Today's Day In Pop

Today's Full Report


CMA Awards Recap and Winner List
Taylor Swift took the top honor at The 45th Annual CMA Awards on Wednesday night. Here is the official recap along with the full winner list:

Taylor Swift won her second CMA Entertainer of the Year trophy. Newlyweds Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton won Female Vocalist and Male Vocalist for the second consecutive year. Jason Aldean won his first two CMA Awards for Musical Event of the Year with Kelly Clarkson, and Album of the Year for My Kinda Party. The Band Perry won their first Awards for Single of the Year for "If I Die Young" and New Artist of the Year. Kimberly Perry claimed an additional trophy for Song of the Year for penning the hit song. Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter won for Music Video of the Year. Lady Antebellum picked up their third trophy for Vocal Group of the Year, and Sugarland won Vocal Duo of the Year for the fifth time.

Swift won the Horizon Award (now New Artist of the Year) in 2007 and was named Entertainer of the Year for the first time in 2009. more on this story



Justin Bieber Under The Mistletoe Debuts On Top
(popmusiclife) Justin Bieber debuts at no 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with his holiday effort, "Under The Mistletoe."

Billboard reports Bieber led the way this week with sales of 210,000 copies of the new release.

Justin's third #1 album is also the first Christmas set by a male artist to debut in top spot in the 55-year history of the chart and just the eighth holiday album to hit No. 1. Susan Boyle's 2010 album, "The Gift," is the only other Christmas effort to open atop the list. more on this story



T.I. Reality Series Premieres Next Month
VH1 sent over word that T.I.'s new reality series "T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle," will be premiering on December 5, 2011 at 9PM ET.

Here are the details: Viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look at the most private moments of the Grammy-winning artist as he is reunited with his wife, Tameka (a.k.a Tiny), and his children following a 12 month prison sentence that was completed several months ago.

The new series follows the "King of the South" at his most vulnerable, as T.I. re-acclimates back into his life as a father, husband, son, musician, apparel magnate, businessman, actor and best-selling author (Power & Beauty). more on this story



Adele To Hold Free Theatric Event Across The World
Adele fans in 26 cities around the world will be able to watch the star's forthcoming DVD "Live At The Royal Albert Hall" on the big screen for free.

These events are free for Adele's fans and tickets can be applied for now at Adele's website www.adele.tv. On Adele's site, fans will find a specific page containing full information for all the global screenings and will be able to click on to the venue closest to them for their ticket, date and timing information.

"Live At The Royal Albert Hall" will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray on Tuesday, November 29th and features the full 90 minute performance, plus behind the scenes footage shot throughout that day. The package also contains an exclusive live CD of the entire show. This is the first time fans will be able to hear all of Adele's hits and best loved songs on one CD plus her stunning covers of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" and The Steeldrivers' "If It Hadn't Been For Love." more on this story



Michael Jackson's Estate Slam NBC Over Dr Murrary Movie
(TMZ) TMZ has obtained a blistering letter sent to NBC and MSNBC execs from the co-executors of Michael Jackson's estate, attacking the networks' ethics for giving Conrad Murray a platform in an upcoming documentary.

In the letter John Branca and John McClain grouse that Murray has no qualms about "smearing the reputation of his 'friend,'" even though he refused to testify under penalty of perjury in his trial.

In the letter, the co-executors doubt that Murray got paid only $1 for his participation in the doc. In fact, people connected with the documentary hedged when TMZ asked about Murray's payment.

And the co-executors say, the networks are using "moral loopholes" -- claiming it was shot before Murray was convicted -- "in order to boost ratings at a struggling cable network." more on this story



Zsa Zsa Gabor Rushed To The Hospital
(TMZ) Zsa Zsa Gabor was rushed to the hospital, TMZ has learned -- after blood began to spill out of the feeding tube in her stomach.

Her husband Prince Frederic von Anhalt tells TMZ, he called 911 approximately 20 minutes ago, as soon as he noticed the bleeding.

It's been less than a month since 94-year-old Zsa Zsa was last hospitalized ... for the same reason. more on this story



Rihanna Still On Top
(popmusiclife) Rihanna's "We Found Love" remains atop the Billboard Hot 100 for a second week.

The lead track from her new album, "Talk That Talk," out November 21, hit #1 last week by bumping Adele's "Someone Like You" out of the top position on the key US singles chart.

As reported last week, when "Found" became her 11th #1, Rihanna became just the seventh artist in the chart's 53-year history to tally at least 11 toppers, joining the Beatles (20), Mariah Carey (18), Michael Jackson (13), Madonna (12), the Supremes (12) and Whitney Houston (11). more on this story



12 Days of Gaga Kicks Off
(popmusiclife) Barneys New York has announced the beginning of the '12 Days of Gaga,' the official countdown to the November 21 opening of Gaga's Workshop at its flagship store in New York City.

Gaga's Workshop will include holiday windows, a dedicated Gaga interactive website, and limited-edition, exclusive products created in collaboration with Lady Gaga.

Taking over the entire 5th floor of the Madison Avenue Men's store, The Workshop will be divided into elaborate structural shops, such as a jewelry shop created out of an oversized Lady Gaga-turned-spider, and a boudoir in the shape of a giant wig. more on this story



Jackson Brothers To Take Part In Michael Jackson Fan Fest
Michael Jackson's brothers, Marlon, Jackie and Tito Jackson are all set to take part in the first ever Estate-authorized Michael Jackson Fan Fest. Here is the official word:

The three brothers will be at Fan Fest on Sunday, December 4, beginning at noon for an exclusive Q & A session for fans at the exhibition.

Scheduled for December 3-14 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Michael Jackson Fan Fest is designed to transport guests through the life of the mega-star, showcasing never before seen personal items and career memorabilia. more on this story



Lady Gaga Gets Remixed By Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
UK-based producer Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs posted his official remix of Lady Gaga's track "Marry The Night."

The remix is set to be released on Lady Gaga's forthcoming Marry The Night single package.

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs just wrapped up a North American tour following his busy week at CMJ. Check out the remix here.



Heavy D Was 344 Pounds At The Time Of His Death
(TMZ) Heavy D weighed 344 pounds at the time of his death this week ... law enforcement tells TMZ.

Officials recorded Heavy's height and weight as part of their investigation into his sudden and unexpected passing. We're told the rapper measured in at 6'4".

Heavy famously lost 135 pounds back in 2003 -- but insisted the decision to drop the weight was in an effort to get acting roles ... and wasn't health related.

TMZ broke the story ... Heavy D died after collapsing outside of his Beverly Hills condo. more on this story



Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Remix EP Coming Next Week
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. have set a November 15 release date for their forthcoming remix EP, My Love Is Easy: Remixes Pt. 2.

Featuring remixes by Memory Tapes, Tiger & Woods, Pictureplane and more, My Love Is Easy: Remixes Pt. 2 includes original tracks from their acclaimed debut LP, It's A Corporate World.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. spent most of the year of the road, completing a phenomenal second headlining tour including a sold-out NYC show, a summer festival circuit through Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits and Philadelphia's Popped! Festival, and a set of recent European performances. more on this story



Keenan Teams Up With The Oak Ridge Boys
(Webster) Teen star Keenan is going country and Grand Ole Opry members The Oak Ridge Boys are along for the ride.

In the catchy video for The Oak Ridge Boys, "What'cha Gonna Do" Keenan and the country stars lip synch, live at the Grand Ole Opry.

The video for "What'cha Gonna Do"can be viewed on Keenan's YouTube channel here.

This is 16-year old Keenan's first country music collaboration of any kind, and with The Oak Ridge Boys beside him, he's making his country music debut with one of the genre's most venerable acts.



Kick Start Tristen's Christmas
(BHM) Tristen will be releasing the Decks The Halls 7" just in time for the holidays.

Fans can help fund the production of the 7" by pledging to Tristen's "Decks The Halls Kickstarter," where they can gain access to additional options such as hand made journals, signed limited edition prints, a knitted scarf made by Tristen, and even a private concert from Tristen for friends and family in their own home. Visit the Kickstarter page at the link here

This December Tristen will tour the east coast with Justin Townes Earle, playing a few newly announced headlining gigs in between. See below for updated tour dates including stops in Brooklyn, Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Charlottesville. more on this story



Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Arrives
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and the new social gaming network Call of Duty Elite have both been officially launched. Here is the official word with all of the details:

Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 kicked off its worldwide invasion at midnight as gamers crashed launch parties at over 13,000 retailers from Sydney to London to New York City, intent on being among the first to pull the trigger on the title dubbed "the most anticipated video game in history" by GameStop's Senior Vice President of Merchandising, Bob McKenzie.

"This watershed launch extends the legacy of the franchise like no other previous release," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. "Combining the narrative punch and gameplay innovations of the next chapter in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series with the unique services of Call of Duty Elite will bring Call of Duty gamers together in a cohesive, fan-focused environment like no other." more on this story



Britney Spears' Dad Earns Big For Femme Fatale Tour
(TMZ) Britney Spears dad, Jamie Spears, got a boatload of money for managing the Femme Fatale Tour ... TMZ has learned.

We obtained court documents which reveal the judge in Britney Spears' conservatorship case awarded Jamie $537,987.37 as a base pay for his services on the tour.

In addition, the judge allowed Britney's personal manager, Larry Rudolph, to give Jamie 20% of his10% commission because Jamie did so much on the tour. Jamie does not reveal the exact amount he gets from Rudolph, but in all Jamie will rake in a 7-figure payday.

And, Jamie is asking that the judge extend his conservatorship fee of $16,000 a month indefinitely.

But here's the real story ... Jamie did the job of 5 people on the tour, and even with Jamie's fee Britney saved more than a million bucks in salaries. more on this story



Big Time Rush Announce North American Tour
Big Time Rush have announced plans for their North American Better With U Tour which will kick off in late February 2012 for the

Fans will be able to see Big Time Rush, on hiatus from their TV series, as they embark on their first-ever headlining multi-city concert tour performing new songs in support of their album, Elevate, out Nov. 21.

Big Time Rush will begin their tour in Las Vegas and will travel to major cities including a major performance at New York's famed Radio City Music Hall more on this story



Move Over Nashville, Country Music Is Bigger in New York
Nielsen Entertainment put out this interesting bit of information: New York City is the number one market for country album sales, according to Nielsen.

The Big Apple bested even Nashville when looking at the sheer number of albums sold. Nashville came in at number six, while the top three was rounded out by Los Angeles and Dallas-Fort Worth.

This year to date, 31.8 million physical and digital country albums have been sold nationwide, according to data from Nielsen SoundScan. more on this story



Graffiti6 Set New Album Release
Music duo Jamie Scott and TommyD's Graffiti6 have set a January 24th, 2012 release date for their new album, Colours.

Colours includes the first U.S. single "Free," which is currently No. 21 at AAA radio and was the most added song in its first week at the format. Currently in rotation at such influential stations such as KINK in Portland, KBCO in Colorado, WNWV in Cleveland, and KCSN in Los Angeles, "Free" was also "Pick of the Week" in USA Today, which praised the track's "melodic bassline and singer Jamie Scott's exquisite falsetto breaks." The video, which was shot in downtown Los Angeles premiered on VEVO: here.

Graffiti6 will spend December on the road as support for Latin singer-songwriter Ximena on her U.S tour. The trek starts December 5th in Birmingham, AL, at Workplay and runs through December 22nd at Schubas in Chicago, IL. Graffiti6 will also play at the Cosmopolitan Hotel November 30th and December 1st (full schedule below). Graffiti6 has spent the last few months traveling between the U.S. and Europe playing shows and festivals as they prepare for the release of Colours. more on this story



Celebrity Rehab Revisited Premiere Moved Up
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew Revisited is now set to premiere on Sunday, Nov. 20th at 9PM ET/PT on VH1. Here are the details from our previous report:

Vh1 has announced the launch of "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew Revisited" which is a series of four, "where are they now" specials with Dr. Drew and his head councilor Bob Forrest visiting patients from the first four seasons of "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew."

Featuring new interviews and home visits with Andy Dick, Rodney King, Seth Binzer, Tom Sizemore, Rachel Uchitel, Leif Garrett, Janice Dickinson and many more of the most infamous 'celebrity rehabbers' to date, these specials will offer a frank look at life months and, in some cases years, after rehab.

Today's Day in Rock

Van Halen Divided?
(hennemusic) Chickenfoot drummer Kenny Aronoff shared some info he heard about the creation of the new Van Halen album, their first with David Lee Roth since 1984, the title and year, and how the band is split into two camps, .

"I was in the studio when they were recording, I mean… I know my buddy who started producing it, John Shanks, and then I know the guy who was mixing it, Ross Hogarth, and I was hearing all kinds of stories," said Kenny.

"They played one song for me and it was good, but the thing I was hearing was stuff like, you know, it's the whole… I just heard the classic stories, my buddy finally was told to leave, the producer, and he heard about how people would get fired and he was like, 'It happened to me, too!'" explained Kenny. "And then the engineer would deliver the mixes. There was the David Lee Roth camp and there was the brothers' camp." more on this story



Rolling Stones Members Reuniting For Jam
(hennemusic) Some of the Rolling Stones are reconvening in London for a little jam session later this month.

Rolling Stone reports Keith Richards will meet up with Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts in a London studio. "We're just going to play a little together, because we haven't played for three or four years," says Richards. "You don't necessarily want to rehearse or write anything – you just want to touch bases. That's a good start: me, Charlie and Ronnie. Mick's welcome, and I'm sure he'll turn up, but right now we just want to get our chops down."

Beyond that, the Stones' plans for their 50th anniversary next year remain unclear. "I just hope we can perform live," says Wood. "It'd be great to see if that old spark is there." more on this story



Slayer To Reign In Blood Live
(Gibson) Slayer will perform their seminal album Reign in Blood live in London next May. The metal titans will be supported by Sleep and Washington band The Melvins.

The show will take place on Friday, May 25, at the opening night of All Tomorrow's Parties' I'll Be Your Mirror weekend festival at Alexandra Palace.

According to Slayer.net, All Tomorrow's Parties said in a statement:"ATP are incredibly excited to announce that this year the event starts on Friday 25th May when the incomparable Slayer will present their undisputed classic Reign in Blood live in its entirety during their headline set to celebrate its 25th anniversary! Released in 1986, it is widely considered one of the greatest albums of all time – in 2006 Metal Hammer named it 'The best metal album of the last 20 years.'" more on this story



Staind Announce North American Tour Dates
Audio Ink Radio has some good news and some even better news for Staind fans: When Staind released their self-titled album this past September without a coinciding North American tour, they promised fans a proper trek was just around the bend.

Now, the post-grunge rock band are making good on that guarantee, as they've worked up a handful of tour dates before Christmas bells start ringing.

The tour starts November 25th in Uncasville, Ct., and closing out Dec. 16 in Biloxi, Miss. With only 15 dates, it's a select tour, but speaking exclusively with Audio Ink Radio, frontman Aaron Lewis pledged the band would do a large-scale tour in 2012. More from Aaron and the dates here.



Evans Blue Lose Member
(Banana 101.5) Evans Blue announces the departure of drummer Howard 'H-Bomb' Davis and the name of his replacement — the news comes as the band is at work on their still-untitled fourth studio album.

Evans Blue announced via press release today that they will be moving forward without Howard Davis, who has played with the band since their 2007 album 'The Pursuit.' Vocalist Dan Chandler had this to say when asked about the Howard's departure: "We seemed to be moving in different directions musically, so we mutually agreed that it was time to move on. We wish Howard all the best."

The band will be joined by St. Louis native and longtime friend of Chandler's Mike McClure. Read what Howard had to say about the exit here



Sammy Hagar and Joe Satriani, Hinder, James Durbin NFL Songs Released
The NFL and Banshee Music have released the Official Gameday Music of the NFL, Vol. 1 at iTunes, which features football focused tracks from Sammy Hagar & Joe Satriani, Hinder, James Durbin, Darius Rucker and Jordin Sparks.

They put out these details: Music plays a significant role in the sporting event experience, and the Official Gameday Music of the NFL lets fans bring home the energy of the game. The inaugural release features singles from Darius Rucker, Sammy Hagar and Joe Satriani of Chickenfoot, rock onslaught Hinder, and American Idol favorites James Durbin and singer/songwriter Jordin Sparks. Sparks' father is former NFL cornerback Phillippi Sparks and her song, "You Gotta Want It," is a track destined to be heard inside NFL stadiums. Each song is loosely themed around the NFL and its teams while leaving the creative process to the individual artists.

The Official Gameday Music of the NFL can be purchased through iTunes. Additional songs that will span all genres will be released in the coming months and throughout future seasons from national recording artists. more on this story



Korn Album Release Concert
Korn will hold a special record release concert for their new album, The Path Of Totality, at the Palladium in Hollywood, CA on the night of its release December 6th.

Joining them on the bill are dubstep DJs Datsik, Downlink, and 12th Planet who also appear on The Path Of Totality, as well as Flinch. Special surprise guests are also expected according to MSO.

At The Palladium, the band will perform selections from the new album which features production from the likes of leading U.S., U.K. and Dutch dubstep trailblazers Skrillex, Feed Me, Excision, Datsik, Noisia and Kill the Noise as well as a variety of their classic hits and other tracks from their extensive catalog. more on this story



Black Sabbath Reunion Countdown Launched
(hennemusic) The Black Sabbath reunion countdown continues, as the band gets set for press conference at the Whisky A Go Go this Friday at 11:11 AM (on 11/11/11).

Sabbath have really made things official by adding a countdown clock to their website.

It is expected that the four original members - Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward - will announce their reunion at the famed LA venue where they played their first US show 41 years earlier, to the day. more on this story



Dream Theater's Jordan Rudess To Rock Solo This Weekend
Dream Theater keyboard player Jordan Rudess has announced a rare solo appearance this Saturday, November 12 at The Iridium in New York City.

Rudess--who is on a brief break from Dream Theater's world tour in support of their new album A Dramatic Turn Of Events--will be playing a mix of improvisations and covers on the piano and synthesizer.

For this performance he will also perform on his iPad apps: MorphWiz (which won "Best Music Creation App" at the Billboard App Awards in 2010), SampleWiz and his newest app, the Geo Synthesizer, which was released just two weeks ago. more on this story



80s Rockers Release Charity Single
SleazeRoxx reports that there is a new all star charity single for Red Cross Japanese earthquake/tsunami relief that features a who's who of 80s hard rock and glam. Here is part of their report:

United Rockers 4U was established by Terry Ilous, Jeff Paris and Peter Kalish in order to raise money for the American Red Cross in response to Japan's earthquake and tsunami disaster in March 2011.

"One Family" is the charity single by United Rockers 4U featuring a rock 'n roll all-star cast with Eddie Money, Bobby Kimbal (Toto), Don Dokken (Dokken), Jimi Jamison (Survivor), Terry Ilous (Great White/XYZ), Robin McCauley (MSG/Survivor), Jeff Paris, Richie Kotzen (Poison/Mr. Big), Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt), Phil Lewis (L.A. Guns), Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne/Quiet Riot/Whitesnake), Brian Tichy (Whitesnake/Foreigner/Billy Idol), Robert Sarzo (Hurricane), and Michael Thompson. Proceeds from the sale of "One Family" will go to The American Red Cross for Disaster Relief. more on this story



3 Doors Down Star Says Nobody Sells Records Like In The Past
(Banana 101.5) 3 Doors Down have sold millions of albums over the years, but if you ask bass player Todd Harrell, the band's expectations for sales have evolved quite a bit since first spitting out 'Krytonite' in 2000.

While the band's latest assortment of songs, 'Time of My Life,' entered the Billboard 200 at No. 3 and has achieved major success, Harrell says it's nothing like the numbers bands saw a decade ago, before the Internet took over the music industry. "The record [is] doing great, but times have changed in the record business," Harrell told AZ Central. "There are so many different ways to sell music. You just have to kind of roll with the changes. Nobody sells records like in the past."

How has the change in the way people consume music altered 3 Doors Down? "It definitely affects the pocketbook," he laughed. "You know, the Internet is a tool that's changed things. You can say good things and bad things about it. It is a way to get the music out there. It's kind of a double-bladed sword." more on this story



Johnny Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone Immortalized As Vinyl Ramones Figures
(Gibson) The Ramones were always into leather. One can only hope, therefore, that the spirits of the late Johnny Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone will not object to being cast in vinyl.

Punk toy company Aggronautix has unveiled the two punk icons as the latest figures in its series of punk rock toys and "throbbleheads." And yes, the 3.75-inch tall polyresinate figures do come decked in traditional Ramones leather jackets, and are featured holding their respective instruments.

As an added touch, the matching shoulder chains that bookended the notorious pair onstage are featured as well. more on this story



Powerman 5000's Spider Talks New TV Show
(Banana 101.5) Banana 101.5 spoke with Spider from Powerman 5000 about horror films, new music, his MTV show 'Death Valley,' and the possibility of a film "collaboration" with his brother Rob Zombie.

You have a new TV show on MTV called 'Death Valley,' how would you describe it for those who haven't tuned in yet? It's a horror comedy and it basically follows this group of cops called the Undead Task Force, and it's their job to contain the recent uprising of vampires, zombies, and werewolves in the San Fernando Valley. It's just completely over the top comedy and gore — so you're sort of laughing your ass off one minute and then scared to death and grossed out the next. A lot of people simply describe it as a 'Reno 911′ meets 'Walking Dead' kind of a thing. I feel slightly different than that but I suppose that is a concise way to put it.

It's very much a genre fans wet dream. You've got guns, comedy, zombies, vampires, werewolves, hot lesbians — I can see why you fought for so long to get this show on the air. Yeah look, it really was me sitting at home not finding anything to watch on TV and going, "You know what? I have to make a show that I want to watch." And you know this was over six years ago that I came up with this idea after I moved to the San Fernando Valley in L.A. and decided this would be the perfect backdrop for a monster invasion. I ran around town with a camera and a couple of friends and 500 bucks for a budget and made this test trailer of 'Death Valley' — a very early version of it — and that eventually got to MTV and they really loved it and championed the idea and here we are with a real TV show on the air. more on this story



Tom Waits Gets Satisfied With Keith Richards and Bob Dylan's Son
(hennemusic) Tom Waits has issued a new video from his new "Bad As Me" album. "Satisfied" features Tom dancing around the backyard, it's stark black and white imagery well-suited to the Waits mystique ("Down By Law" anyone?).

The video was directed by Jesse Dylan, the eldest son of Bob Dylan, and Rolling Stone Keith Richards plays guitar on the track.

"There's nobody in the world like him," Tom told NPR recently. "We wrote songs together for a while and that was fun. I had never really written with anybody besides my wife, so it was unique and a little scary at first. He doesn't really remember anything or write anything down. So you play for an hour and he would yell across the room, 'Scribe!' And I looked around. 'Scribe? Who's the scribe?' And he'd say it again, now pointing at me. I was supposed to have written down everything we said and dreamt of and played. And I realized we needed an adult in the room. I've never been the one that one would consider the adult. It was an interesting dynamic." More including the video here



Teen Students Take On Judas Priest Classic
(hennemusic) 48 students from the Aaron O'Keefe music school in Ohio hit the studio in the spring for an 8-hour marathon recording session.

A group of young teens, ranging from 11 to 17, spent a couple of hours laying down a seriously heavy cover of "Painkiller" by Judas Priest.

"On Saturday, May 7th my students traveled to Nashville, TN to record 8 songs at Starstruck Studios, a world class recording studio owned by Reba McEntire," writes O'Keefe. "This was our longest recording session to date...running from 8 am to 3 am. The students recorded Painkiller from 2 pm to 4 pm."

"Judas Priest's "Painkiller" is by far the most challenging song my students have covered," he continues. more on this story



Original Mad Max Lineup Returns For New Album Release
(Freeman) Mad Max have announced the reunion of their original line-up and the release their new studio album "Another Night Of Passion" by the end of March 2012.

Michael Voss (Lead Vocals, Lead Guitars), Jürgen Breforth (Rhythm Guitars), Roland Bergmann (Bass, Vocals) and Axel Kruse (Drums) captured the spirit of 1987 and deliver their new album worldwide through SPV / Steamhammer.

The album was recorded at the Kidroom-Studios which are owned by Michael Voss and where also albums from Michael Schenker, Vengeance and Gary Barden were produced. more on this story



MxPx Documentary Coming Next Month
Next month, MxPx will release a music documentary, Both Ends Burning, featuring footage from the band's 2008 world tour all the way to the band's sold-out Seattle show in March 2011.

In the film, MxPx finds themselves at a crossroads in their career, struggling to find the balance between full time jobs, and the life of a touring musician.

Directed by Bryan Buchelt of Snaproll Studios, the DVD will be available digitally on December 1 through most online retail outlets and the band's website (www.mxpx.com). The physical version, which includes over 20 minutes of deleted scenes, will be available December 8 through the band's website.




The Black Keys Star Works On New Tennis Album
Fat Possum Records have set a February 14th, 2012 release date for Tennis' sophomore album, Young and Old.

For the album guitarist Patrick Riley, vocalist Aliana Moore and drummer James Barone headed to Nashville to work with The Black Keys' Patrick Carney.

The first single from these sessions, "Origins," will be released on limited edition blue 7" vinyl on December 6 via Forest Family Records. more on this story



Daybreaker Announce North American Tour Dates
Daybreaker will be hitting the road in support of their upcoming split 7" with The American Scene.

The band will be out with State Champs from 11/27-Dec 3rd and with The Story So Far and This Time Next Year 12/6-12/13.

The split 7" with The American Scene is set to be released on November 29th by Pure Noise Records. more on this story



Singled Out: Lance King's Awakening
Today Avian, Pyramaze and Balance Of Power frontman Lance King tells us about "Awakening" from his brand new album "A Moment In Chiros," which is being released tomorrow 11/11/11. Here is the story:

"Awakening" is part of a concept album, I can't give the entire concept away, it would sort of ruin the point of the album which is for truth seekers to search for clues in the construct of what the music and lyrics are sharing. It's called "A Moment In Chiros" and it's based on the 11:11 time prompt phenomena, and comes out 11/11/11.

"Awakening" is a part of that concept, however it has a duplicity to it in that I used a real life story to illustrate a step of the concept.

I need to go back a few years to when the real life story was taking place, I was working on the first Pyramaze album, I'd done a lot of recording before this, but on Tape, ADAT digital tape, and hard disc recording unit's, this was my first time working with protocols on a computer, so I had a bit of a learning curve going on with the program and the best ways to use it. It was a bit frustrating actually, since my setup was not proper and I was doing it on a older iMac without a secondary hard drive, so I ended up having to record one song, bounce it all down, send the tracks to the bands producer in Denmark, and start on the next one after I made enough room to work on the computer again.

Through this process my wife's Dad got deathly ill, he was in the hospital about 90 miles away and it wasn't looking good. Of course I had a deadline to keep, and the band was pushing me on it. I missed some things I wish I hadn't while doing this record, I wasn't there for my wife when she needed me, and it certainly was one of the hardest things she's gone through in our time together. I regretted that afterwards a lot.

Back to the story and it's content… My wife was in the hospital room with her dad and some other family, and our very young daughter at that time, that had yet to speak coherent words.

She was still under 6 months old at the time. I couldn't be there that day because of my album deadline. My wife tells me that when her father passed on that day, she could feel his energy leave as the heart monitor droned a steady beeeep, and that our daughter, was looking at the ceiling… and pointed and said grandpa, smiling and full of joy.

She could clearly see him on the ceiling, she was too young to tell us exactly what she saw, but I believe he was likely waving at her and making faces like he did a lot, smiling and happy because of the joy she was showing.

This was something that of course hit everyone in the room in a meaningful way, and was a catalyst for many spiritual discussions, and soul searching, and it led to some personal discoveries, through introspection, that I will choose to keep private at this point, but suffice to say, it's deep, and it was profound and it was an "Awakening"

Today's Day In Pop

Today's Full Report


Rapper Heavy D Died Yesterday at Age 44
(TMZ) Rapper Heavy D, one of the most influential rappers of the '90s, died yesterday at the age of 44. An associate of Heavy D's told TMZ that the rapper had pneumonia. Here is their report:

Heavy D -- real name Dwight Arrington Myers -- was rushed to an L.A. hospital around noon on Tuesday ... and was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1 PM.

We've learned a 911 call was placed from Heavy's Beverly Hills home around 11:25 AM to report an unconscious male on the walkway . When help arrived, we're told Heavy D was conscious and speaking -- and was transported to a nearby hospital. He died a short time later.

Cops are investigating the death -- and so far, there are no obvious signs of foul play. Police are currently at the home.

Heavy D had several massive hits -- including "Now That We Found Love." He also wrote and performed the theme song for "In Living Color" ... and appeared as an actor in the movie "Life."

Heavy just performed at the Michael Jackson Tribute Concert in Wales on October 8. He sang "Jam" with La Toya Jackson.

Eddie F -- one of the founding members of Heavy D & the Boyz -- issued a heartfelt statement about his longtime friend ... saying, "We were only young kids out of high school when we got into the game just wanting to make fun music filled with love and excitement."

"We always had so much fun as a group. I cherish all the happy times we had together while unknowingly helping to build the movement and legacy we call Uptown Records" ... adding, "I love you Hev and we all will miss you so much."

Update: Law enforcement tell TMZ ... Heavy D had just returned from shopping and walked up some stairs when he began having trouble breathing. Adam Mills, a designer who was in the building and knew Heavy D, found him leaning against a railing and clearly in distress. Adam tells us he cradled Heavy D in his lap as others called 911. Adam says Heavy D was conscious and said to him, "I can't breathe, I can't breathe." When paramedics took Heavy D to the hospital he had a pulse. People in the building are saying he died of a heart attack, but we have not been able to confirm that. Law enforcement sources tell us ... no foul play was involved and so far they only know the cause of death was "medical." more on this story



Katy Perry The People's Choice?
(popmusiclife) The nominees for the People's Choice Awards 2012 were announced Tuesday and Katy Perry leads the music pack with seven (7) nominations.

Perry had nods across all three genres: movies (Favorite Animated Movie Voice), music (Favorite Female Artist, Favorite Song, Favorite Pop Artist, Favorite Music Video, Favorite Tour Headliner) and TV (Favorite TV Guest Star).

Beyonce and Lady Gaga had five (5) nominations each. Top TV and film nominees include "Glee," nominated for 7 awards including 6 talent nominations and 1 show nomination for Favorite Network TV Comedy, and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2," up for 9 People's Choice Awards including Favorite Movie. more on this story



Jay-Z Appears on Rihanna's New Album
(popmusiclife) Rihanna's been talking that talk, as she confirms a guest appearance by Jay-Z on the title track to her new album, "Talk That Talk," due November 21.

"Yes sir! Jigga man is on the title track #TTT " she tweeted on Tuesday. Norwegian production team Stargate actually let the news out first, as reported by Complex.com.

Describing the collaboration as a "mid-tempo banger with hard drums, dirty synths, and Rihanna and Jay at their best," Stargate producer Tor Erik Hermansen added, "We are very happy with the song and Jay's verse is crazy—same with Rihanna's part." more on this story



Michael Jackson and The Doctor: A Fatal Friendship Documentary Airing Soon?
(TMZ) TMZ has obtained an excerpt of a never-before-seen documentary starring Dr. Conrad Murray -- in which the good doc reveals some very intimate details about the singer ... some of which are not flattering.

The documentary -- titled, "Michael Jackson and The Doctor: A Fatal Friendship" -- was shot while Murray awaited trial for manslaughter ... and features a shockingly candid look at the preparation of the trial, which includes intense fighting between Murray's lawyers.

The movie is being distributed by a company called Zodiac Rights ... which says it's already pre-sold the rights to air the documentary to "major broadcasters around the world."

Sources tell TMZ ... NBC is one of the broadcasters ... and will air the doc in the United States.

As for Dr. Murray -- he signed on to the project back in 2009, following MJ's death. It's unclear how much cash Murray is set to make from the movie. more on this story



Celebrity Rehab Revisited
Vh1 has announced the launch of "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew Revisited" which is a series of four, "where are they now" specials with Dr. Drew and his head councilor Bob Forrest visiting patients from the first four seasons of "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew."

Featuring new interviews and home visits with Andy Dick, Rodney King, Seth Binzer, Tom Sizemore, Rachel Uchitel, Leif Garrett, Janice Dickinson and many more of the most infamous 'celebrity rehabbers' to date, these specials will offer a frank look at life months and, in some cases years, after rehab.

While many participants on the series have been successful with recovery, viewers will see that in some instances, not even Dr. Drew's patients are immune to the perils of relapse. "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew Revisited" premieres Wednesday, November 30th at 10pm*. more on this story



Ellie Goulding Announces Record Store Day Release and Event
Ellie Goulding will celebrate Record Store Day with a live event and the release of a live physical EP, Live At Amoeba, exclusively through independent retailers on November 25th, also known as Black Friday.

The EP — which features live acoustic performances of the British singer and songwriter's hits "Starry Eyed" and "Lights" (currently climbing the Hot AC radio chart), plus a cover of Elton John's "Your Song" — was recorded at independent record store Amoeba Music in San Francisco on April 14th, 2011, while Ellie was on the road for her first sold-out U.S. tour supporting her debut album LIGHTS.

To celebrate the EP's release, Ellie will return to Amoeba Music in San Francisco to sign advance copies on November 20th. This in-store event begins at 5 p.m. Amoeba Music is located at 1855 Haight Street, San Francisco. more on this story



fun. Set New Album Release
fun. have set a February 21st, 2012 release date for their new album which is entitled "Some Nights".

The band will launch a preorder for a limited edition 7" vinyl version of the single on November 28 through the Fueled By Ramen webstore, which will also unveil the song "One Foot" from "SOME NIGHTS" as the b-side.

The first single from "Some Nights," "We Are Young (Feat. Janelle Monáe)," is available now via all digital retailers. more on this story



Katy Perry To Make Special Ellen Appearance on Friday
(EMI) Katy Perry will make an exclusive appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show this Friday, November 11th, to debut and discuss the video for her current single about lost love, "The One That Got Away."

The video was directed by film and video director Floria Sigismondi (The Runaways), who also directed Katy's MTV Video Music Award-winning clip for "E.T." Watch a teaser trailer for the video here.

Directly following Katy's appearance on DeGeneres' show, the video for "The One That Got Away" will be available for viewing on www.ellentv.com, as well as on VEVO at 4 p.m. ET. more on this story



Michael Lohan Facing Four Years in Jail
(TMZ) Michael Lohan has just been charged in connection with his 2 most recent arrests -- involving his ex Kate Major -- and now, faces up to 4 years behind bars.

As we previously reported, Lohan was arrested twice in 2 days 2 weeks ago -- first, for allegedly bruising Major up in her Florida apartment ... second, for allegedly violating a protective order a day later, by trying to contact Major over the phone.

MiLo was charged today with 2 misdemeanors for the first arrest -- domestic violence and violation of a domestic injunction. And 2 for the second -- resisting arrest without violence (after allegedly trying to flee from police and falling into a tree) and violating a condition of pretrial release.

If convicted on all charges, Michael faces a max of 4 years in jail. more on this story



Martin Solveig Kicks Off North American Tour
French DJ/Producer Martin Solveig has hit the road for a month long North American headlining tour.

The dates get underway tonight, November 9th, at The Necto in Ann Arbor, Michigan and continue through his December 3rd marquee performance at New York City's Pacha .

The coast-to-coast tour is in support of his single release, "Big In Japan," available at all digital retailers on November 15th. The track – which sees Solveig accompanied by Canadian electropop combo Dragonette and Japanese girl group Idoling!!! – was recently featured on an episode of HBO's hit series, How To Make It In America. more on this story



American Idol Champ Scotty McCreery Sets TV Appearances
If you miss seeing American Idol champ Scotty McCreery on TV, you will have plenty of opportunities to see him this month.

We received the following details: Scotty McCreery has plenty to be thankful for this November, including his first performance on The 45th Annual Country Music Association Awards and the opportunity to participate in one of America's great traditions – the 85th Anniversary Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Of course, Scotty has a long list of blessings to be grateful for this year, including winning Season Ten of American Idol in May and becoming the youngest man in history to have his first album debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart. Clear As Day, which was released Oct. 4, also debuted atop the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, a spot it held for three consecutive weeks. more on this story



Michael Jackson Items Fetch Big Bucks
(popmusiclife) On the same day that Dr. Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson, some of the music legend's items raised big money at an auction in Ireland.

The BBC reports a set of silk pajamas and a bed in which the late singer once slept have been sold at an Irish auction for a total of 8,900 euros (approx. $12,200 US).

An American entertainment company bought the star's pyjamas for 2,700 euros ($3,700 US), while a mahogany bed he slept in was sold to an undisclosed Irish bidder for 6,200 euros ($8.500 US). more on this story



Songs For Japan Raises $10 Million
This week in Tokyo, senior executives from four major music companies, EMI, Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner Music Group, met with Japanese Red Cross Society Vice President, Yoshiharu Otsuka, to recognize the milestone of $10 million raised and donated from the global sales of Songs For Japan.

A music industry-wide initiative, Songs For Japan is an unprecedented compilation of 38 major hits and classic tracks, including 21 Billboard Hot 100 hits and five #1s from more than 30 of the biggest names in contemporary music. The collection was rush-released worldwide on March 25 – only 14 days after the earthquake struck Japan – as a digital album via iTunes, followed by the release of a physical two-CD set.

Tadateru Konoe, President of Japanese Red Cross Society, said, "The kind thoughts of the people who made and bought this album have given great encouragement to the people affected by the earthquake and tsunami. One hundred percent of the money raised goes directly to those most in need. On behalf of the Japanese Red Cross and the people affected by the disaster, I want to sincerely thank the artists and music companies for this generous support. It is much needed and greatly appreciated." more on this story



Tyler Perry Keeping Kim Kardashian In His New Film
(TMZ) Kim Kardashian has already lost one man in her life this week, but she won't be losing another -- Tyler Perry is keeping her in his new film ... despite a serious outcry for him to divorce her from the project.

It was announced last month Kim would have a role in the movie "Marriage Counselor" -- which became even more ironic when announcer her split from Kris Humphries a week later.

Perry's fans have flocked to his web site, begging him to reconsider Kim. One post reads, "... why are you even considering putting no talent, show everything Kim K in a movie. I will not support that movie ..."

But Perry is standing strong, telling TMZ any rumors that say she's out are false. He added, "She is scheduled to work as planned."

Let's hope shooting on the movie doesn't go longer than 72 days. more on this story



Nicki Minaj Added To Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Nicki Minaj has been added to the musical lineup for The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which is set to air on Tuesday, Nov. 29 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS.

Minaj released her debut album, "Pink Friday," in 2010, which was certified platinum. She became the first artist ever to have seven singles on the "Billboard Hot 100" at the same time. She has won nine BET Awards and has been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, and four Billboard Music Awards.

This performance will mark the artist's first appearance on The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. more on this story



Singled Out: John Mark McMillan's Sheet of Night
Today John Mark McMillan tells us about "Sheet of Night" from his brand new album "Economy," which hit stores this week. Here is the story:

I think "Sheet of Night" comes from looking at the people around me and wanting better for some of them. At the same time I'm looking at myself and wanting to believe that I'm the kind of person who won't give up on the people and things I believed in. I see these people who are important to me and want to believe that the thing that binds us together is greater than the gravity of our situations.

I saw this documentary on Hurricane Katrina a while back, and there came a point for many of the survivors when they had to make a decision to stay home and die or brave the elements. I want to believe that I could be the kind of person who would brave the flood for the people I love and not be content to sit back and watch us become bitter angry people.

Today's Day in Rock

Metal Star Breaks Hand In Fan Fight?
(Rock News Desk) Bring Me the Horizon guitarist Jona Weinhofen says he broke his hand in a violent episode during their recent Helsinki gig. It's the second major incident of the metalcore outfit's current tour after singer Oli Sykes was attacked by a fan in Salt Lake City last month.

BMTH were opening for Machine Head on Sunday night when Weinhofen appeared to take exception to a heckler near the front row.

Video shows him playing guitar on top of the crowd barrier, before swinging his instrument behind him, jumping into the audience and throwing punches down at an unidentified person. Sykes then joins the violence before both band members return to the stage. More including video



AC/DC Singer Cancels Tour To Have Surgery
(Gibson) AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson is going to have surgery on his wrist in February. The procedure has led to the cancellation of his U.S. solo tour, which was planned for the same month, according to Blabbermouth.

In support of his new book, Rockers and Rollers: A Full-Throttle Memoir, Johnson was scheduled to do a batch of solo dates featuring "stories and music."

The tour, which was set to begin February 7 in Knoxville, Tennessee, was going to feature Skid Row members Rachel Bolan (bass) and Scotti Hill (guitar) backing up Johnson. more on this story



Motorhead's Lemmy Injured
(Rock News Desk) Lemmy Kilmister was forced to cancel a Motorhead show in Bristol, England this week after sustaining an injury to his left hand.

The band were to play the sold-out date on their The World is Yours tour, supported by Anti Nowhere League and the UK Subs.

A statement says: "Due to injury, Motorhead have cancelled their Colston Hall show tonight... We are working to try to reschedule… We'll let you know when we know what will happen re: rescheduling/refunds." more on this story



Vince Neil Pleads Guilty
(hennemusic) Another day in court for Vince Neil has ended with the Motley Crue singer pleading guilty, via his attorneys, to a misdemeanor charge and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine in connection with allegations of domestic violence involving his ex-girlfriend.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports prosecutors agreed to drop one count of domestic battery in exchange for Neil's guilty plea to disorderly conduct.

The Mötley Crüe frontman was seen yelling obscenities at and poking former girlfriend Alicia Jacobs at the Las Vegas Hilton in March. more on this story



Corey Taylor Plans Ambitious New Stone Sour Album
(Gibson) Corey Taylor has a busy year ahead of him. In addition to his upcoming solo tour, and 2012 dates with Slipknot in Australia and the U.S., the singer-guitarist said he's planning to get back in the studio with his other band, Stone Sour.

"Right now we're just working on demos...and a pretty grandiose idea that I've been kind of chewing on for a long time," Taylor told Billboard.com. "On a musical scale, artistically, visually, we're going to swing for the fences with this one. If we can pull it off, it would be really cool and... put a lot of people in their place. I'm really excited to get working on it."

Taylor said that Stone Sour will begin working on the follow-up to 2010's Audio Secrecy in between Slipknot's Australian tour in February and March and a summer trek in North America. But, first up is his solo tour, to promote his new book Seven Deadly Sins: Settling the Argument Between Born Bad and Damaged Good. He'll do 19 dates, starting November 14, which will incorporate Q&A sessions with audience members and musical performances. "It's everything I love to do in a show – basically run my mouth and play guitar and sing," Taylor said. "It's almost like if Johnny Cash and Henry Rollins were the same person, this is the kind of show they would do." more on this story



Bob Seger Planning New Album and Tour
(Ultimate Classic Rock) Bob Seger has announced plans to release a new studio album, and to support that record with a tour.

"I will write from January 1 through March 31. I will finish the next record and right now, yes, I will tour with the next record," Seger tells Ultimate Classic Rock.

Seger, who has sold more than 50 million albums, with 11 platinum and seven multi-platinum titles, also revealed what convinced him to release a studio album for the first time since 'Face the Promise' in 1996. Check out the full interview for a lot more!



The Cure Set Bestival Double Release
Fans of The Cure mark your calendar for December 6th. That's the release date of a new double live album of the band's career-spanning two and a half hour set performed at this year's Bestival.

The Cure: Bestival Live 2011, is a double album, which is split over two CDs and also available as a digital download is made up of thirty-two Cure classics, including "The Lovecats," "The Caterpillar," "Close To Me," "Friday I'm In Love," "Lullaby," "The Hungry Ghost," "The End Of The World," "Just Like Heaven," "Grinding Halt," "Jumping Someone Else's Train" and "Boys Don't Cry."

Of the live album, Robert Smith of The Cure says "We had such a great time in the Isle of Wight at Bestival that we wanted to release this show as a way of thanking fans and islanders alike. Bestival is the best!" more on this story



Pink Floyd App Coming
(Gibson) This Day in Music Apps has announced the release of the official This Day in Pink Floyd App, coming November 14. The app is packed with information about the legendary rockers, including trivia, quiz questions and song-specific profiles.

The official This Day in Pink Floyd App features thousands of music facts, covering 366 days of the year. It also provides a guide to all official Floyd tracks, and contains 200 quiz questions, 200 bits of trivia, 100 images, two wallpaper screen images, one ringtone ("Shine on You Crazy Diamond") and the recently restored video for the band's 1968 single "Point Me at the Sky."

In addition the app will link to your iTunes library (via 3G or Wi-Fi) to play your Floyd tunes while you navigate the app. This Day in Pink Floyd will be available on iTunes for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. more on this story



Josh Homme N' Tenacious D Guitar Talk
(Banana 101.5) Josh Homme, the driving force behind Queens of the Stone Age, sat down with Kyle Gass of Tenacious D for a rare conversation about his guitars and why he doesn't play certain popular axes on the latest episode of 'Guitarings'.

Josh Homme is notoriously secretive when it comes to the particulars of his guitar rig, usually questions about his set up are deflected by a statement about Josh's belief in finding one's own sound.

In the latest webisode of the guitar oriented program hosted by Kyle Gass of Tenacious D — 'Guitarings' — the QOTSA main-man opened up on the subject a bit, discussing his influences and explaining why you won't catch him playing a Gibson Les Paul or a Fender Stratocaster. Check it out here.



Early Unreleased KISS Song Explained
(The Metal Den) Last year in July, TMD unearthed a KISS demo entitled "Smoke". Not much was known about the 70′s era sounding track. To this point, it has received nearly 30,000 views on You Tube since being uploaded.

Now… the mystery at last has been explained. Here's the word from Kiss historian Julian Gill: "This song, actually entitled "It Ain't The Smoke", was post-Dressed to Kill but before the legendary act brought in Bob Ezrin, which would place it in and around 1975.

"This cut is believed to be from a demo that they were using to prep for the next record. Ezrin wanted to move them away from this type of song, and so they did. More including a link to the song



Adelitas Way Drop Tour Plans For Guns N' Roses
Adelitas Way got an offer they couldn't refuse to open for Guns N' Roses and as a result are withdrawing from a string of upcoming November show dates.

The shows with Art Of Dying, Emphatic, & New Medicine will continue as scheduled without the group. Those who purchased tickets specifically to see Adelitas Way can return the tickets to their point of purchase if they so choose.

Lead singer Rick DeJesus had the following to say about the opportunity: "Since I was a kid its always been a dream to open up for Guns N' Roses...last night I received that call. As much as I hate to cancel shows and the thought that I have let fans down upsets me...this is an opportunity that I know I will regret when I am sitting down with my grand kids if I do not accept. We have to cancel 4 shows in order to be direct support on two sold out arena shows with Axl." We will make it up to Tyler, TX, Abilene. TX, Little Rock, AR and Nashville, TN. That much I promise you." more on this story



Joe Bonamassa Releasing Live DVD with Paul Rodgers and John Hiatt
During a two-night stand at Beacon Theatre in New York, NY last weekend, Joe Bonamassa performed with special guests Paul Rodgers (Bad Company and Queen) and John Hiatt.

The two night show at the Beacon Theatre will be released as Bonamassa's fourth live concert DVD in early 2012.

Bonamassa collaborated with John Hiatt on the album Dust Bowl and most recently, with Beth Hart on a record called Don't Explain, released Sept. 27, 2011 through J&R Adventures. Don't Explain features Hart's interpretations of ten classic songs first made famous by artists including Billie Holiday, Etta James, Tom Waits, Ray Charles, Delaney & Bonnie, Bill Withers, and Aretha Franklin with Bonamassa on guitar. Fans can get a free download of the first single "Well, Well" here.



Morrissey Postpones North American Concert
Morrissey's North American tour has suffered a set back due to a visa issue. His camp sent this over: Due to a visa administration error, Morrissey's lead guitarist is unable to perform in the US this week.

Thursday's sold out concert at the Congress Theatre in Chicago has been rescheduled for Saturday December 17, 2011.

The issue is out of Morrissey's hands but it will not affect Monday's concert at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio, nor will it affect the rest of the tour. more on this story



Children Of Bodom 15th Anniversary Tour
Children Of Bodom plan to celebrate their 15th Anniversary with a North American headlining tour early next year.

The tour will kick off on January 30, 2012 in Rochester, NY and run through March 4, hitting 26 cities over the course of the five week jaunt.

Support on the anniversary tour will come from Eluveitie, Revocation and Threat Signal. more on this story



Twisted Sister DVD Box Set Released
(Kayos) This week Eagle Rock released Twisted Sister From The Bars To The Stars: Three Decades Live, a 5-DVD boxed set.

The lavish package comes complete with curios such as a Twisted Sister Christmas ornament, an official "New York Steel" backstage pass, a classic two and a half-inch Twisted Sister pin and a reproduction of the first-ever SMF Fan Club letter.

Over eight hours long, From The Bars To The Stars has to be considered the ultimate Twisted Sister boxed set. One of the five DVDs, Twisted Xmas: Live In Las Vegas, is a total exclusive, having never before been released in any format. This 2009 concert showcases the band performing such beloved holiday fare as "White Christmas" and "Come All Ye Faithful" next to "Burn In Hell" and "Deck The Halls" as only Twisted Sister can. In fact, Jay Jay French, Dee Snider, Mark Mendoza, A.J. Perro, and Eddie Ojeda, have made this holiday merriment a metal tradition for the past few years. more on this story



The Dear Hunter Release Their Complete Collection
The Dear Hunter have delivered "The Complete Collection" package of their acclaimed nine-EP collection, The Color Spectrum (Triple Crown Records), which is now available on CD for the first time.

The three-CD box set includes a 52-page booklet of lyrics, notes from band mastermind Casey Crescenzo and new artwork, as well as a 90-minute DVD consisting of live and never-before-seen footage of the making of the epic compilation.

Immediately following the initial June 14 release, The Color Spectrum debuted in two separate spots on Billboard's "Heatseekers" chart: first at an impressive #9 for the entire digital version, and at #32 for the 11-song CD version (featuring select music from each EP). more on this story



Ozzy Osbourne To Outlive Son?
(Gibson) Jack Osbourne, son of metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, thinks his dad is close to indestructible. In an interview with the U.K.'s Star magazine, Jack joked that his father might be around for a few centuries.

"Motorbikes can't kill him, drugs can't kill him. He's one of those guys who's going to be like, 900 years old, and still complaining about everything and laughing," he said. "We joke that he is going to outlive me."

Jack produced a documentary about Ozzy, God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, which is making its debut on DVD and Blu-ray next week. In the meantime, Black Sabbath fans are gearing up for a Friday news conference, where it is expected that all four original members of the band (Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward) will announce their reunion. more on this story



Edward Rogers Delivers New Solo Album
Musebox sent over word that Edward Rogers released Porcelain, his fourth solo album and his third for the independent Zip record label this week.

The eleven sonically distinctive compositions were all written and recorded within an 18-month period.

"The title of the album" explains Rogers "directly reflects the emotions represented in the songs and my mood during the writing process – rage, love, broken friendships, good days, bad days…fun days." more on this story



Snow Patrol Release New Video and Mobile App
Snow Patrol have released a new music video for the song "This Isn't Everything You Are", from the forthcoming release, Fallen Empires, which hits stores on January 10th.

Previously unavailable in North America, the video, filmed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, showcases the band in the role of a tango bar's house band.

They have also announced the release of the new mobile app, which Filter says is packed with the latest news, Gary's 'I Can Hover' blog, backstage photos, exclusive Fallen Empires Webisodes and an exclusive 'Gary Close Up' alternate version of "This Isn't Everything You Are". The new app is available from both the iTunes app store and the Android Market. it is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, iPad (running iOS 4.0 or later) and all phones running Android 2.1 and above. Watch the new video here.



Nada Surf Announce North American Tour
(BHM) Nada Surf are looking ahead to next Spring and have already mapped out a North American tour.

The national tour will kick off March 20th in Los Angeles, CA and see the band roll cross-country, wrapping up in Washington, DC on April 10th.

The dates in support of Nada Surf's new album - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy (Barsuk) - follow select east and west coast gigs in late January, including a home town show at Bowery Ballroom on the day of album release January 24, 2012. more on this story



65Daysofstatic's Paul Wolinski Releases Solo Debut
(UTMG) 65Daysofstatic's Paul Wolinski has released his solo debut under the nom-de-tune Polinski.

After ten years (give or take) on the road and on the record with 65daysofstatic, Paul Wolinski finally steps out from behind that particular outfit's notorious smokescreen and emerges as Polinski, a man with a laptop, some synths and a plan, in the meta-physical sense of the word.

In our childhood bedrooms and minds, the possibilities were always endless, there were worlds within worlds, and galaxies upon galaxies. If the suburbs outside seemed limited by how far we could get on our bikes, then in the real and unreal realities of space travel and science fiction we were satiated, if only momentarily. What if your bike could take off? more on this story



Super Models Become Duran Duran In New Short Film
(Press Here) Duran Duran have released their new a nine-minute short film for the song "Girl Panic", taken from their new album All You Need Is Now.

Directed by Grammy Award-winner Jonas Åkerlund, this video reunites five of the world's top supermodels - Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Eva Herzigova, Helena Christensen and Yasmin Le Bon with the members of Duran Duran in a day-in-the-life-of exposé, where the girls take on the roles of the members of the band and the guys are in the supporting cast as bellhops, waiters, chauffeurs and members of the press.

The short film, shot in and around The Savoy in London over two days earlier this summer. The five 'supers' bring their own style, irreverence and personality to the character of each band member, as Naomi Campbell steps up to the mic as lead singer Simon Le Bon, Cindy Crawford strikes a pose as bassist John Taylor, Eva Herzigova embodies keyboardist Nick Rhodes as the only blonde in the band, Helena Christensen rocks out as drummer Roger Taylor and Yasmin Le Bon makes a droll turn as 'the anonymous guitarist'. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana play Harper's Bazaar UK's guest fashion editors for the day during a photoshoot scene (still images from which form a 22-page cover story for the December issue of the magazine.) Check it out



This Time Next Year, The Story So Far and Daybreaker Tour
This Time Next Year are hitting the road next month with The Story So Far and Daybreaker.

This Time Next Year will also perform at several additional shows leading up to the tour, with details being announced through the band's social networking outlets.

The band released their sophomore album, Drop Out Of Life on Equal Vision Records on September 27. more on this story



Gojira Go With Roadrunner For Next Album
Gojira have inked a new deal with Roadrunner and will record their upcoming fifth album in New York City this month with eye towards a spring 2012 release.

Joe Duplantier will serve in a co-producer capacity along Josh Wilbur (Lamb of God) for the new album.

Gojira are comprised of vocalist/guitarist Joe Duplantier, who has a previous relationship with Roadrunner, having played bass on Cavalera Conspiracy's debut Inflikted, along with guitarist Christian Andreu, bassist Jean-Michel Labadie and drummer Mario Duplantier, who is also Joe's brother. more on this story



Bleeding Fist Lose Member
Bleeding Fist have parted ways with drummer Lexecutioner and announced the release of a new live album.

We were sent the following: "Soon, new details regarding the line-up and the new era of Bleeding Fist will be known," reads a statement from the band.

In other Bleeding Fist news, the band will release in December their first live album, entitled Bestial Black Metal Over Berlin, via Haliaetum Records.

Today's Day In Pop

Dr. Conrad Murray Found Guilty In Michael Jackson's Death Trial
(superLOUD) Dr. Conrad Murray has been found guilty in the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson.

Murray is the doctor that was administering Propofol to Michael as a nightly sleep aid, the drug which was found to cause his death. Jurors came back with the verdict after a 6-week trial.

Dr. Murray is scheduled for sentencing on November 29th and faces up to 4 years in jail. According to TMZ, he will not go to state prison because of a new law, and will likely serve his time in L.A. County Jail. Read the reactions to the verdict here



Adele Undergoes Throat Surgery
(popmusiclife) Adele has undergone throat surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

The operation was to stop a vocal cord hemorrhage from a benign polyp, which has caused the British singer to cancel concerts and personal appearances, in both the US and at home, through the end of this year.

The Boston Herald reports that the hospital says the singer's surgeon, Dr. Steven Zeitels, expects Adele to make a full recovery. Adele was in good hands: Zeitels, the director of the Mass General's voice center, has worked on rock singers like Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and The Who's Roger Daltrey. more on this story



Teen Girl Threatens To Kill Justin Bieber's Ex-Girlfriend
(TMZ) The LAPD got a search warrant against someone who was after Caitlin Beadles -- Justin Bieber's former GF ... someone who wanted to skin her alive ... and the perp is a 14-year-old girl.

According to the warrant -- obtained by TMZ -- someone went on tumblr.com, a social media website, using the name KILLSGANDCB -- we're guessing it means kill Selena Gomez and Caitlin Beadles. The perp said she was going to "murder" Beadles and had cameras trained on her 24/7, ominously promising the victim won't know what's coming until she "wakes up on the other side of her bed with a knife."

TMZ has learned ... the suspect is a 14-year-old girl who lives in Kentucky who is developmentally disabled. We're told LAPD detectives contacted her mother, who is now closely monitoring her internet activities.

Meanwhile, Selena's alleged stalker, Thomas Brodnicki, remains in jail on felony stalking charges and cops say he's a real threat to her. more on this story



X Factor Contestant Gets Warning
(TMZ) Josh Krajcik's chance at winning $5 million bucks on "X Factor" could go up in smoke -- because the singer's doctor believes cigarettes and booze are sabotaging his shot at victory ... TMZ has learned.

A source close to the production tells us, Krajcik was having issues with his voice giving out during practice last week -- a doctor told him boozing and smoking were to blame ... and Krajcik should stop both IMMEDIATELY.

At that point, we're told that Josh's mentor, Nicole Scherzinger, stepped in to tell him to cut down before he gets eliminated ... but while Josh is trying, quitting ain't easy.

The source said Josh "knows he needs to if he has his sights set on winning." more on this story



The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Soundtrack Leads This Week's New Releases
(popmusiclife) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 hits theatres November 18, but the soundtrack sees its release on Tuesday.

Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years" became the first song off the soundtrack to premiere a video recently, due to Bruno Mars not having his video done on schedule. Now, Twilight fans can sink their teeth into the full soundtrack.

Another compilation is out this week, as well: "NOW That's What I Call Music Vol. 40" features tracks from Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Maroon 5 and many others. See what other releases are coming out this week



Kelly Clarkson Stars In New Toyota Commercial
(popmusiclife) Kelly Clarkson is starring in a new Toyota commercial. In an ad for the 2102 Camry, Clarkson is joined by sportscaster Chris Berman, Inside The Actor Studio's James Lipton and TV chef Andrew Zimmern.

Clarkson and her crew all sing-along in the commercial…and Kelly does the driving. The ad promotes features like streaming radio, sports scores, movie tickets and restaurant reservations…each element is tied in with one of the four featured players.

Music in the commercial is Clarkson's new single, "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)," from her new album, "Stronger." Check out the ad here



Glee Side Story Tonight
The Glee cast will be performing their software improved versions of songs from West Side Story and a Billy Joel classic on tonight's episode.

Here is the synopsis and song list: Under Artie's directorial leadership, the kids prepare to perform the school musical "West Side Story."

Meanwhile, Finn meets with a recruiter and Coach Beiste has an admirer in the all-new "The First Time" episode of GLEE airing Tuesday, Nov. 8 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (GLE-305) (TV-14 D, L, S) more on this story



Final Destination Star Arrested
(TMZ) Ryan Merriman, one of the stars of the movie "Final Destination 3," was arrested in Newport Beach, CA late Sunday night after cops suspected he was driving under the influence ... TMZ has learned.

Merriman was originally pulled over for a routine violation -- when cops suspected the actor wasn't sober.

Merriman was arrested on suspicion of DUI and hauled to a nearby station -- where he was booked. more on this story



CSI Star Arrested For Allegedly Breaking Girlfriend's Nose
(TMZ) Former CSI star Gary Dourdan was arrested Sunday night for allegedly breaking his former girlfriend's nose ..law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

We're told a former girlfriend went to Dourdan's home in Venice, CA Sunday night. Cops received a disturbance call at around 9 PM, arrived at the house but the woman had already left. While the cops were there, someone called LAPD and said an injured woman was in a nearby alley -- it was Dourdan's ex. Cop looked her over and it appeared she had a broken nose and she said Dourdan was the culprit.

The former "CSI" star was arrested and booked for felony battery. He's being held on $50,000 bail [as of Monday morning]. more on this story



Lady Gaga Auctioning Rare Items
(popmusiclife) Lady Gaga fans will want to get their hands on some of her goodies up for auction this fall.

Up for grabs at Julien's Auctions Rock N' Roll & Sports Auction is Gaga's famous structured dress worn for the cover of Madame Figaro magazine in 2001; the now famous costume designed by Irina Shaposhnikova is estimated to sell for $10,000 - $20,000.

And, the prop gun used in Lady Gaga's music video for "Born This Way," will also be offered, with an estimated value of $6,000-$8,000. more on this story



Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries Hold Reconciliation Meeting
(TMZ) Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries threw a Hail Mary Sunday ... to see if they could save their marriage -- and after a four-hour meeting with their pastor, sources close to the couple tell TMZ a reconciliation is "up in the air."

According to our sources, the meeting with Pastor Joel Johnson went well as they talked through lots of issues. We're told the two expressed respect and love for each other ... but both acknowledged a lot is wrong with their relationship.

Our sources say Kris was "ecstatic" Kim made the trip to Minnesota and he truly thinks he can win her back.

As for Kim .... she's unsure if she even wants to give it another go ... but for now, she's willing to keep talking. more on this story



John Rich Hosting ThanksUSA's 2011 Benefit Concert
John Rich is set to host ThanksUSA's 2011 Benefit Concert at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., on November 14, 2011.

Also performing at this year's festivities are fiddler Andy Leftwich, and Texas and Nashville singer-songwriters Lucas Hoge, Leslie Satcher and Monty Holmes. NBC4 Washington's Jim Handly will serve as the concert's master of ceremonies.

This year's Benefit Concert in the nation's capital will honor the love, sacrifice and need of military families in the U.S., which has inspired ThanksUSA's core mission and commitments over the past six years. more on this story



Lost Star Matthew Fox Fires Back At Accuser
(TMZ) Matthew Fox is striking back in court, claiming the woman who accused him of punching her in her private parts is a blatant liar.

Fox is countersuing Heather Bormann, who filed her own lawsuit in September, claiming a drunken Fox tried to board a party bus she was driving in Cleveland, Ohio. Bormann alleged Fox attacked her after she ordered him to stay off the bus. That's when Bormann claims Fox struck her in the breast, arm, leg and, of course, [below the belt].

Fox alleges in his countersuit ... she's just lying, and in reality he didn't provoke her but she's the one who physically attacked him.

Fox claims he's lost work because TMZ and other media outlets have reported her lawsuit, and she has subjected him to "public hatred, contempt, ridicule and shame."

Fox is suing for unspecified damages. more on this story



Career Spanning Neil Diamond Collection Coming Next Month
Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings have set a December 6th release date for The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Recordings.

They sent over these details including a details tracklisting: The new definitive single disc compilation of 23 best-loved hits and signature tracks from America's quintessential singer-songwriter is the first Neil Diamond collection to draw from the artist's complete studio discography.

The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Records includes his first pop chartings as a writer/performer for Bang Records in the mid-1960s; his spectacular career-defining hits for Uni/MCA (1968-1972); music from 1980's The Jazz Singer (his 5x platinum-selling soundtrack album on Capitol Records) and studio essentials from a long-running association with Columbia Records that began in 1973 with the Jonathan Livingston Seagull soundtrack album and runs through a pair of Rick Rubin-produced albums: 12 Songs (2005) and Home Before Dark (which became Neil's first Number 1 album on the Billboard 200 in 2008). more on this story



Lindsay Lohan's Scary Time In Jail
(TMZ) Lindsay Lohan is telling friends that her 4.5 hour stint in the pokey was "scary" ... even though she was never placed with the general population.

We're told Lindsay was alone in her cell during her time in custody at Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, CA.

Sources tell us Lindsay described the jail as "cold" -- saying it's one of the worst places she's ever been in her life.

Lindsay is telling friends the experience was another wake up call ... insisting she's learned from her mistakes and wants to put her problems behind her.

We're told Lindsay didn't eat anything during her stay at Lynwood -- then again, it's not like she had time for a meal. more on this story



Twilight Star and More for CMA Awards
The 45th Annual CMA Awards have announced a slew of her presenters for the event which airs tomorrow night.

The newly announced presenters include ESPN sportscaster and "Good Morning America" correspondent Erin Andrews, actor Josh Dallas (star of ABC's "Once Upon a Time"), 2011 World Series MVP and St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese, actress Ginnifer Goodwin (star of ABC's "Once Upon a Time"), actor Kellan Lutz (star of the "Twilight" movie series and the upcoming "Immortals"), Emmy Award-winning actor Eric Stonestreet (star of ABC's "Modern Family"), actress Emily VanCamp (star of ABC's "Revenge"), and Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon.

"The 45th Annual CMA Awards," hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, airs live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 9 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network. more on this story



Il Volo's Christmas Favorites Coming This Month
Il Volo are giving their fans an early Christmas present with the November 21st release of Il Volo - Christmas Favorites.

The five song digital EP includes "Silent Night" and the German version "Stille Nacht," "Panis Angelicus," "The Christmas Song" featuring Pia Toscano (of American Idol fame) and a medley of classic Christmas songs including "Jingle Bell Rock," "Let It Snow" and "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year."

Additionally, the physical EP Il Volo – Christmas Favorites will be available on Amazon.com via CreateSpace's Disc on Demand platform. Amazon.com will also offer an exclusive re-pack of Il Volo's self-titled 12 track Geffen Records debut, which was released earlier this year and debuted at #10 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, plus the five song Christmas EP– also available via CreateSpace Disc on Demand. The repack is titled Il Volo – Special Christmas Edition.

Today's Day in Rock

Avril Lavigne in Bar Brawl
(superLOUD) Avril Lavigne and her boyfriend Brody Jenner were reportedly in a bar brawl over the weekend with undisclosed others. Apparently the fight landed Brody in the hospital and left Avril with a black eye and bloody nose.

According to Avril's twitter, their night started innocently enough on Sunday, with Avril re-tweeting Brody's message of "Having the best night with the love of my life @AvrilLavigne so happy right now!! .. #Movember CRUSH!! haha."

Avril's next tweets were the polar opposite: "I don't fight. I don't believe in it. To clear things up I got attacked by 5 people last night out of nowhere. Not cool. My face is f*cked... As in black eye, bloody nose, hair ripped out, scratches, bruises and cuts. So not ok to be abusive to others. Violence is NEVER the answer." Meanwhile, Brody's latest tweet



Jimmy Page and Robert Plant In The Studio This Weekend
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant are special guests in this weekend's edition of the syndicated radio show In The Studio which will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Led Zeppelin IV.

In a matter of four short years, Led Zeppelin had delivered four groundbreaking albums each destined to top the other. Widely considered a hard rock, heavy metal band by many, Zeppelin would astonish everyone by creating one of hard rock's first epic ballads, the most played record in rock radio history, "Stairway To Heaven". Jimmy Page shares with host Redbeard the reaction the song got, even before Zeppelin had released it. "We were out touring and that album (Zep IV) hadn't come out and we played "Stairway" in the Forum (Los Angeles) and we got a standing ovation."

Jimmy Page and Robert Plant reveal In The Studio why Led Zeppelin IV is the third-highest seller in music history . "When we started the band...I wanted to make music that people would respect; your fellow musicians, like Jeff (Beck) and Eric (Clapton) and people like that ," remarks Page. Robert Plant remembers, "We did whatever we wanted to do and said, 'look, for us we have to just weave around wherever it was most appropriate, with amplifiers, without, doesn't matter, in the desert, on top a Welsh mountain wherever it was…' which could be indicative and could show what we were all about." more on this story



Creed To Play First Two Albums At Special Shows
Creed will be performing their two most popular albums live at special intimate two-night events in Chicago, New York and Philadelphia next Spring.

Scott Stapp announced on VH1 Big Morning Buzz Live that will be playing their multi-platinum albums My Own Prison and Human Clay in their entirety during the events.

The band will perform one album on each night of the special engagement along with hits from their albums Weathered and Full Circle. "My Own Prison and Human Clay are very special albums for us and I look forward to performing them for our fans. The songs bring back a lot of great memories for me and I hope for them too," said front man Scott Stapp. more on this story



Original Black Sabbath Lineup Jammed At Ozzy's House
(hennemusic) We'll know what's up with the Black Sabbath reunion this Friday, when the original lineup holds a press conference at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood – 41 years to the day that they played their first US show at the venue..

As 11:11 AM on 11/11/11 draws nearer, more news about the reunited original lineup is coming out. While promoting his new book, "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath," guitarist Tony Iommi tells Billboard that the group reconvened earlier this year at Ozzy Osbourne's home in California "for a bit of fun, and to see if we could all play. It was good, but it was just purely, 'Let's have a go and see what happens.'" Iommi says the group plans to get together again "very soon...to discuss things and see what's going to happen and see what we're going to do. It's all in the air at the moment, but it'd be nice to think we can actually do something."

Tony says he'd like to see the lineup make its first new album together since 1978's "Never Say Die," save for two songs it added to the 1998 live album "Reunion." more on this story



Korn and Faith No More Supergroup Fear and the Nervous System Release Debut
(Gibson) The self-titled debut album by Fear and the Nervous System, the new band featuring Korn's James "Munky" Shaffer and Faith No More bass player Billy Gould, is out now.

The band is rounded out with drummer Brooks Wackerman (Bad Religion), guitarist Leopold Ross, keyboard player Zac Baird (Korn) and singer Steve Krolikowski.

"It started with the passing of my father," Shaffer said in a press release. "Death is one of the hardest things that people have to deal with. I didn't really understand what I was doing to block accepting the process of my dad's health deteriorating. I was in a really manic state of mind. I had a lot of emotions and energy, and I needed to get them out and record them. The only way I know how to express myself is through music." more on this story



Les Paul Inducted Into The Music City Walk of Fame
(Gibson) Guitar great Les Paul was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville on Sunday. Les Paul was among a group of music industry notables honored with a star on the sidewalk in Nashville's Music Mile at Walk of Fame Park.

Hundreds turned up to watch the ceremony that was kicked off by Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. Those inducted alongside Les Paul were Manuel Cuevas, Alan Jackson, Dan Miller, Bobby Jones, Dottie Rambo and Kix Brooks. Gibson Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz said he was honored to induct Les Paul. He said it was fitting that Les Paul, "who changed the world with his exploration of guitar and his love of people and performance" should be honored in Nashville.

"Les actually got his start, in a way, at the Ryman Auditorium," Juszkiewicz said, referencing the famous Nashville venue and former home of the Grand Ole Opry. One day when Les way a young, guitar-obsessed boy, his mother, "packed him in the car and drove him to the Ryman Auditorium and stood at the side of the stage and implored every star that walked up on the stage to give Les a moment of time on the stage. Finally someone relented and Les made his first public performance at the Ryman." more on this story



Metallica White Album A Halloween Treat For Die Hard Fan
A die hard Metallica fan got a sweet Halloween tweet by winning an eBay big for an ultra rare white vinyl pressing of Metallica's Black Album.

Ultimate Classic Reports: This very rare copy was one of 50 produced and released in March 2010 by Warner Bros. Records.

The interest in this rarity was high, with the 36th bidder earning the title "winner" and closing out at the final mega price of $1,145.00. more on this story



Steven Tyler Becomes A Cabbage Patch Kid
(Gibson) Could it be this holiday season's Tickle Me Elmo? Aerosmith frontman and American Idol judge Steven Tyler has been recreated as a Cabbage Patch doll, according to Ultimate Classic Rock.

The rock legend is one of five celebrities who have approved their likenesses for the Cabbage Patch Kids – each a one-of-a-kind doll. (The Tyler doll is in the middle in the picture.) The dolls – which also depict weatherman Al Roker, actress Katherine Heigl, actress Raven Symone and singer-actress Kristin Chenoweth – will be auctioned off on eBay between November 7 and 17 to benefit Children's Action Network. The adoption awareness organization locates homes for children who are in foster care in the U.S.

In regards to the Tyler creation, it gives a whole new meaning to the Aerosmith song "Rag Doll." more on this story



Dokken, Ratt and Stray Cats Members Help Sin City Sinners Rock Christmas
Sin City Sinners have recruited some of their rock star friends to appear on their third CD "A Sinners Christmas," which will be released on November 25th.

The CD includes guest appearances by George Lynch, Ron Keel, Slim Jim Phantom (The Stray Cats) Jizzy Pearl (RATT, Love/Hate) Pete Loran (Trixter) Louie Merlino (Beggars & Thieves) Frank Dimino (Angel) & Sammy Serious (The Zeros)

A portion of the sales from "A Sinners Christmas" will be donated to the Toys for Tots Las Vegas chapter, who help to make sure less fortunate children have toys for Christmas. The band will celebrate the release on Nov 25th with a Las Vegas party & toy drive at Club Madrid (inside Sunset Station Casino) Admission is FREE, but The Sinners encourage everyone who is able to bring a new unwrapped toy to be collected by the Marines for Toys For Tots. more on this story



The Hold Steady Frontman Going Solo
The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn has set a January 24 release date for his debut solo album, 'Clear Heart Full Eyes,' on Vagrant Records.

Earlier this year, Finn challenged himself to write a new song every day in his Brooklyn apartment. "I had written a bunch of songs that were outside of the norm for The Hold Steady, a little quieter and perhaps more narrative," says Finn. "I wanted to gain some experience and insight into the process of making a record by working with new people."

Finn travelled to Austin, Texas in July, removing himself from all familiar surroundings to record the album with producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Trail of Dead). Of the album's title, Finn says, "It's a juxtaposed reference to 'Friday Night Lights,' a TV show that excited and moved me and also happened in Texas. Further, 'Clear Heart' signifies honesty and transparency, and 'Full Eyes' suggests experience." more on this story



Nonpoint Lose Two Members
(Banana 101.5) It's been a crazy November for Nonpoint: they recently inked a record deal, announced a new album for Spring 2012, and reported the departure of their guitarist and bassist, and all within 4 days.

Perhaps he spoke too soon about the band's happiness, especially the "We" part. The ink wasn't even dry on their contracts when it was announced that guitarist Zach Broderick and founding bassist Ken MacMillan were no longer in the band, leaving only Soriano and drummer Robb Rivera. Broderick and MacMillan are said to be involved with a new project which they will announce soon.

Now Blabbermouth reports that Nonpoint have drafted members of the Chicago hard rock outfit Inn Cinema to fill the gaps in their roster — they are rumored to have been joined by guitarists Rasheed Thomas and Dave Lizzio as well as bassist Adam Woloszyn. New members or no, the band has decided to cancel their upcoming tour dates. While news of the member changes are new to the press, a statement on Nonpoint's Facebook page indicate that they may have been gone for a while... more on this story



Rise Against North American Tour Coming
Rise Against announce the first leg of their 2012 tour which will feature support from A Day to Remember and The Menzingers.

The tour kicks off January 17th at the Austin Music Hall in Austin, TX and will wrap up on February 5th at Patriot Center inFairfax, VA.

Glassjaw will be joining the bill for the February 3rd show in Uniondale, NY. more on this story



Pure Reason Revolution Farewell Tour and EP
(Freeman) Pure Reason Revolution have announced the details of their farewell tour which takes place later this month.

On this tour PRR will play a 2 hour set in two parts. The first part of the show will comprise of songs from "Amor Vincit Omnia" & "Hammer & Anvil". The second part will see "The Dark Third" performed in its entirety, for the first time.

The band will also release an EP entitled "Valour" for a limited time only, which will include a new, exclusive track called "Tempest". more on this story



Axl, Slash, AC/DC's Brian Johnson, Dave Mustaine for That Metal Show
This season of That Metal Show is set to feature guest appearances by Axl Rose and Dj Ashba of Guns N' Roses, Slash, AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson, Megadeth's Dave Mustaine, Paul Rodgers, Tracii Guns, Godsmack's Sully Erna and more. VH1 Classic sent over these details about the season and it's big kick off episode:

Season nine of "That Metal Show" kicks off on National Metal Day (11-11-11) with an exclusive interview with Guns N' Roses lead singer and original member, Axl Rose and lead guitarist Dj Ashba.

In his first television interview in over a decade, Rose opens up about his new band mates, touring, rumors, misconceptions and much more. The premiere episode of "That Metal Show" with Axl Rose airs Friday, November 11 at 11 PM ET/PT on VH1 Classic. more on this story



God Bless Ozzy Osbourne Comes Home
(Gibson) God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, the documentary which tells the life story of Ozzy Osbourne through the eyes of his son Jack, will be released on DVD and Blu-ray next week.

The documentary was shot over a period of three years by Jack Osbourne with directors Mike Fleiss and Mike Piscitelli. Ozzy recounts his troubled youth, his early career with Black Sabbath, and the story of how fame and addiction ruined his first marriage. Ozzy also talks about the second chapter of his life with Sharon, his attempts to stay clean, and the sobriety he has maintained for the past five years. The documentary also includes musical performances from around the world.

The DVD and Blu-ray release features additional footage not seen in the theatrical release including new interviews, classic archive footage of Black Sabbath, and a question and answer session with Ozzy and Jack Osbourne at the Tribeca Film Festival, where the film premiered in April 2011. more on this story



Sebastian Bach Confirms Guns N' Roses Tour Dates
(hennemusic) It's been rumored for a few weeks, and now it is reality: Sebastian Bach has announced that he'll be joining Guns N' Roses for three shows on their current North American tour.

In support of his latest solo effort, "Kicking & Screaming," Bach will open three GNR shows this month in the US Northeast.

It's likely no coincidence, but Bach and his band will be in fighting shape for the GNR dates after they play a series of club shows, starting this week; by the time Bach hits the arena circuit, he'll be rarin' to go. more on this story



Rush Lead This Week's Top Rock Releases
(hennemusic) It's a big week for Rush fans as the band finally issues two special projects from their 2010/2011 tour.

"Rush - Time Machine 2011: Live In Cleveland" is released in both audio and video formats, while a portion of the full concert - "Moving Pictures: Live 2011" – also hits stores.

There's lots of goodies to choose from for your holiday shopping and/or wish lists, including material from The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and Noel Gallagher…and that's just for starters. more on this story



David Beckham Helped Reunite The Stone Roses
(Gibson) Soccer great David Beckham, who played for Manchester United during his glory years in the 1990s, played a significant role in the Stone Roses recent reunion.

According to the Sun newspaper, Beckham tried to persuade reluctant bass player Gary "Mani" Mounfield last year in America. Then, in May, while in Manchester for ex-team-mate Gary Neville's testimonial match, Beckham targeted singer Ian Brown with his request. The Sun quotes a source who says: "David has always been a huge Stone Roses fan. You've got to remember he was a young lad in Manchester when The Roses were a big deal. It was impossible to live there without being into the band.

"Ian and Mani are Reds through and through so they all knew each other a bit back in the day. David heard there was a chance the ice was thawing between Ian and guitarist John Squire and he got involved.

"He told Mani in no uncertain terms he simply had to get the band back together. He said he would be willing to ring all the boys and beg them to crack on. And when he saw Ian at Old Trafford a month later, he really laid it on thick and said that he would be willing to do anything to make it happen." more on this story



Morrissey Late Night TV
Morrissey will be promoting his North American tour with two late night TV appearances later this month.

On Wednesday, November 23 he will stop by ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live and he will also appear on TBS' Conan on Tuesday the 29th.

The tour begins November 10 in Chicago and concludes December 13 in Guadalajara, Mexico. He will be performing songs from throughout his unparalleled catalog including new unreleased tracks. more on this story



Vince Neil To Headline Rock 'N' Roll Marathon
(hennemusic) After playing San Antonio with Motley Crue this summer, Vince Neil returns to San Antonio this weekend to headline the San Antonio Rock 'N' Roll Marathon and Half-Marathon.

Neil hits the stage on Sunday from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at the finish line at the Alamodome; the concert is free and open to the public.

Vince's solo band lineup remains the same as it's been for a number of years: guitarist Jeff Blando, bassist Dana Strum (ex-Slaughter) and drummer Zoltan. more on this story



Rush Guitarist Alex Lifeson For Andy Kim Christmas Show
(hennemusic) Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson will be one of the featured musicians at the 7th annual Andy Kim Christmas Show in Toronto next month.

The event happens Wednesday, December 14 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre.

Lifeson joins the list of first performers confirmed for the benefit, including Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning from Broken Social Scene, members of Finger Eleven and Ron Sexsmith.

Montreal-born Kim has sold more than 33 million albums and is the man behind such massive hits as "Sugar Sugar" (The Archies) and "Rock Me Gently." more on this story



Gwar To Continue North American Tour
(Rock News Desk) Gwar frontman Dave Brockie says the band will continue their North American tour despite the death of Cory Smoot, because the guitarist would have wanted it that way.

The science-fiction monster metallers found Smoot, also known as Flattus Maximus, dead on their tour bus on the journey between Minneapolis and Canada. But they played on – and Brockie, alias Oderus Urungus, says they'll continue to do so.

He tells fans: "After a lot of consideration, we have decided to carry on with the tour. Although the great temptation would be to return home, curl into a foetal position and mourn, we can't do that. First off, Cory wouldn't want that. He would want us to go on and would be pissed if we didn't. Plus we know the fans don't want us to quit. They are going to want a chance to come to grips with their loss, and there is no better place to do that than at a Gwar show. Though it's hard to believe, I think we all would feel a lot worse if we stopped. For better or worse we have to see this through." more on this story



Gene Simmons Honored To Host Classic Rock Roll Of Honour
(hennemusic) The Classic Rock Roll Of Honour awards happen tomorrow Wednesday, November 9 at The Roundhouse in London.

In its seven-year history it has attracted and honoured some of the greatest musicians the world has ever seen, and 2011 will be no different. Receiving the coveted Living Legend Award is one of the most influential and respected guitarists of all time, Jeff Beck.

And the host for the evening will be KISS bassist Gene Simmons. "I have the distinct honour and privilege of being the host of the Classic Rock Roll Of Honour," said Simmons. "On that momentous occasion, the planets will align, living legends will gather to honour their own and London will become the centre of the rock & roll universe. It's one thing being a voracious and loyal reader of Classic Rock, but it's another to be in the same room as the people who have inspired me to stop flipping burgers and jump up on stage and have a go at it myself. An honour and privilege, indeed. Be there. Or, be square." more on this story



Ghost To Launch 13 Dates of Doom For North America
Ghost will launch their first ever North American headlining tour in January, 2012.

GHOST will be joined by Blood Ceremony and Ancient Vvisdom for the two week trek dubbed the "13 Dates of Doom" tour.

The tour kicks off on January 18 in New York City with GHOST touring in support of their debut album Opus Eponymous. more on this story



Behold! The Monolith Set New Album Release
Behold! The Monolith will release their new album Defender, Redeemist, on January 23, 2012.

The band have just completed work on the album which was recorded and Engineered by the legendary Billy Anderson (High on Fire, Sleep, Neurosis) at North Hollywood's Skull 7 Studios.

"We definitely went in a "less stoner, more metal" direction on this record," said Behold! The Monolith guitarist Matt Price. "There's some faster stuff and some definite classic metal hat-tipping going on. It also has some of our most wretched sludgy / doom-y riffs yet. We know every band says this, but we feel it's a step up for us on every level...but our fans will have to be the ultimate judge of that." more on this story



In Flames, Trivium, Veil Of Maya and Kyng Tour
In Flames a headlining North American tour in the new year that will feature support from Trivium, Veil Of Maya and Kyng.

Lasting for a little over a month, the tour kicks off January 12th in Milwaukee, WI and will wrap back around to complete on February 21st in Chicago, IL. A full list of dates can be seen below.

In Flames comments, "In Flames strikes back!!! After a nice but curtailed summer mayhem, we will return to American soil with full force. Expect riffs, sweat and beers so tasty that you're ready to give up everything and move to Gothenburg. Just to have another fix..." more on this story



Jolly's North American Tour Kicks Off Next Week
Jolly have announced a North American tour which kicks off November 14th in Wilmington, DE and running through December 3rd with a final show in Albany, New York.

"We're excited to bring the Jolly experience home to our American fanbase. Audiences will be blown away. Jolly loves you," says the band.

Jolly will be touring in support of their new album, "The Audio Guide To Happiness (Part 1)." more on this story



Singled Out: MicLordz and Sauce Funky's My World
Today MicLordz and Sauce Funky frontman Dayun 'Boots' Marjanovic tells us about the title track from their brand new EP "My World". Here is the story:

We were sitting at one of our jam spaces and Matte and Roge´ were playing around with some chord progressions. AlerG and I were quietly listening and when we heard the first notes of the riff we stopped and were like "yo play that again!!"

We started getting into the verse of the instrumental and Roge´ filled in the gaps with a great moving baseline. We were all digging the groove and we really wanted to simplify the drums. We really focused making the instrumental catchy and simple so the vocals would jump off it.

We put the entire track together and recorded a demo. AlerG and I listened to the track numerous times and put major emphasis on writing a meaningful song. We played around with some different verses, but couldn't get the hook.

One day shortly after that, my parents were asking me the famous question "how long are you gonna do music for? when are you gonna get a real job?" I was so upset and usually when I'm get pissed off I write my best. I listened to the demo over and over... came up with a melody for the chorus and the bridge. I had the first couple words "This is my life, This is my dream..." and was humming the rest.

The next day I raced over to the jam space and Mike was sitting outside. I sang the hook to him and he began writing. He filled in the pieces that I didn't have with some very meaningful lyrics, especially the last words said in the song "you will remember my name." After the hook was finished it was easy to write our verses.

In SLR Studios in Windsor Ontario Canada, where we record, the producer Martin Bak did some magic. He changed some of the structure of the song and wanted to put more emphasis on the melody and the hook instead of the verses so he cut some some of them out. We all came to consensus on the changes and did some different mixes until we found the right one.

The verses, song structure and hook of my world are something that comes right from our hearts to the listeners ears and I think when people hear it they can feel it and relate to it. We hope from "My World" that people will remember our name.