Today's Rock News!

Ozzy Osbourne Recruits Slash For Halloween Supergroup Performance

Ozzy Osbourne has recruited former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash and his Black Sabbath bandmate Geezer Butler to perform with him when he headlines the second night of the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience on Halloween.
Billed as Ozzy + Friends, the band will also feature former Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello and there is no word yet which drummer will be performing with the band.

This year's Voodoo Music + Arts Experience takes place on October 30th, 31st and November 1st in New Orleans with Florence + the Machine headlining the first night and Zac Brown Band taking the headline slot on the closing night. Find more information and the full lineup here.




Van Halen Trying To Stop Sammy Hagar From Performing Songs?(hennemusic)

Sammy Hagar is claiming that the Alex and Eddie Van Halen are trying to prevent him from performing songs from the band's Van Hagar-era. Hagar continues to play material from his time in the group when he performs solo and with any of the supergroups he's a part of - the latest being The Circle, with bassist Michael Anthony, drummer Jason Bonham and guitarist Vic Johnson.
"I feel obligated, because listen - we sold 40 million, 47 million records, whatever it was together," Hagar tells Eddie Trunk. "We had all those Number Ones. Those are great songs: 'Right Now.' 'When It's Love.' 'Finish What Ya Started.' … These are great songs that need to be played for the people that supported it during the era, and it actually irritates me when those guys try to act like it never happened."

Hagar then goes on to speculate about the band's motives while attempting to take a shot at the ability of original Van Halen vocalist David Lee Roth. "I'm going, 'Why would you shoot yourself in the foot like that just because you can't do them anymore?'," says Hagar. "But don't act like they're not good songs and you can't play them and that they're not worth being played."

The Red Rocker tells Trunk the Van Halen brothers are out to shut his efforts down. "If you wanna know the truth, I'm gonna tell you something that's gonna stir everything and everybody up so bad, you're not going to believe it," Hagar continues. "Eddie and Alex Van Halen are trying to stop me from even being able to play those songs. They have had attorneys and people say 'No, he can't play them.' Sometimes you need permission to play something, like on TV and stuff, and they say no. They will actually fight legally to try and stop me, and I'm going crazy."

"I'm going, 'I'm gonna break these guys' neck'", threatens Hagar. "It's like they're so jealous they can't do them and they don't want them to be heard because they want to pretend like it never happened because of what they're doing now.

"When I got wind of this. I was going nuts. I've hired an attorney and I'm gonna fight these guys to the end. Those are my songs! I wrote every lyric and every frickin' melody on every one of those songs, and for those guys to say I can't sing my own songs … oh my God, I'm going crazy." Read more and listen to the full interview here.



Journey Hire New Drummer In Wake Of Deen's Arrest(hennemusic)

Journey have hired drummer Omar Hakim for their summer tour following the arrest of longtime member Deen Castronovo on domestic violence charges in Oregon on June 14.
The band issued the following statement: "We Journey have made the decision to have Omar Hakim play drums for the band's upcoming U.S. concerts (Hollywood Bowl on Saturday, June 20 and the Stadium of Fire in Provo, Utah on Saturday, July 4), as well as the band's Canadian tour (July 6 - August 3), due to Deen Castronovo's pending issues. We are very grateful to Omar filling in with his musical excellence."

Castronovo was arrested in Salem, Oregon after an early morning domestic dispute that saw the drummer charged with assault, coercion, and menacing; he was released on bail and a plea hearing has been scheduled for June 30. Read more here.



Iron Maiden Announce New Double Album

Now that Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson is tumor free, the band are moving forward with the release of their new studio album "The Book Of Souls", which is set to be released on September 4th.
No strangers to epic songs, the legendary British heavy metal band have recorded a new truly epic album with so much music that it will be released in double CD and triple heavyweight vinyl formats.

In addition to the standard digital, 2CD, 3Record vinyl versions, the band will also be releasing a limited edition 2CD deluxe edition that will feature a hardbound book and two 24-bit high res audio versions including a mastered for iTunes version and a non-mastered for iTunes.

The band recorded the album at the Guillame Tell Studios in Paris with longtime producer Kevin 'Caveman' Shirley album last year. Dickinson had this to say, "We're really excited about The Book Of Souls and had a fantastic time creating it. We started working on the album in late summer 2014 and recorded it at Guillame Tell Studios in Paris, where we'd done the Brave New World album back in 2000 so the studio holds special memories for all of us.

"We were delighted to discover the same magical vibe is still alive and very much kicking there! So we immediately felt at home and the ideas just started flowing. By the time we'd finished we all agreed that each track was such an integral part of the whole body of work that if it needed to be a double album, then double its going to be!"

Band founder Steve Harris explains why this is a different album for the band, "We approached this album in a different way to how we've recorded previously. A lot of the songs were actually written while we were there in the studio and we rehearsed and recorded them straight away while they were still fresh, and I think that immediacy really shows in the songs, they have almost a live feel to them, I think. I'm very proud of The Book Of Souls, we all are, and we can't wait for our fans to hear it, and especially to take it out on the road next year!" See the tracklisting and format details here.




Bumblefoot Address Scott Weiland Art Of Anarchy Controversy(Classic Rock)


Guitarist Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal wishes Scott Weiland had called him to discuss supergroup Art Of Anarchy before labeling the project a "scam from the beginning."
The ex-Stone Temple Pilots frontman spoke out after the band was announced in January, also featuring Disturbed bassist John Moyer. And despite appearing in a video alongside the rest of the lineup, he insisted he "didn't even know what their names were" and that "it was something I did when I wasn't doing anything."

Asked if Weiland was aware that Art Of Anarchy was aiming to be a fully-fledged band project, Bumblefoot tells Rock.About.com's Bob Schallau,, "Well, we thought it was. It's complicated (laughs). And also it has to do with legal stuff. It would have to do with contracts and all that. So I probably shouldn't talk too much about it. That could get in the way of whatever.

"But it was... I mean I don't want to throw anybody under the bus or anything, but contracts were worded clearly. We all knew what we were getting into and thought each other knew what we were getting into. So anything else came as a shock.

"And even when we announced the existence of the band in January, the night before camps were in touch with each other approving the bio and all those things so that nothing was a surprise. Even things that we didn't need to be in touch about like, 'Here's what I'm gonna say on Twitter, just so you know,' out of courtesy so that nothing for any reason rubs anyone the wrong way.

"And we made the announcement and then (laughs) we saw in the middle of... (pauses). Yeah. So it was disappointing. I would have much preferred if Scott had called me and said, 'Can we find a different way of doing this or wording this', or something that would be less damaging." Read more here.




The Rolling Stones Jam Classic Song With Brad Paisley(hennemusic)


The Rolling Stones were joined by Brad Paisley for a performance of their 1971 classic, "Dead Flowers", in Nashville on Wednesday and video of the jam has been posted online.
Paisley did double-duty on the evening, opening the Stones' show at the city's LP Field, where he brought on special guests Carrie Underwood and Joe Walsh.

"We've got so many country artists here tonight," joked Mick Jagger, "When I went to the VIP room back stage, wow, I've never seen so much heartbreak!" Keith Richards added "We should come here more often. It's a great town."

The Rolling Stones are currently playing concerts on their Zip Code tour of North America to promote the expanded reissue of "Sticky Fingers", which is rounded out with alternate and unreleased tracks from the sessions. Watch video of the jam here.




New Beatles Musical Coming Next Year(Classic Rock)


A musical based on the Beatles' sessions in Abbey Road Studios will be staged at London's Royal Albert Hall next year. A replica of the iconic premises' Studio Two will be built for the production, set to open in April.
Producer Stig Edgren tells The Times: "It will be a musical documentary giving audiences an honest, respectful and accurate recreation of how history was made."

And he's insisted the cast won't be made up of Fab Four lookalikes. "We're not trying to look like the Beatles - we're trying to sound like them," he says. "The idea is you're watching them in recording mode." Read more here.




Emmure Pull Out Of Festival Due To Frankie Palmeri's Health(TeamRock Radio)


Emmure have cancelled another gig as frontman Frankie Palmeri has still not fully recovered from a torn vocal cord. He suffered the injury on the road in February and the band later cancelled a European tour with Caliban, Thy Art Is Murder and Sworn.
They were due to perform at Insane Clown Posse's Gathering Of The Juggalos - but with Palmeri still under doctor's orders to rest, they've dropped the date.

Emmure say: "We regret to inform everyone, but we have decided to pull out due to Frankie's recovery progress. We'd like everyone to know that Frankie is doing much better since this incident started in February, and we appreciate all the well wishes.

"We want to thank ICP and the organisers for asking us to be part of the festival this year. Thank you all for the continued support." Read more and see the band's post



Fear Factory Streaming New Song 'Soul Hacker'(TeamRock Radio)


Fear Factory have launched a lyric video for their track Soul Hacker, taken from ninth album Genexus. The follow-up to 2012's The Industrialist will be released on August 7 via Nuclear Blast, with a guest appearance from Journey drummer Deen Castronovo.
Guitarist Dino Cazares says: "We chose Soul Hacker for the first single because it's heavy, catchy and has a lot of groove. You can really hear the aggression in Burton C Bell's vocals on this one - not to mention on the entire album. We think people are really going to love this song and record. It's varied, melodic, aggressive and heavy."

He adds: "We wanted to make it a little more interesting than your typical lyric video, so we included some live footage of the band from our last few tours and images of ourselves performing the song on TV screens." Stream the song here.




The Supersuckers Launch Eddie Spaghetti Cancer Fund(Classic Rock)


The Supersuckers have launched a fundraising campaign to assist frontman Eddie Spaghetti's cancer fight. They revealed earlier this week that he'd been diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer, forcing the cancellation of a European tour.
Last night's concert in Seattle was their last before he undergoes surgery on June 29, to be followed by radiation treatment and possibly chemotherapy. Spaghetti's wife Jessika Daly has told how the diagnosis was confirmed during a family road trip. She says on the band website: "On the afternoon of Monday, June 15, after five long days of holding our breath, the phone finally rang.

"'Eddie, you have stage three oropharynx cancer and you should come in for surgery as soon as possible. I was driving the car, and even though we knew the call was coming, I had to pull over. I couldn't breathe. He was scrambling for paper and a pen and I just felt my arms get weak. I saw his face become tense and scared. This was the news we'd waited impatiently for - it was the call that would change everything." Read more here.




3 Doors Down Guitarist Reveals New Album Details(TeamRock Radio)



3 Doors Down have revealed the title of their upcoming sixth album. The Mississippi rockers will release Us And The Night later this year, guitarist Chris Henderson says.
He tells KFMX: "I'm actually on my way to the studio right now to finish guitars for a new record. The music's almost done. Probably in the next five days the record will be finished 100 percent and sent off to mix.

"It's going to be called Us And The Night, so there is an album title. I think the tentative release date will be September, October, November - somewhere in that area. We want to



Refused Release 'Dawkins Christ' Music Video(TeamRock Radio)



Refused have released a video for their track Dawkins Christ. It's taken from the Swedish hardcore outfit's album Freedom, which will be issued on June 30 via Epitaph. They previously issued opening track Elektra.
The band say of Dawkins Christ: "The title refers to the famous biologist whose atheist theology has inspired a semi-cult who see him as a messianic figure -an irony that partly inspired the lyrics.

"The music draws from the film scores of Hans Zimmer and Ennio Morricone as well as pre-Reign In Blood Slayer." Refused reunited in 2012 after originally splitting in 1998. They have a number of tour dates running through to October, including slots at Reading and Leeds festivals. Watch the video here.





Rammstein's Lindemann Feels Newcomers Don't Have A Chance In Music (Classic Rock)



Till Lindemann believes up-and-coming rock bands face an impossible task to make a living from their music. And the Rammstein vocalist insists there will be no future acts to take the place of the current global giants.
Lindemann tells Rock Sverige: "The only thing I can say is that I don't want to start a band these days. It's quite impossible to live off of it. The record companies don't give you a chance, like in the old days when they went, 'Here's a pile of money - go make a good record.'"

He describes modern music as "fast produced, home made, all digital and low-budget," and adds: "As a newcomer you have no chance. Everything is cheap and low budget, in my opinion." Read more here.





While She Sleeps Release Plea For Temp Singer For Warped Dates(TeamRock Radio)



While She Sleeps have issued an SOS for a stand-in singer who can cover for Loz Taylor on the first dates of the Vans Warped Tour in the US which kicks off today (June 19).
Taylor encountered visa problems and can't leave the UK until they're resolved, meaning the band must find a replacement. They say: "Are you a vocalist? Can you scream? Do you want to sing with us?

"The US visa system is broken and Loz is stuck in the UK until it's fixed. We need someone to do his job until then." Read more including the contact information if you are interested here.





Black Veil Brides Fans Step Up For Late Roadie's Family(TeamRock Radio)


Fans of Black Veil Brides, Asking Alexandria, Motionless In White, Falling In Reverse and others have helped smash the funding target set to help bring a late roadie's body home.
Chris Holley died in his sleep in Los Angeles at the weekend, leading to tributes from members of many of the bands he'd worked with. His family asked for $10,500 via GoFundMe, explaining that he hadn't been insured and it would take an "extremely large amount" to cover the transit costs to Florida.

But less than 24 hours after the campaign was launched, it all-but crossed the $20,000 mark, meaning Holley will be laid to rest near his loved ones. Read more here.





Radiohead Track Lift May Finally Be Released(Prog)


Radiohead's ninth album is set to feature old track Lift after the band finally came up with an arrangement they liked. Guitarist Jonny Greenwood describes the song as a "management favorite".
Greenwood also compares the track's development to that of Nude, which was written in the 1990s but wasn't recorded until the In Rainbows sessions of 2007.

In a Dutch interview, just translated, Greenwood says: "What people don't know is that there's a very old song on each album, like Nude. We never found the right arrangement for that, until then.

"Lift is just like that. When the idea is right, it stays right. It doesn't really matter in which form." Read more here.




Rolling Stones Score Top 5 Chart Debut With Sticky Fingers Reissue(hennemusic)


The newly-released reissue of the Rolling Stones 1971 album classic, "Sticky Fingers", has landed a US Top 5 debut. Billboard reports the reissue enters the Billboard 200 at No. 5 with opening week sales of 36,000 copies.
The Super Deluxe version - which tracks separately due to its additional extra content - debuts at No. 65 with 9,000 copies. The Rolling Stones are currently playing concerts on their Zip Code tour of North America to promote the expanded reissue, which is rounded out with alternate and unreleased tracks from the sessions.

The band warmed up for the tour with a May 20 club show at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, which was filmed for a possible future release. Read more here.




Tim Bowness Releases 'Press Reset' Video(Prog)


Tim Bowness has released a video for his track Press Reset. It's taken from upcoming solo album Stupid Things That Mean The World, set for launch via InsideOut on July 17.
Bowness says: "Press Reset was one of the first songs I wrote for the album. The band fleshed out my demo and produced some really interesting and powerful performances - from Colin Edwin's atmospheric ebow bass and Andrew Booker's inventive drum patterns to the very direct guitar contributions from Bruce Soord.

"Lyrically, the song deals with a person on the verge of escaping from the pressures of their life. The almost ambient lyric video by We Do Band Stuff is all the better for its stylish simplicity." Watch the video here.




Miss May I Streaming New Song 'I.H.E'(TeamRock Radio)



Miss May I have made their track I.H.E available to stream. It's taken from the Ohio metal outfit's fifth album Deathless, released on August 7 via Rise Records. Pre-orders include an instant download of I.H.E.
Frontman Levi Benton says: "Not only have we been working on this record for almost a year, but we recorded it with our old friend Joey Sturgis who did our first two records and really brought out the best in us.

"It's about how the last two years have tested us on many levels, and how we've come through it all stronger and better. That's where the title comes from - we are deathless." Read more and stream the song here.





Swallow The Sun Ink Deal For New Album Release(Prog)


Swallow The Sun have signed to Century Media Records for an album they hope will "bring the heart back." The Finnish outfit are currently working on the follow-up to 2012's Emerald Forest And The Blackbird, and aim to release further titles through their new deal.
Guitarist Juha Raivio says of their sixth record: "This is something that has not been done many times before - and maybe for a good reason. But we could not care less about that.

"We want to take a stand, to bring the worth and heart back to the music in these shallow times. More news about this huge opus coming soon." Read more here.





Perfect Beings Crowdfunding New Album(TeamRock Radio)


Perfect Beings have launched a crowdfunding campaign to help with the release of their second album. The Californian outfit issued their self-titled debut last year and they're ready to put out the follow-up.
Fans are being asked to pledge $26 (£16) for a CD copy, which comes with a free digital download. A range of other packages are also available via the Pledgemusic page.

Perfect Beings say: "We've finished recording our second album and now we'd like you to join us so we can get it manufactured, promoted, and distributed. We're essentially operating our own record label, and with your pre-order we can make it happen." Read more here.




Skindred Announce New Album 'Volume'(TeamRock Radio)



Skindred will launch sixth album Volume on October 30 via Napalm Records and Benji Webbe and co have released a short teaser featuring music from the follow-up to last year's Kill The Power.
They also announced that they will back it with a UK tour also featuring Crossfaith, (hed) p.e. and Yashin. Frontman Webbe recently told Primal Magazine: "Life is an influence. Going to the pub and having a pint, there's just so many lyrics there. Everything I've ever known, been taught or seen has gone into my songs.

"I want to be that guy who encourages somebody -all my favourite records have said something to me personally, and that's what I want to portray in Skindred." Watch the teaser and see the tour dates here.




Former Judas Priest Frontman Tim 'Ripper' Owens Announces Tour(Classic Rock)



Former Judas Priest frontman Tim 'Ripper' Owens has confirmed a 10-date UK tour next month. The solo shows feature support acts Past The Fall and Memories In Torment.
He recently recalled how he was given Rob Halford's job in Priest in 1996 after singing just one line, and that no other singer auditioned for the role that lasted until the original frontman's return in 2003.

Asked if he'd record with the metal icons again, Owens tells Rock Overdose: "I would, for sure. Not for the money, because I do better now, and I work a lot more.

"But for the good times. While I was in Priest it was like a family. We did everything together - and the hotels and bus was nicer. I miss my times with them, the stories, the beers and dinner. I miss just hanging with them." See the dates here.





Dragonforce To Play Club Where They Started Ahead Of Its Closing(TeamRock Radio)



Dragonforce are to play at a doomed Essex club to highlight the plight of closure-threatened music venues in the UK. They'll perform at The Square in Harlow on August 22, which is set to shut down after a series of concerts entitled Back To Square One, featuring successful acts who played there before they made the big time.
Guitarist Herman Li says: "DragonForce cut its teeth by playing an array of pubs and small clubs up and down the country, which are vital for bands to gain live experience.

"We're seeing venues disappear and it's becoming quite alarming. The Peel in Kingston, The Empress in Bradford, The Mean Fiddler in London – we played all of these in the distant past but they've all gone."

The band first played The Square 14 years ago. Li continues: "It's really very sad. But more to the point, it will affect the development of new talent in the UK." Read more here.



Thirty Seconds To Mars Announce Rescheduled Dubai Show(Gibson)


Earlier this year, the Jared Leto-fronted rock trio Thirty Seconds To Mars announced that they would play Dubai on April 10, 2015. However, less than a fortnight before the gig's scheduled date, organizers Live Nation announced that the show would have to be postponed owing to an "unforeseen scheduling conflict".
The new date for Thirty Seconds To Mars Dubai performance is 25 September 2015. The band, who wrapped up the Europe leg of their Love, Lust, Faith And Dreams Tour at the beginning of May, will play the one-off show at Dubai's World Trade Centre Arena before heading to two final gigs in Spain and Greece.

Local Dubai bands who entered the #MARSBattleOfTheBands contests will still be able to participate in the contest to choose a support act for the gig. Read more here.






The Amity Affliction Reveal UK Tour Details(TeamRock Radio)


The Amity Affliction have revealed more details of their November UK tour. The four previously-announced shows form part of the Impericon Never Say Die! 2015 European run and feature Defeater, Being As An Ocean, Cruel Hand, Fit For A King and Burning Down Alaska.
The Amity Affliction frontman Joel Birch says: "We're really excited to get back to Europe and the UK on the Impericon Never Say Die Tour – not only because we always feel so welcome there, but also because the lineup we have is killer.

"It's not often you want to watch every band on the bill. It's going to be fucking wild." The Australian headliners will relaunch last year's album Let The Ocean Take Me in a special edition including documentary movie Seems Like Forever plus two previously unreleased tracks, Skeletons and Forever. It arrives on July 10 via RoadRunner.

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day In Rock News!: Rock News! Journey's Deen Castronovo ArrestedJourney drummer Deen Castronovo was reportedly arrested for alleged assault and ot...

Today's Day In Rock News!

Rock News!


Journey's Deen Castronovo ArrestedJourney drummer Deen Castronovo was reportedly arrested for alleged assault and other charges on Sunday morning in Salem, Oregon, according to the gossip site TMZ.
The site reports that the Salem Police Department told them that officers were called to a home believed to be the drummer's around 9A.M. on Sunday and he was arrested without incident.

They also report that Castronovo was released on bail after he was booked and charged with assault, coercion, and menacing. There is no word who else was involved in the incident.

In 2012, Castronovo was sentenced to 80 hours of community service and anger-management classes following an arrest in Salem where he was charged with fourth-degree assault, resisting arrest, interfering with a police report and coercion, according to the local Fox affiliate.

TMZ reports that the 2012 arrest was for the alleged assault of his girlfriend.




Foo Fighters Cancel Tour After Dave Grohl Undergoes SurgeryThe Foo Fighters have been forced to cancel their upcoming European concerts as Dave Grohl recovers from surgery that he underwent on Monday after he suffered a broken leg in a fall off the stage during a concert last week.
Grohl released a lengthy statement about the accident and his injuries, saying that he dislocated his ankle and broke his fibula like an "old pair of take out chopsticks."

The band had previously canceled their shows at the Pinkpop Festival (June 14th) and last night's show in St. Gallen, Switzerland (June 16th). They have now cancel their appearances in London on June 19th and 20th, Edinburgh on June 23rd, Belgium on June 25th and their headlining performance at this year's Glastonbury Festival on June 26th.

Here is Grohl's message to fans, "Hey everyone…. Your old pal, Dave here. Been a while, eh? It's been one hell of a year, that's for sure. Looks like we've got some serious catching up to do! Hmmm, let's see…..where do I begin?

"Drumroll, please…. The funniest thing happened to me the other day in Sweden! Two songs into our set at Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, I made a mad dash to the right of the stage during MONKEY WRENCH to shred some tasty licks for the kids up front. It was a beautiful night, beautiful stadium, 52,000 screaming people….dream gig! Well….wait for it….I definitely shredded something (ZING!) Wound up feet first over the Edge (pun intended), dropping about 12 feet, dislocating my ankle and snapping my fibula like an old pair of take out chopsticks. Whoopsie daisy. Not good. Without realizing the extent of my injuries, I stood up to get back onstage and crumbled like a sack of Joe Theismanns (look it up, kiddies). That sh*t was B-R-O-K-E.

"As I lay there on my back, I just thought, 'Are you kidding me? We haven't even gotten to the screamy bit of the song and the gig is f***ing OVER?' So, I asked for a microphone and told the audience I'd get fixed up and come right back to finish the show ASAP. Shock? Probably. But, I couldn't stand the thought of such a perfect night going to waste! I looked at our drummer Taylor and said, 'Bust out some Chevy Metal covers while they fix me up!' So, as the band kicked in to 'Stay With Me' by The Faces, the medics poured me onto a stretcher, took me off to the side, cut my favorite pants off (so bummed) and popped my ankle back into place. I asked if I could get back onstage to finish the show, but they said I needed a cast (which was 20 minutes away at the hospital) to hold my ankle in place. So I looked my EMT, Johan in the eyes and said 'Well, then you're coming up there with me right now and holding it in place until they can bring the cast here. Ready?' He stared at me wide-eyed for a second and said, 'OK, lets' go…'

"I don't know who was more scared, me or Johan. 5 minutes later, I don't know who was having more fun, me or Johan. (I actually looked at him in between songs and said 'This is pretty fun, isn't it?' He smiled and nodded yes.)

"Like clockwork, the cast arrived, I walked offstage for a song or two as they put it on me, and then came back to finish the gig. Let's just say that singing our song 'Walk' with a straight face was pretty goddamned hard. 'These Days' was a good one, too. (Easy for you to say! Your leg has never been broken!) All in all, it was without a doubt the single most bizarre Foo Fighters show in the entire 20 years of being a band. Hands down. What seemed like a tragedy at first turned into a triumph, and we all walked away with a new sense of appreciation for what we've got…

"Straight to the hospital for x-rays, where we finally saw the extent of the damage. That's when things got really real. I was told I needed surgery to fix the break. I decided to fly back to London and find a doctor that could see me ASAP. (Thanks for the recommendation, Paul!) An MRI and a few x-rays later, we set a date and prepared for the operation.

"Operation went well. Had a great team and nice stay in hospital. Good curry, too! Thank you to everyone involved. So….here I am, recovering with 6 metal screws in my leg, thinking about a lifetime of holding up TSA lines from here to Kalamazoo….damn.

"Here's the not so witty bit…….My doctors have advised me to lay low for a while. The most important thing now is for me to recover from the surgery, to keep my leg elevated so as to keep swelling down and prevent any infection/complication that could do long term damage. I'm not out of the woods yet, folks…

"Which means, and it kills me to say it…..the doctors have told us to cancel shows. I'm really so sorry, guys. You know I hate to do it, but I'm afraid it's just not physically possible for me at the moment. We're doing our best right now to work out a plan, so bear with us. You know we're good for our word. But for now, I need to make sure we have YEARS of gigs ahead of us….

"You have always stood by our band, and we will always stand by you. Like I say at every show, we wouldn't be here if it weren't for you guys. And I mean that. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And I will do everything I can to come back and give you a night to remember for the rest of your lives AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

"Until then…my sincerest apologies. Your friend, Dave PS…….Kanye…..Imma let you have this one….."




Pierce The Veil Guitarist Seriously Injured In Accident(Radio.com)

Pierce The Veil guitarist Tony Perry was released from a hospital Monday after being treated for serious injuries sustained in a mountain biking accident last weekend.
An avid bicycle enthusiast, Perry's Instagram feed is filled with photos of riding through scenic terrain. According to a statement by the band's frontman Vic Fuentes, Perry "sustained 3 broken ribs, a torn shoulder, collapsed lung and a broken sternum, for which he needed immediate surgery to repair."

"Fortunately, his surgery went very well, and he is expected to make a full recovery," says Fuentes. "He was released from the hospital yesterday, but due to doctors orders, he will not be joining us for the beginning of Warped Tour until he is healthy enough to play."

"Your fan support is greatly appreciated, so be sure to send Tony some love while he's healing up," demands Fuentes. "Thanks and we'll see you all on Warped!" Read more here.



Five Finger Death Punch Reveal Details For New Album 'Got Your Six'Five Finger Death Punch have revealed more details for their forthcoming studio album, Got Your Six, which will they will be releasing in various formats on August 28th.


The new album, the band's sixth studio effort, will be released in several different formats including a standard CD and digital version that will include 11 tracks, a deluxe CD and digital version that will include 3 bonus tracks (the deluxe CD version will including a redeem code for an exclusive t-shirt), and a vinyl version which will include the bonus tracks and a digital download card for the deluxe version of the album.

Frontman Ivan Moody had this to say about the album, "If someone asked me to sum up who and what Five Finger Death Punch is, I would tell them everything they need to know is on this new record. Hands down, Got Your Six is our best one yet… "

Fans have already received a small taste of what is to come with the release of the first single "Jekyll and Hyde". Moody offered these thoughts on the track, "As for the first single, everybody is Jekyll and Hyde. There are multiple personalities to every human being, and no matter how civilized and sophisticated you think you are, if you dare to look at yourself very, very closely, you'll see… somewhere deep down… there is a demon inside. Your circumstances may not have provoked it yet but trust me, it's there…" says vocalist of Five Finger Death Punch about the lyrical theme of the song.

Guitarist Zoltan Bathory adds, "The verses are actual unaltered voicemails from Ivan. We have an ever-growing collection of these 4:00am messages Ivan usually bombards us with, and Jason had this idea to copy them to a hard drive, then literally wrote the song around them… what you hear is the actual voicemail." See the tracklisting here.



Rush Members Talks Future Music and Special Live Performances

Rush are currently on what they expect will be their last major tour but the members of the band continue to reassure fans that the tour will not be their farewell and they plan to carry on as a band after the trek is over.
Frontman Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson both addressed what the band might do in the future in separate interviews with Lee talking about new music and live options and Lifeson talking about possibilities for future live performances that wouldn't involve a tour.

The Montreal Gazette reports that Lee didn't hesitate when he was asked about another album. He said, "Absolutely. Again, I don't know if my partners agree, but I think they probably do.

"I can certainly see us writing together and putting a musical project together. I cannot really tell you how that would present itself in a live situation. I don't know that there is the will from my two partners to do any kind of tour. But I wouldn't exclude the possibility of doing a set of dates, or some one-off things."

Lifeson meanwhile sees the possibility of the band doing residency type shows in the future. He tells Niagara Falls Review, "I don't see us breaking up or hanging it up, but certainly this kind of touring has become much more difficult.

"So, maybe in the future we'd look at more special-event kind of things. We've always talked about doing, say, five days at Radio City, five days at Massey Hall, those sorts of runs instead of five, six, seven months."

Check out our live review from the current tour


Metal Allegiance Supergroup Announce Debut Album(Classic Rock)

Metal Allegiance, the project featuring members of Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Pantera, Lamb Of God men and others, will issue their self-titled debut on September 18.
The band is the brainchild of Mark Menghi who brought together Megadeth's David Ellefson, Testament's Alex Skolnick and drummer Mike Portnoy in 2011.

Since then, big-name artists including Phil Anselmo, Kerry King, Dave Lombardo and Steve Vai have joined the core group to participate in live events - but only now is their first album of original material set to be released.

Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe says: "When Lamb Of God asked Alex Skolnick to rip a guest solo on Ashes Of The Wake it was a big deal to us to have one of the legends of our scene play on our records.

"Much to my amazement, years later, he returned the request and it's an even bigger deal to me to be asked on a peer level to contribute to a project with so many stellar players." Read more including the track and performer list here.



Bumblefoot Felt Guarded In Guns N' Roses

Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal recently did an extensive interview with About.com's
Bob Schallau to promote the new Art of Anarchy supergroup album project and the conversation turned to Guns N' Roses and he says that he was never able to "comfortably" be himself and not be guarded in the group and he is not sure if the members of the band "ever got to really know each other".
His current status in Guns N' Roses is unclear but he did confirm in the interview that he originally turned down the offer to join the group in 2004 after he was recommended by Joe Satriani.

He said, "Joe recommended me and sent me an email letting me know that in case they reach out that it's not some weird prank or anything, it's legit. A few hours later I heard from one of those guys in the band and we spoke for a couple of months. At the time in 2004 I was putting out an album every year or two, I was touring, I was producing a ton of bands, I was an adjunct professor at SUNY Purchase college teaching music production. I was making music for video games, TV shows, little indie movies. I was doing so many things and I was really happy doing them all. And I felt that every one of those things had a future and were growing and should be nurtured. I knew that if I put all that aside that I would be trading off a lot of things that we're important to me, that meant something to me and I felt had value. I was able to contribute something of worth to the world and I didn't want to give that stuff up. So yeah, originally I told them, 'Look, I don't think I'm the guy for this. I will help you find the right guy. I'd be happy to discretely get in touch with people and help you find the right guy, but I don't think I'm it.'"

He then explained why he decided to join the group in 2006. "Oh, it was a year and a half later and they had a tour coming up. They reached out again and I still didn't want to do it. I just didn't think I was right for it for a lot of reasons. Then my lawyer friend spoke to them on my behalf and said, 'Look, just leave him alone. He doesn't want to do it.' Instead he got back to me and said, 'You may want to talk to them.' And I was saying, 'No! No! No!' He said, 'Just talk to them. Hear what they have to say.' And I'm being a brat saying, 'No! No! No!' He said, 'For me, just talk to them.' And I was like, 'Alright.' So I went down. They were rehearsing in New York and I just brought my guitar, I figured we'd jam a couple of songs that night. So we did, and then the next night another three songs. And we jammed seven times and then hit the road for three months."

Bumblefoot was then asked about Wikipedia entry that said that he was not initially treated well in the band and that he had to "get a little violent" to gain other member's respect. He responded, "You know what, I don't want to get into dirt and all that negative crap. There were so many good things that happened with 'Guns'. People just wanna put all the bad stuff on Wikipedia. They don't wanna talk about any of the good stuff. They don't wanna talk about visiting a children's hospital in Dallas. Well, ultimately when I joined the band, in the first month, it's true and I'm not revealing anything that I haven't already put out there. So it wasn't the warmest welcome. I kind of had to earn it."

He was then asked if there were actual physical fights and he said, "Well, I think it was just more of a situation like a new family member was brought home without the other siblings' consent (laughs), or to their surprise. It was like, 'Who the f*** is this guy?' (laughs). So it took a good minute for us to get to know each other. I don't know if we ever did. I don't know if we ever got to really know each other to be honest. I feel like the environment I was in never gave me a chance to just comfortably be myself and not feel guarded. But that's just me, and that's just the way the pieces fell, you know." Read the full interview here.


Scorpions Announce North American Album Release and Tour

The Scorpions have announced a September 11th North American release date for an expanded version of their 19th studio album "Return To Forever," and they will be launching a tour to support the release this fall.
The new North American version will include 19 songs in all, including the three exclusive songs as well as four bonus tracks. The new version will be released in various formats including digital, CD and vinyl.

Frontman Klaus Meine had this to say about the album, "We have been overwhelmed with the amazing response to our new album across the globe and can't wait to finally release Return To Forever in North America.

He adds, "We have always had such a special connection with our incredible fans and are so excited to get them the new album and return to play live this fall."

On the eve of the album release, the band will be kicking off the North American leg of their Return to Forever 50th Anniversary Tour which will feature support from Queensryche.

The tour is scheduled to get underway on September 10th in Boston, MA at the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion and will be concluding on October 9th in Seattle, WA at the ShoWare Center. See the tour dates and the album tracklisting here.



Def Leppard's Collen Reveals Side Project Song Featuring David Coverdale (hennemusic)

Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen is previewing his new blues project, Delta Deep, with the release of the track "Private Number" featuring guest vocals by Whitesnake singer David Coverdale.
The lineup includes Collen on guitar and vocals, singer Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Stone Temple Pilots bassist Robert DeLeo, and drummer Forrest Robinson.

Due June 23, the band's self-titled debut album includes guest appearances by Def Leppard vocalist Joe Elliott, Sex Pistols/Manraze drummer Paul Cook and Girl/Manraze bassist Simon Laffy.

Delta Deep formed from a series of jams between Collen and Blackwell-Cook, who were eventually joined by DeLeo and Robinson. Stream the new track here.



The Black Queen (Dillinger Escape Plan and NIN) Release Video(TeamRock Radio)

The Dillinger Escape Plan's Greg Puciato has launched a video for The End Where We Start by his side-project The Black Queen. He's joined by Josh Eustis of Nine Inch Nails fame and Steven Alexander in the electronic-powered trio. They'll release debut album Fever Daydream later this year.
Puciato says the band wrote and recorded in a downtown Los Angeles slum and adds: "That played a big part in the sound - being in this desolate environment of urban blight, completely self-contained, making this heavily emotional music together."

He describes the band's work as bearing a "really visual soundtrack element" influenced by film-maker Stanley Kubrick. "We talked a lot about the feel of 80s sci-fi, the sort of 'used future' thing where it sounds alien but also familiar - and gives you nostalgia for a time you don't remember ever existing." Watch the video here.




Kansas Working On First New Album Since 2000(Classic Rock) Kansas have confirmed they're working on their first album since 2000's Somewhere To Elsewhere. Studio sessions began this week for what will be vocalist Ronnie Platt's debut, after he took over from Rich Williams last year.
Drummer Phil Ehart says in a short video: "Kansas are in the studio today, starting our first new recordings in 14 years. We're pretty excited about that. The album will be out next year - in about three and a half years, four years!"

Guitarist Rich Williams talked up the chances of a studio return earlier this year, crediting Platt with re-energising the band. He said: "Having someone in now that's hungry and really wants to do this, there is no barricade." Check out the video the band posted here.



Styx Box Set and Classic Albums Reissues ComingEight classic

Styx albums are set to be released on heavyweight 180g vinyl both individually and in an 8-disc box set entitled "The A&M Years 1975-1984" on July 17th.
The reissues, part of UMe's "Back to Black" vinyl reissue series will include seven studio albums from the band's time with A&M records (Equinox (1975), Crystal Ball (1976), The Grand Illusion (1977), Pieces Of Eight (1978), Cornerstone (1979), Paradise Theatre (1981) and Kilroy Was Here (1983), and the double live album Caught In The Act (1984).

The box set will include all eight album and is currently available for preorder here. According to UMe during that era, "Styx earned four consecutive albums certified multi-platinum by the RIAA, along with 16 Top 40 smashes, including "Renegade," "Come Sail Away," and "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)." See the individual albums track details and preorder links here.


Slayer Reveal 'Awesome' Repentless Album Cover(TeamRock Radio)

Slayer have unveiled the cover art for their 11th album Repentless. It's due out on September 11 via Nuclear Blast and the design was created by Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco in collaboration with the band's Tom Araya and Kerry King.
Araya says: "We had a number of submitted ideas for the cover artwork and we felt Marcelo's was the best. We made some suggestions and the result is an awesome album cover."

Slayer will release the album's title track on Friday (June 19) on digital formats - a song King calls his "Hannemanthem" as it was written about his late colleague Jeff Hanneman who died in 2013.

The band are currently touring North America and will return to Europe later this year. See the new album art and the upcoming tour dates here.




AC/DC Classic In Mad Max Video Game Trailer(hennemusic)


AC/DC's 1980 classic, "Hells Bells", is featured in the trailer for the upcoming Mad Max video game. Based on the Mad Max film series, the post-apocalyptic vehicular combat and third-person action game video game is set in an open world environment in which players take on the role of the title character.
Developed by Avalanche Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Mad Max will be released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on September 1.

"Hells Bells" was the second single from AC/DC's "Back In Black", one of history's best-selling records with an estimated 50 million copies sold. AC/DC are currently playing shows across Europe on their Rock Or Bust world tour, which marks the return of guitarist Stevie Young and drummer Chris Slade to the lineup following the retirement of founder Malcolm Young and a series of legal issues faced by longtime member Phil Rudd. Check out the game trailer here.



Iconic Led Zeppelin Shows The Focus Of New Limited Edition Book(hennemusic)


"Five Glorious Nights - Led Zeppelin At Earls Court May 1975", a new limited-edition book compiled by photographer Dave Lewis, marks the 40th anniversary of the band's legendary home stand at the famed London venue.
Published via Rufus Stone Limited Editions, the project sees Lewis compile images of Led Zeppelin's 1975 dates from the archives of variety of photographers including Barry Plummer, Dick Barnatt, Ian Dickson, Michael Putland, Mick Gold, Gus Stewart and more, providing fans with an extensive collection of colour and black and white photos - many of them rarely seen.

The photos are complimented by rare memorabilia and a written commentary that puts into perspective exactly why these concerts were some of the finest Led Zeppelin ever performed.

Lewis is a highly respected Led Zeppelin archivist and author and editor of the long running magazine Tight But Loose; he was in attendance at all five of the Earls Court concerts.

"Five Glorious Nights - Led Zeppelin At Earls Court May 1975" is limited to 1000 individually-numbered copies. Watch the trailer for the book here.




Peter Gabriel And Kate Bush On Dalai Lama Tribute Album(Classic Rock)


Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush are among artists contributing tracks to an album that marks the 80th birthday of the Dalai Lama. They'll appear on The Art Of Peace: Songs For Tibet II, alongside Elbow, Sting and others to be announced.
The Art Of Peace Foundation have set up a PledgeMusic campaign to support the release, which follows Grammy-nominated 2008 title Songs For Tibet: The Art Of Peace.

It's being produced and musically directed by Rupert Hine, who oversaw the original release. The foundation says: "The Dalai Lama is a unique beacon of wisdom and insight for millions throughout the world." Read more here.




Miss May I Announce New Album 'Deathless'(TeamRock Radio)


Miss May I will release their fifth album Deathless on August 7, the band have confirmed. The follow-up to 2014's Rise Of The Lion will be issued via Rise Records and will be available to pre-order from the band's official site tomorrow (June 17).
Frontman Levi Benton says: "Not only have we been working on this record for almost a year, but we recorded it with our old friend Joey Sturgis who did our first two records and really brought out the best in us.

"This record is about how the last two years have tested us on many levels and how we have come through it all stronger and better. That's where the title comes from, because we are deathless."

The band will head off with the Vans Warped Tour across North America later this week. Read more including the tour dates and the album tracklisting here.




Black Veil Brides, Asking Alexandria Pay Tribute To Chris Holley(TeamRock Radio)


Black Veil Brides, Asking Alexandria, Motionless In White and others have paid tribute to roadie Chris Holley, who died this past weekend. A crowdfunder has been set up to bring his body home from Los Angeles, where he passed away in his sleep.
BVB's Andy Biersack says: "Chris worked for us as a guitar tech for only a short time but has quickly become one of my best friends in the world. As one of the most sincere and passionate human beings I have ever met, it is not hard to understand why he has touched the hearts and minds of so many. We lost a musician, a friend and a true brother. I love you so much Chris."

Ben Bruce of Asking Alexandria says: "No one will ever truly understand what family really means until they are in that moment where you need someone more than you need oxygen.

"Chris has been my lifeline, my best friend, my family since the day I met him. He held me up when I was down. He kept me grounded when I was flying too high. My love can never be put into words. Thank you Chris for just being you." Read more here.



King 810 Streaming New Mixtape Track(TeamRock Radio)


King 810 have launched a stream of a track from their next mixtape. Their cover of Tied To The Whipping Post features rapper Freddie Gibbs and it'll appear on the band's Midwest Monsters 2 release.
The Flint, Michigan outfit aren't afraid of exploring new ground - they recently noted on Facebook: "People always ask what we've been listening to and when we give some obvious timeless classic answer or an out of genre answer they seem let down."

David Gunn and co haven't confirmed a launch date for the mixtape, which follows the appearance of a video for their track Eyes (Sleep It All Away) earlier this month. Stream the new track here.




New Asking Alexandria Singer Guests On Conquer Divide Album(TeamRock Radio)


New Asking Alexandria frontman Denis Stoff makes a guest appearance on the debut album by Conquer Divide. He delivers lead vocals on the all-female outfit's track Sink Your Teeth Into This, which appears on their self-titled record, out on July 24.
It was produced by AA producer Joey Sturgis, who says: "I knew I had to be involved in some way, because I really like to work with passionate musicians who really care about what they're doing."

Conquer Divide cite Parkway Drive and August Burns Red among their influences. Guitarist Kristen reports: "We've had a lot of pent-up anger to get out on this record. But we did our best to move past those issues and turn them into something for the greater good." Read more and listen to the track here.



Robert Plant Extends North American Tour Plans(Radio.com)

Robert Plant is staying on the road a little longer. After touring throughout May and June, most recently playing Bonnaroo, the Led Zeppelin alum will extend his live shows in support of lullaby and…The Ceaseless Roar into the fall.
Plant and his band the Sensational Space Shifters will be heading east to Lock'n Music Festival in Rochester Hills, Mich., before performing in Arrington, Va., New York and Boston.

In between those cities, Plant will also be making up for missed shows in Toronto, Detroit and Chicago, which he had to postpone after coming down with laryngitis.

"I'm really disappointed as I've only missed one gig in 15 years and now here's two in a row," he said at the time in a statement. "It's heartbreaking. I'm furious, frustrated and silent."

Previously purchased tickets for the rescheduled shows will still be honored. See the newly announced dates here.



Bowling For Soup Announce How About Another Round Tour(TeamRock Radio)

Bowling For Soup have confirmed a UK tour for February next year. It's called The How About Another Round Tour - and the name reflects how the band feel.
Frontman Jaret Reddick says: "On the Farewell Tour, we made it clear that 'farewell' wasn't goodbye. We'd over-extended ourselves for two decades and we needed a break.

"I don't ever expect BFS to go away, but we had to make some changes to our touring schedule if things were going to move forward in a productive and positive manner."

He adds: "It really has been good being able to catch our breath. I feel like our shows are even better than they were a few years back." See the dates here.




Consider The Source Deliver World War Trio Parts II and III(Prog)


Consider The Source have released the latest installment of their three-part World War Trio project. World War Trio Parts II + III has been issued as a double album and follows Part I which was launched in 2014.
The band say: "When we decided to go back into the studio, we made a pact to go all in emotionally, physically, temporally and mentally. This piece was a rite of passage for us and we are beyond excited to share it.

"We ask that when you listen to this album, please do so in an undistracted environment, preferably in headphones or high quality speakers. We have tried to capture unique emotions that cannot fully come across while listening on laptop speakers."

The band have also issued a studio snippet of album track A Monument To Compromise. View it here.


Every Time I Die Guitarist Terrified By Gaslight Anthem Guest Vocals(TeamRock Radio)


Every Time I Die guitarist Andy Williams has recalled his nerves after inviting The Gaslight Anthem's Brian Fallon to guest on seventh album From Parts Unknown.
It was launched last year, with Fallon's vocals on Old Light, and Coalesce's Sean Ingram on Pelican Of The Desert. Williams tells Loudwire: "I was terrified about Brian. I was like, 'How the f*** do you get a guy with that unique voice and do what we do?'

"He f***ing nailed it. They were recording a new record at the time so he was already warmed up - he did a take of lower octaves, higher octaves, middle octaves, kind of scream, and more vibrato than he normally does. It was insane."

Ingram was less prepared, says Williams. "We're the biggest Coalesce fans - Every Time I Die wouldn't sound the way we did if it wasn't for Coalesce. We asked Sean to do it and he goes, 'I'm going to need like three weeks to train.' He would drive around in his car and scream to make sure his voice was up to par. It was so rad." Read more here.



65daysofstatic Unmake The Wild Light In New Video(Prog)

65daysofstatic have released a live video featuring a performance of Unmake The Wild Light ahead of their performance at this year's ArcTanGent festival on August 20.
The song "Unmake The Wild Light" from 65daysofstatic's fifth and most recent album, 2013's Wild Light, and it was recorded during a session for Last.fm.

Last year the band said their published tour dates would be their last for a while, adding that they were undertaking "behind-the-scenes work" which was "based around massive secrets." Check out the video here.




Eagles Of Death Metal Crossing The Pond For Winter Tour(Classic Rock)


Eagles Of Death Metal will return to the UK for a run of winter shows, they've announced. Jesse Hughes and co are currently on the road across Europe and played last weekend's Download festival. And they'll be back for more gigs following a US tour later in the year.
The band say: "You asked for more tour dates, we shall give you more tour dates. 17 new winter dates announced in the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

"Not enough, you say? Not to fear! Keep those beautiful eyes and ears peeled over the next few weeks for even more shows being announced all over this great planet." See the tour dates here.



Royal Blood Say Their Song Are Evolving Live(TeamRock Radio)

Royal Blood say their tracks have taken on "new personalities" as their on stage experience grows. The duo of Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher are in the running to be named live act of the year by music charity Nordoff Robbins. And they say their back catalogue is constantly evolving with every show they play.
Kerr tells the Independent: "The fact that we've done it so much means the songs have taken on new personalities from the ones they had in the first place - and we're just getting better at putting on a show.

"We've gone from being a band that just used to play our songs in a particular order to a band that has grown with the size of the shows. There's always new things emerging." Read more here.



Avatarium Begin Recording New Album(TeamRock Radio)


Avatarium have entered the studio to begin work on their second album, it's been reported. It'll be Candlemass bassist Leif Edling's second album with his side-project following their self-titled 2013 release. They issued the All I Want EP last year.
Edling, vocalist Jennie-Ann Smith, guitarist Marcus Jidell, drummer Lars Skold and keyboardist Carl Westholm have also announced a run of European dates in November, including a show at London's Underworld on November 22.

Jidell says: "The last six months we have been writing, rehearsing, demoing and now we finally started the recordings for our next album. We're all super excited about the new songs and since the album will be released in October, what could be a better way to celebrate than to go on tour?"

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day in Rock News!

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day in Rock News!: Today's Day in Rock Metallica Release Massive 50-CD Box Set (hennemusic) Metallica have released "25 Nights Down Under&...

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Metallica Release Massive 50-CD Box Set
(hennemusic) Metallica have released "25 Nights Down Under", a 50-CD Box Set featuring all 25 live shows the band performed in Australia and New Zealand in 2010 and 2013.

Pre-orders for the $395 package were announced in April and the box set started shipping this week. For fans who aren't interested in the full package, all of the 2010/2013 concerts are also available individually at the band's website.

This Saturday, June 6, Metallica will perform the national anthem and a headline concert at the 2015 X Games in Austin, Texas. Metallica were joined by pioneering skateboarder Tony Hawk to make the announcement of their appearance at the June 4-7 event, which showcases the best in extreme sports. Read more here.




Motorhead Recruit Queen's Brian May For New Album Track
(hennemusic) Motorhead deliver a cover of The Rolling Stones classic, "Sympathy For The Devil", on their upcoming album, "Bad Magic," and the album also features a guest appearance by Queen guitarist Brian May.

Due August 28, the band's 22nd studio effort was completely written and recorded in the studio, marking a first in the Lemmy Kilmister/Phil Campbell/Mikkey Dee era.

The 13-track follow-up to 2013's "Aftershock" was recorded at NRG Studios in Los Angeles with long-time producer Cameron Webb and the guest appearance by Brian May on "The Devil."

Motorhead will begin a series of summer European dates at Rock im Park in Nuremberg, Germany on June 5 before kicking off a North American tour with Anthrax in mid-August - dates to be announced. Check out the dates, and the album track details and cover art here.




Superjoint Ritual Return With U.S. Tour
(TeamRock Radio) Superjoint Ritual have announced a 12-date US summer tour. Before their run of US dates with King Parrot and Child Bite, Superjoint will play Hellfest in France on the weekend of June 19-21.

Down frontman Phil Anselmo resurrected the group last year under the shortened name Superjoint for their first gig in 10 years - despite the former Pantera man stating their appearance at the Housecore Horror Film Festival was a "one off."

And last month he revealed he was busy writing material for a variety of projects - including Superjoint tracks. He said: "I've been writing new Superjoint, been writing new Illegals. Actually I'm in a secret death metal project with some secret other guys from across the equator. It's called Metraton Ganga." See the U.S. Tour dates here.




The Who Announce Changes To North American Fall Tour
The Who will be returning to North American this fall to launch the next leg of their 50th anniversary tour and band has announced a series of new dates that are make-ups for postponed shows on their just completed leg.

The band was forced to postpone some of the dates on the spring leg after frontman Roger Daltry was ordered by doctors to rest his voice. The May 9th Louisville, Kentucky concert has been rescheduled for December 4th, the St. Louis show will take place on December 6th and the Kansas City, Missouri stop is now scheduled for December 8th.

The band has also rescheduled two previously announcement shows on the upcoming leg, to allow Daltry more time to rest his voice between shows. The Toronto show will now take place on December 2nd instead of October 21st and their concert in Oakland has been moved to December 13th.

The tour leg will be kicking off on September 14th in San Diego, CA at the Valley View Casino Center and is now scheduled to conclude with the rescheduled show in Oakland at the Oracle Arena.

Guitarist Pete Townshend had this to say about the leg that the band just completed, "The audiences have been amazing, warm and forgiving. Roger has battled sometimes, not so much with his voice as with a muscle problem that may well go back to a car crash in Australia many years ago. Towards the end he got better and better. And happier. Good to see." See all of the dates here.




Alice In Chains, Bullet For My Valentine Added To Guitar Hero Live
(TeamRock Radio) Bullet For My Valentine, Weezer and Alice In Chains have been added to the lineup for Guitar Hero Live. Anthrax, Green Day, Fall Out Boy, Deftones and Mastodon have previously been revealed as part of the lineup.

The Alice in Chains song Stone, Buddy Holly by Weezer and Bullet For My Valentine 's Temper Temper will appear on the game, which is due out in the autumn.

On Facebook, BFMV say: "Stoked to be added to the awesome lineup of the new Guitar Hero Live video game." Also in the latest batch of acts added are New Politics, Queen, Wolfmother, Neon Trees, Deap Vally, Angus & Julia Stone and Catfish And The Bottlemen. See the full list of the latest additions here.




Reported 1977 Iron Maiden Video Goes Online
(Classic Rock) A recording thought to be Iron Maiden's earliest ever has been streamed online. The music-free 29-second clip, taped in 1977, features then-frontman Dennis Willcock introducing the band.

He says: "We're called Iron Maiden. We're all about a sound that's called metal, if you know what that's all about. Scrap metal, yeah. We don't have enough room to move about here, by the looks of it, so someone's going to go arse over tit, I should imagine. Here we go."

Willcock was Maiden's second singer, after Paul Day co-founded the band in 1976. He was replaced by Paul Di'Anno in 1978. Willcock will play his first show in 30 years with his band GV1 at London's Bar 12 on June 13. Read more and check out the stream here.




Jack White and Loretta Lynn Inducted Into Nashville's Walk Of Fame
(hennemusic) Jack White and country music legend Loretta Lynn were inducted into Nashville's Walk Of Fame on Thursday. The Detroit native and former White Stripes rocker relocated to Nashville almost a decade ago, and opened the headquarters of his Third Man Records in 2009.

Nashville Scene reports Mayor Karl Dean attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the two newest inductees to the Walk of Fame as part of the reopening of the Walk Of Fame Park, a downtown green space overlooked by the Country Music Hall Of Fame, Bridgestone Arena and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

"I hope I'm too young to get something like this," joked White. "It speaks volumes about Nashville ... that you would accept, for example, what we've done with Third Man Records here in this city, and accept it so well, and nurture it, and help us make something come alive.

"We're so honored to be here every day", he added. White - who produced Lynn's Grammy-winning 2004 comeback album, "Van Lear Rose" - received praise from the country legend. "You already know Jack since he's been here in Nashville for a little while," said Lynn. "He didn't have to be here too long for you to understand that we needed him, really. Nashville needed Jack White. And I think he's one of the greatest artists there is."Read more and see a photo from the induction here.



Slash Release 'Live At The Roxy 25.9.14' Trailer
(hennemusic) Slash has released the trailer for his forthcoming package, "Live At The Roxy 25.9.14," which will be released on DVD, Blu-Ray, 2CD and as a 3LP set on June 15th.

The set captures the guitarist and his band in concert at the famed Los Angeles venue as part of the Guitar Center's 50th anniversary celebrations and the launch of his latest album, "World On Fire."

The Roxy event was one of three dates Slash played in Hollywood's most legendary clubs to debut the record; he also rocked The Troubadour and The Whisky in the same week.

Slash is currently playing a mixture of headline and festival show across Europe. Watch the trailer here.




Rush's Alex Lifeson On His View of Band's Future Beyond Final Tour
(Classic Rock) Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson hopes the band will continue to play live shows after what's believed to be their final tour. And while he's previously talked up the chances of making another album, he's now discussed the possibility of two.

Rush are currently on the road across North American on a trip that manager Ray Danniels has said is "most likely the last of this magnitude." But Lifeson tells Guitar Center: "I could still see us going out and doing a special run - a couple of weeks here and there, those sort of things.

"We haven't discussed that but, I could see that happening. And possibly making another album or two. We love playing together and we really enjoy that aspect of our relationship." Read more here.




Metallica Helping Texas Flood Victims
(hennemusic) Metallica have partnered with ESPN and Circuit Of The Americas to assist the victims of the recent floods in Texas by donating all money raised from the sale of downloads of their upcoming June 6 show at the X Games to the American Red Cross of Central Texas.

All formats of the download - including the high definition versions - are being offered at LiveMetallica.com for a discounted price of $5.00 each through July 15.

Metallica will perform the national anthem and a headline concert at the 2015 X Games in Austin on Saturday. "We are looking forward to seeing everyone out at the X Games this Saturday in Austin," says the group. Read more here.




Def Leppard Reveal Initial Guests For Hysteria On The High Seas
(Classic Rock) Eric Martin, Kip Winger and Richie Kotzen are among the first acts to be confirmed for Def Leppard's 2016 cruise. Def Leppard say: "Be prepared to get wet, wild and ready to rock."

Hysteria On The High Seas takes place aboard the MSC Divina, leaving from Miami, Florida, on January 21 next year and stopping at Half Moon Cay and Freeport in the Bahamas.

Def Leppard will be headlining, with guitarist Vivian Campbell's Last In Line also due to appear. Cinderella's Tom Kiefer, Winger mainman Kip, Mr Big's Eric Martin and The Winery Dogs' Kotzen have also been announced. Read more here.




Duff McKagan Reveals Top Touring Tips
(Classic Rock) Duff McKagan has shared his top tips for inter-band harmony on the road. The former Guns 'N' Roses bassist reckons toilet etiquette and knowing a little about your destination helps keep relationships on tour free of unnecessary stress.

McKagan recently released his second book, How To Be A Man (And Other Illusions), along with a companion EP called How To Be A Man. He gives his vital travel tips to Rolling Stone.

He says: "If you don't read, know something about where you're at. Barrett Martin, who was the drummer for Screaming Trees and Mad Season, he's an actual professor. So he'll know about everything we're going by, like, 'That castle there.. something something."

One particular peeve of being on tour in Germany is how many times he has to hear jokes about the German word for a motorway exit - Ausfahrt. "You can laugh at the first six or seven Ausfahrt signs, but there is going to be an Ausfahrt sign every exit. You can only do it for so long."

And when sharing a room with a tour buddy, McKagan sticks to a strict rule regarding use of the toilet. He says: "Don't poo in the room if you're sharing it. Unless you get poo permission, like, 'Oh yeah, it's cool dude. I don't care.' Then you know you're really close with that guy." Watch the full video here.




Queen: Play The Game App Released
(Classic Rock) An official Queen app has been launched, giving fans the chance to win band merchandise. Solving a series of puzzles and answering questions can lead to winning real Queen merchandise.

Queen: Play The Game features images from the band's history along with re-sampled sounds from all the hits and recordings fans may not have heard. It was developed by Birmingham-based SoshiGames.

Queen archivist Greg Brooks says: "Queen: Play The Game presents a lot of imagery you may not have encountered before and in brand new puzzle formats." Read more here.





Muse Reveal New Song 'Defector'
(Classic Rock) Muse have released a lyric video for their track Defector. It's taken from seventh album Drones, set for launch on June 8 and available for pre-order now.

The track starts with a quote from US President John F Kennedy: "We are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding its sphere of influence, on infiltration instead of invasion, on subversion instead of elections, on intimidation instead of free choice.

"It is a system which has conscripted vast human and material resources into the building of a tightly-knit, highly-efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations."

Muse frontman Matt Bellamy previously explained that the album explores "a world run by drones, utilising drones to turn us all into drones." He added: "It's possible to do horrific things at a great distance - without actually feeling any of the consequences, or even feeling responsible. It's a modern metaphor for what it is to lose empathy." Check out the video here.




Beth Hart Drug Free But Sometimes Binge Drinks
(Classic Rock) Beth Hart has opened up about her battle against binge-drinking. The blues singer-songwriter has her drug issues under control, but admits that alcohol still sometimes gets the best of her.

Hart tells Classic Rock's Dave Ling: "Happily, for the last 15 years I've been drug-free. Binge drinking still happens though. I'll go six or nine months, and despite my best intentions, I'll slip. Or at least I did."

But she feels better now than she's done in a long time. "There's a difference between surviving and living," she says. "Now I've gotten past my demons, which makes me feel blessed and grateful.

"That's where my writing comes from these days. I've been given this gift of how to live with addiction and being bipolar." Read more here.




Hate Eternal Reveals Details For New Album 'Infernus'
(TeamRock Radio) Hate Eternal have revealed the artwork and a tracklist for their forthcoming sixth album Infernus, which is set to be released on August 21 via Season Of Mist.

The follow-up to 2011's Phoenix Among The Ashes is their first studio outing with drummer Chason Westmoreland, who replaced Jade Simonetto in 2013.

Mainman Erik Rutan recently said Westmoreland's work had a "very primal and visceral feel" and added: "He did a tremendous job on the recording. I can't wait for us to get on tour and deliver the goods."

Earlier this week, the band issued a stream of album track Pathogenic Apathy, described by Metal Hammer as a "typically furious and incensed explosion of churning riffs and neck-snapping blastbeats." See the tracklisting and artwork here.




Robert Plant Releases Video Montage From North American Tour
(hennemusic) Robert Plant has released a video montage of photos that have been taken during his current North American tour in support of "lullaby and...The Ceaseless Roar."

The 4-week run with the Sensational Space Shifters started May 24 at the Sasquatch Festival in George, WA, with dates wrapping up in Philadelphia on June 17.

Plant launched "lullaby..." last fall with a 7-date North American theatre tour as the record went on to land a US Top 10 debut, entering the Billboard 200 at No. 10 with opening week sales of 29,000 copies.

The album marked Plant's third straight top 10, following 2010's "Band Of Joy" and 2007's "Raising Sand" (with Alison Krauss). This week, Plant's former band, Led Zeppelin, announced that it will wrap up a year-long reissues campaign on July 31 with the release of their final three studio albums, 1976's "Presence", 1979's "In Through The Out Door" and 1982's "Coda." Watch the video here.




In This Moment Frontwoman Does Mystery Collaboration
(TeamRock Radio) In This Moment frontwoman Maria Brink has revealed that she has recorded another collaborative track - but she won't reveal the name of the band she's worked with.

She's previously guested with Papa Roach on Gravity and Five Finger Death Punch on Anywhere But Here, and she says she loves being the "go-to" female singer for those team-ups.

Brink provided these details to KFMX about the mystery collaboration: "There's another band, it's somebody I really, really always liked a lot and was inspired by. You know, it's an honor." Read more here.




Twenty One Pilots' Blurryface Artwork Explained
(TeamRock Radio) Brandon Rike, the graphic artist who designed the packaging for Twenty One Pilots' latest album Blurryface, has revealed the concept behind his work.

A conversation with the band's Tyler Joseph inspired him with three key elements that moulded the final design. Rike says in a blog entry: "Tyler explained the elements of ourselves that we hate, and the constant battle against these traits. In order to add clarity to this internal struggle, he gave a name to these negative attributes: Blurryface."

He then defined the most important things he had to achieved: "First, find a way to represent Blurryface in a obscure but potent manner. Second, create visuals that resemble the songs, as well as the mishmash of the collection as a whole.

"And finally, reward the fans for their support of the band, and give them new journeys of discovery as they dig deep into all of the elements of the album." Read more here.




Wilson Frontman Explains How Detroit Fuels The Band's Survival
(TeamRock Radio) Wilson frontman Chad Nicefield says growing up in Detroit has given the band the edge they need to survive in the music industry. And he insists they have the ambition and drive to make it to the next level of success.

They recently issued streams of All My Friends and Give 'Em Hell from second album Right To Rise, set for release on June 30 via Razor & Tie.Nicefield tells Metal Hammer's Merlin Alderslade: "In Detroit you do things because you have to. Like, 'This is how you're able to survive.' You were told not to go to certain places or do certain things as a kid because it was scary.

"There was crime and there were people that might f***ing kill you there. In Detroit you have to know what you're doing." He continues: "We make guttural decisions because that's how we're programmed. When we write, we don't think, 'How will people in Los Angeles like this song?' We're writing because we like the way it sounds." Read more here.




Joy Division Fans Backing Ian Curtis Museum Plans
(Classic Rock) A Joy Division fan who has revealed his plans to turn Ian Curtis' former home into a museum has been "bombarded" with messages from people offering to help.

The late singer's Macclesfield home in Greater Manchester was bought by Hadar Goldman for £190,000 this year. He paid £75,000 more than the asking price to secure the deal from another buyer who was close to becoming its owner.

Since it was reported he'd bought the property - used in Anton Corbijn's 2007 Curtis biopic Control - supporters from around the world have offered to help, according to Prolific North.

Last month, Goldman told the Guardian: "I felt as if I had to get involved, especially after hearing the plight of fans who had failed to raise the necessary funds to buy the house owned and lived in by one of the musical heroes of my youth." Read more here.



Fairport Convention Reveal Cropredy Convention Festival Lineup
(Prog) Fairport Convention have confirmed the complete lineup for this year's edition of their Cropredy Convention festival. The 2015 edition takes place at Cropredy, Oxfordshire, on the weekend of August 14-16 and stars Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Level 42, Ian Matthews and Egbert Derix.

Fairport Convention have revealed that they will open proceedings with a semi-acoustic set and end the event with a full-power performance featuring guest appearances.

The BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winner of the year, yet to be announced, will perform as usual on the Saturday, while festival regular Richard Digance plays on the Sunday. See the full lineup here.



Blank Manuskript Announce Tour, Reveal New Album Plans
(Prog) Blank Manuskript have announced that they will be launching a European tour next week and the band has also revealed that they're working on their third album.

The prog outfit will issue The Waiting Soldier in the coming months and will hit the road this month, with support from fellow Austrians Mindspeak for some dates.

Blank Manuskript guitarist Alfons Wohlmuth says: "It's a concept album about a guy who decides to call himself a soldier and guard an object. He is not a very intelligent guy, he hasn't found his place in life and therefore tries to find his way by becoming a soldier." See the tour dates here.




Shardborne Premiere 'Room Within A Room' Video
(Prog) Shardborne have premiered their video for Room Within A Room with Prog. It's taken from the Irish instrumental prog metal outfit's debut album Living Bridges, to be launched via Out On A Limb Records on July 10.

The band say: "Room Within A Room is the last track on the album. It offers a good idea as to the rest of the tunes. It's a good closer - we wanted to end Living Bridges on a strong note."

The video was partly shot in the deconsecrated church Shardborne used as a studio, but it took the band nearly a year to choose the second location. "We knew we wanted to have the lighting be an interesting visual component to the video," they report. Watch the video here.




This Oceanic Feeling Announce Debut Album
(Prog) This Oceanic Feeling will release their debut album Universal Mind on July 17, it's been confirmed. The band are fronted by singer, songwriter and producer Chris Braide who was a founding member of the Producers with former Yes man Trevor Horn.

The lineup is completed by bassist Lee Pomeroy and Producers' drummer Ash Sloan. Braide says: "It's a positive album, one that I'm proud of and one that I had to make."

He compares the material to that of The Police and 90125-era Yes, adding: "It's big, shiny, new-wave pop music with rock trousers on and occasionally prog sandals!" Read more here.




Singled Out: Pain Love n' War
Pain Love n' War release their debut album "Over Looking Back" this week, to celebrate guitarist Hoyt Binder tells the story of meeting vocalist Rob Sandoval and how the first song they wrote together ended up influencing the naming of their band. Here is the story:

It was the summer of 2012 in Long Beach, CA where I had been working with a manager at the time, Ron Magee, who believed in my talent and was helping me find a singer. I had many ideas, but needed a comrade to complete the quintessential rock duo I envisioned. Enter Rob Sandoval. We had an immediate connection and the ideas began pouring out. Rob, manager Ron and I collaborated in the lyric department as we listened to the riffs I had for this song. "Pain in Love and War" was the first song we wrote together and it meant so much to us that it had a hand in not only defining our sound, but our band name as well.

As I played the heavy staccato verse riff, both Rob and I worked on a melody that gave us both a feeling of being overwhelmed and out came "Drowning in my own trust you tore away from me." As we searched for what that meant to us, Rob immediately jumped to a past love relationship gone awry whereas I felt a connection to an estranged friend I used to idolize when I was on a path of addiction. The story began writing itself, from the bitter taste that remains from hurtful words to seeing the truth, that it "never meant so much" to the significant other.

When we got to the Pre-Chorus, with its pauses and openness, we both felt a sense of being drained by the verse's outpouring and we wrote "I'm tired of trying, I've tried and tried, too tired to try again." The chorus has a bit of swagger to it, so we juxtaposed a pleading "Can't take no more" with a vindictive "What goes around comes around" which seemed to sum up the turmoil that can have you feeling left out in the cold.

The second verse deals with the sickness that brews from being caught up in a world of someone else's pain. One can easily become a slave, addicted to co-dependent "twisted games." The solo section is our depiction of the second verse's last line, "You're breaking all of me, I'm tired of this insanity," which sums up the rollercoaster ride that unhealthy relationships and addictions embody. From the highs to lows, they always end up in chaos and back to drowning…

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day in Rock News!

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day in Rock News!: Today's Day in Rock Rolling Stones Reveal Eric Clapton Version Of 'Brown Sugar' The Rolling Stones continue to spark ...

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day in Rock News!

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day in Rock News!: Today's Day in Rock Rolling Stones Reveal Eric Clapton Version Of 'Brown Sugar' The Rolling Stones continue to spark ...

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day in Rock News!

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day in Rock News!: Today's Day in Rock Rolling Stones Reveal Eric Clapton Version Of 'Brown Sugar' The Rolling Stones continue to spark ...

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day in Rock News!

Tim Abrigg Jr.'s Rock and Roll News Of The Day!: Today's Day in Rock News!: Today's Day in Rock Rolling Stones Reveal Eric Clapton Version Of 'Brown Sugar' The Rolling Stones continue to spark ...

Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Rolling Stones Reveal Eric Clapton Version Of 'Brown Sugar'
The Rolling Stones continue to spark fan excitement for the upcoming deluxe reissue of "Sticky Fingers" by previewing alternate versions of classic songs.

The latest alternate version of a classic song was revealed this week and it has a superstar guest. The band released a stream of a different version of "Brown Sugar" featuring Eric Clapton. Stream it here.

The track is just one of the previously unreleased bonus features from the expanded reissues of "Sticky Fingers", which is set to be released next Tuesday, June 9th. Amazon is taking pre-orders for the various packages here.



Megadeth Announce First Show With New Lineup Including Adler
(Classic Rock) Megadeth's new lineup will make their live debut in Canada next month - with Lamb Of God's Chris Adler behind the kit. The thrash giants will play Quebec City Summer Festival on July 18.

Dave Mustaine and co are preparing their 15th album with Adler as guest sticksman, alongside new guitarist Kiko Loureiro. The pair were brought in after Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover quit last year, and an attempt at reuniting the band's Rust In Peace era lineup failed.

Adler was initially hired for studio duties only, but bassist David Ellefson this week confirmed he aimed to play as many shows as his schedule would allow, saying: "Chris was like, 'Dude, I'll move anything I can to try to make it happen.' He may play one show with us and go, 'I don't ever want to do that again.' We'll find out, as it's coming up." Read more here.





Tool's Maynard James Keenan Has Hip Replacement Surgery
Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan is recovering from hip replacement surgery that took place on Monday. He revealed the news via a photo posting on the Pucifer Facebook page.

He wrote along with a photo, "Didn't want to freak anyone out, wanted to wait until out of the woods. Years of foot stomping left me with no cushion in my right hip. Full replacement yesterday. Walking today.

"12 weeks, back on the mat to work towards that Brown Belt. OSS. ‪#‎weshallovercome‬ ‪#‎bjjforlife‬ @teamvaghi @henrydynamixmma @chieflimao @carinaround" See the photo here.




Metal Fans Are The Most Loyal According To Spotify
(TeamRock Radio) Heavy Metal fans are more loyal to their favorite bands than followers of any other genre in the world, according to research by streaming service Spotify.

Figures suggest that metal fans are over a fifth more likely to keep listening to core bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden, while fans of the next-highest genre, pop, will tend to listen to a wider range of acts.

Analysts monitored how often a listener would return to artists defined as central to a genre. They discovered that, on a global basis, metal fans stick to their favourites much more often than those who prefer pop, folk, country, rock, hip-hop, reggae, jazz, EDM, classical or blues.

Spotify say: "Metal fans are the most loyal of all. One could also conclude that the more guitar-oriented genres inspire more loyalty in the listener."




Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi To Mentor On TV Talent Show
(hennemusic) Legendary Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has revealed that he will be a mentor on Guitar Star, a new UK reality competition series that focuses on guitarists.

Iommi will be joined by fellow mentors Lee Ritenour, Rodrigo y Gabriela and Milos Karadaglic for the program, which will debut on the Sky Arts channel on June 9 with host, DJ Edith Bowman.

The winner of the nine-week competition will perform on the main stage at the Latitude festival. "I'd like somebody who plays from the soul," says Iommi, "so I look for that really, as opposed to somebody learning every single note and getting everything perfect. I prefer it coming from the blues side and something coming from inside." Read more and watch the official video interview clip with Iommi here.




Replacements Frontman Sending Messages To Fans Via Shirts
(Classic Rock) Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg appears to be sending a message to fans via shirts worn on their reunion tour. He's performed with a different top every night, featuring one letter painted on the front and another on the back.

A group of fans, running a Facebook group called Paul's Shirt have collectively worked out the letters form two 19-character sentences. They predict that the message reads: "I have always loved you. Now I must whore my past."

Billboard speculates that the message could be Westerberg's attempt to let fans know he's not happy with the band's current incarnation. They reformed in 2012 after 20 years and Westerberg and original bassist Tommy Stinson are joined by drummer Josh Freese and guitarist Dave Minehan. Read more here.




Legal Fight Launched Over Jimi Hendrix Guitar
(hennemusic) Jimi Hendrix's estate is suing the late guitarist's former brother-in-law, Sheldon Reynolds, over claims he tried to sell the legend's Black Widow acoustic guitar for $750,000 although it doesn't belong to him.

Courthouse News Service reports Experience Hendrix filed a suit in Superior Court on Monday against Reynolds and friend Brian Patterson over the guitar, which the company claims was stolen.

Reynolds is the ex-husband of Janie Hendrix, the guitarist's sister and CEO of Experience Hendrix. The estate says it learned in June 2014 that Patterson had contacted Julien's Auctions in Los Angeles and asked it to sell the guitar; Julien's then contacted the estate to determine if the guitar is legitimate, and the Experience confirmed it was but that it had been stolen.

The lawsuit claims that Patterson got the guitar from Reynolds, who says that he got it in a divorce settlement, or that he got it from a friend who helped him take his belongings from Janie Hendrix's home, and that Janie's teenage son had "directed" his friend "to take a pile of guitars and other belongings, that included the Black Widow."

"Neither story is true," the complaint states, which says Janie Hendrix owns the guitar. Read more here.




Dillinger Escape Plan Guitarist Played Show With Broken Finger
(TeamRock Radio) The Dillinger Escape Plan's Ben Weinman has admitted he didn't visit a doctor after breaking a finger in two places - but played a full concert instead.

The guitarist was seen at last month's Rock On The Range festival with a splint on his right hand. Now he's told how his doctor wasn't happy with him when he finally went for medical attention.

Weinman has posted a picture of his X-rayed hand, explaining: "This, ladies and gents, is my finger tip broken into three pieces. "Doctor: 'What did you do after it happened?' Me: 'I played a show - I'm a guitar player.' Doctor: 'What the f*** is wrong with you, man?'" Read more and see the x-ray here.





Noel Gallagher Makes Counter Offer To Paul McCartney On Oasis Reunion
(Gibson) Noel Gallagher has responded to Sir Paul McCartney's recent plea for Oasis to reunite by issuing a challenge to the Beatle legend: "Yeah, well, tell him if he writes our comeback single, it's on."

Gallagher made the - joke? Plea? - in an interview with Yahoo's Lyndsey Parker. "Tell him to write an Oasis track and then we'll talk," he continued. "I'll just put that out there."

Gallagher conceded that the constant fan demand for an Oasis reunion is flattering, if a little confusing, noting that when the band was together the British press couldn't wait for it to implode, "and then when it did implode, they can't wait for it to be back together again." Read more here.






Hellyeah Guitarist Sitting Out Tour Due To Injury
(TeamRock Radio) Hellyeah guitarist Tom Maxwell will sit out the rest of the band's European tour after breaking his foot in three places. Fellow guitarist Chris Brady will handle guitar duties on his own for the remainder of the tour.

They have eight more shows in Europe, including the Download festival later this month, before returning to the US when Maxwell will be fit for the Mayhem festival.

Drummer Vinnie Paul says: "We are sorry to announce Tom broke his foot in three places and will not be participating in the rest of the Euro tour but we will carry on with Chris Brady holding down the guitar force. Tom will rejoin us for Mayhem." Read more here.




Marilyn Manson and Korn's Jonathan Davis May Team Up
(TeamRock Radio) Marilyn Manson hopes the rekindling of his friendship with Korn's Jonathan Davis will lead to a collaborative project. The pair were good friends in the past, notably working together on Davis' song Redeemer for 2002 movie Queen Of The Damned.

But they've become more distant in recent years, with rumours of their drug addictions causing a feud in the early 2000s. Manson tells Metal Hammer's Joe Daly: "Jonathan and I used to be really close. We hadn't seen each other in quite some time. Now he and I are talking about doing something completely unexpected together."

He's enjoying a new lease of life as an actor, with an acclaimed role in TV series Sons Of Anarchy. And he admits there's a chance he might abandon music for the stage or screen. "Acting is new to me, so that's more exciting. There might come a day when I don't feel like doing music - but I don't see that any time soon.

"I feel excited as I used to, and more focused in what I want to do. I like playing gigs where I can literally bleed on the crowd. Not in the sense of me trying to harm myself or having the bottle-smashing attitude that I had when people were trying to kill me during Antichrist Superstar." Read more here.




Slayer's Kerry King Has Advice For Young People
(Classic Rock) Slayer's Kerry King says his one piece of advice for the youth of today is to just "do what you want." The guitarist believes that attitude worked out just fine for Slayer and he thinks it's the best policy for youngsters trying to work out what they want to be.

He tells Loud Ones: "Obviously, do what you want because you know more than anybody what you want to do. That's what we tried to do. We definitely turned heads and pissed of a lot of people. And here we are 30 years later playing to Converse parties so I guess we did some sh*t right."

Discussing some of the most memorable Slayer gigs down the years, King adds that playing in Jackass star Bam Margera's back yard was something he will never forget.

He adds: "The Bam show was really cool. We kind of went out there, I think it was right after God Hates Us All. I've played worse stages than that and it was in his back yard. It sounded great. I'm sure he pissed off some of his neighbors and the fans loved it." Read more here.




The Grateful Dead Announce Massive Limited Edition 80-Disc Box Set
(Radio.com) No one would ever accuse the Grateful Dead of brevity, but their new box set takes things to an altogether new level. Grateful Dead: 30 Trips Around the Sun is an 80-disc box set commemorating the band's 50th anniversary; it's filled with 30 unreleased concert recordings spanning the band's entire career.

In case you don't have the shelf space, it will also be available as a USB drive. The collection will include one show from each year of the band's existence, starting in 1966 and ending in 1995.

From start to finish, the box set will be 73 hours long. Perhaps 73 hours isn't quite enough for you. Well, hopefully you have a turntable, because the box set will also include a gold-colored 7-inch vinyl single. The A-side is "Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)" from the band's earliest recording sessions in 1965; the B-side is the last song the band ever performed together live, "Box of Rain" recorded during their final encore at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 9, 1995.

All of the shows included on the box have not yet been announced; but Rhino Records have revealed that the set will include a 1967 show at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and a 1987 show at New York's Madison Square Garden. However, they note that none of the unreleased shows in will be available for individual purchase on CD "at any time in the future."

The box also comes with a 288-page book featuring an presumably long essay written by Nick Meriwether, who oversees the Dead archives at the University of California, Santa Cruz, along with special remembrances of the band submitted by fans. It will also include a scroll with a visual representation of how the band's live repertoire evolved through the years. Read more here.





Danny Worsnop Wishes Asking Alexandria Well With His Replacement
(TeamRock Radio) Former Asking Alexandria frontman Danny Worsnop has wished his former colleagues well with his replacement Denis Stoff. The former Make Me Famous vocalist, full name Denis Shaforostov, was revealed last week, along with his debut I Won't Give In.

Worsnop, who quit earlier this year to concentrate on We Are Harlot, tweeted the track and said: "New Asking Alexandria song, first since my departure, out now - very happy to hear sh*t's still going strong."

His comment comes after AA guitarist Ben Bruce admitted they were happier without Worsnop, adding: "It needed to happen for… I want to say a few months, but it's probably more like a few years. Danny just stopped caring about Asking Alexandria." Read more here.





Muse Put Creepy Spin On Childrens Classics in 'The Handler' Lyric Video
(Radio.com) Muse is sticking with symbolism for their new lyric video for "The Handler." But this time the symbols are in the form of classic children's characters on a mobile spinning high above the band's heads.

Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio and Minnie Mouse are is just a few of the characters posed in various positions by an evil character lurking in the shadows.

Confused? Probably. The video follows the dystopian theme of the band's new album, Drones, where mankind is being controlled by some higher power, likely the government.

"The Handler" is the fifth track to be released from Drones, which hits stories June 8. It follows previously issued songs "Reapers," "Psycho," "Dead Inside" and "Mercy." Watch the new video here.




Chris Cornell Announces North American Acoustic Tour
(hennemusic) Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell has announced dates for a fall acoustic tour of North America in support of his forthcoming solo album, "Higher Truth."

The 6-week theater tour will see Cornell perform material from his entire career alongside tunes from "Higher Truth", which will be released on September 18.

Cornell's solo tour is set to kick off on September 20th in Los Angeles and will wrap up at Austin City Limits Live At The Moody Theater on November 2. See the dates here.





Metallica Release Video Of 'Unforgiven II' Concert Debut
(hennemusic) Metallica have released video of the live debut of their 1997 track, "The Unforgiven II", as performed at the Rock Im Revier festival in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on May 29.

A video highlights package from the opening date of a 4-show run of European festivals includes Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett in the meet and greet, new setlist structure discussion, Tuning Room, and "The Unforgiven II" from the show.

The song - which originally appeared on their 7th album, "Reload" - was previously played only once before - during the band's December 8, 1997 appearance on the Billboard Music Awards. Watch the video here.




The Sword Announce New Album 'High Country'
(Classic Rock) The Sword have confirmed their fifth album will be called High Country and it'll be released on August 21. The follow-up to 2012's Apocryphon will be issued via Razor & Tie.

Guitarist Kyle Shutt last year reported that he, John Cronise, Bryan Richie and Santiago Vela III had matured as songwriters and were constantly learning.

He said: "Every cycle is a learning experience. You refine it a little more. We're not the best band in the world by any means, but we keep learning. We're getting to the point where we're going over the hump of doing dumb sh*t." Read more here.





W.A.S.P. Guitarist Says New Album Process Was 'Very Fractured'
(Classic Rock) W.A.S.P. guitarist Doug Blair says recording the band's upcoming album has been a "very fractured" process. Blair lives on the US East Coast and has travelled back and forth to their LA base to record his lead parts for Golgotha. For that reason, he says, he hasn't seen the songs come together and is excited about hearing the final results.

He tells Kaaos TV: "I haven't heard the final mixes, that's all in the hands of the final guys. I get to contribute the leads and I focus 100% on trying to record the best lead for the song.

"It's been a long time. I've been travelling to LA, recording a little bit. Because of that, to me it's very fractured. Every time I go, there's different songs. I don't have a very cumulative view of the whole record so I can't wait to hear how it comes out."

Blair adds that what he has heard of the album - due out in August on Napalm Records - has blown him away. Read more here.




The Darkness Guitarist Sticking To Old School
(Classic Rock) The Darkness guitarist Dan Hawkins feels an old-school approach to music is so important to the band that if they ever abandon it, he'd leave. They've just released fourth album The Last Of Our Kind, which he produced, while brother Justin Hawkins arranged the song order.

Dan tells UCR: "We always will be an old-school album band. We've always thought that way of a side one and side two when putting it all together. We want to push that even more.

"There's been some misguided management, slightly megalomaniac in certain areas, especially on the last album. They kept trying to ram the idea of digital content to the point where someone said to me, 'Why are you even bothering with a track listing?'

"They were saying no one listens to things that way anymore. To me, if we're not an albums band, I don't want in." Read more here.




Mogwai Launch Line Of Skateboards
(Prog) Mogwai have launched a range of skateboards and t-shirts to help raise funds for a proposed Glasgow skatepark. As part of their 20th anniversary celebrations, Mogwai have teamed up with Focus Scotland on the series of limited-edition skateboard decks and t-shirts.

The boards will cost £49.99 each, with t-shirts selling for £16 and £18. For every deck sold, £5 will go to the GUSM74 project in the band's home city. Mogwai mainman Stuart Murdoch is a fan of skateboarding and was happy to agree to the collaboration.

Sibs Roberts of Focus says: "We reached our 14th year in business last month, and each year we like to mark it with something special that we can look back on with pride. This project with Mogwai definitely fulfils that criteria.

"Being a fan of Mogwai's music and knowing Stuart's love of skateboarding, I suggested the idea over a number of off the cuff emails, and here we are. Hopefully people will be as stoked on this as we are." Read more and see the skateboards here.




Troyka Release Animated Video For 'Arcards'
(Prog) Troyka have premiered their animated video for Arcards with Prog. It's taken from the London prog-jazz trio's third album Ornithophobia, available now via iTunes, Amazon and Naim Records.

The band say: "Arcades alludes to a mixture of things - retro gaming, horror films, anime, sci-fi - all things geek. We were excited to be collaborating further with graphic artist Naiel Ibarrola, and with animator Jordan Copeland, also a member of the amazing band Hot Head Show.

"It's amazing to see these guys bring to life our terrifying vision of Ornithophobia hitting the streets of future London. Watch your back, and don't stay there too long…" Watch the video here.




The Nimmo Brothers Going On Hiatus After Anniversary Tour
(The Blues The Nimmo Brothers have announced that they will be taking a break after their 20th anniversary tour, while they concentrate on their individual projects.

Alan will focus on King King, who have a busy year after releasing third album Reaching For The Light. Stevie will turn to solo work including acoustic shows, and a tour with his electric trio.

Older brother Stevie, who fought cancer in 2009, recently told National Blues Review: "After my illness I wanted to do something different, more acoustic. This ended up as The Wynds Of Life album."

"I didn't want to go out with a bass, drums and keys setup - that would really just be King King. But I really enjoy the trio format." Read more here.




In Flames Frontman Defends Change In Direction
(TeamRock Radio) In Flames frontman Anders Friden has spoken up for the band's approach to songwriting, after In Flames rejected criticism over their change of direction in 11th album Siren Charms.

He tells iRockRadio: "Each of our albums don't sound the same because we don't want to do the same again and again. But melodies are so important, and that's what you will always find on an In Flames album.

"If I could give one tip to new bands, it would be: just do your own thing - don't try to catch any trends." They're expected to release their first live package since 2005's Used And Abused… In Live We Trust later this year. Read more and watch the full interview here.




Rattlesnakes Album Born Of 'Book Full Of Suffering And Questions'
(TeamRock Radio) Frank Carter says his debut album with the Rattlesnakes came about after one of "the hardest, most turbulent years" of his life. The band release Blossom on August 14 via International Death Cult. In March, they streamed debut single Fangs, which is one of the 10 tracks on the album.

Former Gallows frontman Carter says: "I had one of the hardest, most turbulent years of my life in 2014. I wrote it all down, a line here, a paragraph there and soon I had a book full of suffering and questions. In the winter I decided I needed an outlet to help me take these lyrics and do with them what I do best. Perform.

"I acquired the help of my close friend Dean Richardson to help me translate these lyrics into music and from there we built them into the songs you hear today." Read more here.




Clutch Frontman Downplays Band's Success Amid Failing Music Biz
(Classic Rock) Clutch frontman Neil Fallon believes sales of 2013 album Earth Rocker only appeared strong because the state of the music industry means everyone else's sales are weak.

And he doesn't intend to become distracted by attempting to match achievements with upcoming title Psychic Warfare, out in September via the band's own Weathermaker Music label.

Fallon tells Motorcityblog: "Clutch charting on Billboard, and being number 1 on iTunes, is indicative of anaemic album sales in general. That wouldn't have happened 15 years ago.

"We sell the right amount of records to the right people, and slowly over time, that number gets bigger and bigger and bigger. It's not because we figured out how to write a Karen Carpenter song."

He adds: "Because of the internet, and because of us kind of taking control of what we do, we're not trying to turn this band into some multi-platinum wonder story." Read more here.




Former Accept Frontman Regrets Slapping Bandmate
(Classic Rock) Former Accept frontman David Reece says he regrets slapping bassist Peter Baltes during his stint in the band in the late 80s. The current Bonfire vocalist was recruited for Accept's Eat The Heat in 1989 following the departure of Udo Dirkschneider. And he says producer Dieter Dierks warned him about the possible fallout if the album flopped.

Reece tells The Metal Voice: "There was one moment when Dieter told me, 'You realise that if this record fails, it's your fault and my fault? When he said that it kind of pissed me off. Like, 'Why would you say that?' He said, 'You'll see. If the album hits, we're going to be gods. If it fails, we're losers.'

Reece says sales weren't what the record company expected and before long tensions in the group began to boil over, leading to the altercation between himself and Baltes in Chicago.

He continues: "The only thing I feel short-changed about that whole situation was the way they sh*t on me in the press to cover themselves. Nobody was happy - I wasn't happy at the end and neither were they. I mean, I slapped Peter Baltes in Chicago. It was the wrong decision and I regret it. There's better ways to deal with it." Read more here.




Josh Taerk Streaming New Album Online
(Classic Rock) Josh Taerk has given Classic Rock an exclusive stream of his new album, Here's To Change, the follow-up to 2013's self-titled Josh. Here's To Change is released on July 20, and the title track will be available as a single on June 8.

"I wanted the feel of the record, the tempo, the rhythm, the starts and stops in each song to feel more alive," says Taerk, inspired by the 70s and 80s recordings go artists like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Neil Young. "I wanted a more human sound. I am so excited for people to hear this!'"

The album was recorded in Nashville with producer Teddy Morgan, who's worked on actor Kevin Costner's music and on two albums by Hall & Oates guitarist John Oates, Good Road to Follow and Stand Strong. Oates adds backing vocals to the title track and to Wise Man, and says "I've enjoyed getting to know Josh Taerk and his music over the last few years, and knew that Nashville would be the place where he could make this album really come alive. Josh and my friend Teddy Morgan did a great job and I think it is Josh's best work to date."

Taerk also has a fan in Bruce Springsteen's drummer Max Weinberg, who says, "I've known, and played with, a few singer/songwriters in my time, and I can tell you - Josh Taerk has what it takes." Check out the album stream here.




The Dead Daisies Go Behind The Scenes Of Upcoming Video
(Classic Rock) The Dead Daisies have posted a behind-the-scenes video clip for their forthcoming music video for 'Mexico' - a track taken from their brand new album, 'Revolución'.

The new music video - which is scheduled to be released shortly - was directed by Paul Boyd, whose CV includes work with INXS, Kylie Minogue and Sting.

Filming took place in and around the city, including Jumbo's Clown Room - the notorious Hollywood dance bar which once employed Courtney Love in the early 1990s. Watch the clip here.




Singled Out: The Great Discord's The Aging Man
Today The Great Discord tells us about the song "The Aging Man" from their brand new album "Duende," which was just released this week by Metal Blade. Here is the story:

So, are you afraid of death? Imagine that you are lying on your deathbed and you're full of regret. Is that not what's called a personal hell? The struggle within ourselves when facing our own mortality could be enormous, regardless if you are young or old. This effectively makes it one of the biggest struggles we have as people, simply because we're aware of the fact that we're gonna die. It might even be the single most powerful driving force behind all human actions. Death is something you cannot hide from. To learn how to die is to learn how to live.

The song itself is an attempt to conceptualize this struggle. When we wrote it we were way out in the woods in rural Sweden. A cabin in the woods basically. Everything was dead quiet except for the odd human-like bark from the occasional deer. The heartbeat came first, and the music soon followed. When we listened back to it it quickly became apparent what it was about. It was in the middle of the night.

Fia stared bleakly into the darkness outside our window, a slow drizzle of rain coming down softly on the window pane. "This song is about the old man" She started slowly, with eyes tracing something outside the window, "I can see him out there, limping, sobbing. This is a man who has had a run-in with death, and lost". Floorboards creaking, she leaned forward and put a hand on the misted window. "Yes... it's him".

We later realized that the heartbeat is a symbol for the life leaving him. It's funny how sometimes you feel like the music you have created leads you to these realizations only after you have actually finished it. Like if your subconsciousness had an agenda, and only afterward lets you understand.

The words came to us very quickly, and given the theme and topic, this was also the song that led us toward our visual excentricities. The music demanded to be presented in a different manner visually than just by Fia. We needed to create a different entity for Fia to step into. Something that could channel everything we write about, without being obscene or out of place. Something that is neither god, nor bad. An entity that embodies all of the demons, the anxiety, sorrow, pain but also warmth and joy that comes with being a human.

This song served both as the perfect opener for the album and our entire concept for this band as it symbolizes and embodies so much of what we're trying to create with our music. A feeling that you can never be completely sure, of anything really, life can be exceedingly difficult. But that's ok, because we're all human.

Be that as it may, it can be hard for people to even try to think about these kinds of questions, they are simply too big. You may well think that we are pretentious, pathetic and ridiculous in trying to tackle the big question of life, namely death. But the question is; who will be the wiser?