SEBASTIAN BACH LAUNCHES OFF NEW SKID ROW SALVO:

This should fire things up between the members of Skid Row for a while to come. Sebastian Bach has posted an open letter to his Facebook page. And it reads like this:

Open Letter to Skid Row & The Original Skid Row Fans:
One of my favorite bands in history is Kiss. One of the coolest things I've always loved about Gene Simmons is that he truly lets the fans be the boss. Whatever the fans think is cool, Gene tries to give us what we want. Always. For almost 40 years now, Kiss has let the fans be the boss, and the fans love them for it. They really know how to succeed in this business.
My old band? Is the complete opposite of that.
Individually, I'm sure we all appreciate the fans for putting us where we are today and giving us a great life. I know I do! But collectively, as a band, we don't care at all about what it is that the fans want.

Nowhere in the world can you buy a DVD of our original band. Nowhere in the world can you buy a Skid Row box set with unreleased goodies like every other band in the world. No 'Deluxe Editions' for our fans. Nowhere can you go buy a copy of the '18 & life' Video or 'Roadkill' or 'Oh say can you Scream', all Platinum releases that do not exist anymore. That's because we, collectively, as a band, put the fans very last on what is important to us. Individually, I'm sure we all love our fans who put us where we are today. But collectively, Skid Row has treated Skid Row fans worse than any other band I can think of in history. The name is completely destroyed. For many reasons.
There is another reason while you may never see the original Band reunite. Not just because the band itself could care less about what the fans want. There is a journalist named Jonathan Parks who has gone out of his way to undermine our fragile relationships and pit us against each other online with lies and bullshit. This piece of shit 'journalist' makes up whatever he wants to say on his website and I can guarantee you I never said what ended up in my online "interview". Every time there is a question in the interview from Jonathan Parks I answer (on his site) "well you know John," I can guarantee you I did not know this person's name doing the interview & I never put his name in my answers because I did not know his name! I can guarantee Snake, and everyone else in the band he has interviewed, did not know his name either. I challenge Mr. Jonathan Parks to put up the the Audio of what I actually said, so you can hear for yourself what bullshit lies ended up in his online 'interview'. I can guarantee you I never said his name once in my interview, because I did not know his name!

This guy Jonathan Parks pulls our pants down, sucks our dicks in the interview, rips apart the other members to each one of us behind our backs, and then turns around and does the exact same thing with the other band members. This is why it's futile for me to respond to my replacements ridiculous claims. Because I'll bet you Jonathan Parks used more than a little creative license in his interview, as he did in mine.
But I will address some points. Number one: I can guarantee you it's not "crap" when I say that four out of five band members would reunite Skid Row. I can guarantee you it's not "crap" that we were offered to play two shows at Sonisphere in Europe this year as the original band. I can guarantee you it's not "crap" they even printed up posters for the show which had us on the bill.

I talked with Snake years ago with Doc McGhee and we even planned a box set with unreleased stuff, going on tour, and all that great stuff. He was the first one to say that he would reunite... for the fans. I have talked to Rob many times & he would do it. I talked to Scotti and he seemed very into putting the band back together for a world tour. I called the bass player but never heard back. Of course they could change their mind in public, but in private that is the truth, and the one thing the fans know about me is that I am not afraid to say what the truth is. Never have been.
Another thing I would like to say is that I did not say anything about a Skid Row reunion to "get attention for myself". My little fingernail has forgotten about more attention it has recieved than my replacement will ever receive for his whole life's work. I answered a Tweet from someone on my Twitter account with the response "4 out of five of us would reunite". That was all. My one tweet made news the world over. I cannot help it if news outlets look at my twitter feed and take one individual tweet and make it into news stories around the world. Believe me, when I send out a tweet I do not expect it to turn into world news. The fact that my replacement thinks I answered a tweet "to get attention for myself" is as hilarious as his attempt to sing "I Remember You" accurately. If there is one thing I do not need, & am certainly not looking for, is 'attention'.

Another comedic factor that I must address is when someone says "I have wanted back in that band since day one". Nothing could be further from the truth. I do not want to be in their band even now. All I ever said was that, for the fans, I could get on stage with them and sing "I remember you" and "youth gone wild", even in the right key. I am completely happy with my new record "Kicking & Screaming". I am the only musician from the Original Skid Row to place anything at all on the Billboard Top 200 album chart, with 'Kicking' reaching #68 & ''Angel Down' reaching #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. My record deal for Frontiers is demanding that I do another solo album right now. I am completely happy playing the main stage at festivals such as M3 while my old band plays 2nd stage. I am completely happy with my band members in my solo band . But for the fans, I do understand their frustration at the fact that all five members of Skid Row are still alive, but because of ego, and journalists such as Jonathan Parks, we cannot get in the same room together. It's not fair to the fans. I do not want anything more in this life than to make great music and play great shows. I do not need my old band to do that. But, for the fans, I would be willing to put my ego aside and do something that would be special for the people who put us where we are today. I do not personally want it myself. But its not always about "what I want". If the fans really want to see us together, I would do it for the fans. Sometimes you can do things for people other than yourself.

So to my old band members, if you want to try and get out of the Internet bullshit and come together for the sake of the fans, you can give me a call.
One last gigantic 'fuck you' to Jonathan Parks for being a slimy scumbag and going around starting fights with each one of the members of the band. You are the worst kind of 'music journalist', one who would put band members against each other, & further jeapordize our already fragile relationships, just for the sake of your own personal 'gain'. One thing is for sure, if we ever do get back together, you will be banned from every single show that we do. Jonathan Parks, the fans have you to thank for completely fucking up this years chances for a reunion, and making it even more of a remote possibility than it already is. Way to go, stupid! Fuck you, and your piece of shit website of lies.
Yours Sincerely, Sebastian Bach.

Today's Day In Rock News!

Tommy Lee Fan Rant Was Inspired By Heartless Disrespect
Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee sparked controversy last month when he issued an open letter to fans complaining about them asking him to take pictures with him. He has now explained the event what inspired the rant, which should quiet down the criticism now that fans understand the circumstances.
The one point which sparked the most criticism in his rant was this line: "What I have a problem with is... taking pictures! I hate it! Irritates the f*** out of me when people say... 'You owe it to your fans, they put you where you are, etc. etc.!' I certainly don't owe anybody anything!" However, Lee has now explained the incident which inspired those words in a new interview, which puts his complaint in context that most people should understand.

"My mother passed away recently," Lee tells Fuse TV. "I was picking up her ashes to take them home with me to do a service for my mother. And so I'm at the mortuary, I've got my mom's ashes in my right hand, and my girlfriend, I'm holding her hand with my left hand, and we're walking out. And the F***ing lady, the receptionist, goes, 'Oh my god, can I take a picture with you?' And I looked and her and went [takes a deep breath], 'I'm sorry, but I'd rather not.'"

But it gets worse; instead of being respectful, the woman pushes the issue. Lee explains, "Then she was like, 'Are you sure?' And I couldn't even believe it—she asked me if I was sure. I'm F***ing standing there with my mom's ashes and it's not the F***ing happiest day on the planet for me. I couldn't believe it. I go, 'Okay, that's officially the most F***ed up thing that has ever happened to me.' I called the manager and said, 'You're not going to believe what just happened. I don't expect you to fire her or anything like that, but that was the most disrespectful bulls*** I've ever experienced in my life.'

Lee had more to say, you can read that here.


Slipknot's Corey Taylor Passes Out On Stage
Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor passed out on stage on Tuesday night at the Dallas date on the Mayhem tour.

Fortunately the cause didn't end up being a major medical issue. Taylor reassured fans on his Twitter page yesterday with the following message:

"Hello everyone. I'm fine- just overheated in Dallas last night. Ready and waiting for Houston! Thank you to everyone for your concerns!" You can watch video of the incident here.



Sebastian Bach Addresses Fans About Skid Row Reunion Talk
Former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach issued an open letter to fans yesterday where he addressed recent speculation about a Skid Row reunion.

However, the open letter was later deleted from Bach's Facebook page for an unexplained reason. Here is what he had to say according to BW&BK: One of my favorite bands in history is KISS. One of the coolest things I've always loved about GENE SIMMONS is that he truly lets the fans be the boss. Whatever the fans think is cool, Gene tries to give us what we want. Always. For almost 40 years now, KISS has let the fans be the boss, and the fans love them for it. They really know how to succeed in this business.

My old band? Is the complete opposite of that. Individually, I'm sure we all appreciate the fans for putting us where we are today and giving us a great life. I know I do! But collectively, as a band, we don't care at all about what it is that the fans want. more on this story



Rolling Stones Have Rehearsed For 50th Anniversary Tour
(Classic Rock) Keith Richards says the Rolling Stones have started rehearsing for a 50th anniversary tour, although he can't confirm when it will take place. And looking back over a career that started on July 12, 1962, the guitarist says he has very few regrets about what has been an "incredible adventure."

"There's things in the works. There's nothing final. We've had a couple of rehearsals lately – I think it's definitely happening, but when, I can't say," he tells here. "There might be life in the old dog yet. We'll die gracefully, elegantly wasted/"

Fifty years ago today Richards and singer Mick Jagger hit the stage in London's Marquee Club accompanied by Elmo Lewis, Dick Taylor, Ian Stewart and Mick Avory. more on this story



Flanagan Says The Cro-Mags Stabbings Were Self Defense
The Cro-Mags founding bass player Harley Flanagan claims that he stabbed members of his former group last week in self defense.

We previously reported The Cro-Mags were set to perform at Webster Hall in New York on Friday as part of the CBGB music festival. Flanagan reportedly went backstage and allegedly cut the band's current bass player Michael "The Gook" Couls in the arm and stomach with a hunting knife and slashed William Berario (whom the New York Post reports is a member of the band) above his eye and bit him on the cheek, according to the Post.

nynatives.com report that Flanagan and his attorney have told them that "Harley was not the aggressor and any and all of his actions were in self defense." The have promised that an in-depth interview will be published in the coming days. Read their report here.



Children of Bodom Frontman Leaving Hospital
Children of Bodom announced on Wednesday that their frontman Alexi Laiho will be released from the hospital today.

They told fans, "We are happy to announce that Alexi will be leaving the hospital in Oslo tomorrow, Thursday, 12th of July, and are also glad to confirm that the band will be able to play Ilosaarirock Festival. The Hate Crew is rolling again! More info shortly..."

As previously reported, he hospitalized in Norway on July 3rd for what the band described as a "serious infection" which caused him severe stomach pain. Previous report here.



Geoff Tate Accused of Threatening To Kill Queensryche Bandmate
(Classic Rock) Queensryche guitarist Parker Lundgren says singer Geoff Tate threatened to "kill" drummer Scott Rockenfield after a concert during which he'd attacked two of his bandmates.

The frontman assaulted Rockenfield and guitarist Michael Wilton before warning bassist Eddie Jackson "You're next," then later regretted he hadn't hit Wilton hard enough, says Lundgren in a court submission.

The drama took place after the band's performance in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in April – an event which led to "Operation Knifecrime" rumours circulating online, alleging Tate had pulled a blade on the other members of Queensryche.

Lundgren's testimony is part of the band's papers arguing that the sacked singer should not be allowed to stop them continuing under their current name with new frontman Todd La Torre. more on this story



The White Stripes Release Recording of Live Debut
(Gibson) The White Stripes have released their first-ever live show. The vinyl-only release is part of a package available through Third Man Records' "Vault" series, a quarterly subscription service offered by the Jack White-owned label.

The 7-inch vinyl recording was taped on July 14, 1997, during an open-mic night at the Gold Dollar in Detroit. The soundboard recording features a version of "Jimmy the Exploder," which later appeared on the White Stripes self-titled debut, along with covers of "Love Potion #9" and the traditional blues tune, "St. James Infirmary."

Also included in the package is a Live at the Gold Dollar 12" LP, recorded on August 14, 1997. The August performance, which includes a "blistering cover" of The Stooges' "TV Eye," constitutes the band's first full-length concert. Rounding out the package is a tote bag emblazoned with the White Stripes' classic peppermint logo. The deadline to sign up to The Vault, in order to obtain this package, is July 31. more on this story





Metallica Guitarist Making Special Appearance
(hennemusic) Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett will be making an appearance at San Diego's Comic-Con convention this Friday.

Hammett will be on hand to sign "a few pre-determined cool thingies" pertaining to his forthcoming book, "Too Much Horror Business - The Kirk Hammett Collection."

The guitarist will be at the Tokyo Toy Booth #5336 in Hall G from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. In addition to the above details, Metallica posted the following: "A word to the wise...this will ONLY be open to those who ALREADY HAVE CONVENTION CREDENTIALS and those who have ALREADY REGISTERED via our "cryptic" sign-up last week, but if even if you DIDN'T get in the sign-up, if you have your badge, drift on by the TOKYO TOY BOOTH and eyeball the Too Much Horror Business action, organized by our old friend Pushead who may be lurking around!" more on this story



Peter Gabriel's So Getting Classic Albums Treatment
The next installment in their Classic Albums DVD and Blu-ray series will focus on Peter Gabriel's blockbuster 1986 album, "So," and will be released on September 18 by Eagle Rock. Here are the details:

It was his fifth solo album and the first one to have a title (all others were self-titled). The album spawned a number of hit singles on both sides of the Atlantic including "Sledgehammer," "Big Time," "Don't Give Up," (a duet with Kate Bush) and "In Your Eyes" which drove So to multi-platinum sales, the No.1 spot in the UK and No.2 in the US.

The acclaimed Classic Albums series is a definitive collection of the stories behind the albums that form the soundtrack to our lives. Made with the full authorization and co-operation of the artists, Classic Albums: So offers contributions from many of those involved in the making of the album and the landmark videos. Those featured include Peter Gabriel himself, co-producer Daniel Lanois, engineer Kevin Killen and musicians Jerry Marotta, Laurie Anderson, Tony Levin and Manu Katché and many more. more on this story



Jane's Addiction Giving Away New Album and Plan After Show Party
Jane's Addiction have made a limited number of the their latest album, The Great Escape Artist, available for free download on the Lollapalooza.com homepage beginning July 10.

Jane's Addiction have also announced a special Lollapalooza after show concert at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom on Saturday, August 4.

They will be joined by very special guests, Franz Ferdinand, with dubstep pioneers Skream and Benga closing out the late night celebration. More info and the download here.



Paul McCartney's Nova North American Premiere Set
Paul McCartney's Nova, an orchestral adaptation composed by McCartney for his late wife, Linda, will have its North American premiere this Fall.

Nova will be part of Heart Strings event and will be performed by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Friday, September 7, 2012, 8 p.m., at Heinz Hall, 600 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, to benefit pediatric cardiac research.

"We are so honored Pittsburgh and its magnificent symphony will host and perform NOVA's North American premiere," said Kris Fischerkeller, who with her husband, Paul, founded Rock for the Heart after their son Matthew passed away suddenly at age 16 because of cardiac arrest. "We are equally excited about the importance of generating awareness about sudden cardiac arrest among children and teenagers." more on this story



Ozzy Osbourne Explains The Schizophrenic Life of Rockstars
(Gibson) Ozzy Osbourne believes rock stars share traits with some people afflicted with a certain personality disorder. He also says entertainers risk going "crazy" if that can't separate their personal lives from their onstage personas.

"[Rock] performers are like schizophrenics," Osbourne said, speaking to Kerrang! magazine. "When you're onstage that's what you do, but when you are offstage you've got to be different."

Osbourne admitted he speaks from experience, having struggled through the years to draw a division between his professional life and his personal life. "It got me in all kinds of trouble," he said. Still, be believes there's at least one category of entertainer that behaves even more erratically than rockers. "Rock and roll is bad for that stuff," he said, "but if you think that's bad, you want to get involved in the acting world. They go nuts!" more on this story





Freddie Mercury DVD and Blu-ray Coming
Eagle Rock have set a September 25 DVD and Blu-ray release date for Freddie Mercury's The Great Pretender. Here is the official word:

Created by the same team behind the widely acclaimed Queen: Days of Our Lives BBC documentary, The Great Pretender, in similar vein, presents a compelling insight into its subject matter, unearthing previously undiscovered or rarely seen footage and presented for the first time in High Definition.

Produced and directed by Rhys Thomas, life-long Queen fan and expert (to the extent that Rhys famously broke the Mastermind all time record points score with a specialist subject of Queen), Rhys has this time turned his attention to the Freddie archive, going back as early as 1976 in search of vintage gems which reveal more than ever before the inside story of Freddie's life and career and the solo projects he worked on outside of Queen. more on this story



David Geffen TV Documentary To Air This Fall
David Geffen will be the focus of a new two-hour documentary, American Masters Inventing David Geffen, which will be premiering nationally Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 8 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings).

We were sent these details: Two-time Emmy-winning filmmaker, American Masters creator and executive producer Susan Lacy paints an unflinching portrait of Geffen, who narrates his unorthodox rise from working class Brooklyn boy to billionaire entertainment power broker in extensive interviews.

American Masters explores the highs and the lows in Geffen's professional and personal life through more than 50 new interviews with his friends, colleagues and clients, as well as other media luminaries. Irving Azoff, Jackson Browne, Cher, David Crosby, Barry Diller, Maureen Dowd, Rahm Emanuel, Nora Ephron, Tom Hanks, Don Henley, Jimmy Iovine, Elton John, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Calvin Klein, Steve Martin, Lorne Michaels, Mike Nichols, Yoko Ono, Frank Rich, Slash, Steven Spielberg, Neil Young, and many others illustrate Geffen's riveting story filled with extraordinary achievements. more on this story



Nachtmystium Take Fans Behind The Scenes of New Album
Nachtmystium are giving fans a behind the scenes look at their forthcoming album, Silencing Machine, which will be released on July 30th in Europe and July 31st in North America.

Nachtmystium has now posted the first of five in-studio videos featuring exclusive footage and interviews with the band. Filmed and edited by Justin Baron, who recently did the Yakuza documentary, this first video spotlights Charlie Fell (drums), and it can be viewed here

Recorded at Engine Studios with the band's own synths/electronics specialist Sanford Parker (YOB, Pelican) handling producer duties, Silencing Machine is, as front-man/lead guitarist Blake Judd puts it, "A F***in' black metal record". more on this story



Parkway Drive Working On Next Album
Parkway Drive sent out word that they are currently in a Los Angeles studio working on their fourth album. Their camp provided these details:

The recording is due to take seven weeks, which is the longest time the band has spent on any album. Production is being overseen by Matt Hyde, whose vast resume includes Slayer, Sum 41, Alkaline Trio, Hatebreed and Children of Bodom.

Parkway Drive vocalist Winston McCall says new material flowed easily in the wake of Deep Blue, which saw the group tap a rich vein of creativity. more on this story



Godhunter Putting Together Southwest Terror Fest
Godhunter have two special events planned in Tucson including a new metal music festival that they are putting together.

The band are one of the local musical acts confirmed to annihilate The Nest Skatepark on July 28th, where several pro skaters from the city will be in attendance and a documentary crew will be filming a short movie about Tucson's local scene.

Godhunter are also fully coordinating and booking the first ever Southwest Terror Fest, a two-day event that will take place on October 19th and 20th, 2012. more on this story


Morbid Saint Reunite
Morbid Saint have decided to reunite to play a string of reunion shows and their debut album has also received a special reissue. Here is the official word:

The reunion shows include performances at Maryland DeathFest X, Metal on the Rocks in Mexico City, The Barbary in Philadelphia in support of Whiplash, and as the headliner at Club Europa in Brooklyn, NY.

The band will also travel to Germany and play the Keep it True Festival next year. Morbid Saint's next scheduled appearance is on July 27th at Reggie's in Chicago, IL in support of Diamond Plate. more on this story



Kaipa Releasing New Album Next Month
Swedish rockers Kaipa have set an August 28th release date for their new studio album, Vittjar.

InsideOut Music sent over these details: While recording Vittjar, each of the musicians recorded their parts separately using several different studios. As the voice of the band, Hans Lundin led the group in deciding how songs would be assembled, giving credence to the old-school belief that present day technology - no matter how useful it may be in the studio - is no substitute for experience. Lundin is as experienced as they come, having recorded his first single in 1965.

"It doesn't matter what we do, we'll always be placed in progressive rock," says Lundin. "When I'm writing songs I actually try to avoid a traditional way of writing and playing progressive rock, but at the same time those elements are a part of me and my history. So, I hope the result is something new and fresh. Of course, the special influence of Swedish folk music helps accomplish that, and I think it grows with every Kaipa album." more on this story



Stars Stream New Song and Map Out Fall Tour
Stars will be hitting the road this fall for a North American tour and are also offering up a taste of their forthcoming album.

Stars will be touring in support of their sixth full-length album, The North, which will be released on September 4.

Fans who purchase tickets for any of the US headlining shows will receive a digital copy of the album on release day and an instant download of "The Theory of Relativity". more on this story



Beardfish Set New Album Release
InsideOut Music have set a August 28th release date for Beardfish's new album, The Void.

The band comments: "We went full-on with this one... We've had some trouble in the past conveying our live energy on the studio albums. This is the one that shines through! It's an album about loss. It's about love. It celebrates both life and death and the struggle in between to heal the wounds that don't show and to actually take the step to move forward in life.

"We've been waiting to share these songs with all of you for a while now and we, Beardfish, are really proud to present to you 'The Void'." more on this story



B Sides


Tom Waits Makes Rare TV Appearance on Jimmy Fallon
(hennemusic) Following his appearance on David Letterman's show Monday evening, Tom Waits rolled into Late Night with Jimmy Fallon's show for a Tuesday guest slot.

On back-to-back nights, the music legend delivered the first live performance of songs from his latest recording, "Bad As Me."

After Tom joined Fallon for a chat, he and his band performed "Raised Right Men." Watch it here.



Metallica Release Live Fight Fire With Fire Footage
(hennemusic) Metallica wrapped up their 2012 European Summer Vacation tour with a show at the Nova Rock Festival in Austria on June 10.

The 16-date series, which kicked off May 7 in Prague, saw the band perform their 1991 self-titled ("Black") album in its entirety for the first time.

Metallica are now sharing some footage from the event, including video from the Tuning Room and "Fight Fire With Fire" from the concert.

Today's Day In Rock News!

Bassist Arrested For Stabbing Members of Former Band
The Cro-Mags founding bass player Harley Flanagan is facing two counts of 2nd degree assault and weapons charges after a backstage altercation where he allegedly slashed two members of his former group.
The Cro-Mags were set to perform at Webster Hall in New York on Friday as part of the CBGB music festival. Flanagan reportedly went backstage and allegedly cut the band's current bass player Michael "The Gook" Couls in the arm and stomach with a hunting knife and slashed William Berario (whom the New York Post reports is a member of the band) above his eye and bit him on the cheek, according to the Post.

Police shut the event down after the altercation and both members of the band were taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment of their wounds. Flanagan, who reportedly suffered a broken leg while be subdued by security, was also treated at the hospital. Read the New York Post report for more details.



Children of Bodom Hospitalized With Serious Infection
Children of Bodom frontman Alexi Laiho is suffering a "serious infection" and remains in a hospital in Norway.

On Thursday the band issued this update: "This is not an easy letter for us to write. Alexi is suffering from a serious infection.

"He is still in hospital in Oslo under supervision of the doctors and we don't know yet when they will release him." more on this story



Amen Singer Arrested After Smashing Into Several Parked Cars
(Classic Rock) Amen frontman Casey Chaos has been charged with DUI offences after being arrested in Studio City, California, for mowing his SUV into at least 12 parked cars.

Police say he abandoned his vehicle and hid at home, where he was detained and found to be just above the legal limit of blood alcohol.

More rock news stories including Whitesnake, Anthrax, Duff McKagan, Aerosmith and more here.



Nirvana's Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic Making New Music?
(Gibson) Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic revealed that he's working on music with Dave Grohl. "I think there's something cooking – ask Dave," he said.

Novoselic also says he's put his bass aside recently because he's become "obsessed" with an accordion given to him by Kurt Cobain.

Novoselic, who released a Gibson signature bass last year, has ben learning "Light My Fire" by The Doors. He told Rolling Stone: "I got that whole solo part. My inner Manzarek is being channeled." more on this story




Aerosmith Focused On Classic Sound For New Album
(hennemusic) Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry have addressed reports that for their new album the band has dipped back into the sleazy '70s rock at which they excelled.

"People didn't think we had it in us," said Tyler. "But, by the grace of God, (producer) Jack Douglas was available. That first year I was doing 'Idol,' Jack happened to be working at a studio, Swinghouse, here in Hollywood, we did four, maybe five months with Jack, just like old times, and it worked.

"There's no doubt he has a vision of how things should sound," Perry said of the producer who helmed "Get Your Wings," "Toys in the Attic" and "Rocks." "We fight with Jack and with each other still. But if we didn't, the album would sound like (expletive). We were trying to prove something, we were fighting over songs, but that's how you make a great album." more on this story



Lamb Of God Guitarist Addresses Legal Fund Backlash
(Classic Rock) Lamb of God guitarist Willie Adler has spoken out after the band faced a backlash for creating a donation fund for frontman Randy Blythe.

He says they acted after being inundated with offers of help for the musician, who's in jail in the Czech Republic over the death of fan Daniel Nosek two years ago – even though bail has been posted and video evidence appears to make it clear he wasn't involved.

"We are by no means requesting charity, nor are we demanding money from our fans," Adler says. "We have received dozens upon dozens of requests from supporters wanting to help in any way possible. This was a direct response to that, in order to give fans a voice in all of this – if they choose to do so.

"By no means are we trying to make a dime off this. We live for our fans and would never attempt to profit off them. This is purely a response to those that reached out wanting to help. more on this story



Scorpions Working On Unreleased Blackout and First Sting Era Songs
(Gibson) Scorpions are reworking unfinished songs from the early '80s for a new album promised for next year. Guitarist Matthias Jabs tells Billboard.com the veteran German metal band has raided the vaults for "leftovers from the Blackout album [and] Love at First Sting, which some people think is our best time."

"It's actually very good material," he said. "We're doing it the way we are recording albums today, but the basic ideas, the riffs, the feel, the way they were written and arranged, we try to keep as much from the old recordings as possible. Thirty years later no one would come up with these ideas we came up with when we were younger, so we want to keep that spirit in there."

Last month, Scorpions delighted fans with news they were not breaking up, but they do remain firm in their decision to retire from the road at the end of this year. "We decided to stop at this point because we are still in great form and would like to be remembered as a great live band," Jabs said. "We don't want to grow old in the spotlight." more on this story





Paul Weller Guests On Former The Jam Bandmate Bruce Foxton's Album
(Gibson) Bruce Foxton, the bass player for new wave legends The Jam, will be joined on his new album by old bandmate Paul Weller.

The album will be releases via Pledgemusic, whose Managing Director Malcolm Dunbar said: "As well as being a key member of legendary band The Jam, Bruce has forged a very strong solo career over the years and this new campaign is a great way for him to connect with his fans and a very effective way for him to get his fantastic new album out into the market."

Bruce Foxton added, "I'm very pleased to be working with PledgeMusic on this new project. It is a great opportunity for me to work closely with all the people who support my music and to make them a real part of the whole creative process." more on this story





Duff McKagan Says Classic Guns N' Roses With Probably Never Reunite
(Classic Rock) Ex Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan admits he understands why he's still being asked if the band's classic lineup will ever reform.

"It's the question I get asked most at rock gigs," he says. "I don't get annoyed because it's out of love – they love that lineup. So I get it.

"I try to answer the best I can: Probably never. But I never say 'never'. It would be fun. It would have to be for the right reasons." More rock news.



Whitesnake Plan Live Album and DVD Release
(hennemusic) This past spring, Whitesnake announced plans to spend 2012 in the studio, mixing live recordings made during their 2011 Forevermore World Tour, including the production of a live in-concert DVD from the trek.

Whitesnake leader David Coverdale checks in with an update: "We are busily mixing and editing a live album and a separate in-concert DVD from the 'Forevermore' world tour, plus mixing an special expanded editions of 'Into The Light' and 'Restless Heart'. Plus archiving so much audio and visual material and content from so many years.

"But [we're] definitely not [working on] a whole new studio album at this time. Quite simply we wouldn't have time to write and record a new studio album. It was never on our agenda for 2012." more on this story



Geoff Tate Won't Let Queensryche Go Without A Fight
(Classic Rock) Geoff Tate says he can't let Queensryche go without a fight, because the band has been his life's work.

He doesn't believe his former bandmates should continue under the name after dramatically sacking him last month.

And he's revealed the "horrible" experience he lived through when the rest of Queensryche refused to play the last gig they had on their schedule, leaving him to hastily assemble a solo performance. more on this story



Forbidden Lose A Member and Singer Taking A Break
Forbidden have pulled out of this year's Wacken Open Air Festival after losing one member and another member went on hiatus.

The band announced that long time bass player Matt Camacho has left the band and vocalist Russ Anderson has decided to take a break from music business.

They say in a statement: "I am extremely saddened to have to announce that our bassist and brother since 1986, Matt Camacho, has decided to retire from the music business and leave Forbidden permanently. For those that know and love Matt, this may be a shock to you. Matt's always been gung-ho for the band since the beginning and was a positive guy. But ever since he went to law school after Forbidden split up the first time, he was on a career path that would eventually take him to this day. His job position keeps getting better and taking care of our families is the most important thing." more on this story



Red Fang Working On Documentary
Red Fang have kicked off their European tour and also announced that they are working on a documentary about their first headlining tour of the continent. Here is the official word:

The tour which includes numerous festival appearances runs through August 4th at the "Porifestival" in Pori, Finland.

The band is completing work on a documentary that was shot by the band's resident director Whitey McConnaghy. Whitey followed the band while they were on the road in Europe with label mates Black Tusk. This short film will be released in the coming months. more on this story



In Dying Arms Plan Fall Album Release and Summer Tour
In Dying Arms plan to release a new studio album this fall under a new deal with Artery Recordings.

"We are very excited to be signing to Artery! We know they know exactly what to do to push to the next level," said vocalist Orion Stephen. "We've been fond of Artery for years now, and this is quote the honor and privilege to us."

In the meantime, the band will hit the road this summer with label-mates Attila as well as Crown The Empire and For All I Am this summer. more on this story



12 Stones Kick Off Summer Tour
12 Stones kicked off the first leg of their Beneath The Scars tour of North America last week.

12 Stones is headlining the trek with support from Blameshift, Digital Summer and Throwing Gravity.

The summer leg is set to will wrap up in Marietta, Ga. on August 7th, with a second round of dates to kick off on August 9th. more on this story



Metallica's James Hetfield Releases Limited Edition Sunglasses
(Gibson) Metallica's James Hetfield has partnered with Sutro Eyewear to produce a line of limited-edition signature sunglasses.

The JH Sutro Sunglasses, dubbed simply "the Hetfield," carry a retail price of $219. "[These shades] are built to look faster than a speeding riff and tJames Hetfield Sutro Sunglasseso handle the life of a road dog like me," Hetfield said, in a prepared statement.

According to Metallica's merchandise page, the frames sport hinges that are 10 times stronger than traditional hinges, and the Zeiss polycarbonate lenses are scratch resistant and protect from both UVA and UVB rays. "James was very particular in what he was looking for," said designer Jeff Sand, according to Allaxess.com. "He just wasn't finding it out there, so we sat down and after extensive prototyping we put his vision into this frame." more on this story





B Sides


Video Surfaces of Van Halen Rocking Rare Classics At Soundcheck
(hennemusic) Some rare Van Halen soundcheck video from their "A Different Kind Of Truth" tour has surfaced. Footage of the band's April 21st soundcheck at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC was caught on video and synced with soundboard audio captured from the signal to the inner ear monitors worn by the band members.

As David Lee Roth skips the pre-show ritual in order to save his voice for the show, it's up to the Van Halen family to perform the daily soundcheck routine, with Wolfgang often filling in on vocals for the absent Roth. In part 1 of the footage, Eddie, Alex and Wolfgang Van Halen run through instrumental versions of "Unchained," "Runnin' With The Devil," "She's The Woman" and "Tattoo."

Part 2 features two rare gems that have yet to make appearances in the show: "As Is," from the new album, and Van Halen II's "Light Up The Sky." Watch it here.



Megadeth Guitar Center Sessions Preview
(hennemusic) Megadeth are featured on the next edition of DirecTV's Guitar Center Sessions, as they continue to promote their latest release, "Thirteen."

The series features exclusive performances and intimate, enlightening conversations conducted by host Nic Harcourt.

The Megadeth episode was filmed at Guitar Center in Hollywood, California on March 22 and will premiere in 2D hi-definition on DIRECTV's Audience Network (channel 239) and in 3D on DirecTV's n3D powered by Panasonic on Friday, July 13 at 9 PM.

Fans can check out a preview of the Megadeth show as the guys rip through "Symphony Of Destruction" here.



Masachist Streaming New Song Online
Masachist are streaming a new song from their forthcoming sophomore album, Scorned, which they just completed work on.

The new album was recorded in mid-2011 at Monroe Sound Studio, with final production touches taken care by guitarist Aro. Featuring nine brutal and intricate songs, Scorned will be released worldwide by Selfmadegod Records on September 3rd, 2012.

Masachist's Thrufel says of the album: "I'm really glad that after a long silence I can finally give you some details regarding our much anticipated new album. Scorned is 40 minutes of your agony, another relentless death march. You could say that the new album is a natural evolution of our style. This time the songs are much more demanding than those heard on our previous one, while still retaining their primal brutality. Yes, we are still playing 100% Death Metal Kurwa Maæ!"

The album's cover art and album details for Scorned will be revealed in the weeks ahead. For now, hear the opening track, the punishing "The Process of Elimination," here.



Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Raconteurs, Stone Temple Pilots Previews
It looks like it's going to be a rather quiet summer for big rock album releases but Eagle Rock plan some big DVD and Blu-Ray releases this summer including new titles from Pink Floyd, Muddy Waters and The Rolling Stones, Stone Temple Pilots, The Raconteurs and Duran Duran and we have previews of each release along with some details:

Pink Floyd – The Story of Wish You Were Here – In Stores Now
Pink Floyd The Story Of Wish You Were Here on DVD and Blu-ray. This is the authorized story of the album made with the full involvement and approval of the members of Pink Floyd. Wish You Were Here, released in September 1975, was the follow up album to the globally successful The Dark Side Of The Moon and is cited by many fans, as well as band members Richard Wright and David Gilmour, as their favorite Pink Floyd album.
Watch The Story of "Wish You Were Here" (trailer) here.

Duran Duran – A Diamond In The Mind – In Stores 7/10: Filmed at the MEN Arena in Manchester on 16 Dec. 2011, this stunning Duran Duran Live show is the combination of great music & amazing visuals which has been the band's trademark throughout their career. Following the release of their acclaimed "All You Need Is Now" album, this concert combines new songs from that release with their classic hits. Whether in the studio or the live arena, Duran Duran are masters of their craft and this latest concert bursts with energy and oozes class in the way that only they can. Watch the trailer here.

Muddy Waters And Rolling Stones – Live at the Checkerboard Lounge – In Stores 7/10: On 22 November 1981, in the middle of their mammoth American tour, the Rolling Stones arrived in Chicago prior to playing 3 nights at the Rosemont Horizon. Long influenced by the Chicago blues, the band paid a visit to Muddy Waters' club the Checkerboard Lounge to see the legendary bluesman perform. It didn't take long before Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Ian Stewart were joining in on stage and later Buddy Guy and Lefty Dizz also played their part. It was a unique occasion that was fortunately captured on camera. Now, restored from the original footage and with sound mixed and mastered by Bob Clearmountain, this amazing blues night is being made available in an official release for the first time. Watch "Manish Boy" here

Stone Temple Pilots - Alive In The Windy City Lands – In Stores Now:
Alive In The Windy City, the first-ever Stone Temple Pilots concert to be authorized by the band for commercial video release. Watch "Interstate Love Song" here and "Plush" here

The Raconteurs – Live at Montreux 2008 – In Stores Now: First ever video release by The Raconteurs and features tracks from both their top 10 albums including the singles "Steady, As She Goes", "Many Shades Of Black", "Broken Boy Soldier", "Salute Your Solution" and more.
Watch "Steady, as She Goes" here and "You Don't Understand Me" here more on this story



Def Leppard Guitarist Looks Back At Hysteria 25 Years Later
(Gibson) Def Leppard's Phil Collen has vivid memories of recording Hysteria, the multi-platinum album the band released 25 years ago. "I can remember being in the studio, what guitars we used … I think I remember what we ordered for lunch on some days," the veteran guitarist tells MusicRadar.com, in a lengthy interview about the 1987 classic.

Collen said the band was determined to fulfill producer Mutt Lang's vision of making a hard rock version of Michael Jackson's Thriller. "Mutt wanted to open us up to any kind of sound, make us like a hybrid in a way, and we thought that was really exciting," he explains. "A lot of rock albums can sound thin and reedy. But listen to hip-hop albums and R&B records – they sound huge! We found that we could get a lot of crossover appeal by making the songs big and open."

Hysteria was three years in the making, but when Collen heard the finished product for the first time, he was ecstatic. "I thought, 'If it sells one copy and my mom's the only one that buys it, I'll be happy'," he said . "It was the best thing I'd ever heard. I was completely satisfied. I was so proud and pleased. I can still listen to it and feel the same way." more on this story





Napalm Death Release The Wolf I Feed Video
Napalm Death have released a new music video for their song "The Wolf I Feed," which comes from their latest album, Utilitarian.

The video was shot by Tim Fox (Tesseract, Skindread), Singer Mark "Barney" Greenway explains the story behind "The Wolf I Feed":

"This is one of Mitch's lyrics. It is about Armageddon ideology and the way this is used to drive populations sensitive towards religious dogma. When they can fear 'The Great Satan', that is of course a very powerful tool. It can be used to propagate everything from racial suspicion and superiority, to wars based around the dogmatic quest for moral purification."

Today's Day In Rock News!

The Cult Singer Injured In Tour Bus Accident
(hennemusic) The Cult are currently on tour across Europe playing shows in support of their new album, "Choice Of Weapon."
The band experienced a terrifying crash just before 6:00AM local time Wednesday while in their tour bus traveling from Split, Croatia to Ljubijana, Slovenia. "I was the only one awake," said vocalist Ian Astbury, who was seated in the bus's front lounge. "All of a sudden, the bus veered violently, hit the guard rail and tipped on a 45-degree angle, then righted itself and came to a halt. The guard rail was the only thing that prevented us from going over an 80-foot drop."

Astbury was thrown into the aisle and suffered injuries to his neck, back and shoulder. The rest of the band and crew were asleep in their bunks, so no one else was badly hurt. Read more and see photo here.



Zakk Wylde Names Newborn Son After Black Sabbath
(hennemusic) Black Label Society and former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde and his wife, Barbaranne, welcomed a new addition to the family this week.

Zakk posted the news on Thursday: "VALHALLA JAVA ALMIGHTY BLACK LABEL!!! SABBATH PAGE WIELANDT WYLDE Has Come to Join The Mother Chapter!!!! JULY 4th,11:40"

Sabbath weighed in at eight pounds, 1.3 ounces and measured 21 inches long. The couple's fourth child, Sabbath is named after the legendary metal pioneers Black Sabbath. more on this story



Lamb of God Didn't Know Of Fan's Death Prior To Arrest
(Classic Rock) The moment Czech police arrested Randy Blythe in a manslaughter investigation was the first time anyone involved with Lamb of God knew fan Daniel N had died after a show in 2010, says the band's manager.

Blythe is still behind bars without charge in Prague, despite posting $200,000 bail for his release – and admin man Larry Mazer has been told another 20 days could pass before the frontman is allowed to leave.

"Randy should be released immediately. His lawyer told us so. In the US he would have been – you post the bail and you're free," Mazer tells Czech website Blesk. "Everybody is shocked. It's absurd. It seems like a bad joke – Randy did nothing wrong. He is innocent.

"Nobody contacted us in the last two years. My contact information is publicly available but I never heard from the family. We didn't even heard from the concert organiser. Nobody called us." More from him here.



Stephen Stills Says Unheard Jimi Hendrix Tapes Are Usable
(Classic Rock) Stephen Stills has been through the tapes he made with Jimi Hendrix, but believes almost none of the material they jammed together is usable.

He's paid tribute to his friend for teaching him a lot about guitar playing. And he's admitted there won't be another Crosby, Stills and Nash album, because the trio would never finish the work.

He spent many happy nights playing and talking with guitar icon Hendrix, and recently trawled through their recordings in a hunt for songs which could be made public.

"A lot of it us waiting for somebody to start something. It isn't really usable. It deteriorates into giggles and then the tape stops," He tells Music Radar. "There's a couple of things in there – now the family has worked their business out I've done some of the things I did at Electric Lady with him. I've finished a couple of those. There's one song that's sitting there in want of a lyric. There's babbling but no good lyric." more on this story



Iwrestledabearonce Singer Pregnant, Band Recruits Temp Singer
Iwrestledabearonce recruited Courtney LaPlante to sing for them on this summer's Warp tour after their singer Krysta Cameron discovered she was pregnant.

Guitarist Steven Bradley explains: "So here it is... complete transparency. A press release written by me (Steven, original IWABO guitarist) with the truth on what's going down.

"The day before our Warped Tour show in Dallas, TX we had a day off in the DFW area. Krysta lives there now, so she went home to relax and do some laundry. The next day, we received word from her minutes before our set that she discovered she and her fiancé are expecting a kid and she would not be returning to finish Warped Tour with us. Obviously this is an insane curveball for everybody, but in typical IWABO fashion we will press on. And no matter what happens, Krysta has been our best friend for years and we want her to be happy. more on this story



Superchunk, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Duff McKagan For CBGB Event
CBGB Festival organizers announced a free outdoor concert will take place on Saturday, July 7th, in Times Square as part of the larger city wide festival.

The bands confirmed to appear are Superchunk, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Duff McKagan's Loaded, The Hold Steady, Upper West, Zulu Wave and GLINT.

Also Agnostic Front will reprise their infamous performance from 1989's, Live at CBGB at Webster Hall with NY hardcore favorites, Madball, the Cro-Mags, Vision of Disorder and Sick of It All also at Webster Hall, an amazing show at SummerStage in Central Park with Guided by Voices, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Cloud Nothings and War On Drugs, as well as line ups with Fishbone, FIDLAR, The Virgins, David Johansen, Glen Matlock (the Sex Pistols), D Generation, The Baseball Project (Mike Mills of R.E.M & Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate), JD Samson & MEN, MXPX, Reggie Watts, The Dirty Pearls, LA Guns, Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr, Lissy Trullie and many more.



Thin Lizzy Planning Special Shows Next Month
(hennemusic) Thin Lizzy have announced two very special intimate London shows 'for the fans' at Chelsea's Under The Bridge venue at Stamford Bridge football ground as part the special Irish-themed shows during the Olympics.

The show dates are August 7th & 8th. "After having a phenomenal year and a half on the road, including some great shows with Guns n' Roses last month, we jumped at the chance to play a couple of dates at the London Irish Village 2012 at Under the Bridge to give something back to the London fans who have been so loyal to us," says guitarist Scott Gorham.

"These are intimate shows in a state of the art venue with very limited tickets available, and will be our only London shows for the rest of this year, so will be very special. We may even throw in a surprise or two!" more on this story



Exhibition Planned For 30th Anniversary of Pink Floyd's The Wall
(hennemusic) A new exhibition celebrating the 30th anniversary of Pink Floyd's movie, "The Wall," is set to open in London next week.

Pink Floyd: The Wall Retrospective features photographer David Appleby's most iconic 'on set' images which have never been seen before.

Over 40 black and white images will be showcased, traditionally hand printed by dish on silver gelatine from the original negatives.

Pink Floyd: the Wall Retrospective opens to the public from July 13 – 18 at Blackall Studios in Shoreditch, London. more on this story



KISS Releasing Deluxe Reissue of Destroyer
(Gibson) KISS's blockbuster Destroyer album is being re-released with plenty of new material. The deluxe edition will be released as a 2-CD set on August 21, according to BraveWords.com.

The double-disc release will include the original tracks (remixed late last year by super producer Bob Ezrin, who helmed the original album's sessions).

It will also feature outtakes, rare tracks and the original cover art. Destroyer was first released on March 15, 1976. more on this story





History of Grateful Dead Vol. 1 Remastered Vinyl Set For Release
A reissue of "History Of The Grateful Dead Vol. 1 (Bear's Choice)" is set for a July 10th release date on 180-gram virgin vinyl. Audio Fidelity sent out these details:

When the Grateful Dead left Warner Bros. to form their own label in 1973, after six years and eight albums, they delivered their first live "best-of" anthology, History Of The Grateful Dead Vol. 1 (Bear's Choice).

The album documents the band's February 13-14, 1970 stand at New York's Fillmore East as recorded by Dead sound manager (and creator of 'Owsley' LSD) Owsley "Bear" Stanley. According to Audio Fidelity President Marshall Blonstein, the new release will be issued in a numbered, limited edition and will be available at both online and brick-and-mortar retail stores. more on this story


Iggy Pop Questions The Clash's Sincerity
(Classic Rock) Iggy Pop has called into question the sincerity of the Clash and punk bands like them – saying he never believed they were genuine.

The Stooges icon has been credited with being one of the inspirations behind the British anti-establishment movement of the mid-1970s. But he remains unconvinced over how many of those acts believed what they were saying.

"I reacted to it better than I had to the hippie thing. As it developed, I couldn't stand the 'sincere' punks. I never believed them – I still don't," Iggy tells the New York Times. "Like the Clash were going to make the world politically correct for everybody's benefit, but only if you kept buying Clash records. I never really went for the righteousness; I want more for the profligate, sneering groups." more on this story



Ozzy Tried To Recruit Vinny Appice
(Classic Rock) Vinny Appice has confirmed rumours he was offered a job in Ozzy Osbourne's band before he accepted an invitation to join Black Sabbath.

But he decided not to pursue Sharon Osbourne's phone call because his brother Carmine advised him Ozzy was "still nuts".

And the sticksman reveals he agrees with some of the reasons Vivian Campbell had for falling out with Ronnie James Dio. Read what he had to say about both.



Eric Johnson Kicks Off Tour Tonight
Noble reminds us that Eric Johnson will kick off his first ever solo UK tour tonight (Friday 6th July) at the Holmfirth Picturedrome.

Originally a 5-date tour, Johnson added a second London date at the Leicester Square Theatre, due to phenomenal public demand.

This tour will showcase material from his current album "Up Close", and from his rich back catalogue more on this story



Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood Receives Radio Awards
(Gibson) While the music world waits for news on The Rolling Stones' anticipated 2013 anniversary tour, guitarist Ronnie Wood has picked up a couple of prestigious U.K. radio awards for his work on his Absolute radio show.

Woods won the Feature of the Year and Specialist Program of the Year awards.

In addition, Wood's employer, Absolute, was named radio Station of the Year. more on this story





George Martin Documentary DVD To Feature Unaired Interviews
(Gibson) Check it out, Beatles fans. A new BBC documentary about illustrious Beatles producer George Martin is hitting the U.S. on DVD and Blu-ray this fall.

The documentary, named simply Produced by George Martin, features lengthy interviews with Martin, plus discussions with a handful of the big names Martin has put on tape, including the one and only Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Jeff Beck. Moreover, the fresh release packs over 50 minutes of interviews not aired when the documentary was first broadcast in the U.K. last year.

Martin started working with the Beatles in 1962, and he arranged and produced their studio albums, eventually scoring a Grammy in 1967 for Album of the Year for his work on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Martin is also one of the lucky few to have his name in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, getting inducted in 1999. more on this story





Pathology Set New Album Release
Pathology have set a September 25, 2012 release date for their new album, The Time Of Great Purification, out.

Pathology is wrapping up their time in the studio with Daniel Castleman at Lambesis Studios for their third Victory Records release.

"This is definitely our heaviest and most technical album to date," states drummer Dave Astor. more on this story



B Sides


Duff McKagan Jams With Motorhead
(hennemusic) Motorhead are currently playing the traveling Mayhem Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, along with fellow headliners Slipknot, Slayer and Anthrax.

On Tuesday, the tour rolled into Auburn, Washington, where Motorhead were joined by Duff McKagan for a performance of "Killed By Death."

"Great time w/2 of my nephews at the Mayhem Fest in Seattle 2nite," tweeted Duff after the show. "Motorhead/Slayer/Anthrax/ Slipnot?!! I was voted best Uncle of the nite." Watch video here.



Watch KISS Perform New Song
(hennemusic) KISS rocked London's HMV Forum on Wednesday, where they played an intimate show to benefit the UK Help For Heroes organization.

The guys delivered their debut live performance of their new single, "Hell or Hallelujah."

The song is the lead track from the band's 20th studio album, "Monster," due in October. Watch it here.



Watch Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy Jam Led Zeppelin Classic
(hennemusic) "Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy: Live From The Artists Den" will be released on DVD and Blu Ray this coming Tuesday, July 10.

The band was filmed at Nashville's War Memorial Auditorium for the music TV series.

Fans can now check out an advance look of the band's performance of "Gallows Pole," which appeared on "Led Zeppelin III." here.



Hear Metallica's Robert Trujillo Suicidal Tendencies Reunion Jam
(Metal Injection) Metal Injection has just posted three exclusive soundboard audio clips from last month's Orion Music and More festival, curated by Metallica.

You can hear Metallica's Robert Trujillo on stage with Suicidal Tendencies, The Black Dahlia Murder and Landmine Marathon each performing one track here:

You can hear full set performances from these three bands as well as Sepultura, Charred Walls of the Damned, Red Fang, Kyng, Thy Will Be Done and Jim Bruer's Heavy Metal Comedy, as part of SiriusXM Liquid Metal's weekend-long ORION Reloaded coverage starting today (Friday, July 6th) at noon eastern time, 9am Pacific. In addition to full sets from the bands mentioned, you will hear one Metallica live track an hour from Orion, as well interview recaps conducted at Bader Field during the festival. Check it out here.

More on Metallica - Metallica Music - Metallica Tour Dates/Tickets - Metallica CDs, vinyl and rarities
Iron Maiden Photographer Interviewed
The latest episode of the Wikimetal podcast features an interview with Iron Maiden photographer John McMurtrie.

McMurtrie is the official Iron Maiden's photographer that has spent almost 3 years onboard Ed Force One.

He has travelled to 28 different countries in order to photograph Iron Maiden during their world tours. Check out the podcast here.



Singled Out: Michael Des Barres' You're My Pain Killer
Today legendary rocker and veteran actor Michael Des Barres tells us about his new song "You're My Pain Killer" from his brand new album "Carnaby Street," which is set for release next week. Here is the story:

There's not a person alive who hasn't felt the pain of a child, lover, relative or friend that has to take anti-depressant medication...our culture needs it, it seems.. my song "You're My Pain Killer" deals with this difficult subject in a metaphoric and metaphysical way.

I know from personal experience (a family member) that the right meds taken correctly can really help save a life ...I know the frustration and powerlessness of family and friends is almost unbearable. My song aims at that issue. perhaps ingeniously I posit that love and care, unconditionally supplements this painful condition. I am simply drawing attention to this punishing plight. Of course I understand the need for medication...I am underscoring the need, also ,for non judgmental understanding of this manifestation of the ennui of today's challenges.

I think music has proved to be the great communicator and I pray that this song can be seen as a plea for love and understanding.

Today's Day In Rock News!

Another Van Halen Tour Rumor
(hennemusic) Van Halen are in talks to bring their "A Different Kind Of Truth" tour to Australia this fall.
Sydney's Triple M reports the band are speaking with two promoters to play down under.

"They're going to do Japan in November and one major promoter is talking to Van Halen about October, so it looks very good," said Triple M music reporter Nui Te Koha. more on this story


Paul Stanley Slams Original KISS Members
(Classic Rock) KISS frontman Paul Stanley has reiterated his objections to the return of original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in strong terms.

He says: "I was never really friends with them. The band was never about friendship – it was about commitment to a cause. I loved them for what we created. I certainly don't love them today. They became impossible and intolerable, on more than one occasion necessitating their removal.

"I last spoke to Ace probably three years ago. Peter I haven't spoken to in probably about a decade." more on this story



Abigail Williams Planning Break Up
Abigail Williams' upcoming North American tour will be the swansong for the band, who announced via Facebook that they plan to break up.

A post attributed to the band on the social media site reads: After much consideration we have decided to make these upcoming Abigail Williams shows our last US tour. This was a very hard decision to make but feels absolutely necessary at this point. I've had the best times of my life with this band and learned so much about what I want to do with music as well as what I don't like about the industry etc and we honestly feel like it's best to put the band to rest after making what we feel to be our very best album. I'm honestly just feeling satisfied with everything we have done as Abigail Williams and I feel ready to put it to rest. We want everyone to know this has nothing to do with differences inside the band as we are still very much a family and these are still the same people I want to make music with now and in the future.

We think that 2012 is the perfect year for new beginnings and we definitely plan to put music out later this year in the form of a new band(s). It would be easy to give people the names to our new projects here but rather than capitalize off this announcement we would rather word get out naturally starting with our friends when the time is right. We want to thank our friends and fans who have supported us through the good and bad times over the years, we know its been a very bumpy road at times. We are still very dedicated to making music and this change will actually allow us to do more of what we want to do and be more productive. We hope to see everyone on the road for this tour that we booked DIY for the most part by ourselves. The dates are below even though some of them are still waiting to be confirmed. Also we want to emphasize that this is our last US tour and that we are open to touring overseas if the right tour comes up. more on this story



Jimi Hendrix Biopic Won't Include Hendrix
(Classic Rock) The Jimi Hendrix biopic starring Outkast man Andre 3000 will feature music by the Beatles, the Animals, Muddy Waters and Elmore James – but none by the guitar icon himself.

Because Hendrix's estate has refused permission to include any of his material, the soundtrack will focus on tracks he covered during his lifetime.

Shooting on All Is By My Side is set to finish in Ireland this week, with the movie released early next year. More rock news



Black Sabbath Drama A PR Stunt?
(Classic Rock) Former Black Sabbath singer Tony Martin says he doesn't understand how the band's relationship with drummer Bill Ward collapsed and he wonders if it's a publicity stunt.

Martin tells Metal Shock FInland: "I don't get it. I really don't. I've heard all the stories, and not once did anyone ever speak badly of Bill. They've never had a bad thing to say about him. They've always rated him. He's had his little moments like we all have, but basically they love him.

"I don't understand why they didn't give him time to get his thing together. He may have been out of the band for a long time, but set up some rehearsal or something – go and help him out." But a publicity stunt?



Scott Reeder Felt Stabbed In The Back With Kyuss Dispute
(Classic Rock) Kyuss bassist Scott Reeder felt forced to take Josh Homme's side in the band's current legal battle after concluding John Garcia and Brant Bjork had stabbed him in the back.

The two parties are embroiled in court action after Homme and Reeder blocked the founding members' attempts to trademark the band's name. Now an email written by Reeder and released to the court contains an explanation as to why the bassist supported Homme's action, aiming to block a trademark application.

Reeder wrote to Garcia and Bjork: "I'm at a loss for how we can resolve anything in good faith when on one day John is telling Josh that we need to proceed to a mediation meeting, and the next day Brant is recommending that I flip-flop on Josh and join the band." Read the rest here.



Lamb of God Singer Posts Bail But Still In Jail
(Classic Rock) Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe has posted the required $200,000 bail to leave prison in Prague following his arrest on suspicion of manslaughter.

But under Czech law the prosecutor has three days to decide whether he can be released, then the court has a further three days to respond – meaning he's unlikely to be released until at least Monday. The delay could be lengthened because Thursday and Friday this week are public holidays in the Czech Republic.

If either party refuse to support his release, he could remain in jail and have the bail money returned. Blythe has not been officially charged with any crime. More rock news



Fear Factory and Voivod's Shockwave Festival Canceled
The Shockwave Festival which was set to feature Fear Factory, Voivod, Cattle Decapitation, Misery Index, Revocation, Havok (rotating slot w/ Dirge Within), Last Chance To Reason, Vildhjarta, The Browning and Forged In Flame has been canceled.

Organizers explain: "It is with great disappointment that we have to make this announcement. With the recent departure of Voivod from the Shockwave Festival lineup. As well as low advance ticket sales we have decided to pull the plug on the Shockwave Festival."

Fear Factory said in a statement: "We are truly disappointed not to be part of the Shockwave tour. We send our sincerest apologies to all our North American fans planning to come out this Summer, but we will be back. Please look for Fear Factory headlining dates in August."
more on this story



Slayer Frontman No Longer Enjoys Touring Like He Used To
(Classic Rock) Slayer frontman Tom Araya can only stomach touring by counting the days until he gets home again.

The novelty of life on the road has worn off after 30 years, and now he's concerned with how much of his family life he's missed. And the message was hammered home to him when his 2010 neck injury forced him to remain at home for longer than he'd done for years.

As a result, he says with a laugh, fans might be surprised to discover he doesn't enjoy touring as much as he used to. Araya tells Noisecreep: "I hate to disappoint you, but I've been doing this for 30 years. It's a long time. I hate leaving home. I've missed so much of my family life, my kids growing up." more on this story



Linkin Park Tops The Charts Again
Linkin Park sent out word yesterday that their new studio album, Living Things debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart.

This marks the fourth consecutive Linkin Park album to debut at no. 1 on the American Billboard chart.

The album also debuted #1 in the UK, Germany and the Japanese International Chart.




Muse Release Olympics Theme Song Video
Muse have released a new music video for their new song "Survival" which has been adopted as the official song of the 2012 Olympic Games that will take place in London this summer.

"Survival" will be played throughout the sporting sessions in all London 2012 venues during the entire Games, when athletes enter the stadium, the lead up to the medal ceremonies and it will be made available for international broadcasters of the Olympic Ceremonies to use in their broadcasts.

"It's a huge honor to have the track chosen as such a major part of the London 2012 Olympic Games," said Muse's Matt Bellamy. " I wrote it with the Games in mind as it expresses a sense of conviction and determination to win." Watch the video here.



Barry Gibb To Carry On Making Music
Bee Gees singer Barry Gibb assured fans via his Twitter account that he plans to carry on with music following the death of his brothers and Bee Gees bandmates.

He writes, "I will live on the music and no matter what stage I'm standing on, my three brothers will be standing there with me.

"Our whole family appreciates your support at such a difficult time. I will miss all my brothers deeply. I'd like to personally thank all those kind people who grew up with us and enjoyed our music wherever you are in the world." Barry's Twitter page.



Scorpions Still Pondering Retirement?
(Classic Rock) Scorpions guitarist Matthias Jabs recently said the band had abandoned plans to entirely wind down, but now he's reverted to his previous position.

The German outfit originally aimed to split up following a final world tour, but Jabs said they'd changed their minds and would continue in some way.

The guitarist now says: "You think you can go on for ever but realistically you cannot. At some point it will show we are not youngest any more and we want to avoid this. It will be a very sad moment – we are experienced as a band but we have no experience with stopping a career. It will be a first, and a very tough moment." More music news



Nachtmystium Releasing New Album This Month
Nachtmystium have set a July 31st North American release date for their new album, Silencing Machine.

The album was recorded at Engine Studios with the band's own synths/electronics specialist Sanford Parker (YOB, PELICAN) handling producer duties.

Nachtmystium will be playing a few shows in Colorado, Illinois, and Kansas around Silencing Machine's release. more on this story



Joe Bouchard Comes Full Circle
Classic Rock Revisited recently spoke with Joe Bouchard about his new solo album, Tales from the Island, and during the chat we learn that things have come full circle for the former Blue Oyster Cult bassist.

CRR: Your first tour, with the Byrds, was a learning experience and then you went out and opened with Alice Cooper and it changed everything. Now, you're in a band with Dennis Dunaway, who was the original bass player in the Alice Cooper Group when you were opening for them.

Joe: I talk to Dennis a lot about those days. Alice Cooper had such a wild reputation but Dennis has told me that they just worked their butts off to get their show to be the tightest it could be. We first met them when they were touring Killers. I didn't expect that it was going to be that good, but it was really amazing. It was totally different and I had never seen anything like it before. It was encouraging to us. Playing with the Byrds was a disaster because we were not the right kind of band to play with the Byrds. When we played with Alice Cooper, back in 1972, it all turned around for us.

CRR: When you worked on songs that ended up on the first album, like "Cities on Flame" and "Last Days of May," did you have the music and then put lyrics to them, or was it the other way around?

Joe: Donald came up with "Last Days of May" and both the music and lyrics are his. He tends to write them both at the same time. He shapes the music, and then finds the right words, and then shapes the music some more. I think that is the way he did that one.

"Cities on Flame" was totally done differently. It started out as a song called "Siren Singalong." I said to Albert, "I like that song, you should start working on it." He decided to take it in a different direction and that is where the music for "Cities on Flame" came from. Albert had some of Sandy's lyrics and I really think he just grabbed a few lines from the poem. "My heart is black and my lips are cold" was not originally the opening line, it was in the middle. That song was a real collaboration between Sandy, Albert and Donald. There is a lot more, read the full interview here.



Gene Simmons Explains Change of Heart Over Marriage
(Gibson) KISS legend Gene Simmons took 28 years to finally wed Shannon Tweed, a delay he puts down to his own selfishness.

According to U.K. newspaper The Daily Express, Simmons told TV show Daybreak: "I will speak for myself, I can't speak for all men... I've been arrogant and selfish all my life, thought I could have my cake and eat it too and didn't want to ever answer, 'Where are you going?' Where am I going? Who wants to know? Shannon has been with me for 28, almost 29 years this August and has put up with my crap...

"For her to stick around and put up with all that, and she knows everything, she knows where all the bodies are buried and all that.

"This is a question for all those guys out there, imagine you're on your deathbed... Who do you want around your deathbed for that last breath of air. If you want the woman you love and your children, then don't wait before you die. Love them and be good to them while you're alive."
more on this story





Magnum Set New Album Release
Magnum will release their eighteenth studio album, On The 13th Day, on September 19th in Scandinavia, September 21st in Germany, September 24th in Europe and September 25th in the US/Canada.

"So Let It Rain", a new track taken from the album, will be released as a single at the end of August.

On The 13th Day will be available as a limited digipak edition with a bonus CD featuring unreleased, acoustic and live tracks from the Magnum vaults, standard jewel case CD and download. more on this story



B Sides


Spineshank Go Behind The Scenes On New Album
Spineshank have released a new video documenting the making of their recently released their new album, Anger Denial Acceptance.

The video touches on the making of the record where the band references their inspirations, different themes of the album, and what really pushed them to get this record out. Watch it here.

The band is currently on a headlining run in support of Anger Denial Acceptance, and will be on the road through August. more on this story



P.O.D. Deliver Murdered Love Video
P.O.D. have a released a new music video for the track "Murdered Love" from their forthcoming new studio album.

P.O.D.'s first new album in four years, Murdered Love, is set for release on July 10th 2012

The video for "Murdered Love" was filmed with director Ramon Boutisveth (All That Remains, For Today, Trivium) in the band's hometown of San Diego, California. Watch it here.



Mayhem Festival Breaks Attendance Record At Tour Kick Off
Mayhem Festival organizers sent out this big news for the annual metal music festival: Mayhem kicked off this weekend to a record-breaking start—over 26,000 heavy metal headbangers attended the tour kick-off in San Bernardino on Saturday, July 30th alone!

That is over 4,000 more attendees than the previous record. Overall during the entire first two days, the festival brought 42,000 fans together to celebrate heavy metal

"What a sick show to kick off Mayhem 2012! I counted 13 pits during Indians!!! SoCal always brings it," states Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian. "If this is any indication of how this tour is going to be, it's going to be a great summer!" more on this story



Duff McKagan Throws First Pitch At Mariners Game
(hennemusic) The Seattle Mariners sent Duff McKagan to the pitcher's mound at a recent home game.

Prior to the June 28 match against the Boston Red Sox, Duff took his spot on the mound to throw the ceremonial first pitch.

"It was totally nerve-wracking to throw out the first pitch," Duff told MLB.com. "I got about 150,000 texts saying don't throw it in the dirt — so I threw it really high, but not too high." Watch it here.



Ragnarok Deliver Collectors of the King Video
Ragnarok have released a new music video for the title track from their lastest album, Collectors of the King.

The video is produced by William Brovold, directed by Stefan E Pedersen and the cinematography is by Lasse Roed.

Drummer and RAGNAROK founder Jontho had this to say about the video: "It's the first official video we've done for the band, and for a band that's been around as long as we have, you could say it's been a long time in coming. It's a very dark piece in every sense of the word and perfectly conveys the atmosphere and subject matter of the track itself. We're very pleased with the result, and now we've got a taste for it, it certainly won't be the last video we make, and you can rest assured that the new album will provide plenty of material for the next one." Watch it here.



Antagonist A.D. Release New Video
Antagonist A.D. have a released a new music video for their single "I'm Just Not There" which comes from their upcoming album Nothing From No One.

The New Zealand-based group is set to release the record July 20th in their home country and Australia, while releasing it worldwide July 24th.

The band will go on tour in Australia in August with support from Lionheart and Shinto Katana.

8/10 Adelaide – Fowlers Live
8/11 Melbourne – Bang
8/12 Melbourne – Phoneix Youth Centre
8/14 Bendigo – Musicman Megastore
8/15 Canberra – Tuggeranong Youth Centre
8/16 Sydney – Hot Damn
8/17 Blacktown – Masonic Hall
8/18 Brisbane – X&Y Bar
8/19 Brisbane – Eagleby Community Hall

Watch the video here.



Rolling Stones Lick By Lick
LickLibrary have released their Learn To Play Rolling Stones Volume Two which features over three hours of note for note guitar lessons. They sent over these details:

This outstanding double DVD set brings to you five great Rolling Stones tracks and will help you learn some legendary Keith Richards riffs that have inspired generations of guitarists.

Learn To Play Rolling Stones Vol 2 (RRP £23.99) includes five classic songs from across the stones fifty-year career. There is the mid tempo rocker Gimme Shelter, bluesy Tumbling Dice and from the Beggars Banquet album Street Fighting Man and chart topping Sympathy For The Devil featuring one of many killer Keith Richards solos. Finally there's the track Start Me Up that opens with Keith Richards' trademark riff. There's something for everyone in the DVD, which will help you with learning different tunings, mastering your rhythm guitar playing and getting into playing a cool groove.

Today's Day In Rock News!

Doctor Orders Aerosmith To Cancel Concert
Aerosmith's recently launched Global Warming tour has hit a big speed bump. The band has been forced to cancel tonight's show for medical reasons.
The band was set to play Bristow, Va. tonight (July 3rd) but have postponed the date until August 12th.

The band advised fans via Facebook that frontman "Steven Tyler is under doctor's orders to refrain from performing to provide vocal rest. The concert will now take place on August 12th." more on this story


Video Raises Questions for Manslaughter Case Against Lamb of God Singer
New fan filmed video casts some doubt on the manslaughter case against Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe as it shows the singer had no part in the alleged victim hitting his head, which was believed to lead to his death two weeks after being injured at the band's concert in Prague in 2010.

The victim, named as Daniel N. in the press reports about the case, reportedly tried to jump on the stage three times and fan filmed video surfaced previously in a local news report which from the angle it was filmed, appears to show the singer and a security guard tossing the fans from the stage, and it's alleged that was when he hit his head, though the video does not show Daniel's landing or hitting his head.

However, the new fan filmed footage, while grainy, shows that during what is being assumed as Daniel's first attempt to jump on the stage, it appears he is pulled off the stage by someone in the audience and hits his head. The band's singer does not appear to be involved in anyway. Some reports speculate that it was a security guard that pulled him off the stage. You can read more and see the video more on this story



Linkin Park Beat Justin Bieber
(hennemusic) Linkin Park have scored their third UK no. 1 as their new album, "Living Things," debuts atop the British album charts.

The Official Charts Company reports the band's sixth UK top 10 bumped Justin Bieber's "Believe" out of the #1 position.

"Living Things" sold 41,000 copies, just 3,000 more than the new Maroon 5 disc, "Overexposed," which landed at number 2. more on this story



Metallica Weren't Into Mission To Lars Movie
(Classic Rock) The film-maker behind documentary movie Mission to Lars says most members of Metallica weren't interested in the project but she's still a fan of the band.

The film tells the story of severe learning disability sufferer, Tom Spicer, who wants to meet thrash drummer Lars Ulrich. It charts the efforts of his brother Will and sister Kate as they try to make the meeting happen, and learn much more about their sibling and his Fragile X syndrome as they go.

And while drummer Ulrich has voiced his support for the work, Kate Spicer says the rest of the band didn't want to know. "There's no two ways about it. James Hetfield and the other guys were not into our project, no way," She tells Geeks of Doom. "It's funny – nobody's really asked me about that. They were quite… they weren't into it at all. You could tell it was Lars' thing. But I feel that's kind of their thing – they've just got their own things going on." more on this story



Duran Duran To Preview New Album Ahead of Release
Duran Duran will offering up fans an advance listen to their new live album, A Diamond In The Mind: Duran Duran Live In Concert 2011.

The album is set to be streamed on Spotify for 24 hours on July 9, one day prior to its July 10 North American release.

Eagle Rock offers this description of the album: Recorded live at Manchester, England's MEN Arena in December of 2011, the career-spanning show, which also includes numerous tracks off the band's recently released All You Need Is Now CD, is a stunning reminder why original members Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Roger Taylor and Nick Rhodes continue to be a vibrant artistic force in pop music today. In fact, the band will be representing England when they headline the upcoming BT London Live Opening Ceremony Celebration Concert in Hyde Park, London for the 2012 Summer Olympics. more on this story



Smashing Pumpkins Archives Opened For Pisces Iscariot Reissue
The Smashing Pumpkins third album Pisces Iscariot has been fully remastered and will be reissued on July 17 in North America and July 16 internationally.

The reissue is the latest installment in EMI's reissue campaign for the band and is being released in multiple configurations: Deluxe Physical Album--which comes with a live DVD and the first-ever Pumpkins demo reproduced on cassette--Deluxe Digital, Standard Physical, Digital and 180G Vinyl. The bonus content and special features were curated from the band's archives by Corgan, and have been remastered for the first time from the original master tapes by Bob Ludwig.

"A collection of odds and orphans from the dusky realms of Pumpkinland" is how Pumpkins founding member Billy Corgan describes Pisces Iscariot in the liner notes penned by David Wild. "Pisces Iscariot was the little mix tape that went platinum," writes Wild. "This unlikely smash album that some came to mistake for the Pumpkins' third studio effort even yielded a hit single--another wonderfully odd moment in the landslide that was the intense early success story of Smashing Pumpkins." more on this story



George Martin Movie Set For Release
Eagle Rock have set a September 11th release date for the DVD, Blu-ray and Digital Video version of the film, Produced By George Martin.

Here is the synopsis: The documentary is a feature-length profile of Britain's most celebrated record producer. In this very personal film, Sir George talks about his childhood, his war experience and his early days as a music student.

Originally broadcast to great acclaim in 2011 as part of the BBC's "Arena" series, this version contains over 50 minutes of additional interviews not included in the TV broadcast version. These extras include contributions from Rick Rubin, T-Bone Burnett, Howard Goodall, Jimmy Webb and Ken Scott. more on this story



Mutt Lange Approves of Def Leppard Rerecording Classic Hits
(Classic Rock) Def Leppard's rerecorded versions of classic tracks have received producer Mutt Lange's seal of approval.

The band recorded new versions of Pour Some Sugar on Me and Rock of Ages after failing to make a deal with their former record label over releasing the originals digitally. They plan to continue the process with more of their 80s hits.

Lange produced the classic recordings but didn't contribute to the new versions. However, singer Joe Elliott reports the deskman gave them "a total thumbs-up." He explains: "Phil Collen sees Mutt a lot, and he played him the re-records. Mutt couldn't believe how brilliant they were. He was like, 'Wow, guys, incredible job!' Phil was raving about how much Mutt was raving about them." More rock news.



Queensryche To Debut New Singer
(Classic Rock) Queensryche will make their first appearance with new singer Todd La Torre at the end of the month.

They'll headline the last day of the Halfway Jam in Minnesota, which also features Lynch Mob, Stryper, Bang Tango, Blackfoot and Enuff Z'nuff.

The prog metal band confirmed they'd sacked Geoff Tate on June 20. More rock news here.



Slipknot's Clown Will Retire When Band Ends
(Classic Rock) Sean 'Clown' Crahan of Slipknot says he'll end his career when the band splits.

"Since the beginning, every show we're told ourselves that this could be the last," he reports.

"My kids know that if I die on stage, that's where I should have gone. I don't want to, though – I want to live for a very long time. I'd like to retire and leave on a good note. Whenever Slipknot calls it a day I ain't coming back." more on this story



Emerson, Lake & Palmer's First Two Album Expanded For Reissues
Emerson, Lake & Palmer's first two albums, Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970) and Tarkus (1971) will be reissued by Razor & Tie on September 11th.

Both reissues will be available as 3-disc deluxe editions containing never before released 5.1 Surround Sound and Stereo Mixes, including previously unheard out-takes.

Three time Grammy-nominated producer and engineer Steven Wilson (who has also recently remixed classic albums by Jethro Tull and King Crimson for acclaimed 40th anniversary editions) worked from the original Greg Lake produced multi-track tapes to remix both albums. more on this story



Korn Set Live Video and Album Release
Korn have set a September 4th release date for The Path Of Totality Tour: Live At The Hollywood Palladium.

The BluRay/CD and DVD/CD combos showcase the band's concert that took place on the night the Path of Totality album was released.

The show featured special guests Skrillex, 12th Planet, Flinch, Kill The Noise, Datsik, and more. more on this story

More on Korn - Korn Music - Korn Tour Dates/Tickets - Korn CDs, vinyl and rarities
Former Anthrax Singer Teams With Rudy Sarzo
(Gibson) Rudy Sarzo has a new band called Tred with former Anthrax singer Dan Nelson.

In addition to Dan Nelson, Tred features Adrenaline Mob guitarist Mike Orlando and Twister Sister drummer AJ Pero, and Sarzo describes the music as "tribal funk metal. It's very different from anything I've ever done before."

Tred is wrapping up sessions for their debut album, with further details to be announced once Orlando has wrapped up his current round of Adrenaline Mob touring. more on this story





Tinnitus Cuts Prog Band's Live Career Short
(Classic Rock) A prog rock band will end their live career this weekend as a result of their frontman's battle with tinnitus. Tinyfish will play their last live show at the Celebr8 festival in Kingston-Upon-Thames, England, under headliners It bites and IQ.

Vocalist, guitarist and studio drummer Simon Godfrey contracted hearing problems as the result of an assault in 2001, during which he was struck on the head with a bottle.

The condition, often described as "ringing in the ears" is shared by Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich and Who guitarist Pete Townshend, among others. Its side-effects include severe emotional problems – last year amateur guitarist Robert McIndoe committed suicide after contracting tinnitus at a Them Crooked Vultures concert. more on this story



Alice Cooper Band Members Forms Beasto Blanco
Alice Cooper band's Chuck Garric has teamed up with Chris Latham and producer, Tommy Henriksen to form the new band Beasto Blanco.

"With Beasto Blanco, we have set out to create a live, raw power, rock & roll band that will allow us to indulge our influences and imagery that has shaped our collective musical background. Beasto Blanco taps into a truly unique rock sound, but still stays true to our roots," said Garric.

The band's first single "Breakdown" which just hit iTunes, is already being heavily played in Alaska and Reno, NV. "We're psyched at the positive feedback we've received from our fans!" said Chris Latham. "We can't wait for the rest of the world to hear our first single! And not to mention the video is KILLER!!" more on this story



Primitive Weapons, Mares of Thrace and Pilgrim Tour
Primitive Weapons will be hitting the road later this month for a set of East Coast dates with Mares of Thrace and Pilgrim.

The tour will kicking off on July 27th at The Acheron in Brooklyn, NY and will continue until the band hits Chicago on August 10th.

Primitive Weapons will be hitting the road in support of their debut full-length, "The Shadow Gallery." more on this story

More on Primitive Weapons - Primitive Weapons Music - Primitive Weapons Tour Dates/Tickets - Primitive Weapons CDs, vinyl and rarities
Usx's Nate Hall Touring With Yob's Mike Scheidt
Usx frontman Nate Hall will be hitting the road later this month for a North American tour with Yob's Mike Scheidt.

The tour will kick off on July 14 in Asheville, North Carolina and run through July 23 in Washington, DC.

Hall will be touring in support of his solo debut A Great River, released via Neurot Recordings May 8. more on this story



3 Pill Morning Set For Sevendust Tour and Album Release
3 Pill Morning will be hitting the road with Sevendust next week ahead of the release of their new album.

3 Pill Morning will ne releasing their new album, Black Tie Love Affair, on July 17th via A2Z/Page 2 Music/eOne.

Frontman Jeff Stebbins, had this to say about the effort, "From our perspective, Black Tie Love Affair is the album that will put 3 Pill Morning on the map to stay. We've been a band for a long time and our expectations for this release are light years beyond what we've pushed for before. Our plans are simple, tour, tour, tour, and always be writing and pushing to beat anything we've done before."
more on this story



Outshine Lose Their Voice
Swedish metal band Outshine has parted ways with their vocalist Erlend Jegstad and issued the following statement:

"For quite some time there has been internal issues regarding the ambition, time, economy and overall direction of what Outshine should aim for in the future. This has now come to a point where we can't collaborate any more."

"Outshine: - We've been playing together for 7 years and have had some really great moments. The albums and tours has been amazing to do but now this all has come to an end. In order for Outshine to rather go forward than backwards this break-up is needed. We wish E.J. the best and hope everything goes well for him." more on this story



B Sides


Preview New KISS
(hennemusic) KISS release their new single, "Hell Or Hallelujah," today Tuesday, July 3 in North America.

The track will appear on the band's 20th studio album, "Monster," due in October.

A :30 preview of "Hell or Hallelujah" appeared on Amazon UK; it's since been removed from the site, but fans are sharing the clip online. Listen here.



Van Halen's Full Hometown Show Streaming Online
(hennemusic) Van Halen wrapped up the first leg of their "A Different Kind Of Truth" tour this past week in New Orleans and video of the band's complete hometown show has been posted online.

The band is taking the summer off before heading to Japan for a series of November shows.

A few weeks ago, Van Halen played two homecoming shows in Los Angeles at the Staples Center - a week apart. The June 1st show was followed by a return date on June 9th. Video of the full June 1 concert has surfaced. Watch it here.



Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo 4th of July
Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo will be having a very busy 4th of July with satellite radio specials and a television appearance.

Red, White & Benatar 4th of July, a 3-hour salute will kick-off this Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. (ET), and broadcast throughout the day on Sirius XM (Ch. 8). There'll be encore presentations on Thursday, July 5th at 2:00 a.m. & Saturday, July 7th at 7:00 a.m. (ET).

The duo will host the special show along with playing some of their favorite songs, greatest hits and sharing the inspiration behind them. more on this story



Asking Alexandria's Short Film Streaming Online
Sumerian Records have posted Asking Alexandria's new short film, Through Sin and Self-Destruction, on their YouTube page .

The label says: This is a controversial, uncensored look into the real lives of a new era of rockstars for today's generation as they take over the Sunset Strip. This is the first, but not last collaboration between writer Ash Avildsen and director Frankie Nasso, who together take you on an ambitious visual endeavor that hasn't been strived for in rock since the legendary Guns N' Roses trilogy.

The film is comprised of three music videos for the songs "Reckless & Relentless," "To The Stage" and "Dear Insanity." Guest appearances are made by Belladonna, Andy San Dimas, Sebastian Bach and more. Watch it here.



Green Day Preview Part III of Album Trilogy
(hennemusic) Green Day have unveiled the preview trailer for third and final installment of their forthcoming album trilogy.

The band has been in the studio recording not one, but three albums – a trilogy entitled ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tré!.

The projects will be released in stages, on September 25th 2012, November 13th 2012 and January 15th 2013 respectively. Watch the preview here.



Singled Out: Wolves at the Gate
Today Wolves at the Gate guitarist and singer Stephen Cobucci tells us about the song "Slaves" from their brand new album "Captors," which was released today. Here is the story:

'Slaves' was probably one of the songs that was the most fun to write as well as the most challenging. As a band we had never tackled anything like this song on many different angles. I originally wrote the song on the acoustic thinking that it would never become a song that Wolves would play. All I had written was the intro and the chorus that I recorded as a voice memo on my iPod. For about a week I would jam it on my acoustic, mulled it over, and thought about whether or not I would show this to the guys. I eventually worked up the courage and sent Jeremy the voice memo I had recorded and told him that I wanted to turn this into a Wolves song. At first listen he said that it was "very different" from anything that I had been sending out. But I got an excited text from him two or three days later encouraging me to pursue this song. With the song writing on this new record, I really wanted to push myself to expand the creativity of our music even further. I wanted to push the envelope of what is expected by our listeners and the expectations we have for ourselves.

Lyrically I had planned out the story line of the song long before I wrote the music and I literally woke up in the middle of the night and wrote the lyrics to the first half of the song. Up until this point I hadn't written a song for Wolves that followed a story line because all of our songs have been reflections on life experiences and things that the Lord has taught me/changed in my life. I wanted the song to paint a picture of the story with the hope that the listener could envision the story line as they listened. I truly believe that this song is something that applies to everyone and hopefully our listeners will take the time to dig into the lyrics of this song. Before the lyrics and music were completed I got together with the guys and explained the concept of the song. Right then and there we decided to story-board the idea. So our bassist, Ben Summers, pulled out a sheet of paper and we drew out the whole story line like you would for a book or novel and then discussed how the music should correlate with the actual story. One of the goals in writing the song was that I really wanted it to be a mirror image of itself structurally. We wanted the song to grow to a climax, just like you would in a novel, and then fade to a resolution in the story. As well as musically, the lyrics of the song mirror each other but with slight differences in the characters point of view.

The story behind 'Slaves' is something that is in essence a story about myself as well as, in all actuality, all of humanity. It encompasses the different places people's hearts tend to be at times. The story starts at dusk when this slave decides to escape and run from the master. He runs all through the night out of fear of getting caught and being punished by a master that he perceives to be tyrannical. He finally escapes to what he believes to be freedom and quickly realizes that this life of fulfilling his every desire and want is leaving him empty and broken. It climaxes to the middle of the song where the slave is screaming out in anger, frustration, and desperation. He now fears that this decision to run has brought him to his demise. The slave then comes to the realization of his mistake and all runs back to the master with more fervency then his initial flight from the master. All throughout the song he speaks of these chains that are wrapped around his body that he seeks to rid himself of. It isn't until the end of the song that it is revealed to him the reality of his bondage and the personality of the master. My goal was to mainly focus on the slave so that people could identify more with the character with the hopes that they would in turn see the goodness of what Christ has done for them by providing the freedom of salvation in Him alone.

The idea of being a slave, in any culture, denotes such a negative connotation. In America we think about the scars that this country has due to the awful treatment of slaves during the early years of America's inception. The general perception of slavery and being a slave is one with no endearment whatsoever. For a long time, I myself lived under the perception that being a slave to anything was undesirable. It hit me like a ton of bricks a while back when I was reading in Romans 6 about being a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. I had read that scripture before, I had heard it before, but God really opened up my eyes to it in a much more real way. It was verse 16 & 22 that really gripped my heart and shook me. v.16 "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" v.22 " But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life." A couple days later I then was listening to a sermon by a man named John MacArthur about this very same passage and topic. I could really tell that the Lord was seeking to awaken my heart to this truth, thus it propelled me to want to write this song. The reason why so many times people hate the idea of slavery is due in part to a fear of a wicked master. A wicked master only has his own best interest in mind, is abusive, and seeks only to gain, steal, and exploit the slave. When we allow ourselves to be slavs to sin, we are allowing satan to take mastery over our lives and hearts whose goal is to kill, steal, and destroy. The realization I came to about this idea is this, I do not fear being a slave to Christ for I know that my master is good. He has always provided for my every physical need, has shown an abundance of grace in my life by forgiving me of my sins while I lived in defiance of Him, and persistently loving me despite how unfaithful I can be.

After we finished story-boarding the content of the song the next difficulty began in so far as writing the music. It was very exciting to get the outline of the story solidified but then the real challenge came with creating music that would sonically match the place the character was in as the story progressed. I battled with this song for about three weeks to a month trying to get it to the point where I felt every part of the story was communicated well with the music. If it weren't for the voice memo application on my iPod, I don't think this song would have ever come to fruition. Ask anyone in my band, but I am notorious for mumbling little ideas into my iPod so that I don't forget them. Sometimes they are melodies, sometimes drum ideas, guitar stuff, lyrics, anything that comes to mind. A lot of the time it comes to me while I am working. Ben Summers and I do construction when we're off the road and many times I find myself in the awkward situation where I get an idea and I run quick to get my iPod to capture it. Of course I never have an instrument so I literally just make the sounds with my mouth or playing the rhythm with my hands. It's a really technical and extremely professional way of writing music as I'm sure this is how Coldplay and U2 write their records as well. The main melody of the song, that is sung at the very beginning and also heard throughout the song, I heard in my head and recorded it immediately into my voice memo. I remember showing the melody to Ben Summers and he said it sounded like Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which to me was completely a compliment, although I wasn't completely sure what he meant by that. It has a really interesting dark tinge to it while at the same time being quite melodic.

We were really excited for this song because it possesses the ability to be a showcase for everyone in the band to shine which was really cool to be able to do. It was a lot of fun recording this song as well because we were seeking to capture a much different feel in this song that in some of the others on the record. The intro of the song we tracked with one of the drum room mics just sitting in the tracking room. Our producer, Andreas Magnussen, just had me sit down and play it with my acoustic a couple times and tried to keep it really raw sounding. The acoustic guitar I used was really awesome because it was actually a gift from a fan of ours I have become friends with named Anthony Bauchner. We met him at a show in Chicago and he drove up to see us play in Dayton for a show and brought this really old Gibson acoustic guitar that was made sometime in the early 1950s. It's a beautiful guitar that has a lot of character in its sound and look. So it was really awesome to be able to use that guitar on the record. For those who have heard the song already, you will notice in the beginning that there is a guest vocalist who sings back and forth with me. We were fortunate enough to have Shane Blay (guitarist and singer for Oh Sleeper) come in and sing on that song for us. He did an excellent job on the song and were very grateful he was willing to do that for us. We've always been big fans of their music so naturally we were honored. At the midpoint of the song it reaches the climax of the story so musically we wanted there to be a real feel of tension. We knew we wanted it to sound chaotic, an organized chaos, that felt natural, raw, and live. So our producer told me to grab my guitar, head into the tracking room, crank up the amp, and go nuts. And that I did. It was probably one of the more fun experiences in the studio as we were trying to capture...noise.

When writing music, it at times can be really difficult to keep things simple while writing heavy music. Our goal with 'Slaves', more than with the other songs, was to maintain simplicity in the song writing while not compromising the integrity of writing a heavier song. When we used to write songs a while back, the mentality was always about how much we could cram into one song. But as we have progressed in our understanding of what makes a good song in it's entirety, we've realized that less is more. It's a common cliche that you hear all the time, but it really has made a difference in how we write songs. We also saw through touring that while it's one thing to record a song and capture a lot of cool elements, it needs to sound just as good if not better played live. All of these things factored into the writing of this song and we are really proud of the product that we walked out of the studio with. We're looking forward to seeing how our fans respond to this different look at a Wolves At The Gate song.