Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


AC/DC Address Break Up and Malcolm's Heath Rumors
AC/DC and their frontman Brian Johnson have both addressed the rumors that the band were planning to retire due to guitarist Malcolm Young suffering a major health problem (rumored to be a stroke).
The band addressed the rumors about Malcolm's health in a posting on their Facebook page on Wednesday. They wrote, "After forty years of life dedicated to AC/DC, guitarist and founding member Malcolm Young is taking a break from the band due to ill health.

"Malcolm would like to thank the group's diehard legions of fans worldwide for their never-ending love and support. In light of this news, AC/DC asks that Malcolm and his family's privacy be respected during this time. The band will continue to make music."

Earlier in the day, Daily Telegraph published an article after they spoke to frontman Brian Johnson. "We are definitely getting together in May in Vancouver," he told the paper. "We're going to pick up some guitars, have a plonk, and see if anybody has got any tunes or ideas. If anything happens, we'll record it."

He was also asked about the rumors about Malcolm's health and the future of the group. He responded, "I wouldn't like to say anything either way about the future. I'm not ruling anything out.

"One of the boys has a debilitating illness, but I don't want to say too much about it. He is very proud and private, a wonderful chap. We've been pals for 35 years and I look up to him very much."

Johnson was also asked about the band's plan to launch a 40th anniversary tour where they would play 40 concerts at 40 different venues. "That would be a wonderful way to say bye bye," said Johnson. "We would love to do it. But it's all up in the air at the moment.

"AC/DC is such a tight family. We've stuck to our guns through the Eighties and Nineties when people were saying we should change our clothes and our style. But we didn't and people got it that we are the real deal."

Read the Telegraph report here.



Mass-Murder Suspect Quotes Megadeth
(hennemusic) The suspect in the worst mass-murder in Calgary's history posted two references to Megadeth hours before he allegedly went on a killing spree at a house party that claimed the lives of five university students in the Canadian city early Tuesday morning.

The National Post reports a Facebook page believed to belong to the suspect, 22 year-old Matthew de Grood, featured an ominous status update not long before the attack.

"Dread and the fugitive mind - the world needs a hero," was posted at Monday at 7:39 p.m. The first part of the quote is the name of a Megadeth song followed by the title of the 2001 album it came from.

It is unclear what the post was in reference to and whether it is, in any way, related to Tuesday's attack. Police say five people were killed in a stabbing rampage at a house party at about 1:20 a.m. Tuesday, when de Grood arrived as an invited guest as University of Calgary students celebrated the end of the school season. more on this story




The Who Planning 50th Anniversary Tour
(Classic Rock) The Who will mark their 50th anniversary with a world tour starting in the UK around Christmas, Pete Townshend has revealed. And he's hopeful the landmark celebration will include the release of a new album - provided he can identify some strong ideas from his large archive of demos.

Townshend tells Billboard: "It will be a world tour. I'm not crazy about going on the road, but I'm in good shape. Once I start doing it, and I'm still very good at it, I'll take some pleasure from it."

The guitarist plans to work with Roger Daltrey on some of the material he's written for his Floss solo project. He says: "I'm trying to go through 20,000 hours of disorganized music. I'll be pulling songs out to give to Roger, to see if we've got enough to make an album." more on this story





Paul McCartney Adds More North American Summer Tour Dates
Beatles legend Paul McCartney continues to announce additional dates for the summer North American leg of his Out There World Tour. On Wednesday, he confirmed six additional U.S. shows for the tour, with more still be announced.

The newly announced U.S. dates include new stops in Lubbock, Tx (June 14th), Dallas (June 16th), Atlanta (June 21st), Jacksonville, FL (June 22nd), Nashville (June 25th) and Salt Lake City (August 7th).

These new U.S. shows join the previously announced sold shows in New Orleans (June 19th), Louisville, KY (June 26th), Albany (July 5th) and Pittsburgh (July 7th).

McCartney will be kicking off the 2014 legs of his Out There World Tour next week in Uruguay, with the Latin American leg scheduled to visit Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Costa Rica. That leg will be followed by McCartney's return to Japan and his very first performance in Korea. more on this story





Mars Volta Flea Supergroup Antemasque Set Album Release
(Radio.com) Not long after announcing their existence to the world last week, rock supergroup Antemasque has revealed a release date for their debut album. According to NME, the four-piece, which consists of former Mars Volta members Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez with contributions from Dave Elitch plus Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, will release a self-titled LP this July.

The announcement comes after a flurry of song releases from the band, starting a week ago (April 9) with "4 AM." Three new songs have followed, culminating with the release of "Drown All Your Witches" today (April 16) to accompany the announcement of the new album.

"If the whole thing looked unplanned, that's because it was," the band collectively revealed in a statement about the record's rollout over the past week. "The anticipation of what the reaction from fans and critics would be was very real for us with every new song we put out."

The band is offering a bundle of their first three releases, including "4 AM," with "Drown All Your Witches" received as a free download for the first 10,000 orders. more on this story





B.B. King Apologizes For Bad Show
(The Blues B.B. King has issued an apology for the concert earlier this month which saw him being heckled by an unhappy crowd. Some attendees at the Peabody Opera House in St Louis began making catcalls and left early as the 88-year-old icon delivered a set described as "erratic" and "rambling."

Now he's explained that the poor performance was due to his enduring a 24-hour drive to the show, along with forgetting to take his diabetes medication. A spokesman says: "The combination of the rigours of the drive and high blood-sugar resulted in a performance that did not match Mr King's usual standard of excellence.

"Simply put, it was a bad night for one of America's living blues legends. Mr King apologises, and humbly asks for the understanding of his fans." View audience-shot video of the performance here.





The Who Releasing Quadrophenia Live Package
(hennemusic) On June 9 (June 10 in North America), The Who will release "Quadrophenia: Live In London", a new package that captures the band in concert at Wembley Arena performing their 1973 classic album in its entirety on the final night of their 40th anniversary tour that celebrated the record's original release.

Filmed on July 8, 2013, the Quadrophenia performance was followed a set of the band's greatest hits for the sold-out crowd. With HD screen backdrops, archival footage and today's advanced technology in sound, the live show reunited The Who with late bandmates John Entwistle (for "5:15") and Keith Moon for his signature song, "Bell Boy."

"Quadrophenia: Live In London" will be available in various configurations including an expanded Deluxe Metal Box which includes the High Definition Blu-Ray and standard DVD of the concert film, both in 5.1 Surround Sound audio; a two-CD soundtrack of the show; and for the first time, a 5.1 Surround Sound mix of the entire 1973
album release of "Quadrophenia" on a Blu-Ray Audio Disc. Extras include a 6-inch Mod Headlight sticker, a Mod Headlight button, and a booklet with liner notes and photos, all housed in a 10-inch metal container embossed with the movie-inspired, iconic, Mod bullseye logo painted on a Vespa SG scooter headlight. more on this story




Gary Numan Announces Intimate Club Tour
(Classic Rock) Gary Numan has confirmed an intimate club tour to take place between his upcoming festival appearances. He'll perform in smaller venues between June 21 and July 3.

These new initiate dates will be sandwiched by his music festival appearances at Body And Soul in Ireland on June 21 and Sonisphere at Knebworth on July 4.

He also plays the inaugural Alt Fest on August 16 and a standalone show at London's Hammersmith Eventim Apollo on November 28. Promoters say: "The tour will give fans the chance to see Gary play in intimate settings not seen in the UK for decades." more on this story





Rob Zombie Previews Zombie Horror Picture Show DVD
(hennemusic) Rob Zombie has released a video preview of his upcoming live DVD package, "The Zombie Horror Picture Show." The 16-song set features a mix of solo hits and White Zombie tracks, including "Super-Charger Heaven", "More Human Than Human" and "Thunder Kiss '65."

Due May 20, the live project captures Zombie in concert last summer in Houston (Aug 3) and Dallas (Aug 4) during the final two shows of the 2013 Mayhem Festival.

Zombie will launch a spring US tour in support of the new DVD and his latest album, "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor", in Fort Myers, Florida on April 26. Watch the preview





Kix Releasing First New Album In Almost 2 Decades
Most of the original lineup of 80s rockers Kix have inked a record deal with Loud & Proud Records for the upcoming release of the band's first album in almost 19 years.

The original members of Kix, Steve Whiteman (lead vocals), Jimmy Chalfant (drums, vocals), Ronnie Younkins (guitars), Brian Forsythe (guitars), are joined by new bass player Mark Schenker for the new album.

The band has also reunited with producer Taylor Rhodes for the as-yet-untitled new studio album. Rhodes worked with the band on their 1991 album "Hot Wire." They anticipate a summer release.

Frontman Steve Whiteman had this to say about their new deal, "The boys and I are so happy that our old friend, Tom Lipsky, has invited us to join the Loud & Proud family.

"We worked with Tom and Madelyn Scarpulla on our last studio album, SHOW BUSINESS, and we're looking forward to working with them again with the release of the first new KIX album in almost 19 years! We'll still be coming to a dump near you very soon!"

The band have also lined up a number of live appearances this spring and summer including performances at the M3 Festival, Rocklahoma, Rock The Falls and Halfway Jam. more on this story





Peter Gabriel Making Slow Progress On Next Album
(Prog) Peter Gabriel is still working towards releasing his next album - but admits progress is slow because he wants to spend time with his family. That doesn't mean he's not keen to progress with the project, however.

He tells Rolling Stone: "I get distracted. But I have technology and a few projects at the moment that keep me going. I'm itching to get back to more writing.

"I do the school run in the morning and then try to get something done. On a good day I'll go to the gym and try to do some music, and quite often meetings. I try to have as much of a family life as I can." more on this story





Tom Petty In The Studio For Full Moon Fever Anniversary
Tom Petty is the featured guest in the latest episode of the syndicated radio show In The Studio which celebrated the 25th anniversary of Petty's hit 1989 album "Full Moon Fever." The show sent over these details:

Two things happened after Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' 7th album Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) that would signal the next phase in Petty's illustrious music career. First, the band toured as Bob Dylan's live band. Second, while on tour, Petty would meet and become friends with ex-Beatle George Harrison and producer, former ELO founder Jeff Lynne, setting in motion the supergroup of Dylan, Harrison, Orbison, Lynne and Petty named The Traveling Wilburys.

In between the tours with Dylan and The Traveling Wilburys recording Tom Petty, with the help of producer/songwriter Jeff Lynne, would find magic recording his first solo album, his most successful album ever with hits, "Free Fallin'", "I Won't Back Down", "Love is a Long Road", "A Face in the Crowd", "Yer So Bad", "Runnin' Down a Dream" and the Byrd's tribute "Feel A Whole Lot Better" .

Petty recalls to InTheStudio host Redbeard the importance of his producer partnership with Jeff Lynne for Full Moon Fever. "Jeff Lynne is the consummate record producer. There aren't many anymore like that. He really knows what he's talking about and he understands every aspect of the recording and what's going to go on. He also understands the tune, the feel, the performer. All of those things you gotta have in your mind. He just somehow handles it so casually." Stream the episode here.





Saxon Announce 'Warriors of The Road' Tour
Saxon have revealed that they will be celebrating their 35th anniversary this fall by launching the 'Warriors of The Road' tour that will feature 38 stops across the continent.

The tour is scheduled to get underway on October 25th at Gagarin 205 in Athens, GR and will be concluding on December 13th at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London.

In addition to the UK and two Greece dates, the tour is set to visit Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France and Ireland. more on this story





Soundgarden Streaming Black Hole Sun Demo
(hennemusic) Soundgarden have released a streaming a demo version of "Black Hole Sun" from the forthcoming 20th anniversary reissue of their 1994 album, "Superunknown."

Due June 3, the project features Soundgarden's breakthrough release; propelled by the singles "Spoonman", "Black Hole Sun", "Fell On Black Days", "My Wave" and "The Day I Tried To Live", the album debuted at No. 1 in the US and went on to sell more than 9 million copies worldwide, including 5 million in the States alone.

The "Superunknown" reissue will be released in two versions: a 2-CD Deluxe Edition and a 5-CD Super Deluxe Edition. A 2-LP gatefold of the original 16 vinyl tracks remastered on 200-gram vinyl in a gatefold jacket will also be made available. Check out the demo here.




Metallica Classic Featured In NHL Playoffs Opening Broadcast
(hennemusic) Metallica's 1984 classic, "For Whom The Bell Tolls", was featured Wednesday as the opening theme to Hockey Night In Canada's broadcast coverage of the 2014 NHL Playoffs.

The video montage included the song - inspired by Ernest Hemingway's 1940 novel of the same name - paired with a quote from the book, alongside footage of current and classic NHL action.

"For Whom The Bell Tolls" was the second single released from Metallica's sophomore album, "Ride The Lightning." The track has the distinction of being 5th most-performed song by the band (as of October 2012), behind only "One", "Seek & Destroy", "Creeping Death" and "Master Of Puppets." Check out video here.





Kenny Wayne Shepherd Goes Behind The Scenes Of New Album
(The Blues Kenny Wayne Shepherd has released a new online video that is offering his fans a behind-the-scenes look at his forthcoming album Goin' Home, ahead of its May 5th release.

Shepherd will be supporting the album release with a 15-date European tour including a show at the O2 Academy Islington in London on April 30, and an appearance at the Cheltenham Blues Festival the following day.

Shepherd recently said of his 12-track tribute to his inspirations: "The end result is a great recording that I believe pays homage to the spirit of the original music. At the same time it shows our appreciation for the musicians and genre that have inspired us to make music for decades." Watch the video here.




Adrian Belew Teases Flux Project
(Prog) Former King Crimson member Adrian Belew has offered a first glimpse at the app which will deliver his Flux musical project. And he's explained why it hasn't been possible until recently to realize his ambition of presenting an experience that differs every time.

He's revealed a pair of iPhone screengrabs that demonstrate what users will see while they're listening. Belew says: "Flux requires an enormous amount of written information, such as my comments about the piece you're hearing, a story about its background, song lyrics and studio notes.

"At any time while you're listening, you can tap on the information button an a page like the screenshots will appear. Each time you access the information page it will never look the same." more on this story






The Graveltones Release Forget About The Trouble Video
(Classic Rock) After being nominated for Best New Band at last years Classic Rock Awards, we were expecting big things from The Graveltones, and the duo's new video delivers.

The footage accompanies the track Forget About The Trouble (taken from last year's Don't Wait Down album) and stars the cockiest, coolest heroine we've seen since the movie Kick-Ass.

Graveltones drummer Mikey Sorbello enjoyed the filming, saying "Every now and then everything comes together, we had the help of the most amazingly talented producer, director and crew and debuting young Georgia who is a natural! We popped this bad boy out in a day" Watch the video here.




Singled Out: Stand Up And Say No's Can You Feel
Today Stand Up And Say No mastermind Andre Nault tells us about the project's debut single "Can You Feel" which comes from their forthcoming EP Assuming Loyal (out May 6th). Here is the story:

"My wife and I were driving back from a well-deserved romantic weekend in Quebec city. We usually work on the back story for my songs together. It's probably because I get so involved in the music that I need her help to see what images the song brings to mind. It's also great fun when you have a 5 hour drive.

The images she had where of a plane or bird mostly because of the bridge section; it has a taking off feel to it. I on the other hand was thinking of the Flaming Lips "Race for the prize", that happy sad vibe… We debated and argued and finally we came up with this image of this man atop a skyscraper looking down at the streets below and noticing that people where living their lives unaffected by his own.

A few days later I sat down and wrote the lyrics keeping those images in mind. What surfaced was a lyric about a man who's tired of climbing the greasy pole and who's success came at great expense. He's basically having some sort of breakdown.

The chorus "Can you feel what I feel, can you tell what's real", for me, sums up the hole vibe of the back story. I've always strived not to become that man; to be creative and not competitive. Honestly, it doesn't always work out."