Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Older Artists Selling More Music?
(Classic Rock) Music appears to be becoming an old person's game as it has been revealed that the average age of the ten best-selling artists of last year was 38. Only four of them, all pop acts, were aged 25 or under in 2014, with three in their 30s and one each in their 50s, 60s and even 70s.

The balance was heavily swayed by rock bands - AC/DC were the fifth best-selling band of the year, with an average age of 60, while Pink Floyd, at number seven, averaged 70 years old.

And 'king of pop' Michael Jackson, at number six, would have been 56 if he hadn't died in 2009. The information, sourced from the IFPI Global Record Artist Chart, was revealed by Music Business Worldwide, who comment: "Thought pop was music made for teenagers, by teenagers? Not any more."





KISS Defend Their Use Of Backing Tracks In Concert
(Classic Rock) KISS have admitted to using backing tracks during their current tour of Japan, but Gene Simmons and co are adamant that there is nothing wrong with the move.

Pre-recorded parts are being played along with the band during their performances of Samurai Son, one of two songs they recently recorded with Japanese pop outfit Momoiro Clover Z. But Kiss say in a tweet: "Recorded Samurai Son for Japan. To reproduce production here, we play live with extra tracks. Nothing to hide."

Blabbermouth reports that Simmons slated bands using backing tracks in 2012, saying: "We're sick and tired of girls getting up there with dancers and karaoke tapes." Read more here.


Slash Adds Dates To North American Tour
Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators have added additional dates to their upcoming North American tour in support of their latest album "World On Fire."

The former Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver guitarist and his solo band have added the following new stops to the trek: New Orleans (April 28th), Sioux City (May 19th), Austin (May 21st), and Dallas (May 24th).

As we reported earlier this month, the tour will be kicking off on April 25th in Orlando, FL at the Central Florida Fairgrounds and the tour includes appearances at several music festivals including Welcome To Rockville on April 26th, Carolina Rebellion on May 3rd, Rise About Fest on May 9th and Rock on the Range on May 15th.

Slash and the band are currently Down Under playing a series of dates in Australia and New Zealand including appearances at this year's Soundwave Festival as well as few headlining shows.

Following those dates the band will kick off a South American tour on March 4th in Santiago, Chile at Teatro Caupolican. That tour leg will conclude on March 28th in Monterrey, Mexico.

In June the band will head over to Europe a series of shows including appearances at the Sweden Rock Festival on June 4th, Rock Im Park on June 5th and the Download Festival on June 12th-14th. See the tour dates here.




Emmure Singer Suffers 'Major Tear' In His Vocal Cords
Emmure were forced to cancel their show in Fort Collins, Colorado last night after their frontman Frankie Palmeri suffered a "major tear" in his vocal cords.

The band broke the news to fans via a Facebook post on Tuesday (February 25th). At press time they have not announced if they will be forced to miss any more shows on their current tour with Suicide Silence.

Here is the message, "It's with a heavy heart I must inform you Emmure will not be performing at The Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins tonight (and possibly tomorrow night). I experienced a major tear in my vocal chords and my only chance in finishing the tour is to sacrifice getting to see all of our supporters tonight.

"I am already on my way to quick recovery and once again deeply apologize for anyone let down by the news. We love you all...this does not put the breaks on our current or future obligations but...I am human...these things happen."

Fans can check their Facebook page for any updates here.



The Scorpions Announce North American Tour Dates
The Scorpions have added a number of North American dates in September and early October to their global tour plans in support of their forthcoming studio album "Return To Forever."

The band will be kicking off the North American trek on September 10th in Boston at the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion and concluding the tour leg on October 2nd in Inglewood, Ca at the Forum.

The tour leg includes stops in New York State (Brooklyn), New Hampshire (Gilford), Ontario (Toronto and Windsor), Quebec (Montreal), Ohio (Columbus and Cleveland), Illinois (Chicago), and California (San Jose and Los Angeles area).

The new album will be released in March and the band will be kicking of the supporting world tour in China on May 1st with an appearance at the Chang Jiang Music Festival.

The band has announced tour dates in Russia, eastern Europe and European festivals this fall and they will follow their North American tour in late fall with another European tour leg and they have already booked a tour of their native Germany for March of 2016. See the tour dates here.



David Bowie In The Studio For Young Americans 40th Anniversary
Syndicated radio show In The Studio: The Stories Behind History's Greatest Rock Bands have released a special online episode that celebrates the 40th anniversary of David Bowie's "Young Americans" album. The show sent over these details:

From '72 thru '74 Bowie's Ziggy Stardust character fascinated the rock music world by leading the Glam trend, and pioneered the ever-increasing importance of visual fashion elements to popular music. However, the success of Ziggy was also its downfall. David Bowie remarks, "I had this terror in my mind that I was going to be trapped with Ziggy and the Spiders... There was no way I was going to be trapped in that character for the rest of my life."

While setting up camp in New York City during the height of Ziggy-mania, Bowie found himself drawn to the mecca of American soul music, the Apollo Theater in Harlem. The musical acts he saw there truly inspired Bowie, and new musical relationships were conceived including the introduction to guitarist and future Bowie collaborator Carlos Alomar, saxophonist David Sanborn, and unknown singer Luther Vandross. David shares with InTheStudio host Redbeard the powerful effect American soul music had on him creatively.

"It was very hard for me to actually process that the music we were listening to (growing up in London) was associated with a lifestyle. Very naive, but true. It just came out of space! This stuff came from AMERICA... Coming to America, the impact was that this was real music coming from a way of life, and a lifestyle actually. It really came home in full force and I got completely overwhelmed by it , as I usually do by new experiences. I was just swept away with it, and I wanted to soak it up and then express it my way."

Bowie would score a Top 10 album with Young Americans in February 1975 fueled by the # 1 hit single "Fame", co-written with John Lennon and Carlos Alomar. Young Americans would begin the transition of Bowie into his next formidable character, the Thin White Duke.




Doug Aldrich Reveals Reason For Leaving Whitesnake
(Classic Rock) Doug Aldrich has revealed he quit Whitesnake after realizing he needed to spend more time with his son. And although he'd rather have stayed with David Coverdale's band, he's certain he made the right choice.

He bowed out last May, just as the group started work on what will be their 12th album. Before that he'd been a member of the band for all-star Las Vegas musical Raiding The Rock Vault, and he was also recording with supergroup Revolution Saints.

Aldrich started working with Coverdale on his days off from the musical, and believes they were "accomplishing a lot." But he adds: "I think David wanted me there full-time like I'd always been before. I was going to be, I wanted to be, but he wanted it now.

"There were some tense moments, and I felt, 'I'm really proud of what we've done together. I don't want it to become weird or whatever.'" Aldrich reflects that he "needed a little bit more flexibility." He adds: "David put Whitesnake on hiatus when his son was the same age. I took the decision that I needed to be with my boy. I decided, 'Time to step out.'" Read more here.



Guns N' Roses and Alice In Chains Lead Ebola Auction
(Classic Rock) Guns N' Roses and Alice In Chains are among bands contributing items for an Ebola charity auction. They join Black Label Society, System Of A Down, Sammy Hagar and others in the CharityBuzz online campaign, running now.

More than 10,000 people have died since an outbreak of the virus in West Africa, and millions more are at risk of serious or fatal infection. The MusiCares organisation is helping fight the problem via Music For Relief.

Auction items include a signed photo of former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan from 1986, autographed guitars from Alice In Chains and Slash, and more.




David Ellefson Says Time Outside of Megadeth Helped Him
(Classic Rock) Megadeth bassist David Ellefson says spending time out of Megadeth helped him "grow up." He left in 2002 when mainman Dave Mustaine dissolved the band and was welcomed back into the fold in 2010.

And he says he sensed that guitarist Chris Broderick and drummer Shawn Drover, who quit Megadeth last year, were interested in taking on a new musical venture - a move he says he can relate to because of his eight-years out of the band.

Ellefson tells Maximum Volume: "I did sense that a change was coming, especially when they both did it together. It was sort of like, 'Okay, they're obviously musically on to something else. And sometimes people do need to walk away and move into a different chapter of their lives in order to be clear and focused and give a new endeavour their 100% attention.

"I went through a similar thing like that back in 2002 when Megadeth disbanded. I was sort of forced into it. Fortunately, I had about eight years until I came back in 2010, where that process being in different groups and writing songs with people in a lot of different endeavours definitely helped me grow up and I appreciate having done that outside of Megadeth." Read more here.




Ozzy Osbourne Guitarist Gus G Working On New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Firewind and Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Gus G is in the process of recording the follow-up to last year's debut solo album I Am The Fire and has promised "catchy tunes that are rock hard."

He tells Metal Shock Finland: "I've already written all the songs and we just finished tracking the drums. So once I go back home from this tour, I'm going to go straight back in the studio and start working hard on the guitars. We're aiming to finish it by summer.

"This time, there are going to be fewer guests. It's going to be more like a close group of people that I collaborate and co-write with. I'm excited about that. There's a lot more up-tempo and heavier stuff on it, and a lot of guitar in it." Read more here.




Steven Tyler's Solo Album May Inspire New Aerosmith Music
(TeamRock Radio) Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford believes Steven Tyler's solo project could inspire the band to make another album. The chances of a studio return have been in doubt ever since the lukewarm reception for 2012's Music From Another Dimension. Last year drummer Joey Kramer said a follow-up was "unlikely."

But Whitford tells The Morning Call: "We're not currently in the studio or anything. We're not quite sure when we might get back. Steven is working on a solo album that he's been wanting to do for the last 20 years. I think a good deal of inspiration may come out of that - he may want to continue to write."

The guitarist adds: "Maybe at some point this year we might record some new music. Currently, no plans." Bassist Tom Hamilton says there's a possibility that, instead of writing new material, Aerosmith could go into their archive of unused tracks. Read more here.




FM Release 'Diggin' Up The Dirt' Video
(Classic Rock) FM have released a music video for the song "Diggin' Up The Dirt," which is taken from the band's Heroes and Villains album, the follow-up to 2013's Rockville pairing.

"Well, here it is, the brand new video of the lead track from our new album," says singer Steve Overland. "It's called Diggin' Up The Dirt and it's about sleaze and the gutter press, and how they're not really interested in real news, just celebrity. It's a real FM rock anthem and we had great fun making the video. We hope you enjoy it."

FM announced new album Heroes And Villains earlier this month, and head out on tour in May. The band will also play at HRH AOR in March, and at the TeamRock-sponsored Ramblin' Man Fair in July.

Watch the video here.


Robben Ford Streams Collaboration With Keb' Mo' and Robert Randolph
(Classic Rock) Robben Ford has launched an exclusive stream of his track Justified, featuring guests Keb' Mo' and Robert Randolph. It's taken from upcoming album Into The Sun.

The album is set to be released via Mascot Label Group on March 30, also including guest spots with Warren Haynes, Sonny Landreth and Tyler Bryant.

Ford recently explained: "The rule was to have no lid on things. I've worked very hard to master my craft as a musician and a songwriter - but other than relying on my strengths in those areas, I made sure there was room for new ideas and everything my collaborators brought to the music.

"When you're open to different concepts and approaches, the most beautiful things can happen." Stream the song here.



Mastodon and While She Sleeps Added To Reading and Leeds Festivals
(Prog) Mastodon and While She Sleeps have been added to the lineup for this year's Reading & Leeds music festivals in the UK, which will be headlined by Metallica.

Both bands are set to perform on the Pit Stage with Refused, according to the BBC's Daniel P. Carter, who broke the news in two posts on the social media site Twitter.

He says: "So yeah. While She Sleeps for The Pit is exciting right?" He later added: "Mastodon headlining the other day of The Pit. Reading & Leeds will be amazing, right?" Read more here.




Aerosmith Release Live 'Mama Kin' Video
(hennemusic) Aerosmith have released a video of their performance of "Mama Kin" from "Aerosmith Rocks Donington 2014", a new live DVD that will premiere in US cinemas on February 26.

The package features Aerosmith's headline performance on June 15, 2014 as they closed the final night of the Download Festival in Donington Park. "It's always an absolute hoot that leaves me howling at the moon, performing at Donington we couldn't have had a better time on stage that night," says Steven Tyler. "I could feel the vibes of all the greats pulsing through the stage like AC DC, Rage Against the Machine, Metallica and so many more."

"We have played Donington many times but this performance was one of our best," said Joe Perry. "Thanks to our fans who were there who helped us make it a night to remember. We are proud to have it be part of this theatrical series and it will give our fans who weren't there around the world a chance to relive an ass kicking night of rock and roll."




Randy Bachman Releases Neil Young Collaboration
(hennemusic) Randy Bachman has released an online stream of his collaboration with Neil Young on the track "Little Girl Lost" from his upcoming album, "Heavy Blues."

Due April 13 (April 14 in North America), the guitarist is joined on the project by guests including Robert Randolph and the late Jeff Healey. Bachman recently premiered the album's title track, which sees him team up with Peter Frampton, and "Bad Child" featuring Joe Bonamassa.

Bachman is joined on the project by new band members Anna Ruddick on bass and drummer Dale Anne Brendon. The guitarist will launch a North American tour in support of "Heavy Blues" on April 2 in St. Charles, IL.

Check out the new song here.




Fearless Vampire Killers Releasing Comic Book
(TeamRock Radio) Fearless Vampire Killers have unveiled a comic book titled The Vigilante. To promote the project, the band will appear at the Super Comic Con on March 14-15 at the Excel Centre, London. They will be the first band ever to do so.

They say: "We're crazy excited to be attending Comic Con this year. We have a load of new stuff coming this year, from a new comic called The Vigilante to a brand new novel Militia Of The Lost.

"Comic Con is a perfect forum to announce this new work and bring like-minded people a bit deeper into our conceptual side! We'll be doing meet and greets, signing books, and even have some exclusive prints and preview pages from the new comic, not to mention it will be good to reunite with old friends like David Lloyd and the Aces Weekly team!"

Read more and the cover art for the comic book here.




Atreyu Finish Recording New Album
(TeamRock Radio) Atreyu have finished recording their sixth studio album, drummer and vocalist Brandon Saller has confirmed. And he reveals that the organic process behind the studio sessions reignited a youthful spark within the band.

The US metalcore act went on hiatus in 2011 and reformed last year. The follow-up to 2009's Congregation of the Damned is now being mixed before it sees an autumn release, although singles and other "titbits" are set to arise over summer.

He tells Music Feeds: "I feel like we have too much of a history to not embrace the fact that we have been around, which we're very lucky for. There's no real agenda other than make music we love and have fun. Music had turned into such a business and such a daily grind.

"These shows we've played so far, since we've been back, feel like they did when we were 17 years old, which is how it should be. We're just kind of embracing that whole feeling and just doing things that are fun." Read more here.




Kamelot Releasing New Album 'Haven' This Spring
(TeamRock Radio) US symphonic metal outfit Kamelot have announced details of their 11th album, Haven. The follow-up to 2012's Silverthorn will be launched across Europe on May 8 after they inked a deal with Napalm Records and in North American on May 5.

Guitarist Thomas Youngblood says: "There is a grey cloud that is forming over our world. We are here to find that silver lining with an album that is both dark and melancholy, yet uplifting - and giving the listener a Haven in a world gone mad."

Along with the standard release, a deluxe version comes with a bonus disc featuring 15 extra tracks including alternative versions of songs from the main album. Read more including the track details here.




Steven Wilson Discusses Concept Behind New Album
(Prog) Steven Wilson describes the concept behind his forthcoming solo album Hand. Cannot. Erase. as a "gift" because of the songwriting opportunities it brought him.

He was inspired by the story of Joyce Vincent, a recluse whose body was found in her London flat two years after she'd died. Neighbours hadn't known anyone lived there and her family assumed she'd cut ties with them, so no one raised the alarm until bailiffs broke in to repossess the property over unpaid rent.

Wilson tells MusicRadar: "I was aware of the background of my character. I had seen a documentary on her, and I was very affected by it. I carried it around with me for some time.

"When I sat down to write new music, I found I was writing about a character based on Joyce Vincent. It wasn't like I made a conscious decision - I just think something about her story stayed with me.

"I wouldn't be so pretentious as to say 'the story chose me' but there were elements of that. The more I developed the story, the more of a gift it became; it touched on so many things that I wanted to talk about." Read more here.




Godspeed You! Black Emperor Announce New Album
(Prog) Godspeed You! Black Emperor will release their fifth album next month, they've announced. Titled Asunder, Sweet And Other Distress, it's set for release on March 31 via Constellation.

The follow-up to 2012's Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! is their first standard-length studio outing since the late 90s, with the new material clocking in at 40 minutes.
The material is said to offer "a mighty slab of superlative sonics, shot through with all the band's inimitable signposts and touchstones - huge unison riffage, savage noise/drone, oscillating overtones, guitar vs. string counterpoint, inexorable crescendos and scorched-earth transitions."

They've issued an eight-minute excerpt from opening track Peasantry Or 'Light! Inside Of Light!' - hear it here.




Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson 'Bemused' By Lineup Debates
(Prog) Jethro Tull mainman Ian Anderson says he's "bemused" by fans who want to see him reunite with former band members for future live dates. He's been playing Tull tracks live under his own name since completing the Aqualung 40th anniversary tour in 2011. He released Thick As A Brick 2 in 2012 without longtime Tull members guitarist Martin Barre and drummer Doane Perry.

Some followers have called for a reunion for their upcoming appearance at the TeamRock-sponsored Ramblin' Man Fair. But Anderson says on his website: "I am rather bemused by the fan gossip surrounding who might be, or should be, at my side in concert. All of the musicians in the current band have performed as members of Jethro Tull during the last decade. They are fine musicians, wonderful people and my closest friends.

"There have been, arguably, 26 members of Jethro Tull over the years; a big extended family of musicians. A family who are usually delighted to see each other again after a period of absence but sometimes with the proviso that after a warm and welcoming cup of tea, they won't stay for lunch. You know how it is." Read more here.




Public Service Broadcasting Release 'Go!' Video
(Prog) Public Service Broadcasting have released a video for their track Go! from second album The Race For Space. The follow-up to 2013 debut Inform - Educate - Entertain was released this week via Test Card Recordings. Its theme is the US and Soviet space race in from the 1950s to the early 1970s, and Go! concentrates on the Apollo moonshots.

Mastermind J Willgoose Esq decided to focus on NASA's mission control centre rather than on the spacecraft itself. He says: "The first time I heard the call-outs and the replies, there was such excitement and frenetic-ness to it.

"The finished result is a fiery and confident speed-trial of a track, with an infectious chorus and the most unlikely sing-along dialogue of the year, all counting down to the moon landing itself, when Neil Armstrong utters the relief-filled words 'The Eagle has landed'."

He says of the Apollo era: "I find it a particularly sad indictment of our species that arguably our greatest technological and spiritual achievement - leaving our own planet and walking on another celestial body - is viewed by the more cynical as a colossal waste of money or, worse, as the greatest hoax ever perpetuated." Read more and watch the video here.




Prolong The Agony Release 'Bad Dreams' Video
(TeamRock Radio) As Portsmouth quintet Prolong The Agony prepare to release their new EP 'All We Are' in April, they have premiered their new video, 'Dead Dreams' as a taster.

Says vocalist Lawrence Welling: "The release of both the EP and our video for Dead Dreams represents a huge amount of work and determination to create something new and show people what we're really all about.

"With full respect to our past work, this is a new lease of life for our band - the connection between us and our supporters has really grown as we developed during its creation. The UK music community is really shining right now and we're stoked to be part of it. We hope you all enjoy what we're doing."





Finch Announce UK Tour
(TeamRock Radio) Californian post-hardcore outfit Finch have announced a seven-date UK tour. The run kicks off in Glasgow on May 27 and the shows have been lined up to support last year's Back To Oblivion - their first album since 2005's Say Hello To Sunshine.

Frontman Nate Barcalow previously said the group's sound had changed since their last record as they could no longer write material about "stupid stuff."

He said: "We stepped out of it for so long that when we came back, it was like, 'Who are we?' I felt like we didn't know who we were and what we sounded like any more.

"You can't write about high school - stupid stuff you used to write back in the day. You try and make it a little more poignant, a little more important." See the dates here.



(TeamRock Radio) In This Moment frontwoman Maria Brink insists while image is important to the band, the music will always come first. The group are known for their theatrical live performances but the singer says she wants people to enjoy the music at home just as much as their stage shows.

She tells Linea Rock: "The core of everything always has to be the music. If someone's in the dark and can't see what we look like, you still want that music to make them feel something and make them have that connection.

"On top of that, we like to give people something visually just as stimulating as if you're just listening to the music. We really like to express ourselves artistically with all of the visuals and the theatrical side. It all plays a really important part to us." Read more here.




Hang The Bastard Announce Dates With Corrosion Of Conformity
(TeamRock Radio) Hang The Bastard will support Corrosion Of Conformity on their upcoming UK tour, the London-based band have confirmed. They've also announced a run of headline shows to support latest album Sex In The Seventh Circle.

They were forced to step back from planned dates with Entombed AD in November after frontman Tomas Hubbard spent three days in hospital suffering from a back problem. But they report they're back on track after a difficult 2014.

They say in a statement: "We are more than excited to be playing shows and to be back on the road in the UK after a tough couple of months.

"Tom is feeling a lot better after his back problems and we are ready to play some riffs! Coupled with that, we are honoured beyond belief to be a part of this historic COC tour.

"We really can't wait to visit some of the places we haven't been to in a long time. It's gonna be heavy and it's gonna be loud? Bang your heads, we are coming for you!" Read more including the tour dates here.




Nightwish Singer Says New Album Was A Vocal Puzzle
(Prog) Nightwish singer Floor Jansen says the band's eighth album Endless Forms Most Beautiful was a "puzzle" they worked on together - even though she didn't write any of the material.

Her lack of involvement at composition level didn't cause her any ego problems, because she knew the results would be worthwhile. So she was happy to leave those duties to mainman Tuomas Holopainen and bassisst Marco Hietala.

Jansen tells FaceCulture: "This was my first time on an album from scratch, written by mainly Tuomas and Marco. 'This is the vocal line - this is the lyric. Go ahead.'

"One thing that connects all the eras of Nightwish is that particular sound. My little ego is just fine with saying, 'I don't have to write for this. This is going to be awesome anyway.' And it is."

But she continues: "That doesn't mean that there is no creative input from me whatsoever. There is a certain phrasing that Tuomas had in mind, but it becomes a vocal puzzle, where my input comes in: 'I can sing it like this, I can sing it like that.'"