Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Guns N' Roses Preview 3D Movie
(Classic Rock) Guns N' Roses will release a 3D concert movie shot during their Las Vegas residency in cinemas, TV and on disc later this year and a preview has gone online.
The 33-track Appetite For Democracy show was recorded at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on November 21, and Paradise City was the final song of the night.

Full details haven't been confirmed but the producers say: "The final DVD and cinema version will be mixed in stereo and 5.1 surround. Musically, this is a very tight live performance. For now, enjoy this rare captured treasure from a true legend and great band."

View an unmixed clip featuring their performance of Paradise City here.



Accuser 'Resolves' Rape Accusation Against Singer
The woman who posted an online accusation of rape against Gaza's Jon Parkin has now issued a following statement saying that she has agreed on a "resolution" with the singer.

She wrote on her blog, "In respect to the incident aforementioned on my blog; both parties have mutually agreed on a resolution for this matter. I have agreed to delete all mentions and posts about this incident from my blog, and I will refrain from posting about this incident again.

"Neither of us are retracting our respective statements— instead we are deciding to not discuss it further and move on. This agreement means I will be unable to answer questions about this. I want to apologize to Gaza as a whole, my intention never was to damper the reputation or musical careers of the members, and I apologize to them. I apologize for involving the band in accusations and handling it poorly in a way that influences the members of Gaza and other well intentioned people involved with their career and music. Both of us would like people not to disparage either party and move on.

"This is the last thing I will post about the incident."

Read our original story to see Parkin and the band's reaction to the original accusation here.



Motorhead, Anthrax and Primal Fear Tribute Metallica's Kill 'Em All
Metal Hammer Germany is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Metallica's debut album, Kill 'Em All, with a star-studded tribute album.

Motorhead, Cannibal Corpse, Anthrax and Primal Fear all cover tracks from the original album on the tribute release. A release date was

The album will also feature two new exclusive covers, '(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth' by Eisregen & The Vision Bleak and 'Jump In The Fire' covered by Dust Bolt. more on this story



Howard Leese and Richie Sambora Guest on New Heaven & Earth Album
Heaven & Earth have set an April 23rd release date for their third studio album, which is entitled Dig.

The album was produced by Dave Jenkins and features guest appearances from Howard Leese (Heart, Paul Rodgers), Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi) and David Paich (Toto).

Heaven & Earth is leg by Ritchie Blackmore protégé Stuart Smith and the current lineup features singer Joe Retta, bassist Chuck Wright, drummer Richie Onori and keyboardist Arlan Schierbaum.

Smith had this to say about the album, "I feel that with the crafting of the songs on this album, the incredible band we've put together, especially with powerhouse vocalist Joe Retta and the unwavering support of Quarto Valley Records' President, Bruce Quarto, we really have a shot at getting Heaven & Earth the attention it deserves. This album is by far, the best thing I have ever done in my life!" more on this story



Def Leppard To Write New Music While In Las Vegas
(Classic Rock) Def Leppard are aiming to write new material while the band spends nearly a month together during their Las Vegas residency – but that doesn't mean fans can expect a new album.

Frontman Joe Elliott hopes to hire an extra hotel room and set it up as a recording studio in between concerts.

"I don't know if we'll do an album," Elliott says. "Maybe the way to go is put one or two tracks out at a time and see how it goes – almost like a seven-inch single." See what he has to say about the Vegas show.



Dave Grohl Explains How He Paul McCartney Collaboration Happened
(Radio.com) Dave Grohl's latest project is his new documentary Sound City, which tells the story of the storied L.A. recording studio of the same name. The project has brought him together with a long list of rock stars, both for interviews in the film and music-making for its soundtrack. And one of them happens to be a Beatle.

One of the most widely-discussed live performances of 2012 was something dubbed "Sir-vana" – the surviving members of Nirvana (Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear) + Sir Paul McCartney. At the 12-12-12 Concert, the group performed a new song titled "Cut Me Some Slack," which makes "Helter Skelter" sound about as hard as "Love Me Do." The song is the first single from the Sound City soundtrack, Reel To Reel.

Speaking with KROQ's morning show Kevin & Bean, Grohl explained how "Cut Me Some Slack" came together. As Grohl notes, he's jammed with Paul "a bunch of times" (the 2012 and 2009 GRAMMYs, among other times over the years), so when he called up Paul to jam about eight months ago while working on Sound City, Macca came right down.

"As we were filming all of these performances, I was just like, 'Hey dude, why don't you come down and jam?'," Grohl said. "He's like, 'OK.' He comes down and he brings the bass that he's played for 40 years and the Les Paul that there's only four of in the world. And then he brings his guitar made out of a cigar box – it's called a cig-fiddle. And he's like (in a British accent), 'Oh I think I'll play this, why don't you play a bit of drums?' And we just jammed, and we wrote this song in about and hour and recorded it. We walked in, we jammed it. It came out of nowhere – the best songs happen that way. We recorded it live and put a vocal over it and that was it. It was three hours and it was perfect." A lot more here.



Jason Newsted Recounts Leaving Metallica
(Classic Rock) Former Metallica man Jason Newsted has recounted the moment he chose to quit the thrash giants almost exactly 12 years after he made his decision.

The bassist joined the band in 1986 soon after the death of Cliff Burton. His departure was announced in February 2001, but he'd called a meeting the previous month at which he explained why he thought they needed a year away. When James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett refused, he knew he had to go.

Speaking on Nikki Sixx's radio show Newsted says: "One of the most important things in life – but especially when we do this kind of accelerated lifestyle – is when to say when."

"It was like, 'Keep rockin', guys – you're making the world go round for however many thousand people that get paid by what you're doing.'," he said. "When it came to it, 12 years ago tomorrow, I was addicted to painkillers, my neck was jacked, James was considerably drunk. They were having their first divorces, first children. Big stuff going on in their lives.

"I called the meeting. I said, 'Dudes, look at us. My suggestion is: one year off, everybody recalibrate, get back to this and let's go crush it again.' That's what I said. Those words."

Newsted says he "blew himself out" when it took his bandmates less than 25 minutes to reject the idea. "Management comes in, 'MTV, next thing, make us money,' and I'm a puddle on the floor. I'm like, 'There's my answer.'" more on this story



Korn Make Sick Fan's Wish Come True
(Banana 101.5) Korn are one of the more fan-friendly acts going and the group was more than happy to hang out and meet one of their fans after receiving a request from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Korn supporter Tyler Sims suffers from Lupus, an auto-immune disease that leads to excruciating arthritic pain and other physical ailments. The youth says he always wanted to meet the group and was thrilled to finally do so.

Last October, Sims and his family traveled to Phoenix where the band was scheduled to perform and he was finally able to meet his hard-rocking heroes. He says in a new video package showcasing his day that he was picked up in a limo and taken to the venue where he got to watch from the side of the stage as the band went through their soundcheck.

After a break in the action, each of the band members met up with Sims and signed some merchandise, while singer Jonathan Davis sat down with the young man and they shared stories about their lives. The longtime Korn fan says, "He really connected with me kind of deep. It felt good that they actually cared." Read more and watch video here.




Stereophonics Release New Video and Take On Beatles Tribute Challenge
(Classic Rock) Stereophonics have released a video for their track Indian Summer from their upcoming album Graffiti On The Train, which is due on March 4, tying in with a ten-date UK tour the same month.

Meanwhile, the band are due to join Mick Hucknall in Abbey Road Studios next month to stage a Beatles tribute challenge.

They'll attempt to record their version of the Fab Four's debut album in a single session, 50 years to the day since John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr did it for real. The challenge takes place on February 11 and will be covered by BBC Radio 2. more details and watch the video here.




Original Exodus and Testament Singer Releasing New Album
Original Exodus and Testament singer Steve "Zetro" Souza returns with his new band Hatriot.

The group have set a February 12th North American and January 25th European release date for their debut album, Heroes Of Origin.

The ten track album was produced by Juan Urteaga at Trident Studios (Testament, Heathen, Exodus, Skinlab). more on this story




Henley Credits Eagles Success To Dumb Luck
(Classic Rock) Eagles co-founder Don Henley believes some of the band's success was down to "dumb luck" and they're aware how rare it is to have enjoyed two rounds of big-time glory.

They split in 1980 then returned 14 years later to enjoy as much acclaim as they had during the 70s. Speaking at the premiere of their documentary, History Of The Eagles Part One, Henley admits it's a rare achievement.

He tells Rolling Stone: "We fully realize how fortunate we are. We don't take credit for all that – some of it is just dumb luck. Some of it is being in the right place at the right time; coming into contact with the right people, the right managers, attorneys, crew members, producers. There are a whole lot of people involved in this other than us.

"We were fortunate enough to have one of the rarest things in American life: a second act. We broke up for 14 years and came back, and we were bigger than ever. We still pack arenas and stadiums 42 years on." more on this story




Stolen Babies Joining Coal Chamber, Sevendust, and Lacuna Coil Tour
Stolen Babies are set to join the upcoming Coal Chamber, Sevendust, and Lacuna Coil North American tour for several dates.

The band will be joining the trek on April 13th in Toronto, ON and will remain on the tour until the April 28th stop in Dallas, TX.

Prior to that tour, the band will be appearing on several North American tour dates with Turisas and Firewind from February 3rd in Atlanta, GA through February 21st in Oakland, CA. more on this story




Tarja Turunen & Harus Set New Release
Eagle Rock have set a February 12th release date for Tarja Turunen & Harus In Concert - Live At Sibelius Hall on CD, Digital Audio, and Blu-ray/CD.

We were sent these details: This is the first official release from Tarja's new project Harus. Turunen achieved worldwide recognition as the frontwoman of Nightwish, before embarking on a successful solo career.

However, Tarja's background has always been classical music. Now, showcasing the true breadth of her talent, Tarja steps away from the hard rock/heavy metal sound that made her an international star to return to her classical music roots with Harus.

Filmed in Lahti, Finland in December 2009, In Concert presents a blend of traditional Finnish music with classical and modern elements. The fusion of organ, electric guitar, percussion, and Turunen's enchanting vocals filled Sibelius Hall that evening with an emotional, spellbinding energy. With a set that included three different versions of "Ave Maria," this fresh approach to traditional music is an absolutely atmospheric experience.




Megadeth Fan Pays Big Money For Dave Mustaine Prototype Guitar
(hennemusic) A Megadeth fan has spent $11,300 in an eBay auction for an ultra-rare prototype Jackson Y2KV (J6443) guitar that was specifically created for the band's Dave Mustaine.

This natural unfinished Jackson Prototype was designed by Mustaine and presented to him on 12/23/1998, and was featured on several magazine covers including Guitar Magazine in 1999.

This was the first guitar with the final 3+3 Y2KV head, but with dot inlays, rosewood fingerboard, alternate knobs and a blade switch. The body shape was not quite finalized either, but this was the 1st approved prototype, used by Dave Mustaine as reference for the final prototype. Read more and see a photo of the guitar.




Mudhoney Documentary Coming To DVD
The documentary I'm Now: The Story of Mudhoney is set to be released on DVD on February 19th.

The film follows the band's 25-year career, from their beginnings in the Pacific Northwest through the band's most recent world tour.

The documentary was directed by Ryan Short and Adam Pease and features Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard & Jeff Ament, Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore & Kim Gordon, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Sub Pop's Jonathan Poneman, and the band themselves. Watch the trailer here.




Prong's Tommy Victor Launching Signature Guitar
Prong's Tommy Victor will be revealing his new Schecter Guitar Research signature guitar at the NAMM show.

Victor has announced a signing on Friday January 25th at 1:00 PM in room 210 and Prong will be performing Saturday January 26th at The Grove in Anaheim, CA alongside Exodus, Jeff Loomis and Chris Poland.

Victor had this to say, "I am so happy to finally have my own signature model being released! And to have it done through Schecter is an honor and a highlight in my career. We put our minds together to design an intense model that we know guitar players and collectors of all sorts are going to appreciate. I'm personally impressed with the outcome. It's amazing!"

"To help celebrate Schecter's dominance in new designs and innovation and quality all around, along with the release of the Tommy Victor signature model, PRONG will be supporting Exodus at the Schecter NAMM Party Saturday Jan 26th at the Grove in Anaheim. Also performing is my old friend Chris Poland and his band Ohm, and one of the world's top shredders Jeff Loomis. The incredible Gary Holt with the rest of us will be doing a signing at the new upstairs Schecter booth at NAMM (which will have my new model on display) Friday Jan. 25 at 1pm. See you at NAMM!"




7 Horns 7 Eyes Drop Off Annex Theory Tour
7 Horns 7 Eyes gave pulled out of their upcoming tour with Annex Theory due to internal issues within the band.

7H7E guitarist Aaron Smith had this to say, "This is certainly not the outcome we had in mind when we announced our participation in this tour, and it's really a bummer to let everyone down who had made plans to come see 7H7E play and to the promoters of the shows as well.

"There are several factors in our decision to cancel, including unforeseen financial strain, and it was not a decision we made quickly or lightly, but it's definitely the best decision. We fully intend and look forward to rescheduling a similar run of dates in the future (we hope with Annex Theory), so that we can make it up to our Canadian fans! We will not forget!" more on this story





Singled Out: Annandale
Today Ashley from Annandale tells us about "This Fight" from their brand new EP "Moving Forward," which was produced by Clint Lowery and Morgan Rose from Sevendust. Here is the story:

An overarching theme of our EP, Moving Forward, is "rebirth, refuge, and self-discovery" and I feel like "This Fight" is a great step toward all of those things for me. I tend to be a bit on the shy side and have a lot of anxiety when it comes to having honest conversations about my thoughts or feelings. I may be screaming on the inside, but it always seems easier to say what someone wants to hear. "This Fight" is my first attempt at pushing myself to overcome this anxiety.

I think everyone has trouble communicating from time to time. Poor communication (or complete lack of it) usually snowballs into misunderstanding, anger, and more anxiety, which are exactly the things we're all trying to avoid when we take the easy way out in a conversation. It's a horrible cycle that isn't easy to break, especially when there's bad communication on both ends of the conversation.

"This Fight" points out how isolating and infuriating this cycle can be. It isn't easy and will definitely take some time, but it's something we can all work on. For me, I know it will take a lot of time, but I plan to keep fighting as long as it takes.
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!




Underoath Release Final Music Video?
Underoath have released what could be their very last music video. The video clip for the song "Sunburnt" was directed by their drummer Daniel Davison.

The track is one of two new songs that were recorded for the band's Anthology 1999-2013 retrospective which was produced by Matt Goldman. Watch the video here.

The band is currently winding down their farewell tour which concludes on Saturday in Florida and features support from Mewithout You, As Cities Burn and Letlive. more on this story




Black Star Riders Guitarist Video Interview Goes Online
(hennemusic) Black Star Riders guitarist Scott Gorham recently sat down with Engl's Artist Relations Director Michael Berger during the band's studio sessions in Thousand Oaks near Los Angeles.

Scott gives inside information about Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders as well as his Engl set up he used for the recording.

Former Thin Lizzy members – now known as Black Star Riders - entered the studio earlier this month with producer Kevin Shirley to record their debut album.

The group adopted the new band name to start the project with a clean slate, and out of respect to the legacy of the late Phil Lynott. Watch the interview here.




Dorsal Atlantica On Wikimetal
This week's episode of Wikimetal features an interview with Carlos Lopes of Dorsal Atlantica.

The band, from from Rio de Janeiro, is one of the pioneers of Brazil's thrash metal movement.

On his last interview regarding the album 2012, Carlos told Wikimetal about the process of reuniting the band, talked about the reality of the Brazilian music scene today. Listen here.




Coheed and Cambria Rock Conan
Coheed and Cambria gave a very special performance last night on Conan's late night TBS talk show.

The band performed the track "Dark Side of Me" from their new album, The Afterman: Ascension, on the show.

If you missed the performance on TV, Team Coco have uploaded a stream that you can watch online

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Gaza Singer Denies Rape Allegation
Gaza and their frontman Jon Parkin have publicly denied a rape allegation against the singer which was posted online this week. They issued the following:
"We have worked hard to establish a good reputation for almost ten years now and we're not about to let an errant accusation unravel that. For those quick to judge, I ask how you would feel if you were forced to face such an accusation? There is no perfect way to handle this, but we're going to take every measure to preserve the most important thing we've created in that time; our reputation. We take this very seriously. The last sentence in Jon's statement is one that cannot be stressed enough."

Parkin had this to say, "Let me first say that this rape allegation is entirely untrue. Throwing this sort of accusation up on the internet is reckless and completely slanderous. Two of my very close friends have been raped and it was devastating to watch them go through the recovery process, one of which I spent a summer helping through counseling. I went with her to the clinic to get her AIDS test results. Rape infuriates me, and I never see red like I do when I hear about it. This is not a subject or an accusation I take lightly. Anyone who knows me personally knows that I could never and would never force myself on anybody.

"I'm sorry that you all have to be part of this drama, but this has to be addressed. This mess in no way has anything to do with the band and I'm sorry for the other members as this is a black mark on us that is undeserved and untrue. more on this story



Three Days Grace Explain Adam Gontier's Departure From The Group
Three Days Grace have revealed more details about frontman Adam Gontier's departure from the group. As we previously reported, they have recruited My Darkest Days' Matt Walst to handle vocals on their upcoming tour.

When that was announced the band made a brief statement about the change but now they are telling fans more of their side of the story. They posted the following message on their Facebook:

"It had been our desire to keep an internal band matter just that, internal. However, after public statements by Adam we feel the need to give our fans the facts. Here's the exact timeline of events over the past few weeks.

"On December 21, 2012, Neil and Brad (via email), our manager and business manager (via federal express) received a letter from Adam's lawyer stating, "Please be advised effective immediately Adam is terminating his involvement with the band Three Days Grace. Adam has been wrestling with a health issue, outlined in the attached letter (a doctor's letter dated December 14), which would have precluded him from touring with the band in 2013 and he wants the group to continue moving forward as they see fit while not holding them back."

"As you can imagine, this came as a complete shock to us. We had just played a series of shows in Hartford and Peterborough the preceding week with no mention from Adam of any health issues or that this resignation letter was coming. We had no idea then that the December 15th Hartford show (which we played one day after the date of the doctor's note attached to Adam's lawyer's letter) would be our final show with Adam as lead singer. Read the rest here.




Guns N' Roses Heading Down Under
(hennemusic) Guns N' Roses have announced their 2013 Australian tour and will play shows in Perth, Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne and Brisbane.

The rockers will be joined for a series of March shows by special guests ZZ Top and Australian rock legends Rose Tattoo.

"I can't wait for these shows next March," says promoter Andrew McManus. "Axl Rose is a legend and I can't wait to see Guns N' Roses play to their legion of Aussie fans again. I'm so proud to be bringing them back to Australia and am looking forward to a great tour with fellow rockers ZZ Top and Rose Tattoo." more on this story




The Replacements Dunlap Not Recovering From Stroke
(Classic Rock) The Replacements guitarist Slim Dunlap will never recover from the massive stroke he suffered last year, reports his wife.

The musician's plight was behind the reunion EP recorded by Paul Westerberg, Tommy Sinson and Chris Mars in September, which has been released as the first of a series of limited-edition vinyl records to raise funds for Dunlap's care.

"On February 19 Slim suffered a massive right-brain stroke complicated by a fall, which caused a heamorrhage in the left brain and was further complicated by extensive brain swelling," Chrissie Dunlap says. "He was hospitalised for nine months. His recovery has been slow, hindered by pain, paralysis of the left side, and the inability to swallow."

"Insurance does not pay for long-term care, and the general prognosis for Slim is that he will likely need around-the-clock care for the rest of his life."

Producer Peter Jesperson, who masterminded the Replacements' work on Songs For Slim, says he is not recovering.




Bad Religion Stream New Album and Will Webcast KROQ Event
(Radio.com) To celebrate the release of Bad Religion's 16th studio album, True North, the band will webcast their performance Tuesday, January 22 live from the Red Bull Sound Space at KROQ.

Tune in beginning at 3PM PT / 6PM ET / 11PM GMT / 10AM (Jan 23) Sydney, as Nicole Alvarez sits down with the timeless Southern California punk band for a Google+ Hangout Q&A session, followed by a live performance. Graffin, Gurewitz and the crew will field questions from the studio audience and fans watching online.

For fans in the Southern California area, tickets to this private event can be won though Friday, January 18. Find out how and stream the full album here.




Def Leppard Tease Viva Hysteria
(hennemusic) Def Leppard are sharing a new preview/trailer for their first-ever Las Vegas residency.

Leppard will be taking over the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for an exclusive nine-show run entitled "VIVA Hysteria!", and will perform their iconic album, "Hysteria," in full, in addition to a greatest hits segment.

"A lot of other bands do this stuff, but I think it's a little bit more special because 'Hysteria' was one of the diamond albums, especially in this day and age there are not that many albums that achieve that kind of status," guitarist Phil Collen said recently. "That's why it's so important to us, it's such a big selling album. It's a challenge as well. We've never actually done that before. We've always said, yeah, we could do 'High 'n' Dry.' 'Hysteria,' that's a lot more challenging. A lot of the songs on there are hard to sing and play at the same time." Watch it here.




Rush DVD Release Leak Was Not Correct
(Classic Rock) Rush are not planning to release their Clockwork Angels Live DVD in May, according to the industry website which originally posted the news.

MusicTap believed their information to be correct because they'd previously received correct details about Rush's 2112 deluxe reissue from the same source.

The site operator explains: "From a more trusted source, I was told that the DVD does not have a release date in place. I was told that it would be made available likely in the fall of this year, corresponding to a train of logical thought that played out in many Rush forums, rightly so as it turns out." more.




Offspring and Dead Sara Unplug For Duet
(Radio.com) Imagine being in a relatively new band being asked on tour by a group of elder statements like Huntington Beach, CA punksters, The Offspring. That dream became a reality for LA hard rock outfit Dead Sara.

Over the course of the 2012 summer tour, Offspring frontman Dexter Holland had his eyes open for a way to work in Dead Sara singer Emily Armstrong into his set. "When we started building our own set list, I realized the stripped-down version of 'Gone Away,' which we've been doing for a few years, would fit Emily's voice really well," Holland told Rolling Stone. "It turned out to be a special moment in the show each night."

The Offspring's crew videotaped their October 5, 2012 duet at the historic Hollywood Palladium. Long time producer Bob Rock, mixed in the audience sing-along for a unique take on an alt-rock classic. Check out the video here.




Dark Empire Name New Guitarist and Plan Free EP Release
Dark Empire have officially replaced Andrew Atwood by naming Christian Colabelli the permanent second guitarist in the group and plan to release a free EP later this year.

Colabelli had this to say, "It's an honor to be an official member of Dark Empire. Since I've known Matt, we've had a mutual respect and admiration for each other's playing. When he initially asked me to fill in on guitar for live performances, I quickly recognized the chemistry, power, and potential of the lineup and was amazed at how natural it felt. I know Matt and I will challenge each other as guitarists and I expect huge accomplishments for Dark Empire in 2013."

Matt Moliti adds: "I'm really excited to have Christian a part of Dark Empire. His technical ability and songwriting skills are definitely going to take things to the next level, and fans can now expect a dual lead guitar attack reminiscent of bands like Racer X and Cacophony on the new material. Yes, we have already started writing some new riffs with the intention of releasing a free 5-track EP by the end of 2013."

They have released viewed of Christian and co-guitarist Matt Moliti running through some new riffs the band is preparing for the free EP. Watch it here.




Rival Sons Were Rushed But Didn't Compromise On New Album
(Classic Rock) Rival Sons drummer Michael Miley admits the tight timescale associated with recording their album Head Down led to tension within the band.

He tells Alternative Addiction "When you only have about three and half weeks, you kind of have to get it done. When the gun is to your head, you move. We all trust each other enough musically and musicianship wise that we can pull it off.

"So far we feel we haven't compromised our artistic integrity and thankfully we've received some nice praise for it." More rock news.




Radiohead's Greenwood Returns To Orchestra Composition
(Gibson) Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood is now working as a classical composer for the Australian Chamber Orchestra. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that, following Radiohead's Australian dates of November 2012, Greenwood stayed in Sydney to work on a composition commissioned by the orchestra.

"I've been spending an awful lot of time in dressing rooms the last six months working on this and trying to imagine [it]," Greenwood says. "That's why I turned up with three quarters of it on paper already, because I'd rather make a lot of mistakes and edit away rather than work with a skeleton and add to it."

It is not Greenwood's debut working in the symphonic sphere. He served as a composer-in-residence with the BBC Concert Orchestra in 2004-'05. The Australian Chamber Orchestra previously played his orchestral work Popcorn Superhet Receiver back in 2010.

But the Australian Chamber Orchestra's artistic director Richard Tognetti is delighted to have Greenwood back on board. He says, "I think the amazing thing about Jonny is he might be a world first [because of] this incredible acumen that he has for being able to write for an orchestra coming from the background of being in a band." more on this story






Dave Grohl and Corey Taylor Reflect on Sound City
(Radio.com) Dave Grohl has a barrage of awesome artistic projects in his arsenal and he has carved out enough time to direct a documentary called Sound City based on the iconic San Fernando Valley-based Sound City Studios.

Grohl said that when the record label asked Nirvana to record 1991's Nevermind, they sent them to the then-expensive a $600-a-day "really cheap dump in the Valley" that also happened to house a gorgeous sounding, one-of-a-kind old analog Neve board and an exceptional organically-acoustic room. In the digital boom of the early '90s, finding that sort of rich, old-school sound was rare, but once Nevermind was released other bands like Tool, and Slipknot wanted to record their albums at Sound City Studios.

Imminent closure of the space was halted when business started booming and Grohl credits the studio with shaping the way modern music sounds now through the medium of Nevermind.

"Had we recorded that record in a different way," Grohl elaborated, "The music wouldn't have sounded the same. And if it didn't sound the same, it might not have had the same impact."

"The thing about that Neve board is that it has such a personality," agreed Taylor, who recorded Iowa with Slipknot on that board. "No two albums sound the same coming out of that board because of the different love that you put into it, the different variables."

Read more, stream the interview with Grohl and Taylor and listen to their new song here.




Deep Purple's Ian Gillan Remembers Claude 'Smoke On The Water' Nobs
(Classic Rock) Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan has paid tribute to 'Funky' Claude Nobs, who died last week after a skiing accident.

The co-founder and organiser of the Montreux Jazz Festival was immortalized in Purple's 1973 song Smoke On The Water and Gillan also regarded him as a close friend.

The singer recalls a recent meeting with Nobs: "I had just checked in to The Palace Hotel in Montreux prior to our appearance at the festival. The elevator doors opened and out whooshed Claude on a scooter; had it been anyone else I would have been surprised. Flying by, he waved over his shoulder and called out 'Hi, Ian, see you later!' – then he was gone.

"No doubt on his way to move things along in the right direction, because the Montreux Jazz Festival was his baby. He mothered it from infancy to what it has grown into: internationally, the most highly respected and enjoyable annual event of its kind."

The pair first met after the casino fire in 1971 that inspired Purple's classic track "Smoke On The Water." Read about that here.




Airborne Toxic Streaming New Song Online
(Radio.com) Airborne Toxic Event have released "Timeless," the first single from the band's upcoming third full-length release, Such Hot Blood, due out this spring.

"There's nothing like Nashville for starting new in music." said the band in a statement regarding the new album, which was recorded in "Music City."

"It gets in your blood, the rhythm of the place, the people. Making a record with Jacquire King at Blackbird Studios was the most challenging and all-encompassing experience we've ever had as a band," he added, referencing the producer known for his previous work with such acts as Cold War Kids, Modest Mouse and Kings of Leon. Read more and stream the song here.




Cold War Kids Tease New Album and Stream New Song
(Radio.com) Preparing to release their fourth studio album and newest since 2011′s Mine Is Yours, indie darlings Cold War Kids are streaming their first single, "Miracle Mile," from the upcoming Dear Miss Lonely Hearts.

Due to hit stores April 2, the new album was produced by Lars Stalfors, known for his work with The Mars Volta, Matt & Kim and Funeral Party. It's also the first Coldwar Kids album to feature guitarist Dann Gallucci, formerly of Modest Mouse and Murder City Devils.

Videotaped in and around the band's San Pedro, CA studio during the album's recording process, Cold War Kids provide fans with a little peek into the album via the first two of a series of trailers. Additional trailers will roll out, once a week through the album's launch. Watch the trailers and stream the new song here.




Holy Grail Streaming New Album in Full
(Classic Rock) Holy Grail have made their second album Ride The Void available for streaming at Classic Rock Magazine

The band, formed from the ashes of an early White Wizzard lineup, release the record on January 18 via Nuclear Blast Records. It will be available on CD, black double-vinyl and strictly limited transparent double vinyl.

The follow-up to 2010′s Crisis In Utopia was produced by Matt Hyde, with artwork by Dylan Cole, known for his contribution to The Lord Of The Rings movies. Stream the album here.




Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx Launching Bass Guitar Line
(hennemusic) Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx is getting his own signature bass line from Schechter Guitar Research.

"It was an exciting and creative process to work with Schecter on the new Schecter Sixx Signature Series Bass," explains Nikki. "It was important to all of us to design a bass that would feel right as well as sound amazing in the hands of all players, not just me. Every detail about the new Schecter Sixx comes from all of our collective experiences - whether it's my 30 years of playing live and recording or Schecter's unprecedented standards for making quality instruments for players of all genres. Simply said, this bass rocks!"

"I really felt as if we instantly gelled and were looking to accomplish the same goal with this project," adds Schecter's Executive Vice President, Marc LaCorte. "Above all, it was so refreshing to see an artist of Nikki's stature be so involved and genuinely concerned about every detail in the creation of this instrument." more on this story




Junius Announce Headline Tour Dates
Junius have added a number of headline dates to their upcoming tour schedule which include the previously announced trek with Caspian.

The headline tour dates will kick off on March 6 in San Francisco following the Caspian tour and will feature support from Silver Snakes. The headline trek will then include dates leading up to this year's South By Southwest Festival in Austin, Tx.

The group also plan two additional headline shows prior to their tour with Caspian, including a Valentine's Day performance in Brooklyn, NY. more on this story





Gus G. Having An Amazing Time With Working With Ozzy Osbourne
Guitarhoo! recently spoke with Ozzy Osbourne and Firewind star Gus G. and they sent a little except over.

In this interview Gus takes out some time to chat about his early years as a musician at Berklee College, landing the gig with Ozzy, writing with Firewind, his favorite songs from previous Ozzy Guitar Gods, and much more.

Gus on touring with Ozzy: "It's been an amazing ride so far! The whole tour was just incredible. Playing around the world in the biggest venues and headlining the biggest festivals, being a part of such a big production and playing with Ozzy, it's just mind blowing.

"We had great times on this tour, we really worked all as a team and I think we did some great gigs. Of course every moment you spend with Ozzy is precious. The stories, the advices, the jokes and of course all the gigs, it was just fantastic. Ozzy's an amazing person, it's hard not to love this guy" Read the full interview here.




Eric Burdon Releases Water Lyric Video
(Classic Rock) Eric Burdon has released a lyric video for his track Water. It's taken from the former Animals frontman's solo record 'Til Your River Runs Dry.

And while he deals with a number of issues on the album, the single concerns the future of one of our most precious commodities.

Burdon tells Rolling Stone: "Some people are squandering it while others have too little clean water to drink. At the same time we have tsunamis and cities under water. And yet we still ignore Mother Nature's warnings." Read more and watch the video here.




A History Of Black Sabbath's Drummers
(Radio.com) Black Sabbath recently announced their new record 13 will be released in June, and revealed that former Audioslave drummer Brad Wilk played on the album. So it's the perfect time to review some of the many musicians who bashed the skins for the metal legends over the decades. We could give our takes on them… but we thought we'd leave that to the band's guitarist, leader and the only guy to play on every Sabbath album, Tony Iommi (via his autobiography, Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath).

WHO: Bill Ward, the founding drummer. For many fans, he's the only guy who belongs behind the kit.

ERA: He's the original, and played on all the albums during the "Ozzy era," from 1970′s Black Sabbath through 1978′s Never Say Die. He lasted a little longer than Ozzy, staying for the first album of the "Dio Era," 1980′s Heaven And Hell. He reunited with the band for 1983′s Born Again (featuring former Deep Purple singer Ian Gillian), and has been with the band on and off since they got back together with Ozzy in 1997. Read more about Ward's recent history of battles with his former band here.

B.S. (Before Sabbath): There is no "before Sabbath" for Bill Ward!

A.S. (After Sabbath): Other than a few solo albums, he hasn't done much outside of Sabbath.

WHERE IS HE NOW: Hosting an internet radio show Rock 50.

TONY SAYS: "He was good, but he had his own style, he created his own thing. Very unorthodox. Bill wouldn't play a straightforward beat, he always put some little bits in, like a percussionist. He would hear these symphonies in his head and try to play like he had eight hands." Also: "We called Bill 'Smelly.'"

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Alice In Chains Plan Spring Tour
Alice In Chains have announced the initial dates for their upcoming North American tour.
The tour is set to kick off on April 25th in Miami Beach and the band has announced dates in Birmingham, Augusta, GA, Norfolk, VA, Bethlehem, PA, Pittsburgh, Sioux Falls, SD, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Fort Wayne, IN, Evansville, IN, and Lincoln, NE.

The band will be hitting the road in support of their as-yet-titled new studio album, which reunited the group with producer Nick Raskulinecz (FooFighters, Deftones) who worked with them on their comeback album, "Black Gives Way To Blue." more on this story



Disturbed Singer's New Band Sets Release For All-Star Album
Disturbed's David Draiman and former Filter guitarist Geno Lenardo have announced the release of the debut album from their new project Device, which features an impressive guest list.

Device have set an April 9th release date for their self-titled album. The first single from the album,, ""Vilify"" is set to be released to radio on February 19th.

"It's not metal", Draiman says. "It's influenced by early Industrial rock (I.E. Nine Inch Nails/Ministry) and has a dark electronic vibe. At the same time, these are big, anthemic, and intensely melodic songs. It's futuristic rock."

The album was co-written and recorded by Draiman and Lenardo and they called on a variety of special guests to appear on the album including Serj Tankian of System of a Down, Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Black Country Communion, M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold) and Lizzy Hale of Halestorm. more on this story




Metallica Anniversary Inspired Jason Newsted To Launch New Band
(Classic Rock) Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted says he had the best teacher ever in frontman James Hetfield when it came to learning how to lead his own band.

Newsted's self-titled outfit has released their first EP after he announced the end of a self-imposed semi-retirement last year. And he's credited fans for bringing him back when he found it difficult to keep going after quitting Metallica in 2001, despite work with Echobrain, Ozzy Osbourne, Voivod and others.

He insists it was important to give the new band his own name, telling Geeks Of Doom: "I wanted to make it very clear what was happening this time: that this was a fan-driven, enlightened, happening, offering. It was absolutely fuelled by the fans.

"When I played with Metallica at The Fillmore for the 30th anniversary shows I thought it was going to be fun. I had no idea the outcome was going to be like it was.

"The actual physical feeling from the fans, the energy, the respect, just the magnitude of it – I had no idea. It hit me hard, and it got better with each day as we played together and then I just felt it again. They called me back, and that's why we are talking now." more on this story




Lamb Of God's Randy Blythe Mentally Preparing For Manslaughter Trial
Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe shared his thoughts with fans as he prepares for his upcoming manslaughter trail in the Czech Republic.

This weekend Blythe had this to say via an Instagram posting: "The last 2 or 3 days I have been getting ready mentally to leave my home & return to Prague to do this whole trial thing in early February. It's not something I particularly WANT to do; but inside, my gut & heart tells me it is the RIGHT thing to do. I cannot turn my back [on] the right thing.

As I've been thinking, I've [been] shooting [pictures] a lot around my hometown. I love this place. A couple of days ago I went to my mechanic to get my truck worked on- the garage is over near the CSX train yard here in Richmond. I dropped off my truck & went creeping under the over pass that runs above the tracks. As usual, there was a lot of sleeping gear, trash, old mattresses & stuff that homeless people keep there. In my younger days, I used to ride freight trains across our country.

"I have spent many nights under bridges just like this one in freight yards across the USA. I have always loved to travel, & have been across the USA three times without a dime in my pocket most of the time, learning the survival skills of the hobos & street people of our country. You can get by with almost nothing if you know what you are doing. This old suit case sitting up on this ledge really captured my attention. I wonder what it once held? Safe travels to whoever owns it…" You can see the photos here.




The Breeders Announce Last Splash Anniversary Tour
The recently reunited Breeders have announced the initial dates for their upcoming Last Splash 20th anniversary tour.

The group will be heading to Europe in late May to kick off the tour where they will play the Last Splash album in its entirety.

LSXX, the 20th Anniversary reissue of the Breeders' Last Splash, is scheduled to be released in April.

More tour dates have been promised but there was no mention of North American tour plans in the announcement. more on this story




Uriah Heep and David Bowie Bassist Travor Bolder To Have Surgery
(Classic Rock) Uriah Heep bassist Trevor Bolder will bow out of the band for several months while he recovers from upcoming surgery, it's been announced.

The band will continue to work with John 'JJ' Jowitt of IQ, Ark, Arena, Jadis and Frost* renown. They'll play as planned in Israel at the end of the month.

Heep mainman Mick Box explains former Spiders From Mars member Bolder wants the band to keep going in his absence. He says: "We all wish Trevor a speedy return to the fold. In the meantime we're very pleased that JJ has agreed to step in and cover Trev's unique bass panache, which is so crucial to Heep's sound. JJ will also contribute to the signature five-part vocal operatics." more on this story




Bring Me The Horizon Announce Lineup Change and Set Album Release
Bring Me The Horizon have announced a lineup change and the release of their new studio album.

The band have replaced guitarist Jona Weinhofen with former Worship guitarist Jordan Fish. Weinhofen had this to say about his departure, "After a lot of time and thought I've decided to leave my current position as guitarist with Bring Me The Horizon. Things in the band have been very tense with a lot of disagreements between myself and certain members who I won't name.

"I'm thankful for my time with BMTH and I have met many good friends and been able to travel the world more. I'm planning on moving back to Australia to pursue other musical ventures."

The group has set an April 30th release date for their new studio album, Sempiternal. "There's a very euphoric sound coursing through the album, a very uplifting but yet sad sound," says frontman Oliver Sykes. "Electronically, it's far more advanced than anything we've done before." more on this story




Beatles Classic Enters The Public Domain
(Gibson) Thanks to a legal loophole, The Beatles' classic "Love Me Do" is currently in the public domain, free to be covered by anyone with the means to record, without approval or compensation for those involved in its creation.

The song has just entered the public domain in Europe, and small labels are already taking advantage of the opportunity to re-record the 1963 hit. Several have already rushed out their own versions of the song, and plenty more are expected. European copyright laws protect a recorded track for fifty years, which "Love Me Do" has just passed, as of January 1.

Other Beatles songs may mange to escape this most unauthorized of fates: the law is under consideration for an amendment this year, which would see the copyright period stretch from 50 years to 70 years (which is closer to the US threshold of 95 years), but the new protection isn't expected to be retroactive, so "Love Me Do" is destined to be reimagined, recast and otherwise re-recorded. more on this story






Senses Fail Releasing New Album in March
Senses Fail have set a March 26, 2013 North American release date for their fifth studio album, Renacer.

The album, pronounced ray-nah-serr, was recorded in Los Angeles, California at both The Airport Studio and Red Bull Studio with producer Shaun Lopez (Far, Deftones).

"We celebrated our 10 year anniversary in February 2012 and immediately got to work writing Renacer," says singer Buddy Nielsen. "The approach to this record was to embrace change and explore a different side of the band. The process was long, but was probably the smoothest out of any other record because we wrote without any boundaries. Renacer is by far our heaviest effort to date, which felt like a natural progression for us."

"We chose to work with Shaun because of our respect and love of the music he has made in Far and the work he has done over the years as a producer. Shaun was a huge asset in crafting and harnessing the heaviness of the record without sacrificing the clarity and natural sonics that we wanted." more on this story




Angels Frontman Determined To Beat Brain Tumor
(Classic Rock) Angels frontman Doc Neeson has told bandmates he will among the 20 per cent of patients who beat a form of aggressive brain tumor which resulted in him being hospitalized and all tour dates being cancelled.

Neeson, who turned 66 on January 4, was admitted to hospital shortly before Christmas complaining of pins and needles. He was immediately placed on a programme of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

His plight has ended plans for him to front a second version of the iconic Australian pub-rock band, which would tour in competition with a line-up fronted by former Screaming Jets singer David Gleeson.

Drummer Buzz Bidstrup told News Limited of the diagnosis: "On a scale of one to four it's a four. But he's incredibly stoic and accepting; he's in great spirits." more on this story




Black Flag Founder Teams With Pro-Skater For Good For You
Good For You, the new band feature Black Flag's Greg Ginn and professional skateboarder Mike Vallely, will be releasing their debut album next month.

The group have set a February 26th release date for the album, entitled " Life is Too Short to Not Hold a Grudge."

"Greg and I had been talking about writing music together for many years, comments Vallely. "There was no real plan in place to "team up" or anything like that. It was more so just about the music. Creatively and artistically we just found a common road and from that came an output that became this new music and this new record."

"Working with Greg really opened me up as a writer and vocalist," he continues. "His approach to writing, recording and producing was so free that for the first time I feel I was really able to honestly express myself in the studio." more on this story




Awolnation Plan North American Tour
Awolnation will be hitting the road this spring for a North American headlining tour.

The 30-show trek will feature direct support from Blondfire with Mother Mother serving as the opening act.

The tour is set to kick off on March 8th in Lubbock, TX and will conclude on April 25 in Tulsa, OK.

Prior to the North American dates, Awolnation will launch a European tour that will include shows in Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, and the United Kingdom. more on this story




The Black Crowes Plan Second Reunion Tour Leg Following Sell Outs
The Black Crowes plan to add a second leg to their upcoming Lay Down With Number 13 reunion tour after several shows sold out for the first leg.

The band has sold out shows for the first leg in London, England, Port Chester, NY, New York City, Washington, DC, Chicago, Nashville, Boston, St. Louis and Atlanta.

"We're thrilled and honored and look forward to sharing our music with everyone," says Chris Robinson more on this story




With Honor and My Heart To Joy Reuniting For Sandy Hook Benefit
With Honor and My Heart To Joy will both be reuniting for a benefit concert for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that will take place next month.

The benefit concert will also feature Hostage Calm, Call It Arson and Ovlov and will take place on February 9th at the Hungarian Club in Wallingford, Connecticut.

Misery Signals, Life In Your Way, Make Do And Mend, Corelia and TWIABP for a related benefit concert the previous night that is set to take place at the El N Gee in New London.

""The Sandy Hook tragedy hit close to home for a lot of us involved in the Connecticut scene," said Hostage Calm guitarist Tom Chiari. "Everyone felt an immediate need to help those affected and these two amazing shows are the result. Our hope is that the greater community will come together for the weekend to celebrate and pay tribute to those affected by the tragedy."

Greg Thomas, guitarist of Misery Signals and owner of CT recording studio Silver Bullet Studios had this to say: "It is always an incredible thing to see the strength that small communities can have when they unify and work together. The circumstances that have garnered this are nothing short of horrific, but I am proud to see the outpouring of compassion and support from everybody involved in making this truly special weekend come together. I hope that the friends who are scattered about this country can travel home for this. Connecticut hardcore punk, for these two days, lets stand as one in tribute."
Get more information here.




The Flaming Lips and The Black Keys Plan Mini Tour
The Flaming Lips and The Black Keys will be teaming up for a handful of tour dates in the U.S. this spring.

The dates will take place in late April and early May and include stops in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Nashville.

have announced that they will perform four upcoming shows together in April and May. Tickets go on sale today. Click here for details.

The Flaming Lips will be touring around the release of their new studio album, The Terror, which will be released sometime this spring. more on this story




Alan Parsons Plans Rare U.S. Live Performances
Alan Parsons has announced a series of rare live performances in the U.S. as part of his forthcoming world tour.

The Alan Parsons Live Project is set to kick off on Valentine's Day (Feb. 14th) in Fort Pierce, FL and will include stops in across Florida before heading to the west coast.

The February 15th stop in Clearwater, Fl at the Ruth Eckerd Hall will include lasers and a symphony orchestra.

The tour also coincides with the 40th Anniversary of Parsons engineering Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon. more on this story




The Moody Blues' Justin Hayward Releasing New Solo Album
The Moody Blues star Justin Hayward has set a February 26th release date for his new album Spirits Of The Western Sky.

The album was recorded in Genoa, Italy and Nashville, and is Hayward's first solo album since 1996's The View From The Hill.

Some of the tracks feature orchestrations by Academy Award-winning composer Anne Dudley. "Anne [Dudley] is one of the true greats," states Justin, "in the same rarefied class of orchestrators as Peter Knight, who was such an inspiration in my early Moody Blues days.

"I've worked with Anne on different projects over the years and it's always a joy (when she is arranging, all the studio musicians know it's going to be wonderful). more on this story




Helloween Co-Headlining The 70,000 Tons Of Metal Cruise
Helloween will be setting sail later this month as the co-headliner of the 2013 70,000 Tons Of Metal Cruise.

This year's cruise will be sailing from Miami to the Turks and Caicos Islands beginning Jan 28, 2013 and will include over 32 metal bands over 5 days.

Helloween will appearing in support of their new studio album, Straight Out Of Hell, which will be released on January 22nd. more on this story




AC/DC Headphones Coming Soon
(hennemusic) German company On.Earz has launched a new line of on-ear headphones licensed from AC/DC and the estates of Elvis Presley and James Dean.

The unveiling happened last week in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

The Mac Observer reports the Legends series is priced at €99, and the company said that it expects to price them at US$99 for the U.S. market when it launches later in the first quarter of this year. more on this story




Keith Emerson and Quincy Jones Tribute Claude Nobs
(Gibson) Claude Nobs, the man behind the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival passed away on January 10 after a skiing accident during Christmas.

Nobs co-founded the jazz festival in 1967 with pianist Geo Voumard and journalist Rene Langel and with backing from Atlantic Records President, Nesuhi Erteguen.

Rock fans will know Nobs as Funky Claude from Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water," which recalls a fire at the Montreaux festival in 1971.

Quincy Jones tweeted: "There are no words to express the deep sorrow and hollowness in my heart that comes with news of Claude Nobs."

Keith Emerson, told Progrockmag.com: "Claude was responsible for turning a sleepy Swiss village, once a year, into a haven of jazz, blues, rock and even classical. Every artist that meant anything almost begged to be there.

Read Claude Nobs's account of the story behind "Smoke on the Water" here. more on this story






Conan Premieres New Coheed and Cambria Video
Team Coco are getting fans ready for Coheed and Cambria's appearance on Conan's late night show on TBS next week with the exclusive online premiere of the band's new video.

Team Coco premiered the video for "Dark Side Of Me" which comes from the band's new album, "The Afterman: Descension." The new album is the conclusion of their two-part concept releases and will hit stores on February 4th.

Part one, "The Afterman: Ascension" was released in October. The band will be performing the new single on Conan's show next Thursday (January 21st). Watch the video




Local Musicians Launch Effort To Save Legendary Beatles, Rolling Stones Venue
(Classic Rock) Newcastle City Hall, one of the UK's most legendary venues and a staple of the rock and pop touring circuit since the 1950s, is under threat of closure. The Hall is owned by Newcastle City Council and its future is uncertain due to budget cuts.

Newcastle City Hall has played host to The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Buddy Holly, The Eagles, Santana and thousands more. A large section of Don't Look Back, the documentary about Bob Dylan's controversial 1965 UK tour, was filmed backstage at the City Hall.

Save The City Hall, a four-song CD aimed at raising awareness of the potential fate facing the 85-year-old building has just been released by the North East All Stars and is also available for download via iTunes. more on this story




Singled Out: Recovery Council
Today Recovery Council guitarist/vocalist Rebeca Qualls tells us about the song "Reform" from their brand new album "Plan-Do-Check-Act," which is being released today (1/15). Here is the story:

It started as a couple of guitar parts for a previously untitled song I had written back when I was an undergrad at NC State. I was playing in an alt/rock band with a couple of guys, and guitar was still new and different to me, as I was primarily a bassist in metal bands. So the bass player in me would try to reproduce rhythm notes/chords on the top strings while the hack guitar player in me would strum the bottom strings in reverse to create sustain and texture. It was one of the first songs I used an alternate tuning on, and it was also one of the first songs where I threw an occasional wrench in the time signature. Somehow those two concepts stuck and have become part of my somewhat lopsided foundation as a guitarist.

Now comes the serious part…the lyrics to "Reform" are pretty personal. They stem from a period of time where I had to put music and writing on hold to get other parts of my life together. I had been questioning my path and where I wanted to be, all the while noting that time was just ticking away. I usually would tangle through all these thoughts and feelings to clear my head by creating music and writing because, truth be told, I think too damn much as it is. And at the time I was doing neither. This was never how I imagined being, and it was depressing. As a result, I struggled with my own reservations, and was well on my way to becoming the polar opposite of the rational me who refused to postpone joy. I knew I needed to start rebuilding music and writing back into my life and do what I love, regardless of odds, adversity, or outcome. I've never been the type of person who is content with the status quo, and the easy road has rarely if ever been an option. I was thinking about this one day and the image of "flying a kite along some power lines in a thunderstorm" came to my mind. It eventually became the refrain of the song, and the rest of the lyrics were built around it to describe the catalyst for the change that I needed to bounce back.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


David Lee Roth Hints At Van Halen Tour Announcement?
(hennemusic) A new photo posted by David Lee Roth may be hinting that a Van Halen tour announcement is on the way.
Roth shared an image of he and his trusty companion/sheepdog Russ, along with the caption "Start spreadin' the…"

Things have been quiet in the Van Halen camp for some time, as the band was forced into a lengthy hiatus following Eddie's surgery for a severe bout of Diverticulitis last year.

The guitar icon's health issue forced the cancellation of a full series of North American concerts last summer, as well as the need to reschedule some Japanese dates originally set for last fall. See the photo here.



Metallica To Headline Summer Sonic Festival
Metallica announced this week that they will be heading to Japan this summer to headline two dates of the Summer Sonic Festival.

The band had this to say: The holidays are over and we're gearing up for a busy 2013 starting with some additions to the summer tour schedule.

This time it's not the usual European vacation... we're off to Japan for the Summer Sonic Festival!

Look for us as the headliners on Saturday, August 10 in Tokyo at the QVC Marine Field and on Sunday, August 11 in Osaka at Maishima Summer Sonic Site.




Alice In Chains Release First Video From New Album
Alice In Chains have released the official music video for their new single, "Hallow," which comes from their forthcoming album.

The video was filmed by director Roboshobo (Metallica, Mastodon, Green Day) and can be watched online at Vevo here.

The new album is set to be released this spring. It was produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Deftones), who produced their last album, "Black Gives Way To Blue."

Guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell told Guitar World, "In my opinion, that record stood up to anything else we've put out in our career. Hopefully, the new album will connect with people in the same way."




Incubus' Mike Einziger Releases New Coheed and Cambria Song
Incubus' Mike Einziger has released an alternative version of the Coheed and Cambria track "Dark Side of Me".

The song comes from Coheed and Cambria's upcoming release Afterman: Descension, which will be released on February 5th.

Einziger tweeted the following about the track, "Good morning everyone, wanna hear a brand NEW song I produced for my friends @Coheed and Cambria? ENJOY!" Listen to it here.

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Iron Maiden's Steve Harris Launching Solo Tour

Iron Maiden mastermind Steve Harris will be embarking of a solo tour next month across Europe.

The club tour is in support of Harris' recently released solo album, "British Lion," and is set to visit twenty four cities in fourteen countries.

Harris had this to say about the tour, "I love touring and live shows and I'm very excited about touring with British Lion. It's fantastic to get out there and once again experience the sheer vibrancy of small clubs with the fans right up front and in your face. I think the fans will enjoy that too. It's exciting, going back to the roots, and it's going to be fantastic. We are taking this to clubs all round Europe - a full club tour, with club shows at club prices, hot, sweaty and loud .

"We have no idea how many people will turn out to see us as it's obviously very recent and very new, so we have kept the venues small with tickets priced accordingly as low as we reasonably could. more on this story

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Asia Announce Steve Howe Replacement and Album Plans
A day after announcing the departure of founding member Steve Howe, acclaimed rock supergroup Asia have announced his replacement.

The band have tapped newcomer Sam Coulson to take on guitar duties and he will be making his live debut with the band at Sweden Rock 2013.

The group, still featuring founding members John Wetton, Geoff Downes and Carl Palmer, also announced plans to recording their new album, 'Valkyrie', which they will release via Frontiers Records.

Wetton had this to say about the lineup change and new album plans, "ASIA is ready to take its next steps along this remarkable road. We cannot wait to perform again for the fans and also to unveil some of the new material, of which we are very proud". more on this story

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Eric Burdon Releasing New Album
The Animals and War legend Eric Burdon has set a January 29th release date for his new solo album, 'Til Your River Runs Dry.

ABKCO Records will be releasing the album in various formats including CD, digital download and vinyl.

The album was produced by Eric Burdon and Tony Braunagel and was recorded at Playback Studios in Santa Barbara, at Ultratone Recording in Studio City (where Eric recorded his last two albums, My Secret Life and Soul of a Man), and in New Orleans

The effort was mixed by Ed Cherney and mastered by Doug Sax and Eric Boulanger at The Mastering Lab in Ojai, California. more on this story

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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Releasing New Album in March
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club have set a March 18th release date for their new studio album, Specter At The Feast.

The band used the album as a way to overcome the 2010 death of Michael Been, who was involved with the band as well as Robert's father.

"No one really wanted to find those words or dig in deep. So we were faking it for a while, not really digging that deep," admits bassist Robert Been. "You have to go back again and dig a bit deeper, and it was excruciating."

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Milo Greene Plan North American Tour
Milo Greene plans to follow up their upcoming UK tour with a North American trek in late winter and fall.

The North American tour will include a number headline dates as well as concerts with Stars.

The trek will kick off on February 9th in Albany, NY and the announced dates run until the end of March with more expected to be revealed soon.

The band kicks off their very first UK tour on January 22. They will be touring in support of their self-titled debut album. more on this story

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The Misfits Releasing New Live Album Next Month
The Misfits have set a February 5th release date for Dea.D. Alive!, what they dub their first "proper" live album since the 1980s.

The 14 track album will be released in various formats including CD and a limited edition 12-inch vinyl (with a download card).

The band's Misfits Records will be pressing 1,500 solid gold vinyl copies for the limited edition first pressing.

The album contains a concert filmed on All Hallows' Eve, in the center of Times Square in New York City as well as tracks from their encore set at their hometown show in NJ. A date for the recording was not disclosed in the announcement. more on this story

More on Misfits - Misfits Music - Misfits Tour Dates/Tickets - Misfits CDs, vinyl and rarities
A Day To Remember To Headline Skate And Surf Festival
A Day To Remember will be headlining the reactivated Skate And Surf Festival which will be returning after an 8-year hiatus.

Organizers have announced the initial lineup which also includes Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Saves The Day, Bayside, Andrew W.K., Hopsin, Transit, Into It. Over It., Hostage Calm, Issues, Tyler Carter, and This Good Robot.

The event will be taking place on May 18th and 19th at The Plaza Green in Freehold, New Jersey.

"I felt the timing was right to revive the Skate And Surf Festival," said organizer John D'Esposito who also founded The Bamboozle. "It's where it all began for me and sometimes you need to go back to your roots. We are also really looking forward to bringing the festival to The Plaza Green at iPlay America and Freehold. It's the perfect setting and we are very committed to making this one of the best live music events in 2013." Visit the official site for more details.

More on A Day To Remember - A Day To Remember Music - A Day To Remember Tour Dates/Tickets - A Day To Remember CDs, vinyl and rarities
Great White Releasing Live Album of 30th Anniversary Concert
Great White have set a February 26th North American and February 22nd European release date for their new live album, "30 Years - Live From the Sunset Strip."

The concert was recorded on the Sunset Strip at the Key Club during the band's 30th anniversary concert on March 22, 2012.

The lineup features Mark Kendall, Audie Desbrow, Michael Lardie, Scott Snyder and their new singer Terry Ilous (former XYZ). more on this story




10 Years and Young Guns Dancing With The Dead Tour
Young Guns will be joining 10 Years on their Dancing With The Dead North American tour.

The tour is set to kick off on February 18th at the Exit/In in Nashville and will conclude on March 16th in Houston, Tx.

10 Years will be touring in support of their latest release "Minus The Machine," and Young Guns will be touring in support of their album, Bones. more on this story




Bart Walker Releasing New Album in March
Bart Walker has set a March 12th release date for his new album, Waiting For Daylight. His debut release for Ruf Records.

The new album was produced and engineered by multi Grammy-winner Jim Gaines and recorded at his Bessie Blue Studio in Stantonville, Tennessee.

The album also features all-star Memphis session players Steve Potts (drums), Dave Smith (bass) and Rick Steff (keyboards), along with special guest Dave Cohen on organ. more on this story




Camper Van Beethoven Streaming Someday Our Love Will Sell Us Out
Camper Van Beethoven are streaming their new single, "Someday Our Love Will Sell Us Out" online.

The track comes from the band's forthcoming album, La Costa Perdida, which will be released on January 22nd. Listen to the song here.

The album comes as the band celebrates their 30th anniversary and hit the road for a series of North American tour dates. more on this story




alt-J Nominated For 3 Brit Awards
Indie rockers alt-J hope to follow up their Mercury Prize win by taking home a Brit Award (or three) for their debut album, An Awesome Wave.

The band have been nominated for 3 Brit Awards (the UK's answer to the Grammys) including including British Breakthrough Act, British Album of the Year, and British Group of the Year.

The group will be returning to North America this spring for a tour which kicks off on March 2nd in Boston and wraps up on April 10th in San Francisco. Many of the dates on the trek have already sold out or been moved to bigger venues. more on this story




Dark Tranquillity Releasing New Album in May
Dark Tranquillity have set a May 28th North American release date for their new studio album, 'Construct'.

The band sent over these details, "Greetings, Darklings! After having played over 200 shows in every corner of the world in support of the 'We Are The Void' album, it's time to focus inwards and lock ourselves up in the studio. Months and months of hard songwriting work has paid off, and the recording sessions will start early this year.

"Further details will be announced in due time, but for now we can reveal that the album will be entitled 'Construct' and that we're very excited to have Jens Bogren (Paradise Lost, Opeth, Katatonia) taking care of the mix."

With a new album, comes a new tour. The band have not yet announced their full touring plans but they will be making their debut in Dubai in April and have lined up two summer festival appearances so far more on this story




David Bowie Guitarist Had Hard Time Keeping Album A Secret
(Classic Rock) David Bowie's long-time guitarist Earl Slick admits it was "no fun" keeping quiet about new album The Next Day.

Bowie shocked fans by releasing a new single, Where Are We Now? on his 66th birthday on Tuesday, and revealing details of his first studio work in a decade.

Now Slick, who recorded guitar parts in the summer of 2012, has finally spoken about the project he's been desperate to discuss, saying that secrecy was built in from the start. more on this story




Rare Satanic Threat Set For Release
Satanic Threat, featuring current members of Nunslaughter and an ex-member of Midnight, are releasing a new album this spring.

The album, In To Evil, is set to be released on CD and vinyl internationally on March 19th by Hells Headbangers.

The album features the original tracks on their long out of print "In To Hell" 7" release as well as a recording of the only live performance the group ever gave, which took place in September 2008 in their hometown of Cleveland. more on this story




The Wild Feathers Launching Residency Tour
The Wild Feathers will be embarking on a unique tour this winter that will find the band playing residencies at clubs across the South.

The tour will include five shows at The Hi-Tone in Memphis, The Nick in Birmingham, AL, and Proud Larry's in Oxford, MS and four at Barley's Taproom in Knoxville, TN, Smith's Olde Bar in Atlanta, and The High Watt in Nashville. They will also perform at Duling Hall and the Red Room in Jackson, MS.

The tour comes ahead of the summer release their self-titled debut album, which was produced by Jay Joyce (Cage the Elephant, the Wallflowers, Emmylou Harris). more on this story




Big Star Documentary Finds North American Home
(Sub) Magnolia Pictures have acquired the North American rights to Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me, a documentary about the 70s rock band Big Star.

The film was directed by Drew DeNicola and Oliva Mori, produced by Mori and Danielle McCarthy, executive-produced by John Fry, founder of Ardent Studios, with Gill Holland and David Armillei, and co-produced by Brian Sprouse.

"Drew, Olivia and Danielle have done a terrific job capturing the amazing story of one of the greatest bands of the 1970s, recreating an truly special time and place in music history," said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. "Big Star fans will rejoice."

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Magnolia, and to join their stellar roster of great films," said director Drew DeNicola. Watch the trailer here.




Alice Cooper To Headline The Cropredy Convention
(Classic Rock) Alice Cooper will headline the opening day of Fairport's Cropredy Convention on August 8. It is expected to be the Coop's only UK public appearance during the year.

Cropredy has been staged annually since 1980 by folk-rock pioneers Fairport Convention.

Band member and festival co-organiser Dave Pegg says: "We've been hoping to get Alice Cooper to Cropredy for years and at last the work calendars have coincided. more on this story





This Or The Apocalypse Release New Hate The Ones You Love Video
This Or The Apocalypse have released a new music video for their song, "Hate The Ones You Love."

The song comes from the group's latest album, "Dead Years" and the clip was directed by veteran director David Brodsky.

Frontman Rick Armellino explains the concept: "Hate the Ones You Love was the first complete track that we knew would end up on Dead Years and it helped frame the rest of the album. The lyrics themselves are about how often I find myself mistrusting or even disliking people who remind me of myself, and what it's like to try and remain trusted to those you love when you can't accept who you are. Writing a script around the lyrical themes and acting for the first time seemed risky but the final product really matches what we are trying to do. Brodsky is an artist, I can't describe how cool it was working with him. Hope you guys dig it!" Watch it here.




Nonpoint Release I Said It Video
Nonpoint have released a new music video for their latest single, which is entitled "I Said It."

The video was directed by Ramon Boutisveth (All That Remains, For Today, P.O.D.) and was filmed in Madison WI at the Majestic Theater.

Nonpoint's Elias Soriano had this to say, "It's been a long time since I've had this much fun on a video shoot - especially since we had a chance to shoot it in one of our favorite towns to play Madison, Wisconsin. Put your mouthguards in and protect your neck folks. This one's a swinging fist to the grill."

The song comes from the group's recently released, self-titled album which was released by Razor & Tie. Watch the video here.




Porcupine Tree's Colin Edwin Releases New Video
Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree, Metallic Taste of Blood, Ex-Wise Heads) and Jon Durant have released a music video for their track "Semazen."

The song comes from their taken from collaborative instrumental album Burnt Belief, which was released in December.

"The video concept follows from the theme of the album--questioning one's belief systems, and letting go of superstitions," said Durant, who also filmed and directed the video. "The woman in the video, after longing to be free of the shackles that have been placed upon her, is able to shed her inhibitions and live the life she wants to live." Watch the video here.



Aborted Release Vermicular, Obscene, Obese Lyric Video
Aborted have released a new lyric video for their song "Vermicular, Obscene, Obese".

Aborted Sven De Caluwe had this to say about the song,"Eating carbs is bad mmmkay? So yeah we have this new lyric video up for 'Vermicular, Obscene, Obese'...Which isn't really about carbs, unless you count corpses as carbs, or grannies, or trannies, or something...It's also absolutely not about mass consumerism and other social points of view since we are as brain dead as our music, so go check out the funky stuff from the funky bunch, and enjoy!" Watch the video here.

Aborted will also be hitting the road next week with Vadar for a European tour in support of their latest album, Global Flatline. more on this story




KISS Release Promo Video For Their Slot Machines
(hennemusic) KISS have unveiled a new video promoting their slot machines which are currently available for playing in several states and casinos across the U.S.

The band unveiled the product line last fall at the 12th annual Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas.

The slot game offers players unique features for multi-array games, as players can be awarded one, two or three bonus video reel sets on any spin, each enhanced with WILD symbols added to the reels or the low-credit symbols removed. Additionally, when three or more bonus symbols appear on the reels, players will be awarded a Backstage Pass. Players then can choose from one of three passes that may award the Rock n' Records free spin bonus, Band Prize Top Box Bonus or the KISS Alive! Bonus. Watch the video here.




Hell or Highwater Release Gimme Love Video
Hell or Highwater have released a new music video for their latest single "Gimme Love."

The track comes from the band's forthcoming album, Begin Again, which will be released on February 5th. Watch the video here.

The band hit the road this week with The Darkness, supporting the group on their North American tour. more on this story



The Indecent Release Hear Them Fear Them Video and UK Dates
The Indecent have debuted their brand new music video for their new single "Hear Them Fear Them."

The song comes from the band's recently released EP which is entitled "Control." You can watch the video here.

The band will be embarking on a tour of England and Ireland later this month, kicking things off on the 23rd in London. more on this story



Motorhead CES Press Conference Video Goes Online
(hennemusic) Motorhead frontman Lemmy was on hand at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Tuesday for the U.S. launch of Motorheadphones.

More than 100 journalists from 4 continents attended the press conference, and now video of the event has surfaced.

Motörheadphönes has had unprecedented success throughout Europe prior to making their US debut. The new product features professional audio quality, tooled to reproduce rock music or any played music. Motörheadphönes give smooth warm bass, bombastic drums and clear mid-range plus distinct high-end because of the 40mm neodymium high power speakers that takes 6-10 times more power than a standard headphone.

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


New Jimi Hendrix Song Streaming Online
(Classic Rock) Jimi Hendrix's track Somewhere, taken from new album People, Hell And Angels, can now be streamed online.
The psychedelic blues jam track was recorded in 1968 as the guitar icon experimented with sonic directions for the follow-up to Electric Ladyland. It features Steven Stills on bass and Buddy Miles on drums.

Posthumous unheard record People, Hell And Angels will be released in March 4 in a Classic Rock Fanpack which includes the full 12-track album, a 124-page magazine and a giant poster. more on this story



John Fogerty, Stevie Nicks, Corey Taylor, Nirvana For Grohl Supergroup
(hennemusic) Dave Grohl has revealed the band lineup for his Sound City Players show at Sundance next week.

The impressive collection of players for the January 18 date includes John Fogerty, Stevie Nicks, Slipknot's Corey Taylor, Nirvana bandmates Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear (also a Foo), the full Foo Fighters crew, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, Chris Goss and others.

All of the musicians are featured on the soundtrack for "Sound City," the new film directed by Grohl, which will premiere at the Sundance Festival prior to the live show at Park City Live. See who else will be part of the band.




Steve Howe Leaves Asia
Asia cofounder Steve Howe has left the group in order to devote his attention to his other projects including with the band Yes.

The guitarist cofounded Asia in 1981 with John Wetton, Geoff Downes and Carl Palmer. Howe had the following to say to fans about his departure, according to Blabbermouth.:

"Myself and the band wish to thank their fans for the enthusiasm shown during the original members' reunion. I will continue with Yes, and with my trio and solo guitar work. I wish my friends continued success."




Dr Feelgood's Wilko Johnson Has Terminal Cancer
(Classic Rock) Wilko Johnson has terminal cancer, it's been confirmed. The 65-year-old former Dr Feelgood guitarist has refused chemotherapy and aims to keep performing concerts for as long as he can.

In a statement on Johnson's Facebook page manager Robert Hoy says: "I am very sad to announce that Wilko has recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer of the pancreas. He has chosen not to receive any chemotherapy.

"He is currently in good spirits, is not yet suffering any physical effects and can expect to enjoy at least another few months of reasonable health and activity." more on this story




Def Leppard At War With Universal
(Classic Rock) Frontman Joe Elliott says Def Leppard's former record label, Universal, should treat the band with more respect because "we built their penthouse sushi bar".

Leppard are re-recording as much of their back catalogue as possible after failing to reach an agreement with Universal over digital releases. And last month the band cut five acoustic songs performed during their Rock Of Ages tour for a medley released to iTunes.

"We're trying to wrestle back our career and ownership of these songs," said Elliott in an interview in the latest issue of Classic Rock. "They [Universal] own the originals, we're at loggerheads with them over the digital rights. And as long as they're playing silly buggers we'll just keep recording them again."

The singer continued: "Until we can come to some kind of humane conclusion to this ridiculous stand-off, we're going to say: 'F**k you!' We were offered a great deal two years ago and shook hands on it. And then some other twat at the label put a stop to it. It's our life and our music and we're not going to let them exploit us to the extent that they're trying to." more on this story



Three Days Grace Recruit My Darkest Days Singer For Upcoming Tour
Three Days Grace frontman Adam Gontier has left the group due to health issues and the band have recruited My Darkest Days singer Matt Walst to fill in for the group's upcoming coheadlining tour with Shinedown.

The tour is set to kick off on February 1st in Moline, Il. Brad Walst had the following to say about the trek:

"We were surprised and distressed by Adam's sudden departure. We are however very excited for this upcoming tour, and to have my brother Matt stepping in as lead singer."

You can listen to Matt in rehearsal with Three Days Grace performing "The High Road," "Chalk Outline" and "Riot" here.




Grade and Somehow Hollow's Kent Abbott Dead At 32
Somehow Hollow frontman and former Grade guitarist Kent Abbott died on Monday January 7th. He was 32 years-old.

A cause of death has not yet been disclosed. His former band Grade confirmed his passing with the following Twitter post:

"Shocked and saddened to hear that friend and Grade/Somehow Hollow guitarist Kent Abbott passed away. All our thoughts are with his family."

Other musicians have responded to the sad news, read those here.




AC/DC Bon Scott Play Set For Non-Theater Performance
(hennemusic) The first ever non-theater performance of "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be - The Story Of Bon Scott" will take place on February 19 at The Corner Hotel in Richmond, Victoria, Australia.

The show will honor the 33rd anniversary of the passing of late AC/DC legend Bon Scott, who died in 1980 at age of 33.

The show stars Nick Barker on vocals, Tommy Boyce and Justin Garner on guitars, Alex Raunjak on bass, and Steve Brown on drums.

"Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be" tells the story of Bon Scott's life – his childhood, his family, his secrets, the bands that came before his rise to fame with AC/DC, and his rock and roll dreams. more on this story




Black Star Riders Explain New Song
(hennemusic) Former Thin Lizzy members – now known as Black Star Riders - entered the studio this week with producer Kevin Shirley to record their debut album.

The group adopted the new band name out of respect to the legacy of the late Phil Lynott and to start the project with a clean slate.

Now, guitarist Damon Johnson explains the roots of a new track, "Hoodoo Voodoo." "Thin Lizzy was the music of my life, especially those great guitar parts," says Johnson from the studio. "There was something about this riff that very much sounds like it could have been on 'Johnny The Fox' or 'Bad Reputation.' I had this moment in there today when we were tracking it and Scott and I were like standing right in front of each other…his vibrato is one of the greatest of all time and I've totally tried to emulate Scott my whole life…and I had this moment of 'holy sh*t, I'm in the studio with Scott Gorham, playing a lick that I came up with one morning that sounds just like Thin Lizzy.'" Watch the studio report here.





Visconti Says David Bowie Releasing Real Rock Album
(Classic Rock) David Bowie producer Tony Visconti says surprise album The Next Day is a real rock record, despite the slow, introverted nature of first single Where Are We Now?

The icon astonished fans by releasing the new track and details of the full-length work on his 66th birthday yesterday. Many believed he'd retired from making music. It had also been rumoured that his health was failing after he suffered a heart attack in 2004, then ended public appearances two years later.

But Visconti, who's now worked with Bowie on 13 releases, tells the BBC: "We all know he had a health scare in 2004. But David is extremely healthy. He's rosy-cheeked, he smiles a lot.

"He still has that power in his voice – when he starts singing I have to back off and leave him in front of a microphone." more on this story




Rival Sons Kick Off North American Tour Dates
Rival Sons will be heading north later this month in support of their new studio album, Head Down.

The band kicked off a series of Western U.S. dates last night with a sold out hometown show in Los Angeles. They have lined up shows in Orange County, San Francisco, Portland, Or and Seattle before heading across the border.

The Canadian tour will kick off in Vancouver on January 31st and will conclude on February 16th in London, On.

Earache Records have released "Head Down" digitally in the U.S. and the physical copies of the album will be hitting stores on March 5th. more on this story




Randy Rhoads Family Sues Over Book
The estate and family of late Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot guitarist Randy Rhoads have filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the authors and publisher of a new coffee table book about the legendary musician.

The following announcement about the lawsuit and their reasons for it was sent out: In late 2012 Randy Rhoads mother, Delores Rhoads, siblings Kathryn Rhoads D'Argenzio and Kelle Rhoads, learned that a coffee table book titled "Randy Rhoads" had been released, co-authored by Andrew Klein and rock writer Steven Rosen with the assistance of Peter Margolis and Denny Anderson.

The family obtained a copy of the book. They were both astonished and horrified to see that Klein and Margolis are holding themselves out as "experts" on the life of Randy Rhoads, implying that they had the approval and cooperation of the Rhoads family, which they did not.

On April 1, 2007, Margolis entered into an agreement with the Rhoads family to produce a single documentary film on the life of Randy Rhoads. Margolis assured the family that the film would be completed within three years. From that point on, however, Margolis himself did not own any of the ideas and materials obtained or created in the production of the documentary, or any of the photos, videos or sound recordings collected for use in it, having assigned all of that to Dakota Films, the company financing and producing the documentary. Over the next several years, Margolis, Klein and others, working for Dakota Films, went forward with the project. Although Margolis reportedly claimed, as of early 2012, that the documentary was completed – "in the can"—it has never been released. Individuals who saw portions of it during production have reported that it was "edited poorly and unprofessionally," and that the quality of the film was "abysmal." The Rhoads family was frustrated by what they considered the mediocre quality of Margolis's film, and by the fact that the "official documentary" they had so long hoped for had never come to fruition. This has been especially painful for Randy's mother, Delores Rhoads, who is now in her nineties, and has spent the last three decades carefully preserving and advancing the legacy of her son. more on this story




Opeth and Katatonia North American Tour
Opeth will be launching a North America tour this April and May that will feature direct support from Katatonia.

The 30+ city tour is set to kick off on April 18th in Buffalo, NY and will wrap up on May 26th in Santa Cruz, Ca.

Opeth are hitting the road in support of their most recent studio album, Heritage and the tour will feature a headliner appearance at the England Metal & Hardcore Festival with Anthrax, Hatebreed and Suicidal Tendencies.

The tour will kick off on April 18th in Buffalo and will take the band throughout North America on a 30+ city tour. Katatonia has been confirmed as direct support for the tour. more on this story




Sweet Revisit Desolation Boulevard With New Digital Album
Sweet have released a digital live album of the group performing their 1974 'Desolation Boulevard' in its entirety.

Sweet's 'Desolation Boulevard Revisited' features the new live performances of the classic hits 'Ballroom Blitz', 'Fox On The Run' and 'The Six Teens'.

Founding member Andy Scott had this to say, "Sweet's 'Desolation Boulevard' album was groundbreaking back in 1974 and proved to be a major influence on soon to be famous rock bands such as Kiss, Motley Crue, Def Leppard and many more.

"The album was a tightly produced collection of Power Pop Heavy Rock Radio Friendly tunes that still sound great today. This was the album that accelerated SWEET into a Major Headlining Touring Band in the '70s, a testament of anyone who saw the band 'live'. Several of the songs from the album have been covered by other artists which pays true homage to a great band. Now in 2013 we have 'Desolation Boulevard Revisited'. more on this story




Ryan Adams Iron Maiden Cover Featured On New Soundtrack
(Radio.com) The popular Showtime series Californication returns for its 6th season Sunday January 13 at 10:30 pm ET, and two days later, the show's soundtrack will be released, featuring covers of some iconic classic rock and metal artists.

Former Sex Pistol Steve Jones leads off the album with a cover of David Bowie's "Suffragette City," and country-rocker Ryan Adams does a much different take on Iron Maiden's metal classic "Wasted Years".

Up-and-coming Americana singer Lissie offers a not-too-different version of Metallica's ballad "Nothing Else Matters." Read more and grab links to check out some of the covers.




New Clutch Song Streaming Online
(Classic Rock) Clutch have released the title track from upcoming album Earth Rocker and you can hear it online.

Their tenth album hits shelves in March and they'll tour across the US and Europe in the coming months.

Classic Rock recently said of Clutch's live show: "They've proved themselves to be the beating heart of 21st-century rock'n'roll. Out of step with the times but by no means retro, their supremacy is something to be very smug about indeed." Listen to the song here.




Black Sabbath Enlist Shihad For Upcoming Tour
Black Sabbath have recruited veteran New Zealand band Shihad to support them on their upcoming tour.

The tour will be taking place this April and March and will include several stops in New Zealand and Australia.

Black Sabbath will be launching the tour in support of the forthcoming album, their first with original frontman Oozy Osbourne since 1977's "Never Say Die." more on this story




Original Love/Hate Guitarist Says Demos Were Better Than Their Albums
(Classic Rock) Original Love/Hate guitarist Jon E Love insists the band's demos for classic albums Blackout In The Red Room and Wasted In America sounded better than the final releases.

Frontman Jizzy Pearl has announced a tour with a lineup featuring Robbie Crane (Ratt), Keri Kelly (Alice Cooper) and Matt Starr (Ace Frehley). While Love is scheduled to appear at a handful of shows he's not expected to take part in the UK dates through March and April.

But the return to action has given the guitarist cause to think about the band's past, and the heady days of the early 1990s. more on this story





Singled Out: Adler
Today Jacob Bunton from Adler tells us about their new single "Good To Be Bad" which comes from their debut album "Better Off Dead". Here's the story:

"Good To Be Bad" is an anthem that almost everyone can relate to. No matter what you do in life, there is a dark place rooted in your mind that you can't run away from. Some try to turn it off and others embrace it, but it's always there.

It's like the old cartoons that portray an angel on your left shoulder and a devil on the right. We all have free will to do right or wrong, but sometimes the line is blurred depending on religion, morals, political beliefs, life circumstances, etc.

This song is written from the view point of someone living in excess and just not caring about the consequences. It was one of the most fun songs to record. John 5 from Rob Zombie came in and played guitar on the track and absolutely nailed it. It's my favorite song off the record to play live.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and watch their new lyric video here.




Conan Previews Jack White Serious Jibber-Jabber Session
(hennemusic) Jack White will be a guest on Conan O'Brien's TBS show tonight and Conan has offered up a preview of the conversation.

Jack and Conan talk for a long time about art, success, and upholstery on a special episode of Serious Jibber-Jabber - shot entirely on 35mm film.

White is currently nominated for three Grammys for "Blunderbuss", including Album of the Year, Best Rock Album, and "Freedom At 21" for Best Rock Song. Watch the preview here.




Video of Rush's Rock Walk Induction Posted Online
(hennemusic) On November 20, 2012, radio personality Jim Ladd introduced Rush, to fans and press, as they were inducted into the historic Guitar Center RockWalk. Guitar Center has just released a video highlights package from the event.

Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson placed their hand prints onto the wet cement which was later placed next to the palms and faces of other legendary musicians in front of the world famous Guitar Center Hollywood on Sunset Blvd.

Guitar Center's RockWalk is dedicated to honoring those artists who have made a significant impact and lasting contribution to the growth and evolution of Rock 'n' Roll, Blues and R&B.