was to feature a prime selection of traveling rhythm and blues bands, including Billy Ward and His Dominoes, Paul Williams and His Hucklebuckers, Tiny Grimes and the Rockin' Highlanders, Danny Cobb and Varetta Dillard. more on this story




Noel Gallagher's Special Record Store Day Edition
(Gibson) Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds will produce a four-song EP featuring B-sides from Gallagher's new band for a special limited edition EP for Record Store Day.

The tracks are: "The Good Rebel," "Let the Lord Shine a Light on Me," "I'd Pick You Every Time," "Shoot a Hole into the Sun."

The limited edition EP will be numbered and issued on white vinyl. Look for the EP in the U.K. on Record Store Day, Saturday, April 21. more on this story




Fabulous Thunderbirds and Muddy Waters Son Lead Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Fest
(conqueroo) The 23rd annual Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Festival is set to take place over Memorial Day weekend, May 26-27, at Rancho Santa Susanna Community Park, 5005 Los Angeles Ave., in Simi Valley.

The festival features two full stages for each of its musical genres. Music will proceed non-stop each day from 12 noon until 8 p.m.

Musical headliners on the Blues Stage will include the Fabulous Thunderbirds featuring Kim Wilson; Candye Kane, flanked by guitarist Laura Chavez, in a rare Los Angeles area appearance; a Muddy Waters Tribute featuring blues legend James Cotton, Paul Oscher and other members of the Muddy Waters band, and Muddy's son Mud Morganfield; Rod Piazza & the West Coast Sheiks; Big Pete; Terry Hanck; Shawn Pittman; and the Mannish Boys with special guests. Oscher will also perform his own set. Certain to steal the spotlight will be "next generation" Americana-influenced bluesman Nathan James & the Rhythm Scratchers, joined by James Harman. The festival's blues lineup was curated by Randy Chortkoff, founder of the respected L.A. blues label Delta Groove Records

Today's Day In Rock!

Guns N' Roses Snubbed
(hennemusic) The annual Reading and Leeds festivals are on schedule for late August this year, as usual, with headliners Foo Fighters, Kasabian and The Cure.
While talking up this year's events, organizer Melvin Benn tells NME that he has ruled out booking the current line-up of Guns N' Roses again, but says he'd love to get the band's original line-up to play the event.

"I wouldn't have the current line-up, certainly not at the moment. It doesn't feel right," said Benn. "Of course if it was the original line-up, I would definitely consider it and if they could tell the time, it would be fantastic," he added. "With the original line-up it would be something very special. We'd have to give them all a watch each, but we'd certainly try to get them if they reformed." more on this story


Tool To Begin Recording New Album
It may have felt like 10,000 Days since Tool has released a new album (it's only been 6 years), but fans won't have to wait much longer for a new release from the band.

Drummer Danny Carey tells Vic Firth in a video interview, "I'm hoping we'll get in the studio by June or July and start tracking, that's the plan anyway."

He also assures fans that they won't have to wait a long time after the band enter the studio as their tracking typically only takes two or three months and then it takes about a month for mixing and mastering. So it may be possible that fans might have a new album by the end of the year, or early next year. Check out the interview here.


KISS Playing Free Concert
(hennemusic) March Madness continues to works its way towards the Final Four showdown and fans will have some big names bands rocking free concerts for the weekend.

The Times-Picayune reports that, as part of the NCAA Final Four weekend, KISS, the Black Keys and Jimmy Buffett are slated to perform free concerts in Woldenberg Park along the Mississippi River in downtown New Orleans.

KISS will kick off "The Big Dance Concert Series" on Friday, March 30, which is part of a full slate of festivities throughout the college men's basketball championship weekend. more on this story


Metallica Tease Orion Festival
(hennemusic) Metallica have issued a second trailer for their upcoming Orion Music + More festival.

Happening June 23-24 at Bader Field in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Orion Music + More is Metallica's first attempt at hosting their own multi-day festival event.

In addition to more than 30 artists on the bill, Metallica will headline both nights, each with its own cool angle: they'll play their classic "Black" album in its entirety on one of the nights for the first time ever in the U.S., and perform the "Ride The Lightning" album on the other night. Check out the video here.


Kittie's Original Lineup Talking Reunion
(Gibson) Kittie – the Canadian all-female metal band who went gold with their 1999 debut Spit – are considering a reunion of their original lineup to perform their debut album.

The band posed a question on their official Twitter account on the weekend: "If we did shows with the original lineup and played all of 'Spit' in its entirety, would you come? And where?"

The band also added via Facebook, doubtlessly to head off speculation about the job security of current members Trish Doan and Tara McLeod, "It should be mentioned that if it were to happen, it wouldn't be a permanent thing, or even a tour for that matter. Just a few select dates, and Kittie will still remain the Kittie we are now." more on this story




Jack White Expands Solo Tour
(Gibson) Jack White has announced additional solo tour dates, wrapping around previously announced festival dates.

Before, between and after White plays the Hangout Music Fest in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and Sasquatch! Music Festival in George, WA, he'll perform another 10 shows.

The tour comes in support of White's forthcoming solo debut album, Blunderbuss, due out on April 24. At his recent shows, the singer-guitarist has mixed together selections from the Stripes, Raconteurs and Dead Weather catalogs, in addition to stuff from the new album. more on this story




Slash Previews New Video
(hennemusic) Slash has offered up a preview of the video for "You're A Lie," the first single from his forthcoming album, "Apocalyptic Love."

The guitarist's band – Myles Kennedy, Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz - have formed a cohesive unit and are now going by the handle "Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators."

Prior to the new album's May 22nd release, Slash and the band will play a show in Toronto before appearing at the Revolver Golden God Awards in Los Angeles on April 11. A mini-tour of the States starts May 3 in Baltimore. Check out the preview here.


Crosby, Stills & Nash Plan Summer Tour of North America
Crosby, Stills & Nash put out word yesterday that they plan to hit the road this summer for a North American tour.

The trek is set to kick off on June 7th at the Tower Theatre in Philadelphia, PA, and will conclude on September 29th in San Diego.

The players accompanying Crosby, Stills & Nash on their 2012 tour are: Todd Caldwell (organ), Shane Fontayne (guitar), Steve DiStanislao (drums), Kevin McCormick (bass), and James Raymond (keyboards). more on this story


Garbage Giving Away New Song
Garbage are giving fans a free download of "Blood For Poppies," the debut single from their forthcoming album, "Not Your Kind Of People," which hits stores on May 15th

"We decided to give the track to our fans first," said the members of Garbage. "We've always had the most amazingly loyal fans, and we wanted to show them just how much they mean to us by setting it free to them first."

The band also plans to release "Blood For Poppies" as a limited edition, white vinyl 7-inch for Record Store Day (April 21st). The 7-inch will feature the track and an exclusive remix by drummer Butch Vig. Grab the download here.


The Strange Case of Alice Cooper Coming To DVD
Shout! Factory have set a May 22nd release date for the DVD version of "The Strange Case of Alice Cooper."

The film was originally released on VHS and hasn't officially been available for 30 years. Amazon had these details: The Strange Case Of Alice Cooper is more than a concert film. It is the warped tale of one man's descent into madness, a theatrical rock 'n' roll spectacle that could only emerge from the twisted imagination of Alice Cooper.

Filmed during a stop on the Madhouse Rock Tour in 1979, Strange Case was inspired by Alice's stay in a New York sanitarium and the people he encountered there. Vincent Price introduces the proceedings as ghoulish doctors and transvestite nurses cross paths with dancing bottles of alcohol. All the while, Alice performs songs off his album From The Inside, as well as many of his most well-known and best-loved hits. more on this story


Orgy Cancel Tour
Jay Gordon's current incarnation of Orgy have canceled the last 5 dates of their comeback tour "due to the high demand for new music," according to the band.

The band informed fans via their website that they were canceling shows in Sacramento, Tacoma, Portland, Oakland and Tempe.

Here was the reason they gave: "so the band can get into the studio. These markets will be rescheduled for the second leg of the tour, which is expected to begin in the middle of May (exact dates TBA), along with new markets that the fans have been asking for.

"The newly reformed band—founding member Jay Gordon (vocals) along with Carlton Bost (guitar), Ashburn Miller (guitar), Nic Speck (bass) and Jamie Miller (drums)–apologize for the inconvenience to the fans but promise the wait will be well worth it.

"The Hollywood, CA rockers are excited to record new music and get a single out to radio before they hit the road again."

The band will perform their scheduled dates this week in Southern California, Wed in Los Angeles and Friday in Santa Ana (Orange County). more on this story


Skid Row's Sabo Takes High Road Over Sebastian Bach
(Gibson) Skid Row guitarist Dave "The Snake" Sabo has opened up about the collapse of the band's original recording lineup, in an extensive interview with Legendary Rock Interviews.

On the departure of vocalist Sebastian Bach, Sabo explained that growing tensions within Skid Row were exacerbated by the diminishing returns for hard rock bands amidst the alternative and grunge revolution of the mid-'90s.

But Sabo still has fond memories of Skid Row's time with Bach. "I've always said that he's a great singer, a great frontman and a great showman," he said. "I've always wished the best for him if for no other reason than the fact that we had 10 or so years with him where we all accomplished so much. I'm really, really proud of that and don't feel the need to slag him or anyone else." more on this story




Rush Clockwork Angels Inspired Book Set For Release
(hennemusic) Colorado-based sci-fi author Kevin J. Anderson announced last month that he is writing a novelization of the forthcoming new Rush album, "Clockwork Angels" now Amazon has listed a September 1st release date.

"Most of you are aware of my long-standing friendship with Neil Peart, the drummer and lyricist from the legendary rock band Rush, as well as how much Rush has influenced my work," posted Anderson. "My first novel, 'Resurrection, Inc.', was closely inspired by the Rush album 'Grace Under Pressure', and I can point to dozens of other novels and stories that bear a clear Rush influence.

"For more than twenty years, Neil and I have wanted to collaborate on something MAJOR, a way we could tie together our imaginations, and at last that's happening. more on this story


Becoming the Archetype Set New EP Release
Solid State Records have set an April 17 release date for a new digital remix EP from Becoming the Archetype entitled, Celestial Progression.

SSR had these details: Crafted by Nashville electronica collective Born of Water and Chicago producer Giant Robot (who also contributed sitar to Celestial Completion), the six-song EP finds Becoming the Archetype once again defying expectations and stretching the boundaries of metal music with a challenging and rewarding set of remixes that range from adrenaline-pumping to industrial to atmospheric.

"I've been a fan of good remixes of heavy music for a long time," says Becoming the Archetype guitarist Seth Hecox. "The great thing is that I told these guys to make the songs their own thing, and that's exactly what they did. Each remix sounds like its own song and each remix is very exciting to listen to, bringing out a different emotion." more on this story


Triumph Reunion Concert Coming To DVD and CD
(hennemusic) A new live package from Canadian rockers Triumph is on the way. The tentatively titled "Live at Sweden Rock Festival" set will consist of a DVD and CD, with a release date targeted for later this spring.

After 20 years apart, the long-awaited Triumph reunion (of vocalist/guitarist Rik Emmett, bassist/keyboardist Mike Levine, and vocalist/drummer Gil Moore) took place at Sweden Rock Festival, on June 7, 2008.

Now, the band is putting the finishing touches on the DVD of that historic performance. No word on the final track listing, but the band's setlist from the Sweden Rock Festival performance is here.


The Academy Is' William Beckett Going Solo
(FCM) Former The Academy Is frontman William Beckett plans to release a series of solo EPs in 2012.

The first release, Walk the Talk, will be available on April 17 through YIKE Records, with two additional EPs to be released in July and October.

Beckett will take his new tunes on the road this spring, with a headlining tour beginning May 4 in Minneapolis. more on this story


Shinedown To Rock Kimmel
Shinedown are set to rock Jimmy Kimmel Live's outdoor stage next Monday, March 26th.

The band will be appearing to promote their new album, Amaryllis, which is set for release the following day. LA area fans can RSVP to attend the free concert here.

March 27th also marks the kick off of the band's headlining run for this year's Avalanche Tour, which begins that night in Anaheim, CA.


KISS Open Miniature Golf Course
(Gibson) KISS's new album, Monster, may still be several months away, but the band has just launched a monster of a different kind: KISS by Monster Mini Golf, a rock 'n' roll-themed attraction in Las Vegas.

As reported in 2010, Kiss By Monster Mini Golf is a custom-designed, indoor, glow-in-the-dark, 18-hole miniature golf course – which also features a state-of-the-art arcade, the largest KISS gift shop in the world, a KISS Gallery, the "Hotter Than Hell" Wedding Chapel, a private VIP Room, KISS-themed event rooms and the "Rock 'n' Roll All Nite" Café.

As KISS vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley asked 8 News NOW, "It's great to hit a ball through a windmill, but wouldn't you rather hit it through one of my boots, especially with the black lights and everything glowing? It's very, very cool." more on this story




Wolfgang Van Halen Added To D'Addario Roster
(hennemusic) D'Addario has announced that Van Halen bassist, Wolfgang Van Halen, has joined their artist roster.

As the bassist for Van Halen, one of the most wildly successful rock bands of all time, Wolfgang's musical prowess shines on the band's latest album, "A Different Kind of Truth" and its current tour.

Wolfgang has been a part of his father's vision for the legendary band for some time, with the 1991 instrumental "316" being named in his honor, after Wolfgang's birthday (he turned 21 last week). Later, his father named a custom guitar after him, the EVH Wolfgang. more on this story


Neil Young & Crazy Horse Set New Album Release
(hennemusic) There's been a buzz for some time now about new music from Neil Young & Crazy Horse, and now the details have been confirmed.

Rolling Stone reports Neil and Crazy Horse will release their new album "Americana," on June 5th.

It's their first album together since 2003's "Greendale," and their first album with the full Crazy Horse line-up of Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina and Frank "Poncho" Sampedro since "Broken Arrow" in 1996. more on this story


Absu Cancel Tour
Absu have been forced to cancel their Brazilian tour with Inquisition this week due to visa issues.

Absu's vocalist/percussionist Proscriptor McGovern made the following public statement:

"First of all, we bitterly regret having to cancel our Brazilian tour being our debut South American appearance. Due to visa applications being inadequately processed, we cannot legally enter the country at this time; however, we are presently working with our agency to solidify rescheduling for the middle of October. We sincerely apologize to the Brazilian followers of ABSU who wanted to witness the band for the first time."


The Day Elvis Presley Got Stuck On You
(Gibson) On this day in 1960, Elvis Presley started his first recordings since being discharged from the U.S. Army. A 12-hour session in a Nashville recording studio produced his next #1 single, "Stuck On You." Scotty Moore and Bill Black, who had quit Presley's touring band in 1957, were in the studio with him for the last time. Gibson takes a look back:

In early 1957, Elvis Presley was on top of the world. On January 6 he appeared, for what would be the final time, on the The Ed Sullivan Show (the producers and network big-shots made sure to shoot The King from the waist up). Recognizing that his pulsating pelvis would not be shown, Elvis spiced up his wardrobe from the previous drab duds he'd worn on the show and let his long hair fall over his face. He ended his appearance by showing the world a bit more of his range by singing the spiritual "Peace in the Valley," a choice that went against Sullivan's wishes. Still, Sullivan concluded by telling the millions watching that Elvis was "a real decent, fine boy."

Two days later on January 8, 1957, the Memphis draft board announced that Elvis would be classified 1A and that the chances were good he'd be drafted into the U.S. Army within the year. Still, the #1 hits followed, including "Too Much," "All Shook Up" and "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear." He was becoming a sensation in places where his music was not officially released, including the Soviet Union. He purchased Graceland, an 18-room mansion in Memphis where he and his parents could live. The soundtrack to his third film, Loving You, became his third consecutive #1 album.

Still, not everything was as smooth as a grilled peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich. One person who was not too keen on the rock and roll phenomenon was Frank Sinatra, who said the music was "brutal, ugly, degenerate, vicious… It fosters almost totally negative and destructive reactions in young people. It smells phoney and false. It is sung, played and written, for the most part, by cretinous goons. This rancid-smelling aphrodisiac I deplore."

Elvis responded to the Chairman's harsh words, saying, "I admire the man. He has a right to say what he wants to say. He is a great success and a fine actor, but I think he shouldn't have said it. This is a trend, just the same as he faced when he started years ago."

On December 20, 1957, Elvis received his draft notice from the army. He was given a brief deferment to finish shooting the movie King Creole, then on March 24, 1958, he was inducted into the army as a private at Fort Chaffee in Arkansas, which whipped the media into a frenzy. Fans and photographers turned out in droves as Elvis stepped off the bus to begin serving his country. Amidst the hoopla, he informed the world that he was looking forward to serving and that he didn't wish to be treated any differently from any of the other young men he'd be serving with. more on this story




Singled Out: Automatic Static's I'm So Worn Out, I'm So Far Gone
Today Automatic Static mainman Z Rokk tells us about "I'm So Worn Out, I'm So Far Gone" from their brand new album "Number IV," which was released today. Here is the story:

"I'm so worn out, I'm so far gone" was a concept song for me which I don't think I have ever tried before this new album "Number IV." I saw the recent news stories about a certain reality star getting divorced after only a couple months of marriage and just laughed at the television and it inspired me to write a song that lyrically came from the inner demon of someone's head that was in that frame of mind. The first lyrics "bring me the stones bring me the flashbulbs baby, give me the money, give me all that I can get," are pretty obvious. They basically reflect the true motives of what I felt the star in question really thinks. Of course I cannot say for certain yet the rest of the actions following pretty much supported it. I am always trying to get new ideas for lyrics as it can definitely make or break the song and the listener enjoying the relationship they have to it.

The chorus starts out with " I have no soul I'm pretty, I won't feel bad for you," which again reflects the inner motives of the person in question as its a sad thing when being pretty and having sex tape can make you rich. I started writing and felt like it was pretty amazing that the situation that inspired me to write the song and the person(s) that were involved really weren't famous for doing anything at all except being wealthy. Weird, yet very common these days.

The next verse is the subject feeling desperate for their own survival and hoping that because of this circumstance and the negative exploits they are going through, they don't want it to affect their fame. "Please don't think twice, i need your eyes glued to me, don't turn the channel as you may realize you can't be me." The obvious meaning being that if you only thought for two seconds a viewer might realize that what they are watching is the slow train wreck that is reality TV and especially the stars of it. I am always amazed at people's in ability to let go of the cancer of insecurity and self hatred we participate in when we support people doing crazy negative things to themselves or others for the sake of entertainment. I'm no saint, nor am I perfect yet I definitely would never want to exploit pain as a form for entertainment, especially not emotional pain. It's a sad thing.

Most all of the lyrics in Automatic Static tunes tend to be much like a personal therapy session for myself and i use my lyrics as a way to get things off my chest that i would rather never say to the public or the person or persons that inspired the lyrics pin the first place. I think i am more than likely in the same boat as a lot of artists and lyrics can be a way to work through getting your frustrations or feelings out. I use metaphoric ways most of the time yet on every record i try and expand what I did the last time and get better at my craft and this new Automatic Static album "Number IV," I wanted to be a little more literal lyrically speaking and try being more obvious to the listener and watch the reactions. I'm hoping that my fans and new fans enjoy the new record and Ill continue to have the inspiration to do more.

BON JOVI LIVE FROM CLEVELAND FROM 1984:

BON JOVI LIVE FROM 1984:
A new Bon Jovi live album recorded by King Biscuit back in 1984 is now available. Rockin' In Cleveland 1984 is listed on Amazon UK among other places and features the track listing: 1. Intro 2. Breakout 3. Come Back 4. Roulette 5. She Don t Know Me 6. Shot Through The Heart 7. Love Lies 8. Guitar Solo 9. Get Ready 10. Runaway 11. I want To Take You Higher.

Today's Day In Rock!

Jimmy Page To Release Lucifer Rising Recordings
(hennemusic) Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page is releasing the rare recordings he made for Kenneth Anger's movie "Lucifer Rising."
Page posted the following details on Facebook: "On March 20, the Spring Equinox 2012, the title music for 'Lucifer Rising And Other Sound Tracks' will have its premiere and release. The title music, along with other musical pieces recorded at my home studio in the early Seventies, have been revisited, remixed and released for the first time.

"There will be a standard release on heavyweight vinyl. In addition there will be a special run of 418 numbered copies. The first 93 copies will be signed and numbered." Read the twisted history behind the soundtrack


Zakk Wylde Tributes Randy Rhoads
(Gibson) Today, March 19 marks the 30th anniversary of guitar legend Randy Rhoads's death in a plane crash. Zakk Wylde, who's a huge admirer of Rhoads's work, recently spoke to MusicRadar.com about the guitarist's legacy.

"The testimony to Randy's greatness is the fact that we all still remember. Whenever my buddies and I get together, we can't help but talk about Randy Rhoads," Wylde said. "Let's say he didn't have to go up to God's tavern when the good Lord needed him. Let's say he just walked away from it all and went back to teaching, which he was thinking of doing; he wasn't all that comfortable with the fame thing and playing big places. He'd still be a total legend for what he did on those first two Ozzy Osbourne records. What he achieved in just a couple of years is right up there with the best of the best. He did on two albums what most guys can't do on 20. That's pretty remarkable."

Wylde went on to talk about Rhoads's influence on his playing. "He had unbelievable technique and could do all the things on the guitar that are astounding," he said. "His scales, the diminished scales he used – unreal. But it was his writing and the way he composed his solos – I mean, his solos were songs within the songs… He was way ahead of what everybody else was doing." more on this story




Rolling Stones Jagger and Richards End Feud
(Gibson) Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones have reconciled their disagreements. The two British rock stars have had several bust-ups over the years but Richards' autobiography caused new problems. Jagger and Richards spoke to the Daily Mirror about their relationship.

Richards said: "As far as the book goes, it was my story and it was very raw, as I meant it to be. But I know that some parts of it, and some of the publicity, really offended Mick and I regret that. What some of our detractors forget is that although we look like old codgers living an ocean apart we are still at bottom the boys on platform 3 at Dartford station.''

The Daily Mirror, then notes that Jagger jumped in with, "Er... actually, Keith, it was platform 1.'' Jagger also said: "In the 1980s, for instance, Keith and I were not communicating very well. I got very involved with the business side of the Stones, mainly because I felt no one else was interested. But it's plain now from the book that Keith felt excluded, which is a pity. Time, I reckon, to move on." more on this story




Call Him Dr. Alice Cooper
(hennemusic) On Friday, Alice Cooper delivered the Graduation Commencement Speech to 600 rowdy and dangerous graduates from The Musician's Institute in Los Angeles.

Alice opened by saying, "First of all, the fact that I am here as your keynote speaker raises a lot of red flags. It shows an obvious lack of judgment on your part."

Alice also received an Honorary Doctorate from The Musician's Institute ("Doctor Of Music"), the second Doctorate award he has received in his career. "One more of these and I can write prescriptions," joked Alice.

Read highlights from the speech here.


Van Halen's Full Montreal Concert Streaming Online
(hennemusic) Van Halen's "A Different Kind Of Truth" tour hit Montreal last week for the first of a series of Canadian dates and video of the full concert is streaming online.

The band delivered its 24-song show with high energy, opening with their 1981 classic, "Unchained."

VH have been changing up rare tracks in the set throughout the tour, and Montreal fans were treated to 1979's "Outta Love Again," as well as "Hear About It Later" from "Fair Warning." Check out the video here.


Collective Soul Plan Full Dosage Tour
Collective Soul will hit the road in May for a North American tour where they plan to play their 1999 album Dosage in its entirety.

The band's fourth album, Dosage includes major hits like "Heavy," "Run," and "Tremble For My Beloved" which was featured in the Twilight movie and soundtrack.

In addition to Dosage, they will perform other songs from a catalog including "Shine," "December," "The World I Know," "Where The River Flows" and many others. more on this story


Vince Neil, George Lynch, Stu Hamm, Brad Gillis On New Ozzy Tribute
Versailles Records have set a June 5th North America release date for a 3-disc tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. The label sent over these details:

'No More Tears: A Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne- 1971-2012' features rock and metal superstars and many of the hottest rock and metal bands on the rise from around the globe covering Ozzy's Black Sabbath and entire SOLO catalog performed in full-length, hit by hit chronological order over the course of a 3-CD set!

The Tribute will feature exclusive liner-note commentary from a wide range of record producers who worked with Ozzy in the studio, including Ron Nevison, Duane Baron, Keith Olsen, and Michael Beinhorn; and the track listing features star-appearances from Vince Neil (Motley Crue), George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob), Stu Hamm (Steve Vai band), Gregg Bissonette (Joe Satriani, Spinal Tap, David Lee Roth band), Derrick LeFevre (Lillian Axe), Chris Poland (Megadeth), Mark Slaughter (Slaughter, Vinnie Vincent Invasion), Brad Gillis (Nightranger, Ozzy Osbourne Band), Gary Moon (Three Dog Night, Nightranger), Eric Singer (Kiss, Black Sabbath, Badlands, The Cult), Paul Taylor (Winger), Keri Kelli (Alice Cooper Band, Slash's Snakepit, LA Guns, RATT), and Richard Kendrick (Near Life Experience). more on this story


KISS' Peter Criss Releasing Autobiography
(hennemusic) Original KISS drummer Peter Criss will release his autobiography, "Makeup To Breakup," on October 23.

"From sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll to multiple brushes with death, 'Makeup to Breakup' will be Peter Criss' unvarnished and eye-opening life story," according to the publisher's press release.

"I am so blessed that I am finally going to write my autobiography, and I hope you enjoy the ride," Criss said in the release. "The best of all is I get to share my true feelings of my love for God, family, friends and fame. It's been a wonderful life." more on this story


Willie Nelson Sets New Album Release
Legacy Recordings have set a May 15th release date for Willie Nelson's new album, Heroes.

The album will feature new songs and re-imagined classics performed by Willie Nelson. Legacy sent out these details:

Heroes is essential Willie Nelson, a seamless collection of top-flight pop-country songs (including covers from the 30s and 40s and new songs by Willie, his sons, Lukas Nelson and Micah Nelson, and more) performed with the easy-going homespun warmth and honesty that have become his trademarks. more on this story


Shinedown Releasing Complete Album Experience For The Ipad
Shinedown have set a on March 27th release for For Your Sake: Inside the Making of Shinedown's Amaryllis a new ebook that is being billed ad the first ever complete album experience for the iPad.

The 75 Page iPad eBook will be released to coincide with the release of the band's new album, Amaryllis.

The eBook features photos in interactive galleries, videos and detailed commentary from the band. more on this story


Guns N' Roses and Sebastian Bach Jam Goes Online
(hennemusic) More video from the final date of Guns N' Roses' "Up Close And Personal" tour has surfaced.

The month-long series of shows, in intimate theatres, gave GNR fans a chance to see the band in smaller venues than the standard arena-sized event.

The trip wrapped up last week at House Of Blues in West Hollywood, where the band was joined by Axl Rose's pal Sebastian Bach on the "Appetite For Destruction" rocker "My Michelle." Check it out here.


Green River Ordinance and Graham Colton Tour
Green River Ordinance are set to kick off an extensive North American tour on March 29 in Houston, TX, crossing the country with special guest Graham Colton.

Green River Ordinance will be touring in support of their latest album, "Under Fire" which was released on February 28th.

"Our primary purpose was just to make the most authentic and honest music possible," says Jamey Ice. "We also tried to push ourselves to think outside of our traditional instruments. We used all sorts of random percussive instruments and unique drums; we used banjos, mandolins, baritone guitars, 12 string guitars upright bass, accordion, lap steel, old vintage amps and old vintage guitars. We tried to push ourselves to explore more, even if it meant forfeiting safe and traditional structure and instrumentation." more on this story


King's X Jerry Gaskill Recovering
King's X drummer Jerry Gaskill continues his recovery from a heart attack suffered late last month.

Jerry's medical condition is improving - he is no longer in ICU, but is still hospitalized battling pneumonia. He can sit up, and is showing signs of recovery that have his family and the band encouraged.

As we previous reported, King's X are offering a download of a previously unreleased 1991 concert to fans who donate money to help offset the drummer's medical and personal bills. more on this story


The Beatles Headed To TouchTunes Interactive
(Sub) The music of The Beatles will soon be featured across TouchTunes Interactive Networks network of over 50,000 digital jukeboxes.

Starting April 1, 2012, TouchTunes will add The Beatles' 13 legendary studio albums to its catalog.

"It is a privilege to partner with EMI and Apple Corps Ltd. to make available the sound recordings of the most celebrated band of all time," said Charles Goldstuck, CEO of TouchTunes Interactive Networks. "The important addition of The Beatles to our network represents a milestone, not only for our company, but for our industry." more on this story


Remembering Randy Rhoads 30 Years Later
(Gibson) On this day in 1982, Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist and former Quiet Riot member Randy Rhoads was killed when the plane he was riding in crashed. After driving much of the night, the band had stopped near a small airstrip. The tour bus driver, Andrew Aycock, talked the band's keyboardist, Don Airey, into taking a test flight in a '55 Beechcraft Bonanza, the joyride ended, and the plane landed safely. Then Aycock took Rhoads and Rachel Youngblood on another flight and attempts were made to "buzz" the tour bus. The left wing clipped the bus, which sent the plane spiraling into a nearby house and bursting into flames. Gibson takes a look back: Since teaming up with Ozzy Osbourne and playing a key role in the Prince of Darkness's post-Sabbath solo success, Rhoads was flying high. Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman had put Ozzy back in the limelight and the band were in Knoxville for a show at the Civic Coliseum on March 18, 1982. It was Randy Rhoads' last gig.

After the show, the band left Tennessee for Florida where they were playing a festival in Orlando. Stopping for a rest break and to run some repairs, the caravan stopped at some property in Leesburg, Florida. There were just two houses on the property. One of them belonged to Ozzy's bus driver, Andrew Aycock.

Early on the 19th, while the entourage was resting, Aycock rose and—being a pilot—took advantage of the property's airstrip and collection of airplanes. Aycock took keyboard player Don Airey and tour manager Jake Duncan for a flight on a '55 Beechcraft Bonanza F-35. After that, Aycock took off again, this time with Randy and hairdresser Rachel Youngblood. After that jaunt, Aycock took Rhoads on another flight. It was a terrible mistake. more on this story




Black Tusk Holding In Store Event Today
Black Tusk will be holding an exclusive in store signing event today, March 19th, in Hollywood, CA at 6:00 PM.

The signing will take place at Sound Check Hollywood, which is located at 8872 Sunset Blvd. website

Black Tusk are currently on tour in support of their new album Set the Dial. This run features headlining tour dates with support coming from East of the Wall, label-mates Royal Thunder and Hull, plus a string of dates supporting Prong and select shows with Intronaut and Skeletonwitch in March. more on this story


Singled Out: Cold Fronts' Ready To Go
Today Craig Almquist from Cold Fronts tells us about the song "Ready To Go" from their brand new EP release "Pretty American". Here is the story:

I wrote Ready To Go when I was living in Brooklyn during the summer. I was feeling pretty isolated in terms of my living situation, and was getting extremely nostalgic for Philadelphia and all my friends. I wrote the opening riff and then was just kind of freestyling the lyrics into garage band and picking out what stuck. Usually thats how I write a lot of the lyrics to songs.

The lyrics itself are really about my friends, relationships, and my neighborhood in Philadelphia. I had also just started hanging out with Shaky Jake (our guitarist) in Harlem and we were getting each other amped on the idea of starting a rock band and writing riffs.

DENNIS DeYOUNG SAYS YES TO STYX POSSIBILITY:

Classic Rock Revisited have a nice long interview with the always entertaining and insightful Dennis DeYoung. Within the interview Dennis states his desire to once again perform with Styx:
Jeb: After all the BS that has gone down, would you want to play with the band again?
Dennis: Here's the thing: I have never ever said one bad thing about the music that we created. You want to know why? It's because I don't believe it. I think the music we created is something to be proud of – some better than others as we've already discussed.
Jeb: So if Tommy or JY called you on the phone today and asked you to rejoin Styx as a touring and recording member of the band, would you join Styx again?
Dennis: Yes.
Read the full interview: www.classicrockrevisited.com/interviewdennisdeyoung.htm.

Today's Day In Rock!

Guns N' Roses Steven Adler Launches New Band
Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler has launched a new band called Adler that also features frontman Jacob Bunton (Lynam, Mars Electric), and Lonny Paul (Adler's Appetite). His camp sent over the following:
"I love the music that we're creating!" states Adler. "I haven't been this excited about my band since the GNR days. Jacob is exactly the singer I have been searching for. He has an amazing range and is a great writer and frontman. Lonny is an amazing guitarist and songwriter and the vibe is amazing!"

The band is currently in a Los Angeles recording studio working on their debut album with producers Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Foreigner) and Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Steel Panther, The Donna's). The album feature a guest appearances from Adler's former Guns N Roses band mate Slash. "I'm so excited for everyone to hear this record!" States Adler. more on this story


Sammy Hagar Still Loves Dysfunctional Van Halen
(hennemusic) Sammy Hagar continues to share his opinion of his former band Van Halen and their new studio album and tour with the man he replaced in the group, David Lee Roth.

Hagar shared his thoughts with the Los Angeles Times. "The fact that they're [VH] out [on tour] right now, that's so great; I'm so happy that they're out doing it - but look how long it took," says Sammy. "It's so dysfunctional and who knows how long it will last like this and I just can't be part of something like that."

"I don't think I ever slowed down and stopped trying to prove something in that damn band 'til the reunion in '04, but by then it was too late," continued Hagar. "Eddie was shot at that point, though I heard he's great now, and I'm really happy that he's supposedly sober and playing great and doing good. People think, 'Oh you hate the guy.' I don't hate the guy, I love the guy. I hate what he did in '04 to me on the reunion tour, but other than that I still love the guy." more on this story


Metallica Taking Stage Show To 11
Metallica have big plans for their upcoming tours, including the just announced dates in Mexico where they will unveil their massive new stage which is twice the size of the stage of their last world tour.

The band writes on their site, " After years in the making, we are beyond excited to finally unveil the all new, out of control, massive stage and Metalli-show to some of our most rabid fans in the world with two shows in Mexico City at Sports Palace on August 1 and 2, 2012.

"When we last visited Mexico City in June of 2009, those three sold out nights with over 150,000 of our craziest friends at Foro Sol Stadium were some of the most memorable, over the top, insane shows we have ever played. more on this story


New Aerosmith Song To Be In G.I. Joe Movie
(hennemusic) Last week, Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford shared some news about the band's forthcoming new album, including information about the project's possible first single.

"We've got a new song that's gonna be used in a major motion picture this summer, so that's probably the first new music fans will get to hear," Whitford told The Times News. "We may even debut it on American Idol in May."

Now, Steven Tyler has provided some more details on the track. When asked if Aerosmith would be performing on Idol, Tyler replied, "Ya. We already wrote that song and gave it to G.I. Joe. It's going to be in the movie. It's called 'Legendary Child.'" more on this story


Rolling Stones 50th Anniversary Celebrated With Documentary
(Gibson) They may not be touring this year, but The Rolling Stones have other plans, as the gents have revealed plans to unleash a new documentary that will highlight every period of their career, right from their humble beginnings in 1962 up to this year's 50th anniversary celebration, according to Rolling Stone.

The flick, which has yet to claim a title, will be directed by The Kid Stays in the Picture director Brett Morgen and executive produced by the Stones. Look for it to debut at the rockers' 50th anniversary celebration in September. "For anyone who wants to experience the band, this is the film that will defy convention and create a sonic tapestry to transport viewers into the world of The Rolling Stones," Morgen said in a release. "The film will deliver the original, bold, sexy and dangerous flavor of the iconic rock band."

The documentary also promises dollops of never-before-seen shots from the band's lost stashes and personal archives. "Nobody has put the story together as a narrative," Morgen told Rolling Stone. "We've been looking under every rock going through their archives. It will be music never heard before, and I've conducted 50-plus hours of interviews so far. By the time we're done, they will be the most extensive group interviews they've ever done. more on this story




Kyuss Lives! Respond To Kyuss Name Battle
Kyuss Lives! have fired back a response to the lawsuit filed by former Kyuss band member Josh Homme over the use of the Kyuss name.

Kyuss Lives!, which features original Kyuss members John Garcia, Nick Oliveri and Brant Bjork along with guitarist Bruno Fevery issued the following statement:

"We are both shocked and saddened that our friend and one time band mate has chosen to file a lawsuit against us, especially after having positive discussions since our reformation," said John Garcia and Brant Bjork. "We look forward to resolving this private matter behind closed doors and moving forward with work on our new album and connecting with our amazing, loyal fans." more on this story


Alice Cooper to Deliver Commencement Address
(Gibson) Picture this: You're a college student about to graduate and, lo and behold, the original make-uped metaller, Alice Cooper, shows up at your commencement ceremony. Sounds pretty unbelievable, right? Well, that wild scenario is about to become a reality for students at the Musicians Institute College of Contemporary Music (MI).

MI has announced that everyone's favorite Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bad boy, Alice Cooper, will serve as the keynote speaker for its commencement ceremony this Saturday (March 17) at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, California. Who would have ever pictured the original "School's Out" rocker speaking to a crowd of fresh-faced college kids at graduation back in the day?

"Alice Cooper is a rock and roll icon and we are thrilled to have him as our keynote speaker," said Tom Engfer, Senior Director of Education at Musicians Institute. "His years of experience as a groundbreaking, innovative musician will provide our students with invaluable insight into the music industry." more on this story




Hurt Deliver How We End Up Alone Video
(Banana 101.5) The new single 'How We End Up Alone' from Hurt has been burning up the airwaves at rock stations across the country, now you can see the official music video.

Hurt return with their six studio album 'The Crux' on April 24th and have just unveiled the new video for it's first single 'How We End Up Alone.'

Though the band members themselves don't appear in the clip, an elderly gentlemen was kind enough to take over vocal duties for absent frontman J. Loren. Watch it here.



Iron Maiden To Release Double Vinyl Picture Disc
(hennemusic) Iron Maiden have unveiled the details of the analog version of their new live package, "En Vivo!," which will be released March 26 (March 27 in North America).

The double vinyl picture disc edition of En Vivo! features mascot Eddie on each album, as well as on the inner sleeves, along with shots of the band members.

The live package will be available in several versions, including Blu-Ray, DVD, Limited Edition double DVD in Collectors Steel book case, 2CD, Digital Download, CD soundtrack album and Digital Download Video. Check out a photo of the picture discs here.


Death Members To Launch Tour
Members of Death are set to take part in the Death To All Tour which is set to feature a majority of Death's musicians, as well as special guests.

Organizers put out these details: This tour is to celebrate the life and music of Chuck Schuldiner, as well as to raise awareness of Sweet Relief Musicians Fund – a charity that provides financial assistance to career musicians faced with illness, disability or age-related problems.

This tour will kick off in San Francisco, CA and work its way to Orlando, FL - stopping in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York along the way. more on this story


Downton Abbey's Elizabeth McGovern To Sing With Big Country
(Gibson) Downton Abbey star Elizabeth McGovern will perform at this summer's Isle of Wight Festival. According to BBC News, McGovern will sing with Big Country and perform with her own band, Sadie and the Hotheads.

The actress and singer said: "I am thrilled to be playing with such a stellar cast of musicians."

Big Country's Tony Butler stated: "We had a tradition of working with great female vocalists such as Kate Bush and Eddi Reader in the past, so having the opportunity to have Elizabeth perform with us at the IOW is going to be really cool." more on this story




A Life Once Lost Recording First New Album Since 2007
A Life Once Lost will be entering Planet Red studio in Richmond, VA on April 10th, 2012 to record their new album.

Planet Red is owned and operated by famed producer Andreas Magnusson (The Black Dahlia Murder, Impending Doom).

The band has been experimenting with new sounds and styles while staying true to their groove-tinged roots. "I have a lot of new material to work with here so it will be a breeze for us to make a super epic record," states producer Andreas Magnusson. more on this story


This Is Hell Begin Tour Tonight
(Fresno) This Is Hell kick off their North American tour tonight in support of the band's fourth studio album, Black Mass.

The tour begins tonight in Schenectady, N.Y., before wrapping up at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival in Worcester, Mass. on April 20th.

The band has also released a music video for the song, "Demons," taken from the October full-length. more on this story


Manafest Deliver Pushover Video
Manafest have released their new music video for the song "Pushover" and fans can check it out online.

The track is off their album The Chase which has approached 35K sold in the US and 25K in Japan featuring the singles "No Plan B", "Avalanche" and "Never Let You Go".

Manafest is currently on tour with Red/Thousand Foot Krutch through the middle/end of March. Check out the video


Prawn Begin New EP
(Earshot) Prawn has begun work on a new EP with Greg Dunn (Moving Mountains) recording and mixing. The EP will be released by Topshelf Records this summer.

Prawn formed in Ridgewood, NJ in the summer of 2007. The band draws its influences from Indie-Emo and Post-Rock. The band has extensively toured the U.S., self released two EP's and one tour demo.

The band self-released their first full length "You Can Just Leave It All " in June 2011 and Topshelf Records later released it in on vinyl. Prawn will tour the UK and Europe this summer.



Singled Out: Michael Olivieri Band's More Than I Do
Today former Leatherwolf frontman Michael Olivieri tells us about the new song "More Than I Do" from the Michael Olivieri Band's new album "M.O.B". Here is the story:

Let's see... More Than I Do... Where do I start?... The whole M.O.B. record was written in a very short time.. less than 60 days or so. And this song was one of the first ones...

I wrote it in a time of uncertainty. I was in a relationship with a girl that I was, let's just say... WAY into.... But I guess in her eyes it wasn't enough..

She thought that sometime apart, (the proverbial, let's take a break) might help her figure out what she wanted and if I was the one for her..

This song came together very quickly.. I remember sitting out on the patio with my acoustic guitar and Dan Lucett (also part of M.O.B.) talking to him about it and what just transpired...
It was more tongue in cheek than serious, as we were laughing about it...

Truth is I wasn't laughing on the inside...

When the rest of the band showed up for a jam in our living room. By the way that's where we worked out ALL of the songs.. They took to it very quickly and the song came to life just like that...

As soon as Buzzy James hit the main riff on his dobro and Eric Von Herzen doubled that on the harp, I knew we were on to something really cool!!
Then K.K. Martin chimed in with the mando guitar and it was like "AAHH!!"

That made me want to pound out the rhythm on my acoustic even harder!!
Which in turn made for an honest, heartfelt vocal track!

The band not only has a unique blend of instrumentation but there are a lot of great singers in this band as well.

Tom Croucier, Dan Lucett and Paul Wilson all laid down a VERY solid background vocal track!

Another memory from this session is all of us standing around the Mic doing the CLAP tracks.. We were clapping so hard our hands were bruised and red!

The icing on the cake for me is Buzzys dobro solo!! That is SO crazy good it freaks me out!! Buzzy is a very talented dude and always takes the time and writes his guitar solos.

What I mean by that is he doesn't just adlib and say "That was good enough"... He spends hours coming up with great phrasing and note selection..

But not in this case! I watched him do it! He had no idea what he was gonna play and just went for it.. ONE TAKE BABY! No cutting, pasting, comping or altering of any kind...He was like "Let me do that again"... I'm like "OH HELL NO"!!

I'm truly amazed at the level of musicianship in this band! And this song really captures the magic of 7 guys in the studio, vibing off each other!
Multi-tracked and 0 musical overdubs...

So if anything good came from being put on the"Proverbial break" it is 2 things..

1. Someday someone will come along and make you realize why it didn't work out with the one before you...

2. I made a REALLY good record!!!

Today's Day In Rock!

KISS and Motley Crue Tour Coming
(hennemusic) KISS and Motley Crue will be teaming up for a North America tour this summer according to Crue frontman Vince Neil.
The official tour announcement is expected next week, but Vince Neil revealed the news to his pal Robin Leach at the Las Vegas Sun.

"It's going to be really cool because KISS is bringing their full stage show, and Motley will be bringing our full stage show," said Vince, "so you are going to see two huge headliners at the same time. It's going to be one of the biggest tours of the summer, if not the biggest." more on this story


Slash Recording With Steven Adler
Slash will reunite with his former Guns N' Roses bandmate Steven Adler in the recording studio tonight (March 15th).

Slash posted the news to Twitter yesteday, "Looking forward to laying down some guitars on a song for Steven Adler's new record tomorrow night.

He also had a fun tweet about a special preview of his upcoming solo album, "Apocalyptic Love." He wrote, "Played the new record for my snake, Sam. 1st time he's been active in a month. I hope that's a good sign."


Rolling Stones Delay Possible 50th Anniversary Tour
(Gibson) Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have confirmed that there will not be a 50th Anniversary Rolling Stones Tour in 2012. The rock legends said that they aren't quite prepared to go globe-trotting, according to Rolling Stone.

However, it appears that the Glimmer Twins have their sights set on something in 2013. Richards suggests that a tour next year is actually more appropriate for the 50th anniversary.

"The Stones always really considered '63 to be 50 years, because Charlie [Watts] didn't actually join until January," Richards said. "We look upon 2012 as sort of the year of conception, but the birth is next year." more on this story




Van Halen Full Concert Video Stream
(hennemusic) Footage of a complete Van Halen show from their current tour has surfaced. Fan-filmed video of the band's February 22 gig in Indianapolis gives viewers the ability to check out a full 2012 Van Halen concert.

The Indy date was the third show on the tour, following the February 18 opening night in Louisville, Kentucky and a February 20 concert in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

The 24-song set (including solos) featured a variety of tracks from the Van Halen catalogue, rarely-performed songs like 1981's "Hear About It Later" and 1984's "Girl Gone Bad," and four tunes from the new "A Different Kind Of Truth" album. Read more and watch the video here.


Bruce Springsteen Scores No. 1 Debut
Bruce Springsteen's new album "Wrecking Ball" squeaked out a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 album chart.

The album had first week sales of 196,000 according to SoundScan, just 1,000 units over Adele's blockbuster album "21" which has been No. 1 for 23 non-consecutive weeks.

The No. 1 debut is also historic for Springsteen, giving him a tie with Elvis Presley for the third most No. 1 albums in history with ten each. The Beatles hold the record at 19.

Read Billboard's report to see what other titles made the chart this week, here.


Metallica Rev Up Expanded Orion Fest Plans
(hennemusic) With more than 30 artists on the bill this June, Metallica's upcoming Orion Music + More festival in Atlantic City has the music angle more than covered.

Metallica will be playing their classic "Black" album in its entirety on one of the nights for the first time ever in the U.S., and performing the "Ride The Lightning" album on the other night.

Now, Metallica has announced details of the Orion Custom Car + Motorcycle Show, curated by frontman James Hetfield. Over 300 of the best Customs, Hot Rods, Muscle Cars and Custom Motorcycles will be on display at the Orion Custom Car + Motorcycle Show inside the festival grounds throughout the weekend. more on this story


Billy Corgan Smashing Posers
(Gibson) Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan lamented the state of alternative rock in a one-on-one conversation with writer Brian Solis at South by Southwest earlier this week, asserting that "posers" have replaced authentic artists.

"[Artists who achieve breakthrough success today] have grown up thinking that being famous is the goal," he said. "Not to be respected, not to be dangerous." Corgan went on to say, "Don't call it rock 'n' roll. I was part of a generation that changed the world – and it was taken over by posers."

In a subsequent interview, conducted at SXSW's Samsung Blogger Lounge, Corgan talked about the impact social media has had on the music industry. "The music business is shamefully behind the curve as far as understanding the effects that social media has on the business," Corgan said. "They just treated it like it was a curse and a plague upon them. And I was one of the first people to stand up and say, 'No, this is a great thing.'" more on this story




Lamb of God and Devildriver Supergroup Offer Free Songs Download
Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton took to his Twitter page to tell fans about a new project with Devildriver frontman Dez Fafara and offer fans two song downloads from the group.

Morton laid out the news in the following series of tweets: good evening! the name of the project is: Born Of The Storm. songs written by me & Dez Fafara. (Kevin Talley played drums on these demos!)

the 1st song i will share is called "Nowhere Fast". 1st gtr solo is a guest appearance by Ryan Lake of Alabama Thunderpussy. the 2nd is me!

so...w/out further adieu...here is "Nowhere Fast" by Born Of The Storm : http://www.mediafire.com/?h9h5g68nzlpcycn

the next song i will share with u is called "Dust". it once again features Kevin Talley on drums & is a rare chance to hear me rock a bass!

so...for your listening pleasure...here is "Dust" by Born Of The Storm. we hope you enjoy! http://www.mediafire.com/?kzbq3y14rkzdg17


Agnostic Front Cancel Tour
Agnostic Front have been forced to cancel their upcoming concerts in Southeast Asia for financial reasons.

The band broke the bad news to fans with the following announcement: "We are very sorry to announce that due to overwhelming expenses to be able to play Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore we unable to make it this time. We thought we could make it happen but it didn't work out.

"We will make some more arrangements in the future with more time to make these shows happen but as of today, those dates are cancelled. We are sorry to announce this. Cheers to our fans there and we will look forward to a next time."


Slipknot's M. Shawn Crahan Releasing Book
M. Shawn Crahan of Slipknot will release his debut art book of photography entitled, 'The Apocalyptic Nightmare Journey,' on June 19th.

MSO sent over these details including an excerpt from Metallica's Lars Ulrich's forward to the book and a Q&A with Crahan: The Apocalyptic Nightmare Journey is a large-format art book collection of explorations in darkness and light from SHAWN's experimental photography, his second and equally powerful artistic outlet which he has honed for over a decade. Weird, wired, paranoid, endlessly imaginative and cancerously prolific, he's created thousands of dangerous representations of reality through eye-gouging Polaroids in numerous artistic styles throughout this hand-picked collection of images.

Lars Ulrich of Metallica wrote the forward for the The Apocalyptic Nightmare Journey. Here is an excerpt: "Throw yourself into clown's world, throw yourself into clown's book, throw yourself into clown's images, throw yourself into the whole f**king thing. Let go of the bungee cord, do away with the safety net. Just go for it, and let the journey take you wherever the journey's going to take you. And as you're going on that trip through this book, occasionally imagine clown next to you. Imagine hearing his voice in your head talking about what these images and experiences have meant to him and where he was going with it. And you will end up on one f**k of a ride, that I can guarantee you will be unique, spellbinding, and potentially life altering. This book is everything that art should be." more on this story


Quiet Riot Find Their Voice
Quiet Riot announced to fans on Wednesday that they have found their new lead singer and he will make his live debut with the band later this month.

In a Facebook post believed to be written by drummer Frankie Banali, they made the announcement: I spoke several weeks ago with my friend and vocalist Keith St John to once again thank him for lending his talents to Quiet Riot during our time of need. Keith stepped in on very short notice so that Quiet Riot could meet our live dates in February. Keith knocked it out of the park with great vocals and performances and we are forever in his debt.

Quiet Riot takes this opportunity to introduce our new vocalist Scott Vokoun and we look forward to seeing all of you on tour! more on this story


Slash Vs Alice Cooper for Top Gear
(hennemusic) Slash made an appearance on BBC's car show, Top Gear, recently, to promote the upcoming release of his new album, "Apocalyptic Love," due May 22.

A good chunk of the session was, obviously, spent discussing cars."My first car, that I paid for with my own money, was a Honda CRX," said the guitarist. "It was a cool looking little car. And then I gave it to my brother and I got a 1996 427 Corvette Coupe."

After an extended conversation with one of the show's hosts, Slash was shown doing a timed lap for the segment "Star In A Reasonably Priced Car."

Watch the video to see how Slash's lap time stacks up against other guest drivers, including Alice Cooper here.


Gwar and Municipal Waste Tour Starts Tomorrow
Municipal Waste will hit the road tomorrow to provide direct support to Gwar on their "Return Of The World Maggot" Spring tour.

The tour kicks off tomorrow, Friday March 16th in Richmond, Virginia with a benefit show for the Smoot Family Fund established to help support the widow and unborn child of recently fallen GWAR member Cory "Flattus Maximus" Smoot.

Municipal Waste's new album The Fatal Feast will be released in North America on April 10th and in Europe on April 13th. more on this story


Rush's Alex Lifeson Limited Edition Prints for Charity
(hennemusic) The Kidney Foundation of Canada has announced the sale of Limited Edition Prints by Alex Lifeson of Rush.

Beyond his work as guitarist for Rush, Lifeson is also a visual artist whose original paintings regularly sell for thousands of dollars. This charity venture is a rare opportunity to own one of his paintings at a very reasonable cost.

A signed, limited edition of 250 prints have been made. The print is on high quality, heavy stock, and each print comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, signed by the Executive Director of the Atlantic Canada Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada, confirming that the print that you have purchased is one of only 250. more on this story


James Durbin Returning To American Idol
(hennemusic) American Idol season 10 finalist James Durbin is reportedly be returning to the program next month.

James is said to be returning to Idol for a special performance; he'll be rocking the weekly results program on Thursday, April 12.

Last fall, Durbin released his debut album, "Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster," and has been playing showcases around the States to build his fan base. more on this story


Melechesh Set New EP Release
Melechesh will release a new digital EP, Mystics Of The Pillar II, on April 27th in Europe and on May 1st in the US.

Vocalist/guitarist Ashmedi had this to say about the EP: "We recorded two different ending version of 'Mystics of the Pillar' - this one changes tempo and picks up steam. Why? Because we felt like it, a song with two different endings is not too common in this day and age.

"Last minute we chose one to be included on the album, thus the second version was not mixed and mastered till a much later date. We also decided to release a couple of instrumental versions to our songs, namely 'The Epigenesis' title track which is a 12-13 minute epic and Sacred Geometry both are multi faceted and work perfect just as instrumental works. We actually have an instrumental version of the entire album mixed and mastered so enjoy these couple of tracks." more on this story


Tank To Deliver War Nation in June
(MMP) Tank will release their new album "War Nation" on June 4th in Europe and June 5th in USA (via MVD).

Apart from the new album, TANK will also release their first ever live DVD later this year. Recordings were made while opening for Judas Priest in 2011 and during the bands show at Stodola Club, Warsaw on March 9th 2012.

The set list will include fan favourites such as 'This Means War' 'Echoes of a Distant Battle' 'Power of the Hunter' and ' The War Drags Ever On' plus future classics such as 'Judgement Day' and 'Phoenix Rising'. more on this story


End Of September Coming in May
Ulterium Records will release End Of September's self-titled debut album on May 11th in Europe and on May 22nd in North America.

Ulterium Records have posted an album teaser at YouTube to give potential fans a taste of what is to come. Check it out here.

According to the label, End Of September have been able to successfully create a mix between melodic metal and more modern metal that not many bands have more on this story


Liam Gallagher Plans To Play Oasis Songs at Beady Eye Shows
(Gibson) Talking to British radio station Xfm, ex-Oasis singer Liam Gallagher has said that his new band, Beady Eye, will be playing Oasis songs live this summer.

Gallagher said: "We're doing Fuji Festival in Japan, which is in July. And we will be dropping Oasis songs for anyone who's bothered.

"We were always going to do it, but we thought the album needed to stand on its own. We've done some good gigs, we've done some s--t gigs. And it's time to drop them in now. Everyone else is. I feel they're just as much my songs as they are Noel's. And if people don't like it, go to the bar or f-- off. If they do like it, jump up and down, let's have a good time." more on this story




Singled Out: Namesake's Worlds Away
Today Will Crafton from Namesake tells us about their brand new single "Worlds Away" which comes from their forthcoming album. Here is the story:

This was actually a last minute song added to the album. We were short a few songs and we were pushing to put one together as soon we could. What we didn't expect was to write the debut single for the album! Brad and I were literally sitting in a room stumped. He started playing a riff and I was really digging it. We started doing our usual song writing routine. I would hum some melodies and put lyrics to it later. We got a bunch of catchy melodies and later that night I sat alone in my room and came up with the story. I had just gotten through some hardships with a girl, in which I felt like i didn't know her anymore. We had grown so far apart that I felt like we were on different planets, thus, "Worlds Away" was born.

I spent the next few nights writing the lyrics, going through every emotion that crossed my mind during our time together, unfortunately the whole relationship was a struggle. We fought a lot over stupid stuff, her parents hated me for no legitimate reason, and it seemed like everything was against us. I guess that's why we tried so hard to make it work, but it was broken from the start.

My head was spinning over this song, it truly was an emotional roller coaster for me to write it. The lyrics came easy though, basically because I had lived the entire thing and it was still fresh on my mind. Eventually I was able to put the story to a close, leaving myself and her on different parts of the galaxy. But despite how far away we were from each other, I could see her world from a distance, and she will always be able to see mine.