Van Halen's Lost Rock Opera Streaming Online
Van Halen biographer Greg Renoff is revealing rarities from the band's past to promote his new book about the early days of the group and this week he unearthed a four decade old Van Halen Rock Opera.
The live audio clip of what Renoff calls a rock opera was captured during a live performance at Pasadena High School on April 25th, 1975 and features the two-songs "Eyes Of The Night - Forced Entry".
Renoff's new book "Van Halen Rising: How a Southern California Backyard Party Band Saved Heavy Metal" tells the story of the band's rise to fame and was writing over six years with insight from interviews with Van Halen insiders including founding bassist Michael Anthony as well as Pete Angelus, Marshall Berle, Donn Landee, Ted Templeman, and Neil Zlozower. Check out the rock opera clip here.
Megadeth Streaming Dystopia Title Song(hennemusic)
Megadeth have released an online stream of the title track to their forthcoming album "Dystopia." The tune is the third song previewed ahead of the set's January 22 release, following "Fatal Illusion" and "The Threat Is Real."
"Dystopia" is one of five tracks featured in a virtual reality experience available to fans as part of a companion project to the record. Megadeth are teaming up with Next Galaxy Corp. and director Blair Underwood ("The Bridge To Nowhere") to perform within a virtual fallen city modeled after images in the video for the track "The Threat Is Real."
The footage will then provide fans with the opportunity to virtually enter, engage and explore this parallel world with the help of "Dystopia", a CEEK Virtual Reality cardbox headset and a download code to access and unlock the exclusive content.
Megadeth recorded their 15th studio effort in Nashville, TN last year. The group will launch a North American tour with guests Suicidal Tendencies, Children Of Bodom and Havok on February 20 in Dallas, TX. Check out the song here.
Guns N' Roses, Aerosmith, Megadeth Stars Lead Ronnie Montrose Concert(hennemusic)
A memorial concert for guitarist Ronnie Montrose will take place during the 2016 NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) convention weekend in California later this month.
On Saturday, January 23, "Ronnie Montrose Remembered" will happen at the Observatory in Santa Ana, CA and will feature a varierty of performers paying tribute to the late rocker, who died on March 3, 2012 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a five year battle with prostrate cancer.
The lineup will include Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), Gilby Clarke (Guns N' Roses), Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns), Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake), Derek St Holmes (Ted Nugent), Keith St. John (Montrose), Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge), Marc Bonilla (Keith Emerson Band), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Jimmy DeGrasso (Black Star Riders), Jeff Scott Soto (Yngwie Malmsteen) and many others. Read more here.
Lemmy Milk Commercial Released Posthumously(Classic Rock)
The makers of a milk advert filmed by Lemmy weeks before he died have released the footage as a tribute to the Motorhead icon. It was under production when he passed away aged 70 on December 28, two days after being told he had an aggressive form of cancer.
In the promo for Finnish dairy Valio, created by ad agency Hasan & Partners, Lemmy is seen leaving a shop while walking with a stick. He glares at the camera and says: "I have never drunk milk. And never will." Then he adds: "You a**hole!" turns away and grins.
Agency boss Jussi Lindholm tells the Guardian: "We were in the middle of post-production when the news about Lemmy broke. We discussed not airing the ad, but we had footage that was not part of the original script which crystallized Lemmy's spirit, so we agreed to change it and make a tribute.
"We are profoundly grateful to have worked with him, and that Lemmy's management feel good about the result." Watch the commercial here.
Steven Tyler Announces New Solo Song 'Red, White & You'
Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has announced that his next country music single will be a track called "Red, White & You," which is set to be released digitally on January 22nd.
The track was produced by Tyler and Dann Huff and written by Nathan Barlowe, Levi Hummon and Jon Vella and is the second track Tyler has revealed from his forthcoming solo album.
"Red, White & You" will also be sent to radio on January 25th and follows "Love is Your Name," which was released last May as debut single from the country music album project.
Alter Bridge Begin Work On New Studio Album(Classic Rock)
Alter Bridge have begun work on their fifth album - and they're offering a range of ways for their supporters to get involved. The follow-up to 2013's Fortress is being produced by Michael 'Elvis' Baskette, and it's expected to arrive in the autumn.
Guitarist Mark Tremonti last year told TeamRock Radio: "It could go in any direction. I've got a ton of ideas in all different styles. Last time it was just one heavy idea after another - hopefully this time we can branch out and bring something new to the table."
Limited-edition tie-in products are being offered via Fret12.com and include guitars and drumsticks used during recording, lyric sheets, artwork and VIP access to the band. Read more here.
3 Doors Down Announce New Album 'Us And The Night'(Classic Rock)
3 Doors Down will release their sixth album Us And The Night on March 11, the band have confirmed. It was initially expected to launch last year, with guitarist Chris Henderson saying he thought it would be out by November. It'll be issued via Republic Records and pre-orders begin on January 15.
Frontman Brad Arnold says: "We're all excited to release our new album Us And The Night. It's truly been a labor of love and we can't wait to get these songs out to our fans around the world."
Those buying the record ahead of launch will gain instant access to the track In The Dark, which is said to flaunt "a sexy and striking chant that emphasizes a new groove and swagger altogether." Check out the track details and cover art here.
Voivod Add Dates To North American Winter Tour
Voivod's upcoming U.S. tour has now become a North American trek with the addition of several new dates including stops in Canada and additional U.S. cities this coming February and March.
The band will be supported on the tour by Vektor for the full trek with Eight Bells providing additional support from the kick off until February 27th and Black Fast taking over the spot the next night until it concludes.
The tour is still scheduled to get underway on February 6th in Providence, RI at the Fete Ballroom, but it will now be concluding on March 5th in Hamilton, ON at This Ain't Hollywood.
In addition to the final date, other new stops on the tour include shows in Philadelphia on February 8th, Newport, KY on the 23rd, Columbus, OH on March 2nd, and Toronto on March 4th.
Earlier this week, Voivod announced that they will be releasing a new EP entitled "Post Society" on February 26th. The new release will feature five studio tracks including two brand new songs, the tracks that were released on their recent vinyl-only split with At The Gates and Napalm Death, and a cover of Hawkwind's "Silver Machine". See the dates here.
Milk Teeth Guitarist Josh Bannister Leaves Band(TeamRock Radio)
Milk Teeth guitarist Josh Bannister has left the band and been replaced by Billy Hutton. The split is said to be amicable, with the band wishing Bannister well and vice versa. Hutton - known for his work with Hindsights - will be in place for Milk Teeth's upcoming European tour, although it's not yet clear whether he'll become a full-time member.
Milk Teeth say: "We wish Josh all the happiness in the world and the best of luck for the future. Our most wonderful friend Billy Hutton will be helping us out on all our upcoming shows and tours.
"We are so stoked to have Billy sharing a stage with us. This year is going to be the biggest and best yet. We have new music, videos, tours, festivals, yoyos and puppies all coming your way in 2016." See the band's full post here.
Queen Helps Adam Lambert Become Top Earning American Idol of 2015(Radio.com)
Ryan Seacrest may have called Carrie Underwood the biggest star to emerge from American Idol's lengthy run, but it looks like Adam Lambert may be the most hard working. At least from an earnings perspective.
Forbes released their list of Top Earning American Idols of 2015, and Lambert came in first, ahead of other big stars from the show like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry.
In 2015, Lambert raked in over $10 million, while Underwood came in second with $8 million. It helps that Lambert played numerous arena rock shows as the frontman of Queen, who brought him on board for their first tour in six years. Read more here.
Little Caesar Plan Double Live Album and New Studio Effort(Classic Rock)
Little Caesar are planning to release a live album - and return to the studio later this year. Their last album was 2012's American Dream and they embarked on a European tour last summer.
The band say: "We have been off the radar for a while - we don't like shouting without having something to shout about. We just got done listening to a great live show we recorded last tour in Holland.
"We will be putting out a great double live CD - our first ever live record. We'll also be going into the recording studio late next month to start our next studio album." Read more here.
Black Stone Cherry Release Live 'In My Blood' Video(Classic Rock)
Black Stone Cherry have released a live performance of their track In My Blood. It appears on their Thank You: Livin' Live DVD, which was filmed in Birmingham, UK, in October 2014, during the band's Magic Mountain tour.
They're gearing up for the launch of fifth album Kentucky on April 1. Guitarist Ben Wells recently said: "This is the first album we've been able to fully self-produce and the result is an album jam-packed with 'in your face' riffs, huge drums, and bass that will shake your teeth."
Thank You: Livin' Live is on sale now. BSC return to the UK later this month and they'll headline this year's Ramblin' Man Fair in Kent in July. Watch the live video here.
Guns N' Roses' Slash Happiest He Has Ever Been In His Career(TeamRock Radio)
Returning Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash says he's happier than he's ever been with his career. He'll bring it full-circle when he reunites with Axl Rose at Coachella in April, with the possibility of a US tour to follow.
The duo are joined by GNR bassist Duff McKagan - although the rest of the lineup hasn't yet been revealed. Slash - who also has solo band commitments and horror movie work in his schedule - tells Sam Dunn: "Not being burned out from the night before helps. Since I'm not spending all my time at the pub or chasing dealers, I spend all my time writing and working.
"I do all kinds of sh*t and I think it's become more exciting as I get older. The passion and desire to do it is really strong. I find it to be tons of fun." Looking back on a legacy that includes GNR and Velvet Revolver, he admits: "Bands I've been in tend to be complicated." Watch the full interview here.
Frank Zappa Collaborator Pierre Boulez Dead At 90(Prog)
Composer Pierre Boulez has died at his home in Baden-Baden, Germany. The iconic maestro worked with Frank Zappa in 1984 on his classical album Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger. Zappa, who had long wanted to perform classical music, sent Boulez several scores which resulted in the collaboration.
Boulez was born on March 26, 1925, in Montbrison, France. His father, a technical director at a steel works, wanted him to study engineering - but he chose to enroll in a music conservatory in Paris in 1942, having begun composing in his teens.
Boulez was widely hailed as a leading figure in classical music for his modern approach to composing, experimenting with different sounds and new technology in his work. He founded IRCAM in 1973, a Paris-based institute focused on music, acoustics and electronics, as well as conducting the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra. Read more here.
Yes: Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman Project Back On?(Prog)
The much mooted project featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman seems to be back on track. Rabin has just posted the following on his Facebook page: 'Great stuff happening with Jon and Rick'.
The project had been in the pipeline since 2011, with Rabin initially telling Prog that the three former Yes members were seriously planning on doing an album together.
At that stage, they had written a handful of songs and were passing demos of ideas around, but this was as far as it was then taken. In 2012, Anderson admitted the project had been shelved, although there was a commitment to revisiting it at a later date. See the post here.
Danny Bryant Releases Making Of Blood Money Album Video(Classic Rock)
Danny Bryant has released an interview video on upcoming album Blood Money, coinciding with the launch of his latest single. The record is launched on January 29 via Jazzhaus Records.
Sugar Sweet is available now from iTunes and Amazon. It follows his streaming of the title track, which features a guest appearance from mentor Walter Trout.
Bryant describes Blood Money as his "most bluesy album" to date and adds: "It's all about capturing the excitement." Producer Richard Hammerton says: "This album is taking Danny much deeper into his background." Watch the video here.
Opeth Are A Progressive Band By Default Says Mikael Akerfeldt(Prog)
Mikael Akerfeldt says the fact that he no longer knows how to describe Opeth's sound is what makes them a prog band. In the first episode of FreqsTV's new Into The Machine series, the frontman recalls the band's early death metal roots and explains how they forged a more progressive sound as their career took off.
He says: "We started out being a death metal band. We were finding our feet in that scene. We were hungry, young, aspiring musicians who wanted to have a career in music and do what we loved doing. And I still love our brand of death metal.
"What kept us in the genre was that type of vocals. But if you'd taken that type of vocals out of the equation, we wouldn't have been a death metal band, we'd have been a progressive metal band."
He continues: "By the time we did the very first record, I had personally moved away from consuming that type of music. For my own influences I was going back and listening to 60s, 70s stuff. And with time, 25 years later, I don't really know what we are anymore - which makes us a progressive band." Watch the episode here.
Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler Talks 'Money For Nothing'(Gibson)
Easily one of the most memorable and recognizable riffs in the history of rock and roll, Mark Knopfler's chunky guitar work on Dire Straits' 'Money For Nothing' is nothing short of legendary.
In a recent video uploaded by the Forgotten Guitar website to their Facebook page (which can be viewed here), Knopfler, with his 1958 Gibson Les Paul in hand, explains how he came up with the song's signature riff.
In the video part of a documentary titled Guitar Stories: Mark Knopfler and hosted by his former Dire Straits bandmate John Illsley, Knopfler talks about how the riff started out as a simple little lick based around his fingerpicking playing style. Eventually, combining a a Marshall amp turned up to the max and a wah-wah pedal - "just to give it something different" - the magic was born. Read more here.
Nad Sylvan Explains The Origins Of His 'Vampirate' Persona(Prog)
Nad Sylvan says his 'Vampirate' stage persona came about on the back of an off-the-cuff remark by a friend. Sylvan released solo album Courting The Widow last year and also works as Steve Hackett's vocalist.
Explaining his love of prog rock and how he came to be known as the Vampirate, Sylvan tells Progarchy: "Progressive rock is multi-dimensional in a way. It always leaves the listener free to interpret the songs the way they want, the lyrical content and everything.
"I have this stage persona called the Vampirate. Someone used to tell me, 'You look like a vampire. You look like a pirate....I know, a Vampirate.' I just laughed at it and thought, 'What a great gimmick.' So I developed that."
The character appears throughout Courting The Widow as well as Sylvan's stage show. He adds: "Of course, a pirate must have his own ship, which the Vampirate certainly has. In the first song you hear the moored boat, the people walk on board, and you hear the Vampirate's wings. He's sort of coming from nowhere before the synth kicks in, you hear him soaring through the sky and land on the yardarm and stuff like that."
Revealing that he plans to keep the Vampirate around for three albums, Sylvan adds: "The Vampirate was born in the late 16th century, but his active life was in the 17th century. If you look what I'm wearing on stage, you're probably thinking I'm from that era." Read more here.
Clive Nolan Writing Two Musicals(Prog)
Clive Nolan has revealed details of the two musicals he'll write this year. He's aiming to completed work on the provisionally-titled Dark Fables and King's Ransom in the coming months - although he admits it's a "mammoth undertaking."
Nolan says: "Dark Fables will be a modern tale based around music I have written over the last 25 years. My original concept will be developed by director Ian Baldwin, whose exceptional creative talent will ensure a tantalising story."
The show will be set up for a band plus five singers, and it's designed to be taken on tour, including interactive video elements recorded by special guests.
He adds of King's Ransom: "It will be set in the Alchemy universe. It will feature Professor King, Eva and William, alongside new characters. The story takes place two years after the events of Alchemy and explores the underworld of Victorian London with a dose of romance, intrigue and adventure."
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