The Rock Report

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Tuesday 6/29/10

MOTLEY CRUE'S VINCE NEIL BUSTED FOR DUI
Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil was stopped by Las Vegas police late Sunday evening (June 27th) and charged with driving under the influence, according to TMZ. Neil was taken into custody and brought to the Clark County Jail, where his bail was set at $2,000. His wife Lia bailed him out, with a September 27th court date set. TMZ later reported that Las Vegas police were already looking for Neil in connection with an incident on Sunday evening (June 27th), in which Neil was suspected of smashing a woman's camera. The woman told police that Neil grabbed her camera and broke it after she snapped his picture -- leading the cops to look for Neil, pull him over, and subsequently slap the DUI charge on him.
Neil was previously arrested in 2007 for suspected DUI but worked out a deal in which he pleaded no contest to reckless driving in exchange for having the DUI charge dropped. Nevada state law says that people convicted of DUI twice within seven years face anywhere from 10 days to six months in jail. Lia Neil reportedly told the police that her husband has been sober for three years. The singer lives in Las Vegas, where he owns a chain of tattoo shops and a restaurant at the Las Vegas Hilton. Neil was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years probation in 1984 after an accident in which he crashed his car, killing passenger Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley of the band Hanoi Rocks. Neil was driving under the influence at that time. Neil also pleaded no contest to a charge of assaulting a music producer in 2002, and again pleaded no contest in 2003 to charges he attacked a prostitute at the Moonlight Bunny Ranch in Nevada. In 2004, an arrest warrant was issued after he allegedly hit a sound engineer at a show in Texas.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN'S 'DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN' BOX SET COMING CHRISTMAS
It's looking like Santa Claus just might be comin' to town this Christmas for Bruce Springsteen fans. Backstreets.com reported that at eMusic's recent hour-long discussion dubbed "Summer School with Little Steven" in Manhattan, Steven Van Zandt gave the first sign that the long-awaited Darkness On The Edge Of Town box set will be in fans' hands by Christmas. Van Zandt said, "There's going to be amazing stuff coming out for Darkness On The Edge Of Town for Christmas. I heard, like, 10 outtakes; they're all fantastic. I forgot every one of 'em."
E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg recently told Rolling Stone: "A lot it was captured on film. There was always a guy in the studio with a little hand-held camera. If that does make the light of day, it would be something I would heartily endorse."

SLASH'S MANCHESTER SHOW TO BE RECORDED FOR LIMITED EDITION CD
When Slash and his touring frontman Myles Kennedy play live in Manchester, England this weekend, the show will be recorded for posterity. Blabbermouth.net reports that Abbey Road Live will record and master the Guns N' Roses rocker's show with his solo band for delivery to CD. The collectors' edition disc will be offered at 20 UK pounds or about 30 U.S. dollars. Only 12-hundred copies will be sold. Slash and his band are scheduled to rock Manchester Academy in Manchester, England this Saturday, July 3rd. For more information about the limited edition recording or to pre-order a copy, visit www.slashlive.sandbag.uk.com.


Monday 6/28/10

HEART GEARING UP FOR SUMMER TOUR
Heart will be barnstorming across North America this summer in support of their upcoming studio album Red Velvet Car and its accompanying live DVD, which will be released on August 31st. The band, featuring sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, will play five Lilith dates with Sarah McLachlan starting on July 5th in Mountain View, California at Shoreline Amphitheatre.
Nancy Wilson told us that Heart has always opted on being an active creative force -- rather than playing it safe by just being a touring nostalgia act: ["Y'know you're really driven -- I think if you're an artistic soul, then you're driven to do your art; And if you only care money, then you're not. Then you're driven to only tour and do the old hits forever, y'know? I think we're pretty artistic about it. We're really happy to still be able to enjoy going out and playing live as well as be creative and be writers."]

• Heart tour dates (Closest venues):
August 3 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
August 6 - Pittsburgh, PA - Trib Total Media Amphitheatre At Station Square
August 7 - Atlantic City, NJ - Caesars Circus Maximus Theatre
August 10 - Bethlehem, PA - Bethlehem Musikfest Sands Riverplace

SCOTT WEILAND, CHRIS CORNELL, CHRIS DAUGHTRY ON NEW SANTANA ALBUM
Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland, Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell and Chris Daughtry are among the guest singers making appearances on the new collection of classic rock covers from Carlos Santana. According to Billboard.com, the yet-to-be-titled record is due out in September and also features contributions from Papa Roach singer Jacoby Shaddix, Rob Thomas, Joe Cocker and rapper Nas. Weiland sings the Rolling Stones' "Can't You Hear Me Knocking," while Daughtry handles Def Leppard's "Photograph" and Cornell takes on Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." Shaddix offers his rendition of Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water" while Nas rhymes on AC/DC's "Back In Black."
Santana will preview some of the material on a tour with Steve Winwood that begins on June 30th in St. Paul, Minnesota.
It is not known whether any of the guests will show up on the tour, or what the first single will be.

METALLICA, ANTHRAX, MEGADETH, SLAYER'S BIG FOUR MAKES BIG SCORE
Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, and Slayer all have played for large crowds before, but last week was likely one for the record books, at over 100-thousand people. The groups -- Metal's "Big Four" -- not only performed last week in front of the large audience in Sofia, Bulgaria at Sonisphere, but they had plenty of eyes watching back in the States via a nationwide cinecast. Billboard.com reports that hundreds of cinemas screened the June 22nd performance in the U.S., while 79 theaters opened the doors to fans in the UK. Those who couldn't catch the special screening will still likely get a chance to see the show, It's expected that the concert will be turned into a DVD for release later this year. In addition, plans are underway to bring the show to the small screen. VH1 has scored the rights to air the concert on TV in the U.S.


Friday 6/25/10

KINKS BASSIST PETE QUAIFE DEAD AT 66
Original Kinks bassist Pete Quaife died on Wednesday (June 23rd) at age 66 in Herlev, Denmark. Rolling Stone reported that although the exact cause of death is unknown, he had been undergoing kidney dialysis for a decade. Quaife, along with bandmates Ray and Dave Davies and drummer Mick Avory, created some of the most important and enduring tracks to come out of the British Invasion, including the Ray Davies-written classics, "You Really Got Me," "All Day And All of the Night," "Waterloo Sunset," "Tired Of Waiting For You," "Sunny Afternoon" and "A Well Respected Man."

NEW OZZY ALBUM TRACKING LESS THAN HALF THE SALES OF PREVIOUS ONE
Ozzy Osbourne may have the top rock song in the country with "Let Me Hear You Scream," but that doesn't mean his new album Scream is blowing the doors off record stores. According to industry website Hits Daily Double, the just-released album is on track to sell between 65,000 and 70,000 copies in its first week -- less than half that of his previous effort, 2007's Black Rain, which moved 152,000 copies.  The Hits estimate is based on one-day sales reports. The album, Ozzy's 10th studio solo effort, arrived on Tuesday (June 22nd).  The sales of Black Rain were in line with those of the CD before it, 2001's Down To Earth, which moved 153,000 copies in its first week on shelves. But physical sales of music have plunged in the three years since Black Rain came out.

BILLY CORGAN TO SPEAK AT RUSH'S HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME UNVEILING TODAY
Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan will help Rush claim some valuable real estate today. Corgan is scheduled to speak at the unveiling of the Canadian band's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time. Rush's Geddy Lee, Neil Peart, and Alex Lifeson are also scheduled to be in Tinseltown for the event in front of the Musician's Institute on Hollywood Boulevard. The Walk of Fame celebration falls just days before Rush launches its "Time Machine" Tour with a gig in Albuquerque, New Mexico next Tuesday, June 29th.
In related Rush news, tomorrow night VH1 and VH1 Classic will debut "Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage" for cable TV audiences. The feature-length documentary premiered in late April at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the "Audience Award." Corgan is among the music stars interviewed in the film. On the long-term horizon, the band is preparing to release "Clockwork Angels" in 2011. An advance single from the studio project, called "Caravan," hit the Internet on June 1st.


Thursday 6/24/10

GREGG ALLMAN UNDERGOES SUCCESSFUL LIVER TRANSPLANT
Gregg Allman underwent a successful liver transplant surgery Wednesday morning (June 23rd) in Jacksonville, Florida's Mayo Clinic, according to The Associated Press. Allman's manager Michael Lehman said, "He's psyched to put this time of his life behind him and have a chance again to feel really healthy and good, and hopefully live for many more years to come." Allman was diagnosed with Hepatitis C back in 2007, but it was due to his chronic liver damage following years of addiction that put him on the organ donor list. He received word on Tuesday (June 22nd) that a suitable donor had been found. Allman is expected to stay hospitalized for another week and doctors are saying that he will hopefully be able to walk his daughter Island down the isle at her July 26th wedding.Allman said in a prepared statement: "I changed my ways years ago, but we can't turn back time. Every day is a gift, and I can't wait to get back on the road making music with my friends." Allman is planning a fall tour and a January release for his T-Bone Burnett-produced solo album, called Low Country Blues.

KEITH RICHARDS ON BOARD FOR UPCOMING FACES REUNION SHOW
Keith Richards will join his Rolling Stones bandmate Ron Wood when Wood reunites once again with the Faces on August 13th at Britain's Vintage at Goodwood Festival. Richards will play second guitar with Wood and original Faces Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones, along with Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock -- who is subbing for the late Ronnie Laine, and Simply Red's Mick Hucknall -- who is filling in once again for Rod Stewart. A source close to the Stones told The London Express that Richards is "dissatisfied" with the pace of Mick Jagger's timetable for the Stones and that, "at the end of the day Keith just wants to play."Ron Wood's relationship with Richards is in many ways more intense than his relationship with Jagger.

TOM PETTY SCORES HIGHEST CHARTING ALBUM IN 30 YEARS
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers have scored their highest charting album in 30 years. The band's new collection, Mojo, debuted yesterday (June 23rd) on The Billboard 200 album chart at Number Two -- matching the band's 1979 Damn The Torpedo's album which also peaked at Number Two in 1980. 

Tom Petty's highest charting albums both with and without the Heartbreakers (according to Vintage Vinyl News):
#2 -- Damn The Torpedoes (1980) & Mojo (2010)
#3 -- Full Moon Fever (1989) (Solo)
#4 -- Highway Companion (2006) (Solo)
#5 -- Hard Promises (1981) & Greatest Hits (1993)
#7 -- Southern Accents (1985)
#8 -- Wildflowers (1994) (Solo)
#9 -- Long After Dark (1983) & The Last DJ (2002)
#10 -- Echo (1999)
#13 -- Into The Great White Open (1991)
#15 -- Songs And Music From She's The One (1996)
#20 -- Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) (1987)
#22 -- Pack Up The Plantation: Live! (1985)
#23 -- You're Gonna Get It! (1978)
#51 -- The Live Anthology (2009)
#55 -- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1976)
#132 -- Anthology: Through the Years (2000)


Wednesday 6/23/10

VINCE NEIL EXPLAINS CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL COVER
Vince Neil returns this week with "Tattoos & Tequila," a disc mostly consisting of cover songs that serve as a roadmap to his life. One of the tracks getting attention is Neil's cover of the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic "Who Will Stop The Rain." Neil admits his version is one of many, but he chose to add to the collection of remakes because he loves the song. Neil said, “People kind of said, 'Well, you know, it's been redone too many times.' I thought well, you know, I don't care, I wanna redo it. I think it's just a beautiful, great song. And I tried to keep this song for me really organic, so there's really nothing in there but guitars, a little bit of drum and bass and that's it.”
Neil says "Who Will Stop The Rain" takes him back to his childhood. The singer recalls, quote, "My dad turned me on to CCR when I was little. He was a Creedence and Johnny Cash fan, so that's what I grew up listening to." The rocker adds that as a teenager he had an old Chevy pickup with an eight-track player, and he would always play the Creedence album "Cosmo's Factory" in the vehicle. On Neil's new album he also covers such classics as Elvis Presley's "Viva Las Vegas," The Hollies' "Long Cool Woman," The Sweet's "AC/DC," and Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back." "Tattoos & Tequila" is out now.

CHICKENFOOT'S SAMMY HAGAR WORKING ON MEMOIR
Chickenfoot and former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar told Atlantic City Weekly that he is currently at work on his autobiography, tentatively titled Sammy Hagar Red. Hagar said, "When you read my family background, you're going to ask 'How did this happen? It's a miracle.' I came from a family in which my father died in the back of a police car when he was 53 years old, drunk on the streets of my hometown of Fontana, California."
Hagar added that growing up in a "small steel-mill town" was tough on him, his brother and two sisters, but that their mother Gladys made it bearable: "Even though we were poor, we had clean clothes and she gave us values. My mom (who passed away a couple of years ago) was totally uneducated, she only went through eighth grade, but she had heart and soul and creativity. My brother and sisters all have had good lives and no problems, and it's because of my mom."
Hagar concluded, "This is where I came from and can brag a little bit and put a feather in my cap -- I came from nothing, zero."  Hagar's nearly four-decade music career has included a string of successful solo albums, a stint with Montrose and two runs with Van Halen. He's also opened his own string of clubs and restaurants and established his own brand of tequila. There's no word on when the singer's memoir will see print. Hagar and his band The Wabos will open 11 of the 16 shows on Aerosmith's upcoming North American trek, beginning on July 23rd in Oakland. Chickenfoot has begun writing the follow-up to its gold-selling self-titled 2009 debut.


Tuesday 6/22/10

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN RELEASES 'LONDON CALLING: LIVE IN HYDE PARK' CONCERT DVD
eleased today (June 22nd) is Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's new DVD called London Calling: Live In Hyde Park, which was filmed in HD on June 28th, 2009 at London's Hard Rock Calling Festival. The new disc marks Springsteen's first officially-released outdoor concert film. In addition to the full concert, the DVD features two bonus clips --"The River" filmed on June 27th, 2009 at Britain's Glastonbury Festival, and "Wrecking Ball" captured during the E Street Band's venue-closing run at New Jersey's Giants Stadium.

BILL WYMAN HAS NO INTEREST IN THE ROLLING STONES' FUTURE
Although former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman participated in the new documentary DVD Stones In Exile, which is out today (June 22nd), he says that he basically could care less about the band's future. Wyman officially quit the Stones shortly after the band's 1989-1990 Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle tour -- although the formal announcement wasn't made until 1993. He told Bang Showbiz that the Stones' business no longer concerns him, saying, "It doesn't interest me. I've got my own band. I have fun doing my own band. I don't do it for money, or ego, or for the charts. I do it for fun, and that's the way I like to do music now. I'm still good friends with the band."

OZZY OSBOURNE LETS OUT 'SCREAM' ON TUESDAY
Ozzy Osbourne releases his 10th solo studio album, called Scream, on Tuesday (June 22nd). The disc follows up 2007's Black Rain, and like that effort, was mostly recorded at Ozzy's own home studio. We asked the Ozz if he prefers working on his music at home these days: ["I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing, because in one respect you go, 'If only I had more time to do an album, maybe I could do a better album.' But then if you've got unlimited time, the urgency's not there. At the end of the day the end result was pretty cool, but I don't know whether I want to continue to do it that way. I'd like to jam out with the band and get some, like, vibe going, you know. I want to incorporate that and this new technology thing."]
The first single and video from Scream is "Let Me Hear You Scream." Ozzy played a secret "intimate" show at the House of Blues in Hollywood on Sunday night (June 20th) to promote the arrival of the new disc.  He'll begin touring behind the album this August with a six-date Ozzfest run, before launching a headlining trek later in the year.


Monday 6/21/10

METAL'S "BIG FOUR" TO BEAM TO BIG SCREENS TOMORROW
It's just a matter of hours before metal's "Big Four" beam to big screens around the world. Billboard.com reports that when Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax play at Sonisphere in Sofia, Bulgaria tomorrow, June 22nd, the show will go out live via satellite to cinemas around the globe. The historic concert will run in select theaters for more than four hours beginning at 6:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time. Nearly 80 UK cinemas will feature the event -- titled "The Big Four: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax." Participating U.S. theaters are running "The Big Four" tomorrow and screening an encore performance on Thursday, June 24th. For more information about "The Big Four" in high-def or for a list of participating U.S. theaters, visit www.thebigfourlive.com.Metallica's Lars Ulrich said, quote, "Who would have thought that more than 25 years after its inception, thrash metal's Big Four would not only still be around, be more popular than ever, playing shows together at stadiums all over Europe, and on top of that, coming to a movie theater near you in High Definition."
Showing in Ithaca and Syracuse!!!

BON JOVI, MANAGER PART WAYS AS "THE CIRCLE" ROLLS ON
Jon Bon Jovi and his manager of many years Jack Rovner are parting ways. "The New York Post's" "Page Six" reports that last week Bon Jovi told Rovner and his company, Vector Management, that he was, quote, "going in a different direction." The end of the working relationship followed glitches on Bon Jovi's "The Circle" tour. Fans have reportedly complained that -- in some cases -- they didn't get the VIP access to the band promised with their one-thousand-dollar ticket packages.
Rovner also was behind a Showtime documentary, "When We Were Beautiful." Citing an insider, "Page Six" reports that the rock doc may have cast a negative light on Jon Bon Jovi when his band mates said in interviews that they're "employees" who owe everything to the 48-year-old rocker. In an e-mail to "Page Six," Jon Bon Jovi responded to the reports, writing, quote, "The boring truth is we decided to go in different directions and thanked both Jack and his team for a great job. He is and will remain a close friend and someone who I will be very grateful to for his dedication."
Meanwhile, Bon Jovi's "The Circle" tour rolls on across the pond. The New Jersey band is continuing its residency at London's O2 Arena with shows tomorrow night, on Wednesday, on Friday, and on Saturday. For more information, visit www.bonjovi.com.

HAPPY 65th (or 66th) BIRTHDAY, RAY DAVIES!!!
Happy Birthday to Kinks co-founder and main songwriter Ray Davies who turns 65-years-old today (June 21st)!!! Davies, who'll perform on Sunday (June 27th) at Britain's Glastonbury Festival, wrapped up a U.S. solo tour in March in support of his latest album, The Kinks Choral Collection. The album featured the Crouch End Festival Chorus along with a small band performing reworked versions of the Kinks' greatest hits with newly-arranged choir accompaniment.
Davies is currently working on another Kinks cover project with Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi having already contributed. No release date for the set has been announced. He and Kinks drummer Mick Avory are also compiling a new Kinks album which may feature the first new music from the band in 16 years. He's also participating in an upcoming feature film on the Kinks tentatively titled Kingdom Come. It's unclear whether the project, which will be helmed by renowned director Julien Temple, will be a documentary or a biopic


Friday 6/18/10

SIMON & GARFUNKEL INDEFINITELY POSTPONE REUNION TOUR
Simon & Garfunkel have postponed their latest reunion tour indefinitely. The duo announced what amounts to a cancellation following a statement on Art Garfunkel's vocal paresis. Although Garfunkel is expected to make a full recovery, the tour -- for now -- is off. Garfunkel said in a statement posted on both PaulSimon.com and ArtGarfunkel.com: "I do feel bad about disrupting so many people's plans. but, as I continue to mend, I can't yet bring my A game to a tour, and I would not perform for you with anything less." The sites added: "Tickets can be refunded at place of purchase or call your local venue." Back in April the pair pushed back the dates of their spring tour to accommodate Garfunkel's vocal ailments. 
Simon is currently in the studio with former producer Phil Ramone recording his first new collection since 2006's Surprise.

U2 SEES RED LINE ON THE HORIZON
U2's summer festival run is no more after Bono's recent back injury, but he may have an easier recovery because his wallet will definitely be lighter. The canceled dates are hitting the band in the pocketbook. A source tells the UK's "The Sun" that even with insurance U2 could lose close to 150-million dollars from the missed shows. The group's manager, Paul McGuinness, notes, quote, "If we play or not, touring still costs us 500-thousand-pounds a day," which amounts to nearly 741-thousand-dollars.Bono injured his back during a tour rehearsal in Germany last month, for which he needed surgery. U2 had to scrap their summer North American tour to accommodate Bono's recovery. The band is now scheduled to return to the road in August. U2's new North American dates are expected to be announced soon.

EDDIE MONEY BACK OUT ON THE ROAD
Eddie Money is back on the road this summer playing his greatest hits and favorite covers as he criss-crosses his way through every corner of the country. Money plays tonight (June 18th) in Sandy, Utah and wont wrap this year's dates up until November 20th in Uncasville, Connecticut.

• Eddie Money tour dates (closest venues):
July 11 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Amphitheatre (with John Cafferty)
July 21 - Syracuse, NY - Wednesdays On The Water at Great Lawn At The Inner Harbor
July 22 - Albany, NY - Alive At Five at Riverfront Park
July 24 - Atlantic City, NJ - Atlantic City Hilton & Resorts

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAUL McCARTNEY!!!
Happy Birthday to Paul McCartney, who turns 68 today (June 18th). On June 2nd, President Obama presented McCartney with the third Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at the White House. The concert will be broadcast on PBS stations nationwide on Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 at 8:00 pm ET as In Performance At The White House Celebrating The Music Of Paul McCartney: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize. McCartney kicks off his latest series of U.S. dates on July 10th at San Francisco's AT&T Park McCartney is the most successful songwriter in history, having written or co-written 30 U.S. Number One hits. McCartney met his original songwriting partner John Lennon on July 6th, 1957 at a church social where Lennon was performing. After joining Lennon's band the Quarrymen, McCartney persuaded Lennon to add his friend George Harrison in 1958, and the seeds of the Beatles were born. Ringo Starr joined the group in 1962.


Thursday 6/17/10

TOM PETTY CONCERT SETLIST SPANNING THE DECADES
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are thrilling hardcore fans with a career-spanning setlist during their recent shows in support of the band's newly-released Mojo album. In addition to about five new Mojo cuts played during the middle portion of the set, Petty is tackling the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac classic "Oh Well" along with such Heartbreakers and solo standards as "Learning To Fly," "Don't Come Around Here No More," "Refugee," "I Won't Back Down," "Listen To Her Heart," "Breakdown," "American Girl," and "Running Down A Dream," among others. Petty says the key to keeping the Heartbreakers a living, breathing unit, is having them spend more time on the road than holed up in recording studios: ["I've seen people that have been around a long time, and they just fall into routine and self-parody, and that's just not where we want to wind up. We want to keep this thing fresh, and we really believe in this music -- this rock and roll music that we're playing -- and we want to keep it fresh and contemporary, you know, and avoid any sort of routine to it."]

DOES OZZY 'S DNA HOLD THE KEY TO SURVIVING DRUG ABUSE?
A Massachusetts-based research company called Knome will use a blood sample taken from Ozzy Osbourne to map out his genetic code and attempt to figure out how he has survived after years of abusing drugs and alcohol. According to the U.K.'s Sky News, Ozzy is one of the few people in the world who will have his entire genome analyzed. Researchers at Knome hope that analyzing Ozzy's blood and DNA will give them insight into how drugs are absorbed in the body, and why some people can survive extreme substance abuse while others can't. The company's director of research, Nathan Pearson, said, "Sequencing and analyzing individuals with extreme medical histories provides the greatest potential scientific value." The testing will cost around $40,000 and is expected to take about three months to determine results.  Although he's sober now, Ozzy estimates that he took drugs and used alcohol for more than 40 years, according to Rolling Stone.  He also survived a 2003 bike accident in which he broke his neck and was diagnosed a few years back with a genetic disorder that is similar to Parkinson's Disease.  Ozzy recently started a new gig as a health columnist for England's Sunday Times. In the first installment of the column -- which will be largely ghostwritten by his memoir co-writer, Chris Ayres -- Ozzy admitted, "By all accounts, I'm a medical miracle. When I die, I should donate my body to the Natural History Museum."  Ozzy's new album, Scream, arrives next Tuesday (June 22nd).

PAUL SIMON, PHIL COLLINS AND OTHERS SET FOR SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME HONORS TONIGHT
Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Phil Collins, Earth, Wind & Fire, and a host of others will be on hand tonight (June 17th) in New York City at the 2010 Songwriters Hall Of Fame Annual Gala at the Marriott Marquis.  Phil Collins will be the recipient of the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award. Of all his songs, Collins says that 1981's "In The Air Tonight" set the bar for him as a songwriter. Legendary producer Phil Ramone -- best known for his work with Paul Simon and Billy Joel -- will receive the Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award.  Paul Simon's Simon & Garfunkel classic "Bridge Over Troubled Water" will be saluted tonight as 2010's Towering Song. Art Garfunkel, like Paul Simon, has continued performing the duo's legendary hits during his solo shows. He says that he's yet to lose his passion for performing his signature tune "Bridge Over Troubled Water" live in concert:


Wednesday 6/16/10

MTV TRAILBLAZER PAT BENATAR REFLECTS ON HER LIFE
Pat Benatar is telling her life story in the new memoir, "Between A Heart And A Rock Place." When the 57-year-old was a guest on HLN's "The Joy Behar Show" on Tuesday, she said that forging a career in music as a woman was tough at times. She remembered being the first woman ever with a video in rotation on MTV when the network launched in 1981. The Grammy-winner added that within a week of MTV's launch, her own career took flight.Benatar also shared with Behar that she turned down an audition at Julliard to marry her then-boyfriend, Dennis Benatar. The couple split in 1979, but Benatar kept his name and made it famous. She later married guitarist Neil "Spyder" Giraldo, to whom she is still married. Harper Collins released Benatar's "Between A Heart And A Rock Place" this week.

TONY IOMMI DISCUSSES DIO TRIBUTE CONCERT PLANS
Tony Iommi says he's only planning one tribute concert to remember the late Ronnie James Dio. In an interview with "Metal Hammer," Iommi confirmed details about the show to benefit the Ronnie James Dio "Stand Up And Shout" Cancer Fund. Scheduled for July 24th, the show will take place in London's Victoria Park as part of the High Voltage Festival. Iommi's fellow Heaven & Hell bandmates Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice are scheduled to join him on stage. Musical guests at the tribute will include former Deep Purple rocker Glenn Hughes and Norway's Jorn Lande, who fronts the metal band, Masterplan. Iommi says, quote, "This will be the first and only tribute we're doing to Ronnie. Not that that's wrong, but we feel that it would be really nice to do this for him. And he'd really like that, I know he would."  Ronnie James Dio died on May 16th after a battle with stomach cancer. During his career, he sang lead vocals for Black Sabbath, Elf, Rainbow, Heaven & Hell, and his namesake band, Dio.

POLICE CATCH UP WITH FAKE AC/DC CONCERT PROMOTER
An Australian woman who allegedly passed herself off as an AC/DC concert promoter is facing criminal charges. The "Daily Telegraph" reports that Leanne Herbert is facing four counts of obtaining money by deception in Australia. Herbert is charged with collecting over 120-thousand dollars from fans of the hard rock band back in 2005. Among Herbert's alleged victims were a cancer institute, a school, and individual investors. The 41-year-old's five years on the lam ended last month when AC/DC's management said they'd never heard of Herbert. Herbert is currently being held at Emu Plains Correctional Center in Australia. She is scheduled to file a plea next Monday, June 21st by video.


Tuesday 6/15/10

Ozzy Osbourne led a Dodger Stadium crowd of more than 52,000 to a new Guinness World Record on Friday night (June 11th) during a break in a game between the Dodgers and the Angels. Ozzy got the crowd to emit the longest and loudest scream ever by an audience, with the record verified by the Guinness Book Of Records. The event took place in support of Thinkcure!, a charity that encourages collaborative research in curing cancer. Footage of the scream can be seen at http://mlb.com.

JOHN MELLENCAMP RELEASES HIGH CONCEPT CAREER-SPANNING BOX SET
Out today (June 15th) is John Mellencamp's four-CD box set On The Rural Route 7609. The collection is unlike typical box sets that offer up a chronological presentation of hits and album tracks, and is programmed as if each of the discs were a freestanding, separate album. Highlights on the set include such classics as "Jackie Brown," "Rain On The Scarecrow," "Freedom's Road," "Pink Houses," "When Jesus Left Birmingham," "What If I Came Knocking," and "Your Life Is Now," among others. Rarities include songwriting demos for "Authority Song," "Cherry Bomb," and "Jack And Diane."

STEVE MILLER RELEASES FIRST NEW ALBUM IN 17 YEARS
The wait is over!!! The Steve Miller Band is back today (June 15th) with their first new studio album in 17 years, titled Bingo! The eagerly-awaited followup to 1993's Wide River features Miller's covers of such classic R&B and blues cuts as B.B. King's "Rock Me Baby", Lowell Fulsom's "Tramp", Jimmie Reed's "You Got Me Dizzy" -- alongside three Jimmie Vaughan compositions, among others tunes. We caught up with Steve Miller and asked him the question on everyone's lips; Does it feel like 17 years between albums???: ["Y'know, it hasn't. And time has gone by so quickly and I don't feel like I needed to put an album out (laughs), y'know? I really didn't. I was doin' fine and feelin' fine, I mean, we've been playing and playing and playing all through the '90s -- and all the last 10 years too. We've really been on the road, we usually do about 50, 55 to 60 cities a year. Y'know, it's just worked out that now seemed like a good time to release a record and a lot of the earlier (times) didn't. Y'know, then in the late-'90s I didn't feel any need to do that."]


Monday 6/14/10

MOTORHEAD'S LEMMY JOINS SLASH AT DOWNLOAD
Slash's high-profile collaborations continue. NME.com reports that over the weekend the former Guns N' Roses guitarist was joined on stage at the UK's Download Festival by Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead. The rockers shared the stage in Donington Park on Sunday afternoon -- the final day of the fest. Slash reportedly introduced the English metal star to fans as a, quote, "really good friend of mine." The rockers performed "Doctor Alibi" for screaming fans. Also on Sunday at Download, Slash rolled out versions of classic GNR tracks including "Paradise City" and "Sweet Child O' Mine."
Slash's recent solo LP is also loaded with rock pairings. The 44-year-old enlisted everyone from Maroon 5's Adam Levin to Ozzy Osbourne to Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas to rock with him. "Slash" is available now.

Jimmy Page says that he's more than content going it solo these days. Page, who was inducted into Mojo magazine's Hall of Fame on June 10th said, "Don't expect a Led Zeppelin reunion anytime soon. I've done the supergroup reunion at the O2. Now it's my own new projects. It'll be surprising to everyone. Sometimes a break can be quite radical. I won't be teaming up with people who are big names for the sake of it though. If you do those sort of things people automatically guess what it's going to be like." (Express.co.uk)

Doors guitarist Robby Krieger will release his first solo album in a decade called Singularity on June 29th. Krieger just wrapped a series of dates with Ray Manzarek, and after a brief European tour, the pair will be back on this side of the pond appearing on August 13th at Chatham Rockstock in Chatham, Ontario at Tecumseh Park.


Friday 6/11/10

AEROSMITH SUED OVER CANCELED TOUR
Aerosmith is being sued by Keystone Entertainment Group of Canada for $6 million over its canceled tour of the country's western provinces last August. The band was forced to scrap five shows there after singer Steven Tyler was injured in a fall during a concert in South Dakota. The group's new summer 2010 tour only features one Canadian stop, in Toronto on August 17th. Keystone's suit claims that Aerosmith breached its contract with the concert promoter by failing to reschedule the 2009 dates, further alleging that the company is out expenses incurred for promoting and producing the canceled gigs. (QMI Agency)

OZZY OSBOURNE SCREAMING FOR A CURE
Ozzy Osbourne really does want to hear you scream. The heavy metal icon is joining the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and their fans to "Scream for a Cure." They'll attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest and loudest scream. Ozzy, whose current single is "Let Me Hear You Scream," will help lead the group shout in the middle of the fifth inning of the Angels-Dodgers game at Dodger Stadium on Friday. "Scream for a Cure" is part of the Dodgers' 3rd annual "ThinkCure! Weekend" supporting cancer research.

STEVE MILLER GEARING UP FOR FIRST ALBUM IN 17 YEARS
Steve Miller Band fans are entering the home stretch with only four more days before the release of the eagerly awaited release of Bingo! -- the band's first studio set in 17 years. Bingo!, which comes out on Tuesday (June 15th), reunited Miller with engineer/producer Andy Johns who is best known for his work with Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. The Steve Miller Band will perform tomorrow night (June 12th) in Atlantic City, New Jersey at the Atlantic City Hilton & Resorts.

RATT CANCELS TOUR, BLOTZER ARRESTED IN ARIZONA
Ratt is officially cancelling its European tour. The band announced in a statement this week that all dates abroad are now off the books this summer, citing lead singer Stephen Pearcy's upcoming hernia operation. It's a major setback for the rockers -- who released the album "Infestation" earlier this year. Ratt had a slot at the high-profile Download Festival in the UK this Sunday, which the band will now miss.In related news, Ratt drummer Bobby Blotzer is reportedly facing DUI charges in Arizona. "Metal Sludge" reports the 51-year-old is accused of operating a watercraft -- not a car -- while intoxicated over Memorial Day weekend.


Thursday 6/10/10

IRON MAIDEN OFFERS FREE DOWNLOAD VIA ITS WEBSITE
Iron Maiden is giving its fans a free preview of its new LP. The rockers announced on their official website that they're offering a track off their upcoming "Final Frontier" LP to fans for free. The nearly seven-minute song -- called "El Dorado" -- is available at www.ironmaiden.com. "Final Frontier's" full release will follow later this summer on August 16th. Regarding the new track, Maiden's frontman Bruce Dickinson said, quote, "'As we will be including it in the set of our Final Frontier World Tour, we thought it would be great to thank all our fans and get them into The Final Frontier mood by giving them this song up front of the tour and album release."In related news, the band will kick off its "Final Frontier" tour tonight. The band has a show booked at Superpages.com Center in Dallas, Texas.

RONNIE WOOD SOLO LP IN THE WORKS
Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood is confirming details about his new solo LP. The rocker is working on a Stones-less project called "I Feel Like Playing" that features 12 tracks and some high profile guest appearances. Former Guns N' Roses axeman Slash and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers both appear on the album. Wood's solo work follows a tumultuous 12 months for the rocker. Last year he saw the demise of his marriage to longtime spouse Jo. The 62-year-old rocker was also arrested for an alleged altercation with his 20-year-old girlfriend, Ekaterina. For more information about "I Feel Like Playing," visit www.ronniewood.com.

OZZY OSBOURNE, HEALTH COLUMNIST?
Just a few days after winning a Literary Achievement Award from Spike TV, Ozzy Osbourne has expanded his writing career and landed a gig as a health columnist for England's Sunday Times. Yes, that's right -- the man who put his own body through hell for decades with drugs and alcohol will now be giving health tips on a weekly basis.
Ozzy said in his first column, "When the Sunday Times magazine asked me to be its new health-advice columnist -- Dr. Ozzy, as I'll be known from now on -- I thought they were (joking), to be honest with you. But then I thought about it for a while, and it makes perfect sense . . . If people can learn from my stupid mistakes without having to repeat any of them, or if they can take some comfort from the crazy things my family has been through over the years, or if just hearing me talk about colonoscopies makes them less embarrassed about getting tested for colon cancer, that's more than enough for me."
 The now clean and sober Ozzy told us that despite everything he's done to himself over the years, he's in good shape these days: ["I went to my doctor a while ago and he says to me, 'Your liver's perfect, your blood's perfect, your heart's perfect, your kidneys are perfect...' He says to me, 'You know what? You're a testament to what the human body can take.' You know, Keith Richards, he smokes, he drinks vodka like there's no tomorrow, he used to do heroin, you know, I don't know how that guy's sucking in air."]
 Ozzy added in his first column at the Times, "By all accounts, I'm a medical miracle. When I die, I should donate my body to the Natural History Museum." He also wrote, "It's all very well going on a bender for a couple of days -- but mine went on for 40 years. At one point, I was knocking back four bottles of cognac a day, blacking out, coming to again, and carrying on. While filming The Osbournes, I was shoving 42 types of prescription medication down my neck, morning, noon and night."  Ozzy was given a Literary Achievement Award last weekend at Spike TV's Guys' Choice Awards for his memoir, I Am Ozzy.  The singer's new album, Scream, arrives on June 22nd.

CHECK IT OUT: Read the first installment of Ozzy's health advice column at http://tinyurl.com/389zhfu


Wednesday 6/9/10

 Rod Stewart made mention of the Faces' upcoming reunion with Mick Hucknall during his Saturday night concert (June 5th) at London's O2 Arena. He faced a crowd of boos after telling the crowd: "You know what I saw on the TV the other day? There's gonna be a Faces reunion without me. Mick Hucknall of Simply Red is the new lead singer." Stewart tried to quiet the crowd down by adding, "He's a great little shouter. Give them a chance. I'll get back there some time."
o A few nights earlier Rod spoke of Hucknall telling a Manchester audience: "I have the utmost respect for him. I do wish him well and I mean that from the bottom of my heart." (NME.com)

 Dire Straits is prepping a 25th anniversary edition of 1985's Brothers In Arms album set for release later this year. According to Billboard, the reissue may spark a reunion and some live shows. Brothers In Arms spent nine weeks on top of The Billboard 200 charts in 1985.

Ace Frehley is writing a memoir about his life and career -- including his time in Kiss -- called No Regrets. The book, which is being published by an imprint of Simon & Schuster will be out by the summer of 2011. (The Associated Press)

COULD ROCK HALL INDUCTION REUNITE GUNS N' ROSES?
Could induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame be enough to finally reunite the original lineup of Guns N' Roses? The band will be eligible in 2013, 25 years after the release of their debut album Appetite For Destruction. While guitarist Slash told Billboard.com he'd be sure to show up, he's not certain what else might happen: "I have no idea how that's supposed to go. If Axl (Rose, singer), Duff (McKagan, bassist), Izzy (Stradlin, guitarist) and myself start communicating, it could go one way. If we don't, God knows." Slash added that he would have been a Guns fan even if he was never in the band, explaining, "Guns N' Roses was all the really great bands I was turned onto as a kid. If I hadn't been in Guns it would have been my favorite band." He also theorized on why the band has remained popular despite the break-up of the original group, saying, "There was something about the honesty of Axl's lyrics and the energy of the music people related to. It was a phenomenon."


Tuesday 6/8/10

RINGO STARR GEARING UP FOR 11th ALL STARR BAND TOUR
Ringo Starr is gearing up for his 11th All Starr Band summer tour since 1989. The tour kicks off on June 24th and 25th in Niagara Falls, Ontario and features returning All Starr's Edgar Winter on sax and keyboards and Gary Wright, also on keyboards. Newcomers to this summer's tour include Rick Derringer on guitar, Mr. Mister's Richard Page on bass, and the Romantics' Wally Palmer on guitar and harmonica. Session player Gregg Bissonette will double with Ringo on the drums.
• Ringo Starr and his All Star Band tour datesIn New York (subject to change):
June 24, 25 - Niagara Falls, ON - Fallsview Casino
June 26 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center
June 30 - Westbury, NY - Westbury Theatre
July 7 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall -- Ringo's 70th Birthday
July 21 - Canandaigua NY - Sands PAC

PETER FRAMPTON AND YES KICK OFF JOINT TOUR TONIGHT
Peter Frampton and Yes kick off their joint tour tonight in West Palm Beach, Florida at the Kravis Center. Frampton is touring behind his recently-released, critically acclaimed album Thank You Mr. Churchill. Yes is now comprised of Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Alan White, and keyboardist Oliver Wakeman -- the son of the band's legendary keyboardist Rick Wakeman. Fronting the band is temporary lead vocalist Benoit David who's still filling in for Jon Anderson, who's been suffering from respiratory failure due to chronic asthma. Frampton says that just like back in the '70s, he and Yes playing two completely different shows on one bill proves to be a killer combination: ["We worked with each other, obviously, in the '70s -- we did all the big stadium dates together, but haven't worked together since maybe '76 or '77, at the latest. And it was always a great -- for however different we are, it was always a great match because it pulled in a diverse audience. It was just a great idea and I think they ran it by my management and theirs and both our agents ran it past a few promoters, and everybody went -- 'Now that's something I can get into!' Whoever came up with the idea -- it's a great idea."]
• Peter Frampton and Yes NY tour dates (subject to change):
June 18 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center For The Arts
June 26 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon At Jones Beach Theater
June 29 - Big Flats, NY - The Summer Stage At Tag's
June 30 - Canandaigua, NY - Constellation Brands - Marvin Sands PAC

OZZY PICKS UP A FIRST FOR HIM: A LITERARY AWARD
Ozzy Osbourne picked up what had to be a first for him on Saturday night (June 5th), when he was given the Literary Achievement Award for his recent memoir, I Am Ozzy, at Spike TV's fourth annual Guys Choice Awards. The book, co-written with Chris Ayres, was published in the U.S. in January of this year and debuted at Number Two on the New York Times hardcover non-fiction bestseller list. Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon recently announced that the film rights to Ozzy's memoir had been sold, and Ozzy has some ideas about casting the lead role: ["I want to get somebody from Birmingham (England), an up-and-coming young actor who can pull off the accent.) Ozzy's new studio album, Scream, arrives on June 22nd. The rocker will appear as the musical guest on the June 15th edition of ABC-TV's Jimmy Kimmel Live!.


Monday 6/7/10

RUSH TO GET STAR ON HOLLYWOOD'S WALK OF FAME
Rush is returning to the public eye in a big way in the coming weeks. The Canadian rockers will pick up their own star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame at a ceremony at the end of this month according to "The Hollywood Reporter." The star unveiling is currently slated for Friday, June 25th. That's just days before the band kicks off its "Time Machine" Tour with a gig in Albuquerque, New Mexico. On June 26th VH1 and VH1 Classic will unveil "Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage" for cable TV audiences. The feature-length documentary premiered in late April at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the "Audience Award." On the long-term horizon, the band is working on will release "Clockwork Angels" in 2011. An advance single from the studio project, called "Caravan," hit the internet on June 1st.

EAGLES TEAM UP WITH "CHICKS," URBAN FOR SELECT DATES
The Eagles are getting ready to hit the road again with two of the biggest acts in country music supporting them. The "Desperado" rockers will be joined by The Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban on select North American stadium shows this month. The Eagles will resume its "Long Road Out Of Eden" tour this Tuesday with a north-of-the-border show at Toronto's Rogers Centre. The road trip will then visit East Rutherford, New Jersey; Boston; and Chicago before returning to Canada for a date in Winnipeg, Manitoba. "Long Road Out Of Eden's" summer dates will continue on through July 1st with a show at Little Rock, Arkansas' Verizon Arena. Also on the horizon, The Eagles are scheduled to play the Austin City Limits Music Festival on October 10th.

Here is a list of The Eagles booked live performance dates Closest Venue).
6-10 East Rutherford, NJ New Meadowlands Stadium Special Guest: Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban

"GUITAR HERO" SALUTES "WARRIORS OF ROCK," GENE SIMMONS NARRATES
The next "Guitar Hero" -- subtitled "Warriors Of Rock" -- features some of the top names in music including KISS, Black Sabbath, and The Cure. Due this fall adds a "Quest Mode" in which gamers can use a combination of instruments to journey from CBGBs to join with other warriors to take down "The Beast" and save rock and roll. KISS rocker Gene Simmons narrates the "Quest Mode" and serves as the "Demi-God" voice. The game comes with 90 playable tracks. "Warriors of Rock" also includes cuts from AFI, Avenged Sevenfold, Def Leppard, DragonForce, Drowning Pool, Foo Fighters, Jane's Addiction, Megadeth, Metallica & Ozzy Osbourne, Muse, My Chemical Romance, Queen, Rammstein, The Rolling Stones, Silversun Pickups, Slayer, and ZZ Top.


Friday 6/4/10

ROBERT PLANT UNVEILS "BAND OF JOY" IN LONDON
Robert Plant has unveiled his latest solo album. According to Billboard.biz, the Led Zeppelin frontman debuted a project called "Band Of Joy" on Tuesday in London. Band of Joy is a reference to the blues band that Plant fronted in his pre-Zeppelin days. The 2010 album doesn't reunite Plant with any of his original Band of Joy collaborators, however. This week's UK preview falls several months before the album's planned international release on September 13th of this year. Regarding the project, Plant said he recorded 24 songs in 15 days. Plant added that the project "stretched" all involved, but says the enthusiasm was "phenomenal."

LEPPARD SUPPORTS "SPACE HOPPER" EFFORTS IN SHEFFIELD
Def Leppard is lending its fame to an unusual charity effort in England next month. The rockers are encouraging their fans to assemble in Don Valley Stadium in the rockers' hometown of Sheffield on July 25th. Once there, the goal is to get two-thousand people bouncing simultaneously on "space hoppers" for one minute. If successful, the Sheffield group will break a Guinness Book World record. Participants' entry fees -- ten British pounds or just under 15 U.S. dollars -- will benefit Yorkshire Cancer Research, Weston Park Hospital, and Cavendish Cancer Care. In a statement regarding the event, Def Leppard said, quote, "We urge lots of people to come along on July 25, to help break a world record and raise money for three fantastic cancer charities, all by bouncing on a space hopper!"

WINWOOD'S CAREER-SPANNING "REVOLUTIONS" DUE NEXT WEEK
Steve Winwood is preparing to roll-out a "best of" project next Tuesday. Billboard.com reports that the former Spencer Davis Group frontman will release the career-spanning "Revolutions" on June 8th. Fans can invest in either a four-volume box set or a 17-track single disc. "Revolutions" will feature material from Winwood's Spencer Davis days, along with tracks from Traffic, Blind Faith, and solo material. Also on "Revolutions," the music legend will rework his 1980 single "Spanish Dancer." Winwood says he'll do similar reworkings in the future, adding, quote, "I think it's quite a valid thing to do. I don't quite understand why it's not done more often. It's interesting to present them in certain different ways. It can sometimes free up artists from the shackles of old contracts as well." In related news, Winwood's teaming up with some music greats on tour. He'll play with Eric Clapton on dates throughout Europe and Santana in North America.


Thursday 6/3/10

OZZY WANTS JOHNNY DEPP TO PLAY HIM IN BIOPIC
Ozzy Osbourne reportedly has his eyes set on Johnny Depp to play him in the big screen movie about his life. The UK newspaper, "The Daily Star" quotes a source who says the veteran rocker, quote, "has made no secret of the fact that he wants Johnny to play him." The source adds, "Ozzy knows Johnny is loved by women the world over, but they reckon with a few tweaks he can be made to look a bit more rough." Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne confirmed in April that a Prince of Darkness biopic is in the works. No official casting announcements have been made as yet. Johnny Depp's eclectic screen characters have include Edward Scissorhands, Willy Wonka, The Mad Hatter and Captain Jack Sparrow.

JEFF BECK TO HEADLINE LES PAUL TRIBUTE NEXT WEEK
One guitar legend will honor the memory of another next week in Manhattan. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jeff Beck will headline a tribute to the late Les Paul next Wednesday, June 9th at New York's Iridium Jazz Club. The date marks what would have been Paul's 95th birthday. Gibson Guitars is sponsoring the event called "A Celebration Of Les Paul" which will feature big name musical guests joining Beck and the rocker's Imelda May Band on stage. Meat Loaf, Robbie Robertson, Black Label Society's Zakk Wylde, Steve Miller, and more will take part in the tribute. As part of the evening, the performance space at the Iridium will be dedicated to Paul.Les Paul died on August 12th last year of complications related to pneumonia. Born on June 9th, 1915, he was 94 years old at the time of his passing. Paul was widely considered a guitar pioneer and in 1988 entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

PAUL SIMON RECORDING WITH PHIL RAMONE, HOPES TO TEAM UP WITH BOB DYLAN
Paul Simon is back in the studio with producer Phil Ramone and is hoping to team up with Bob Dylan on the set. Showbiz411.com reported that Simon calls the upcoming followup to 2006's Surprise, the "best work he's done in 20 years," and will be the first new album for Sony since 1977. Simon last worked with Ramone on Simon & Garfunkel's 1982 live set The Concert In Central Park. Simon, who's moved away from his longtime label Warner Brothers said, "I've been trying to get my catalog back in the same place as Simon & Garfunkel's (albums) for a long time." He added that he hopes to enlist fellow Sony label-mate Bob Dylan to "sing something on it." Simon and Dylan toured together in 1999.


Wednesday 6/2/10

NEW CHICKENFOOT ALBUM IN THE WORKS; HAGAR OPENING FOR AEROSMITH
Chickenfoot guitarist Joe Satriani told Attention Deficit Disorder in a new interview that writing began on the band's second album in April and is still going on. Satriani explained, "We just have this thing where we get together and instantly start playing, and it sounds just like Chickenfoot without any effort . . . We start playing, Sammy (Hagar) goes up to the mic and starts screaming, and all of a sudden we go, 'Wow! That's great! What is that? Let's record it.' Then we'll jump back in the studio, listen to what we did, arrange it and then we'll finish a song a day." Satriani added that the band has four songs completed and will come up with more the next time they get together.
  The guitarist also said he expects the band's sophomore effort to come out "sometime early next year," with the band getting together to record this coming September. Satriani himself is working on a new solo album over the summer, while drummer Chad Smith is recording with his main band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Meanwhile, former Van Halen singer Hagar and his band The Wabos will open 11 of the 16 shows on Aerosmith's upcoming North American trek, beginning on July 23rd in Oakland. He will open on Aug. 26 - Syracuse, NY - New York State Fair.  Chickenfoot's self-titled debut disc came out last June as a Best Buy exclusive. The record was certified gold for sales of more than 500,000 copies.

OZZY OSBOURNE: I 'NEVER SAY NEVER' TO BLACK SABBATH REUNION
Ozzy Osbourne told us recently that a lawsuit between him and guitarist Tony Iommi over the use of the Black Sabbath name has been settled and that everything is now okay between them. With that cleared up, we asked Ozzy if there was once again a chance for the original Sabbath lineup to get together again: ["Well, I never say never. I mean, I've got a few ideas, but we'll see what happens, you know. We did try and do another album, but we've all changed so much and it's -- if you don't do an album that blows the doors off the last one that we did together, then it's gonna be looked upon as a joke, you know."] 
  The original Sabbath lineup of Ozzy, Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward has not toured together since the summer of 2005, and last convened for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in early 2006.  Iommi and Butler have toured and recorded since 2007 with latter-day Sabbath singer Ronnie James Dio and drummer Vinnie Appice under the name Heaven & Hell, until Dio's death last month from stomach cancer.  Ozzy will release a new solo album, called Scream, on June 22nd and headline Ozzfest later this summer.

Happy Birthday!  Charlie Watts (drummer, the Rolling Stones) (69)


Friday 5/28/10

Its looking like Ron Wood just may be winning his battle against the bottle. Wood, who has always been upfront and honest with the press about his sobriety issues, claims that he's been sober for 61 days and has been to Alcoholics Anonymous meeting 90 times in 90 days. Wood said: "I have to pat myself on the back for it." (Daily Star)  Wood and the Faces -- minus frontman Rod Stewart -- will next reunite on August 13th at Britain's music and design festival known as "Vintage At Goodwood." Filling in for Stewart will be Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall, with the Sex Pistols' Glen Matlock handling bass duties for the late-Ronnie Lane.

METALLICA FRONTMAN CALLS HIMSELF 'REBORN STRAIGHT-EDGE'
Metallica frontman James Hetfield says in the latest issue of So What!, the official Metallica fan club magazine, that he considers himself a "reborn straight-edge." The straight-edge lifestyle means that one does not drink or take drugs, which some also avoiding meat caffeine or prescription drugs. Hetfield says in the interview, "Obviously I'm not straight-edge -- a true, hardcore straight-edge has never had any of it in her or her whole life. But I'm a reborn straight-edge."  Hetfield got sober in 2001 after years of taking drugs and drinking, nearly causing Metallica to break up and delaying the recording of what became the St. Anger album.

OZZY SAYS HE WON'T PERFORM FULL LPS ON TOUR
Bucking what's been a rock trend of late, Ozzy Osbourne says he has no plans to perform any of his albums in their entirety on the road. The Prince of Darkness recently told the syndicated series "The Pulse of Radio" that he plans to mix up his catalog for fans at his shows. Osbourne said, quote, "What I am gonna do, I'm gonna do some different songs like from the Sabbath years, and I'm gonna try and do some different Ozzy songs. I've got so many songs."Osbourne is rolling out his tenth studio album next month on June 22nd called "Scream." The advance single from the LP -- "Let Me Hear You Scream" -- is available now. Ozzy's tour will kick off on August 14th in San Bernadino, California. That date is part of Ozzfest.

HAPPY 65th BIRTHDAY, JOHN FOGERTY!!!
Happy Birthday to John Fogerty -- the man Bruce Springsteen has often introduced as "The Hank Williams of his generation" -- who turns 65-years-old today (May 28th)!!!


Thursday 5/27/10

WENDY DIO SUGGESTS FANS DONATE TO CANCER CHARITY
The widow of Ronnie James Dio is directing his fans to make donations to a charity that works to fight cancer. On the late rocker's website, Wendy Dio has asked that in lieu of flowers, fans and well-wishers send in donations to the Ronnie James Dio "Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund." The organization is based in Studio City, California. For address information or a direct link to make a donation, visit the www.ronniejamesdio.com. Dio will be in the hearts and minds of his fans around the world this weekend. There is a public memorial for the former Black Sabbath frontman in Hollywood this weekend on Sunday, May 30th. Details for this public event also may be found at www.ronniejamesdio.com.

METALLICA-LED 'BIG FOUR' CONCERT COMING TO BIG SCREEN
The Metallica-led "Big Four" concerts in Europe, featuring Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax sharing the stage together for the first time ever, will find their way to the U.S. via a satellite broadcast from, Bulgaria on June 22nd. That day's concert, as part of the Sonisphere Festival, will be beamed to more than 450 movie theatres in more than 140 markets in the U.S., along with cities in Europe, Canada and Latin America. Tickets for the screenings went on sale Friday (May 21st). The concert will be broadcast to theatres in high definition. Delayed. The "Big Four" concerts will take place at just seven festivals in Europe. No U.S. dates are planned for now.
CHECK IT OUT: For more information, ticket sales and a list of participating movie theaters please go to www.thebigfourlive.com

SLASH PLANS TO COVER ENTIRE CAREER IN LIVE SHOW
Slash plans to incorporate songs from his entire career into his upcoming solo tour, including material from Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver, Slash's Snakepit and his new solo album. The guitarist told us he can do that thanks to the man who's handling lead vocals on the trek, Alter Bridge's Myles Kennedy: in Columbus, Ohio this weekend and has scattered dates coming up, but has yet to announce a full tour. His self-titled solo debut came out last month and features guest vocals from Kennedy, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne, Chris Cornell, Fergie and others.

The Eagles' tour continues to be stalled by cancellation, with both the band's Pennsylvania shows being canceled. The band have slowly been postponing shows, presumably due to bassist Timothy B. Schmit falling ill, but unlike recent gigs, the Pennsylvania dates -- June 14th at Philly's Citizens Bank Park and June 15th at Hershey Stadium -- have been canceled, with no makeup date announced.  The Eagles have rescheduled its Portland, Oregon concert for Saturday, May 29th, its Nampa, Idaho gig for Sunday, May 30th, and Vancouver, British Columbia's show for Tuesday, June 1st. (Pollstar.com)


Wednesday 5/26/10

U2 POSTPONES NORTH AMERICAN TOUR UNTIL 2011
U2 has postponed the summer 2010 North American leg of its U2 360 tour until 2011, due to frontman Bono undergoing emergency back surgery last week. The singer has been discharged from a hospital in Munich where he went under the knife last Friday (May 21st), but has been told by doctors that he must begin a rehabilitation program and recuperate for at least eight weeks.  Bono injured his back while preparing for the tour, which was scheduled to begin on June 3rd in Salt Lake City, Utah. A total of 16 gigs have been scrapped through a July 19th show at New Jersey's Meadowlands Stadium. 
Dr. Muller Wohlfahrt said in a statement that Bono "suffered severe compression of the sciatic nerve" along with a "serious tear in the ligament and a herniated disc," necessitating the emergency spine surgery. The doctor who performed the operation, Professor Tonn, said that the singer was in severe pain and had partial paralysis in the lower leg, adding that "surgery was the only course of treatment for full recovery and to avoid further paralysis." Fans are encouraged to hold onto their tickets for the postponed shows, which information about rescheduling coming soon.

JOHN FOGERTY'S 'CENTERFIELD' TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
John Fogerty's 1985 legendary ode to America's pastime "Centerfield" has earned him a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Fogerty, who is the only musician ever to be honored for writing a song, will be on hand to perform "Centerfield" at the induction ceremony on July 25th in Cooperstown, New York. He told Rolling Stone that the honor took him completely by surprise, explaining, "It's one of those things that you're not sure that you heard it right because, as they say, it came out of left field. It was just so unusual because it's not an occurrence that they do with the Baseball Hall of Fame. I had to kind of think about it a while to make sure it was actually real." Fogerty admitted that upon releasing the tune a quarter century ago, he wasn't sure how the public at large would react to a rock song about sports: "I really kind of braced myself for flack as it was getting ready to be released. I thought, 'Wow. It has never worked out in history.' But I thought to myself that I really liked this song!"

RUSH SINGLE DUE NEXT WEEK IN ADVANCE OF LP
Rush fans can expect new material from the band as early as next week. Anthem/Atlantic Records will release "Caravan" on Tuesday. That's the first track off the Canadian rockers' upcoming album "Clockwork Angels." "Caravan" was recorded in country music capital Nashville, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz who worked with Rush previously on its 2007 LP, "Snakes & Arrows." "Caravan's" June 1st release is far ahead of the current LP due date. "Clockwork Angels" is tentatively scheduled to debut in 2011.  Later next month -- on June 26th -- "Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage" will premiere on TV. VH1 Classic plans to air the new documentary about the legendary progressive rock band.


Tuesday 5/25/10

THE ROLLING STONES DENY THAT CHARLIE WATTS IS RETIRING
The Rolling Stones have issued a formal statement denying that Charlie Watts has retired from touring with the Rolling Stones, according to NME.com. For the past few days, the Internet has been abuzz with the rumor that Keith Richards' main solo collaborator and X-Pensive Winos drummer Steve Jordan would replace Watts on the band's next world tour.
The Stones' statement reads: "Contrary to a fabricated and ill informed report that appeared yesterday on a small music website in Australia, we would like to make it clear that drummer Charlie Watts has not left the Rolling Stones," a spokesperson explained. Charlie is currently being interviewed by the media promoting their latest project -- the release of the album Exile On Main Street and the forthcoming film Stones In Exile, released on DVD next month. (Watts will be with his bandmates later today) celebrating with the rest of the Stones . . . as the Exile album is Number One in the UK charts."

KISS ANNOUNCES 28-DATE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
Kiss has just announced a 28-date North American tour which will kick off on July 23rd in Cheyenne, Wyoming and run through September 24th when the band wraps things up in Phoenix, Arizona. Throughout the two month trek, Kiss will be making one-off stops at the North Dakota State Fair, the Indiana State Fair, and the Minnesota State Fair. Additional dates are expected to be announced soon.
Paul Stanley says that over the course of a tour, Kiss' show is in a constant state of evolution: ["The show is always evolving. The show is never at a point where, 'This is the way it's gonna be for the entire (tour). If somebody comes up with a good idea, we'll add it in."] SOUNDCUE (:08 OC: . . . add it in.)
• Kiss North American tour dates (closest venues):
July 31 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium
August 6 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
August 13 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
August 14 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon At Jones Beach Theater
August 15 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion At Montage Mountain
August 19 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
August 20 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center

Ozzy Osbourne has confirmed that a song called "Latimer's Mercy" on his new album Scream was inspired by the case of Robert Latimer, a real-life Canadian farmer who killed his suffering daughter in 1993 because she was disabled. Latimer was convicted of second-degree murder. Ozzy told the CanWest News Service, "It must be a very difficult thing when you give birth to a child that is so messed up, she doesn't have any quality of life . . . seeing her go through pain and agony." (Jam! Music)

Aerosmith will be paid $1 million to perform at the New York State Fair this summer, making them the highest-paid performers in the fair's history. The previous record was set by country stars Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift, who raked in $800,000 in 2008. Aerosmith could earn another $300,000 on top of its guaranteed fee as a bonus if the August 26th show sells out. In related news, the top-priced tickets for the show are going for $104 -- $34 higher than the fair has charged before. (Syracuse.com)


Monday 5/24/10

BONO UNDERGOES EMERGENCY BACK SURGERY
U2 singer Bono had to undergo emergency back surgery in a Munich hospital on Friday (May 21st) after injuring himself while preparing for the next North American leg of the band's U2 360 world tour, according to Reuters.com. The first date of the trek, on June 3rd in Salt Lake City, has been postponed. It is unclear at this point whether more shows or even the whole tour could be in jeopardy. The band's manager, Paul McGuinness, hinted that further postponements could be on the way, saying, "It's unfortunate that we're inconveniencing fans. We will make plans to reinstate these dates as soon as possible.  Bono had his surgery in a specialist neuro surgery unit in Munich, with a spokesperson saying, "Bono will spend the next few days there, before returning home to recuperate. Once his condition has been assessed further, a statement will be made regarding the impact on forthcoming tour dates."

CHARLIE WATTS SAID TO BE SITTING OUT OF NEXT ROLLING STONES TOUR
Once again rumors are flying that the Rolling Stones' drummer Charlie Watts will be sitting out of the band's next world tour. Undercover.com.au reports that Watts, who is now 69 and has successfully battled throat cancer, will be replaced by Keith Richards' collaborator and X-Pensive Winos drummer Steve Jordan. According to the report, "While Charlie may have stopped touring with the band, he is definitely still very much part of the Rolling Stones as a business. There has certainly been no indication that he will not record with the band -- just that he won't tour." Watts has played an active roll in the promotion of the band's new reissue of their Exile On Main Street album. Charlie Watts says that as a live band, the Stones are at the top of their game, but they also have the luxury of being able to take long breaks in between working, so that they can pursue their own solo projects: ["Great bands, whether they're Count Basie or (whoever), when they're at their best is when they're a unit, that's playing every night for a number of years. And that's what the Rolling Stones are. I mean, we fortunately get along, and enjoy what we're doing, and nowadays, we get a lot of time off in between doing that."]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOB DYLAN!!!
Happy Birthday to Bob Dylan, who celebrates his 69th birthday today (May 24th). Dylan, who was born Robert Allen Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota, first gained critical acclaim after he moved to New York City in January 1961 and became a mainstay on the Greenwich Village Folk scene. Dylan had barely written his first songs upon moving to New York, and patterned his act and early material on the work of his idol, folksinger Woody Guthrie.


Friday 5/21/10

PETER FRAMPTON LOSES COMPLETE GUITAR INVENTORY IN NASHVILLE FLOOD
Peter Frampton has been forced to cancel his shows prior to kicking off his joint tour with Yes next month due to the loss of ALL of his guitars and custom equipment. Frampton's storage space in Nashville was completely consumed by the recent flooding, ruining decades of specialty equipment and priceless vintage and custom guitars. Frampton posted on Facebook: "Without belittling the devastation and suffering of Nashville, my band and I don't even have a guitar strap let alone a guitar that wasn't totaled in the flood." Peter Frampton and Yes kick off their joint tour on June 8th in West Palm Beach, Florida at the Kravis Center.

STEVE MILLER SLAMS REPUBLICAN POLITICIAN FOR USING HIS MUSIC ILLEGALLY
Steve Miller is up in arms about Republican Marco Rubio's use of his 1976 hit "Take The Money And Run" in a YouTube ad. Jacksonville.com reported that the ad was run by Rubio to "illustrate the annoyance in GOP donors who gave (money) to Governor Charlie Crist" who Rubio is running against in a Senatorial race in Florida.
Steve Miller issued a statement denouncing the use of his song by Rubio: "It has come to my attention that Marco Rubio is using one of my songs in a campaign ad for U.S. Senate. The Steve Miller Band and Steve Miller do not endorse Marco Rubio's campaign or any political candidates and respectfully request that Mr. Rubio learn more about publishing law and intellectual property rights. I also ask that in the future he extends me the courtesy of asking permission before using my songs. Yours, Steve Miller" Miller's publicist Jean Sievers added, "I guess if you're not in the music business, you wouldn't understand. It's like walking into a person's house and taking a painting off the wall. You can't do that." 
Rubio's camp had previously said that "the general impression" was that it was acceptable to use music in a YouTube video because the website identifies the song's name and artist and links up to sites where the music can be purchased.
The Steve Miller Band performs tonight (May 21st) in Henderson, Nevada at M Resort Spa Casino.  Miller's first new album in 17 years, called Bingo!, will be released on June 15th.

OZZY SPEAKS OUT ON RONNIE JAMES DIO
Ozzy Osbourne has spoken out a little more about the death of Ronnie James Dio, the singer who replaced him in Black Sabbath 30 years ago and who died last Sunday (May 16th) from stomach cancer. After issuing a brief statement earlier this week, Ozzy told Canada's QMI Agency that he sent Dio a message after hearing he was ill last year. Ozzy explained, "As soon as I heard he had been diagnosed with cancer, I sent him some encouragement . . . When it lands at your doorstep you're like, 'What do you do? How do you get round this?' When (wife/manager) Sharon got (colon) cancer, I'd never known anyone who survived. I thought it was bulls*** when they told you, 'They can survive.' I just thought they were trying to smooth me over. And she got over it." Ozzy said he did not know if Dio got his message, adding, "People thought that me and him were at war. At first, I suppose a bit of theatrics would be involved, but I mean it's been 30 years." A public memorial service will be held on Sunday, May 30th for Dio, who sang with his own band and Rainbow in addition to Sabbath. The service will take place at the Hall Of Liberty at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, in Los Angeles, beginning at 2:00 p.m. PT. Described as "a celebration of the life and music of Ronnie James Dio," the event is open to the public.


Thursday 5/20/10

PUBLIC MEMORIAL SET FOR RONNIE JAMES DIO
A public memorial service will be held on Sunday, May 30th for Black Sabbath and Rainbow frontman Ronnie James Dio, who passed away last Sunday (May 16th) from stomach cancer at the age of 67. The service will take place at the Hall Of Liberty at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, in Los Angeles, beginning at 2:00 p.m. PT. Described as "a celebration of the life and music of Ronnie James Dio," the event is open to the public. In other news, Dio's wife and manager Wendy has requested that in lieu of sending flowers, people can make a donation to the Ronnie James Dio "Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund," care of the Niji Entertainment Group, 12400 Ventura Blvd. #624, Studio City, CA 91604, USA. (FMQB)

MICHAELS TALKS SURVIVAL, SECOND CHANCES ON "OPRAH"
Bret Michaels is talking about his "second chance" at life. When the 47-year-old rocker appeared on Wednesday's "The Oprah Winfrey Show," expressed gratitude at being alive. This, less than one month after being rushed into intensive care for a brain hemorrhage. Michaels added that when he overheard doctors tell his girlfriend, Christy, to bring his two daughters to the hospital on that fateful day in late April, he realized that his life was on the line.
When Winfrey asked Michaels if he knew why he got a "second chance" when so many succumb to the same condition, he said he does not yet know. However, he acknowledged that his brush with death forced him to reflect on some of the "crazy" things he's done in his life. Also on Wednesday's show, a few of the Poison frontman's "Celebrity Apprentice" colleagues -- including rock matriarch Sharon Osbourne, actress Holly Robinson Peete, and "The Donald" Trump himself -- sang his praises. Michaels and Robinson Peete are the two remaining finalists on NBC "Celebrity Apprentice." The reality show's season finale will air on Sunday, May 23rd at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

ZZ TOP ROCKER BILLY GIBBONS RETURNS TO "BONES" TONIGHT
Look for bearded rocker Billy Gibbons in prime time tonight. The ZZ Top legend will reprise his role on the FOX crime drama "Bones" tonight. Hart Hanson, who executive produces the long-running show, tells "The Dallas Morning News" Gibbons is a "good actor." The TV exec wrote the character with the rocker in mind four years ago when he was looking for someone to play the father of Angela, one of the show's offbeat crime fighters. Hanson adds, quote, "He's a better actor than people give him credit for. I selfishly used the fact that I had a TV series to meet one of my idols. And he turned out to be a really interesting actor."Gibbons' guest stints on "Bones" date back to 2005. He returned to the show in 2007 and 2009. The rocker is part of the "Bones" season finale, airing tonight on FOX at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.


Wednesday 5/19/10

OZZY OSBOURNE PLANNING CHRISTMAS ALBUM?
Ozzy Osbourne will release a holiday album called Black Christmas late next year, according to an article in the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine. The set will be accompanied by a TV special. Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon seems to be the driving force behind the project, telling the magazine that she had discussed the idea with her husband, but that "he's trying to forget that it actually exists." No further details, such as songs that Ozzy might record for the album, are available. The Ozz will hit the road in support of his new record, Scream, which is due out on June 22nd. He'll begin with a short, six-date Ozzfest trek before headlining on his own in the fall.

OZZFEST DROPS FEES WITH ALL-IN TICKET PRICING
Ozzfest is once again looking at options to offer fans the best concert-going experience possible. Organizers have announced that fans ordering tickets before June 18th via LiveNation.com will receive a digital copy of Ozzy Osbourne's new album, "Scream," the day before the disc arrives in stores. Also, all six dates on the tour will feature all-in ticket pricing, which means that fans will have no add-on fees. Ticket prices start as low as 30-dollars when purchased in a four-pack.
This year's Ozzfest features Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue, Rob Halford, DevilDriver, and Nonpoint as headliners. Second stage performers include Black Label Society, Drowning Pool, Kingdom Of Sorrow, For complete ticket information, visit OZZFest.com or LiveNation.com.

EBAY FLOODED WITH RONNIE JAMES DIO MEMORABILIA
Less that three days after his death, eBay has been flooded with memorabilia -- much of it autographed -- from legendary metal singer Ronnie James Dio, according to Zippycart.com. At least a dozen signed guitars, scores of autographed prints and photos, signed CDs and albums and more have cropped up on the auction site. The most expensive items so far are the guitars, which have been listed for a thousand dollars or more, while other items are climbing into the hundreds. According to Blabbermouth, an eBay search on Dio right now leads to more than 1,100 items, many of them from his stints with Black Sabbath. At the same time, Dio's first album with his solo band, 1983's Holy Diver, bolted into the Top 10 on the iTunes rock album chart less than a day after his death.

HAPPY 65th BIRTHDAY, PETE TOWNSHEND!!!
Happy Birthday to Pete Townshend, who turns 65-years-old today (May 19th)!!! Townshend, who is the primary creative force behind the Who, wrote nearly all of the band's music and has been responsible for crafting the stories and themes behind such rock classics as Tommy, Who's Next, and Quadrophenia. Townshend is serving as the executive producer for the new stage adaptation of Quadrophenia which is now running in the UK.


Tuesday 5/18/10

RONNIE JAMES DIO LOOKS BACK, SHARES MEMORIES, ATTITUDES
At the time of Ronnie James Dio's death, the heavy metal vocalist was revisiting the best time in his career. Looking back on his legacy, which included fronting Rainbow and his own band Dio, he said his best memories stem from the time when he was singing with Black Sabbath and they were working on the album "Heaven and Hell." While he admitted that collaboration didn't end well, it didn't taint the memories for him. Dio was also able to reconcile his relationship with his former Black Sabbath band members, and a few years ago they reunited and launched the new group, "Heaven And Hell," named for their album. Heaven And Hell released their only studio album, "The Devil You Know," last year. The group was hoping to tour behind the disc this year, but health problems -- Dio's cancer as well as different medical issues other band members were facing -- forced the group to scrap their plans. Dio died on Sunday following a battle with stomach cancer. He was 67.


OZZY OSBOURNE POSTS 'MAKING OF' VIDEO FOR NEW ALBUM
Ozzy Osbourne has posted a video at his official website documenting the making of his upcoming new album, Scream. The video offers the first glimpse of Ozzy's new band, which features ex-Rob Zombie drummer Tommy Clufetos and new guitarist Gus G., and also provides a few snippets of material from the album. Ozzy's 10th studio effort is due out on June 22nd, having had its release date pushed back one week from its original June 15th arrival.

NEIL YOUNG LAUNCHING RARE SOLO ACOUSTIC TOUR
Neil Young is doing something he hasn't done in more than a decade. The veteran singer-songwriter is heading out on a solo acoustic tour. His sets on the "Twisted Road Tour" are expected to include a mix of classic material from his extensive catalog, while he's also planning to showcase some new songs that haven't been recorded yet. The 14-date trek includes a two-night stand at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on June 1st and 2nd. Joining the trek as Young's opener is Scottish folk singer Bert Jansch. Young will launch the "Twisted Road Tour" in Albany, New York on Tuesday. The road trip continues through a June 7th show in Dallas, Texas.

Neil Young Tour Dates (closest venues)
May 18 - Albany, New York, at the Palace Theatre
May 19 - Buffalo, New York, at Shea's Performing Arts Center

ROLLING STONES' REVAMPED "EXILE ON MAIN STREET" ARRIVES TODAY
The highly promoted reissue of The Rolling Stones' "Exile On Main Street" is now in stores. The revisited 1972 double-album boasts ten previously-unreleased tracks from the band. Variety.com notes a "super deluxe" version also includes vinyl discs, a DVD, and a collector's book. Promotion for the "Exile" reissue continues Tuesday, with Stones frontman Mick Jagger making an appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live." On Wednesday, the documentary "Stones In Exile," which chronicles the making of the album, will have its debut at the Cannes Film Festival.


Monday 5/17/10

RONNIE JAMES DIO PASSES AWAY AT 67
Ronnie James Dio has died. The rocker was 67-years-old when he succumbed to cancer on Sunday. Born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942, Dio will be remembered as one of heavy metal's signature frontmen. Dio's rock resume included work with Black Sabbath, Elf, Rainbow, and his namesake band Dio. In recent years, the rocker collaborated with his former Sabbath bandmates -- Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice, on a side project called Heaven & Hell. Dio's wife and manager, Wendy Dio, broke the news of Dio's passing to Blabbermouth.net in a statement that read, quote, "Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45 a.m. [on Sunday] 16th May. Many, many friends and family were able to say their private goodbyes before he peacefully passed away."In the fall of 2009, Wendy Dio announced to the world that her husband had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. In early reports, Wendy announced some progress in Dio's battle with the disease while thanking the rocker's many fans for their cards, letters and e-mails. Wendy Dio also added to her public statement on Sunday, "Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss. Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever."

STING TO RELEASE ORCHESTRAL 'SYMPHONICITIES' ALBUM IN JULY
Sting will release Symphonicities, his new collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra on July 13th. Vintage Vinyl News reported that the set will feature orchestrated re-workings of his Police and solo classics. Although a final tracklist has yet to be announced, a few songs have been posted as being on the new album, including, "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," "Roxanne," "Next To You," "Englishman In New York," "I Burn For You," "Why Should I Cry For You," and "She's Too Good For Me." Sting spoke of the upcoming collection and explained, "Performing with both the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra was truly a highlight of my career. I am looking forward to the upcoming tour with undisguised glee, having a whole new palate of musical colors to work with and reinventing the songs that have been the staples of my live performances for over 30 years."


Friday 5/14/10

SCORPIONS TO RECORD ALL DATES ON FAREWELL TOUR
The long goodbye for the Scorpions continues. The rockers announced in early 2010 that they planned to break up after their "Farewell Tour 2010." The German band has now announced that it will record all of the shows on its swan song tour. SimfyLive.com is offering the recordings for download. Also available to fans is a Scorpions MP3 USB flash drive pre-loaded with the show of the collector's choosing. The Scorpions -- whose signature hit is "Rock Me Like A Hurricane" -- are currently trekking through Europe as part of "Get Your Sting And Blackout." The band's next concert date is a show tonight in Stuttgart, Germany. The North American leg of the Scorpions' trek is set to launch on June 18th. That's when the rockers will play the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey.

Queen is the latest band to jump ship from troubled record label EMI. The band, who has sold an astounding 300 million albums for the label are reportedly in talks to move their entire catalogue over to Universal Music Group by the end of 2010 and are reportedly being offered a multi-million dollar deal to distribute the band's back catalogue. A source close to Queen told The London Times: "EMI just decided they couldn't compete. It was too much to pay and they want to spend that money on developing new talent."  Since 2007, when the private equity firm Tera Firma took over the label, EMI has lost Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Supergrass, Radiohead, among others. (Sify.com)

NEW LYNYRD SKYNYRD LIVE CD/DVD SET FOR JUNE 22nd
Coming on June 22nd will be Lynyrd Skynyrd's latest live album Live From Freedom Hall. The set will be released as a CD/DVD set as well as a stand-alone DVD. The collection features some of the final live performances of recently departed Skynyrd members Billy Powell and Ean Evans. The tracklisting for Lynyrd Skynyrd's Live From Freedom Hall is: "Travelin' Man," "Workin'," "What's Your Name?," "That Smell," "Simple Man," "Down South Jukin'," "The Needle And The Spoon," "Ballad Of Curtis Loew," "Gimme Back My Bullets," "Tuesday's Gone," "Red White And Blue," "Gimme Three Steps," "Call Me The Breeze," "Sweet Home Alabama," and "Free Bird."


Thursday 5/13/10

GIBSON TO UNVEIL SLASH-INSPIRED GUITARS
A new guitar inspired by Slash is coming to the retail market. Gibson Custom Shop guitars has announced that it will offer the Gibson Custom "Appetite" Les Paul Guitar. The instruments will be the same model used by Slash to record his commercially successful self-titled solo LP. Although named for the late guitar great -- Les Paul -- the axes were inspired by Slash's dedication to the Les Paul Standard. Slash said of the new Gibsons, quote, "This guitar plays and sounds very unique. It is a beautiful piece of work."

AEROSMITH, SKYNYRD AVAILABLE IN VIDEO GAME FORM
Gamers can look forward more material from Aerosmith to hit the market early next week. According to Examiner.com, “Guitar Hero” is offering Aerosmith's "Livin' On The Edge," "Love In An Elevator," "and "Rag Doll" next Tuesday, May 18th. The new-to-gamers Aerosmith tracks follow the release earlier this month of more classic rock singles. Activision's “Guitar Hero” and “Band Hero” debuted "Classic Rock 3 Track Pack" for XBox Live and Wii on May 6th and for Playstation on May 11th. "Classic Rock 3" features Foreigner's "Juke Box Hero," Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama," and Steve Miller Band's "Take The Money and Run." “Guitar Hero” has also given video game treatments to material from Kiss, Alice Cooper, Heart, and more since it hit the market in 2005

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS TO GUEST ON "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE"
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers are gearing up for a high profile gig this weekend. The rockers will be "Saturday Night Live's" musical guest this Saturday, May 15th on NBC. Petty is on the bill with frequent "SNL" host and "30 Rock" star,
Alec Baldwin. Saturday's live performance marks the beginning of a busy time for the band. On Tuesday, June 1st, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers will launch its 2010 tour with the first of two consecutive nights at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver, Colorado. Later, on June 15th, the Rock and Roll Hall Of Famers will release its new LP, "Mojo." As part of a promotion on the band's official site, every tour ticket purchase gives fans one free download from "Mojo." Tune in to "Saturday Night Live" this Saturday, May 15th at 11:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC to see Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers appear as the musical guest


Wednesday 5/12/10

BRET MICHAELS SINGS ABOUT "WASTED TIME"
Rocker Bret Michaels' latest single is striking an eerie chord with some of his fans. "Wasted Time" -- which is currently available on iTunes -- includes lyrics like "you can take my soul and take my freedom" in the context of lost love. The Poison frontman recorded "Wasted Time" before the brain hemorrhage he suffered last month that could have ended his life or left him debilitated. Since Michaels' release from Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Michaels has said he feels "lucky." In a press conference on May 4th, one of Michaels' physicians described his condition as "stable" and stated that he expected the rocker to make a 100 percent recovery.
Michaels taped his run on NBC's "The Celebrity Apprentice" last fall. As of Sunday night's episode, he was one of the five remaining competitors. The next episode of the show airs on NBC this Sunday, May 16th, at 9:00 p.m.

Ozzy Osbourne's new album, Scream, will include a bonus track called "Jump The Moon" when it is released in Japan on June 23rd. There's no word on whether fans in other parts of the world will be able to obtain it. The record will be available one week earlier, on June 15th, in the U.S. Scream is Ozzy's first effort since 2007's Black Rain and 10th solo studio project overall. (Blabbermouth)

Daughtry and Bon Jovi will appear on Wednesday night's (May 12th) episode of American Idol. Daughtry will perform "September," the next single from the band's Leave This Town album. Jamie Foxx serves as this week's guest mentor


Tuesday 5/11/10

ELTON JOHN SUPPOSEDLY OFFERED SIMON COWELL'S 'AMERICAN IDOL' SALARY
The producers of Fox's American Idol desperately want Elton John to replace Simon Cowell upon his exist at the end of this season. According to monstersandcritics.com, back in January, Elton turned down a substantial offer from the show to act as judge, but has recently met up with producers again in New York where he was offered Cowell's $32.6 million salary per season. An unnamed producer said: "Everyone loves Elton. As well as being outspoken, he has an air of gravitas as an icon of the music industry. He's British, too. Having Elton on board would be a guaranteed ratings blockbuster all over the world."

WARRANT'S JANI LANE ARRESTED ON DUI CHARGE
Rocker Jani Lane, of Warrant fame, is back in hot water for life in the fast lane. TMZ.com says the "Cherry Pie" rocker was arrested Sunday evening in Woodland Hills, California on suspicion of DUI. Police say Lane allegedly hit a parked car while driving a black Infiniti sedan. He reportedly failed a field sobriety test on the scene. Sources say Lane blew more than twice the legal limit of .08 when officers administered a breathalyzer test at the police station. Lane pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor DUI charge last year. In exchange for the no contest plea, prosecutors dropped a hit-and-run charge against the rocker. Lane was sentenced to three years probation.

ROGER WATERS EXPANDS 'THE WALL' SOLO TOUR
Roger Waters has expanded his 30th anniversary solo tour of Pink Floyd's The Wall. The road trek, which will mark the first time that Waters has performed the piece since 1990, will include extra stops in Boston; Manhattan; Uniondale, New York; Montreal; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Sunrise, Florida; Los Angeles, San Jose, and Anaheim, California.

Roger Waters The Wall tour dates include these stops (subject to change):
October 5, 6 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden Arena
October 8 - Buffalo, NY - HSBC Arena
October 12, 13 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
November 3, 4 - East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center
November 8, 9 - Philadelphia, PA - The Wachovia Center

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS TO BEGIN RECORDING IN JULY
Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith has told Music Radar that the band will begin recording its 10th studio album in July. The group has been writing songs for the follow-up to 2006's Stadium Arcadium since October, with Smith saying, "Probably in a few weeks we'll be going into the studio with (producer) Rick Rubin. Pre-production will take a few months, but I'd say by July we'll be laying down real tracks. We have a lot of material, probably about 20 songs."Smith also addressed the departure last year of longtime guitarist John Frusciante, saying, "We were sad to see John leave the band, but he has to do what he wants and follow his path." As for Frusciante's replacement, Josh Klinghoffer, Smith said, "We're all thrilled to have Josh be part of the group now. He's been a friend of ours for a long time. He's played with us, he's played with John -- he's a real natural fit. Josh is a real creative force."


Monday 5/10/10

FALLON KICKS OFF STONES WEEK ON "LATE NIGHT" TONIGHT
An entire week of on-air "love" for The Rolling Stones is kicking off on late night TV tonight. NBC's "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" will dedicate this week's shows to The Rolling Stones' "Exile On Main Street." "Rolling Stones Week" will debut with a cover of a track from "Exile" as interpreted by Green Day. Throughout the week, look for performances from country star Keith Urban, pop superstar Sheryl Crow, and veteran alt-rockers Phish. On Friday, "Late Night" will debut the Stones' new documentary "Stones In Exile" -- a film about the making of the 1972 album. The shows are a lead-up to next week when Universal will reissue "Exile On Main Street." The reissue, arriving May 18th, will contain ten previously unreleased tracks from the band's vaults. An advance single from "Exile," "Plundered My Soul" debuted last month.

SLASH CONFIRMS HE'LL PLAY GUNS N' ROSES SONGS ON THE ROAD
Slash is confirming that he'll play Guns N' Roses songs when he treks through Australia later this year. The 44-year-old guitarist told the Aussie newspaper "Courier Mail" that he plans to perform "Yep," "Civil War," "Paradise City," "Sweet Child (O Mine)," and others Down Under with rock vocalist Myles Kennedy at the mic. Slash may be up revisiting the material from GNR, but he's not staging a reunion. He says, quote, "There's this newer generation of Guns N' Roses fans who never saw the band -- it'd almost be nice to get it together to do some shows for them, but it's just not logistically going to happen."

LEGENDARY BEATLES BIO OPTIONED FOR FILM BY LIAM GALLAGHER
Oasis lead singer Liam Gallagher's new production company In 1 Productions has secured the film rights to one of the most important Beatles biographies detailing Apple Records, and ultimately the group's demise. Rolling Stone reported that assistant Apple Press director Richard DiLello's 1972 Apple memoir, The Longest Cocktail Party will be made into a full-length motion picture. A statement from In One Productions said: "This will be a film with humor and affection, providing an insider's look at what it meant to be a young man caught up in the wild swirl of the music business, celebrities and the tail end of the swinging '60s in London."

Bono (singer of the band U2 and activist) (50)


Friday 5/7/10

DION, U2, BEATLES AMONG FAVORITE MUSIC ACTS AMONG AMERICAN ADULTS
Celine Dion, U2, and The Beatles occupy positions one, two, and three on a list of America's favorite musical performers. Dion is the favorite overall with American adults. This, according to new Harris Interactive poll which asked, quote, "Who is your favorite singer/musician?" U2 followed behind the "My Heart Will Go On" diva in second position, with Elvis Presley and The Beatles sharing the number three position. Dion is also the favorite among women in general and married women. She's also the preferred by Democrats, Moderates, and those over the age of 65; people living in the Eastern and Southern U.S., and those who earn between 35-thousand and 74-point-nine-thousand-dollars a year.

Favorite Singer/Musician or Band

ALL ADULTS
1. Celine Dion
2. U2
3. Elvis Presley and The Beatles
5. Tim McGraw
6. Lady Gaga
7. George Strait
8. Rascal Flatts
9. Alan Jackson and Frank Sinatra

Sting is reportedly hard at work on his first Broadway musical, and is collaborating with Tony Award-winning writer Brian Yorkie on the show. Yorkie won the 2009 Tony for the score to Next To Normal. Details are very sketchy, but according to sources it will be around a blue-collar, working class town similar to Sting's hometown of Newcastle, England. (PerezHilton.com) Sting's tour with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra kicks off on June 2nd in Vancouver at the Centre In Vancouver for Performing Arts.

BON JOVI, DAUGHTRY TO ROCK "AMERICAN IDOL" NEXT WEEK
FOX's "American Idol" is welcoming more big stars to its Wednesday Night results show next week. "The Los Angeles Times" reports that Bon Jovi is scheduled to drop in on the prime time singing competition during its May 12th episode. It's unconfirmed how the New Jersey band's appearance will tie in the previous night's broadcast. However, Tuesday's final four will sing movie themes with a little mentorship from Oscar and Grammy winner Jamie Foxx. Jon Bon Jovi earned an Oscar-nomination for "Blaze of Glory" from the film "Young Guns II." Also on "Idol" next Wednesday is Daughtry. The rock band's frontman -- Chris Daughtry -- is one of "Idol's" notable graduates. The 30-year-old singer was the show's fourth place finisher in its fifth season. To see Bon Jovi on "American Idol," tune in for the results show on FOX on Wednesday, May 12th at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.


Thursday 5/6/10

Rock legend Aerosmith to open the New York State Fair
Aerosmith, the best-selling American rock band of all time, Will perform at the grandstand on opening night of the 2010 New York State Fair kicking off one of the strongest concert series ever held in Upstate New York. The legendary band, which has more gold and multi-platinum albums than any other American group, will play at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26, the first night of the 12-day New York State Fair. All of the group's original members, including Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, will perform. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 29. They will cost $104, $94 and $84 and will be available at the New York State Fair Box Office and through Ticketmaster. Admission to the Fair is included with the purchase of a grandstand concert ticket on the day of the show. Sales will be limited to eight tickets per person for the first week of ticket sales.

JASON BONHAM TO TOUR WITH ZEPPELIN SONGS
Jason Bonham -- son of the late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham -- is hitting the road. Spinner.com reports that Bonham is planning a trek that features songs from his father's legendary band. Shows on the "Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin Experience" tour will display family photos and home movies. Jason sat in with Led Zeppelin on the drums twice. He rocked with the band in 1988 at the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary Concert. The 43-year-old also appeared with Zeppelin at the Ahmet Ertegun tribute show in 2007. Bonham plans to play 30-dates on "Led Zeppelin Experience." The tour is scheduled to kick off this September.In related news, Bonham's been linked to a super group-in-the-making that features Deep Purple alum Glenn Hughes and guitarist Joe Bonamassa.

RINGO STARR, GEORGE HARRISON, AND JOE WALSH FEATURED ON GARY WRIGHT'S NEW ALBUM Ringo Starr and Joe Walsh have teamed up on a new track by the "Dream Weaver" himself Gary Wright on his new album Connected, which is due out on June 8th. The track, called "Satisfied" will also be the album's lead single, and will be available starting May 18th. As a bonus to those who buy Connected on iTunes and TheDreamWeaver.com, Wright is including two songs linked closely to his good friend George Harrison -- the ballad called "To Discover Yourself" which Wright co-wrote with Harrison in 1971 and was recorded by Wright on the day of Harrison's passing on November 29th, 2001, and the other song, recorded in 1989, titled "Never Give Up," which features Harrison on guitar.


Wednesday 5/5/10

SUPERGROUP HEAVEN & HELL ANNOUNCES TOUR CANCELLATIONS
Heaven & Hell has announced the cancellation of all of its planned appearances in Europe this summer. The supergroup -- comprised of Black Sabbath rockers Tony Iommi, Ronnie James Dio, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice. Heaven & Hell cited Dio's ongoing health problems. In a statement issued this week, the band said, quote, "Ronnie isn't well enough to tour this summer. We hope that everyone understands and want to thank fans and industry colleagues for their continuing support at this time."Dio was diagnosed with stomach cancer in November 2009. His treatments -- including chemotherapy -- are ongoing.


George Thorogood and the Destroyers are back out on the road in support of their critically-acclaimed latest album The Dirty Dozen, which was released last summer. The album, which features nine newly-recorded tunes, and includes covers by Thorogood's idols Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, "Sleepy" John Estes, Muddy Waters, and Bo Diddley, among others.
Northeast Venues:
July 22 - Verona, NY - Turning Stone Resort & Casino
July 23 - Atlantic City, NJ - House Of Blues
July 24 - Readington, NJ - QuickChek New Jersey Festival Of Ballooning Solberg Airport
July 25 - Westhampton Beach, NY - Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
July 27 - Lewiston, NY - Earl W. Brydges Artpark
July 29 - Brooklyn, NY - Seaside Summer Concert Series Asser Levy Park at Coney Island
July 31 - Hogansburg, NY - Akwesasne Concert Grounds
August 7 - Pittsburgh, PA - PNC Park At North Shore
August 11 - Canandaigua, NY - Constellation Brands - Marvin Sands PAC (CMAC)

SIMMONS WANTS LADY GAGA TO JOIN KISS
Gene Simmons is telling the world that he considers Lady GaGa a kindred spirit. The UK's "Daily Star" reports that the KISS rocker loves GaGa's flamboyance and wouldn't mind recruiting her to be the honorary fifth member of his band. Simmons said, quote, ". She's the most exciting thing to happen since us. She's the female version of us" The 60-year-old went on to call the pop star "Lady KISS" and to suggest that GaGa's theatricality may have been inspired by the hard-rocking band with a multi-decade track record.KISS is currently across the pond for its "Sonic Boom Over Europe" Tour. The trek is headed to LG Arena in Birmingham, England tonight.


Tuesday 5/4/10

STEVE MILLER BAND TO DEBUT "HEY YEAH" SINGLE THIS MONTH
The Steve Miller Band is back with new material that will roll out over the next two months. The rocker is unveiling his first new studio album in 17 years with the June 15th debut of "Bingo!" In advance of "Bingo's" release, the band has leaked a single via the Roadrunner Records website called "Hey Yeah." The track will be available for purchase on iTunes on May 18th. "Bingo!" is available for pre-order now via Amazon.com.



PETE TOWNSHEND FEELS HEARING SOLUTIONS ARE A LOST CAUSE, OPEN TO WORKING WITH YOKO ONO
Pete Townshend has once again taken to the Internet to answer fan questions on thewho.com. When asked about the newly touted inner ear monitors he revealed, "I wore hearing aids for the Quadrophenia concert and the Super Bowl, not in-ear monitors. I am doing OK with them, I can hear high frequencies a little better so I can play more quietly. But my ears are still ringing from the ten days of rehearsals for Quadrophenia." He went on to explain that -- for him at least -- his long battle with tinnitus (a persistent and painful ringing in the ears) is a lost cause: "It isn't the end of the world, what has happened to my hearing, I am not complaining, but neither am I pretending I have an answer. No one else can help me either. Please don't send me your pet treatments for tinnitus. I've tried them all. When asked about who he would be interested in collaborating with in the future, he offered up John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, explaining, "My first collaboration choice would probably be Yoko Ono, one of the first members of the Symposium for Destruction in Art of 1966. She screams better than that bloke in the Who."

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS 'GUITAR HERO' ON THE WAY?
The Red Hot Chili Peppers may be the next band that game publisher Activision is setting its sights on for Guitar Hero, according to Kotaku.com. Like previous games based around Metallica, Van Halen and Aerosmith, the rumored Chili Peppers game would highlight the band's greatest hits and most popular songs, while also including tracks from other artists picked by the members of the Peppers themselves. Despite the possibility of a Chili Peppers game surfacing, Activision has scaled back its Guitar Hero plans for 2010 in the wake of collapsing sales for music-based video games. The company has announced fewer games and recently laid off a large amount of staffers in its Guitar Hero division.


Monday 5/3/10

So, John Lennon said that the Beatles were bigger than Jesus, but Gene Simmons says that Kiss is actually bigger than. . . Mickey Mouse??? Simmons bragged, "You don't know how big the (Kiss) image is. By some experts, it is believed to be the most recognized pop culture image on Earth -- even above Mickey Mouse. You know, there's no U2 comic book, there's no Mick Jagger action figure. We have our own Visa card. You can go into Wal-Mart and get sweets with our faces on. We have a Dr. Pepper soft drink campaign now. It's unbelievable." (QMI Agency)



Metallica's classic 1986 album Master Of Puppets has been voted the best heavy metal album of all time in a new poll at MusicRadar.com. Master Of Puppets earned 20 percent of the more that 6,000 votes registered at the site, with three other Metallica albums also appearing in the Top 25. Iron Maiden's 1982 effort The Number Of The Beast placed second, while Guns N' Roses' 1987 debut, Appetite For Destruction, came in third. Other spots in the Top 10 were taken by Black Sabbath and AC/DC. (MusicRadar.com)


OZZFEST: ONLY SIX SHOWS, NO METALLICA
The lineup and schedule for the return of Ozzfest was unveiled on Friday night (April 30th) and both are less than overwhelming. Ozzy Osbourne will co-headline with Motley Crue -- not Metallica as rumored -- and the rest of the main stage will be filled out by Halford, the solo band of Judas Priest singer Rob Halford, along with Devil Driver and Nonpoint. Appearing on the second stage will be Black Label Society, Drowning Pool, Kingdom Of Sorrow, Goatwhore, Skeletonwitch, Saviours and Kataklysm. The show itself will play in just six cities, beginning on August 14th in San Bernardino, California, and ending on August 24th in Boston.This will be Ozzy's first tour with Motley Crue since 1984, when he took them out as an opening act and helped put the band on the map. Rumors circulating on the web suggested that Metallica would co-headline Ozzfest with Ozzy, with other main stage performers including Alice In Chains, Down and Mastodon. The speculation was fueled by the fact that Metallica currently has no tour dates booked for July and August.

Confirmed Ozzfest tour dates (subject to change):
August 14 - San Bernardino, CA - San Manuel Amphitheater
August 17 - Chicago, IL - First Midwest Bank Amp.
August 19 - Pittsburgh, PA - First Niagara Pavilion
August 21 - Hartford, CT - Comcast Theater
August 22 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna
August 24 - Boston, MA - Comcast Center


Thursday 4/29/10

SLASH UNVEILS "BY THE SWORD" VIDEO
Slash is unveiling the video for "By The Sword," his single with Wolfmother frontman Andrew Stockdale. The short film for the song opens in a desolate desert setting reminiscent of a "Mad Max" film. The video also features people in tattered clothes who hear faint rock music before discovering the portal to a hatch. The hatch takes the listeners underground to a stage where Stockdale and a tophat-wearing Slash are performing "Sword." To see the video in its entirety online visit www.ultimate-guitar.com. "By The Sword" was the advance track for the former Guns 'N' Roses rocker's self-titled solo debut. "Slash" released on April 6th and sold around 60-thousand units in its first week.

REPORT: BRET MICHAELS IMPROVING; CAMP ANNOUNCES TOUR RESCHEDULES
The team surrounding rocker Bret Michaels believe he's on the mend. MTV.com reports that the 47-year-old has been upgraded from "critical" to "stable" condition following his hospitalization late last week for a subarachnoid brain hemorrhage. In a statement on Michaels' official website, his touring team wrote, quote, "While Bret is recovering we obviously have some shows that are being rescheduled. We are working to reschedule dates from now until May 21. At this time we are planning to resume the tour May 26 in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, provided there are no further complications or setbacks." Postponing the shows gives Michaels less than four weeks to get back on his feet and prepare for a live concert. The statement added that -- as of now -- Michaels will hit the road with Lynyrd Skynyrd in June and July as previously scheduled. Michaels remains under medical supervision at an undisclosed facility in Arizona. His hospitalization came on the heels of an emergency appendectomy in Texas on April 12th. For more information on the rocker, visit www.bretmichaels.com.

SIMON & GARFUNKEL POSTPONE TOUR
Simon & Garfunkel have postponed their spring tour which was set to kick off tonight (April 29th) at Vancouver's GM Palace. The duo issued a statement last night -- after first postponing the initial five dates -- and announced that they would be pushing the entire tour back to July. The statement read: "The Simon & Garfunkel tour originally scheduled for April and May is being postponed due to a vocal strain recently sustained by Art Garfunkel. In an effort to provide the highest quality performance for their audience, Paul and Art decided it would be best to move the scheduled concert dates.” Garfunkel's vocal problems were evident during the pair's set on Saturday (April 24th) at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. There's been no announcement regarding refunds or whether tickets for the original shows will simply be honored at the rescheduled concerts.

ZZ TOP EXPANDS SUMMER TOUR THROUGH THE FALL
ZZ Top has expanded its spring and summer dates to stretch well into October, with the road trek now wrapping up over two nights at New York City's Beacon Theatre. Among the newly added stops on the band's itinerary are Muskegon, Michigan; West Wendover and Jackpot, Nevada; Snoqualmie, Washington; Murphys, California; Rama, Ontario; Thackerville, Oklahoma; and Gilford, New Hampshire.


Wednesday 4/28/10

BRET MICHAELS SUFFERS SETBACK, DAD SAYS ROCKER TALKING
Bret Michaels' Facebook team says the rocker has suffered a setback in his recovery from a brain hemorrhage late last week. According to a post on the Poison frontman's Facebook page, recent tests reveal that Michaels is suffering a side effect known as hyponatremia. The condition is described as, quote, "a lack of sodium in the body that leads to seizures."
Tuesday's Facebook update added, quote, "Doctors state Michaels is very lucky as his condition could have been fatal. With further testing and rehabilitation, they are hopeful that Bret will gradually improve as the blood surrounding the brain dissolves and is reabsorbed into his system, which can be a very painful recovery and take several weeks to months." On Tuesday, Michaels' father Wally Sychak told TV's "Extra" that his son is talking, quote, "slow, but fine." Sychak said, quote, "He was talking, not as cheerful as he usually is. But I guess he is under sedation. But he understood what he was saying and knew me. Everything seemed good that way." Michaels is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility in Arizona.

AC/DC DEBUTS "SHOOT TO THRILL" ON WEBSITE
The first video off AC/DC's "Iron Man 2" LP is now available on the Aussie band's website. The five-and-a-half-minute clip intersperses scenes from the Robert Downey, Jr. film with concert footage. According to metal site Blabbermouth.net. Marvel Studios and Columbia Records announced in January that music from AC/DC's catalog will appear in "Iron Man 2," the sequel to the 2008 blockbuster. Columbia Records rolled out the companion album -- "AC/DC: Iron Man 2" -- last week in advance of the film's May 7th release in the U.S. To view the "Shoot To Thrill" video, visit www.acdcrocks.com.

OZZY BIOPIC IS A "GO," SHARON HAS CASTING IDEAS
DigitalSpy.com reports that a motion picture about Ozzy Osbourne's life has gotten a "greenlight" from a studio. At a press conference for NBC's "The Celebrity Apprentice," Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne confirmed that an Ozzy biopic is a go. Sharon said, quote, "It's been picked up and it's going into production. We're going to make a press announcement hopefully within the next two weeks. [There's no cast] yet, but we have a producer and we have lots of money and we're all starting."Sharon Osbourne even has some casting notes on who should play her younger self. She's suggesting Oscar-nominee Carey Mulligan of the movie "An Education," or her own daughter, Kelly Osbourne.


Tuesday 4/27/10

"THAT METAL SHOW" ANNOUNCES SLATE OF SEASON FIVE GUESTS
VH1 Classic's underground hit "That Metal Show" is announcing its upcoming slate of guests. The cable show's season five visitors include a "who's who" of rockers, starting with Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister on Saturday, May 8th. Also scheduled to appear in season five are Alice Cooper, Kerry King and Dave Lombardo of Slayer, Black Label Society's Zakk Wylde, Rob Halford, and more. The show's hosts -- Eddie Trunk, Don Jamierson, and Jim Florentine -- all will return to host the show that features everything from taped segments with rockers on the road to spirited in-studio debates about all things metal.

Here is the list of scheduled guests on season five of VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show."

May 8th - Lemmy Kilmister
May 15th - Zakk Wylde
May 22nd - Rob Halford
June 5th - Steven Adler & Chip Z'Nuff
June 12th - Alice Cooper
June 19th - Rob Zombie
June 26th - Don Dokken / George Lynch
July 10th - Slayer (Kerry King / Dave Lombardo)
July 17th - Scrap Metal


DOORS DOCUMENTARY COMING TO PBS NEXT MONTH
A documentary about the Doors will make its TV debut on PBS next month. Titled, "When You're Strange," the feature, by writer-director Tom DiCillo, arrived in theaters earlier this month in limited release. Oscar-nominee Johnny Depp narrates the project. "Strange" features previously-unseen archival footage of Doors' frontman Jim Morrison and his band mates John Densmore, Robby Krieger, and Ray Manzarek. PBS' airing of the documentary falls under its "American Masters" series and will be retitled accordingly as, "American Masters: When You're Strange." Regarding "Strange," DiCillo says, quote, "From the outset I decided to use only original footage of this astonishing band. To me, there is nothing more powerful and riveting that seeing Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore and Jim Morrison leap into life on the screen." "American Masters: When You're Strange" will premiere on PBS nationwide on Wednesday, May 12 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time.

SLASH OPENS UP ABOUT HIS DRUG USE
Slash is a strong believer in "just saying no." The former Guns 'n' Roses guitarist tells Spinner.com, quote, "I don't condemn drugs, per se. I had a great time with them and I also had enough bad times that I burnt out on them. I've written some great stuff while I was high, but I didn't need to get high in order to be able to play. Getting high was really more of an activity. It was more of an entertainment, for want of a better word." Slash cites Aerosmith -- a longtime influence -- as an example of his theory. He states, quote, "They made a couple really great drugged-out party records which I love and still believe in whole-heartedly." The 44-year-old guitarist comments that Aerosmith also made some records while high that weren't so great, quote, "and you could really see their demise." Slash adds, quote, "When they got sober, they turned around and made a really great, different sounding record -- but still an inspired record. So I think it worked out well for them."



Monday 4/26/10

U2 SPIDER-MAN MUSICAL TAKES ANOTHER HIT
The cast of U2's Spider-Man musical keeps shrinking. Following the departure of female lead Evan Rachel Wood, the long-delayed production of Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark has now lost its villain. Actor Alan Cumming, who was slated to play the Green Goblin, left the show because of a "scheduling conflict," according to a spokesperson. Songs for the show, which has cost tens of millions of dollars already and has yet to set a new opening date after missing two previous ones, were written by U2's Bono and The Edge. (EW.com)


FOUR HOURS OF UNRELEASED PAUL McCARTNEY MUSIC LEAKED ONLINE
Nearly 65 unreleased Paul McCartney tracks spanning 1971 through 1987 have been leaked online over the past few days -- totaling nearly four hours of music. Beatles fans have been trading information back and forth in a frenzy as to how all this music -- music that McCartney has vigorously safeguarded for decades -- has now been linked to the public for free over various websites. Many of the songs are believed to be straight tape dubs from Wings' original roadie, the late Trevor Jones, whose personal archives were auctioned off by Christie's in 1998. Other speculation is that some of this material stems from early work tapes intended for one or more of the McCartney box sets which have recently been in production.
  Beatlefan magazine publisher Bill King explained that there is a direct correlation between these tracks going public within days of McCartney announcing a catalogue overhaul through his new label Concord Music Group: ["The leaking of these tracks -- for whatever reason -- whether it's a disgruntled employee who's upset about the box set reportedly being shelved for a while, or if these tracks perhaps had already leaked out and someone was just sitting on them for a while -- y'know, there's a lot of different theories. But for whatever reason that these things have suddenly come out, I think it's not coincidental. I think that it happened a day or two after the Concord reissue program was announced is probably instructive. Y'know, there's a cause and effect relationship there."]

BRET MICHAELS CONSCIOUS, BUT STILL IN CRITICAL CONDITION
Bret Michaels is reportedly conscious following his hospitalization late on Thursday night for a brain hemorrhage. According to statement by his publicist Sunday afternoon, the 47-year-old rocker is still in critical condition and his speech is slurred. The Poison frontman remains under 24-hour supervision by his medical team at an undisclosed facility as they continue to assess his condition. The statement from Michaels' publicist adds, quote, "Bret is a fighter and we are hopeful that once all is complete, the slurred speech, blurred vision and dizziness etc. will be eliminated and all functions will return to normal.''Michaels, who is diabetic, was rushed to a hospital after complaining of a severe headache on Thursday. Doctors discovered bleeding at the base of his brain stem. The diagnosis was made just over a week after Michaels was hospitalized for an emergency appendectomy.


Friday 4/23/10

JONI MITCHELL SLAMS BOB DYLAN CALLING HIM A FAKE
In a rare interview Joni Mitchell lashed out at old friend Bob Dylan calling him a "plagiarist" and a "fake." Mitchell granted a joint interview to The Los Angeles Times with drag performer John Kelley, who wraps his Paved Paradise: The Art Of Joni Mitchell musical show this weekend at L.A.'s Renberg Theatre. The L.A. Times interviewer made an innocent remark commenting how Mitchell started off her career as Roberta Joan Anderson much like Dylan started off as Robert Zimmerman. Mitchell snapped back, "Bob is not authentic at all. He's a plagiarist, and his name and voice are fake. Everything about Bob is a deception. We are like night and day, he and I."

"SEX AND THE CITY 2" SOUNDTRACK PUTS NEW GLOSS ON CLASSIC HITS
As cosmopolitan-lovers worldwide await the release of "Sex And The City 2" next month, new details about the film's music are emerging. E! Online's Marc Malkin reports that "Sex 2's" soundtrack puts fresh gloss on classic tracks. First, there's an infectious Alicia Keys rendition of Blondie's "Rapture." Keys' version mashes up the 1980 single with the "Sex And the City" film theme. Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" also gets new life on the soundtrack. The film's stars -- Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon -- all perform the anthem to female independence, originally released by Reddy in 1972. Sex And The City 2: The Soundtrack" will be released on May 25th, just two day's before the film's May 27th release.

FORMER GENESIS GUITARIST ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett has announced a 12-city North American tour hitting both U.S. and Canadian cities. Hackett, who along with the other members of Genesis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last March, kicks things off on June 18th in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and wraps the trek up on July 10th in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Hackett's been recently been recording with Yes bassist Chris Squire on a joint project which may be named Squakett and released sometime this year. The project isn't the first time that Hackett has aligned forces with a member of Yes -- in the mid-80s Hackett and Steve Howe formed the prog-pop supergroup GTR.

• Steve Hackett tour dates (Closest venues):
June 18 - Bethlehem, PA - Nearfest at Zoellner Arts Center
June 20 - Westhampton Beach, NY - Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
June 23 - New York, NY - River To River Festival (Various Venues)
June 25 - Greensburg, PA - Palace Theatre
July 3 - Albany, NY - Hart Theatre at The Egg


Thursday 4/22/10

GEDDY LEE TALKS NEW LP, TIME MACHINE TOUR
Rush frontman Geddy Lee is talking about the band's new LP and upcoming "Time Machine" tour. RollingStone.com reports that the Canadian rockers are slated to release advance tracks from their in-the-works LP. Lee said, quote, "We'll probably release one as soon as it's ready, before the tour starts, and then probably release the second one as the tour starts. But our hope was to really get something down on tape, so we could play these songs live and road test them in a way." "The Time Machine Tour" will feature Rush's "Moving Pictures" LP in its entirety. Lee said fans should expect new takes on some of the 1981 album's well-worn tracks. The "Time Machine" trek will "take off" in Albuquerque, New Mexico on June 29th.

BON JOVI TO REISSUE ALBUMS
Bon Jovi will rerelease 10 of its studio albums as Special Editions on May 11th, featuring bonus songs and live tracks taken from sound checks and concerts. The band's first 10 albums will be reissued, including Bon Jovi, 7800 Degrees Fahrenheit, Slippery When Wet, New Jersey, Keep The Faith, These Days, Crush, Bounce, Have A Nice Day and Lost Highway. The Special Edition CDs will come with different artwork, including images from each period and new liner notes.

AC/DC'S "IRON MAN 2'S" CRUSHES IN ITS FIRST WEEK OF RELEASE
It looks like AC/DC is about to make more money -- and lots of it. Music business website "Hits Daily Double" reports that the band's "Iron Man 2" LP is selling well, following its release this week in the U.S. The album's first week sales are projected to come in at 80-thousand to 100-thousand units. Marvel Studios and Columbia Records announced in January that music from AC/DC's catalog will appear in "Iron Man 2," the sequel to the 2008 Robert Downey, Jr. blockbuster. Columbia Records rolled out the companion album -- "AC/DC: Iron Man 2" -- this week in advance of the film's May 7th release.

Here is a complete list of tracks on "AC/DC: Iron Man 2"

1. Shoot to Thrill
2. Rock 'N' Roll Damnation
3. Guns for Hire
4. Cold Hearted Man
5. Back in Black
6. Thunderstruck
7. If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
8. Evil Walks
9. T.N.T.
10. Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be
11. Have a Drink on Me
12. The Razor's Edge
13. Let There Be Rock
14. War Machine
15. Highway to Hell

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY:
Peter Frampton (rock singer/guitarist) (60)


Wednesday 4/21/10

BLACK CROWES TO TAKE INDEFINITE HIATUS
The Black Crowes will kick off their Say Goodnight To The Bad Guys tour in August, but once it wraps in December, we may not be seeing the band for a while. According to RollingStone.com, the Black Crowes plan to take an "indefinite hiatus." Guitarist Rich Robinson says they're keeping everything up in the air for now, explaining, "It would be nice to have a 30th anniversary. But we should walk away from this while everyone's in a good mood." He adds, "Plus, we all have babies. I'm expecting one any day now. Chris [Robinson] and Luther [Dickinson] just had kids. It seemed like a good time. To me, 'hiatus' means there is no plan. We haven't said, 'Let's get back together in 2012.' And we haven't said, 'Let's not.' " The Black Crowes wind down the tour with a six-night stand in December at the Fillmore in San Francisco. In August, they will release Croweology, a two-disc set of new acoustic recordings of hits and other songs from their career. This year marks 20 years since the release of the band's debut, Shake Your Moneymaker. They broke up in 2002 and got back together in 2005.

SUPERTRAMP ANNOUNCES REUNION TOUR WITHOUT HODGSON, THOMSON
Supertramp is announcing a 2010 "reunion" tour that won't include two of the band's members. Australian website Undercover.com reports that Supertramp co-founder Rick Davies has announced a "40th Anniversary" tour that won't include founding member and lead singer Roger Hodgson or bass player Dougie Thomson. Hodgson's management has issued a statement in response to the "anniversary tour," which reads, quote, "We've been told that they are billing the tour as the 40th Anniversary tour of the band and we just find this very surprising, misleading and disrespectful of Roger since he is the only other member that was a part of Supertramp when he and Rick founded the band together 40 years ago." Hodgson continues to tour as a solo act, playing sets heavy on Supertramp material. The singer is slated to perform two back-to-back sold-out shows at Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada on Thursday and Friday of this week. Thomson, meanwhile, has moved into music publishing and management.

FRAMPTON LP DUE NEXT WEEK, TOUR THIS SUMMER
Peter Frampton is returning with a new LP next week. The album -- called "Thank You Mr. Churchill" -- is a follow-up to the rocker's 2006 release "Fingerprints." "Thank You" features eleven songs that showcase the Frampton's songwriting and guitar work. The title is a nod to the post World War II world into which he was born. Frampton -- who will turn 60 on Thursday -- says of the project, quote, "This album is very autobiographical." He adds, "It starts with my birth, which I thank Mr. Churchill for bringing my father back from the Second World War."Frampton is also launching an extensive tour this summer, playing some dates with Yes and others with Steve Miller. The trek will launch next month in Shelton, Washington at the Little Creek Casino Resort. "Thank You Mr. Churchill" is due on April 27th.

June 29 (With Yes) Big Flats, NY Tag's Summer Sound Stage


Tuesday 4/20/10

STEVE MILLER SAYS 'BINGO!' FOLLOWUP IS ALREADY IN THE CAN
The Steve Miller Band hasn't yet released its new album and he says he's already done with the followup. Miller will release Bingo! on June 15th marking the band's first new studio set since 1993's Wide River. This isn't the first time that Miller has recorded enough material for another album and held the other back for a year -- 1976's Fly Like And Eagle and 1977's Book Of Dreams were also recorded simultaneously. Miller explained that the albums are pretty much interconnected thematically and musically: ["This is an extensive project and it's 28 songs, so it'll be released in a year's time. A year from now we'll probably release the second album, and there are bonus tracks and a lot of different things that come along with it. So there's a lot of ways to look at this, y'know? And it can all be assembled together, but right now what it is is, it's two albums of material that are finished. And the next group is really good -- we're already doing some of those tunes in our stage show, too."]

RUSH DOCUMENTARY COMING TO VH1 IN JUNE
A new documentary about Rush is coming to American cable TV next June. Blabbermouth.net reports that "Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage," the nonfiction feature about the Canadian progressive rockers will air on both VH1 and VH1 Classic on June 26th. The film will debut on the big screen this Saturday, April 24th at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. Rush's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson are scheduled to attend the screening."Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage" was produced by Scot McFayden and Sam Dunn of Toronto. McFayden and Dunn have carved out a niche in the "rock doc" genre. The filmakers have worked on "Iron Maiden: Flight 666," "Global Metal," and "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey."

STEVEN TYLER 'STRONGER THAN EVER,' SAYS AEROSMITH'S JOE PERRY
Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry told Reuters that lead singer Steven Tyler is "back and stronger than ever" following a period of several months during which the frontman did a 90-day stint in rehab while his future with the band was in doubt. Despite threats by Perry and the other members of the group last fall to find another vocalist while Tyler pursued an announced solo career, Perry now says that Tyler "didn't really leave the band . . . The press kind of twisted it around to sell papers but you know the bottom line is I just knew things were just going to work themselves out." Perry added that Tyler "made it very clear" that he had no intention of leaving Aerosmith while working on a solo project. But that's not how it sounded during the past few months, when Perry actually approached singers like Paul Rodgers, Billy Idol and Chris Cornell about taking over. Perry did admit, however, that his friendship with Tyler is not what it used to be


Monday 4/19/10

If there's one place to be this summer it's probably going to be Fenway Park on August 14th when the J.Geils Band reunites for a double bill with fellow hometown heroes Aerosmith. Joe Perry is among the most excited for the Beantown team-up, saying, "When I heard that Aerosmith would be playing Fenway Park this summer, naturally I freaked out. Then I heard it was going to be with the J. Geils Band. I knew that this is an event that I, like all hardcore Bostonians, have been waiting for for 40 years."  He went on to say, “ The biggest problem for me is that I can't be on stage and in the audience at the same time. I'll definitely be in the audience watching J. Geils performance." (Vintage Vinyl News

Jeff Beck revealed that during the recording of his latest album Emotion & Commotion, he accidentally cut off the top of one of his fingers. Beck explained that although surgeons were able to re-attach the tip of his left index finger, a simple kitchen accident made the completion of the album "difficult," recalling, "We had these massively long carrots. For some stupid reason, I started slicing them lengthwise. I got a bit lazy, and I put full force on the carrot, and it slipped over. Next thing I know, I'm on my knees, going, 'Oh, dear, that's the end of me.' Or words to that effect." Beck has since insured his hands for $1 million per finger. (USA Today)

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS RESCHEDULING OPENING DATES OF TOUR
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have pushed the first 10 dates of their tour back "to accommodate the delayed arrival" of their first new album in eight years, called Mojo. The band's initial dates -- which were to kick off on May 6th in Charlotte, North Carolina -- have now been tagged on to the end of Petty's tour in September and October, with Mojo now set for a June 15th release.


Closest Venues:
July 24 - Burgettstown, PA - First Niagara Pavilion (with Drive-By Truckers)
July 28 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden Arena (with Buddy Guy)
July 31 - Philadelphia, PA - The Wachovia Center (with Buddy Guy)
August 1 - Philadelphia, PA - The Wachovia Center (with Buddy Guy)
August 17 - Hartford, CT - Comcast Theatre (with My Morning Jacket)
August 24 - East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center (with My Morning Jacket)
August 27 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center (with Crosby, Stills, & Nash)

UK NAMES "STAIRWAY" ITS FAVORITE ROCK SONG
The UK has anointed its favorite rock song. "The Belfast Telegraph" reports that Britain's digital station "Absolute Classic Rock" conducted a poll in which listeners picked Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven" as its most-loved rock track. The 1971 single off the band's "Led Zeppelin IV" is one of three Zeppelin tracks from the poll's top ten. Also making the list are "Whole Lotta Love" at number ten and "Rock 'n' Roll" at number seven. It's not the first time that the "Stairway" been honored. "Rolling Stone" named the Zeppelin classic one of the top 500 songs of all time in 2003. In 2001, the Recording Industry Association of America named it one of the "Songs of the Century."


Friday 4/16/10

Dio: 'There's A Lot More Life To Live'
Rocker Ronnie James Dio remains confident he'll win his cancer battle even though the disease has killed his appetite - and he now finds it hard to eat. The Heaven & Hell star, who once fronted both Black Sabbath and Rainbow, was diagnosed with stomach cancer last year - but he isn't letting his health woes get him down. He tells Artisan News Service, "I feel good and bad at times. It's a long process... I never realized what a difficult thing it (chemotherapy) was to go through. It's a real cumulative effect - the more you have, the more it piles up on top and it takes longer and longer to get over it. "I find it very difficult to eat. I don't like to eat anyway, so I guess that's OK. But I know I have to. But this makes it very, very hard." He adds, "If you're determined to beat it, then you have to go with what you believe is going to beat it for you... I go to a great hospital in Houston, called M.D. Anderson, which I think is the best hospital in the world (and) I have the best doctor in the world, Dr. Ajani, who I really trust and I really believe in, so I think I've done all the right things.
"It makes me feel positive about my life and positive that there is a lot more of it to live."

JOHN MELLENCAMP TO RELEASE BOXED SET BY FATHER'S DAY
John Mellencamp expects to release his four-disc boxed set in time for Father's Day (June 20th). According to a message on Mellencamp.com, the collection, called On The Rural Route 7609, will feature 54 tracks, including more obscure tunes, as well as new versions, writer's demos, remixes and alternate takes. Mellencamp hand-selected songs he felt were "overlooked" by his bigger hits, and instead of arranging them chronologically, he's putting together what he thinks sounds like four new LPs. The liner notes are being written by veteran rock journalist Anthony DeCurtis. On the set are alternate takes of more well-known singles, including "Jack And Diane," "Cherry Bomb," "Our Country" and "Authority Song."  Mellencamp has no tour dates scheduled at the moment.


Thursday 4/15/10

OZZY OSBOURNE ANNOUNCES ALBUM RELEASE DATE; PLANS MAJOR WORLD TOUR
Ozzy Osbourne will release his new album, Scream, on June 15th, marking his first effort in nearly three years and tenth studio set in total. Meanwhile, Osbourne is the midst of planning an 18-month world tour, while news about Ozzfest will surface next week. The album marks the first appearance of Osbourne's new guitar player, Gus G. Osbourne's band also features bassist Blasko, drummer Tommy Clufetos and keyboardist Adam Wakeman.



NEW U2 ALBUM "LIKELY" DUE IN 2010
U2 is staying busy throughout 2010 with talk of a new LP coming from the band's manager. "Rolling Stone" announced via Twitter that the Irish rockers won't unveil new material in early summer, but that it's looking like they'll roll something out by year's end. U2's manager Paul McGuinness confirmed that there will be no LP in June, adding, quote, "However, before the end of the year is increasingly likely."

RUSH TO RELEASE ADVANCE CD, KICK OFF TOUR
There's new material in the pipeline from Rush. The progressive rockers told fans via its Rush.com newsletter that they plan to release a two-song CD. The two songs will be advance tracks from the forthcoming LP from the Canadian band. Also coming up for Rush is its "Time Machine Tour." The trek will begin in Albuquerque, New Mexico on June 29th and continue on to 36 more North American cities. The band has announced that it will perform "Moving Pictures," its 1981 album, in its entirety while on the road.


BLACKMORE SAYS NEW MUSIC IS ON THE WAY, INVITES BIRTHDAY E-MAILS
When Ritchie Blackmore turned 65-years-old on Wednesday, he marked the milestone by announcing that he's working on new music. The Deep Purple legend announced on his website that he's heading back to the studio with his partner, Candice Night. Blackmore wrote, quote, "April 2010 finds us diligently working in the studio and going into final mix stage on the new Blackmore's Night CD.

NEW SLASH ALBUM DEBUTS ON THE BILLBOARD CHART
The debut solo album from Velvet Revolver and ex-Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash debuted at Number Three this week on Billboard's Top 200 chart -- with 60,000 copies sold. The self-titled set features Slash's guitar work, along with vocals by Fergie, M Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold, Kid Rock, Ozzy Osbourne, Kid Rock, Dave Grohl and Adam Levine of Maroon 5.


Wednesday 4/14/10

CROSBY, STILLS, & NASH EXTEND NORTH AMERICAN LEG THROUGH SEPTEMBER
Crosby, Stills, and Nash have added eight additional shows to their upcoming North American leg -- including stops in Holmdel and Atlantic City, New Jersey; Wantagh and Bethel, New York. CSN kick off their dates on May 21st in Sonoma, California and will undertake a 15-date European leg between their North American shows -- which include a handful of stops opening for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.  Last month Graham Nash became one of the few musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. Nash became the third member of CSN to score a second honor when his first band the Hollies was included among the 2010 inductees.

Crosby, Stills, & Nash northeast tour dates (subject to change):

August 14 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center (with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
August 17 - Hartford, CT - Comcast Theatre (with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
August 19 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
August 20 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon At Jones Beach Theater
August 27 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center (with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
August 29 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa / Event Center
August 31 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center For The Arts
September 1 - Lenox, MA - Tanglewood

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS TALK 'BETWEEN THE LINES'
The new Stone Temple Pilots single, "Between The Lines," continues to climb up the charts. The track appears on the new self-titled Stone Temple Pilots album -- the band's first since 2001's Shangri-La-Dee-Da. Bassist Robert DeLeo tells us how he came up with "Between The Lines": "That was a song that I pulled out probably in the middle of, or towards the end of, making the record, and. And, you know, sometimes that's the way certain songs come out. You do 'em on the spot and you make them work, and it turns out that's the first single of the record.” Stone Temple Pilots have scattered tour dates lined up for the next few months.  The band recently signed a new deal with Universal Music Publishing Group

ACTOR HILL HARPER GIVES THUMBS UP TO OZZY'S NEW SINGLE
Ozzy Osbourne fans can tune into "CSI:NY" to get a sample of "Scream," the rocker's latest studio project. Ozzy's advance single "Let Me Hear You Scream" will set off a prison riot scene on tonight's episode of the CBS crime drama. "CSI:NY" star Hill Harper admits he hasn't listened to a lot of the "Crazy Train" rocker's music, but says that this track is a great addition to the show. Catch the premiere of Ozzy Osbourne's "Let Me Hear You Scream" on an all-new episode of CBS' "CSI:NY" tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern. Ozzy's next studio album, "Scream," is slated for release this June.


Happy Birthday Ritchie Blackmore (former lead guitarist, Deep Purple, Rainbow) (65)



Tuesday 4/13/10

JEFF BECK ON "IDOL GIVES BACK" NEXT WEEK, NEW LP IN STORES TODAY
There's another big name confirmed to participate on "Idol Gives Back" next week. The annual "American Idol" fundraising show will welcome legendary guitarist Jeff Beck to its Wednesday, April 21st broadcast. Beck is joining Annie Lennox, Carrie Underwood, Alicia Keys, and The Black Eyed Peas as a scheduled performer on the two-hour special. Since its inception, "Idol Gives Back" has raised an estimated 140-million-dollars for charity. It's the start of a busy few weeks for Jeff Beck. Rhino is releasing the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's "Emotion & Commotion" album today. The ten-track project features a 64-piece orchestra on some songs.

WATERS TO RECONSTRUCT "THE WALL" FOR TOUR
Roger Waters is planning to reconstruct "The Wall" on his upcoming tour. Spinner.com reports that the Pink Floyd rocker is planning to perform "The Wall" on the road this fall. The new show will follow three decades after Floyd's first staging of the album in its entirety. In the original show, a white brick wall was built on stage for each performance that separated the British band from its audience. Regarding his inspiration to restage the show, Waters said, quote, "This new production of 'The Wall' is an attempt to draw some comparisons, to illuminate our current predicament, and is dedicated to all the innocent lost in the intervening years." Waters -- now 66-years-old -- was the primary songwriter on "The Wall." The album contains some of the band's most recognizable tracks. These include "Comfortably Numb" and "Is There Anybody Out There?"

SANTANA AND STEVE WINWOOD SET FOR JOINT SUMMER TOUR
Carlos Santana and Steve Winwood will team up for a 22-date summer tour which kicks off on June 30th in St. Paul, Minnesota and wraps up on August 1st in West Palm Beach, Florida. Winwood will serve as the opening act on all the shows. Staying true to his promise that his Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through The Hits residency at Las Vegas' The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel / Casino is the only spot to catch Santana performing west of the Mississippi, all the gigs are - you guessed it -- east of the Mississippi.

Santana & Steve Winwood tour dates (Northeast leg):
July 17 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center For The Arts
July 18 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon At Jones Beach Theater
July 20 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
July 21 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
July 23 - Mansfield, MA - Comcast Center
July 24 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center


Monday 4/12/10

CHEAP TRICK TO RELEASE NEW VERSION OF 'IN COLOR'
Cheap Trick has plans to release a new version of its 1978 sophomore album, In Color, with different takes on such classic tracks as "I Want You to Want Me" and "Southern Girl." There's been talk about releasing it again ever since Cheap Trick did some sessions with Chicago producer Steve Albini back in 1998. Now it's finally happening. Guitarist Rick Neilson tells Spinner.com, "We just finished it in the last 6 months. It wasn't a commercial thing we were looking to do. Most of the songs were good back in the In Color days but the mix and the sound wasn't." There's no word on when the set will come out. Cheap Trick has been on tour behind its most recent album, The Latest. The band has some dates lined up this summer with Blondie.

ROLLING STONES LEND SONG TO NEW TV SERIES
Is Mick Jagger headed for the next Pirates Of The Caribbean flick -- On Stranger Tides? It sounds like just rumors for now, but ShowBizSpy.com reports that Johnny Depp is working close with Disney on the direction of the next film. He already snagged Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards in the past, and one source claims he now has his eyes on Jagger. The insider says, "Some of the more fun ideas include getting Mick in with Keith as pirate elders. He thinks they would be perfect." The Rolling Stones' 1966 song, "19th Nervous Breakdown" is now the theme song to the new CBS series, Miami Medical. The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced show airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET The Rolling Stones follow in the footsteps of the Who, whose songs have become themes to various TV shows, including CSI ("Who Are You"), CSI: Miami ("Won't Get Fooled Again") and CSI: New York ("Baba O'Riley").

HAMILTON DISHES ON AEROSMITH RECONCILIATION
Aerosmith bass player Tom Hamilton is dishing on the recent Aerosmith reconciliation. "The Boston Herald" reports that Hamilton is providing details on a meeting in February that got the 40-year-old band's members together to hash out their differences. Hamilton says that the meeting was tense at first, with band members arriving, quote, "all lawyered up." The 58-year-old remembers, quote, "There was a lot of sort of reconciling and processing feelings and stuff. Everyone said how they wanted things to be in the future and it became clear that, for everybody, the coolest thing to do would be to resolve things with the band."The meeting was organized after several months of public speculation about the Boston band's future. Frontman Steven Tyler's continued involvement was in question as various members of the group openly discussed replacing him. It looks like the rockers are ready to move on at this point as Aerosmith is hitting the road again next month. The band's "Cocked, Locked, and Ready To Rock!" trek will kick off in Caracas, Venezuela on May 17th.


Friday 4/9/10

RUSH ANNOUNCES "TIME MACHINE" TOUR
Rush is hitting the road with its "Time Machine" Tour beginning in June. The Canadian rockers promise the tour will include "Moving Pictures" performed in its entirety. That 1981 LP included classic tracks like "Limelight" and "Tom Sawyer." Rush's "Time Machine" Tour will launch in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the Hard Rock Casino on June 29th. For ticket information, visit www.rush.com.



Here is a list of dates on Rush's "Time Machine" Tour: Northeast Venues
Sat 07/17/10 - Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Mon 07/19/10 - Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
Wed 07/21/10 - Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
Fri 07/23/10 - Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Sat 07/24/10 - Wantagh, NY Nikon At Jones Beach Theater
Tue 08/31/10 - Allentown, PA Allentown Fairgrounds
Thu 09/02/10 - Syracuse, NY New York State Fairgrounds
Fri 09/03/10 - Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Tue 09/14/10 - Boston, MA TD Garden
Thu 09/16/10 - Pittsburgh, PA Consol Energy Center

STING TO PLAY THE METROPOLITAN OPERA FOR FIRST TIME
Sting will play his debut gig at an American institution this summer. The Metropolitan Opera in New York has announced that Sting will perform at the venue in July. As with other dates on his upcoming tour, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will join The Police frontman for the New York shows. Titled "An Evening With Sting - Performing His Most Celebrated Songs," the booking actually includes "two evenings with Sting" at the Met on July 13th and 14th, 2010. Regarding the performances, Sting said, quote, "The Metropolitan Opera has such a rich cultural history …. It is both an honor and a thrill to have the opportunity to perform at this renowned landmark."
For more information or tickets, visit www.sting.com

METALLICA TO 'CHILL' IN NOVEMBER
Metallica may wind down their touring behind 2008's Death Magnetic album this coming November, just over two years after the record was released. According to Stuff.co.nz, that news was revealed during a recent press conference in Bogota, Colombia, when the band was asked about future touring plans. Drummer Lars Ulrich said, "We're staying out and doing dates up until November; in Australia and New Zealand is where we're heading in November, and then, after that, we're going to take a little bit of chill time . . .  The band's co-manager, Peter Mensch, recently told Classic Rock magazine that Metallica was planning a new live show for 2011 that will be its "equivalent of (Pink Floyd's) The Wall," with the show hitting just 10 cities. No further details have been unveiled.

ROCK MOVIES: DOORS, RUNAWAYS ON BIG SCREEN THIS WEEKEND
Two rock films are hitting big screens this weekend. A Johnny Depp-narrated documentary about the Doors will debut in limited theatrical release this weekend. Called "When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors," the so-called rock doc is directed by Tom DiCillo and features archive footage of Jim Morrison in his days as a music hopeful in Southern California. This weekend also marks the nationwide release of "The Runaways." The rock biopic about the 1970s girl band stars Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning as Joan Jett and Cherie Currie. Jett also served as an executive producer on the film which made its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.


Thursday 4/8/10

Rush to perform at the New York State Fair! Rush, the legendary classic rock band whose unique sound has helped sell more than 40 million albums worldwide, will bring its one-of-a-kind performance to the New York State Fair this summer.The Canadian power trio will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, at the Fair's Mohegan Sun Grandstand. Tickets will go on sale Saturday, April 17 at 10 a.m. They will cost $45 and $65 and will be available at the New York State Fair Box Office and through Ticketmaster. Admission to the Fair is included with the purchase of a grandstand concert ticket on the day of the show.Sales will be limited to eight tickets per person for the first week of the ticket sale.

ROLLING STONES PLAN SINGLE FOR RECORD STORE DAY
The Rolling Stones are planning to "roll out" a new single later this month. RollingStone.com reports that the legendary band will debut "Plundered My Soul" on April 17th, which is also Record Store Day -- the third annual celebration of independently-owned record stores in the U.S. "Plundered" is a previously-unreleased song from the English rockers and one of ten tracks from the band's vaults set to appear on a reissue of the Stones' 1972 album "Exile On Main Street." The limited edition seven-inch single will be individually numbered for collectors when sold in stores A video for "Plundered" is also in the works. The Stones' "Exile On Main Street" in the U.S. on May 18th.

RATT GIVES FANS A FREEBIE ADVANCE TRACK
With the release of its first LP in a decade just a few weeks off, Ratt is giving fans a freebie advance track. The band's offering a free download of the single "Eat Me Up Alive" via its official website www.therattpack.com. The song -- which is available now -- is an advance track from "Infestation," which hits stores on April 20th.



SLASH MEDIA BLITZ CONTINUES, IT'S "LOPEZ" TONIGHT
The media blitz surrounding rocker Slash's self-titled debut continues. Tonight the 44-year-old guitarist will appear on "Lopez Tonight," On Friday, April 9th, the guitarist will rock "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" on CBS. Slash's new LP -- called "Slash" -- was released on Tuesday.


Wednesday 4/7/10

CHERIE CURRIE SPEAKS OUT ON "THE RUNAWAYS"
The Runaways' real-life frontwoman Cherie Currie is speaking out about the new film about the 1970s girl band. RollingStone.com reports that Currie never got a phone call from "The Runaways" writer-director Floria Sigismondi regarding the script and that the rock biopic took "poetic license." Currie comments, "She never even called me once. She never picked up the phone to call me or ask a question or anything. There were some things that upset me [in the movie]. I mean, I actually won that talent show in real life, and she has me up there being booed." Dakota Fanning plays Currie in the film, alongside Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett. Jett -- in contrast -- was closely-affiliated with "The Runaways" and served as its executive producer. Originally unveiled at the Sundance Film Festival in January, "The Runaways" is in wide release this Friday.

EARLY LED ZEPPELIN LIVE RECORDING SURFACES
What's being touted as Led Zeppelin's earliest known live recording has surfaced online at TheMetalDen.com. The show dates back to December 30, 1968 when Led Zep opened for Vanilla Fudge at Gonzaga University's gymnasium in Spokane, Washington. It was only the band's fifth show performed in America, and just to prove how unknown Zep was -- ads in both local news papers promoting the event got the name wrong with the headline: "The Vanilla Fudge with Len Zefflin." Apparently, an ad copywriter misheard the name over the phone and figured a guy named "Len" was performing. At the time of the gig, the group's debut album wasn't released yet, as singer Robert Plant can be heard telling the crowd, "This is off an album that comes out in about three weeks time on the Atlantic label. It's called Led Zeppelin. This is a tune called 'Dazed and Confused.'"The clip, which runs nearly ten minutes long, was recorded by a student with a small tape recorder.
CHECK IT OUT: Listen to the audio: http://themetalden.com/index.php?p=13271


RAY MANZAREK TALKS NEW DOORS DOCUMENTARY
The new Doors documentary, When You're Strange, opens in select theaters this Friday (April 9th) and airs on PBS May 12th. The flick, narrated by Johnny Depp, features rare and never-before-scene footage of the band. And unlike Oliver Stone's 1991 film, The Doors, this one gets it right, according to surviving members Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore. The 71-year-old Manzarak tells the Somerville Journal that they put in their "two cents" when director-writer Tom DiCillo was working on the flick. He says, "We stuck our noses in every once in a while, saying this is good or that's good. But Tom was on top of it. We had all of that footage, and I thought the idea of not using any talking heads was a good idea. I didn't want to see the old-time Doors talking about the Doors a long time ago when they were young."When asked if he turns up or turns off Doors music when he hears it on the radio, Manzarek said, "Oh, God, turn it up! Are you kidding? Living up in northern California, it rains a lot, so they play the heck out of 'Riders on the Storm.' And when that comes on, I crank that sucker, man." Manzarek and Krieger will tour together in June. Right now, Manzarek says he's enjoying some time off in the Napa Valley with his wife Dorothy. Densmore records jazz albums, lectures and works on film projects. This week the soundtrack comes out, along with two vinyl albums, Absolutely Live and Live in New York.


Tuesday 4/6/10

RUSH BEGINS WORK ON NEW MUSIC
Rush has started pre-production at Cherry Beach Sound in Toronto, Canada, according to Rushisaband.com. Guitarist Alex Lifeson is engineering the sessions for the Canadian trio's first new music since its 2007 album Snakes & Arrows. What form that music will take, however, is still a matter of debate. Drummer Neil Peart told the Canadian Press that the band was going to work on two songs, adding,"If they turn out well, we'll maybe even release them (on their own). We're saying, what if we do a little songwriting and then a little touring to play those songs, and then get back to the songwriting again? It would be an interesting way to shake up our usual way."  Bassist/singer Geddy Lee told us a while back that he's the one who usually gets the writing and recording process started: ["I think it's usually me, because I have more Jewish guilt than the other guys do. And even though I have no problem completely disregarding my responsibilities for at least a year, after a year and a couple of months I start feeling a bit like I should really probably do something that's less indulgent than collecting wine or going to ball games or playing tennis."]  According to BraveWords.com, one potential new song title is "Research And Development."

NEIL YOUNG EXPANDS SOLO ACOUSTIC TOUR; PLANS TO UNVEIL NEW SONGS
Neil Young has expanded his solo acoustic tour, which now kicks off May 18th in Albany, New York and winds down June 7th in Dallas, Texas. The upcoming Twisted Road trek marks Young's first solo acoustic tour in more than a decade. Young will play his classic hits and also promises to premiere new tracks throughout the trek. 
The concert film, Neil Young Trunk Show, will be released on Blu-Ray and DVD later this year. The film is the second in director Jonathan Demme's planned trilogy about Young.

Neil Young tour dates (subject to change):
May 18 - Albany, NY - Palace Theatre
May 19 - Buffalo, NY - Shea's Performing Arts Center
May 21 - Worcester, MA - Hanover Theatre
May 23 - Wallingford, CT - Oakdale Theatre

ELTON JOHN REPORTEDLY WANTS TO DO JAMES BOND DUET WITH LADY GAGA
Elton John reportedly wants to do another duet with Lady Gaga -- this time, he's interested in recording the next James Bond movie theme song. It's been rumored that Gaga is in the running to contribute a song to the film series, and John recently told U.K.'s The People newspaper, "I'm really pleased that Lady Gaga is up for the theme tune. She's fantastic and it would be amazing to do a duet."  John is expected to follow up his Grammy duet with Gaga at a Rainforest fundraising event on May 13th in New York. Jack White and Alicia Keys recorded the duet "Another Way to Die" for 2008's Quantum of Solace James Bond flick. Meanwhile, there's been rumors that John is in the running to replace Simon Cowell on American Idol next season.


Monday 4/5/10

"SLASH" SOLO CD DROPS IN U.S. TOMORROW
The wait is almost over for Slash fans anxious to get their hands on the rocker's self-titled solo CD. "Slash" is debuting tomorrow throughout the U.S. In advance of the release, Slash is streaming the album in its entirety via AOL Music and Spinner. Also this week in connection with the LP, Slash will make a personal appearance special event at Amoeba Music Store in Hollywood, California. The former Guns 'N' Roses axe man will sign LPs at Amoeba on Wednesday for the first 300 fans who buy his album at the store on its Tuesday release date. Slash is also slated to hit a few late night shows this week. Tomorrow night, he'll be the musical guest on NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and on Wednesday he appears on "Lopez Tonight" on TBS."Slash" features extensive collaborations. Among the acts who guest on the heavily-hyped project are Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas, Ozzy Osbourne, and Adam Levine of Maroon 5.

BON JOVI ON THE HUNT FOR LOCAL OPENING ACTS
The members of Bon Jovi are on the lookout for three unknown or little-known bands to open up for them this May at the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey. Winners of the contest, dubbed "Wanted: a SuperBAND Tonight!," will play 20-minute sets to open Bon Jovi's May 26th, 27th and 29th gigs. Contestants can upload tracks at Bon Jovi's website or Facebook page. That's also where can fan vote for their favorite acts. Winners will be selected from among the top 20 fan-ranked artists for each venue. The entry deadline is April 21th, and the winners revealed on May 6th.The same offer will be made at seven other stops on Bon Jovi's current tour.  Bon Jovi's touring behind its new album, The Circle.
CHECK IT OUT: Enter the contest here: http://www.bonjovi.com/ourstage

CLASSIC OZZY OSBOURNE CONCERT FROM 1982 COMING TO DVD
An upcoming DVD release chronicles a classic Ozzy Osbourne concert from 1982, according to AntiMusic.com. The disc, called Blizzard Of Ozz, is set for release on June 29th in the U.S. and will contain a show filmed in Irvine, California on June 12th, 1982, less than three months after the tragic death of Ozzy's guitarist Randy Rhoads in a small plane crash on March 19th. Ozzy and his band resumed touring after a short break, with Brad Gillis taking over for Rhoads on guitar. Ozzy was touring in support of his second solo album, Diary Of A Madman, which was his second and last effort with Rhoads in the band. The Blizzard Of Ozz DVD captures Ozzy and his band at a time shortly after the group was devastated by the tragic and freak loss of Rhoads, who was well on his way to becoming a guitar legend. This particular concert was televised and issued on home video, but has never been available on DVD in the U.S. before. Ozzy will issue a new studio album, called Scream, this summer.


Friday 4/2/10

"IDOL" TO EMBRACE LENNON-MCCARTNEY CATALOG NEXT WEEK
"American Idol" is continuing to embrace songs written years before its contestants were born. The FOX singing competition will feature performances of Beatles songs, using material from the Lennon/McCartney songbook next week. The Fab Four-themed broadcast follows the show's March 16th episode which featured songs by The Rolling Stones. "Idol's" nine remaining finalists will take on the challenge next Tuesday, April 6th beginning at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on FOX.



ROGER DALTREY TO OPEN FOR ERIC CLAPTON AT 'SUMMERFEST'
Roger Daltrey will be opening for Eric Clapton once again when "Slowhand" headlines Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Summerfest on June 28th. Daltrey, who last Fall had said that he would be joining Pete Townshend in the studio in December to lay down preliminary vocals for the new Who project, now says that nothing's happening. Daltrey was in a light-hearted mood when he told The News Of The World: "There's nothing planned -- as usual! Pete hasn't shown any new songs to me lately, so I really don't know what's next. I get incredibly excited when Pete gives me new songs, and he's in really, really good shape. He's still the most original lead guitarist there ever was. But you'd have to ask him about a new album."

ENTIRE SLASH SOLO ALBUM NOW STREAMING ONLINE
Slash's first official solo album, due out next Tuesday (April 6th), is now streaming online in its entirety at AOL Music. The self-titled project features a different guest vocalist on each track, including Ozzy Osbourne, Fergie, Chris Cornell, Kid Rock, Myles Kennedy, Iggy Pop, M. Shadows and others. Slash told us how he went about getting all those singers involved: ["I compiled, you know, a bunch of songs with a definite idea as to who would sound good on what. Then I had to make a presentable demo, call up the artist and go, 'I've got this song, I'm doing this record with all these different singers on it, and I would love for you to be on it and I have a song I think you would like,' and then send it to them. And then I got positive feedback all the way along the line there."] Other guests on the set include Dave Grohl, Duff McKagan, Adam Levine, Lemmy Kilmister and Wolfmother's Andrew Stockdale, who sings the first single, "By The Sword." Slash will hit the road this spring and summer, with his touring band featuring Myles Kennedy on lead vocals.

CHECK IT OUT: Slash is streaming online at http://bit.ly/28lufq


Thursday 4/1/10

HERE THEY ARE: SCORPIONS COMING TO NORTH AMERICA
The Scorpions are adding North American dates to their last-ever trek. Blabbermouth.net reports that the German hard rock band will launch their leg on this continent with a show on June 18th at Holmdel, New Jersey's PNC Bank Arts Center. The date is part of the Scorpions' long goodbye as they tour in support of their final LP -- "Sting In The Tail" -- through 2012. Speaking on the band's final live gigs, singer Klaus Meine said, quote, "The Scorpions is a live band. Totally, 200 percent, this band was always about live concerts. We always wanted to go on stage and play in front of our fans." The band has also announced that fellow hard rockers Cinderella and Dokken will join them for various dates along the way.

Here is are the closest venues of the Scorpions' upcoming tour:
Jun. 18 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
Jun. 22 - Jones Beach, NY - Jones Beach Theater


STEVE MILLER TO RELEASE FIRST NEW ALBUM IN 17 YEARS NEXT MONTH
The Steve Miller Band returns with it's first new studio album in 17 years on June 15th, titled Bingo! Billboard reports that the long-awaited followup to 1993's Wide River will be issued on Miller's own Space Cowboy Records imprint in partnership with Roadrunner/Loud & Proud. Miller admits that the album was created solely for a good time, explaining, "This is a party record, man. It's about getting up and getting ready to dance. It's like the fraternity party gigs I used to play in college. I went through and picked all my favorite tunes that I really, really loved. I wanted to make this record forever; it started off as just kind of a goof, and then it got real serious." Bingo! features Miller's covers of such classic cuts as B.B. King's "Rock Me Baby",  In addition to the Miller Band, the album features cameos by Joe Satriani and Santana percussionists Michael Carabello and Jose Areas.

SLASH, STOCKDALE TO GUEST ON LENO NEXT TUESDAY
Slash is marking the release date of his self-titled solo LP with a visit to "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." The rocker's slated to be the musical guest on the NBC late night show next Tuesday, April 6th. Slash will be joined by Aussie rocker Andrew Stockdale, who is guest on the single "By The Sword" -- the first single off the project. "Slash" pulls together an eclectic list of collaborators from Black Eyed Peas front woman Fergie to Stockdale, Ozzy Osbourne, and pop vocalist Adam Levine of Maroon 5 fame. Kirstie Alley and "Bones" star David Boreanz will also appear on Slash and Stockdale's "Tonight Show" episode set to air next Tuesday, April 6th at 11:35 p.m. Eastern on NBC.


Wednesday 3/31/10

MOTLEY CRUE GUITARIST MICK MARS GOING SOLO ON NEXT LP
Motley Crue lead guitarist Mick Mars is going solo on his next CD. The 58-year-old rocker announced via his Twitter account that he's working in his personal studio on the project, but provided no additional details. Motley Crue wrapped up the North American leg of its "Dead Of Winter Tour" last month. The band played a final date in Montreal on February 5th. The Crue has posted video highlights from the trek on its website www.motley.com. Motley Crue will play live again this summer in Europe.


THE WHO JOINED BY EDDIE VEDDER TO ROCK THE ALBERT HALL WITH 'QUADROPHENIA' REVIVAL
The Who were joined by Eddie Vedder last night (March 30th) at London's Royal Albert Hall to perform their 1973 concept album Quadrophenia in its entirety. The band joined up for their only scheduled gig of the year to cap off a 10-night run of shows in support of the 10th anniversary of Roger Daltrey's patron charity the Teenage Cancer Trust.  Pete Townshend, who had previously stated that he would be trying out a new pair of monitor devices to curb his hearing damage, was not wearing any type of ear monitors or plugs. He played electric guitar all night, only strapping on the acoustic guitar for "I'm One" and "The Rock." Unlike their 1996/1997 Quadrophenia shows, the Who did not return to the stage for a string of encores.

SAMMY HAGAR AMAZED AT VAN HALEN'S LACK OF PROGRESS
Sammy Hagar is happy with the direction that his current band Chickenfoot is going, but couldn't help speaking out about the lack of Van Halen's progress. He spoke to The San Gabriel Valley Tribune and seemed amazed that Van Halen hasn't released a new studio album in nearly 20 years, explaining, "The band broke up in 1995. The last record was in '93. 17 years and they haven't made any new music. That's crazy . . . if it changed and it was like it used to be when I was in the band, I could do a reunion and an album, but not under these circumstances." Hagar recalled that back in 2004 when he and current Chickenfoot bandmate Michael Anthony recorded three new songs for Van Halen's Best Of Both Worlds compilation, the pace that the band was working at was far to slow for him.


Tuesday 3/30/10

OZZY'S NEW SINGLE TO DEBUT ON "CSI: NY"
A single from Ozzy Osbourne's upcoming LP is set to debut on "CSI:NY." "USA Today" reports that "Let Me Hear You Scream" off the "Ozzman's" "Scream" album will appear on the CBS crime drama on April 14th. "Let Me Hear You Scream" will be featured in an episode guest starring Harold Perrineau of "Lost" fame. Perrineau will portray a death row inmate who asks for help from "CSI: NY's" Dr. Hawkes -- played by Hill Harper. "Scream" is a new title for Osbourne's latest studio effort. He originally recorded the track under the title "Soul Sucka," which was abandoned after negative reactions from Ozzy's fanbase.


HELM DOCUMENTARY TAKES FANS BEHIND THE DRUM KIT
There's a new rock doc about Levon Helm from filmmaker Jacob Hatley on the independent film scene. The film, titled "Ain't In It For My Health," premiered at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas earlier this month. It focuses on Helm, the drummer and singer for The Band. Hatley's documentary delves into Helm's struggles following The Band's dissolution as well as his public battle with throat cancer, drug addiction, bankruptcy, and the death of The Band's Richard Manuel and Rick Danko. Hatley also interviews husband and wife musicians Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams; Helm's daughter, Amy; and actor Billy Bob Thornton for "Ain't In It For My Health."Levon Helm has enjoyed a career resurgence in recent years. His traditional folk albums -- 2007's "Dirt Farmer" and 2009's "Electric Dirt" -- both won Grammy awards.

PHIL COLLINS SET FOR SURGERY FOR SEVERE NERVE DAMAGE
Phil Collins revealed the severity of his nerve damage -- which could result in him never being able to drum again. Collins explained to Rolling Stone that the problem is far worse than just not being able to perform, with it now affecting every aspect of his life, saying, "I can't let go of the spoon or the knife when I eat. I can't open a car door. I won't get gruesome with you, but there's a lot of things I can't do. I'm left handed. I'm having an operation soon and there's a good chance of it improving over time." Collins said that should all go well with the surgery, he'd love to finally sit behind the drums for a true five-man reunion of the classic '70s lineup of Genesis with Steve Hackett and Peter Gabriel: "My hands are way down to picking the order of that possibility. Three years ago I didn't know I'd be in this position and three years from now it may not be like this. I think the main thing is Peter's schedule and the speed he works anyways."

Happy Birthday to Eric Clapton, who turns 65 today (March 30th, 1945)!!


Monday 3/29/10

ROBERT PLANT AND BAND OF JOY ANNOUNCE SUMMER SHOWS
Robert Plant has announced a dozen Southern dates with Band Of Joy -- a new version of his pre-Led Zeppelin group which also featured the late John Bonham. Plant posted a message on his official website (robertplant.com) explaining that the new Band Of Joy has been in the studio with him recording his latest solo album: "It's been a blast working on these new songs and I'm enjoying such creativity and vitality. It's been a remarkable change of direction for all of us and as a group we all seem to have developed a new groove."
In addition to the July dates, a fall tour will probably be announced in the near future. The still-untitled Plant album will be released in the late summer/early fall on the Rounder imprint. There's been no word as to whether Band Of Joy will share co-billing with Plant.

Bob Seger is planning his first tour since his 2006/2007 road trek with the Silver Bullet Band. Details are far and few in-between, but Seger is hoping to have the band out on the road sometime in the fall.

Pat Benatar will publish her autobiography on June 15th called Between A Heart And A Rock Place. The book chronicles her rise to fame in the late-'70s, and her glory years during the 1980's as an MTV fixture while starting and raising a family with husband Neil Giraldo. In addition to book signings in Manhattan and L.A., on June 14th Benatar will appear on NBC's Today show. She'll be touring this summer on a double bill with REO Speedwagon. (Vintage Vinyl News)

"PUT ME IN, COACH," FOGERTY TO PLAY TROPICANA FIELD
The Tampa Bay Rays are launching a concert series next month with the rocker who once crooned about "Centerfield." The Florida news site Bradenton.com reports that John Fogerty will be the first act featured in the 2010 Rays Summer Concert Series at Tropicana Field. Fogerty is scheduled to perform on April 24th, immediately following the major league baseball team's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. In a conference call with the ball team, Fogerty commented, quote, "I never had played directly after a game or any sporting event. I heard other people were doing it, so I thought, 'That must be really cool.' I'd love to be doing more of this sort of thing."Other acts in the 2010 Rays Summer Concert Series lineup for the Florida concert series include ZZ Topp, Hall & Oates, and the Go-Gos.


Friday 3/26/10

HENDRIX TRACKS COMING TO "ROCK BAND"
"Rock Band" enthusiasts will have a chance to jam to tracks from an all-time guitar great starting next week. RollingStone.com reports that the Jimi Hendrix album "Axis: Bold as Love" will become available as downloadable content for the "Rock Band" video game next Tuesday, March 30th. Also next Tuesday, the Hendrix track "Valleys of Neptune" will be released for gamers. "Neptune" is the previously-unreleased track that takes center stage on the Hendrix LP of the same name released earlier this month. Harmonix, MTV Games, and Experience Hendrix worked together to add the material to the "Rock Band" series. Hendrix originally released "Axis" in the U.S. in 1968. The album contains the tracks "Little Wing," "Bold As Love," and "Castles Made of Sand," among others.

HAGAR SAYS CHICKENFOOT'S HEADING BACK TO THE STUDIO
Chickenfoot is reportedly heading back to the studio next month. "Attention Deficit Delirium" reports that one of the band's founders -- frontman Sammy Hagar -- is ready to record. Hagar said, quote, "In April we're supposed to go in the studio. Chad (Smith) has a little window from the Chili Peppers, and we're going to go in and start recording a second album. We're not going to rush it, we're going to start. Joe (Satriani) and I are always writing. We're definitely going to try to do it again."The "supergroup" of veteran rockers released their self-titled debut last summer. Chickenfoot's lineup has Hagar on lead vocals, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith on drums, Joe Satriani on guitar, and Van Halen alum Michael Anthony on bass.

Them Crooked Vultures will commemorate "Record Store Day" on April 17th with the release of a 10-inch picture disc featuring the album track "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" and the previously unreleased song "Hwy 1," which was recorded live in Australia. The disc will also include an interview with the band. Josh Homme has been named official Ambassador of Record Store Day, further details of which are included in an exclusive announcement from Homme posted online at YouTube and the Record Store Day website.
CHECK IT OUT: Homme's "public service announcement" about Record Store Day can be seen at http://bit.ly/c9jyKQ


Thursday 3/25/10

LEGENDARY ROCK PHOTOGRAPHER JIM MARSHALL DEAD AT 74
Legendary Rock photographer Jim Marshall died on Tuesday night (March 23rd) in his New York City hotel room at age 74, according to The New York Times. Marshall was due to appear at a gallery opening on Wednesday night for his new book Match Point with celebrity photographer Timothy White. Marshall is often credited as being among the earliest "guerrilla" rock photographers to redefine how musicians were shot both onstage and off.Infamous for his brash exterior and pistol packing ways, Marshall's photos of Jimi Hendrix at Monertrey and Janis Joplin are among the most iconic shots in rock -- as are his pictures of Johnny Cash "flipping the bird" at San Quentin in 1969, the Grateful Dead in Haight Ashbury in 1966, and the Beatles at their final concert that year at San Francisco's Candlestick Park.

CHECK IT OUT: Some of Jim Marshall's greatest shots: http://www.marshallphoto.com/

REUNION TOUR PAVED WAY FOR NEW STONE TEMPLE PILOTS ALBUM
Although the first new Stone Temple Pilots album in nine years will arrive on May 25th, it wasn't always a foregone conclusion that the reunited group would record fresh material together. Bassist Robert DeLeo told us that getting back on the road in 2008 to play their hits again was a necessary first step.  STP posted the first single from their self-titled sixth album at Twitter on Monday (March 22nd). The song, called "Between The Lines," also made its way to rock radio stations over the weekend. The new CD is the band's first since 2001's Shangri-La-Dee-Da. The quartet debuted four songs from the new disc at the South By Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas last Thursday (March 18th). The show kicked off a nine-date promotional trek, with full tour plans in the works for this summer.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELTON JOHN!!!
Happy Birthday to Elton John, who turns 63 today (March 25th)!!!
Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, Middlesex, a suburb of London. John was playing piano at age three, and by the age of 11 he was studying at London's Royal Academy of Music. He later dropped out to work as a music publishing errand boy and play rock and roll at night. John recorded and gigged with his early band Bluesology, and went on to back such legendary acts as Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles and the Isley Brothers.


Wednesday 3/24/10

LED ZEPPELIN TURNS DOWN OFFER TO REFORM AT BRITAIN'S DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL
Led Zeppelin turned down a recent offer to reform again at Britain's Download Festival which runs in Britain from June 11th to the 13th, according to Gigwise.com. Promoter Andy Copping told XFM that despite the band's refusal, he's "more than happy" with his choice of headliners -- AC/DC, Rage Against The Machine, and Aerosmith.
Copping went on to say: "Every single festival in the world approaches Led Zeppelin or their management to get them to play at their festival. Loads of money gets thrown out. It's not what they want to do at the moment and that's fine. They probably never will, but everyone has a stab at it."




"BY THE SWORD" ANNOUNCED AS FIRST SINGLE OFF "SLASH"
The wait for new material is almost over for Slash fans. Blabbermouth.net reports that legendary guitarist will debut "By The Sword" as a digital single this weekend in advance of his solo release. The track features a guest appearance by Aussie rocker Andrew Stockdale and will be available on Sunday, March 28th. "Slash" -- the self-titled solo album from the rocker -- is then due on April 6th from EMI Records. The heavily-hyped project features Slash collaborations with the likes of Kid Rock; the Black Eyed Peas' frontwoman Fergie; Iggy Pop; Ozzy Osbourne; Adam Levine of Maroon 5; and more.

JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS VISIT LETTERMAN TONIGHT
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts are hitting the late night scene tonight. The rockers will appear on CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman." The band will be there to promote its "Greatest Hits" CD. Jett's appearance also follows the limited theatrical release of the movie "The Runaways" over the weekend. Jett served as an executive producer on the rock biopic that documents the formation of her 1970s all-girl band. "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart portrays Jett in the film. Dakota Fanning plays Runaways lead singer Cherie Currie.Joan Jett & The Blackhearts will appear as the musical guest on CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman" tonight at 11:35 p.m. Eastern time.


Tuesday 3/23/10

LYNYRD SKYNYRD TO TEAM WITH MICHAELS ON 2010 TOUR
Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd are teaming up with Poison frontman and reality TV fixture Bret Michaels on a multi-city trek this summer. The acts have also announced that .38 Special will appear on the tour as a special guest. Regarding the upcoming dates, Michaels said, quote, "There is no doubt that Lynyrd Skynyrd is one of my all time favorite rock and roll bands. I have been friends with them a long time, so I am honored that Skynyrd has asked me to join them on their tour this summer." Michaels -- who's on TV these days as a contestant on NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" -- says to look for him to play some of Poison's greatest hits this summer. Meanwhile, the guys from Skynyrd say that they're rooting for Michaels to be Donald Trump's next "Celebrity Apprentice." The Skynrd-Michaels tour will launch in West Palm Beach, Florida on June 10th.

Here is a list of close by venues on the Lynyrd Skynyrd-Bret Michaels 2010 Tour:
Fri Jul 02 Holmdel, NJ - P.N.C Bank Arts Centre
Sat Jul 03 Buffalo, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
Sat Jul 10 Hartford, CT - Comcast Theatre
Sun Jul 11 Pittsburgh, PA - First Niagara Pavilion

BON JOVI PLAYS FREE PHILLY CONCERT TOMORROW NIGHT
Bon Jovi is following through on a promise to play a free concert in Philadelphia tomorrow night. ArtistDirect.com reports that the band will kick off a show at the City of Brotherly Love's Wachovia Center tomorrow at 5 p.m. local time. While the band's concert is free, it is ticketed. Among the crowds expected for the complimentary gig are former season ticket holders to The Philadelphia Soul, an arena football team in which Jon Bon Jovi held a majority stake. The entire Arena Football League folded before its 2009 season. However, a new league is expected to launch later this year. After tomorrow night's show, the band plays Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut on Friday, March 26th.

Here is a list of upcoming (Norhteast) dates for the North American leg of Bon Jovi's The Circle Tour:
Wed 03/24/10 - Philadelphia, PA The Wachovia Center
Fri 03/26/10 - Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
Sat 03/27/10 - Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena

ROGER DALTREY ADMITS OLD AGE MIGHT FORCE THE WHO TO CALL IT QUITS
Roger Daltrey says that the toll of old age might force the Who to pack it in. Daltrey -- along with Pete Townshend and the Who -- will perform a one-off performance of the band's 1973 rock opera Quadrophenia on March 30th at London's Royal Albert Hall. The show, which caps of a series of gigs at the venue in support of Daltrey's patron charity the Teenage Cancer Trust, is so far, the Who's only scheduled gig for 2010.Daltrey spoke openly to The News Of The World, and explained the fate of the band, revealing, "We're getting to the age now where this might be the last time we're physically able to play these songs. The years are catching up, and some of Quadrophenia's songs I'm not able to sing particularly comfortably. My health is as good as I could expect for a man of 66 -- but the voice ages a lot quicker than the rest of the body, which is bloody annoying."


Monday 3/22/10

JIMI HENDRIX BREAKS ELVIS PRESLEY'S POSTHUMOUS CHART RECORD
Jimi Hendrix has broken Elvis Presley's record for the longest span between Top Five hits for deceased rockers, according to thecelebritycafe.com. Hendrix's latest posthumous release, Valleys Of Neptune, debuted on The Billboard 200 album charts at Number Four -- an astonishing 40 years after his death. Prior to the charting of Valleys Of Neptune, the record was held by Presley with the hits compilation Elvis: 2nd To None, which 27 years after "The King" left the building, peaked at Number Three back in 2003.



BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN RELEASING VINYL SINGLE IN SUPPORT OF 'RECORD STORE DAY'
Bruce Springsteen is doing his part for "Record Store Day" on April 17th by issuing the vinyl single "Wrecking Ball" backed with a live version of "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" featuring Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello. Although both songs have been previously available as digital downloads, the upcoming 10-inch single will only be available at independent record stores on "Record Store Day."



STONE TEMPLE PILOTS TWEETING NEW SINGLE
Stone Temple Pilots will post their new single, called "Between The Lines," on the band's Twitter page at 11:00 a.m. ET on Monday (March 22nd). It's the first official single from their upcoming self-titled album, the group's sixth studio effort and first since 2001's Shangri-La-Dee-Da. The new Stone Temple Pilots album is due out on May 25th.



Friday 3/19/10

LEGENDARY ROLLING STONES CONCERT MOVIE MAKING DVD DEBUT THIS FALL.
The Rolling Stones' legendary 1974 concert movie Ladies And Gentlemen . . . The Rolling Stones will finally be released this fall. The film, which was directed by Rollin Binzer, is the definitive live account of the Stones' massive 1972 North American tour in support of their double album Exile On Main Street. The film has only ever been shown theatrically and has never been officially released in any form.As part of the Stones' new deal with Eagle Rock Entertainment, this May they'll release an expanded DVD of Stones In Exile, the newly-produced documentary chronicling the making of Exile On Main Street. The documentary -- without the bonus featurettes -- will air on BBC TV and be sold as part of the new Exile remaster. The full tracklisting to the Ladies And Gentlemen . . . The Rolling Stones movie is: "Brown Sugar," "Bitch," "Gimme Shelter," "Dead Flowers," "Happy," "Tumbling Dice," "Love In Vain," "Sweet Virginia," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," "All Down The Line," "Midnight Rambler," "Bye Bye Johnny," "Rip This Joint," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "Street Fighting Man," and "Medley: Uptight/(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" with Stevie Wonder and his band.

BOSTON'S TOM SCHOLZ SUING NEWSPAPER FOR IMPLYING HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SINGER'S SUICIDE
Boston guitarist and co-founder Tom Scholz is suing The Boston Herald and two of the paper's gossip columnists for insinuating he had a hand in the 2007 suicide of singer Brad Delp. Pollstar.com reports that Scholz' lawsuit named the paper and the columnists Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa, who were in charge of the Herald's "Inside Track" column at the time of Delp's death from carbon monoxide asphyxiation. The "Inside Track" ran two columns covering Delp's suicide -- one of which was headlined "Pal's Snub Made Delp Do It: Boston Rocker's Ex-wife Speaks." Sholz' suit states that the defendants "falsely suggested in headlines, content and via innuendo" that Scholz was responsible in some manner for Delp taking his own life in part because Fran Cosmo -- a Boston bandmember and close friend of Delp's -- was dropped from the band's tour

U2 RELEASING REMIX ALBUM IN MAY
U2 is now taking pre-orders for its Artificial Horizon remix album, which will be available only through May 14th as a triple-vinyl set. According to the band's website, 13 producers, including Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, members of Snow Patrol and others, reworked U2 songs taken from 1997's Pop through last year's No Line On The Horizon. Once pre-orders end on the 14th, the total number of sets ordered will be manufactured and shipped out as soon as possible. Meanwhile, an all-new companion disc to No Line On The Horizon, titled Songs Of Ascent, may surface this summer. (NME.com)


Thursday 3/18/10

NEW JIMI HENDRIX COLLECTION DEBUTS AT NUMBER FOUR ON BILLBOARD ALBUM CHARTS
Jimi Hendrix is back on the charts with the new studio collection of previously unheard tracks, Valleys Of Neptune, debuting at Number Four on The Billboard 200. Four reissues of Hendrix's back catalogue -- which were just re-released with bonus featurettes on each album -- have also made their way on to the Billboard charts. 1967's Are You Experienced sits at Number 44, 1968's Electric Ladyland hit Number 60, First Rays Of The New Rising Sun -- the album Hendrix was preparing at the time of his death -- is at Number 63, and 1967's Axis: Bold As Love sits at Number 67. Janie Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix's step-sister and the CEO of Experience Hendrix LLC, said in a statement: "It's really gratifying to know that my brother's music is still playing as vital a role in the culture today as it did when he recorded these tracks.

An April 22nd publication date has been set for an unauthorized biography of Metallica frontman James Hetfield, titled James Hetfield: The Wolf At Metallica's Door. Penned by Scottish author and journalist Mark Eglinton,the book features interviews with key figures from Hetfield's past, including childhood friends, as well as members of Alice In Chains, Pantera, Anthrax and others. A press release describes the book by saying, "This honest and definitive biography . . ." A portion of the proceeds from U.K. sales of the book will be donated to the Cancer Research charity. (Blabbermouth)


DID DAVE GROHL OVERDOSE ON CAFFEINE?
Did Foo Fighters and Them Crooked Vultures member Dave Grohl recently have to go to the hospital because of an overdose of caffeine? You would think that's the case, judging by the breathless reports online that Grohl was rushed to the hospital thanks to side effects caused by his massive intake of coffee. The reports stemmed from a video released by Them Crooked Vultures, called "Fresh Pots," in which Grohl is seen in the studio constantly calling for fresh coffee and becoming increasingly jumpy and manic as his caffeine intake purportedly grows. The clip finishes with a message saying, "Two weeks after this video was shot, Dave was rushed to doctor due to the onset of unwanted physical effects caused by too much caffeine. For real. He was kind of a mess."Luckily, the whole thing seems like just the Vultures -- which also includes Josh Homme and John Paul Jones -- having some fun with their fans, although many websites covered Grohl's "overdose" as if it was a real issue.


Wednesday 3/17/10

THE EAGLES TO TEAM UP WITH DIXIE CHICKS AND KEITH URBAN FOR STADIUM DATES
The Eagles have announced an eight-date stadium swing in June with the Dixie Chicks, who'll be marking their first road trek in four years. . Joining the groups for five of the eight dates is Australian country rocker Keith Urban. These days, the Eagles have firmly incorporated solo hits like "The Boys Of Summer," "Life's Been Good," and "Dirty Laundry" into their setlists. Don Henley says there's absolutely no conflict among the Eagles between their solo careers and being members of the band.

Closest Venues:
June 10 - East Rutherford, NJ - Meadowlands Stadium (with Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban)
June 12 - Foxboro, MA - Gillette Stadium (with Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban)
June 14 - Philadelphia, PA - Citizens Bank Park (with Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban)

NBC's Late Night With Jimmy Fallon will be devoting every episode during the week of May 10th to saluting the Rolling Stones' 1972 double album Exile On Main Street.
A "host of major acts" will appear on the show and perform key cuts from the album – an expanded version of which is being reissued on May 18th with 10 bonus cuts. Fallon's May 14th show will feature the premiere of the new documentary about the album included in the reissue called Stones In Exile. (Billboard)

MOVIE BASED ON OZZY'S MEMOIR COMING?
Ozzy Osbourne's recently published memoir, I Am Ozzy, will be on its way to the big screen next year if Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon has her way. Talking to People magazine, Sharon said, "Next year I want to work on a movie for Ozzy. He's had offers for his book.. Sharon added that talks are already underway to bring Ozzy's best-selling autobiography to the screen. Johnny Depp has been mentioned in the past as a possible contender to play Ozzy. Ozzy is working on a new album, his first since 2007's Black Rain, which he plans to release this summer. He's also slated to hit the road with a new version of his annual Ozzfest tour, which was put on ice last year.


Monday 3/15/10

DIO CONTINUES CANCER FIGHT, IS PENNING NEW MATERIAL
Wendy Dio is providing another update to fans regarding husband Ronnie James' ongoing cancer battle. In a post on Dio's official website, Wendy reports that her rocker spouse has completed a seventh round of chemotherapy with good results. It seems Ronnie James also is feeling well enough to write new material with Craig Goldy, guitarist for Dio. Goldy is slated to work on new songs with Dio this month. Regarding Goldy's visit to collaborate with Ronnie James, Wendy wrote, "It will be great to see him again, as he has been away touring with the British band Budgie." Wendy Dio -- who is also Ronnie James' manager -- added that she and Ronnie James continue to read through cards and letters from fans. Ronnie James Dio was diagnosed with stomach cancer in November 2009.

Gene Simmons has challenged the Rolling Stones and U2 to a good old fashioned battle of the bands with Kiss. Simmons threw down the gauntlet on British radio saying, "I would love to play on the same stage as U2, the Stones and anybody out there who considers themself a world champion. You come on up on that stage with us, baby. Show me what you got, and then we'll show you what the big boys do." There has been no reply from either band's camps. (Jam! Music)

Rush -- The Documentary, a feature-length film about the legendary Canadian rock trio, will receive a red-carpet premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on Saturday, April 24th. All three members of the band -- guitarist Alex Lifeson, singer/bassist Geddy Lee and drummer Neil Peart - are expected to be on hand for the event. (Blabbermouth)

ABBA, GENESIS, MORE TO ACHIEVE HALL OF FAME STATUS
Swede supergroup ABBA and Brit progressive band Genesis are among the artists set for enshrinement into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame tonight. ABBA and Genesis join The Stooges, The Hollies, and Jimmy Cliff as inductees at the 25th annual Hall Of Fame ceremony. Presenters at the event will include surviving Bee Gees Barry and Robin Gibb, who will induct ABBA into the Hall; Trey Anastasio of Phish, who's been tapped to induct Genesis; Wyclef Jean, who will introduce Jimmy Cliff; and E Street Band rocker Steve Van Zandt, who will present The Hollies.
Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong also will be on hand tonight, presenting the Iggy Pop-fronted rock band The Stooges. The 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. The Fuse Network will air the event live at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. It will also be streamed at www.fusetv.com.


Friday 3/12/10

"AMERICAN IDOL" TO FEATURE SONGS BY THE ROLLING STONES
"American Idol's" season nine contestants are selecting songs by The Rolling Stones for next week's show. host Ryan Seacrest announced next week's theme -- The Stones. There's no word on which tracks "Idol's" contenders will select, but RollingStone.com is predicting that "Satisfaction," "Tumbling Dice," "Miss You," and "Waiting On A Friend" are likely to appear. It's not the first time that a TV talent show has accessed the Brit rock band's catalog. "Britain's Got Talent" runner-up Susan Boyle has turned the Stones' "Wild Horses" into a hit of her own.In related news, The Rolling Stones are back in the news promoting a reissue of "Exile On Main Street." The reissue will feature previously-unreleased material by the rock legends and will hit the market in the U.S. on May 18.

JEFF BECK ADDS LEG TO U.S. TOUR
Jeff Beck is adding a leg to his upcoming U.S. tour. LiveDaily.com reports that the rocker's schedule will now include East Coast and Midwestern dates. beginning at Bank of America Pavilion in Boston on June 3rd. The trek this spring and summer will support Beck's forthcoming "Emotion and Commotion" album. " Commotion" is the legendary guitarist's first studio album in seven years. "Emotion and Commotion" also features Brit singer Joss Stone on two tracks -- "I Put A Spell On You" and "There's No Other Me." Beck is releasing "Emotion and Commotion" on April 13th.
Here are the dates for Jeff Beck's upcoming U.S. Tour:
June 2010
3 - Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion
4 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino
5 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata
14 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre
15 - Asbury Park, NJ - Paramount Theatre
17 - Rochester, NY - Eastman Theatre

CHICKENFOOT VIDEO OUT NEXT MONTH, "VIRTUAL CONCERT" TONIGHT
Chickenfoot is rolling out a video featuring live concert footage next month. Called "Get Your Buzz On Live," the DVD/Blu-Ray disc, due in late April, is filled with highlights from three sold-out shows, according to Blabbermouth.net.
Before the DVD release, the band is hosting "Virtual Concert Screenings" that feature sneak peeks from the project, along with never-before-seen footage. Chickenfoot features rock frontman Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani on guitar, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith, and bass player Michael Anthony.


Thursday 3/11/10

NEW DOORS DOCUMENTARY TO FEATURE UNRELEASED LIVE CUTS
The soundtrack to Tom DiCillo's upcoming Doors documentary When You're Strange will be released on April 6th, three days before the film opens. When You're Strange features never-before-seen footage of the band -- including band rehearsals, live concert and TV appearances, and digitally-remastered clips from Highway - An American Pastoral, a 1969 art film made by and starring Jim Morrison. The When You're Strange soundtrack includes live performances from the Doors' 1967 Ed Sullivan Show appearance, as well as their legendary set at the 1970 Isle Of Wight Festival. Johnny Depp, who narrates the film, is featured reciting Morrison's poetry.
CHECK IT OUT: When You're Strange trailer and clips available at: whenyourestrangemovie.com

PINK FLOYD SUING EMI OVER ONLINE SALES PRACTICES, ROYALTIES
Pink Floyd is involved in a new legal dispute. The BBC Online says the classic rockers' suit against their record label focuses on digital sales, including the selling individual tracks from albums and the band's royalties from these downloads. At the first hearing this week attorney Robert Howe, who is representing Pink Floyd, noted that band members want, quote, "to know where they stand as a matter of contract." Focusing on the issue of selling album tracks individually, Howe explained that EMI is arguing that it, quote, "only applies to the physical product and does not apply online," which he said, quote, "makes no commercial sense" and violates the band's agreement with the label. Pink Floyd's recently launched case is expected to be a lengthy ordeal.

DEFINITIVE JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS COLLECTION OUT NOW
Released in time for all the new Runaways fans the upcoming biopic, is the new collection Joan Jett & The Blackhearts Greatest Hits. The double-disc features such '80s classics as "Bad Reputation," "(I'm Gonna) Run Away," "Crimson And Clover," "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)," "The French Song," "I Hate Myself For Loving You," Jett's cover of Sly & The Family Stone's "Everyday People," the Bruce Springsteen-written theme to her movie 1987 with Michael J. Fox Light Of Day, and of course her 1982 Number Hit "I Love Rock N' Roll."
SIDE NOTES
• The Runaways starring Kristen Stewart as Jett and Dakota Fanning as lead singer Cherie Currie opens nationwide on March 19th.
• CHECK IT OUT: The trailer to The Runaways: http://tinyurl.com/yk8eydo


Wednesday 3/10/10

KISS PLANS CHILDREN'S TV SHOW
Get ready for a possible cartoon version of KISS. The hard rock band has inked a deal with production company E1 to create a half-hour comedy targeted at a children's audience. E1 has played a role in leveraging the KISS brand and has attempted to get the rockers out in front of younger audiences in the process. The production company lists KISS' appearance in a Dr. Pepper ad during Super Bowl 44 and a high-profile guest spot on "American Idol" as examples of the band's longevity. KISS will launch its "Sonic Boom Over Europe" Tour this spring. The trek is scheduled to begin on May 1st in Sheffield, England.

JIMI HENDRIX ESTATE RELEASES NEW 'VALLEYS OF NEPTUNE' ALBUM
Out now is the new Jimi Hendrix vault collection Valleys Of Neptune which features previously unreleased tracks recorded by the guitarist between October 1968 and 1970. The 12-song, 60-minute set also features covers of Elmore James' blues classic "Bleeding Heart," Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love," as well as such Hendrix originals as "Ships Passing Through The Night," "Lullaby For The Summer" and the original undubbed Jimi Hendrix Experience rendition of "Hear My Train A Comin'." Hendrix's step-sister, Janie Hendrix, the CEO of Experience Hendrix LLC, says that fans can look forward to many more Hendrix releases in the future.

STING ANNOUNCES FULL NORTH AMERICAN ITINERARY FOR ORCHESTRA TOUR
Sting has announced the full North American itinerary of his upcoming tour accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. The tour will kick off on June 2nd in Vancouver and wrap up on July 30th in Bethel, New York at the Bethel Woods Center For The Arts. Among the Police classics he'll be tackling with the orchestra will be "Roxanne," "Next To You," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" "Every Breath You Take," along with solo favorites including "Englishman In New York," "Fragile," "Russians," "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You," "Fields Of Gold," and "Desert Rose."

Closest  venues:
July 6 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
July 9 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa / Event Center
July 10 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
July 30 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center For The Arts


Tuesday 3/9/10

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND CANCELS FINAL FIVE 'MARCH MADNESS' SHOWS
Due to an unforeseen family matters the Allman Brothers Band have been forced to cancel the final five dates of their upcoming "March Madness" run. Pollstar.com posted that the following dates at New York City's United Palace are canceled: March 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 26th, and 27th. Refunds will be available at the point of purchase.
• The Allman Brothers Band NY tour dates (subject to change):
March 11, 12, 13 - New York, NY - United Palace
March 15, 16 - New York, NY - United Palace 
                                         March 18, 19, 20 - New York, NY - United Palace

THE STEVE MILLER BAND ADDS TOUR DATES
The Steve Miller Band has announced its full spring and summer itinerary, kicking it's 23-date tour off on May 21st in, Nevada and winding things down on August 8th in Wisconsin.
Steve Miller Band tour dates closest venues (subject to change):
June 12 - Atlantic City, NJ - Atlantic City Hilton
June 13 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Resort Casino
July 24 - Pittsburgh, PA - PNC Park At North Shore

PETER FRAMPTON & YES ANNOUNCE JOINT DATES
Peter Frampton and Yes have announced a series of joint dates kicking off on June 16th in Uncasville, Connecticut at the Mohegan Sun and wrapping up over three weeks later on July 9th at L.A.'s Greek Theatre.
Yes is now comprised of Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Alan White, and keyboardist Oliver Wakeman -- the son of the band's legendary keyboardist Rick Wakeman. Fronting the band is temporary lead vocalist Benoit David who's still filling in for Jon Anderson, who's been suffering from respiratory failure due to chronic asthma.
• Peter Frampton/Yes tour dates closest venues (subject to change):
June 16 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun
June 18 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center For The Arts
June 19 - Upper Darby, PA - Tower Theatre
June 20 - Meadow Lands, PA - Meadows Racetrack & Casino

RINGO STARR TO KICK OFF TOUR AT NIAGARA FALLS' CASINO
Former Beatle Ringo Starr is announcing live dates this summer in support of his "Y Not" LP. In late June, Ringo and his All-Star Band will "try their luck" at Fallsview Casino & Resort in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. The Canadian date will mark the beginning of Starr's 2010 North American tour. Rocking in the All-Star Band for this trek will be Edgar Winter, Gary Wright, and Gregg Bissonette, along with Rick Derringer -- the former bass player for Mr. Mister, Richard Page, and Wally Palmar -- the former guitarist for the Romantics.

Ringo's 2010 Tour includes.
06.24.10 Niagara Falls,ON Fallsview Casino
06.25.10 Niagara Falls, ON Fallsview Casino
06.26.10 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center
06.27.10 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
06.29.10 Boston, MA Bank of America Pavilion
06.30.10 Westbury, NY Westbury Theatre
07.02.10 Easton, PA State Theatre
07.03.10 Atlantic City, NJ Ceasar's Circus Maximus
07.05.10 New Brunswick, NJ State Theater
07.06.10 Lancaster, PA American Music Theatre
07.07.10 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall


Monday 3/8/10

KEITH RICHARDS SAYS 'RUMORS OF HIS SOBRIETY ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED'
Rest easy everybody -- Keith Richards is not on the wagon. Richards talked to Rolling Stone and when pressed about the recent rumor that he'd gone on the wagon in support of the now-dry Ron Wood, Richards said: "Listen, the rumors of my sobriety are greatly exaggerated. And we'll leave it at that." He hinted that the Rolling Stones could be gearing up for a new album before year's end, explaining, " I wouldn't be surprised if we did some recording later this year . . . I don't know how the rest of them feel about roadwork at the moment. Maybe we'll search for a different way for the Stones to go back on the road. You can't go around there in lemon-yellow tights forever."

RAY DAVIES PREPPING NEW KINKS ALBUM
Ray Davies is compiling a new Kinks album which may feature the first new music from the band in 16 years. Davies, who is currently on tour in support of his latest album, The Kinks Choral Collection, said that he's been pouring through the band's outtakes and has recorded new music with the band's drummer Mick Avory. Davies is hopeful to get his younger brother and lead guitarist Dave Davies -- who is on the mend after a 2004 stroke -- involved in the project.
We asked Davies what we can expect from a new Kinks collection:
Ray Davies close to home:
March 9 - Binghamton, NY - Forum Theatre

MILEY CYRUS TEAMS WITH BRET MICHAELS FOR NEW TRACK
Miley Cyrus is lending a hand to rocker-turned-reality TV star Bret Michaels. The pop star asked Michaels to join her in the studio while she recorded a version of "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," and they ended up collaborating on a few other tracks -- one of which has surfaced online. The Poison singer tells Billboard.com they joined forces on "Nothing Left To Lose," a song that will appear on his upcoming solo album, Custom Built. Michaels noted how Cyrus sounds a bit like Stevie Nicks, adding, "One of her heroes is Stevie Nicks. Bret Michaels will appear on "Live! With Regis And Kelly" on Wednesday. "The Celebrity Apprentice" will return to NBC this Sunday, March 14th at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time.


Friday 3/5/10

IRON MAIDEN ANNOUNCES LP, TOUR WITH DREAM THEATER
There's a new LP on the way from Iron Maiden this summer. Blabbermouth.net reports that the band's calling the project "The Final Frontier." The metal rockers will also launch a trek through North America -- also called "The Final Frontier" -- in support of the new LP. Progressive rock band Dream Theater will join Maiden on the summer tour. Regarding the pairing, Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy said, quote, "Through the years, we've done many one-off shows with MAIDEN and they've almost all been overseas. It is very exciting to finally be doing a full tour with them and on our side of the pond, no less." "The Frontier Tour" will launch at Superpages.com Center in Dallas, Texas on June 9th.
Here are the closest dates for the upcoming "Final Frontier" Tour featuring Iron Maiden with Dream Theater:
Jul. 11 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC
Jul. 12 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
Jul. 14 - Pittsburgh, PA - First Niagra Pavilion

THE MOODY BLUES EXPANDS TOUR INTO SUMMER
The Moody Blues, who kicked off their U.S. dates last night (March 4th) in Clearwater, Florida, have just announced an additional 17 shows to their current tour and will now wind things up on July 13th in Danbury, Connecticut. The Moodies' current gigs feature a cross-section of the band's greatest hits from the '60s, '70s and '80s. Leading the band from their classic lineup is guitarist Justin Hayward, bassist John Lodge, and drummer Graeme Edge.
closest venues:
July 9 - Canandaigua, NY - Constellation Brands - Marvin Sands PAC (CMAC)
July 10 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center For The Arts
July 11 - Utica, NY - Stanley Center For The Arts
July 13 - Danbury, CT - Ives Concert Park

DAVID BOWIE TURNS PETER GABRIEL DOWN FOR COVERS SET
David Bowie has turned Peter Gabriel down flat and will not appear on the followup companion piece to his new album. Out now is Gabriel's latest collection, the covers project Scratch My Back. The album features Gabriel's takes on songs by Bowie, Talking Heads, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Radiohead and others. The followup album is now in production for the artists Gabriel covered to record renditions of songs from his catalogue. Gabriel, who covered Bowie's 1977 classic "Heroes," had hoped that the "Thin White Duke" would be more than happy to reciprocate and cover a Gabriel tune -- but the semi-retired Bowie declined. Gabriel spoke about the situation to The Associated Press, explaining, "Sadly, David Bowie is the only artist that said he clearly didn't want to play with the song swap. I don't think he's doing much music at the moment. But (producer) Brian Eno was a co-writer on the song so it gets around that problem and he's going to do a version of this song, 'Don't Break This Rhythm.' But 'Heroes' is one of those classic songs . . . it's one of my favorite Bowie songs and I was a Bowie fan right from the beginning."


Thursday 3/4/10

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS ON "JIMMY FALLON" NEXT WEEK
The Allman Brothers are slated to rock on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" next week. Now that the Winter Olympics are over, NBC is rolling out new episodes of its late night lineup. The Allman Brothers will appear on "Fallon" next Tuesday. The show tapes at New York's 30 Rock location. The "Melissa" rockers are already in the city, playing in residence with dates at the city's United Palace Theater through March 27th.The Allman Brothers are booked to appear on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" on Tuesday, March 9th at 12:35 a.m. Eastern Time on NBC.


THE DOOBIE BROTHERS ANNOUNCE 2010 TOUR DATES
The Doobie Brothers have announced 26-city tour which kicks off on March 19th in Thackerville, Oklahoma and winds down on October 2nd in Gretna, Louisiana. Fronting the band are co-founding guitarists Tom Johnston and Patrick
closest venues:
April 28 - Lancaster, PA - American Music Theatre
May 1 - Atlantic City, NJ - Caesars Circus Maximus Theatre

BON JOVI TAKES ON PRESIDENT OBAMA'S VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
Bon Jovi is working with President Barack Obama's service initiative "United We Serve" while on tour to encourage Americans to volunteer. The band will bring the message to a mass audience starting today (Thursday, March 4th) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. During tonight's show -- and the next 30 concerts -- Bon Jovi will run a video promoting the service initiative. In the two-minute video Jon Bon Jovi says, "We can tackle the tough challenges we face and build community through service and volunteering. The reality is, we're all in this together."AmeriCorps members and volunteers from local nonprofits will also be on hand to talk with concertgoers about how to find or create community service jobs. Bon Jovi told the Associated Press that in 2008 he spoke with Obama during the presidential campaign about what he could do to encourage volunteerism. The rocker has his own charity centering around building homes for people in need. He says, "For me it's affordable housing. For you it may be something else. But all these little bits make for one greater sum of the parts. It'll make for a better whole."


Wednesday 3/3/10

PAT BENATAR AND REO SPEEDWAGON ANNOUNCE JOINT SUMMER TOUR
Pat Benatar and REO Speedwagon have announced a 20-city joint summer tour kicking off on June 24th at Uncasville, Connecticut's Mohegan Sun and wrapping up on August 27 in Gilford, New Hampshire.

Pat Benatar/REO Speedwagon tour dates (closest venues)
une 24 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun
June 25 - Rutland, VT - Vermont State Fairgrounds
June 26 - Atlantic City, NJ - Caesars Atlantic City


JETHRO TULL PLANS BRIEF NORTH AMERICAN SUMMER TOUR
Add Jethro Tull to the list of groups planning a tour for summer 2010. LiveDaily.com reports that the Brit band plans to get a mini-trek going in Miami, Florida on June 11th and to continue on from there to another eleven cities throughout the rest of the month. There are also reports that the group is working on a studio album, which would mark Jethro Tull's return to recording after an eleven year break. The band's last LP was "J-Tull Dot Com," released in 1999.

Here is a list of dates on Jethro Tull's Summer 2010 Tour (closest venues)
June 10 - Ledyard, CT  - Foxwoods Resort Casino
June 11 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Music Theater
June 12 - Atlantic City, NJ - Caesars Atlantic City
June 13 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
June 17 - Canandaigua, NY - Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center

Out now on import is Simon & Garfunkel: Original Album Classics. The three-disc collection features the extended and remastered versions of the duo's legendary 1966 albums Sounds Of Silence and Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme, along with 1968's Bookends in one package.
Highlights on Sounds Of Silence include: "The Sounds Of Silence," "Leaves That Are Green," "Kathy's Song," "Richard Cory," "April Come She Will," and "I Am A Rock."
Highlights on Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme include: "Scarborough Fair/Canticle," "Homeward Bound," "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)," "The Dangling Conversation," and "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her."
Highlights on Bookends include: "America," "Old Friends," "Bookends," "Fakin' It," "Mrs. Robinson," "A Hazy Shade of Winter," and "At The Zoo."
• Simon & Garfunkel: Original Album Classics sells for under $30.

Seven Pink Floyd songs will be featured on an upcoming episode of CBS's drama Cold Case. The March 21st episode, which airs at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT will include "Time," "Wish You Were Here," "Marooned" and four tracks from the band's 1979 concept album The Wall: "The Thin Ice," "Hey You," "Mother," and "Comfortably Numb."


Tuesday 3/2/10

STING TO BRING PHILHARMONIC ON THE ROAD
When Sting hits the road this summer he's bringing the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra with him.
Billboard.com reports the veteran rocker is planning a solo trek featuring his most famous songs. In a new twist, the Philharmonic will support Sting in giving the singer's well-known material the symphonic touch.
Tracks like "Roxanne" and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" from the rocker's days in the Police, will be featured along with solo work like "Fields Of Gold." The run will launch on June 2nd at the Centre for the Performing Arts in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California and Ravinia Park in Chicago, Illinois are among the other venues Sting has announced. More dates for the tour are forthcoming from the rocker.
The trek will mark Sting's first North American outing since he reprised his role as frontman for The Police during the band's 2007 reunion tour.

JAGGER WEARS SNEAKER "HEELS" OUT WITH TALL FRIEND
Everyone needs a lift sometimes, just ask Mick Jagger. The UK's "Mirror" reports that the Rolling Stones frontman wore a pair of Nike sneakers with elevated soles while he was out with girlfriend L'Wren Scott recently. The couple had ventured out to the New York premiere of "Shutter Island" where the five-foot-ten-inch Jagger was spotted with the special sneakers, allegedly created to give him some height around Scott, who is six-feet-four-inches tall.
Mick's reportedly not the only big rocker who has employed the tactic. U2's Bono is five-foot-seven and allegedly wears lifts around his wife, Ali Hewson.

Carlos Santana has a big year ahead. He's not only celebrating the 10th anniversary of his Supernatural album with a special deluxe release, but he's also working on a covers collection featuring at least one familiar face -- Rob Thomas. Thomas sang on the 1999 hit "Smooth" and will return again on the upcoming covers collection.
Santana is teaming up once again with Sony Music chief Clive Davis. He tells us what we can expect on the covers compilation:


Monday 3/1/10

BILLY JOEL SAYS HE'S NOT BAILING ON TOUR WITH ELTON JOHN
Billy Joel is setting the record straight telling Rolling Stone that he's not bailing on this summer's joint tour with Elton John -- because no tour was planned. Joel said, "There was never a tour booked this summer! Obviously, this has the smell of a really juicy story: 'Why did they cancel? Did Billy and Elton have a fight? What's going on?' The truth is, there's nothing going on. I had made up my mind a long time ago that I wasn't going to work this year."
• Elton John & Billy Joel tour dates (subject to change):
March 3 - Wichita, KS - Intrust Bank Arena 
                                          March 9 - Buffalo, NY - HSBC Arena 
                                          March 11 - Albany, NY - Times Union Center

EARLIEST METALLICA RECORDING POSTED ONLINE
A website called The Metal Den has posted a copy online of the earliest Metallica demo tape. According to the site, the recording, dated March 1982, is a very rough "work in progress" version of the song "Hit The Lights," which later became the opening track of Metallica's 1983 debut album, Kill 'Em All. The demo version features founding members James Hetfield on vocals and Lars Ulrich on drums, along with Dave Mustaine on guitar and Ron McGovney on bass.

OZZY WINS FIRST ROUND IN BLACK SABBATH LEGAL BATTLE
A federal judge in Manhattan ruled on Thursday (February 25th) that Ozzy Osbourne can proceed with his lawsuit against guitarist Tony Iommi over the use of the name Black Sabbath, according to the New York Post. Ozzy filed suit against Iommi last May, alleging that Iommi illegally took sole ownership of the Sabbath name when he filed it with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Ozzy wants 50 percent of the rights to the Sabbath trademark, along with a portion of Iommi's profits from his use of it.Ozzy's lawsuit claims that his "signature lead vocals" on the group's first eight albums are largely responsible for the band's "extraordinary success," noting that its popularity declined from 1980 to 1996, when he wasn't working with the group. But Iommi's lawyer, Andrew Devore, argued in court that Ozzy signed away all his rights to the Sabbath name after leaving the group in 1979.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ROGER DALTREY!!!
Happy Birthday to Who frontman Roger Daltrey who turns 66 today (March 1st)!!! Only weeks after performing to an estimated 100 million viewers with Pete Townshend at the 2010 Super Bowl halftime show, Daltrey is back out on the road as the opening act for his old friend Eric Clapton.




Friday 2/26/10

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM AND 35-CITY TOUR
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will release their first new album in eight years called Mojo in the spring and will kick off a 35-city tour in support of the album on May 6th in Charlotte, North Carolina. The tour -- which as of the initial dates announced -- will wrap up on August 27th in Saratoga Springs, New York -- features a handful of different opening acts, including Joe Cocker, Crosby Stills, & Nash, ZZ Top, Drive-By Truckers, and My Morning Jacket.
According to the band's press release announcing the release of Mojo, all tickets purchased online will include an MP3 download of every track on the album. Upon purchasing the tickets they will receive an email with codes entitling them to download two tracks from Mojo -- "First Flash Of Freedom" and "Good Enough." When the album is released later this spring, ticket buyers will be sent a download of the entire album. Also included with every online ticket purchase, to be delivered at the end of the 2010 tour, will be a selection of live tracks recorded during the road trek.
More details regarding Mojo's release date will be coming soon.

Closest venues:
July 28 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden Arena (with TBA)
July 31 - Philadelphia, PA - The Wachovia Center (with TBA)
August 14 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center (with Crosby, Stills, & Nash)
August 24 - East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center (with My Morning Jacket)
August 27 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center (with Crosby, Stills, & Nash)


DETAILS EMERGE ON THE ROLLING STONES' 'EXILE ON MAIN STREET' REISSUE
STATIONS: Please note the following story contains language that could be considered offensive to your audience.
Details are finally emerging on the deluxe reissue of the Rolling Stones' 1972 double album Exile On Main Street due out on May 18th. Rolling Stone reported that the package will feature "a deluxe CD edition with the 10 bonus tracks. The super deluxe package includes vinyl, the 30-minute documentary DVD and a 50-page collector's book with photos from the Exile era."

STEVEN TYLER SAYS HE "GOT THE GIG" WITH AEROSMITH, ANNOUNCES TOUR DATES
Steven Tyler is excited to announce that he's "back in the saddle again" with Aerosmith. On a video posted on the Boston band's official website, guitarist Joe Perry introduces Tyler who, in turn, says that he's officially back. The video accompanied news of the band's "Cocked, Locked, and Ready To Rock!" tour through Europe. The tour announcement wraps up months of speculation about the band's future. Perry had spoken openly about looking for a replacement for Tyler after the singer reportedly expressed interest in focusing on his solo work. The trek will launch with an appearance at the Sweden Rock Festival on June 10th.


Thursday 2/25/10

ROGER DALTREY WANTS TO RECORD BLUES ALBUM WITH JIMMY PAGE
Roger Daltrey says that he'd be up for a collaboration with Jimmy Page. Daltrey kicks off his current string of solo shows opening for Eric Clapton tonight (February 25th) at Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena. The Who front man told BBC Radio, that he's game to record a blues album with the Led Zeppelin guitarist, saying, "I'd love to do something, I'd love to do an album with Jimmy Page. He needs a singer to drive him. I'm a great blues singer. I don't sing the blues with the Who, but that's what I used to be before Townshend started writing. I used to be a great blues singer."
Daltrey had hoped to record an R&B/blues-based covers album with the Who last year with T-Bone Burnett -- who coincidentally produced Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' Grammy Award-winning Raising Sand album.

PEARL JAM COMING TO 'SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE' IN MARCH
Pearl Jam has been announced as the musical guest on the March 13th edition of NBC's Saturday Night Live. The band will perform songs from its latest album, Backspacer, which came out last September. Further details, including the episode host, will be announced in the coming weeks. Pearl Jam's last appearance on the show was in 2006 with Lindsay Lohan hosting.

ALICE COOPER READY TO ROCK BROADWAY
Alice Cooper says he's ready to rock Broadway. "Classic Rock" reports that the 62-year-old may be developing a stage version of his 1975 concept album "Welcome To My Nightmare." In a separate interview with "Rolling Stone," Cooper talked about the appeal of a Broadway show. Cooper said, quote, "You can do so much more if you're not traveling. You can set things up, put people in the audience that are in the show, so the guy sitting next to you might fly up in the air. I love the idea of an insane asylum, of being in an insane asylum, where you walk in, they lock the doors, and then they stand there, so you're in. The claustrophobia thing is good."


Wednesday 2/24/10

ROCK HALL PRESENTERS ANNOUNCED
The initial list of inductors was announced for next month's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone reported that Steven Van Zandt will induct the Hollies, Billy Joe Armstrong will do the honors for the Stooges, Trey Anastasio will induct Genesis, Wyclef Jean will salute Jimmy Cliff, and surviving Bee Gees Barry and Robin Gibb will induct ABBA.
Jackson Browne will honor music mogul David Geffen.The 25th annual Rock Hall ceremony is set to take place on March 15th at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City and will air live at 8:30 p.m. on Fuse TV.

ALLMAN BROTHERS RELEASE "BEACON BOX"
There is a new set of CDs on the market for Allman Brothers Band fans. RollingStone.com reports that the rockers have released a deluxe box set of live material from their 2009 run at The Beacon Theatre. The shows at the New York venue marked the band's 40th anniversary. Titled "Beacon Box," the set contains 45 discs and arrives in a wood case with a glossy booklet, souvenir backstage passes, and other bonus material. Priced at around 500-dollars, "Beacon Box" is available through the Allman Brother's website, Hittin' The Note. The Allman Brothers Band will return to New York this March for another spring residency. However, the band has moved to Harlem's United Palace Theater. The Beacon is booked this season with a new Cirque du Soleil production.

PETE TOWNSHEND WRITING, TAKING CARE OF HIS HEARING
Pete Townshend posted on his blog on thewho.com for the first time since August and gave updates on both his hearing and new project called Floss. Townshend recently revealed that his ongoing battle with tinnitus -- which is a persistent ringing in the ear -- might spell curtains for the Who as a live act.
Townshend explained that he's taking great pains to get his hearing back in shape, writing, "While Roger (Daltrey) does some more solo shows, this time supporting Eric Clapton, I am writing some more songs, testing out some studio and stage in-ear monitor systems, and wearing a Phonak hearing aid almost all the rest of the time. I feel as though I've been reborn in some ways. missed, but I did miss it. On a higher note, hearing birdsong again is pretty amazing."


Tuesday 2/23/10

ELTON JOHN AND BILLY JOEL PULL THE PLUG ON SUMMER TOUR
Fans who were hoping to catch Elton John and Billy Joel in concert during the summer leg of the pair's Face To Face tour will have to wait a lot longer -- the road trek has been canceled. Although no dates were officially announced, the "Piano Men" were heavily rumored to be hitting stadiums this summer in one of the season's most anticipated tours.
The Chicago Tribune reported that on Friday (February 19th) during his satellite interviews to promote the Chicago run of the musical Billy Elliot, Elton broke the news of the tour not happening, saying, "It's not my decision, it's Billy's. He has decided to take a year off. It doesn't gel with my plans but he's a friend. And as an artist you have to respect his decision."

SLASH SAYS VELVET REVOLVER IS STILL LOOKING FOR SINGER
Although ex-Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash is gearing up for the release of his first official solo album, Slash says that the latter band is still together and has not given up on looking for a new lead singer. He told RollingStone.com, "I think (bassist) Duff (McKagan) is doing something with Jane's Addiction right now so we're all sort of all over the place doing whatever until we can all regroup. We did listen to a lot of singers, but there hasn't been anybody that's going to be the guy so far." Velvet Revolver has been hunting for a singer since April 2008, when the band decided to dismiss Scott Weiland due to his erratic behavior.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS PLANNING FESTIVAL?
Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland hinted in a new interview that the band is planning its own festival-type tour or event. Speaking with entertainment reporter Nicole Brown in Las Vegas on Friday (February 19th), Weiland said, "(We) just finished mastering our new album. And we'll be playing South By Southwest in March, with a few more dates. And then we go to Europe to play all the big festivals in the early summer. (Then we'll) come back with our own festival we're putting together."  Stone Temple Pilots will release their sixth studio album and first since 2001 this May, according to Spin.com. The disc will be issued through Atlantic Records, Bassist Robert DeLeo said about the new disc, "Fans are going get a great STP record . . . a really cohesive record with songs that are going to be lasting."



Monday 2/22/10

REPORT: EMI SAYS IT WANTS TO RETAIN ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS
EMI says it wants to hold on to historic Abbey Road Studios. This contradicts previous reports from "The Financial Times" and other media outlets which said the British music company was planning to sell the recording studios immortalized in the title of a Beatles album. In a statement on Sunday, EMI said, quote, "EMI confirms that it is holding preliminary discussions for the revitalization of Abbey Road with interested and appropriate third parties." The statement continued, quote, "We believe that Abbey Road should remain in EMI's ownership." EMI also stated that it had rejected an offer to sell Abbey Road for 30-million British pounds, or approximately 46-million U.S. dollars. EMI purchased a house at 3 Abbey Road in London for 100-thousand pounds in 1929. It was subsequently converted into recording studios. The Beatles, Connie Francis, Pink Floyd, Cliff Richard, Al Stewart, Duran Duran, and Oasis are among the many artists who have recorded at Abbey Road.


RON WOOD'S EX SAYS HE'S BEEN SOBER FOR A MONTH
Ron Wood has been sober for a month according to his former lover, Ekaterina Ivanova. While denying reports that the couple were rekindling their relationship, Ivanova told Britain's Mail On Sunday newspaper, "Nothing physical happened. We only hugged. I showed him around my flat. A couple of my friends were also there so it wasn't that intimate. He stopped drinking a month ago and seemed calmer. His eyes looked brighter and his skin seemed clearer. We ate tuna sashimi. . . drank water and laughed about how crazy our relationship had been." She said that the former couple addressed their tumultuous past which ended shortly after Wood was arrested on assault charges for choking Ivanova: "He apologized for his behavior for the first time. I forgave him and we hugged. I think he has realized the world doesn't revolve around him."Ivanova revealed that she is seeking therapy to restore her self-esteem following her 18-month- relationship with the Rolling Stones guitarist, saying, "My heart has been blackened by what happened. By the end, I was dead inside. I felt isolated. I lost all confidence and I'm still having counseling

SLASH AND FERGIE TO RECORD ALBUM TOGETHER?
Slash told the U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine in a new video interview that he may record a full rock album with Black Eyed Peas vocalist Fergie. Talking about collaborating with the singer on a track for his upcoming solo album, Slash said, "I'd written this one song which just sounded like her to me so I played it for her and she took it home and wrote these lyrics, and it's pretty much the first rock 'n' roll track she ever really recorded. People are gonna trip when they hear it . . . I might actually do a rock record with Fergie 'cause she wants to do a rock record." The track Slash recorded with Fergie is called "Beautiful Dangerous," while the pair also cut a cover of Guns N' Roses' "Paradise City" also featuring Cypress Hill."Beautiful Dangerous" will appear on Slash's self-titled debut solo album, which is due out on April 6th.  The album features a guest vocalist on every track, including Ozzy Osbourne, M. Shadows, Kid Rock, Chris Cornell, Dave Grohl, Lemmy Kilmister, Myles Kennedy, Iggy Pop and others in addition to Fergie.  Slash has also tapped Kennedy, lead vocalist in Alter Bridge, as the singer for his upcoming solo tour, which will take place this spring. Kennedy was the frontrunner to sing with a possible Led Zeppelin offshoot band in 2008, although that project ultimately never got off the ground. Slash also said that fans will be allowed to wear Axl Rose T-shirts to his shows, a reference to reports -- since denied by Rose -- that Slash gear


Friday 2/19/10

THE BEATLES' LEGENDARY STUDIO MIGHT BE SAVED BY BRITAIN'S NATIONAL TRUST
Both Britain's National Trust and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber are considering swooping in and purchasing EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London. The Telegraph reported that EMI's private equity parent Terra Firma is looking to sell off the legendary complex where the Beatles recorded nearly all of their music for up to $46 million. The National Trust is a charity and is completely independent of the British government and relies on donations, legacies, membership fees, and fundraising. The charity protects over 350 historic houses, gardens, and ancient monuments -- along a string of outdoor spaces. The National Trust now owns John Lennon and Paul McCartney's childhood homes in Liverpool. The Daily Mail reported that Andrew Lloyd Webber has offered up $46 million to purchase Abbey Road and keep it a working studio.

MOVIE ABOUT KURT COBAIN HEATS UP AGAIN
A long-in-development feature film based on the life of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain is once again heating up at Universal Pictures, where the project has been stalled. According to The Hollywood Reporter, writer-director Oren Moverman is negotiating with the studio to rewrite the script for the proposed film and direct it. The movie is said to be partially based on Charles R. Cross' 2001 book, Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain. Cobain's widow, Courtney Love, is listed as an executive producer on the film, along with her lawyer.



IS AEROSMITH - STEVEN TYLER FEUD OVER?
So have the members of Aerosmith kissed and made up with frontman Steven Tyler? All signs are pointing toward some sort of reconciliation -- even if it's just to keep their business going. In addition to their recently announced appearance at this June's Download Festival in the U.K., the band has now revealed that it will also perform on June 10th at the Sweden Rock Festival in Solvesborg, Sweden. Joe Perry, who said, "This is the first show of our European tour. We can't wait to uncork our tour here in Sweden and I am sure the cork will hit the ceiling." A spokesperson for the band, meanwhile, told Billboard.com that more European shows are in the works.



Thursday 2/18/10

FACEBOOK PAGE FUELS MELLENCAMP SENATE SPECULATION
A Facebook group is looking to draft singer John Mellencamp to replace departing Democratic Senator Evan Bayh [[ BYE ]] of Indiana. It's adding fuel to the fire of speculation that he'll launch a bid. He would join a growing number of Democrats considering a run following Bayh's surprise announcement he will not seek reelection. The "Indianapolis Star" contacted Mellencamp's spokesman, who declined to issue a statement. The "Jack and Diane" singer has dabbled in politics, issuing an open letter entitled "Take Back our Country." That letter railed against "political agendas, corporate greed and overall manipulation." Mellencamp also issued an order for Republican Senator John McCain to quit using his songs during the 2008 presidential race. So far, Mellencamp has only been to the White House to perform.

REPORT: JIMI HENDRIX "ROCK BAND" DUE LATER THIS YEAR
One of world's most emulated guitar legends is reportedly getting the "Rock Band" treatment. According to "The Los Angeles Times," the music of Jimi Hendrix will take center stage in a "Rock Band" video game before the end of 2010. Janie Hendrix -- Jimi's stepsister -- let the news slip in her interview with the newspaper. Janie, who controls the "Purple Haze" rocker's estate, indicated that Sony has vowed to make Hendrix master recordings available through every type of media. "Rock Band's" makers -- MTV Games and Harmonix have not yet confirmed the news. Should the Hendrix "Rock Band" title go forward with a late 2010 release, it will coincide with the 40th anniversary of the rocker's death on September 18th, 1970.

DVD SET CELEBRATING CAREER OF EARLY-70S BAND FREE ON ITS WAY
There is a new DVD set on the way that celebrates the impact of the 1970s blues-rock band Free. Called "Free Forever," the set features two DVDs of archival video, interviews, memorabilia, and other excerpts from the band's history. The set also features live performances by the Paul Rodgers-led band from Germany's Beat Club and UK's Granada TV. The set's second disc contains all of the audio from Free's set at 1970's Isle of Wight Festival. The festival's roster also included Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and The Doors. Eagle Rock Entertainment releases the package on March 23rd.


Wednesday 2/17/10

JIMMY PAGE PUBLISHING PICTORIAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Zoso, the new career-spanning pictorial autobiography of Jimmy Page by the upscale publishing house Genesis Publications. Zoso, which is Page's first officially published work, is a hand-crafted 500-page book, produced in a limited edition of only 2,500 copies worldwide. No date has been announced for Page's book.




EMI PUTS ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS ON THE MARKET
Abbey Road is on the market. "The Financial Times" reports that EMI plans to sell the legendary recording studios immortalized in the title of the Beatles album of the same name. The sale will reportedly raise tens of millions of pounds for the British music company. It's believed that the Abbey Road brand name will convey with its physical property located in the City of Westminster, London. Regarding the "Abbey Road" brand, one media lawyer commented, quote, "The brand is worth more than the building...anybody who wants the studios will want the brand." EMI purchased a house at 3 Abbey Road for 100-thousand pounds in 1929. It was subsequently converted into recording studios. The Beatles, Connie Francis, Pink Floyd, Cliff Richard, Al Stewart, Duran Duran, and Oasis are among the many artists who have recorded at Abbey Road. Beginning in 2007, the series "Live From Abbey Road" used the studios as its setting. The documentary series -- which has aired in the U.S. on the Sundance Channel -- has featured Mary J. Blige, Iron Maiden, Dr. John, and other music mainstays.

IRON MAIDEN WRAPS UP NEW LP
Iron Maiden has a new album in the pipeline. "Classic Rock" reports the English metal band has completed recording for the project at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas. Neither a specific release date nor a title are confirmed, but the album is projected to hit the market this summer. The project's producer Kevin Shirley said, quote, "There's still work to do, but the band portion is complete and in the can, so to speak." The forthcoming album is the first new material from Iron Maiden for a few years. The band's last studio recording -- "A Matter of Life and Death" -- was released in 2006.


Friday 2/12/10

ROBERT PLANT SLATES NEW SOLO ALBUM RELEASE
Robert Plant is rolling out a solo LP in 2010. "Classic Rock" reports that Plant will release "It's Rude To Say No" later this year. Producer Buddy Miller is working with Plant on the project in Nashville, Tennessee. At least one other artist -- country singer-songwriter Darrell Scott -- is confirmed as a musical guest on the album.
There's no word yet if Alison Krauss, Plant's collaborator on the Grammy-winning "Raising Sand" will appear on this project.

ELTON JOHN & BILLY JOEL BACK ON THE ROAD
Elton John and Billy Joel are back on the road with the latest leg of their Face To Face tour. After a troubling end of 2009, which saw both Elton and Billy fall ill -- along with Alexa Ray Joel's alleged suicide attempt -- all seems to be well with the "Piano Men" .As crazy as it seems, this summer will mark 17 years since Billy Joel released his last studio album, 1993's River Of Dreams. According to Joel he's has sworn off rock songwriting to focus instead on classical works. Elton John believes that Billy still has more songs in his system:

Elton John & Billy Joel tour dates (Closest venues):
March 9 - Buffalo, NY - HSBC Arena
March 11 - Albany, NY - Times Union Center

RONNIE JAMES DIO CONTINUES HIS CANCER BATTLE
Ronnie James Dio's wife and manager, Wendy, is once again providing fans with a hopeful update on her husband's battle with cancer. Regarding scheduled Heaven and Hell shows this summer, Wendy even said quote, "I think he's going to make it." Wendy also shared that the legendary 67-year-old frontman is continuing with chemotherapy and testing,
stating that some tumors are now gone and others have shrunk. Wendy added that one of the couple's challenges throughout is trekking back and forth to Houston. Also challenging is the fact that -- thanks to the chemo -- almost all food tastes like "metal" to Ronnie James, according to his wife. Wendy acknowledged the pun, by writing "HEAVY metal?" in her statement.


Thursday 2/11/10

RINGO STARR ADDS ALL STARR BAND TOUR DATES
Ringo Starr has just announced seven additional stops on this summer's All Starr Band tour. The itinerary now includes shows in Uncasville, Connecticut; New Brunswick, New Jersey; Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and more.In addition to Ringo, the 11th All Starr Band lineup features returning All Starr's Edgar Winter on sax and keyboards and Gary Wright, also on keyboards. Newcomers to the 2010 tour include Rick Derringer on guitar, and the Romantics' Wally Palmer on guitar and harmonica. Session player Gregg Bissonette will double with Ringo on the drums. One definite highlight of the tour will be Ringo's July 7th New York City gig at Radio City Music Hall which falls on his 70th birthday. Out now is Ringo's 16th solo studio album Y Not which features appearances by Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Benmont Tench, Billy Squier, Joss Stone, Van Dyke Parks, Edgar Winter, Gary Wright, Richard Marx, Dave Stewart, and Ben Harper.
Y Not is Ringo's highest charting album since 1976

Ringo Starr and his All Star Band tour dates (closest venues):
June 26 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center
June 27 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
June 30 - Westbury, NY - Westbury Theatre
July 2 - Easton, PA - State Theatre
July 3 - Atlantic City, NY - Caesar's Circus Maximus
July 5 - New Brunswick, NJ - State Theatre
July 6 - Lancaster, PA - American Music Theatre
July 7 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall -- Ringo's 70th Birthday
July 8 - Lancaster, PA - American Theatre

KEITH RICHARDS & RON WOOD GROWING CLOSER THROUGH SOBRIETY
It seem as though sobriety might be bringing Keith Richards and Ron Wood closer together. According to many reports, the Rolling Stones guitarists began to drift in recent years due to Wood's constant battle with the bottle and Richards' choice to remain pleasantly buzzed. A source close to the band told Britain's The Examiner that Richards' new-found sobriety is his way of showing support for his struggling bandmate: "Keith and Ronnie hadn't had much to do with one another but now they're back in touch. They've both given up alcohol recently so they can obviously relate to each other's situation. They've been giving one another plenty of moral support."

BON JOVI KICKS OFF 'THE CIRCLE' TOUR
Bon Jovi's Circle World Tour gets underway tonight (Thursday, February 11th) in Honolulu. The group will be on the road, playing 135 shows in 30 countries until August of 2011. Bon Jovi will be playing hits, along with songs off its new effort, The Circle. There may even be some full-album shows.


Wednesday  2/10/10

BAD COMPANY RELEASES LIVE CD/DVD FROM 2008 REUNION SHOW
Newly released is Bad Company: Hard Rock Live.The CD/DVD features the band's reunion concert in Hollywood, Florida on August 8th, 2008. Prior to the historic Hard Rock gig, the original surviving members of Bad Company -- Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs, and Simon Kirke -- hadn't played together in over a decade. The tracklisting for Bad Company: Hard Rock Live is: "Bad Company," "Honeychild," "Sweet Lil' Sister," "Burnin' Sky," "Gone Gone Gone," "Run With the Pack," "Live For The Music," "Seagull," "Feel Like Makin' Love," "Movin' On," "Simple Man," "Rock Steady," "Shooting Star," "Can't Get Enough," "Rock N' Roll Fantasy," "Ready For Love," and "Good Lovin' Gone Bad."

THE PRETENDERS RELEASE FIRST LIVE ALBUM SINCE 1995
Out now is the Pretenders' first new live album since 1995's The Isle Of View, called Live In London. The deluxe package includes a 20-track CD and 24-track DVD and/or Blue-Ray disc, featuring performances captured last year during the band's concert at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire.  Highlights on The Pretenders: Live In London include such classics as "Talk Of The Town," "Kid," "Back On The Chain Gang," "Don't Get Me Wrong," "Tequila," "Stop Your Sobbing," "Middle Of The Road," "The Wait," "Tattooed Love Boys," "Precious," "I'll Stand By You," and "Brass In Pocket," among others.

DAVE GROHL SAYS FOO FIGHTERS WILL 'EVENTUALLY' RECORD AGAIN
Them Crooked Vultures have been talking a lot lately about making a second album sooner rather than later, leaving fans to wonder when exactly Dave Grohl will return to Foo Fighters and record a new CD with that band. Grohl told us that there will be another Foo Fighters album -- just maybe not that soon: ["Well, Foo Fighters are gonna make another album eventually. All the other guys in the band are doing other projects too and, you know, it's just a matter of trying to figure out when we can get together and do this and when I'm gonna get together and do that."] SOUNDCUE (:12 OC: . . . and do that.) Josh Homme also said that his band Queens Of The Stone Age will also make a new album soon as well. Them Crooked Vultures, which also features Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, released its self-titled debut disc last November.


Tuesday 2/9/10

THE WHO HAS MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT SUPER BOWL APPEARANCE
Roger Daltrey wasn't thrilled with the Who's performance at Sunday's (February 7th) Super Bowl halftime show in Miami. Daltrey told ESPN.com, "It didn't even feel like a concert. It's a television show. And what can you do in 12 minutes? I thought it went OK. I understand. It's a TV show. Cameras were everywhere. I was so blinded that I couldn't see." He said that he had hoped for some more crowd participation: "I really wished the crowd would have gotten into singing the songs with us more. That's how it is in Europe for our soccer matches. I wanted more banter." Daltrey went on to joke: "Miami is so different these days. It's not just a retirement community. Now Miami is fun and hip, and I'm too old to enjoy it." Pete Townshend seemed to have enjoyed the performance -- which was seen by over 100 million viewers worldwide -- a bit more than Daltrey, explaining to pollstar.com, that he understood that the Who were hardly the big draw of the day, "You know, you could kind of tell from the stage the crowd is really here for the game. It was nice for that reason. It was nice to feel a part of something and not having it all to be about us. We're too far gone to care, I think. It's extraordinary. You forget how big sport is and how every week it happens . . . I'm not trying to be humble but we felt like a very small piece of a huge team."

CHICKENFOOT WRITING SECOND ALBUM; HAGAR DENIES AEROSMITH RUMOR
Chickenfoot is already writing its second album, according to an interview with guitarist Joe Satriani at bestofwny.com. The rock supergroup, which also features Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and former Van Halen members Sammy Hagar on vocals and Michael Anthony on bass, released its debut disc last June and ended up with a gold album. Although Smith is now back at work with the Chili Peppers, Satriani said, "The four of us are all on the same page as far as this project goes, we're all committed to doing a Chickenfoot number two. As a matter of fact Sammy and I have already begun the writing process together."

SLASH SOLO ALBUM TRACK LISTING LEAKS
Slash fans are getting more information about the guitarist's upcoming solo album. Called simply "Slash," the project isn't due in record stores until this spring. However, "Classic Rock" has published a list of the project's collaboration-filled tracks. Originally titled "Slash & Friends," the album features the 44-year-old collaborating with an eclectic list of hot musicians. Appearing on "Slash" are musical "friends" Ozzy Osbourne, Black Eyed Peas' frontwoman Fergie, Kid Rock, Iggy Pop, Maroon 5's Adam Levine, and more. For superfans, "Classic Rock" also is offering a Slash fan-pack that includes two bonus singles -- "Baby Can't Drive" with Alice Cooper and Nicole Scherzinger of The Pussycat Dolls, and a revamped version of the late '80s G N' R anthem "Paradise City" featuring Fergie and Cypress Hill. "Slash" is slated for an April 2010 release in the U.S.

Here is a list of tracks on "Slash"
1. Ghost (Ian Astbury) 3:34
2. Crucify The Dead (Ozzy Osbourne) 4:04
3. Beautiful Dangerous (Fergie) 4:35
4. Promise (Chris Cornell) 4:41
5. By The Sword (Andrew Stockdale) 4:50
6. Gotten (Adam Levine) 5:05
7. Doctor Alibi (Lemmy Kilmister) 3:07
8. Watch This Dave (Dave Grohl/Duff McKagan) 3:46
9. I Hold On (Kid Rock) 4:10
10. Nothing To Say (M Shadows) 5:27
11. Starlight (Myles Kennedy) 5:35
12. Saint Is A Sinner Too (Rocco De Luca) 3:28
13. We're All Gonna Die (Iggy Pop) 4:30


Monday 2/8/10

PERRY SAYS TYLER'S STILL IN AEROSMITH
It looks like Steven Tyler is back in the saddle again -- at least to some extent. "Classic Rock" reports that Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry says that Tyler hasn't quit the band, nor has he been "fired." Perry said, quote, "We're taking the attitude that he's going on a vacation from Aerosmith. While he's away working on other projects, the rest of us want to carry on playing live. So we will bring another singer to make this happen." Perry added that he and his bandmates have no illusions about finding a singer that can "replace" Tyler. He also criticized the Internet rumor mill that's weighed in on the band's future frontman. Perry commented, quote, "The reality is that we know a lot of vocalists, and have sounded out some of them as to whether they'd be interested in joining the band. Right now, no one's been offered the job."

RINGO'S HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME STAR UNVEILING SET FOR TODAY
Ringo is getting his own "star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today. The unveiling ceremony is slated to take place tonight at 7:00 p.m. in front of the Capitol Records Building on Vine Street. Ringo is receiving the two-thousand-401st star on the Walk. It will be near stars for his late Beatle band mates John Lennon and George Harrison, as well as the recently unveiled star for the late Roy Orbison. With the addition of Ringo's star, Paul McCartney becomes the only former Beatle without a solo star on the famed walk. He is represented with the Fab Four's star.

OZZY MEMOIR LANDS ON "NYT" BEST-SELLER LIST
Readers are apparently interested in Ozzy Osbourne's life story. The rocker's new autobiography -- "I Am Ozzy" -- has hit "The New York Times" best-seller list. The book chronicles The Prince of Darkness' ascent from his younger, working-class days as John Osbourne to his mega-stardom as a hard rocker. "I Am Ozzy" occupies the number two slot on the "Times'" Hardcover Nonfiction list. Osbourne's been on a media blitz to promote "I Am Ozzy" with appearances on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," CNN International's "Conned the World," and NBC's "The Today Show."


STEVE MILLER BAND ANNOUNCES TOUR DATES
The Steve Miller Band has announced a string of North American dates, kicking off on February 20th at Anaheim, California's Honda Center and wrapping up with a double bill with Dave Matthews on July 25th at Louisville, Kentucky's Hullabalou Music Festival. Although Miller has never let too much time pass between tours, fans have eagerly been awaiting his first new album since 1993's Wide River. Back in 2007, Miller said that he was readying a followup called Loose Teather -- but so far, the album hasn't been released.

Closest venues:
June 12 - Atlantic City, NJ - Hilton Hotel
June 13 - Mashantucket, CT - MGM Grand
July 24 - Pittsburgh, PA PNC - Park At North Shore


Friday 2/5/10

THE WHO'S PETE TOWNSHEND RESPONDS TO CONTROVERSY
Rocker Pete Townshend is responding to the controversy that's accompanied The Who's halftime show at Super Bowl 44 in Miami, Florida this weekend. U.S. child advocacy groups have protested the band's appearance due to Townshend's 2003 arrest for viewing child pornography. At a Thursday press conference for the Super Bowl, Townshend said that he, too, supports children's advocacy -- but that being vigilant outweighs being a, quote, "vigilante."
Last week, child advocacy groups mailed post cards to 15-hundred Miami homes and schools warning that Townshend was, quote, "registered as a sex offender in his home country in 2003 for an offense related to child pornography." The legendary musician has admitted to viewing child pornography in the U.K. while doing research for his campaign against the availability of the illegal material.


DIO-ERA BLACK SABBATH LPS ON THE WAY
Ronnie James Dio fans have some Black Sabbath reissues on the way. "Classic Rock" reports that the band is re-releasing "Dio-era" albums in expanded formats. The LPs -- mostly from the 1980s -- are due from Universal this Spring. Titles getting bumped up to expanded form are "Heaven And Hell," "Mob Rules," which also includes two bonus tracks, and "Live Evil." Dio -- who is now 67-years-old -- is waging a battle with stomach cancer. Wendy Dio first announced her husband's diagnosis in late November 2009 after the rocker was admitted to a California hospital. In her statement, Wendy Dio thanked fans for their well wishes, saying, quote, "This has really helped to keep his spirit up."

AC/DC SINGER SLAMS BONO FOR ACTIVISM
AC/DC singer Brian Johnson has lashed out at U2 frontman Bono and musician and Live Aid organizer Bob Geldof for their outspoken activism and public charity work. In an interview with Australia's Herald Sun, Johnson said that he donates to charity but prefers to stay quiet about it, explaining, "I don't tell everybody they should give money -- they can't afford it. When I was a working man I didn't want to go to a concert for some bastard to talk down to me that I should be thinking of some kid in Africa. I'm sorry mate, do it yourself, spend some of your own money and get it done."





Thursday 2/4/10

RINGO'S HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME STAR UNVEILING SET FOR MONDAY
Ringo Starr will be getting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next week. The unveiling ceremony is slated to take place Monday evening, at 7:00 p.m. local time, in front of the Capitol Records Building on Vine Street. Ringo is receiving the two-thousand-401st star on the Walk. It will be near the stars for his late Beatle bandmates John Lennon and George Harrison, as well as the recently unveiled star for the late Roy Orbison. With the addition of Ringo's star, Paul McCartney becomes the only former Beatle without a solo star on the famed walk. He is represented with the Fab Four's star.

KEITH RICHARDS DOCUMENTARY BEING DIRECTED BY JOHNNY DEPP
The first serious documentary on Keith Richards will be directed by none other than. . . Johnny Depp??? Depp, who has only one rarely-seen film from 1997 under his belt as a director, told a Serbian website that he's currently working on the Richards documentary, saying, "Already next week I'll start working on a Keith Richards documentary. I'm very touched that Keith agreed to show up in front of my cameras."There has been no name or release date announced for the upcoming film.Richards and Depp became friendly while working on 2007 movie The Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End movie. Depp has gone on record as saying that he based his character "Jack Sparrow" in part on Richards' signature

JOE PERRY CONFIRMS STEVEN TYLER TRIED OUT FOR LED ZEPPELIN
Joe Perry confirmed the rumors that Steven Tyler did indeed try out for Led Zeppelin shortly after Robert Plant passed on reuniting with the band in 2008. For the first time Perry shared the details of Tyler's ill-fated attempt to front Zeppelin, telling Classic Rock Magazine, "Steven disappeared and I called around. Somebody said he was in London trying out for Led Zeppelin. It's something I've never talked about before. It's a kind of window into how hard it's been to keep the partnership together. It's not the first time things like this have happened -- that's the downside of our relationship."
According to what Jimmy Page told Perry, the rehearsals were "shambolic," with Tyler unfamiliar with the Zeppelin catalogue and under the impression they would be working on new material.Perry added: "Page felt really awkward about the audition, but ultimately it was a group decision (to pass on Tyler)."

THEM CROOKED VULTURES PLAN TO RECORD AGAIN THIS YEAR
Them Crooked Vultures apparently plan to record their second album later this year, according to a new interview with bassist John Paul Jones at Stuff.co.nz. Jones explained, "We'll do a second album this year. By the end of summer, something like that . . . We're all hard workers. In a way we need to do this for ourselves. Once we committed to it we worked as hard as a young band would, put the hours in. It's got to be good -- we've got reputations to uphold more than anything else." Vultures singer/guitarist Josh Homme also expressed confidence in an interview with England's BBC 6 that a second album was in the cards. Led Zeppelin's Jones and Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Homme teamed with Foo Fighters leader Dave Grohl in the new group, which released its self-titled debut disc in November.
Them Crooked Vultures will be the musical guests on this weekend's (February 6th) edition of NBC's Saturday Night Live.


Wednesday 2/3/10

WHO WILL PLAY 'OZZFEST' THIS YEAR?
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne are reportedly bringing back Ozzfest this year, but who aside from Ozzy himself will be playing it? With several other hard rock and metal festivals already clogging up the highways this summer -- the Rockstar Mayhem tour and the American Carnage package among them -- a lot of natural Ozzfest candidates like Korn, Rob Zombie, Megadeth, Atreyu, Lamb Of God and others are already spoken for. Meanwhile, MetalSucks.net has published a list of potential acts that could hit the Ozzfest stage this year, including Disturbed, Slash, Sevendust, Creed, Limp Bizkit and even the recently reunited Faith No More. The Osbournes have not mentioned any acts yet, nor have they revealed whether Ozzfest will return as a touring festival or a one-day destination event like the 2008 edition, which took place in Dallas with Ozzy and Metallica headlining. There was no Ozzfest in 2009 while Ozzy worked on his upcoming new album

Boston guitarist Tom Scholz is up in arms over an "impostor" who tried to impersonate him for a planned solo show for $5,000. Scholz said in a statement that make no mistake -- neither he nor Boston will be playing any dates in 2010: "The most upsetting part of this is knowing your name has been used to swindle people out of their hard-earned money. Over the last few years, I've seen countless examples of con artists trying to make deals, pass themselves off, or sell tickets to unsuspecting fans by using the name Boston but this is the first time I've seen someone actually use my personal name as a come-on." He went on to say: "If anyone has doubts about an advertised appearance by Boston, or anyone claiming to be performing as a part of Boston, they should check our website, BandBoston.com, or contact Agency For The Performing Arts, or our publicist, Gail Parenteau." (Pollstar.com)

SLASH OFFERING PRIVATE GUITAR LESSON IN CONTEST
Slash has partnered with the Ernie Ball guitar accessories company to give 20 guitarists a chance to attend a private master class from the former Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver guitarist. Five different-colored picks -- gold, silver, red, black and white -- have been hidden inside selected packs of Ernie Ball electric guitar strings. A gold guitar pick gets the winner entry to the class, plus flights and hotel, while the other four win various prizes such as a custom instrument, a $500 shopping spree at Guitar Center, a signed copy of Slash's upcoming solo album and free packs of Ernie Ball strings.





Tuesday 2/2/10

TYLER PUTS ATTORNEY IN TOUCH WITH AEROSMITH
Steven Tyler has engaged his attorney to intervene with regards to his future with Aerosmith. Billboard.com reports that the 61-year-old singer's lawyer Skip Miller has written a letter to the band's manager, Howard Kaufman. The missive requests that Aerosmith's management, quote, "immediately cease and desist from engaging in acts and conduct to the harm and detriment of your own client, Aerosmith, and our client who is one of its members." The legal outreach follows months of discussion by Tyler's bandmates that they were -- at least temporarily -- seeking a new frontman. Miller added, "Steven Tyler does not want lawsuits. We do not want to go in that direction. The direction we want is Aerosmith, with Steven Tyler, touring in Europe, touring Latin America, releasing a new album. This is the direction it's all intended to go."Miller has also called a meeting of what he refers to as Aerosmith's "shareholders" for early next month to plot out the Boston band's future.

BONO REPORTEDLY ON BOARD FOR "WE ARE THE WORLD" REMAKE
Bono is one of the names tipped for a massive new version of the benefit classic "We Are The World." Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones are backing the remake with proceeds going to help those in need in Haiti. Smokey Robinson, who appeared on the first single, said at Sunday's GRAMMY Awards that there would be no repeat performances from the original star-studded choir. Bono sang on the 1984 Band Aid fundraiser "Do They Know It's Christmas?," but wasn't featured on the USA For Africa charity track from 25 years ago. RedOne, who garnered acclaim for his work with Lady GaGa this past year, will reportedly produce the track. GaGa and Bono join other recently named performers including Usher, Jason Mraz, Carlos Santana, Enrique Iglesias, Toni Braxton, Trey Songz, and Jennifer Hudson who are said to be on board for the "We Are The World" remake.

Joan Jett says that the fictional band in the biopic The Runaways that mocked the band from the wings while they played was none other than Rush. Jett spoke about the circumstances which prompted lead guitarist Lita Ford to retaliate by urinating on one of the band's guitars: "Rush! They sat on the side of the stage and laughed at us. That sort of stuff pisses me off." (Jam.canoe.ca)





Monday 2/1/10

SRINGSTEEN, HELM, AC/DC WIN GRAMMYS
The night belonged to 20-somethings Taylor Swift and Beyonce, but Bruce Springsteen, Levon Helm, AC/DC, and other music veterans also walked away with GRAMMYs on Sunday night. Springsteen scored big with a Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance win for "Working On a Dream" from his album of the same name. "The Boss" beat out Neil Young, Prince, Bob Dylan, and John Fogerty in the category. Fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jeff Beck took home the GRAMMY for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for "A Day In the Life" from "Performing This Week...Live At Ronnie Scott's."
Throat cancer survivor and The Band-alum Levon Helm enjoyed a notable comeback, winning a GRAMMY for his Americana album "Electric Dirt.". AC/DC earned a Best Hard Rock Performance statue for "War Machine" from the band's "Black Ice" LP. Winning their first-ever GRAMMYs after long careers in music were English metal band Judas Priest and rock icon Neil Young. Priest won in the Best Metal Performance category for "Dissident Aggressor" off the band's "A Touch of Evil-Live" album. Meanwhile, Young shared his Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package Edition Package GRAMMY with art directors Gary Burden and Jenice Heo for "Neil Young Archives, Vol. I (1963-1972)."

STONES' RONNIE WOOD ENTERS REHAB AGAIN
The Rolling Stones' guitarist Ronnie Wood is back in rehab for an eighth time. UK newspaper "The Daily Mail" reports that the 62-year old rocker entered a rehabilitation facility in South London on Friday for alcohol addiction. Wood's admission to the facility reportedly follows months of pleading by his daughter Leah and his longtime friend and band mate Mick Jagger to seek help. Wood was last in rehab in July 2008. In recent months, Wood made headlines for a December arrest in connection with an alleged domestic dispute with now-ex-girlfriend Ekaterina Ivanova.

SCORPIONS PLAN DVD RELEASES
Just one week after announcing their plans to break up, the Scorpions have announced the release of new material on video. Band founder Rudolf Schenker told Billboard.com that the Scorpions plan to roll out a series of DVDs. The videos will feature unreleased live footage, including material that chronicles their earliest days as a band. The group also has a new studio album -- "A Sting In The Tail" -- that is slated for a March release. Regarding the DVD series, Schenker said, quote, "We will sit together after we take a vacation and make a list and then come out with different (releases). We'll make a plan, and then come out year by year with some surprise kind of stuff." the 40-year-old German band will commence a world tour later this year.

REPORT: CHRIS CORNELL, BILLY IDOL ALSO APPROACHED TO JOIN AEROSMITH
Following its revelation that Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry reportedly asked Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers if he wanted to step in for rehabbing frontman Steven Tyler, Classic Rock magazine now claims that ex-Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell and singer Billy Idol have also been approached by Perry. A source close to the Aerosmith camp told the magazine, "Joe approached Chris Cornell and asked him if he would be interested in the Aerosmith job, because the band were running out of patience with Steven. But Cornell, to his credit, didn't take Joe's request very seriously. He thought he was joking and was surprised when Joe said he wasn't."  Cornell told Perry that he thought it would be "ridiculous" for him to join the band, adding, "In any case, Cornell told Joe he was committed to Soundgarden's reunion, so it could never happen."  As for Idol, the magazine reported, "(Joe) invited Billy to his (solo) show at the House Of Blues in Los Angeles. Joe said he wanted to talk to Billy about joining Aerosmith, because the band were having problems with Steven." However, Idol failed to materialize at the November 24th show, reportedly because he was sick.


Friday 1/29/10

Stevie Nicks will make her first performance of the year on Sunday night's (January 31st) Grammy telecast. The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live starting at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. (US Magazine)Meanwhile, the recently rumored Fleetwood Mac/Eagles joint summer tour might not be happening. Eagles bassist Timothy B. Schmit wasn't sure how much he could divulge about the tour's status but did offer up that he "didn't think that's happening." (Associatedcontent.com)




BLACK SABBATH TRACKS COMING TO GUITAR HERO
The music of Black Sabbath is coming to living rooms and basement rec rooms worldwide. The video game series Guitar Hero has announced plans to roll out new tunes for download next month, including several Sabbath tracks. Activision -- the maker of Guitar Hero -- will debut "After Forever," "Into the Void," and "Sweetleaf" off the band's "Master of Reality" album, originally released in 1971. It's the first time that Sabbath tracks have been available for a video game series. Fans can access the tracks online on February 18th.Black Sabbath now joins a long list of bands who have allowed their material to become a part of a video game series. Aerosmith, Metallica, Van Halen, and Lynyrd Skynyrd all have songs available for Guitar Hero gamers.

PETE TOWNSHEND WARNING MAILED OUT TO MIAMI RESIDENTS
Residents who live around Sun Life Stadium in Miami are getting a warning by mail this week about rocker Pete Townshend. TMZ.com reports that several child abuse organizations mailed postcards to 15-hundred homes and schools close to the stadium where Townshend's band The Who will play the Super Bowl 44 Halftime Show next month. The cards warn recipients that "Peter Dennis Blanford Townshend" was, quote, "registered as a sex offender in his home country in 2003 for an offense related to child pornography." Townshend did admit to viewing the pornography while doing research for his campaign against the widespread availability of the illegal material. In the lead up to The Who's performance at Super Bowl 44, U.S. child advocacy groups have protested the band's participation, unsuccessfully lobbying the NFL to cancel the group's appearance.The New Orleans Saints will compete against the Indianapolis Colts at Super Bowl 44 on February 7th in Miami, Florida.


Thursday 1/28/10

“THAT METAL SHOW” RETURNS FOR SEASON FOUR
VH1 classic is welcoming back one of its homegrown hits next month. "That Metal Show" -- hosted by Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, and Jim Florentine -- will launch its fourth season on February 6th. Scheduled guests for season four include Megadeth's Dave Mustaine, Aerosmith's Joey Kramer, guitar legend Joe Satriani, Winger, and more. With an edgy tone, "That Metal Show" invites guests to talk openly about their careers, lives, and the industry. Catered to the "highly-opinionated" metal fan, "Rolling Stone" highlighted "That Metal Show" in its "50 Reasons to Watch TV Right Now" feature. Previous guests have included AC/DC, Alice Cooper, Lita Ford, Rush, and Steve Vai.

MAG CLAIMS PAUL RODGERS APPROACHED TO FRONT AEROSMITH
There are new reports surfacing in the Aerosmith frontman search this week. UK-based "Classic Rock" magazine claims Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry approached Paul Rodgers to replace Steven Tyler on lead vocals last fall. Perry reportedly asked the magazine's editor to introduce him to Rodgers at the "Classic Rock" Roll of Honour Awards in London last November. At the industry event, Perry reportedly praised Rodgers, one of rock's enduring frontmen for bands like Free, Bad Company, and Queen. The Aerosmith rocker was then overheard by a magazine staffer asking Rodgers if he'd be interested in replacing Tyler in the band. This latest rumor follows months of speculation about the future of Aerosmith. In December, 61-year-old Tyler admitted himself into rehab to fight an addiction to painkillers. Earlier this month, "The San Francisco Chronicle" reported that Perry had announced auditions for a new Aerosmith lead singer.

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND EXTENDS NYC 'MARCH MADNESS' RESIDENCY
The Allman Brothers Band has just announced five additional nights for their annual New York City "March Madness" residency. The band's newly-added nights are March 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 26th, and 27th. The Allmans, who had played 190 shows at the Upper West Side's Beacon Theatre over the past two decades, have moved the residency further uptown to the United Palace Theater in Washington Heights. The Beacon -- which many rock fans feel is synonymous with the band's annual "March Madness" gigs -- will be occupied for the foreseeable future by the new Cirque du Soliel show Banana Shpeel.

The Allman Brothers Band tour dates (subject to change):
March 11, 12, 13 - New York, NY - United Palace
March 15, 16 - New York, NY - United Palace
March 18, 19, 20 - New York, NY - United Palace
March 22, 23 - New York, NY - United Palace
March - 25, 26, 27 - New York, NY - United Palace
April 16, 17 - Live Oak, FL - The Wanee Festival - Spirit Of The Suwannee Music Park (with Widespread Panic)


ROD STEWART'S LOST 1992 ALBUM FEATURES COVERS OF ROLLING STONES AND STEVIE NICKS HITS
Out now is the long-unreleased 1992 Rod Stewart album called, Once In A Blue Moon -- The Lost Album. The 12-song collection features covers of the Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday," Stevie Nicks' "Stand Back," Tom Waits' "Tom Traubert's Blues," and Bob Dylan's "The Groom's Still Waiting At The Altar," among other tracks. Although neither Stewart nor producer Trevor Horn has ever gone on record as to why the album was originally shelved, one scenario is that following the multi-platinum success of Stewart's Unplugged. . . .And Seated collection, Once In A Blue Moon simply seemed not strong enough a release to follow-up Stewart's comeback album.


Wednesday 1/27/10

AC/DC ON BOARD FOR 'IRON MAN 2'
AC/DC is coming to multiplexes nationwide later this year. Marvel Studios and Columbia Records have announced that music from the Aussie rockers' catalog will appear in "Iron Man 2," the sequel to the 2008 Robert Downey, Jr. blockbuster. Columbia Records is also rolling out a companion album -- "AC/DC: Iron Man 2" -- this spring. The album will feature 15 classic songs from the band's body of work recorded between 1976 and 2008. "AC/DC: Iron Man 2" is available on April 19th."Iron Man 2" -- the film -- will hit theaters this May. In this second film, Downey, Jr. returns as Tony Stark, a billionaire engineer who moonlights as a superhero. Jon Favreau will direct again with Sam Rockwell, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Samuel L. Jackson co-starring. Paramount Pictures is scheduled to release the film in the U.S. this May.

Here is a complete list of tracks on "AC/DC: Iron Man 2"
1. Shoot to Thrill
2. Rock 'N' Roll Damnation
3. Guns for Hire
4. Cold Hearted Man
5. Back in Black
6. Thunderstruck
7. If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
8. Evil Walks
9. T.N.T.
10. Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be
11. Have a Drink on Me
12. The Razor's Edge
13. Let There Be Rock
14. War Machine
15. Highway to Hell 


Bob Dylan will play his first-ever White House performance on February 10th as part of In Performance At The White House: A Celebration Of Music From The Civil Rights Movement. The show -- at which President Obama and the First Lady will be in attendance -- will also feature performances by John Mellencamp, Smokey Robinson, Natalie Cole, and Jennifer Hudson, and will be held in the White House East Room. PBS will broadcast the concert the following night (February 11th). (Spinner.com)




Following his reported appearance at a Palm Springs karaoke bar last week, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler showed up at a Home Depot store this past weekend in the same area, where he sang snatches of two of the band's biggest hits, "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing," over the store's public address system. The singer, who is in rehab at the nearby Betty Ford Center, also reportedly signed autographs and sang a few lines in a high-pitched squeal after taking a hit from a helium machine. (TMZ)



POLICE TENTATIVELY IDENTIFY REMAINS OF MISSING METALLICA FAN
Virginia State Police announced at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon (January 26th) that skeletal remains found on a farm in the Charlottesville area are tentatively confirmed as those of Morgan Harrington, a 20-year-old girl who vanished from outside a Metallica concert in the area last October 17th. Harrington's disappearance led to national attention and an extensive search through the region of Virginia in which she was last seen, with Metallica themselves adding $50,000 for information about her whereabouts to the $100,000 reward that had been offered by her parents.


Tuesday 1/26/10

THE WHO'S PETE TOWNSHEND REVEALS "SUPER" SET LIST
As The Who gets ready to rock Super Bowl 44, the band's revealing its set list to fans. Guitarist Pete Townshend told "Billboard" that the Brit rockers are tightening up a medley of their well-worn classic rock. Townshend said, quote, "We're kinda doing a mashup of stuff. A bit of 'Baba O'Riley,' a bit of 'Pinball Wizard,' a bit of the close of 'Tommy,' a bit of 'Who Are You,' and a bit of 'Won't Get Fooled Again.' It works -- it's quite a saga. A lot of the stuff that we do has that kind of celebratory vibe about it -- we've always tried to make music that allows the audience to go a bit wild if they want to. Hopefully it will hit the spot."The Who won't be the first Super Bowl halftime artist using the medley format. Bruce Springsteen and Prince also pulled out bits of their best during halftime shows. The Indianapolis Colts will play the New Orleans Saints at Super Bowl 44 in Miami on Sunday, February 7th.

NIKKI SIXX BREAKS UP WITH KAT VON D
It takes a hard rocker to end a relationship with such a soft touch. "Classic Rock" reports that Motley Crue bass player Nikki Sixx has announced a break-up with his girlfriend of two years, Kat Von D. Regarding the split from the tattoo artist, Sixx said, quote, "I want to wish Katherine nothing but the best in her life. She has loved and inspired the hell outta me and I know I have done the same for her in these almost two years we ruled the earth together." The 51-year-old rocker added, quote, "You won't find me saying a bad word about her and I don't believe vice versa -- We have too much wonderful history together to ever deface that."

IS KEITH RICHARDS ON THE WAGON???
In a highly unlikely report, Keith Richards is reported to have given up alcohol -- and supposedly hasn't touched a drop of booze in four months! The Sun reported that while watching Ron Wood struggle with his alcoholism over the past year, Richards has decided to put down the bottle for the time being.
According to the unnamed source, "He has started to feel for the first time like it might do him some good to give up the booze for a while."


THE BLACK CROWES RECORD ACOUSTIC ALBUM
The Black Crowes have a new album on the way. In a recent website post, the group writes, "We just finished a new 20+ song set of Crowes' catalogue recorded acoustically with the full band and a few other friends. We're very excited about the session and feel it represents where we've been, who we are, and where we're going." There's no word on when the album will be released. It follows 2009's Before The Frost . . . Until The Freeze. Last fall, the Black Crowes released a DVD, called Cabin Fever, featuring footage from the recording sessions that ultimately turned into the set, Before The Frost . . . Until the Freeze.
CHECK IT OUT: Watch the trailer for the new DVD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVIR21dpIl8


Monday 1/25/10

GERMAN ROCK BAND THE SCORPIONS ANNOUNCE BREAK UP
It seems that The Scorpions won't be rocking fans "like a hurricane" much longer. The German band has announced via its website that its ending its four-decade run. The band wrote to fans, quote, "We want to end the Scorpions' extraordinary career on a high note. This is why, especially now, we agree we have reached the end of the road." Before the rockers -- whose popularity hit a high point with 1984's "Rock You Like A Hurricane" -- part ways they'll embark on one final trek this Spring. The Scorpions' "Sting and Blackout World Tour 2010" will kick off in March.Guitarist Rudolf Schenker -- now 61-years-old -- founded The Scorpions in Hanover, Germany in 1965. Schenker has cited The Yardbirds, Pretty Things, and Spooky Tooth as early influences.

GABRIEL PROBABLY WON'T SING AT GENESIS HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
It's official. Peter Gabriel won't dance and he won't sing when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation inducts Genesis in March. Gabriel told "Rolling Stone" he doesn't think he'll perform at the band's induction ceremony later this year. The "So" rocker said, quote, "As far as I know, I'm definitely not going to sing. I learned at our last reunion [in 1982] that you can't just get up there. You have to rehearse." It's unclear if Gabriel will even appear at the event, as he's rehearsing for his own tour at around the same time. However, the 59-year-old reportedly hasn't ruled a collaboration with the progressive rock band that he helped form in 1967. In response to reports of turning Genesis' 1974 LP "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" into a film -- Gabriel's last album with the band -- he said, quote, "We might work together. We'll see."The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation will induct Genesis into its Hall of Fame on March 15th at a ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. Fuse network will broadcast the event live.

OSBOURNE TALKS OZZFEST, ZAKK WYLDE
Ozzy Osbourne is talking about his new album, the return of Ozzfest, and not working with guitarist Zakk Wylde. RollingStone.com reports that Osbourne's scrapping the original title of his new album, due later this year. Initially called "Soul Sucka," Osbourne's fan base rejected the title, which sent the Prince of Darkness back to the drawing board. The new -- and currently unnamed -- LP is due in July, the same month that Ozzfest returns and Ozzy's massive tour kicks off. The 61-year-old said, quote, "'After Ozzfest I'm doing the most extensive tour of my life. It'll be something like, three-thousand-25 dates."When the tour begins, it will do so minus Zakk Wylde, Osbourne's collaborator since 1988. Osbourne said that his former guitarist now has his own things going on musically, adding, quote, "I knew I had to get another guitar player for a while. I just kept putting it off and putting it off."

THE EDGE SAYS U2 IS 'ON A ROLL' WITH NEW ALBUM
U2 is hard at work on a new album, and it could come out sooner than expected. Guitarist The Edge tells Entertainment Weekly that the group has a lot of new songs already, adding, "Some of them are really, really happy. We're convinced that we have something really special." U2 will hit the road again this June, so it's unclear when the new set will be released. The Edge says, "It's like deciding whether we are going to release the album before the tour starts or leave it for a while, we don't really know yet. Literally, within a day of getting off the road, Bono and I were working on new songs. On a roll." As for sound, the new material is a mix of nearly everything, as the band is working on a lot of different arrangements. The Edge says that "electronic is one of the things we are playing with. But there are other songs that are very traditional, almost folk." The new effort will follow 2009's No Line On The Horizon. 


Friday 1/15/10

TRADITIONAL ALBUM MAY NOT BE IN RUSH'S FUTURE
Rush drummer Neil Peart has told the Winnipeg Free Press that while the legendary Canadian trio are beginning to plan their next musical effort, it might not take the form of a traditional album. Peart explained, "We're thinking of writing and recording a few songs and maybe releasing them, and playing them live, and then going back and doing some more later. We just feel really free (in terms) of what we might do right now. Anything is possible in the nicest way and we like the fact of shaking it all up." Peart added, "We feel very much liberated from the album format in a way right now, because in the three years since our last album (2007's Snakes & Arrows), suddenly albums don't mean anything."

WAR OF TWEETS HAPPENING BETWEEN AXL AND SLASH?
Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose and ex-Guns guitarist Slash got into a war of words on Twitter this week, according to Blabbermouth.net. Slash tweeted on Wednesday (January 13th) that he was "looking into organizing a big fund raiser concert for Haiti," referring to the deadly earthquake that devastated the island nation and killed tens of thousands on Tuesday (January 12th). But Rose later shot back, "Pretty low n' selfish usin' the devastation in Haiti 2 start (false) reunion rumors. R hearts n' prayers go out to the Haitian people." There's no indication that Slash said anything about a Guns N' Roses reunion in relation to raising money for the Haitian crisis.

ELTON JOHN NOT REPLACING SIMON ON "AMERICAN IDOL"
Elton John is putting a quick end to rumors that he's headed to the "American Idol" judges' table. "Entertainment Weekly" cites a source, said to be close to the classic rocker, who is calling the stories, quote, "utter rubbish." Rumors began circulating online Thursday claiming Elton had been tapped to replace Simon Cowell as a judge next year on the hit FOX reality series.Cowell, who helped create "American Idol," launched the show in 2002 as a judge along with Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul -- who left last summer. For "Idol's" eighth season the show expanded the judges' panel to four with the addition of Kara DioGuardi. Ellen DeGeneres is replacing Abdul as the fourth judge this season, which will be Cowell's last. On the eve of "Idol's" ninth season launch this week Cowell announced that he would not be returning for a tenth season.



Thursday 1/14/10

UPDATE: U2'S MUSICAL "SPIDER-MAN" DELAYED, REFUNDS ISSUED
A Broadway show featuring original music from U2's Bono and The Edge appears to be back on track. "The New York Post" reports that "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark," one of the most expensive theater productions of all time, will proceed. "Spider-Man" hit some road bumps on its way to the stage, but recently got needed financing thanks to Bono's business partner, Michael Cohl. Walt Disney -- which recently acquired Marvel Comics, the "home" of the Stan Lee-created Spider-Man character -- will reportedly put up a portion of the funding. The announcement follows statements by Tony-winner Alan Cumming about production delays. Cumming will play Spidey's nemesis Green Goblin in the show."Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark" is now slated to preview this September, with an official premiere in November. Previews were initially scheduled for late next month with a premiere this spring. Now, ticket holders for the original dates may get full refunds or exchange their tickets for the newly-scheduled dates. Acclaimed theater veteran Julie Taymor will direct the musical. Taymor is well-known for her work on Broadway's version of "The Lion King."

NEW JOHNNY CASH ALBUM ON THE WAY NEXT MONTH
The last recordings of Johnny Cash are on their way to fans next month. RollingStone.com reports that Cash's final sessions in the studio before his September 2003 death will soon hit the market. American Recordings and Lost Highway will release "American 6: Ain't No Grave" on February 26th, the date that would have marked the music man's 78th birthday. Rick Rubin produced this final volume in the late singer-songwriter's "American" series. Covers on "American 6" include Kris Kristofferson's "For The Good Times" and Sheryl Crow's 1990s track "Redemption Day." Also on the album is an original -- "I Corinthians: 15:55" -- a song that Cash penned during the last three years of his life.The "Man In Black" reportedly followed through on the "American" series even after the May 2003 death of his wife, June Carter Cash. Rubin commented in a statement, quote, "Johnny said that recording was his main reason for being alive. I think it was the only thing that kept him going."

RON WOOD'S NEW RUSSIAN LOVER DUMPS HIM AFTER A WEEK
And who said this wouldn't last??? Ron Wood has reportedly been dumped by his latest twenty-something Russian girlfriend following a "challenging" week-long romance. 26-year-old Hannah Kamelmacher gave a phone interview to Britain's The Sun and explained that the affair is over, saying, "I will not be seeing him again. We last saw each other on Sunday, but it has been a very challenging couple of days and I would not want to see Ronnie again."
Kamelmacher went on to say, "I'd never dated anyone much older than me or anyone famous. I did recognize Ronnie (on the night we met) -- and he didn't appear to have been drinking. But we had a great conversation after which he asked me for my number. I found him engaging."She added: "He was a gentleman throughout our time together. We watched a couple of movies, went for a meal and went to the snooker (tournament). He was very kind and gave me a scarf from his collection at (British department store) Liberty."


Wednesday 1/13/10

BON JOVI TO ROCK THE GRAMMYS THIS MONTH
One of America's longest-rocking bands is confirmed to play the GRAMMY Awards this month. RollingStone.com reports that -- in a first for the band -- Bon Jovi will perform at "music's biggest night." The rockers are nominated for an award this year in the Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals category for "We Weren't Born to Follow." In a new twist, fans can vote on which of the Jersey band's hits they'd like to see performed at the ceremony in Los Angeles. The public gets to pick among six of Bon Jovi tracks including "Bed of Roses," "Wanted Dead or Alive," "Always," "Livin' On A Prayer," "It's My Life," and "Have a Nice Day." Fans of the New Jersey band can cast their votes at www.cbs.com/specials/grammys.
Watch the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards Sunday, January 31st at 8:00 pm on CBS TV.

OZZY ANNOUNCES "SOUL SUCKA" TOUR
Ozzy Osbourne has announced that he'll hit the road in connection with his new LP. The UK newspaper "The Sun" reports that Osbourne is planning an 18-month trek in support of his new album "Soul Sucka," which is slated for release this summer. The record will feature a new guitarist, Gus G., who will replace the Prince of Darkness' longtime axeman Zakk Wylde. Ozzy's also waxing about his future these days. The veteran rocker said, quote, "Someone recently asked me what I hoped to be doing in ten years -- I just hope I'm still alive, you know? I'm 61 now and you get to the age where your friends start dying." Osbourne added that he and his wife Sharon hardly fight anymore because they're, quote, "too knackered."

EX-GUNS N' ROSES GUITARIST INJURED IN HIT-AND-RUN
Former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke is reportedly recovering from a motorcycle accident this week. Rocker Tracii Guns, who is a friend of Clarke's, has posted a message on his Facebook page about the 47-year-old musician. Guns wrote, quote, "Gilby got nailed on his motorcycle last night. His leg is broken in three places. It was a hit and run. I am gonna try to go see him tonight - he will be ok." Clarke joined Guns N' Roses in November 1991, replacing Izzy Stradlin after he quit the band during a world tour.



RINGO STARR ANNOUNCES 2010 TOUR DATES
Ringo Starr has announced the 2010 lineup of his 11th All Starr Band and the majority of its summer itinerary. Yesterday (January 12th), Ringo held a press conference at NBC Studios before taping his appearance on The Late Show With Jimmy Fallon, to publicize the release of his new album Y Not and formally announce the tour which will kick off on June 26th in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Ringo Starr and his All Star Band tour dates (closest venues):
June 24, 25 - Niagara Falls, ON - Fallsview Casino
June 26 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center
June 30 - Westbury, NY - Westbury Theatre
July 2 - Easton, PA - State Theatre
July 3 - Atlantic City, NJ - Caesar's Circus Maximus
July 7 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall
July 8 - Lancaster, PA - American Theatre


Friday 1/8/10

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea is launching his own line of bass guitars that will be available at fleabass.com. Flea says he has envisioned the line as a high-quality, lower-priced instrument for young musicians, writing at the site, "Our single goal at Fleabass is to provide to young people something to fall in love with that their families can afford to buy, and also to be a company that can sustain itself over a long period of time." He was reportedly moved to start the line by the condition of instruments belonging to students at his music conservatory. (FMQB)




Slash told GQ magazine's U.K. edition that he and singer Axl Rose have been offered "hundreds of millions" to reunite for a Guns N' Roses tour, but that he doesn't see it ever happening. Slash added that the original band's last tour, in 1993, "was like an ongoing exercise in how we could bond the least, it just got worse and worse . . . It got to a point off stage where it was impossible for us to even be in the same room together and create any music." The guitarist says that he has not spoken with Rose in 13 years. Slash also said in the interview that he slept with as many as 500 women during Guns' peak years. (Metro.co.uk)

UK'S "ROCK" STAMPS ARE IN CIRCULATION
The UK's Royal Mail has put rock n' roll history into circulation this week -- literally. MTV.com confirms that the UK's postal service put its "iconic album cover" series of stamps out to the public on Thursday. The stamps feature some of the most historic album covers by English musical acts of the past 40 years. Featured in the new series are the Rolling Stones' "Let It Bleed," Led Zeppelin's "IV," David Bowie's "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust," The Clash's "London Calling," New Order's "Power, Corruption, and Lies," Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" and Pink Floyd's "The Division Bell." More contemporary albums include Coldplay's "A Rush of Blood to the Head" and Blur's "Parklife."

Music Birthdays:
David Bowie is 63.
The Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger is 64.
The Hollies guitarist Terry Sylvester is 64.
Little Anthony and the Imperials' Little Anthony is 69.
Loverboy singer Mike Reno is 55.

REMEMBERING ELVIS PRESLEY'S 75TH BIRTHDAY
Elvis Presley fans around the world are marking what would have been the King of Rock and Roll's 75th birthday. The pioneering rock legend was born in Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8th, 1935, the surviving twin and only child for Vernon and Gladys Presley. In July 1954, the 19-year-old recorded and released his debut single, "That's All Right." That song launched Elvis' career as well as a musical revolution, and as he skyrocketed to unprecedented fame he transformed pop culture in America and around the world. Over the course of his 23-year career, Presley captured the spirit of his generation, the imagination of his fans, and the attention of the media. A number of tributes are being held today in honor of Presley's birth anniversary



Thursday 1/7/09

TED NUGENT THINKS PRESIDENT OBAMA SHOULD BE IMPRISONED AND VOWS TO KILL MORE ANIMALS BECAUSE OF PAUL McCARTNEY
Never one to mince words, Ted Nugent says he wants President Obama arrested for being a Communist and that he plans to kill an extra hundred animals this year to spite Paul McCartney, among others. Although the "Motor City Madman" is renowned for his hawkish and outlandish demeanor, his interview with Royal Flush Magazine might just take the cake as his most violent.Nugent, a political conservative and avid hunter said at one point, "My name is Ted Nugent and because of Pam Anderson and because of Bill Maher and because of Paul McCartney, all the members of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), whenever I hear the word 'animal' or 'rights' in the same paragraph, I'm killing an extra hundred of something this year."

AEROSMITH SINGER CANCELS SOLO SHOW DUE TO REHAB STINT
Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler has, not surprisingly, canceled a solo "multi-media" show scheduled for January 23rd at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, New Hampshire. According to the Concord Monitor, the event has been scrapped because of Tyler's current stay in rehab for what he has called pain management and an addiction to painkillers. Ironically the show would have raised money to fight substance abuse among young people. It is not known whether Tyler's appearance will be rescheduled. Tyler's show was slated to include musical performances and a 30-minute Q&A session with the audience, along with Tyler showing concert footage and telling stories about his career and life.

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND FORCED TO MOVE NEW YORK CITY RESIDENCY UPTOWN
It's the end of an era as the Allman Brothers Band's "March Madness" residency at New York City's Beacon Theatre becomes a thing of the past. The band has been forced to move away from their longtime spot due to the Beacon housing a new long-term Cirque du Soliel production. The band, which has played 190 shows at the Upper West Side venue over the past two decades, will move the residency further uptown to the United Palace Theater in Washington Heights. The Allman Brothers Band will play their first "March Madness" residency at the Palace on March 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 19th and 20th.



Wednesday 1/6/10

THE ROLLING STONES SAY NO TOUR IN 2010
The Rolling Stones have issued a statement denying that they're performing at this spring's Glastonbury Festival -- or anywhere else in 2010. A spokesperson for the band issued a statement to NME.com saying, quote, "Following recent UK media speculation, the Rolling Stones would like to make it clear there are no plans at the moment for the band to tour in 2010." The announcement comes on the heels of speculation that the Stones are considering touring this year without 35-year-veteran Ron Wood due to his ongoing personal and alcohol problems. The Stones also announced that the long-awaited expanded reissue of their landmark 1972 double album Exile On Main Street will finally be released in May. The new collection will feature "a host of unreleased songs" including "Plunder My Soul," "Following The River," and "Sophia Loren." No exact release date has been announced.

Freddie Mercury's longtime partner Jim Hutton died of bronchial pneumonia three days short of his 61st birthday on New Year's Day (January 1st). Hutton, who also had also battled cancer, was a hairdresser by trade and met Mercury in the early '80s and was partnered with the Queen frontman through his death -- also due to AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia in 1990. Although Mercury had left most of his estate to former girlfriend and confidente Mary Austin, Mercury willed Hutton a half million pounds and property in Ireland where Hutton built his home. Hutton was laid to rest in Bennekerry, Ireland on Monday (January 4th), which would have been his 61st birthday. (Jam! Music!)

CHRIS CORNELL THREATENING LAWSUIT OVER STOLEN WEDDING VIDEO
Soundgarden's Chris Cornell is not too happy with one recent finding on the classifieds website Craigslist. "The New York Post" reports that the singer and his wife Vicky have threatened legal action after learning that their wedding video had turned up on the site, boasting "lost" footage of the late Brittany Murphy. The 32-year-old actress, who died just a few weeks ago, was a maid of honor when Chris and Vicky tied the knot back in 2004. The rocker claims the video was stolen, and he wants the site to give him information about the seller because the incident involves a federal crime. Craigslist has removed the video from sale.


Tuesday 1/05/10

RINGO STARR RIGHT AT HOME COLLABORATING WITH BEATLES BANDMATES
Beatles fans will be ringing in the new year with the first collaboration between Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney since 1998. The lead single from Ringo's upcoming Y Not album -- which will be released next week -- features McCartney harmonizing with his former bandmate on the song "Walk With Me" -- which Ringo cowrote with Brian Wilson's legendary Smile lyricist Van Dyke Parks.





ROCKER GLENN HUGHES ANNOUNCES "SUPERGROUP"
Deep Purple alum Glenn Hughes is ready to rock again. Hughes, who also provided lead vocals for Black Sabbath in the mid-1980s, says that he's the new frontman for a supergroup-in the-making. The unnamed band is reportedly working on an album with producer Kevin Shirley. A full lineup is unconfirmed, but rockers Jimmy Page, David Coverdale, Jason Bonham, and more are rumored to be attached, according to "Classic Rock" magazine. Regarding the so-called "supergroup," Hughes tells fans online, quote, "It is gonna rock...and you're gonna get it! The new band is now runnin'...it is a spectacle...with the most amazin' players...an orgasm for the mind!"Hughes is staying busy in 2010. The rocker plans to release his autobiography written with Joel McIver later this year. The book -- titled "The Life, Near Death and Rebirth of a Rock Star: Deep Purple & Beyond" -- will include a forward written by Lars Ulrich of Metallica.

ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME MIGHT BE CHANGING ELIGIBILITY RULES
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame might be changing their induction policy to spruce up the class of 2011. According to a report by Showbiz411, Jann Wenner, the founder and publisher of Rolling Stone and chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, is considering having the Rock Hall's charter changed from having inductees become eligible 20 years after their recorded debut rather than the now 25-year-mark. According to the post, under the current guidelines, apart from Sting becoming eligible as a solo act, the other top "new" acts eligible include 'Til Tuesday, Chris Isaak, Suzanne Vega, and Simply Red. Should the charter be pushed forward to the 20-year-mark, such heavyweights as Guns N' Roses, Green Day, Nirvana, Kid Rock, and Smashing Pumpkins, will automatically become eligible.




Monday 1/04/10

IT'S OFFICIAL: SOUNDGARDEN REUNITING
Grunge gods Soundgarden will officially reunite in 2010, according to a message posted at both singer Chris Cornell's website and soundgardenworld.com. The message reads, "The 12-year break is over and school is back in session. Sign up now. Knights of the Soundtable ride again!" Registration at soundgardenworld.com will allow fans to view a video of the band's 1989 single, "Get On The Snake," as well as a promise of future updates. No other information has been revealed at either site about recording or touring plans, although Billboard.com reports that the band is weighing offers from several U.S. and international festivals.

SIR ELTON JOHN HELPING EMINEM BEAT DRUGS
Rap superstar Eminem is receiving some help from a pop music icon. During an interview with BBC Radio last Friday, Elton John revealed that he has been helping "Em" defeat his addiction to drugs. The legendary vocalist explains, quote, "I've been helping Eminem over the last 18 months and he's doing brilliantly." The "Tiny Dancer" singer went on to say that he is always available, quote, "if people want my help." Eminem checked into rehab in 2005 for an addiction to sleeping pills. He would later reveal to "Vibe" magazine that he would consume ten to 20 pills of the painkiller Vicodin everyday. Elton John has battled similar issues, fighting an addiction to drugs and alcohol early in his career. John, however, has claimed sobriety since the 1980s.Elton John and Eminem's history together dates back to 2001 when the two performed the rapper's hit "Stan" at the Grammy Awards.

STORIES OF A MORRISON BABY A "HOAX"
His mama told him that there'd be "days like this." Van Morrison was reportedly the victim of a publicity hoax last week. "The New York Times" reports that widely-reported announcements that the 64-year-old had become a father again are false. According to a statement late last week made in Morrison's name and first reported by Agence France-Presse, hackers manipulated a message on the Irish rocker's website www.vanmorrison.com. The singer's official site erroneously reported early last week that Van was blissful over the arrival of a baby boy, George Ivan Morrison the Third.
Morrison has now enlisted PR firm Fleishman-Hillard International to clear the air. In a statement on Morrison's behalf, Fleishman-Hillard states the baby stories were, quote, "completely and utterly without foundation," adding that their client will now stage a thorough investigation on the hacking. Meanwhile, the Van Morrison website currently features a message that reads, quote, "new website coming soon, sign up for updates."


Thursday 12/31/09

MICK JAGGER AND RON WOOD SAID TO BE HAVING SIT-DOWN MEETING NEXT MONTH
Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Ron Wood will have a formal sit down in the next few weeks to talk about whether or not the troubled guitarist is fit enough to tour with the band. Wood has been seen as a liability due to his violent outbursts against former 20-year-old lover Ekaterina Ivanova, his recent divorce from longtime wife Jo, and his chronic alcoholism.  A source told Britain's Daily Express, "Mick and Ronnie will talk things through in the Next Year. They are old friends and Mick will obviously do everything he can to help him. But when it comes to the Stones, Mick has a real eye for detail and always ensures things run like clockwork. He'll need to be convinced that Ronnie is still up to the job. Hopefully everything will work out, as it would break Ronnie's heart if the Stones had to perform without him." A representative for Jagger was quoted as saying: "Mick has been very supportive of Ronnie over the holidays."

PAUL RODGERS NEW YEAR'S CONCERT AIRING TONIGHT
Airing tonight (December 31st) is Paul Rodgers New Year's Eve LIVE '07. The show, which was recorded live on New Year's Eve back in 2007 at Reno, Nevada's El Dorado Showroom, will air on TourTV beginning at 8:00 p.m. PST. The program features exclusive one-on-one interviews with Rodgers and members of his band, as well as the entire New Year's Eve concert broadcast, including hits from his time in Free and Bad Company, along with solo favorites.
Rodgers says that unlike many harder rock bands, Bad Company never got caught up in copying themselves: ["If we've had, like, a hit, like a 'Can't Get Enough' or a 'Feel Like Making Love' or a 'Run With The Pack' or a 'Shooting Star,' we never tried to say, 'Oh, let's write another one like that.' We look for a song that is...delivers a simple message in a fairly tough way. Not too sentimental."

CHRIS ROBINSON WELCOMES NEW BABY
Rocker Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes is welcoming a baby girl into the world. Cheyenne Genevieve Robinson was born on on December 26th, 2009 at the singer's home in California. Robinson's rep tells People.com, quote, "Chris Robinson and his new wife, Allison have a healthy and beautiful baby girl." Robinson, 43, wed Allison Bridges earlier this year and announced that they were expecting in September. The rocker already has a child, five-year-old Ryder Russell, with ex-wife, actress Kate Hudson. The Black Crowes frontman plans to start a new project and tour in 2010 after spending time relaxing at home with his new family.


Wednesday 12/30/09

GUNS N' ROSES AND JANE'S ADDICTION TO PERFORM TOGETHER
Guns N' Roses and Jane's Addiction will perform together on the same bill at the Monumental Stadium Esplanade in Lima, Peru on March 25th, 2010. According to LivingInPeru.com, both bands will play complete, full-length sets to refute reports that Jane's Addiction was acting as support for Guns N' Roses. The show will conclude Guns' South American tour, which is expected to also hit Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay, where the group will play for the first time ever on March 18th.  Peruvian businessman Alberto Menacho reportedly negotiated to have Guns finish its tour in Peru and to also have Jane's Addiction appear. Tickets go on sale in early January.  Guns N' Roses recently completed a short Asian jaunt and will begin a 13-date Canadian trek next month. The band has not booked any U.S. dates yet. The current edition of Guns is touring behind its 2008 album, Chinese Democracy, which was released 17 years after the last all-original Guns sets, Use Your Illusion I and II. Jane's Addiction reunited in late 2008 and played a few low-key gigs before embarking this past summer on a co-headlining run with Nine Inch Nails. The band has not announced any intentions to record a new album.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY NAMES BON JOVI'S 'THE CIRCLE' ONE OF THE YEAR'S WORST ALBUMS Bon Jovi's new album, The Circle, was named by Entertainment Weekly as one of the five worst albums of 2009. The magazine's critics wrote, "Even the band itself sounds bored with Circle's tired choruses and pallid rock cliches. It feels like 'Livin' on a Xerox of a Post-it of a Prayer.'" The other albums in the list include For The Love Of Ray J Soundtrack, Nelly Furtado's Mi Plan, Johnny Cash Remixed and Brokencyde's I'm Not A Fan But The Kids Like It.  Bon Jovi will hit the road in 2010 to back its latest release.

PEARL JAM FRONTMAN SUED FOR CHANGING LYRICS
Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder has been sued by a Canadian singer/songwriter for changing the lyrics to a song that he wrote. According to the New York Post, Vedder cut a version of Gordon Peterson's tune "Hard Sun" for inclusion on the soundtrack of the 2007 Sean Penn-directed movie Into The Wild, but Peterson was not happy to hear that Vedder had altered the words in his recording. Peterson's lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, states, "Vedder altered certain key lyrics of 'Hard Sun' . . . eroding the integrity of the composition." Peterson also named Universal Music in his suit, claiming that the song was licensed without his permission. He is seeking all profits from the recording for the alleged "acts of infringement." Vedder himself has not commented on the matter, but his lawyer, Gregory Clarick, said, "We don't see any basis for a copyright infringement claim." Peterson's original version of "Hard Sun" appears on his 1989 album Big Harvest, which he recorded under the name Indio. Pearl Jam released its latest album, Backspacer, in September.


Tuesday 12/22/09

VAN HALEN GETS "GUITAR HERO" TREATMENT THIS WEEK
Van Halen is getting the "Guitar Hero" treatment this week. Activision's "Guitar Hero: Van Halen" is in stores today. It's the company's third band-specific game following previous installments that featured Metallica and Aerosmith. The game includes 25 of Van Halen's signature tracks like 1978's "Runnin' With the Devil" and 1984's "Hot For Teacher." Also on "GH: VH" are singles from other artists that inspired the hard rockers. These include Foreigner's "Double Vision," Billy Idol's "White Wedding (Part 1)," and "Space Truckin'" by Deep Purple. Noticeably absent is "Right Now," one of the band's biggest hits recorded with ex-frontman Sammy Hagar in 1991.The game is available now for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii formats throughout North America. Europe gets to jam with Eddie V. and company in 2010.

RONNIE WOOD'S GIRLFRIEND ANNOUNCES SEPARATION
Ronnie Wood's "other woman" is speaking up this week. Ekaterina Ivanova, the 21-year-old Russian woman linked with the Rolling Stones' guitarist, announced her separation from Wood in the current issue of "Hello" magazine, while also describing her relationship with the rock legend. Wood allegedly dipped back into alcohol abuse while with Ivanova. The couple's liaison is also faulted for ending the guitarist's 23-year marriage with his wife, Jo Wood. In her "Hello" interview, Ivanova says things started well, but turned for the worse, culminating with the arrest of Wood for alleged domestic violence earlier this month. Ivanova -- who describes herself as an artist -- says, quote, "We used to draw together, dance, joke. The whole thing started off like a fairy tale, but then it felt like an evil fairy tale. I'd be trapped there with an evil goblin king."Ivanova claims she has ended her 18-month fling with Wood, who is 41 years her senior. The artist is now seeking to sell more of her story to the highest bidder. Meanwhile, Wood's camp confirms that the 62-year-old rocker has no professional engagements booked on the horizon.

RONNIE JAMES DIO ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING CANCER FIGHT
For the first time since his cancer diagnosis, Ronnie James Dio is talking directly to his fans. The former Rainbow and Black Sabbath rocker reached out to concerned supporters via Blabbermouth.net. The 67-year-old wrote, quote, "I'd like to take the time to thank everyone for the most wonderful gift I have ever received -- your good wishes, your prayers, your support, your tears and laughter, your anger, your rejoicing, and most of all the unwavering love you have bestowed upon me." Dio continued that he has always felt that he and his fans were, quote, "one person." The rocker added that he hoped to, quote, "climb higher mountains and explore greater magic" in the future. The statement follows similar expressions of gratitude from from the rocker's wife and manager, Wendy Dio. Ronnie James Dio was hospitalized in late November. Shortly thereafter, Wendy Dio confirmed her husband's stomach cancer diagnosis and disclosed plans fight the disease at the Mayo Clinic.

FLAMING LIPS' "DARK SIDE OF THE MOON" AVAILABLE DIGITALLY
The Flaming Lips' cover of the Pink Floyd album "Dark Side Of The Moon" arrives digitally today. The group teamed with 2009 touring partners Stardeath And White Dwarfs to lay down the music, while Henry Rollins and Peaches lend vocal assistance. Rollingstone.com says Rollins can be heard on the tracks "On The Run," "Money," "Us And Them," "Brain Damage," and "Eclipse," while both Rollins and Peaches turn up on "Speak To Me/Breathe" and "The Great Gig In The Sky." The collection, available via iTunes, serves to set up the band's "Dark Side" live performance, coming up in Oklahoma City on New Year's Eve.


Monday 12/21/09

RON WOOD MIGHT BE SIDELINED FOR ROLLING STONES TOUR DUE TO ALCOHOLISM
Ron Wood may be sidelined from the Rolling Stones' upcoming tour due to his alcoholism. According to Britain's Daily Mail, since his divorce from longtime wife Jo, Wood has been off the rails, with the Stones camp seriously doubting whether or not he can pull it together for the road. A source told The Mail, "Mick (Jagger) has always relied on Jo to be his conduit through to Ronnie -- he has relied on her to get Ronnie to work, to keep him well enough to pass a medical for the tour. Without Jo, Ronnie would never have managed to go on tour, you can't do it without insurance, and you won't get insurance without the medical. It's always been up to Jo to get him through all that." The unnamed source went on to hint that this might be a done deal and that the band might be minus one Stone for their 2010 dates: "All communication has gone through Jo for years, so now Mick has washed his hands of Ronnie. The feeling is that he can't come back after this one. Ronnie has always been a bit lost, and, without Jo, nobody can reach him."


OZZY OSBOURNE NAMES NEXT ALBUM
Ozzy Osbourne has chosen Soul Sucka as the title of his next album, according to NME.com. The disc, Ozzy's first since 2007's Black Rain, is tentatively slated to come out in June and will feature songs such as "Let It Die," "Diggin' Me Down" and the title track. The record will be the first to feature Ozzy's new guitarist, Greek native Gus G., who replaced longtime axeman Zakk Wylde in Ozzy's band earlier this year.  Black Rain was Ozzy's first all-new solo effort in six years and debuted on the Billboard album chart at Number Three. The heavy metal icon was inducted as part of Black Sabbath into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Two of the other original members of Black Sabbath are currently recording and touring in a latter-day lineup of the group called Heaven & Hell. There are no plans at the moment for the original Sabbath to do any recording or touring. Ozzy's long-running Ozzfest summer festival tour was scrapped in 2009, although he and wife/manager Sharon Osbourne plan to bring it back next year.

ALICE COOPER'S "CHRISTMAS PUDDING" RAISES FUNDS FOR CHARITY
Alice Cooper and his friends were rocking for charity over the weekend. The 61-year-old Arizona resident hosted his ninth annual "Christmas Pudding" charity show at Phoenix's Dodge Theater on Friday night. "The Arizona Republic" reports that this year's show was restructured for fans who couldn't stay for the entire four-hour extravaganza. Cooper and his wife Sheryl planned festivities to open with dancing, comedy, magic, and young acts that had won a contest to perform in the show. Hard rockers like Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, Lita Ford, and Warrant played later in the night. Other acts that stepped up for "Christmas Pudding's" ninth year were comic Gary Mule Deer -- who also plays guitar on the road with Johnny Mathis -- and Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers.Cooper hosted "Christmas Pudding" to raise funds for The Rock, a youth center on the campus of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. For more information regarding The Rock Teen Center, visit www.srfrock.org.


Friday 12/18/09

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KEITH RICHARDS!!!
Happy Birthday to Rolling Stones co-founder Keith Richards, who turns 66 years old today (December 18th)!!! Richards, along with Mick Jagger, has written some of the most enduring and important songs of the rock era, including "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Gimme Shelter," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," "Brown Sugar," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "Honky Tonk Women." "Tumbling Dice," "Waiting On A Friend," "Wild Horses" "Start Me Up," and literally hundreds of others.

GUITARIST CONFIRMS LEAVING RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
Guitarist John Frusciante confirmed the news reported earlier this week that he has left the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In a message posted at his personal blog and MySpace page, Frusciante revealed that he actually left the band over a year ago, writing in part, "There was no drama or anger involved, and the other guys were very understanding. They are supportive of my doing whatever makes me happy and that goes both ways." As for why he left, Frusciante wrote, "My musical interests have led me in a different direction . . . throughout my time in the band, I was very excited about exploring the musical possibilities inherent in a rock band, and doing so with those people in particular. A couple of years ago, I began to feel that same excitement again, but this time it was about making a different kind of music, alone, and being my own engineer."Frusciante concluded, "I really love the band and what we did. I understand and value that my work with them means a lot to many people, but I have to follow my interests . . . There was no choice involved in this decision. I simply have to be what I am, and have to do what I must do."

ZEPPELIN'S JIMMY PAGE TALKS ABOUT 2010 PLANS
Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page has a New Year's resolution to perform and record new music in 2010. The UK's "Sky News" reports that the 65-year-old guitarist doesn't discuss specifics, but says he'll reconnect with fans soon. Page says, quote, "Next year, I have every intention of playing music live and making it, manifesting it. I've got it. I've got it there. I've got the music waiting. It just needs to be done. So that's it. That's what I'll be doing." Regarding a possible Zeppelin reunion concert, Page notes the time was right for that, too -- citing the fact that it's been two years since the band's December 2007 show at London's O2 Arena.Page's comments follow rampant rumors that sprung up in late October that Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant is in talks to play the Glastonbury fest next summer. For more information, visit www.jimmypageonline.com.


Thursday 12/17/09

HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY, PAUL RODGERS!!!
Happy Birthday to the legendary Paul Rodgers, who celebrates his 60th birthday today (December 17th). Earlier this year Rodgers parted ways with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, and is currently writing music for a 2010 solo project and gearing up for a series of dates next year with the reformed Bad Company.




METALLICA'S HETFIELD DONATES LAND
Metallica's James Hetfield is sharing his good fortune with his Northern California community. "The Marin Independent Journal" reports that Hetfield has donated a 330-acre agricultural easement near his home to Marin County. The 46-year-old band leader lives in a property overlooking Lucas Valley in Marin, the county north of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. The Marin Board of Supervisors unanimously accepted the donation. As a condition of the land gift, there may be no development on the property known as Luiz Ranch. The acreage sits next to another 438-and-a-half acres that Hetfield previously gifted to the county as an open space easement. Regarding the donation, Scott Hochstrasser, Hetfield's land use consultant, said, quote, "There is a philanthropic bent here, but there is clearly also a preservation of privacy, which is very important to the Hetfield family."

GENESIS UNSURE OF REUNION AT ROCK HALL INDUCTION
It's looking like the eagerly anticipated five-man Genesis reunion during the 2010 Rock Hall inductions may not happen. The classic five-man lineup has only played live together once in 1982, and before that it's been 34 long years since Peter Gabriel has performed with Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks, and Steve Hackett.
Rolling Stone asked Rutherford about whether a Rock Hall team-up would resemble the 2006 reunion plan earlier for the legendary lineup, with Rutherford remembering, "That was a while back before we did our three-piece tour. That's an idea. Not sure if it will come to life. Peter had an album to come out before he did anything with us. And it hasn't come out, and that was five years ago."


Wednesday 12/16/09

GENESIS, ABBA, HOLLIES, AND STOOGES HEADED INTO ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced it's 2010 inductees yesterday (December 15th). Making the cut were Genesis, ABBA, the Hollies, the Stooges, and Jimmy Cliff. Being inducted in the non-performing categories will be songwriters Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, Mort Shuman, Otis Blackwell, blues songwriter Jesse Stone, and record mogul David Geffen. Tony Banks was asked about the possibility of Peter Gabriel performing live with Genesis for the first time since a one-off appearance in 1982: "I don't think he'd be itching to play early 1970's Genesis music at the moment. Peter is a bit elusive, but I'll probably talk to him soon and see if he has any concept of what he wants to do. I don't feel a great need to play. I'm happy just to drink."
The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kiss, both widely considered favorites for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, were snubbed by voters on Tuesday (December 15th) when the final list of inductees was announced.

Music Birthdays:
ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons is 60.
The Hollies guitarist Tony Hicks is 64.
ABBA's Benny Andersson is 63.

FLEETWOOD MAC & THE EAGLES EYING JOINT SUMMER STADIUM TOUR
Promoters are pitching a joint Fleetwood Mac/Eagles Sumner tour of stadium and arenas to venue operators and promoters across the U.S., according to livedaily.com. The site reports that "the double bill is being considered for a combination of single nights in baseball and football stadiums and multiple nights in arenas." No dates have been announced, but industry insiders are suggesting that the show will undoubtedly pack stadiums of up to 70,000 at every venue the tour plays. So far there's been no word as to when an announcement will be made.

AEROSMITH'S STEVEN TYLER CHANGES MANAGEMENT AGAIN
Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has changed his management once again, according to Showbiz411.com. Tyler has left Union Entertainment Group, which also handles acts like Nickelback and Hinder, and has signed with Allen Kovac of 10th Street Entertainment, which handles the affairs of Motley Crue, Papa Roach, Buckcherry and others. Tyler was previously represented, along with the rest of Aerosmith, by HK Management, but left them behind for Union while his bandmates remained with HK.

METALLICA, ANTHRAX, SLAYER, MEGADETH TO PLAY ON SAME BILL FOR FIRST TIME
The so-called "Big Four" of the thrash metal scene of the Eighties -- Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer -- will share the stage together for the first time in history next summer in Europe, according to a press release issued on Tuesday (December 15th). The foursome will join forces on selected dates of Europe's traveling Sonisphere festival. Two shows have been confirmed so far, on June 16th in Poland and June 19th in the Czech Republic, with more to be announced.



Tuesday 12/15/09

REPORT: GUITARIST LEAVES RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
Guitarist John Frusciante has left the Red Hot Chili Peppers for the second time, according to a report at MusicRadar.com. A source told the website that guitar player Josh Klinghoffer has been rehearsing with the group for "a couple of months now," adding, "Mentally, John checked out a long time ago. He's interested in doing his own thing, his own albums -- the whole big rock band machinery just doesn't appeal to him anymore." Frusciante left the band once before, in 1992, after the massive success of their 1991 breakthrough album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. He got addicted to heroin at the time, but eventually kicked his habit and rejoined the group in 1999. Rumors about Frusciante's continued involvement with the Peppers began to circulate a few months earlier, when he told Music Radar that the group had "no plans." He also refused to be introduced as "Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante," opting instead for just "guitarist." Meanwhile, when asked last month by Classic Rock magazine about Frusciante's status, drummer Chad Smith replied, "Well . . . at this time I can't talk about that. I have been told to stay away from the John questions." The Chili Peppers recently reconvened for the first time since late 2007 to begin work on their 10th studio album.

FOREIGNER'S HANSEN SAYS AEROSMITH'S TYLER IS "IRREPLACEABLE"
Foreigner frontman Kelly Hansen thinks that Aerosmith shouldn't try to replace Steven Tyler. Hansen -- who benefited from a frontman swap-out when he took over for Lou Gramm in 2005 -- thinks Tyler's loss would be too great. Hansen told "Classic Rock" in a new interview, quote, "As far as Aerosmith are concerned, Tyler has been a constant factor in that band for many decades. There's never been a Tyler-less version of the band -- until now, it seems. If Tyler had left Aerosmith in the mid-80s, like Roth did with Van Halen, then I think it would've been a lot easier to replace him. Aerosmith could have carried on without him, because Tyler might've been changeable like Roth." In related news, Hansen fronts Foreigner on 2009's "Can't Slow Down." Released in the U.S. in October, European fans will get the album next March. The album is Foreigner's first studio album with Hansen at the mic.


Monday 12/14/09

BAD COMPANY LIVE ALBUM COMING IN FEBRUARY
Bad Company will be releasing the live CD Bad Company: Hard Rock Live on February 8th. The CD -- which will be sold with the recently released DVD of their concert in Hollywood, Florida on August 8th, 2008 -- will also be available in Blu-Ray Disc with a bonus CD. Prior to the historic Hard Rock gig, the original members of Bad Company -- Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs, and Simon Kirke -- hadn't played together in over a decade. The tracklisting for Bad Company: Hard Rock Live is: "Bad Company," "Honeychild," "Sweet Lil' Sister," "Burnin' Sky," "Gone Gone Gone," "Run With the Pack," "Live For The Music," "Seagull," "Feel Like Makin' Love," "Movin' On," "Simple Man," "Rock Steady," "Shooting Star," "Can't Get Enough," "Rock N' Roll Fantasy," "Ready For Love," and "Good Lovin' Gone Bad."

FOREIGNER ROCKS "THE TONIGHT SHOW" THIS FRIDAY
Foreigner is prepping to visit Conan O'Brien on Friday. The power balladeers will guest on the week-ending episode of NBC's "Tonight Show" to promote its latest release, "Can't Slow Down." The appearance caps off a busy week for the band. Foreigner has tour dates booked for tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday in San Diego, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, California respectively. On Friday, the "Double Vision" rockers will appear on the late night variety show with animal expert Nigel Marven."The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien" featuring Foreigner as its musical guest will air this Friday on NBC. Check your local listings for start times. "Can't Slow Down," Foreigner's 2009 CD is available now exclusively at Wal-Mart stores.

WENDY DIO UPDATES FANS ON RONNIE JAMES' CANCER BATTLE
Wendy Dio -- wife and manager of legendary frontman Ronnie James Dio -- is providing fans with an update on her husband's cancer battle. In late November, Wendy confirmed that the former Rainbow rocker has stomach cancer. On Friday, Wendy wrote via www.ronniejamesdio.com, quote, "Well, it has been a very exhausting month -- after all the neverending tests in Los Angeles, we flew to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, and as soon as we arrived, we got a call from the MD Anderson Hospital that they had an appointment for us with the doctor we originally wanted, so we then flew to Houston to the clinic, and of course MORE tests, but Ronnie finished receiving his first chemo treatment on Wednesday, and all is going very well." Wendy Dio also used the online letter to thank the medical team treating James, as well as Dio's fans who have sent in over 50-thousand messages of goodwill to the 67-year-old rocker


Friday 12/11/09

TAYLOR LAUTNER, BON JOVI ARE LIVE ON "SNL" THIS WEEKEND
"Saturday Night Live" is bringing two major heartthrobs to its sound stage this weekend. The 90-minute live broadcast on Saturday features Taylor Lautner, who stars as Jacob Black in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," now in wide release. If Lautner can't get fans howling, there's also the musical guest -- Bon Jovi, fronted by Jon Bon Jovi. "Jon Bon," Richie Sambora and company will rock the show in support of Bon Jovi's latest CD "The Circle.""Saturday Night Live" starring Taylor Lautner and Bon Jovi airs at 11:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC this Saturday, December 12th.




RON WOOD SPLITS WITH 20-YEAR-OLD LOVER
It looks as though Ron Wood and 20-year-old Russian girlfriend Ekaterina Ivanova are finally over, according to Spinner.com. Last week Wood, who has been divorced from his wife since taking up with Ivanova in the spring of 2008, was arrested for assaulting Ivanova. Ivanova declined to press charges. According to a source quoted by London's Daily Mail, the Rolling Stones' guitarist and Ivanova had an "extremely volatile relationship," were constantly at odds about Wood's relationship with his family, with Ivanova said to always be "mocking" Wood about his age.
Wood's former wife of 24 years, Jo Wood, says that a reconciliation between her and Ron is out of the question, telling The Daily Mail, "We're still speaking and he's been talking with our daughter Leah, too. But before people ask or assume that we might be getting back together, we're not. Absolutely not. I'm very happy being single at the moment and I'm enjoying life."


Thursday 12/10/09

NEIL YOUNG RELEASES ACOUSTIC LIVE VERSION OF 'HARVEST MOON' ALBUM
Out now is Neil Young's latest archival project, Dreamin' Man Live '92. The set was recorded solo and acoustically during his 1992 concerts prior to heading into the studio to record the acclaimed Harvest Moon album. The disc, which presents the songs in an alternate playlist than Harvest Moon, features Young accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, piano, and banjo. The tracklisting for Neil Young's Dreamin' Man Live '92 is: "Dreamin' Man," "Such A Woman," "One Of These Days," "Harvest Moon," "You And Me," "From Hank To Hendrix," "Unknown Legend," "Old King," "Natural Beauty," and "War Of Man."

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN WEIGHS IN ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE DEBATE
With a vote set for Thursday on same-sex marriage in the Garden State, Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen is adding his voice to the debate. Springsteen, in a posting on his website, says he's long been a supporter of gay marriage. The New Jersey native also agrees with Governor Jon Corzine that same-sex marriage is a civil rights issue. The state Senate Judiciary Committee approved a marriage equality measure on Monday. The full Senate will vote on the issue Thursday, but its fate is unclear. Meanwhile, Springsteen is also turning down a request to perform at January's inauguration for Republican Governor-elect Chris Christie, an opponent of gay marriage.

TWISTED SISTER PERFORMS AT NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE TREE LIGHTING
Twisted Sister is at the New York Stock Exchange Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony today. The eighties hair band rocks an afternoon show at the Stock Exchange Facade between Wall Street and the Exchange. Season four "American Idol" finalist Constantine Maroulis, Kerry Butler and James Carpinello are set to join the rockers. The guest singers all star in the Broadway musical, "Rock of Ages." The production features music of the glam metal era including songs from Journey, Asia, and -- of course -- Twisted Sister.


Wednesday 12/09/09

LENNY KRAVITZ SAYS AEROSMITH SHOULD KEEP LOOKING
Lenny Kravitz is publicly supporting an old friend this week. The rocker took to Twitter on Monday to shoot down rumors that he would replace Steven Tyler as Aerosmith's frontman while the 61-year-old takes two years off. RollingStone.com reports a long-standing friendship with Tyler was a factor. On Twitter, Kravitz wrote, quote, "As much as I am flattered that Aerosmith's camp would consider me to front the band, Steven Tyler is a family friend, and no voice could ever take the place of his. I hope the band stays together. They are classic."The Kravitz rumors flared after comments made by Aerosmith's former A&R rep John Kalodner to "Rolling Stone" magazine. Kalodner said he had corresponded with Marty Frederickson -- a songwriter and creative collaborator of the Boston band -- and Frederickson brought up Kravitz as a unique option to step in for Tyler.

IRON MAIDEN TURNS TO FANS FOR CHRISTMAS CARD DESIGN
Iron Maiden is about to unveil a Christmas card designed by one of its fans. The rockers announced on their website that they will soon show off the band's official holiday missive. Don't look for a fireplace photo or argyle sweaters. The metal rockers asked fans to design a card around a "Flight 666" theme. "Flight 666" is the name a digital film based on a 50-thousand mile trek through five continents in just 24 days. Wannabe designers were given specs and a November 9th deadline. Once a winner is picked, Maiden will print and send the card out to its Fan Club members and friends of the band. For more information or to check out the winning entry, visit www.ironmaiden.com.

PEARL JAM'S EDDIE VEDDER ENGAGED
Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder proposed to longtime girlfriend Jill McCormick last Friday (December 4th), according to E! Online. The 44-year-old Vedder popped the question to the 32-year-old model while the couple were in Washington D.C. for the weekend, where Vedder paid tribute to Bruce Springsteen at the Kennedy Center Honors gala on Sunday (December 6th). Vedder and McCormick have two daughters together, a five-year-old named Olivia and a 15-month-old named Harper. Vedder was previously married to musician Beth Liebling, but they divorced in 2000. This will be McCormick's first wedding. Pearl Jam released its ninth studio album, Backspacer, in September. The band will hit the road in support of the record next year.





Tuesday 12/8/09

LOOKING BACK: THE WORLD IS ROBBED OF A BEATLE
On this date in 1980, the world was robbed of a Beatle. At 10:50 p.m. Eastern time, on December 8th, 1980, John Lennon was gunned down in New York City by Mark David Chapman. Lennon died outside of his West Side home at The Dakota. The music icon was only 40 years old at the time. Twenty-nine years later, the world's fascination with the late rock star continues. Last month, London filmmaker Sam Taylor-Wood released "Nowhere Boy," a biopic about the musician's formative years living with an aunt in Liverpool. The BBC is also in production on "Naked Lennon," a film that picks up on the Beatle's life at the conclusion of his first marriage with Christopher Eccelston in the title role. In New York, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex has "John Lennon: The New York City Years" currently on display. Created by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, the exhibit features never-before-seen artifacts, films and photos from Lennon's years in the American city that he called home. Had he lived, John Lennon would have turned 69-years-old on October 9th.


ROCKERS REMEMBER "DIMEBAG" DARRELL, HONOR HIM BY KEEPING METAL ALIVE
Today marks the 5th anniversary of the on-stage shooting death of former Pantera and Damageplan guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott. Friends of the late rocker are remembering him in a new YouTube video by Sydney, Australia presenter-producer Christina Rowatt. Fear Factory's Dino Cazares praises Abbott as, quote, "our history, he's like our Jimi Hendrix, you know." He explains, quote, "He's the guy who's inspired a lot of people. Not just in guitar-wise, but in attitude and just having a good time when you're on the road and you know, making the best out of something that's bad."Cazares adds that after "Dimebag" died, Black Label Society's Zakk Wylde said it was up to them to keep metal alive, which is now their mission. Wylde still stands by that sentiment as well. He tells Rowatt, quote, "Dime loved music. Dime had tons of God and Jesus Christ rolling through him...and God gave it to him to give it to other kids to pass it on."On December 8th, 2004, the 38-year-old Abbott was killed during a Damageplan show in Columbus, Ohio when gunman Nathan Gale entered the stage and began firing at the group and into the crowd. Police were able to stop the rampage by fatally shooting Gale, but not before he also took the lives of the band's security chief and two concertgoers and injured three others.


AILING ROCKER "BLOWN AWAY" BY FAN SUPPORT
A member of Ronnie James Dio's inner circle is thanking fans on behalf of the ailing rocker. Dio's wife and manager Wendy Dio confirmed in late November that the veteran rocker is battling stomach cancer. Now, Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has posted a message on his website regarding fan support for the 67-year-old. Butler said, quote, "As a friend and colleague of Ronnie James Dio, I just wanted to write a few sentences to express my admiration for the more than 50-thousand people who have sent get well wishes to him. He is blown away with all the prayers said and offered and all the good wishes sent his way. Believe me, it has helped both him and Wendy tremendously to have the support and well wishes and love of so many genuine people."Ronnie James Dio was hospitalized in November. As a result of his health setback, the rocker was forced to cancel an entire UK tour. Fans interested in sending support to the legendary rock frontman can post messages through the Black Sabbath website at www.Black-Sabbath.com. Cards may be mailed to Dio Fan Club, 12400 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 624 in Studio City, California at zip 91604.


Monday 12/5/09

THE KINKS MAKE IT TO THE BIG SCREEN
The Kinks are getting the big screen treatment. According to "Screen Daily," there's a bio flick in production about the London rockers called "You Really Got Me." The film focuses on the uneven relationship between the legendary band's brothers Ray and Dave Davies. "You Really Got Me" director Julien Temple says of the project, quote, "At the heart of it is the extraordinary love-hate relationship between these two brothers: love/hate, sibling rivalry is at the core. I think it's a very rich social, cultural nexus around The Kinks. Their story is the untold story of all those big bands of the 1960s." Ray and Dave Davies founded The Kinks in the mid-1960s. They've both sung lead vocals with Ray on rhythm guitar and Dave on lead guitar.

BILLY JOEL'S DAUGHTER RUSHED TO HOSPITAL DUE TO ALLEGED OVERDOSE
Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley's 23-year-old daughter, singer-songwriter Alexa Ray Joel, was rushed to a Manhattan hospital yesterday (December 6th), a victim of an apparent overdose of sleeping pills. The New York Daily News reported that her roommate in her West Village apartment called 911 at 12:20 p.m. An unnamed police source said, "She said (Alexa) had taken pills and was feeling despondent. She said she wasn't feeling good about herself." Alexa Ray told medics that she was having difficulty breathing after ingesting the unidentified pills. A source close to Alexa Ray claimed she only ingested "a homeopathic antihistamine called Traumeel." Christie Brinkley rushed to St. Vincent's Medical Hospital at a round 4:30 p.m. and Alexa Ray was discharged several hours later. Billy Joel was not on the scene but told News day.com that he is deeply shaken, but that Alexa Ray was never in serious danger because she got to hospital quickly. Another unnamed source told The New York Daily News that Alexa Ray has been "an emotional wreck" since splitting with ex-bandmate Jimmy Riot several years ago: "She had a rough breakup with a boyfriend. . . . It was her first love.. . . Alexa has some emotional issues. This may be a cry for help." The friend added that Alexa still has issues with her parents -- including the fact that her father's estranged wife is only a few years older that her. The source explained, "Her mother was a supermodel. Her father is one of the biggest pop stars in America. She's trying to find her place in the world. . . Christie loves Alexa, but she can be tough on her."


DISTRIBUTOR FOR THE BEATLES, GENESIS, QUEEN LAUNCHES ONLINE "ADVENT CALENDAR"
The distributor for The Beatles, Genesis and more is getting into the holiday spirit. Global music company Electric Music & Industries, Ltd, better known as EMI, has launched a "Thank EMI It's Christmas" online advent calendar. The holiday promotion offers 25 days of prizes along with free samples from the company's vast music catalog. Daily competitions end at midnight each calendar date in the lead-up to December 25th when EMI hosts Christmas Day bonanza. Each December day features a different artist or genre theme. Featured artists range from the Beatles, Queen and Genesis to "tween" star Hannah Montana. Among the prizes for fans who visit the company's calendar are the Beatles' limited edition Apple-shaped USB which contains all 14 remastered Beatles CDs and more. For more information, visit www.thankemiitschristmas.com.

BON JOVI ANNOUNCES DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL AS OPENER ON NORTH AMERICAN DATES
Bon Jovi has unveiled Dashboard Confessional as the band's touring companion on select concert dates beginning next year. Dashboard will appear as a special guest on Bon Jovi's 2010-2011 "The Circle World Tour" in North America. Specifically, the "Alter The Ending" rockers are scheduled to open for "Jon Bon" and company in Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, Philadelphia, Las Vegas and other major stop-offs on the heavily-hyped trek. The announcement follows weeks of promotion for the tour and Bon Jovi's November release, "The Circle."Bon Jovi's "The Circle World Tour" kicks off on February 19th, 2010 at Seattle, Washington's Key Arena. The rockers report that they sold 500-thousand tickets on the first day that tickets went on sale for the tour.


Friday 12/4/09

RECORD EXEC SUGGESTS AEROSMITH HIRE LENNY KRAVITZ TO SING
The current issue of Rolling Stone magazine features an in-depth look at the rift between Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler and the rest of the band, including interviews with guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, plus drummer Joey Kramer, in which they speak openly about their relationship with Tyler and their plans for the group's future. The most surprising comment, however, may come from former Geffen Records executive John Kalodner, who oversaw Aerosmith's late Eighties comeback and some of their biggest albums, such as Permanent Vacation and Pump.
When asked who could possibly take over as lead singer in the band, Kalodner says, "I was talking to Marty Frederickson about this because he co-wrote 'Jaded' and worked with them for ten years or so. We were talking about how no one can replace Steven Tyler, but the only person he said -- and I agreed with -- that could even make Aerosmith anything would be Lenny Kravitz."But, Kalodner added, "If you're asking me, is there Aerosmith without Steven Tyler, my answer is no. And if Steven Tyler goes solo my answer The Rolling Stone article also hints at musical differences between Tyler, who prefers to record radio-friendly pop hits, and the rest of the band, who want to get back to their harder-rocking roots. Joe Perry is touring with his own band, The Joe Perry Project, and will perform on CBS-TV's Late Show With David Letterman on Friday, December 11th.

FANS ENCOURAGED TO CHEER ON AILING RONNIE JAMES DIO
Ronnie James Dio fans are encouraged to let the ailing rocker know that they're thinking of him. Dio's wife and manager, Wendy Dio, announced earlier this week that her husband has stomach cancer. The announcement followed a mid-November hospitalization and the cancellation of an entire UK tour for Ronnie's band, Dio. Now, Dio's former bandmates in Black Sabbath are organizing an effort to get e-mails and cards to the rocker as he fights his disease. Fans who visit www.black-sabbath.com can send good wishes to the 67-year-old who once sang lead for the band. Sabbath site webmaster Joe Siegler will print messages for Wendy Dio to take to Ronnie. Well-wishers may also send "snail mail" to Dio Fan Club, 12400 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 624 in Studio City, California at zip 91604.Ronnie James Dio's rock resume includes frontman status with Dio, Black Sabbath and Rainbow. The rocker currently is battling stomach cancer at Mayo Clinic

U2, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN UP FOR "ROLLING STONE'S" ARTIST OF THE YEAR
As 2009 winds down, U2 and Bruce Springsteen are on the short list for a fan-based honor. "Rolling Stone" has posted an online ballot for its 2009 Year-End Reader Poll. The rock journal is asking aficionados to vote for best album, best song and best artist. To prevent "write-in candidate" mania, the magazine has narrowed the best artist category down to a list of 15 candidates. Irish rockers U2 and the Boss are on the list. Fellow nominees include Black Eyed Peas, Lady GaGa, Green Day, Jay Z, Adam Lambert and more. For more information or to vote in the poll visit, www.rollingstone.com


Thursday 12/3/09

SPRINGSTEEN, US, HALL & OATES ALL EARN GRAMMY NODS
This year's Grammy telecast will bring decades of experience to Nokia Theater in January. Longtime rockers like Bruce Springsteen and U2 join pop duo Hall & Oates on an eclectic list of nominees for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy made public its honorees on Wednesday. Springsteen won nominations in multiple categories for his "Working On A Dream" album, including Best Rock Song and Best Solo Rock Vocal performance. U2 scored a high-profile nod in the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group category for "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy." The single is off the "No Line On The Horizon" album, which also earned a nod in the Best Rock Album category. The nominations also offered some surprises. Bon Jovi was passed over in the rock categories but won a nomination for Best Pop Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocals. They'll compete with Hall & Oates in the category. John Fogerty did earn a rock nod for his solo vocals. The Creedence Clearwater Revival rocker won the honor for his country-sounding "Change In The Weather" off "Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again." The solo rock vocal category also rounded up some familiar names. Neil Young was honored for "Fork In The Road" and folk/rock icon Bob Dylan gets his shot at a statue for "Beyond Here Lies Nothing." CBS airs The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010.


ROD STEWART MEDIA APPEARANCES, "THE VIEW," "THE TONIGHT SHOW"
Rod Stewart is rocking both coasts on American television this week. The veteran rocker visits Conan O'Brien tonight as the musical guest on NBC's "The Tonight Show." Stewart is Universal City, California to promote his "Soulbook" LP which features newly-recorded versions of soul classics from the 1960s and 1970s. Stewart also stopped by ABC's "The View" yesterday, redeeming himself after a late October cancellation due to a hoarse throat. As part of his live segment on the New York City soundstage, Stewart invited "View" hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Joy Behar and Sherri Shepherd to back up on his rendition of "Love Train."Rod Stewart appears on "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" tonight at 11:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC.


PETE TOWNSHEND SAYS NEXT WHO TOUR WON'T BE A FAREWELL
Pete Townshend assured Who fans that the band's upcoming dates will not be their last. Townshend told Rolling Stone, "There is no farewell tour planned for 2010, and the Who are not disbanding. I love playing with this band I call Who 2. It's easy, and I catch fire, and I lose myself in the music -- I've had some of the best moments on stage with Roger (Daltrey) in the last four years." Although no dates have been announced for the band, according to the magazine, the Who are likely to announce shows for the late summer and early fall. The Who will perform at the halftime show for Super Bowl XVIV (44) on February 7th in Miami.

CHECK IT OUT: The Who are selling their official Super Bowl shirt on their official website: http://tinyurl.com/yf23zvm



Wednesday 12/2/09

ASIA IS WORKING ON A NEW ALBUM
Progressive rock band Asia is back at work on new material for fans. "Classic Rock" reports that the 1980s rockers behind hits like "Heat of the Moment," and "Voice of America" are recording a new album. Mike Paxman is producing the new recording set with Asia originals John Wetton on bass/vocals, Steve Howe on guitar, Geoff Downes on keyboards and Carl Palmer on drums. The still-untitled effort is set to wrap in mid-February 2010 and follows up Asia's acclaimed 2008 reunion effort, "Phoenix."Legendary cover artist Roger Dean -- whose work includes art for Yes, Rick Wakeman and Asia's previous albums -- is also on board for the upcoming project. For more information, visit www.originalasia.com.


John Mellencamp's 14-year-old son Speck has started a Facebook page in hopes of getting his dad to finally kick cigarettes. Speck posted on the site: "I made a deal with my dad that if I get a one million to join this group he will quit smoking." So far Speck has gotten 31,025 fans to sign up.



RINGO STARR, SMOKEY ROBINSON AMONG CELEBS AT GRAMMY NOMINATIONS CONCERT TONIGHT
Ringo Starr and Smokey Robinson join an eclectic line-up at tonight's "Grammy Nominations Concert Live!" on CBS. The Beatle and the Motown star are presenters at the one-hour event to announce Grammy nominees in major categories. Ringo and Smokey join fellow presenters late-night talk show host George Lopez, rockers Linkin Park, rapper T-Pain and country artist Dwight Yoakam. Other performers include French DJ and producer David Guetta, Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell, Nick Jonas & The Administration and Sugarland. LL Cool J hosts the special broadcast which airs tonight on CBS at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. The 52nd Grammy Awards air on January 31, 2010, also on the eye network.Starr and Robinson have been back on the front lines of pop culture lately. Starr is among the VIP interviewees in "Oh, My God," a documentary feature about spiritual faith from director Peter Rodger. Robinson's recent TV appearances include "The 25th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert" on HBO and NBC's special, "Ice Capades: The Music of Smokey Robinson," which aired on Sunday, November 22nd.


Tuesday 12/1/09

ERIC CLAPTON & JEFF BECK ANNOUNCE NORTH AMERICAN DATES
Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck have announced three North American dates for February. Pollstar.com announced the duo will play on February 18th at New York City's Madison Square Garden, February 21st at Toronto's Air Canada Center, and February 22nd at Montreal's Bell Centre. Prior to the three dates, Clapton and Beck will play a two-night-stand on February 13th and 14th at London's O2 Arena. So far no additional North America shows have been announced. Clapton says that he's used to being referred to as a "Guitar God" -- although he admits he's not really sure he deserves that kind of recognition: ["If it's true -- and I presume you think it is -- then I think it's a wonderful thing, and it's a great honor to be able to have that. It's a privilege, you know, that I'm very grateful for. I would never want to belittle that."]

QUEEN RELEASE 'ABSOLUTE GREATEST' COLLECTION
Out now is the new 20-track Queen compilation, Absolute Greatest. The collection is available as a single CD version, a double disc "special edition" featuring audio commentaries by Brian May and Roger Taylor, a two-disc version with a 52-page hardcover book, an LP box set edition, as well as a digital download.
The tracklisting to Queen: Absolute Greatest is:
"We Will Rock You," "We Are The Champions," "Radio Ga Ga," "Another One Bites The Dust," "I Want It All," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "A Kind Of Magic," "Under Pressure," "One Vision," "You're My Best Friend," "Don't Stop Me Now," "Killer Queen," "These Are The Days Of Our Lives," "Who Wants To Live Forever," "Seven Seas Of Rhye," "Heaven For Everyone," "Somebody To Love," "I Want To Break Free," "The Show Must Go On," and "Bohemian Rhapsody."


AEROSMITH'S JOE PERRY TO VISIT "LETTERMAN" NEXT WEEK
Joe Perry's omnipresence continues as the rocker heads to New York next week. The Aerosmith guitarist has announced that he's the musical guest on "Late Show With David Letterman" next Friday, December 11th. The Boston rocker will appear on the CBS late night show along with scheduled guest Kyra Sedgewick of "The Closer" fame.




Monday 11/30/09

LEGENDARY SINGER RONNIE JAMES DIO DIAGNOSED WITH STOMACH CANCER
Legendary heavy rock singer Ronnie James Dio has been diagnosed with stomach cancer, according to Blabbermouth.net. The news was announced by Dio's wife and manager Wendy, who said in a statement, "Ronnie has been diagnosed with the early stages of stomach cancer. We are starting treatment immediately at the Mayo Clinic. After he kills this dragon, Ronnie will be back on stage, where he belongs, doing what he loves best, performing for his fans. Long live rock and roll, long live Ronnie James Dio. Thanks to all the friends and fans, from all over the world that have sent well wishes. This has really helped to keep his spirit up." Heaven & Hell released a new studio album called The Devil You Know earlier this year. The Dio band was about to begin a European tour when
the singer was taken ill and diagnosed with cancer, forcing the cancellation of the trek.

THE WHO OFFICIALLY NAMED TO ROCK SUPER BOWL 44
Following up on what has been arguably one of the "worst kept secrets" in recent music news, the NFL has confirmed that The Who will rock Super Bowl 44. In a statement released on Thanksgiving during the Oakland Raiders-Dallas Cowboys game, the league officially announced the Brit rock veterans as its pick for the Bridgestone Super Bowl 44 Halftime Show.. Super Bowl 44 will air from Miami's Dolphins Stadium on CBS on February 7th.The Who now joins an illustrious list of rock legends to play the Super Bowl halftime show, including Springsteen, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, U2, Paul McCartney, and The Rolling Stones.

BON JOVI BOOKS 'SNL' PERFORMANCE
Bon Jovi has booked an appearance on NBC's Saturday Night Live on December 12th when Twilight Saga: New Moon star Taylor Lautner will host. The appearance is just one of many the band has done to plug its new album The Circle and the single "We Weren't Born To Follow."





Lita Ford is shopping a reality show based around her "hectic family life while keeping up on her touring and career." Last month Ford, who declined to be involved in the upcoming Runaways biopic, released Wicked Wonderland, her first studio album in 15 years. (Vintage Vinyl News)



Musicradar.com has recently posted it's "Top 50 Guitar Riffs Of All Time"." Log on to musicradar.com to check out the full Top 50.
• Here are the Top5 Guitar Riffs Of All Time according to the list:
o 1. "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" -- The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Jimi Hendrix)
2. "Sweet Child O' Mine" -- Guns N' Roses (Slash)
3. "Whole Lotta Love" - Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page)
4. "Smoke On The Water" -- Deep Purple (Ritchie Blackmore)
5. "Layla" -- Derek & the Dominoes (Eric Clapton, Duane Allman)


Wednesday 11/25/09


KISS STREAMS LIVE FROM LOS ANGELES TONIGHT
Kiss is performing a concert tonight at the Staples Center in L.A., and you can watch it live on Facebook, just like what U2 did last month on YouTube. The show starts at 7:00 P.M. Pacific Time, 10:00 P.M. Fans can tune in by visiting the official KISS Facebook page at facebook.com/KISS or on UStream at www.ustream.tv/channel/kiss-live. After tonight's show in L.A., the band is off to San Diego's Sports Arena on Friday.



SLASH GATHERS GUNS N' ROSES ROCKERS FOR CHARITY EVENT
Slash is once again in the news for a collaboration. The guitar great has assembled three of his former bandmates from Guns N' Roses to raise money for charity. "Classic Rock" reports that G N' R originals Duff McKagan and Steve Adler joined Slash in a performance of "Paradise City" over the weekend. The onstage reunion was part of a Los Angeles benefit organized by the rocker and his wife, Perla. There was no sign of former frontman Axl Rose, but Linkin Park's Chester Bennington stepped in on vocals. Proceeds from the fundraiser went to LAYN - the Los Angeles Youth Network. The organization helps homeless children by providing shelter, food and counseling.

RONNIE JAMES DIO'S WIFE THANKS CONCERNED FANS
The wife and manager of rocker Ronnie James Dio is saying thank you to concerned fans. Late last week members of the public reached out following news that the veteran rocker of Black Sabbath, Rainbow and Dio fame, had been hospitalized. Dio's wife, Wendy Dio, says via the Dio band website that she's forwarding the kind e-mails, cards and even some blog postings to her husband. Wendy did not elaborate on what put the 67-year-old rocker into the hospital.As a result of Ronnie James' illness, Dio's UK tour dates have been canceled and will not be rescheduled. Promoters have asked ticket holders to return to the original point of purchase and seek refunds. The Dio tour was slated to begin this Saturday, November 21st, in Glasgow, Scotland


THE MUPPETS SING QUEEN'S "BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY"
A new rock video is burning up the Internet. Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," as performed by the Muppets in a new video, is an online sensation, trending on Twitter and sending fans en masse to YouTube. The video opens on a tuxedo-clad Gonzo singing the song's opening bars. It then cuts to Rolph the Dog on keyboards. Other highlights include harmonizing penguins, Animal on the drums, The Electric Mayhem Band and Fozzie Bear jumping in with a spoken word request to tell jokes.The video's timing is spot-on for the furry performers. In recent months, Queen's original members Roger Meddows-Taylor and Brian May have openly discussed a desire to bring on a new lead singer -- or in this case, singers. Paul Rodgers of Free stopped touring with the rockers earlier this Spring.


Tuesday 11/24/09

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS RELEASE CAREER-SPANNING 'LIVE ANTHOLOGY'
Out now is Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' four-CD 48 track collection called The Live Anthology. The box set covers live Heartbreakers material from 1978 to 2007 and features unadulterated tapes from the Petty's archive, with "no fixes or overdubs." Highlights on the set included such Petty classics as "Even The Losers," "Refugee" "Here Comes My Girl," "Mary Jane's Last Dance," "Learning To Fly," "American Girl," "Runnin' Down A Dream," "I Won't Back Down," and more.
Among the covers featured on the collection are the Grateful Dead's "A Friend Of The Devil," Thunderclap Newman's "Something In The Air," Booker T. & The MG's "Green Onions," Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well," the theme from the 007 spy thriller Goldfinger, and the Dave Clark Five's "Any Way You Want It," among others.

ROD STEWART RESCHEDULES WITH THE LADIES ON "THE VIEW"
Rod Stewart appears to be a man of his word. The rocker has rescheduled a visit to ABC's "The View" after a hoarse throat forced him to cancel his scheduled visit in late October. Stewart will stop by the morning talk show next Tuesday, December 1st. The English singer explained back in October that his three-year-old son Alastair had passed along a viral infection to him. In a recorded statement to "The View" following his cancellation, the 64-year-old rocker said, quote, "Viewers and ladies, I woke up this morning to do a vocal warm up and there was no voice. It's just one of those things. It's a viral thing that's going around at the moment." Feeling ready to croon, Stewart returns to "The View" next week to promote "Soulbook," his album that covers hits from the 1960s and 1970s. Among the LP's highlights are Stewart's duets with Mary J. Blige and Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson.

JOE PERRY TALKS ABOUT THE AEROSMITH FRONTMAN SEARCH
Joe Perry is ready to meet Aerosmith's new frontman, he just doesn't know who he is yet. Perry who is the lead guitarist for the band and one of its founders, has openly discussed plans to find a replacement for Steven Tyler. While attending the 2009 American Music Awards in Los Angeles Sunday, Perry discussed the search saying that a new frontman may just take the Boston band up a notch.Perry went public with the singer search after the 61-year-old Tyler told Brit rock magazine "Classic Rock" that he planned to explore his solo side and to work on, quote, "Brand Tyler." Perry, along with fellow band mates Brad Whitford and Joey Kramer, have all stated that they plan to dream on, play on and tour on as the band celebrates its fortieth year.


Monday 11/23/09

SLASH DEFENDS FERGIE VIA TWITTER Slash is defending collaborator Fergie via Twitter. The former Guns 'N' Roses axe man worked with The Black Eyed Peas singer on a 2009 remake of "Paradise City." "Classic Rock" reports that fans have bellyached over Fergie's vocals on the single. Slash responded with a Twitter message that reads, quote, "Until now, not too many people have heard Fergie sing rock'n'roll but she sings it better [than] most dudes I know. She's a screamer at heart." Cypress Hill also appears on the overhauled G 'N' R track which is the B-side of "Sahara," a CD single released exclusively in Japan. In related news, the 44-year-old guitarist is expected to release "Slash & Friends" in 2010. Ozzy Osbourne, Kid Rock, Chris Cornell -- and Fergie -- all appear as guest vocalists.

DEEJAY RELEASES DAVID BOWIE LADY GAGA MASHUP Deejay Terry is bringing two music stars together on a new mashup. "Let's Just Dance" features Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" with micro samples of David Bowie's 1983 hit "Let's Dance." Now available at terryurban.bandcamp.com, the song is the first single from Urban's remix album. GaGa has long cited the Ziggy Stardust rocker as an influence on her flamboyant performance style. The young artist says on her website, quote, "I always loved rock and pop and theater. When I discovered Queen and David Bowie is when it really came together for me and I realized I could do all three."The mashup isn't Bowie's only presence in current pop culture. Rock journalist Marc Spitz recently released "Bowie: A Biography" through Crown Books. The book chronicles the 62-year-old legend's ascension from suburban London as David Jones to the superstardom that continues to inspire current acts today.

JOAN JETT, DEBBIE HARRY TO BECOME "BARBIES" IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS
Joan Jett is about to get "Barbie"-fied. "Classic Rock" reports that Mattel -- the maker and distributor of Barbie dolls worldwide -- has announced a "Ladies of the 80s" line of the popular doll. Jett, the hard-rocking voice behind "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," is depicted in the line. Also making the grade are Blondie's Debbie Harry and that girl who just wanted to have fun, Cyndi Lauper. The dolls retail for 35-dollars each. In other Joan Jett news, "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart plays Jett in the upcoming film "The Runaways." The biopic is due in theaters next year.


Adam Lambert shocked audiences with his closing performance at the 2009 American Music Awards last night, which featured sexually suggestive dancing -- and a guy-on-guy kiss. Rolling Stone reported that producers weren't told about the kiss in advance.


Friday 11/20/09

ACADEMY AWARDS SNUB ROCK DOCS
Two acclaimed rock documentaries, It Might Get Loud and Anvil! The Story Of Anvil, were left off the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' short list of 15 films in consideration for an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary, according to Slashfilm.com. The 15 titles now on the list will be pared down to a slate of five finalists, with the winner announced at the Academy Awards ceremony in March. It Might Get Loud featured an in-depth look at Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, U2 axeman The Edge and White Stripes/Raconteurs frontman Jack White as they discussed the craft of playing guitar and their personal musical histories, culminating in the three musicians jamming together. The highly regarded Anvil!, meanwhile, told the story of a real-life Spinal Tap, the Canadian metal act Anvil who have persevered with their career through nearly 30 years of bad breaks and worse luck.


SCORPIONS RELEASE WORLD TOUR DETAILS
The Scorpions are back on the world stage with the "Get Your Sting and Black Out" World Tour. The rockers announced via their website that they'll tour the globe for the next two years at major stadiums and venues. The Scorpions are considered the most successful international rock band from Germany. That's also where they'll launch their upcoming trek. The Scorpions play the Arena Leipzig in Leipzig, Germany on May 7th, 2010. Band founders Rudolf Schenker and Klaus Mein said in a statement, quote, "2010 is going to be a very special year for the Scorpions, so it is an especially good feeling to be able to start this tour at home."Following the German dates, The Scorpions bring "the sting" to the United States, South America, Asia, Russia and various additional countries throughout Europe. For more information, visit www.the-scorpions.com.

STEVIE NICKS MIGHT WRITE FLEETWOOD MAC MEMOIR
Stevie Nicks hinted that she might be the latest member of Fleetwood Mac to publish a tell-all memoir. Nicks, who along with the band is on tour in Europe, shed some light on Fleetwood Mac's long, storied past, telling The Daily Mail, "If you think you know the truth about this band, you can think again. Other than the people involved, nobody knows what really went on." She went on to say: "One day, when I'm an old lady, I'm going to tell the whole tale and people will be amazed. The truth will blow your mind. The story is deep, dark and heavy. But it's also beautiful, sexy and more romantic than you could ever imagine. Now's not the time, though. You'll have to wait ten years for that one."Nicks says that she and her Fleetwood Mac bandmates are getting along great on their current tour:




Music Birthdays:

Joe Walsh is 62.
Norman Greenbaum is 67. He's best known for the 1969 hit "Spirit in the Sky."


Thursday 11/19/09

BON JOVI'S "THE CIRCLE" DEBUTS ATOP BILLBOARD 200
New Jersey rockers Bon Jovi are back on top of the Billboard 200 chart. The band's new album, "The Circle," debuts at number one on this week's chart after selling 163-thousand copies. According to Billboard.com, "The Circle" is Bon Jovi's second consecutive album to debut at the top of the Billboard 200. Their 2007 release "Lost Highway" also opened at number one after selling 292-thousand copies in its first week. Bon Jovi's previous number one albums include 1986's "Slippery When Wet" and 1988's "New Jersey."

RONNIE JAMES DIO HOSPITALIZED, UK TOUR DATES CANCELED
Rock legend Ronnie James Dio has canceled an entire UK tour after being hospitalized this week. According to "Classic Rock" magazine, the 67-year-old frontman's wife Wendy confirmed the cancelation. Wendy Dio, who also serves as Ronnie's manager, would not elaborate on why her husband entered the hospital or comment on his condition. Dio's UK tour dates will not be rescheduled. Promoters have asked ticket holders to return to the original point of purchase and seek refunds. The Dio tour was slated to begin this Saturday, November 21st, in Glasgow, Scotland.

MOTLEY CRUE GREATEST HITS AVAILABLE THIS WEEK
Motley Crue is bringing new products to the market in time for the holidays. On Tuesday, the rockers debuted "Greatest Hits" online at www.thestreetdate.com. Featured hits on the 19-track album include "Kickstart My Heart" and "Wild Side." Best Buy also offers an exclusive CD/DVD package of "Greatest Hits" with a 20-minute behind-the-scenes documentary filmed at "Crue Fest 2." In related news, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the band's "Dr. Feelgood" release. The 1989 LP sold more than seven-million copies worldwide and earned the band their first two Grammy nominations. Eleven Seven/Motley Records re-released the LP in September.


Tuesday 11/17/09

THE WHO TO RELEASE NEW HITS COLLECTION NEXT MONTH
Set for release on December 22nd is the new 19-track hits compilation The Who - Greatest Hits. As with most of the band's compilations, their early '80s catalogue is only touched upon by two tracks -- 1981's "You Better You Bet" and 1982's "Eminence Front." Their most recent album, Endless Wire is represented with the rarely-heard single "It's Not Enough." The tracklisting to The Who - Greatest Hits is: "I Can't Explain," "My Generation," "The Kids Are Alright," "Substitute," "Happy Jack," "Pictures Of Lily," "I Can See For Miles," "Magic Bus," "Pinball Wizard," "Behind Blue Eyes," "Baba O'Riley," "Won't Get Fooled Again," "Love, Reign O'er Me," "Who Are You," "Squeeze Box," "You Better You Bet," "Eminence Front," "Real Good Looking Boy," and "It's Not Enough."

THEM CROOKED VULTURES TAKE FLIGHT TUESDAY
The much-anticipated debut album from Them Crooked Vultures arrives in stores on Tuesday (November 17th). The self-titled disc features 13 tracks from the trio, which is comprised of Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl on drums, Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones and Queens Of The Stone Age singer/guitarist Josh Homme. Homme told Antiquiet.com earlier this fall that the group has been deliberately secretive about their plans. Homme revealed that the project was born at a birthday party that Grohl threw for himself at Medieval Times, where he introduced Homme and Jones to each other. Homme called it a "blind date."


BOB DYLAN DANCES IN NEW CHRISTMAS VIDEO
Bob Dylan's video for "Must Be Santa" -- the lead single from the new Christmas In The Heart collection has made it's way online. The holiday clip, which features Dylan wearing a series of long wigs under his hat, shows a festive Christmas party complete with mass drinking, laughter, singalongs -- and yes -- Bob Dylan dancing.

CHECK IT OUT -- Bob Dylan's video for "Must Be Santa": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLZ8LPIh4Xc


Monday 11/16/09

MICHAEL ANTHONY SAYS EDDIE VAN HALEN 'HAS IT IN FOR HIM'
Five years after parting ways, Michael Anthony says that Eddie Van Halen still bears him ill will. In an in depth interview with undercover.com.au Anthony shed substantial light on his split with Eddie and Alex Han Halen. When asked pointedly about the status of his relationship with Eddie, Anthony said, "There is no relationship... Eddie had it in for me ever since I buddied up with Sammy Hagar again which I couldn't understand because Sammy had asked me sometime back if I would like to come and guest on some shows. This was when Van Halen was going through a period where Eddie was dealing with some of his own demons. He had the cancer thing he was dealing with and his marriage. As far as I was concerned, I was going out there waving the Van Halen flag to say, 'we didn't go away, we are still here.' Unfortunately, he didn't see it that way." Anthony added: "He never liked me hanging out with Sammy and I can't understand why because Van Halen was my band. They didn't see it that way so they chose to not have me participate (in the reunion with David Lee Roth). When asked how he felt about Eddie replacing him in the band by his teenage son Wolfgang, Anthony said, "That's his son. He is a teenager but he is a decent bass player. I think that was also part of the reason to do it, to spite me." Earlier this month, Chickenfoot -- featuring Anthony, Hagar, Chad Smith, and Joe Satriani -- was named the best new band of 2009 at the annual Classic Rock Magazine Awards in London. Van Halen is believed to be gearing up for a 2010 album and tour.

Ringo Starr will release his 16th solo album, called Y Not on January 12th. Starr's representatives would not confirm the exact date for the new album, but said than an announcement would be coming soon. (examiner.com) Earlier this year, we reported in an exclusive that among the high profile guests taking part in the album's sessions were Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, the Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, Gary Wright, Edgar Winter, and Billy Squier. Unconfirmed reports claim that Jeff Lynne has also been involved on at least one track on the album.


U2 FINED FOR NOISE POLLUTION
U2 and concert promoters MCB were fined the equivalent of $53,000 in U.S. dollars by the Dublin City Council for excess noise levels during their concerts at the city's Croke Park in July. According to Ireland's Evening Herald, the council brought the penalties due to the quartet exceeding volume levels a dozen times during the band's three shows. But the fine was called "paltry" by a number of media outlets when compared to the $30 million the band earned from the stadium gigs. The shows also caused controversy with local residents because of the 44 straight hours it took to tear down the band's massive "Claw" stage set-up. U2 performed in Germany two weeks ago to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The band will return to North America in 2010 for more dates in support of its latest album, No Line On The Horizon.


Friday 11/13/09

THE WHO SAID TO PLAY SUPER BOWL HALF TIME SHOW
The Who will perform at the halftime show for Super Bowl XVIV (44) on February 7th in Miami, according to sportsillustrated.cnn.com. The Who has been heavily rumored as the followup act to Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band since just after "The Boss's" 2008 blockbuster performance. Despite the Sports Illustrated leak, there's been no official announcement made by either the Who or the NFL, who refused to confirm nor deny the report, saying only, "When we have something to announce, we'll announce it."


MICK JAGGER, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, BONO "RS" COVER SHOOT
How do you get three of the busiest men in rock 'n roll in one place for a photo shoot? Go to where they are. The editors of "Rolling Stone" did just that for its current cover featuring Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen and Bono. Photographer Mark Siegler caught up with the three icons hours before they took the stage at Madison Square Garden for The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame shows. The Rolling Stones frontman, The Boss and the Irish export have all graced "Rolling Stone" magazine covers -- but never at the same time



MAN FILES SUIT AGAINST BON JOVI AND OTHERS FOR $400 BILLION
Bon Jovi is still caught up in a $400 billion lawsuit involving a Massachusetts man, who's also filing suit against Time Warner and Major League Baseball. According to Hollywood Reporter, Samuel Bartley Steele alledges that the defendants stole his song, "(Man I Really) Love this Team," which he wrote in honor of the Boston Red Sox. Steele says when the song came out in October 2004 by the Bart Steele Band, it was distributed to Red Sox executives. During the 2007 playoffs, Bon Jovi released a track, called "I Love This Town," which was then used by MLB to promote playoff baseball on TBS. Steele claims that Jon Bon Jovi either heard his song or that an executive passed it along to him -- arguing that both tracks resemble each other. But Steele's own musicologist testified that they weren't very similar, and a district judge recently dismissed the claim, ruling that it was hard to tell the similarity. That hasn't stopped Steele, who now plans to appeal the ruling.  Bon Jovi released its new album, The Circle, this week.


Thursday 11/12/09

ROLLING STONES GUITARIST RONNIE WOOD NOW DIVORCED
Guitarist Ronnie Wood is completely free to live the life of a swinging single. As of today, the long time member of the Rolling Stones is now a divorced man. His former wife Jo cited adultery as the reason the 24-year marriage fizzled. She was granted a "quickie" divorce by a judge in a London court today. The two separated last year after reports the 62-year-old Wood was in a relationship with a much younger Russian cocktail waitress. Ron Wood and his ex-wife have two children together.



MICK FLEETWOOD OK AFTER BOUT WITH H1N1 FLU
The Fleetwood in Fleetwood Mac is back on his feet after a bout with the H1N1/swine flu virus. Speaking to TMZ cameras at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, 62-year-old Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood said he just got over the illness ten days ago and that he's now doing fine. Fleetwood Mac is back on the road for the first time in six years on their Unleashed tour. The group just completed the last show on the European leg of the tour last Friday at London's Wembley Arena. They're expected to move on to Australia and New Zealand in December.



JACK WHITE TURNS DOWN APPEARANCE ON SLASH SOLO ALBUM
Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash told MusicRadar.com that he got almost every special guest he wanted to appear on his upcoming solo album, except for one: White Stripes singer/guitarist and Dead Weather drummer Jack White. Slash revealed, "I wanted to get Jack White to sing on something, but he didn't want to sing. He said I'll play drums, I'll play guitar, but I don't wanna sing. He was one guy that I wanted to work with. Pretty much everyone else that I went after I managed to get." According to RollingStone.com, the roster now includes Iggy Pop, Cypress Hill, Alice Cooper, Meat Loaf and Maroon 5's Adam Levine. They join the previously announced Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Grohl


Wednesday 11/11/09

THE KINKS RUMORED TO BE WORKING ON A NEW LP
The Kinks are back in the studio. According to "Classic Rock" magazine, frontman Ray Davies is working on new material with Kinks' original drummer Mick Avory and the band's later arrivals, bassist Jim Rodford and keyboardist Ian Gibbons. Davies also told "Billboard," quote, "We've got four, five new songs and I'm just sort of getting them motivated and seeing what they're playing like, because I haven't played with the Kinks for eight or nine years." Davies wouldn't confirm the involvement of his brother Dave, who suffered a stroke in 2004.



SLASH RECRUITS CYPRESS HILL, FERGIE FOR "PARADISE CITY" REVAMP
Slash has revisited the 1988 hit "Paradise City" with the help of some friends. The former Guns 'N' Roses guitarist has released a two-track CD single in Japan. According to Blabbermouth.net, the CD includes a "Paradise" redux featuring Cypress Hill and Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas..In related news, Slash unveils his first solo studio album -- "Slash & Friends" -- in early 2010.




STEVEN TYLER APPEARS ON STAGE WITH JOE PERRY, SAYS NOT QUITTING AEROSMITH
It seems like singer Steven Tyler might not be quitting Aerosmith after all. Pulse of Radio can report that during guitarist Joe Perry's show at Irving Plaza in New York City last night (November 10th) with his band, The Joe Perry Project, Tyler made a surprise appearance during the encore. Tyler said he wasn't quitting Aerosmith and then said some nice words about Perry before singing "Walk This Way" with the band. Tyler then left the stage and Perry closed out the show.
This surprise appearance seems to be a reversal after Perry wrote on his Twitter page Monday, "Aerosmith is positively looking for a new singer to work with. You just can't take 40 years of experience and throw it in the bin!" He later added, "Band is playing hotter than ever and our songs need to be played live! Don't despair; Aerosmith not splitting up. Promise that's the last you'll hear from me on the subject till we gear up again."


Tuesday 11/10/09

THEM CROOKED VULTURES STREAM ALBUM AFTER LEAK
Them Crooked Vultures have begun streaming their entire self-titled debut album more than a week ahead of its release, following a leak of the record online. The disc is due out on November 17th and features 13 songs, all of which are now streaming on YouTube. The band, which consists of Foo Fighters main man Dave Grohl on drums, Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones and Queens Of The Stone Age singer/guitarist Josh Homme, made its live debut last August in Chicago and recently completed an East Coast tour, with four West Coast gigs happening next week. The first single from the album is called "New Fang." Them Crooked Vultures began giving away a new song called "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" last Tuesday (November 3rd) as a free download at iTunes.  Grohl's other band, Foo Fighters, issued a greatest hits collection last Tuesday as well, featuring two new songs.
CHECK IT OUT: Stream the entire Them Crooked Vultures album at http://bit.ly/stream_tcv

BON JOVI'S "CIRCLE" ARRIVES TODAY
Bon Jovi drops its eleventh studio album -- "The Circle" -- today in the U.S. and Canada. The new LP is co-produced by John Shanks, the Grammy-winner whose previous collaborators include Joe Cocker, Bonnie Raitt and Sheryl Crow. With 12 tracks and one bonus song, "The Circle" follows 2007's "Lost Highway." The New Jersey rockers have posted the single "Work For The Working Man" in its entirety at www.bonjovi.com. The band also is using its website to invite all fans and veterans to The "Today" show Plaza in New York for its live performance this week. Bon Jovi visits the NBC morning show on Wednesday. Next Friday, November 20th, the rockers head out to the West Coast for a stop at NBC's "The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien."

BILLY IDOL TO RELEASE FIRST LIVE DVD
Billy Idol will release his first live DVD, called In Super Overdrive Live on November 17th. The disc, which runs over 70 minutes, is also available and Blu-Ray and features such Idol classics as "Dancing With Myself, "Flesh For Fantasy," "Rebel Yell," "White Wedding," and "Eyes Without A Face." In Super Overdrive Live was filmed at the Congress Theater in Chicago, and was originally aired in July as part of the PBS Soundstage series.
CHECK IT OUT: Billy Idol In Super Overdrive live footage:
"Rebel Yell" -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv0_BoXt3kU
"White Wedding" -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyAlMU4cmtw


Monday 11/9/09

STEVEN TYLER REPORTEDLY QUITS AEROSMITH, BAND SEEKS REPLACEMENT
After months of speculation, all signs point to Steven Tyler walking away from Aerosmith. "The Las Vegas Sun" reported on Friday that Joe Perry is on the record about Tyler. Perry said, quote, "Steven quit as far as I can tell. I don't know anymore than you do about it. I got off the plane two nights ago. I saw online that Steven said that he was going to leave the band." Perry continued that the 61-year-old singer has not taken calls from his fellow bandmates since a gig in Abu Dhabi last month. Perry also said that while he still cares for Tyler as a person, the band is now seeking a replacement. He added, quote, "We'll probably find somebody else that will sing in those spots where we need a singer and then we'll be able to move Aerosmith up a notch, move the vibe up a notch." In related news, Tyler recently told the British magazine "Classic Rock" about his future plans. He said, quote, "I don't know what I'm doing yet, but it's definitely going to be something Steven Tyler: working on the brand of myself, 'Brand Tyler.'"

UPDATE: ELTON JOHN OUT OF HOSPITAL, SET TO REJOIN BILLY JOEL ON TOUR
Elton John is on the mend. He has left the hospital after an almost weeklong stay for treatment of an e-coli bacterial infection and influenza. John left the London-area hospital on Thursday. His health setback forced him to cancel a string of concerts in the U.K. and three concert dates in the U.S. His spokesman, Gary Farrow, says John is "fine" and will rejoin singer-songwriter Billy Joel on their joint Face 2 Face tour, November 14th in Oakland, California.

OZZY DOCUMENTARY NEAR COMPLETION
Jack and Sharon Osbourne are teaming up on an upcoming project about rock icon and Osbourne patriarch Ozzy Osbourne. The son and mother co-executive produce and finance "Wreckage of My Past," a documentary that's now in post-production. Due in theaters in early 2010, the film documents the life of the Prince of Darkness, born John Michael Osbourne. It depicts a newly sober Ozzy reflecting on unresolved issues, career success, misdiagnosed diseases and battles with drugs and alcohol. The film also reportedly includes interviews with all principal members of Ozzy's band Black Sabbath, his family, friends and other collaborators. Regarding the project, Jack Osbourne told "Variety," quote, "I want people to see John Osbourne as the guy I grew up with, the tormented, complex musician whose personal demons manifest themselves in so many crazy, unique ways."

METAL ROCKER RONNIE JAMES DIO RAISES MONEY FOR DOGS
Heavy metal vet Ronnie James Dio has a soft spot for man's best friend. "The Santa Clarita Signal" reports that the rocker volunteered on Saturday to raise money and awareness for a Southern California dog rescue. "A Day In Their Paws" put people -- including Dio's wife, Wendy -- into kennels as they awaited adoption. The event had friends, family or strangers paying one dollar for every minute that they freed the human kennel dwellers. Metal legend Dio paid to get his wife released, but admitted that he didn't want to experience depressing canine kennel life firsthand. The 67-year-old rocker also spent hours signing autographs and taking photos with local fans at the event. Volunteers reportedly raised from 14-hundred to 15-hundred dollars each for The Brittany Foundation, an all-breed dog rescue in Agua Dulce, California.


Friday 11/06/09

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN WRITING HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY???
Bruce Springsteen is reportedly writing his memoirs, according to The New York Post. An unnamed source said the project would be unparalleled in the rock world, saying, "It could be the biggest rock music autobiography of all time. He could get $9 million to $10 million for the world rights."





CHICKENFOOT ROCKS "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE" TONIGHT
Sammy Hagar and friends visit ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" tonight. Chickenfoot, founded by Hagar in 2008, also features guitar legend Joe Satriani, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on drums and Marc Anthony on bass. The band continues to promote its self-titled debut. Since its June 2009 release, "Chickenfoot" has gone gold in the U.S. and spun off the singles "Oh, Yeah," "Soap on a Rope" and "Sexy Little Thing."Other scheduled guests on tonight's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" include actor Ted Danson and reality star Khloe Kardashian with husband Lamar Odom. "Jimmy Kimmel Live" airs tonight at 11:30 p.m. Eastern on ABC.


THE ROLLING STONES TO TOUR IN 2010???
Ron Wood hinted that the Rolling Stones are gearing up for their first road trek in three years, telling BBC 6 Music, "It's all very good. I saw Mick (Jagger) and Charlie (Watts) last week. Everything is great." When asked about the rumored tour, Wood added that he was confident that the Stones will be out on the road in 2010, adding, "Let's hope so, yeah!"
Unconfirmed rumors claim that the Stones are in negotiations to close the UK's Glastonbury Festival in late June.


GUNS N' ROSES MTV 'MOON MAN' SELLING FOR $13,500
A 1988 MTV Moon Man award for "Best New Artist In A Video," given to Guns N' Roses for their "Welcome To The Jungle" clip, has been acquired for sale by music memorabilia clearinghouse Rockaway Records.
The statue belonged to former Guns manager Alan Niven, who wrote an accompanying letter in which he says, "In 1988 this 'Moon Man' was presented to me in my capacity as manager of Guns n' Roses...it ought to have really been offered since the video 'concept' was mine -- but then it should have been presented to the talents I stole from -- the makers of the movies Midnight Cowboy, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and Clockwork Orange." The award is available at the Rockaway site for a mere $13,500.


Thursday 11/5/09

STEVEN TYLER GOING SOLO; NEW SINGER FOR AEROSMITH?
Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler told Classic Rock magazine this week that he intends to work on "Brand Tyler" instead of a new Aerosmith record for the foreseeable future. Following the band's performance at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the United Arab Emirates over the weekend, Tyler said about his future plans, "I don't know what I'm doing yet, but it's definitely going to be something Steven Tyler: working on the brand of myself -- Brand Tyler." Things have been tense in the Aerosmith camp since early August, when a fall from a stage in South Dakota broke Tyler's shoulder and ended the band's summer tour. In the months since, internal strife has come to the surface, with guitarist Joe Perry saying in interviews that the rest of the band had not heard from Tyler since his injury, that the group was waiting for its singer to "get his act together," and that he and Tyler had not even written a song together in 10 years. Although the show in Abu Dhabi and two other gigs last month in Hawaii showed the band to be in fine form onstage, Classic Rock reported that at all three dates, the rest of the group did not see Tyler until the opening number and that his dressing room was far away from theirs. Yet Perry told Classic Rock that the Abu Dhabi gig was "one of the best shows of the year." Tyler has reportedly refused to commit to getting back in the studio and has now also apparently pulled out of a tentative South American tour, forcing the rest of Aerosmith to consider two options: going on hiatus or getting a new vocalist.  As unthinkable as the latter option might sound to fans, guitarist Brad Whitford said, "I'm not sure how good that would look, it would largely depend on who we could get and who would want to do it. That's big shoes to fill. Nobody could replace Steven or imitate him -- he's one of a kind. But if somebody was willing to do it and the chemistry was right, why not?"

CHICKENFOOT NAMED BEST NEW BAND OF 2009
Chickenfoot was named as the best new band of 2009 at the annual Classic Rock Magazine Awards, held this week at the Park Lane Hotel in London. The band, which features ex-Van Halen members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, along with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, was not at the event but taped a video acceptance speech. Other stars at the awards show included members of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, Queen, the Who, the Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden and more. (AntiMusic)

SLASH WANTS PEOPLE TO STOP ASKING IF HE'LL REJOIN GUNS N' ROSES
Velvet Revolver and ex-Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash told the U.K.'s BBC 6 Music that he wishes people would stop asking him if he's ever going to rejoin Guns. Slash explained, "I just feel for people that don't seem to get it. All things considered, it's been a really long time, and everybody's moved on. At the same time, I appreciate that I was part of a band that had such a huge impact and touched so many people, and I feel bad for them that it's not around -- but it is what it is."
The guitarist is gearing up for the early 2010 release of his new solo album, tentatively titled Slash & Friends, and said he's deliberately kept a lid on the guest singers appearing on the record: "I've been very low key on this, because I was waiting for all the releases for all the different singers, but some of the cats are out of the bag. There's a lot of people on the record."Confirmed singers on the disc include Ozzy Osbourne, Chris Cornell, Fergie and M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold. Other musicians contributing to the album include ex-Guns drummer Steven Adler, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, former Nine Inch Nails drummer Josh Freese and more. Slash added to the BBC, "It's just nice to be in charge of my own destiny, even if it's just for one record. Just not to be in a group situation, and at the mercy of what everybody as a whole feels, but being responsible for my own decisions and having the final say . . . I needed to get it out of my system." Velvet Revolver has yet to find a new lead singer, despite dismissing frontman Scott Weiland more than 18 months ago. Guns N' Roses released its long-delayed Chinese Democracy album last November, with singer Axl Rose as the sole original member, but it failed commercially. The band is prepping a Canadian tour.


Friday 10/30/09

YARDBIRDS DRUMMER WANTS A 50TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION
Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty wants to re-team with his colleagues. The 66-year-old Brit co-founded the band back in 1962. Now, according to "Classic Rock" magazine, McCarty wants to reassemble its alumni for a 50th Anniversary in 2012. McCarty said, quote, "It would be great to have a special event, and get all the living former members involved -- especially those three guitarists [Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page]. But who knows whether they'll be interested." Meanwhile, a modern version of the Yardbirds is touring with McCarty on drums and younger musicians filling out the sound. McCarty added that the average age of the band is down to about 30 years old.In related news, McCarty has released a solo effort called "On The Top Of Time." McCarty plans some low key gigs to promote it.

TRAILER FOR LENNON BIOPIC NOW ONLINE
Fans worldwide are getting their first looks at a film about John Lennon's teen years. The trailer for "Nowhere Boy," set amidst the legend's formative years in Liverpool, is now online. YouTube features the nearly two-minute trailer starring Aaron Johnson as the Beatle in the making. The film also depicts the origins of a band that would change music forever.
Kristen Scott Thomas plays Lennon's Aunt Mimi, the woman who raised him after his parents divorced. Thomas Sangster, Anne-Marie Duff and David Morrissey also star. The film debuts tonight at the London Film Festival. "Rolling Stone" reports that the film opens wide in the UK on December 25th. No official U.S. release date has been announced as yet.

THEM CROOKED VULTURES ISSUE SINGLE, FLY WEST
Them Crooked Vultures made their first official single, called "New Fang," available to radio stations on Monday (October 26th). The track is also streaming at the trio's website and is taken from the band's self-titled debut album, which is due for release on November 17th. Meanwhile, following their first North American tour of mostly East Coast cities earlier this month, the group will next head west for four gigs in November. The band will perform on November 17th at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, November 19th at the Fox Theater in Oakland, November 21st at the Paramount Theater in Seattle, and November 22nd at the Roseland Theater in Portland, Oregon. Tickets go on sale this weekend for all four shows. Them Crooked Vultures will head to the U.K. and Europe in December, followed by Australia and New Zealand in January. The trio consists of Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl on drums, Queens Of The Stone Age guitarist Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.
CHECK IT OUT: You can hear "New Fang" and get more info about the band's upcoming shows at www.themcrookedvultures.com


Thursday 10/29/09

U2 DRAWS MILLIONS TO YOUTUBE
When U2 does anything, it does it in a big way. A free live stream from the Irish rocker's 360 Tour date at Pasadena's Rose Bowl on Sunday was no exception. As reported in "The Los Angeles Times," the webcast's promotional clip alone received two-point-seven-million channel views on YouTube. While final concert figures are not yet available, a spokesperson for the Google-owned YouTube says that the site housing the concert drew close to seven million views. The Sunday night mega-gig also dominated Twitter as its top global-trending topic.The cyber fan figures dwarf the in-person crowd at the already sold-out Rose Bowl. The Rose Bowl's general manager Daryl Dunn said one-hundred-thousand people -- including event staff -- took in the rockers' performance. See a rebroadcast of the event at www.youtube.com/u2.

MCCARTNEY WRITES SONG FOR DENIRO FILM
The Miramax release "Everybody's Fine" now has a Beatle in its corner. Sir Paul McCartney has written an original song for the feature starring Robert DeNiro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell. "(I Want To) Come Home" reflects a collaboration between McCartney and the film's composer Dario Marianelli whose work includes the score for the recent Robert Downey Jr.-Jamie Foxx film "The Soloist." "Everybody's Fine" stars DeNiro in the role of a widower who hits the road to reconnect with his adult children. Upon seeing "Everybody's Fine," McCartney said, quote, "I could definitely identify with Robert De Niro's character because I have grown-up kids who have their own families." Kirk Jones directs the film. It's scheduled for a nationwide release on December 4th.

STING PLANS PBS SPECIAL FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Sting is feeling festive as the holiday season gets underway. The Police frontman released a new album -- "If On A Winter's Night"-- this week. Next, Sting stars in a holiday concert for an upcoming PBS special. The 58-year-old will bypass typical yule fare like "Jingle Bells" for authentic English and Scottish folk songs. The special, titled "Sting: A Winter's Night," continues the PBS network's "Great Performances" series. Joining the Grammy-winner for the production are guest musicians and singers from around the world. The UK's Durham Cathedral serves as the seasonal show's backdrop. "Sting: A Winter's Night" will air on PBS on Thanksgiving night. "If On A Winter's Night" is in stores now.

LOU REED JOINS METALLICA ON STAGE AT "ROCK HALL 25"
Metallica has announced another guest for its Friday night gig celebrating The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th Anniversary. According to "Classic Rock" magazine, Lou Reed now joins Metallica's roster of on-stage guests for the event. Inducted into the Hall of Fame earlier this year, Metallica previously announced that Ozzy Osbourne and Ray Davis of the Kinks would rock with them at the Madison Square Garden concert. Reed now joins the musical guest list on night two of the event.The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts begin tonight. In addition to performing their own material, inductees will bring musical friends to the stage. For more information visit, www.rockhall25.com.


Wednesday 10/28/09

CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH TO RECORD CHRISTMAS ALBUM
In an exclusive interview with us, Graham Nash has revealed that following Crosby, Stills & Nash's upcoming covers album, the trio is set to record their first-ever Christmas album. CSN has signed a two-record deal with Columbia for the covers set along with the holiday collection. Nash explains that after decades of trying to convince David Crosby and Stephen Stills to dip their toes into the Yuletide waters, a CSN Christmas set will finally be recorded.CSN will open tomorrow night's (October 29th) Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame 25th Anniversary Concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden

ANVIL, ALICE COOPER AND MORE ROCK IN CHRISTMAS 2009
For those who prefer holiday cheer with a side of metal, Eagle Rock Entertainment unveils two albums for the season. On November 24th, the distributor releases a four-song "Metal Xmas" EP in digital format only. Anvil's Steve "Lips" Kudlow sings "Frosty The Snowman" and is joined by fellow hard rockers covering classic Christmas fare. Armoury Records also presents through Eagle Rock "We Wish You A Metal Xmas And A Headbanging New Year." Originally released in October 2008, the LP includes 12 tracks from Chuck Billy, Ronnie James Dio and more, including Alice Cooper wailing "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town."

ROGER DALTREY SAYS A WHO VIDEO GAME IS COMING NEXT YEAR
Roger Daltrey says that the Who will be launching their own musical video game next year. The Who frontman told masslive.com, "The game, yeah, yeah, they're going to be doing a Who one next year. There is one planned. (The idea) is fabulous. Anything that gets non-musical people interested in music is wonderful. In my opinion, music is our last true great freedom. They can burn our books, they can burn our paintings, but they can't stop us singing and making music."
Daltrey did not specify whether the game would be released as part of the Rock Band or Guitar Hero lines.

BECK SUBS FOR CLAPTON, SPRINGSTEEN CONFIRMS FOR ROCK HALL 25
The Jeff Beck Band is the latest edition to the upcoming 25th Anniversary Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame concerts. The guitar great and his group have been tapped to fill in for Eric Clapton, who had to bow out of the show following a minor procedure for gallstones. Meanwhile, Bruce Springsteen is confirming that he'll still appear. His status was uncertain due to the sudden death of his cousin, Lenny Sullivan, who was also The Boss' assistant tour manager. Other performers on board for the two-night event include U2, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Metallica, and Aretha Franklin, who's the event's sole female headliner. The 25th Anniversary Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame concerts will take place at New York's Madison Square Garden this Friday and Saturday night.


Tuesday 10/27/09

R.E.M. RELEASES NEW LIVE ALBUM TODAY
R.E.M. releases its new concert set, Live At Olympia, today (Tuesday, October 27th) featuring tracks from a five-night stand in Dublin, Ireland in 2007. The 39-track set is available as both a double-CD and as a CD/DVD combo -- complete with concert and backstage footage. At the concerts, R.E.M. previewed music from its 2008 critically-acclaimed Accelerate album. The set also includes two new songs not included on Accelerate -- "On the Fly" and "Staring Down The Barrel Of The Middle Distance."


OZZY JOINS METALLICA FOR 25TH ANNIVERSARY HALL OF FAME EVENT
Metallica has invited the Prince of Darkness to a major live performance. According to the band's website, Ozzy Osbourne will join Metallica for the band's scheduled performance at the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The rockers' joint performance will take place at New York's Madison Square Garden on Friday, October 30th. That's the second night of the two-night celebration that begins next Thursday, October 29th.Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street are among the other notables set to take the stage during the the Hall of Fame shows. With proceeds from the event, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame plans to establish an endowment for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Museum.

SPRINGSTEEN IFFY ON ROCK HALL CONCERT
Another star might be dropping out of this week's Rock Hall shows. Bruce Springsteen's Thursday night appearance at the 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Anniversary concert is up in the air. The uncertainty regarding his participation comes after the 60-year-old rocker cancelled a show in Kansas City on Monday due to bereavement. due to the unexpected death of Springsteen's cousin, 36-year-old Lenny Sullivan. A statement posted on brucespringsteen.net read: "Lenny Sullivan, Bruce's cousin and the assistant road manager of the E Street Band for the last 10 years, passed away today at the age of 36. A warm and sensitive person, he was beloved by Bruce, the band, the crew, and the entire Thrill Hill family. Our deepest condolences to all those who knew him and loved him."Pollstar.com reported that police were called this afternoon to Kansas City's Intercontinental Hotel on the Plaza to investigate Sullivan's death. Police do not suspect foul play in the death.

RATT ANNOUNCES ALBUM DETAILS
Ratt is releasing details about its first studio album in a decade. Via the official Ratt website, the "Round and Round" rockers have announced the debut of "Infestation" next year. Michael "Elvis" Baskette produces the project. Baskette's discography includes production credits on Alter Bridge's "Blackbird" and Chevelle's 2004 LP "This Type Of Thinking (Could Do Us In)." Outside of the hard metal world, Baskette has collaborated with Limp Bizkit. Ratt veterans Stephen Pearcy, Warren DeMartini, Bobby Blotzer and Robbie Crane all return on "Infestation." New to the fold is Carlos Cavazo -- formerly of Quiet Riot -- on guitar.Loud & Proud/Roadrunner will distribute Ratt's "Infestation." The album is scheduled for release in March 2010.


Monday 10/26/09


ERIC CLAPTON BOWS OUT OF HALL OF FAME CONCERT THIS WEEK
One of the biggest concerts of 2009 has just lost a star. Eric Clapton says he won't be taking part in the upcoming 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Anniversary concerts. The legendary rocker told fans via his website that he'll undergo a minor medical procedure for gallstones this week. Following the surgery, Clapton will be recuperating at his UK home. The medical road bump prevents "E.C." from making a scheduled appearance on Friday. However, the former Cream rocker is still committed to honoring all his 2010 tour dates. Representatives for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have publicly wished Clapton the best. Rock Hall reps add that they plan to announce a replacement for the guitar great.

UPDATE: ALLEGED EYEWITNESS SURFACES IN SEARCH FOR MISSING METALLICA FAN
A possible witness has surfaced as the search continues for a missing Metallica fan. According to www.noisecreep.com, a Richmond, Virginia-area grandmother claims she was in the parking lot at John Paul Jones Arena on the night 20-year-old Morgan Harrington vanished. The alleged witness says that she saw a young man and a woman matching Harrington's description in a struggle. The elderly woman called authorities last Monday night after seeing Harrington's picture on the news, but prefers to remain anonymous. Harrington was last seen at Metallica's October 17th concert in Charlottesville, Virginia.CBS News is reporting that Metallica will add 50-thousand dollars to the existing Crimestoppers 100-thousand reward for Harrington's safe return. The band has also posted appeals to fans at the October 17th concert to divulge any details they might have about the disappearance to the Virginia State Police.

SIR ELTON CANCELS GIGS DUE TO ILLNESS
Sir Elton John has canceled two UK concerts due to illness. John is recovering from a bout with the flu according to his website. The "Rocket Man" canceled a Friday night performance in Sheffield, and on Saturday, the knighted rocker bowed out of a gig at Newcastle Metro Radio. The cancellations directly result from doctor's advice. A representative for the 62-year-old has announced, quote, "Elton is bitterly disappointed at missing tonight's Red Piano concert in Newcastle...one of his favorite areas to perform. The crowds are always great music fans and not being able to do this special show for Newcastle is upsetting."Sir Elton instructed concertgoers to keep their tickets. The rock icon plans to make further announcements to fans on Monday.

ROB ZOMBIE OFFERS VIP TICKETS
Those willing to pay a little more get a unique experience while seeing Rob Zombie on tour. The "Hellbilly Deluxe 2" tour and I Love All Access have teamed up to provide VIP fan packages in association with Zombie's fall tour. Each package includes a general admission ticket with priority access, a meet-and-greet with the singer, a pre-show party, an exclusive Rob Zombie gift bag, crowd-free merchandise shopping, an ultimate fan souvenir laminate, and parking. If you already have tickets, there's upgrade option to get the fan package. Visit www.robzombie.com for details. The tour begins this Thursday at The Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. Zombie's "Hellbilly Deluxe 2" is now in stores.


Friday 10/23/09

R.E.M., JACKSON BROWNE, OTHERS DEMAND FILES ON USE OF MUSIC IN TORTURE
R.E.M., Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and Steve Earle are among the musical acts that demanded on Thursday (October 22nd) that the U.S. government release the names of songs that were played at deafening volume for hours or days on end to torture prisoners since 2002, according to The Washington Post. Dozens of musicians supported the filing of a Freedom of Information Act by the National Security Archive, which seeks to declassify all records related to the use of music in so-called "enhanced interrogation" practices. Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello said in a statement, "The fact that music I helped create was used in crimes against humanity sickens me. We need to end torture and close Guantanamo now." Roseanne Cash, country singer and daughter of the late Johnny Cash, told the Post, "Music should never be used as torture . . . It's beyond the pale. It's hard to even think about." Other artists throwing their names behind the campaign to release the songs include Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine, and Nine Inch Nails. The artists just want to find out which songs were used, and will explore any possible legal options once that is learned. The same artists have also launched a new lobbying effort to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center, where much of the torture under the Bush Administration took place. The Obama Administration ended the use of torture as an interrogation technique on the President's second day in office, although it may prove difficult to close the camp down by the end of his first year in office, as promised in the 2008 campaign.

CHECK IT OUT: The National Security Archive's full statement and related materials can be read at http://bit.ly/3ii2Rz

U2 HITS YOUTUBE THIS WEEKEND
U2 is coming to YouTube. The Irish rock band has confirmed via its website that a sold-out concert date this Sunday will stream free and in full online on YouTube. The Rose Bowl concert in Pasadena, California is the band's second-to-last North American show of 2009, with a final sold-out show scheduled for Vancouver, British Columbia next Wednesday, October 28th. Additional dates are slated for 2010. With the concert streaming online, Sunday's anticipated 96-thousand-plus fans represent the Rose Bowl's biggest audience of all-time. Cyber fans on all five continents will now be able to join the masses at the Rose Bowl for the event. Regarding the YouTube concert, U2 manager Paul McGuinness said, "Fans often travel long distances to come to see U2 - this time U2 can go to them, globally." U2 plays the Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas tonight.

CHECK IT OUT: You can get more info or watch the show this Sunday at http://www.youtube.com/u2official


Thursday 10/22/09

METALLICA JOINS SEARCH FOR MISSING FAN
Metallica is now part of the search for a missing fan who was last seen at one of the band's shows. According to "Spin" magazine, the rockers hope their efforts will help locate Virginia Tech student Morgan Dana Harrington. Witnesses last spotted the 20-year-old woman at the band's Saturday concert at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia. On its website, Metallica expressed deep concern for Harrington and her family. The band also provided a physical description and photos of the college student. The post asked fans to come forward with any information regarding the disappearance. As part of their online plea to fans, Metallica asks any concert goers with video or photos from Saturday night to contact the Virginia State Police.
For more information, visit www.metallica.com.

PEARL JAM AUCTIONING OFF FLYING-V GUITAR
Pearl Jam is auctioning off a Flying V guitar autographed by all five members of the band to help raise money for various charities through the group's Wishlist Foundation. In addition to the guitar, the auction package comes with a "swag bag" of Pearl Jam goodies and a Pearl Jam poster. Bids can be placed at Charitybuzz.com. In other Pearl Jam news, the Seattle band has launched a new mobile app through Verizon that will allow Blackberry Tour users to download three live tracks from each of the remaining shows on the band's current tour, which concludes November 29th in Christchurch, New Zealand. (AntiMusic)

CLASSIC ALBUM COVERS TO BECOME ROYAL MAIL STAMPS
The Royal Mail is immortalizing some of rock's classic album covers. The British website WalesOnline reports that the national postal service of the United Kingdom announced ten album titles for a series of stamps. The special stamps go into circulation in January. Among the selected album sleeves are "The Division Bell" by Pink Floyd, "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars" by David Bowie, and "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield. In an added design flourish, each stamp features a vinyl disc which appears outside the die-cut of the stamp.

Here is the list of some album titles selected by The Royal Mail for the 2010 series of stamps:
"The Division Bell" by Pink Floyd
"A Rush of Blood To the Head" by Coldplay
"Let It Bleed" by The Rolling Stones
"London Calling" by The Clash
"Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield
"IV" by Led Zeppelin
"The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars" by David Bowie


Wednesday 10/21/09

DEEP PURPLE TO RECORD NEW ALBUM EARLY NEXT YEAR
Deep Purple is slated to record a new album early next year. However, Purple co-founder Steve Morse tells "Classic Rock" magazine that the band is in no rush to turn out new content. Without the same expectations placed on pop acts to move lots of units, Morse says the group feels no pressure. Morse explains, quote, "As long as we come up with a good album to satisfy our core fans, then that's all that matters. Meanwhile, the 55-year-old rocker continues to tour with his Steve Morse Band. That band releases a new album "Out Standing In Their Field" on November 17th.




GREGG ALLMAN BOOKS SOLO DATES
Gregg Allman is going it alone. Now that the 61-year-old rocker has wrapped up the Allman Brothers Band's 40th Anniversary U.S. Tour, he's lined up additional gigs on his own. According to the "I'm No Angel" singer's website, solo dates kick off on November 11th at the Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel in Salamanca, New York. Allman also performs with country star Tim McGraw on NBC's "The Jay Leno Show" next Tuesday.

Here are the tour dates for some of Gregg Allman's solo shows:

11/11/09 - Salamanca, New York @ Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel
11/12/09 - Verona, New York @ Turning Stone Casino
11/21/09 - New York, New York @ Michael J. Fox Foundation Benefit
01/2/10 - West Hampton Beach, New York @ West Hampton Beach Performing Arts Center
01/3/10 - Albany, New York @ Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center
01/5/10 - Montclair, New Jersey @ Wellmont Theatre
01/9/10 - Atlantic City, New Jersey @ Harrah's Atlantic City

PHIL COLLINS PREPPING MOTOWN COVERS SET
Phil Collins is prepping a covers album featuring his favorite Motown classics, according to the German newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt. Collins' still-untitled covers set will feature 30 tracks from "Hitsville U.S.A." Collins was quoted as saying, "I want the songs to sound exactly like the originals."
He's no stranger to Motown, having scored his first Top Ten solo single with a cover of the Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love," and cowriting his 1988 hit "Two Hearts" with Lamont Dozier of Motown's legendary songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland.Collins, who recently revealed that due to vertebrae problems he is unable to drum ever again, added that the only way he could physically drum would be if he were to "glue drumsticks to my hands."

SLASH WRAPPING UP SOLO ALBUM
Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash says he has one last song to record before completing his new solo album. Slash wrote online, "This song is really cool and the singer is amazing." The former Guns N' Roses axeman is using a number of vocalists on the record, including Ozzy Osbourne, Fergie and Iggy Pop, along with past and present members of Velvet Revolver, Guns and Jane's Addiction on various instruments. The album is due out in February or March, but in the meantime Slash will issue a two-track CD single in Japan on November 11th containing the song "Sahara" and a cover of the Guns N' Roses classic "Paradise City" featuring Fergie. (BraveWords.com)


Tuesday 10/20/09

“THE BEATLES: ROCK BAND” ADDS ADDITIONAL “ABBEY ROAD” MATERIAL
Fans of the Fab Four have a new reason to "come together" in front of their gaming units. Harmonix and MTV Games has announced the release of the Beatles' entire "Abbey Road" catalog for “The Beatles: Rock Band” series. Six tracks -- "Come Together," "Something," "Octopus' Garden," "I Want You (She's So Heavy)," "Here Comes The Sun" and "The End" are included on the existing in-game track list. “Rock Band's” manufacturers have announced that the remaining songs from the 1969 album will drop today for Microsoft XBox 360 and Nintendo Wii. On Thursday, Playstation 3-compatible material hits the market. “The Beatles: Rock Band” hit the market on September 9th. According to its makers, product sales have exceeded expectations.


DEF LEPPARD CANCELS THIRD LEG OF NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
Def Leppard is changing its tour plans. "Classic Rock" magazine reports that the veteran British rockers have canceled the third leg of its North American Tour. The dates -- scheduled to begin this Thursday -- are off the itinerary now due to, quote, "unforeseen personal matters." The mysterious cancellation impacts 23 concerts across the U.S. and Canada.
The news comes on the same day that "The Early Show" dropped a segment about the band and Rick Allen's Raven's Drum Foundation from its broadcast. Def Leppard tells fans on its site, that CBS is rescheduling the story for a later air date.


GUNS N' ROSES ANNOUNCES CANADIAN TOUR
Nearly a year after the release of its long-in-the-making Chinese Democracy album, Guns N' Roses has announced its first concert dates in support of the Best Buy-exclusive release. According to Sun Media, the band will begin a 13-date Canadian tour on January 13th in Winnipeg, Manitoba, wrapping up on February 4th in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The wintry trek will mark the band's first appearance in Canada since 2006. Tickets go on sale this Friday (October 23rd) and will range in price between $50 and $90 in Canadian dollars. The current Guns lineup -- reportedly comprised of singer and sole original member Axl Rose, drummer Frank Ferrer, bassist Tommy Stinson, guitarists Richard Fortus, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and DJ Ashba and keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman -- will begin rehearsals in Los Angeles shortly, according to a press release. Chinese Democracy was released last November, more than 15 years after the band's last studio effort, the all-covers set The Spaghetti Incident? Despite its near-legendary status, the record was a major sales disappointment, moving less than one million copies. Axl Rose did virtually no promotion or publicity for the project, while videos and tours failed to materialize. U.S. tour dates have yet to be announced, although a handful of Asian shows are tentatively scheduled for December.


Monday 10/19/09

DYLAN CHRISTMAS ALBUM GETS BLEAK REVIEWS
Bob Dylan is getting lumps of coal for "Christmas in the Heart." The Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer released the compilation of yuletide fare on October 13th. Since then, critics haven't exactly rushed to compare Dylan's take on "The Christmas Song" to Nat King Cole's mastery. "Entertainment Weekly" described the 68-year-old's vocals as wheezy. "Mojo" magazine described Dylan's "Christmas" as quote, "the most minor and oddest record in Bob's cannon." "Newsweek" asked, quote, "Is it a joke?" At least one major media outlet separated itself from the pack. "USA Today" gave Dylan's holiday fare three and a half out of four stars.Even the most Grinch-like critics had one nice thing to say about the folk-rock icon's effort. With "Christmas in the Heart," Dylan plans to donate all artist royalties to Feeding America. The nonprofit provides meals to the nation's impoverished.

FLAMING LIPS COVERING CLASSIC PINK FLOYD ALBUM
The Flaming Lips' latest project is a reinterpretation of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon." "The Los Angeles Times" reports that singer Wayne Coyne revealed the project in a Q&A session during the band's MySpace show in Hollywood Thursday night. Coyne noted that his band tapped members of Stardeath And White Dwarfs to help realize their musical vision, and both Henry Rollins and Peaches make guest appearances. A rep for The Flaming Lips adds that the band's "Dark Side of the Moon" will most likely be released exclusively via iTunes.



U2, ELVIS COSTELLO, LOU REED, AND JOHN MELLENCAMP ON SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME SHORT LIST
The ballots for the nominees for the 2010 Songwriter's Hall of Fame have been sent out, with the shortlist for the Performer/Songwriter category including such heavyweights as U2, Garth Brooks, Leonard Cohen, Elvis Costello, , Bread's David Gates Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens), Tommy James, John Mellencamp, Lou Reed, Leon Russell, and Earth, Wind, & Fire. Americansongwriter.com reported that this year's ballots have a return deadline of December 11th, "with the new slate of inductees being announced next year." The Songwriters Hall of Fame awards gala is held every June in New York City.


Friday 10/16/09

BON JOVI GOES EXCLUSIVE WITH NBC
Bon Jovi is set to appear exclusively on NBC to promote its new album, The Circle, over the next two months. Under the new initiative, dubbed "Artist In Residence," the band will visit only NBC shows, including, Today, The Tonight Show, The Jay Leno Show, Saturday Night Live and NBC Nightly News. Jon Bon Jovi also will appear on Inside the Actors' Studio, which airs on NBC Universal's Bravo channel. Apparently, it was Bon Jovi's idea to ink the deal. So he approached CEO Jeffrey Zucker, noting, "Of course you usually try to be out there everywhere when a new album is coming out. So we have to sacrifice certain shows and relationships. We hope this doesn't jeopardize any of them. But in a shrinking media environment you have to kind of re-invent the wheel." NBC says it may make the "Artist in Residence" segments a regular feature on its shows. The new Bon Jovi album will be released on November 10th. Showtime will premiere a new Bon Jovi documentary on October 24th.

SEX PISTOLS FIRE OFF LAWSUIT OVER ICE CREAM
The Sex Pistols are in a legal battle over ice cream. The hard rockers aren't going soft on an English ice creamery that's selling a flavor called The Sex Pistol. London's Icecreamists are huge fans of the "God Save The Queen" band. So much so that they market themselves as, quote, "more Sid and Nancy than Ben and Jerry." Icecreamists borrows other elements of the band's brand. For example, scrawled across its entrance in neon, quote, "God save the cream." The Sex Pistols have fired back by asking for damages for what they allege is copyright infringement from the company. In response, the hip dessert destination is asking fans on Twitter to weigh in on keeping The Sex Pistol on its menu.

CHUCK BERRY CONTINUES TO FIND HIS THRILL AT BLUEBERRY HILL
Chuck Berry turns 83 years young this weekend and he's not slowing down. The "Roll Over Beethoven" rock 'n' roller sticks to an active tour schedule, including a standing gig at Blueberry Hill. According to www.rollingstone.com, the St. Louis club and restaurant welcomed Berry for a one-hundred forty-ninth show on Thursday. While Fats Domino made the song that inspired the venue's name a hit, Berry rocks the house these days. He plays there monthly in a downstairs venue called the Duck Room. "Rolling Stone" writer Chris Steffen says Berry's vocal style has changed over the years. The journalist, who was on hand for show number 149, said quote, "Berry has set aside his youthful rapid fire delivery and settled into more of a wizened storyteller sort of voice, like a winking, all-knowing grandpa." The octogenarian keeps fans in the loop on his website www.chuckberry.com.


Thursday 10/15/09

NEW ALBUM FOR DEEP PURPLE'S STEVE MORSE
Deep Purple axe man is releasing new studio material. On November 17th, the "Smoke on the Water" guitarist drops "Out Standing In Their Field" with his Steve Morse Band. Eagle Rock distributes the CD, available now in digital format. The entirely instrumental album teams Morse with bassist Dave LaRue and drummer Van Romaine. Eagle Rock describes the album as eclectic in its sound, integrating elements of rock, country, jazz, funk and classical. In a bonus for buyers, the band includes a live recording of "Rising Power."



LOW PROFILE EAGLE SOARS AGAIN ON SOLO ALBUM
One of the lower-profile Eagles is flying alone. Timothy B. Schmit, vocalist on the hit "I Can't Tell You Why," will release the solo album "Expando" on October 20th. Schmit recorded the CD during breaks from the Eagles' recent tours. His disc includes guest appearances from Graham Nash, Dwight Yoakam, and Kid Rock. Among the V.I.P. session musicians are Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Keb' Mo' on guitars.The 61-year-old joined the Eagles in the late '70s. His first album with the group was 1979's "The Long Run," the last release before their lengthy split. He returned to the fold with their 1994 reunion. Prior to his days as an Eagle, Schmit was in Poco.


METALLICA IS OPEN TO PERFORMING FULL ALBUMS IN CONCERT AGAIN
Metallica is in the midst of a North American tour, which stops in Cleveland, Ohio tonight (Thursday, October 15th) and winds down December 12th in San Jose, California. Along the way, the band will make a stop in New York City to perform at the Rock and Roll Hall Fame 25th anniversary concerts at the end of this month.
Metallica has been playing various songs from its catalogue while in concert this fall. Three years ago, Metallica thrilled European audiences on a summer tour by playing their entire classic 1986 album Master Of Puppets from front to back. From the sound of it, Metallica would be open to doing something like that again. We asked frontman James Hetfield if the band would ever like to play another album in its entirety in concert: ["It's pretty important that the fan be involved in that, you know. It was more of a fan's asking for that than us wanting to do it. You know, that was a pretty important album in our career, so pretty historic for a lot of people and that made sense. But as far as, you know -- I'd love to play any and every one of them, but you know, it does really come down to the fans really holding that dear to their heart or not."]  Metallica expects to tour through the end of 2010 before taking a break. The band may start thinking about recording a new album in the second half of 2011.


Wednesday 10/14/09

OZZY TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW BIOGRAPHY, COMPARES BAND LIFE TO MARRIAGE
Ozzy Osbourne shares some tales in the new book, "I Am Ozzy." The Black Sabbath frontman tells "The Birmingham Post" that the book came together quite easily. The 60 year-old rocker added there may be more books in the future, saying, quote, "I got someone to ask me questions, what I remember about my childhood and whatever. He would zone in on a specific thing that I was saying and he would ask me to elaborate on it. Once it started coming out, it was quite easy. At the end of the day, it only took about six weeks. It seemed to fly by." Osbourne says "I Am Ozzy" barely scratches the surface of his life's journey. Ozzy also talked about Black Sabbath and says that despite ongoing legal issues, he would never rule out a reunion. Ozzy said, quote, "We're always having a go at each other. It's like being married, I suppose."Osbourne wrote his memoir with Chris Ayres. Ayres also penned the book, "War Reporting for Cowards."

MEGADETH'S MUSTAINE OPENS UP ON THE PAGE
Megadeth's embattled frontman Dave Mustaine hopes his autobiography, "Hello Me...Meet The Real Me," gives fans a glimpse of who he is now. The charismatic rock star with a history of drug abuse tells Noisecreep.com, quote, "It's easy to hate somebody that you don't like. But you know what? People don't know who I am. Who they think I am is not really who I am, because the guy they've continued to vilify in the press, that guy's been gone for a long time. And I think anyone who reads this book will see that." "Hello Me...Meet The Real Me," is expected in late 2010. The book's title refers to Megadeth's 1992 single "Sweating Bullets" off the "Countdown to Extinction" album.

BOB DYLAN SONG TO PREMIERE ON "NCIS" SOUNDTRACK
Bob Dylan fans might want to line up for a copy of "NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack- Vol. 2." The compilation for the CBS series "NCIS," is due to be released November 3rd and includes an unreleased track by the music icon. Remixed and remastered for the soundtrack, Dylan's original 1965 recording, "California," grew out of sessions for "Bringing It All Back Home." Dylan abandoned the piano-driven number, but not before using its verses on the single "Outlaw Blues." According to "Rolling Stone," "California" will be featured in the November third episode of "NCIS."
In related news, Dylan released a holiday album on Tuesday. "Christmas in the Heart," distributed by Sony is a fundraising effort for the rocker. All artist royalties benefit Feeding America.


Tuesday 10/13/09

SLASH RELEASES TWO-TRACK CD SINGLE IN JAPAN
Slash is rolling out new material for his fans. The rocker -- also a co-founder of Velvet Revolver -- will release a two-track CD single in Japan next month. As reported in "Classic Rock" magazine, the disc includes "Sahara," a new song with vocals by Koshi Inaba. Inaba is part of the Japanese duo B'Z. Also featured is a new version of G N' R's 1988 release "Paradise City," showcasing guest vocals by Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas.
In related news, Slash is putting finishing touches on his first solo effort. The project features musical guests Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Grohl, Chris Cornell, Steve Adler and Flea. The as-yet untitled album drops in late winter 2010. Eric Valentine produces. Valentine's other projects include Third Eye Blind's 1997 debut and "When the World Comes Down," The All American Rejects' 2008 release.

ZAKK IS BACK, WYLDE REJOINS BLACK LABEL SOCIETY
Zakk is back. Guitarist Zakk Wylde rejoins metal band Black Label Society. The 42 year-old musician was sidelined earlier this summer due to health complications with blood clots, but now reunites with the band for a new album in 2010. Wylde says in a Twitter posting that he's having a new recording studio constructed in California. Wylde adds that Black Label expects to record in January and February. Look for a tentative late spring release for the group's next album.
In addition to his run with Black Label Society, the New Jersey-born musician has played with Ozzy Osbourne. Wylde also served as guitarist and lead vocalist in Pride & Glory.

KISS EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR FORMER BANDMATE CRISS
KISS is sending good wishes to its former drummer Peter Criss. Criss, who officially left the band in 1980, recently revealed that he is a breast cancer survivor. The onetime KISS drummer went public about his health in honor of October -- Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Criss also stated that he wanted to spread the word that the disease affects men as well as women. In an open letter to Criss, KISS states, quote, "We were all shocked to learn of your recent bout with breast cancer, but so relieved to hear that you are now cancer-free. Thank you for sharing this personal matter by posting this important message and alerting everyone to breast cancer awareness and the need for early detection. We're in your corner and wish you continued good health."
KISS is currently on tour in support of "Sonic Boom," its first album of new material in eleven years. Up next, the longtime rockers The Verizon Center in Washington DC tonight.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy Birthday to Paul Simon, who celebrates his 68th birthday today
Sammy Hagar is 62. He's been the frontman for Van Halen and Montrose.
Foghat bassist Craig MacGregor is 60.


Monday 10/12/09

STUART COPELAND DISHES ON STING IN HIS NEW AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Stuart Copeland doesn't mince words in his new autobiography, "Strange Things Happen." The book, which was released on October 6th, is the former Police drummer's take on his life in music. Copeland expresses respect for the band's breakout solo supernova Sting. However, the 57-year-old also claims that at times he wanted to "claw" at the Police frontman's neck. Citing creative differences as the reason for the band's breakup, Copeland paints an equally tense picture of the band's 2007-08 reunion tour.
Regarding Sting's complaints in their first reunion rehearsals, Copeland writes, quote "I can take not one more word from you about anything. Do not even make eye contact with me, let alone make another suggestion about how I would play my drums ... you (expletive) piece of (expletive.)." Meanwhile, the Police reunion tour pulled in over $350 million worldwide.

ZEPPELIN BOOK RELEASED, HISTORIAN CITES BAND AS INFLUENTIAL ON GRUNGE SET
Rock historian Charles R. Cross connects 1970s Rockers Led Zeppelin to the grunge movement that followed two decades later. The Seattle-based author released a band bio, "Led Zepplein: Shadows Taller Than Our Souls," last Tuesday. Surrounding the release, Cross told "The Seattle Times" that the "Stairway to Heaven" rockers provided successive generations with, quote, "the template for what a hard rock band should be."
In addition to offering rare band photos, "Taller Than Our Souls" is interactive. Each chapter comes with removable reproductions of ticket stubs, set lists, posters, magazine covers, backstage passes and a set of news releases from The 1969 Seattle Pop Festival. The rockers played the festival as a relatively unknown band.

CHICKENFOOT REISSUING DEBUT NEXT MONTH
Chickenfoot plans to reissue its self-titled debut album in a deluxe limited edition on November 1st. According to BraveWords.com, the set will be offered exclusively through Best Buy and will include a bonus track called "Bitten By The Wolf," along with a DVD containing an hour of behind-the-scenes footage of the band, music videos, interviews and concert footage from their European and U.S. tours. The artwork will also reverse the original design, which was black with the band's logo printed in heat sensitive ink. The new set will have a white background printed with fluorescent ink. Chickenfoot is comprised of Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, ex-Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony, and guitarist Joe Satriani. The original release of Chickenfoot's debut entered the Billboard album chart at Number Four and has sold more than 300,000 copies in the U.S.

CHECK IT OUT: You can pre-order the deluxe edition of Chickenfoot's album at www.bestbuy.com/chickenfoot.


Friday 10/9/09

QUEEN'S 'ABSOLUTE GREATEST' SET FOR MULTIPLE FORMATS
Coming on November 17th will be the deluxe Queen hits collection Absolute Greatest. The set, which was compiled with assistance from cofounders Roger Taylor and Brian May, will be available in several different formats -- including both single and double disc versions as CD's and digital downloads.
Vintage Vinyl News reported that the two-disc set of Absolute Greatest will feature audio commentaries by Taylor and May. A "Limited Edition Book Version" will include the two-CD set, along with a 52-page book with rare and unseen photos, band memorabilia, copies of original handwritten lyrics -- along with access to streaming of 20 live performances. An "LP Box Set" features three albums, which includes a 16-page soft photo book, as well as access to streaming live performances.


U2 NIXED PLANS FOR 'ROCK BAND' GAME
U2 bassist Adam Clayton says that the Irish rockers discussed the possibility of creating a Rock Band video game based on the group with game publishers MTV Games and Electronic Arts last year. But the band dropped the idea, Clayton said, because "we felt some of the compromises weren't what we wanted." He did add. "That could change," saying that the quartet was impressed with the Rock Band: Beatles game. (USA Today)


METALLICA LAUNCHES iPHONE DOWNLOAD APPLICATION
Metallica has launched an iPhone application that "creates a streaming interface to your LiveMetallica account," meaning that any live show fans have downloaded from the site will automatically stream to their iPhones once they launch the app, which costs 99 cents. Fans just have to purchase the app at the iPhone store and log onto their account at LiveMetallica.com to access every gig they've downloaded, as well as a free stream of the band's latest concert. More developments and features are also on the way. (Metallica.com)}


Thursday 10/8/09

JOHN LENNON REMEMBERED ON HIS BIRTHDAY
Today (October 9th) marks what would have been John Lennon's 69th birthday. By nightfall, hundreds of fans will have made the pilgrimage to Central Park's Strawberry Fields in New York City for a day of remembrance, sing-alongs, and celebrations dedicated to the memory of Lennon. Strawberry Fields, a triangular patch of land dedicated to Lennon by the city of New York and named after the Beatles' 1967 hit, sits directly across the street from the Dakota, Lennon's Manhattan apartment building, where he was gunned down on December 8th, 1980 at the age 40. Today is also John and Yoko's son Sean Lennon's 34thd birthday. Lennon's full birth name was John Winston Lennon. In April 1969, he legally changed his middle name to "Ono."

GENESIS TO RELEASE 'THE MOVIE BOX' SET THIS FALL
Genesis has a five-DVD concert film set coming out on November 24th called The Movie Box. According to RollingStone.com, the collection will feature footage from the Phil Collins era beginning with Three Sides Live -- a 1981 concert from New York's Nassau Coliseum and 1984's Genesis Live -- The Mama Tour. Another DVD in the set will include an updated version of Genesis' VH1's 1999 Behind The Music special. Also in The Movie Box is Live At Wembley Stadium featuring shows from the Invisible Touch tour, along with the 1992 concert video Genesis: The Way We Walk-Live In Concert. Genesis has been on the roll this fall, releasing a lot of material -- most recently a 10-disc boxed set called Genesis Live 1973-2007. The band also reissued its entire 14-album catalog on CD/DVD. Genesis is among the nominees for the 2010 class of inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This year's inductees will be announced in January.

HEART MEMBERS UNVEIL CHILDREN'S BOOK AND ALBUM
Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart have switched their recent focus to children. This week saw the release of a children's book and an album for babies by both band members. They wrote and illustrated a children's book, titled Dog And Butterfly, inspired by their 1978 album of the same name. The story follows a dog whose only desire is to befriend a butterfly -- and in the end, determination helps him reach his goal. The sisters have also recorded a new version of the song, "Dog And Butterfly," which is available as a free download with the book's purchase. Also out this week is Nancy's new album, called Baby Guitars, which is filled with acoustic lullabies. Two of the set's ten songs -- "Sun on the Rug" and "Every Snowflake" -- were featured on the Elizabethtown soundtrack album, and "Sun on the Rug" was heard in the film, P.S. I Love You.


Wednesday 10/7/09

ORIGINAL KISS DRUMMER REVEALS BATTLE WITH BREAST CANCER
Original Kiss drummer Peter Criss took to his personal website to reveal that over the last year he's battled breast cancer. Now cancer-free, Criss wants to inform people about it and encourage men and women to get checked -- just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. He writes: "In '08, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, but with (early detection) my great doctor Alex Swistel and staff and the Lord above, who always looks over me, I am cancer-free today!!!" Criss added: "I wanted to let you know men get it like women do. Don't be afraid to let someone know if you have a lump. Do the right thing for you and your loved ones and get it checked. Man or woman, there is no discrimination with breast cancer ... we all don't have nine lives."

 DAVID BOWIE BIOGRAPHY DUE OUT THIS MONTH
David Bowie's life will be documented in a new biography by music journalist Marc Spitz. The book, simply called Bowie: A Biography, will hit shelves October 28th -- highlighting his childhood in post-war England to his rise to fame through the present. Spitz tells the story through more than 100 interviews, including childhood friend George Underwood, Peter Frampton, Angie Bowie, the rocker's former manager, mentor and other friends and musicians. Also in the book will be never-before-pulbished photographs. Bowie will release a double-disc live album called A Reality Tour on January 26th. The collection, which chronicles his 2004 road show, is the soundtrack to the previously-released DVD of the same name, but features three tracks not on the original set -- including "China Girl."

DEEP PURPLE PLANS NEW LIVE ALBUM
Deep Purple has a new live album in the works called Space Truckin' Round the World Live 68-76. According to Classic Rock magazine, the two-disc set -- due out next month -- will feature rare live recordings from various concerts all over the world, including gigs in Tokyo, Paris and San Diego. The compilation, which features multiple band line-ups, will also feature a detailed history of the group, individual concert details and photos. It's being released as part of the 10th anniversary of Purple Records -- the label that handles the band's music.


Music Birthdays:

John Mellencamp is 58.

Former Sugarloaf bassist Robert Webber is 64.

Kansas bassist Dave Hope is 60.


Tuesday 10/6/09

METALLICA MEETS ELDERLY FAN
One of Metallica's eldest fans can now say she's met the group. The band discovered that Margaret Priebe was one of their older fans after an article surfaced in the "St. Petersburg Times" last week, so they invited the 85-year-old grandmother to come to their show. Priebe received a backstage meet-and-greet with the rockers. Her son, Jim Priebe, told "TampaBay.com," quote, "I guess they showed the guys in the band the article and they wanted to meet her." Priebe says the response has been crazy since the article surfaced, and the local radio station managed to set up the meet-and-greet with the band's press relations people. Margaret says she first took notice of the group with their symphonic "S&M" album and has loved their music ever since. She even turned to the music while dealing with a cancer battle last year and is now cancer-free. Margaret told the paper that she was nervous to meet the band, but she got the thrill of meeting her longtime favorites prior to Sunday's performance.


RECORD LABELS FILE SUIT AGAINST GUNS N' ROSES
Two independent record labels have sued Guns N' Roses for one million dollars, claiming that the band used portions of two songs by a German musician named Ulrich Schnauss in a track called "Riad N' the Bedouins" on the 2008 Guns album Chinese Democracy. Reuters reports that the band was sued by the British label Independiente and the U.S. arm of the Domino Recording Company, who own the licensing rights to the songs, called "Wherever You Are" and "A Strangely Isolated Place." Guns N' Roses' label, Universal Music, was also named in the lawsuit. Representatives for the band and label had no comment.


AEROSMITH'S JOE PERRY HAS 'GUITAR, WILL TRAVEL'
Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry releases his new solo album, Have Guitar, Will Travel, Today (October 6th). The first single from the project is "We've Got A Long Way To Go." Perry told us that he began putting together the solo project after work on the next Aerosmith record was delayed: "The album has kind of a vibe to it, 'cause it was written and recorded in this burst of energy. I mean, I was so ready to do the Aerosmith record, I just had to cut loose. I had to have an outlet. I mean, I'm always writing, I'm always in the studio anyway, I just didn't think it was gonna be this soon."
Vocals on the disc are handled by Perry and an unknown German singer named Hagen, who was found on YouTube by Perry's wife Billie.
While he hasn't spoken to Tyler in some time, Perry does not seem too worried about Aerosmith's future, telling Daily Noise, "I think it's going to come around. We've been together too long for it to fade away."


Friday 10/2/09

SPRINGSTEEN DEBUTS "WRECKING BALL"
The Boss knows how to swing a "Wrecking Ball." On the first of a five-night run at Giants Stadium in New Jersey Wednesday, Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band unveiled "Wrecking Ball." According to "Rolling Stone," Springsteen penned the track in honor of the stadium's upcoming demolition. The magazine posted footage of the performance on its "Rock & Roll Daily" website on Thursday. "Wrecking Ball" assumes the voice of the historic structure itself with lyrics like, quote, "I was raised here tonight in the swamps of jersey...I've seen champions come and go." Giants Stadium, home to many Springsteen concerts over the decades, is expected to shut down in 2010.In related news, Bruce Springsteen -- a self-described "Jersey boy" -- is winding down his "Working on A Dream" tour. The tour concludes in Buffalo, New York on November 22nd.

RUSH RELEASING 'BEST OF' LIVE CD AND DVD
Rush will release a new CD and DVD, both titled Working Men, on November 17th. The discs compile some of the best live performances from the band's three previous concert DVDs: Rush In Rio, R30 and Snakes & Arrows Live. In addition to live performances of many of the trio's greatest hits, the DVD will also include one previously unreleased clip of the group performing the song "One Little Victory." Other songs that will appear include "Limelight," "Closer To The Heart," "Tom Sawyer," "The Spirit Of Radio" and more. (Noisecreep.com)

JANIS JOPLIN REMEMBERED
It was 39 years ago Sunday (October 4th, 1970) that Janis Joplin was found dead. After a long night of partying, Joplin's body was discovered in her room at the Landmark Hotel in Hollywood with fresh needle marks in her arm, and her death was ruled an accidental overdose. Joplin was 27-years-old, and at the time of her death was working on what became her final album, Pearl



Billy Joel will be writing his autobiography for Harper Collins. According to a report in The Hollywood Reporter, the publishers are said to have paid the "Piano Man" a cool $3 million for the memoir. No title or publication date has been set. Joel's cowriter will be author Fred Schruers, who's written books on Blondie, the Kinks, and others. (Newsday.com)



Lynyrd Skynyrd will appear tonight (October 2nd) on CBS's The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson. The band will be performing their new single "Simple Life" from their newly-released set Gods & Guns -- which is their first studio album in six years. Check your local listings for stations and times.







Thursday 10/1/09


KISS TO PLAY "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN" ON TUESDAY
KISS is headed to The Ed Sullivan Theater. The rockers play CBS' "The Late Show with David Letterman" next Tuesday. The band's appearance on the show falls on the same day that their much-anticipated new album "Sonic Boom" arrives in stores. "Sonic Boom" is the band's first LP with new material since 1998's, "Psycho Circus."





PEARL JAM SCORES FIRST CHART TOPPER IN 13 YEARS
Pearl Jam notched its first Number One debut on the Billboard 200 album chart in 13 years this week with its ninth studio effort, Backspacer. The disc, which was sold exclusively through Target, iTunes and selected independent stores, sold 189,000 copies since arriving on September 20th. It's the fourth time the band has hit Number One and first since No Code sold 367,000 copies to hit the top spot.


AC/DC FRONTMAN: 'MY INSIDES WERE GIVING ME LOTS OF TROUBLE'
AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson has issued a message on the medical procedure which forced him off the road and led the band to postpone the first six dates of the next leg of its Black Ice world tour, which was scheduled to begin Tonight. Johnson wrote, "It's an inside job that forced me to reschedule those upcoming six shows! Inside being the operative word here. My insides were giving me lots of trouble, ulcers and such. They were really uncomfortable and painful, which required me to seek immediate medical attention. The doctor's looked me over, poked, scanned and prodded all possible areas. In the end, they gave me a clean bill of health, but insisted that I take a bit of time to recuperate and rest up." Johnson added, "We've been touring non-stop since this time last year and have a lot more touring to do. Thanks for all of the get-well wishes and I hope to see you all again very soon."  The trek will now resume on October 16th in Washington, D.C.

METALLICA OFFERS ONLINE CONTENT 'A LA CARTE'
Metallica is finally offering online content "a la carte" to fans. According to "Rolling Stone," the band will now allow visitors to their LiveMetallica site, to download single tracks. Since 2004, LiveMetallica has allowed end-users to purchase entire concerts and live performances. In a nod to the iTunes business model, Metallica now offers 99-cent downloads of singles. Full concert prices remain at nine-dollars-and-95 cents, while high-quality FLAC downloads are still 12-dollars-and-95 cents.

In related news, the "Death Magnetic" rockers continue to tour North America.
11/10/2009 Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena
11/12/2009 Albany, NY Times Union Center
11/14/2009 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
11/15/2009 New York, NY Madison Square Garden


Wednesday 9/30/09

ALICE COOPER TO RELEASE HALLOWEEN SINGLE
Alice Cooper has claimed his holiday. Nat King Cole sang about Christmas. Ella Fitzgerald crooned about Valentine's Day. Cooper is all about Halloween. According to his website, the "Nightmare" rocker recently recorded the single "Keepin' Halloween Alive," now available on iTunes and at the Shout! Factory website. Free with the download is a karaoke or "Cooperoke" version. Joining Alice on the track were Powerman 5000 guitarist David Pino, Rob Zombie guitarist Piggy D, who also wrote the song, and drummer David Spreng, who has played with Bob Dylan and The Bravery.

WILL RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS GUITARIST RETURN?
Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith recently told Rolling Stone magazine that the band will officially reconvene to begin writing music for its 10th studio album on October 12th. But will guitarist John Frusciante be there? Although the eccentric axeman had indicated in some interviews that he had "no plans" to return to the Chili Peppers, other reports suggest that he and bassist Flea had worked things out. Smith himself told Crave Online, "John wasn't too anxious to get back and get going. But one way or another, we'll get going."
It's also not known yet whether the band will once again work with producer Rick Rubin, who has been in the studio for every album starting with 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Smith told us that some of Frusciante's issues might have been with the Grammy-winning producer:

OZZY OSBOURNE, ROB HALFORD, AND JACK BLACK TEAM UP FOR VIDEO GAME
Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford and actor/musician Jack Black star in a new video game out on October 13th called Brutal Legend. The game is not based on music performance like Guitar Hero or Rock Band, but instead takes players on a trip into the fantasy world of heavy metal, drawing upon the imagery and lyrics for the game's plot, design and dialogue. It also features a soundtrack of more than 100 heavy metal tracks. (Billboard.com)




Tuesday 9/29/09

LYNYRD SKYNYRD RELEASE 'GODS & GUNS'
Lynyrd Skynyrd released their latest album called Gods & Guns today (September 29th) marking the band's first studio set since 2003. While on the road this summer, the band has previewed the album's lead single "Still Unbroken" and dedicated the song to late members Leon Wilkeson -- Skynyrd's longtime bassist who died from emphysema and liver disease in 2001, former guitarist Hughie Thomasson who suffered a fatal heart attack in 2007, longtime keyboardist Billy Powell who suffered a fatal heart attack in January, and Ean Evans, who died of cancer this past May
The album features a further tribute to Evans on the song "Storm" and another saluting Powell on "Gifted Hands."

REO SPEEDWAGON TO RELEASE CHRISTMAS ALBUM
REO Speedwagon will release their first Christmas album called Not So Silent Night... Christmas With REO Speedwagon, on October 27th. The set features 13 holiday favorites -- including a cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 1971 classic "Happy Xmas (War is Over)." The band will be donating all artist royalties from "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" to the John Lennon Foundation For Child Health.
Bandleader Kevin Cronin talked about the album on speedwagon.com and said, "We are as proud and passionate about this project as we have been about any album we have ever made. We hope that this music is as much fun for our fans to listen to as it has been for us to create. The holiday spirit is alive in the REO family, and we wish the same for yours."

FOREIGNER RELEASES "WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE" TODAY
Love is still on the brain for Foreigner. The "Double Vision" rockers release new material today on their "When It Comes to Love" CD. The CD will be released exclusively through Wal-Mart, according to Foreigner's website. A new single, "Can't Slow Down," hits the radio airwaves on October 12th. "Can't Slow Down" follows an advance release of the album's title track which hit number 27 on the Adult Contemporary Airplay Chart for the week ending September 27th. Getting the word out about "Love," Foreigner launches a media blitz today on radio and TV. The band will also play at a pre-race performance at the NASCAR Pepsi 500. ABC will broadcast the event on October 11th.
In related news, pop diva Mariah Carey recorded a cover of Foreigner's 1984 hit power ballad "I Want to Know What Love Is" for her 12th studio album, "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel." That album also arrives in stores today.

INSPIRATION FOR "LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS" DEAD AT 46
The inspiration for the Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" has died. The St. Thomas Lupus Trust says Lucy Vodden passed away at the age of 46 after a battle with lupus. Lucy was a childhood friend of Julian Lennon, the son of John Lennon. One day, young Julian drew a picture and told his dad "That's Lucy in the sky with diamonds." John Lennon turned it into a song that has long been associated with the psychedelic drug LSD. Julian Lennon and his mother Cynthia are said to be shocked at Vodden's death.



Monday 9/28/09

PETTY FANS GET VIRTUAL PREVIEW
Fans of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers will get to preview the band's upcoming compilation as part of its "Superhighway Tour." According to "Classic Rock" magazine, the "Breakdown" rockers are promoting the November release of the "Live Anthology" box set via the web. Fans can download selected tracks starting next week with 24 of "Live's" 48 tracks are available online beginning on September 29th. Then, on November 24th -- also the box set's drop date -- fans can get the remaining track titles online. "Live Anthology" features songs spanning from 1978 to 2007 and will come in three formats. Petty and company offer a standard four-disc set. A deluxe edition offers collectors five CDs, a Blu-Ray disc with all 62 tracks on the deluxe CDs, two DVD discs and an LP with the 1976 "Official Live 'Leg" promotional album. Finally, there is a seven-album vinyl set. For more information, visit www.tompetty.com.

AC/DC has launched a new website called ACDCBacktracks.com and has promised that it will make an "exciting announcement" next Tuesday (September 29th). This follows unconfirmed reports that the band is planning to release a massive box set later this year consisting of three CDs, two DVDs and a vinyl album, all containing previously unreleased studio and live rarities. The set will come in a working amplifier and also feature a book, flyer, poster and lithographs of never-before-seen photos. Right now all that's on the site is a countdown clock and a short clip of the vintage AC/DC video for "Jailbreak." (BraveWords.com




Friday 9/25/09

PEARL JAM IS ON TRACK TO LAND FIRST NUMBER ALBUM IN 13 YEARS
It's looking like Pearl Jam could score its first Number One album in 13 years. According to Billboard.com, industry insiders say the group's new effort, Backspacer, could sell between 175,000 to 200,000 copies by the end of the week -- putting it ahead of the competition on the next Billboard Top 200 album chart. The set, which went on sale Sunday (September 20th) marks Pearl Jam's first without a major label. It's being sold exclusively at Target, iTunes, Pearl Jam's website and independent stores. 
Pearl Jam's previous studio album, 2006's self-titled collection, debuted at Number Two with 279,000 copies sold in its first week. The last time Pearl Jam topped the charts was in 1996 with No Code.
Pearl Jam will perform a show this year for PBS' Austin City Limits series, which will air November 21st.  Pearl Jam is currently on tour.

The Faces -- Ron Wood, Kenney Jones, and Ian McLagen -- will reform on October 25th at London's Royal Albert Hall, without Rod Stewart. Bill Wyman will sit in for bass for the late Ronnie Lane. The event, which will feature guest performers subbing for Stewart, will benefit Performing Right Society for Music Members' Benevolent Fund. The fund has come to the aid of Lane's widow Katy following his 1997 death from complications from Multiple Sclerosis. Other acts set to play the benefit will be Paul Carrack, Kiki Dee, Chris Difford, Georgie Fame, Robin Gibb, Level 42's Mark King, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings -- who'll serve as the house band, Mick Hucknall, and "some very important guests." (BBC.co.uk)

EX-YARDBIRDS CLAPTON AND BECK REUNITE IN LONDON IN 2010
Former Yardbirds Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck plan to share the stage in 2010. According to "Rolling Stone," the rockers -- who were a hit playing together in Japan earlier this year -- play London's O2 Arena on February 13 next year. In a statement on Thursday, Clapton said, quote, "I've always considered Jeff Beck to be one of the finest guitar players around. He's a friend, a great guy, and a truly gifted musician. We had such a fun time in Japan that it seemed natural to play together again."
Also according to "RS," the London concert has fuels rumors that the guitar greats will team up for a U.S. Tour. Stay tuned. Although the Yardbirds is a shared part of their history, the guitar legends never played together in the group. When Clapton left the Yardbirds in the mid-60s, Beck joined the group as his replacement.

CHICKENFOOT PREPS DELUXE ALBUM RELEASE
Chickenfoot's debut album will be released as a deluxe set next month. Right now it's only scheduled for a U.K. release on October 26th. There's no U.S. date yet. Blabbermouth.net reports that the two-disc set will feature a bonus DVD disc with exclusive live footage, behind-the-scenes interviews and both of the band's official music videos for "Oh Yeah" and "Soap On A Rope."
Chickenfoot's self-titled debut is now gold in the U.S. for sales of more than 500,000 copies, but drummer Chad Smith admitted that he's not quite sure who the band's audience is: ["We played this festival in Belgium, in Europe, and it was like Lamb Of God, Disturbed, Trivium, Manson -- all these like angry rock bands. And they're so white and so like angry and soulless and we're out there like (sings) 'sexy little thing...' (laughs) I was like, we're not that, but we're not like My Chemical Romance or whatever, you know, we're not that either. We're just doing what we're doing."]



Thursday 9/24/09

GENESIS, KISS, THE HOLLIES AMONG ROCK HALL 2010 NOMINEES
Genesis, KISS, and The Hollies are some of the rock veterans and '70s-era favorites that are on the list of nominees for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 2010 inductions. They're joining Donna Summer, ABBA, Jimmy Cliff, and Darlene Love on the ballot. Also in the running are Laura Nyro, The Stooges, and The Chantels, along with pioneer rapper LL Cool J and rockers the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Ballots will go out 500 voters who will narrow the list down to five inductees who'll be celebrated at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the 25th Annual Induction Ceremony on March 15th. The inductees will be announced in January. The induction ceremony will take place place at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.
Artists must have released their first single or album at least 25 years prior to the year of nominations to be eligible for nomination to the Rock Hall. This year's nominees would have had to release their first single no later than 1984. This fall, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will also host two concerts to celebrate its 25th anniversary at Madison Square Garden on October 29th and October 30th.



Here are the 12 nominees eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 2010:

ABBA
Darlene Love
Donna Summer
Genesis
Jimmy Cliff
KISS
Laura Nyro
LL Cool J
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Chantels
The Hollies
The Stooges

HENDRIX SISTER: MORE UNRELEASED HENDRIX MUSIC ON THE WAY
Fans of late guitar great Jimi Hendrix might soon be able to add a few more titles to their collections. Janie Hendrix, Jimi's surviving sister, says there is still a lot of unreleased music from the "Hey, Joe" artist, including video. Janie runs Authentic Hendrix, Jimi's legacy foundation. According to classicrockmagazine.com, she recently told Gibson, the company making a new Hendrix model guitar, that, quote, "every 12 to 18 months we'll continue to have new releases and...official bootlegs." Janie added that the foundation has two temperature-controlled vaults, one in New York and one in Los Angeles.
Since his death in 1970, Hendrix's legacy continues. Rhino, a division of Universal Music Group, admisters his extensive catalog. In July 2008, a video game distributed by Activision -- Guitar Hero: Hendrix -- hit retail stores.

THE POISON PEN, BRET MICHAELS DELAYS RELEASE OF AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Bret Michaels' next release - a book, not an album - is now pushed back to next year. "Roses and Thorns: The Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy to My Reality" is the Poison frontman's memoir, now delayed so that Michaels can finish telling his story. The rocker told Billboard.com that the delay allows him to include anecdotes like his appearance at the 2009 Tony Awards. Also included will be the band's 2009 summer tour with Def Leppard and Cheap Trick. The vocalist also said that the delay may allow him to have a musical companion to accompany the release.
Fans might get part of the story during Michaels' VH1 "Behind The Music" special on October 1st. As for the book, published by Simon & Schuster, Michaels said an April or May release is likely. Up next, Michaels plays Memphest on Friday in Memphis, Tennessee.


DAVE GROHL PLAYS ON SLASH SOLO TRACK
Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash recorded a new track for his solo album on Tuesday night (September 22nd) with Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Nirvana fame on drums and Slash's Velvet Revolver and Guns N' Roses bandmate Duff McKagan on bass. According to Blabbermouth.net, Slash wrote on Twitter about the session, "Great jamming w/Duff & Grohl tonight, the track is a killer instrumental, very heavy."
Slash's album, rumored to be called Slash & Friends, is tentatively due out in early 2010.


Wednesday 9/23/09

THE BOSS TURNS 60,
Time stops for no man, not even "The Boss." Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949. Springsteen turns 60-years-old today, and AARP has something to say about that. Produced by the American Association of Retired Persons, "AARP Magazine" writes about Springsteen in its September/October issue. In an article called "Red, White and Bruce," the magazine identifies the "Born to Run" rocker as a generation's "blue-collar conscience." The article says that retiring boomers need The Boss more than ever. Springsteen's work ethic on a recent 50 city tour is praised. So, too, is his belief in friends and family and his ability to motivate a crowd.



STEVE MILLER BAND MEMBER DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG AND BRAIN CANCER
Steve Miller Band member Norton Buffalo has revealed that he's suffering from Stage Four lung cancer which has spread to his brain. Spinner.com reported that Buffalo, who's 57 and been Miller's harmonica player since 1975, explained that while on tour with the band, he began experiencing asthma-like symptoms: "All of this was of course affecting both my harmonica playing and my singing as it seemed that there just wasn't enough air on the planet for what I was trying to do. As I was having such a challenging time breathing when the shows were over, I was just whooped to the core, could no longer rest comfortably on my right side and was basically miserable."
On September 2nd, Buffalo received word from a specialist that he had cancer in his lower right lung, or more specifically Stage Four Adenocarcinoma of the right lower lobe. The next day the results from an MRI revealed that the cancer had spread to his brain.

SEBASTIAN BACH TO GET "FIT" ON VH1
Sebastian Bach is ready to get fit. According to "People" magazine, the Skid Row frontman is joining the cast of "Celebrity Fit Club" on VH1. Shaping up alongside Bach are former "Baywatch" babe Nicole Eggert, "High School Musical" actress Kaycee Strohland fashion designer Jay McCarroll. Also in the mix are a couple of famous former spouses. Britney Spears' ex Kevin Federline and Whitney Houston's ex Bobby Brown will trim down on TV. Adding to the drama, the woman whom Federline left for Britney, Shar Jackson, will be there, too.
No word yet on whether Bach will provide musical relief. He just might want to avoid "Psycho Love" in his repertoire. "Celebrity Fit Club" premieres on VH1 on February 14th.

OZZY AND ZAKK STILL GOOD
Ozzy Osbourne is playing shows with Firewind’s Gus G. on guitar as opposed to longtime guitar slinger Zakk Wylde, but the metal vet insists all is still good between he and the guitarist. Osbourne tells Artisan News Service, “I haven’t fallen out with Zakk. He’s a very good….Our relationship goes way beyond music. I just wanted to…he’s got his own thing now, he’s got his own band, he’s got his own career – he don’t need me anymore.” During Osbourne’s recent shows, Wylde was scheduled to be touring with Black Label Society but the trek was cut short when the guitarist learned of multiple blood clots that needed treatment.


Tuesday 9/22/09

OZZY OSBOURNE AUTOBIOGRAPHY TOUCHES ON FAME, BAT BITING
Ozzy Osbourne pulls no punches in his new autobiography, "I Am Ozzy." The rocker writes about his reality show and that being on it was "terrifying." Ozzy says, quote, "The whole thing felt like Beatlemania on LSD. I was no longer famous for being a singer. I was famous for being that swearing bloke on the telly." The UK Times Online has published an excerpt from the book, where Ozzy also talks about his infamous bat-biting incident. He says he thought the bat was a toy at first. The Prince of Darkness writes, quote, "I did what I always did when we got a rubber toy on stage. CHOMP. Immediately, though, something felt wrong. Very wrong....The head in mouth twitched." The often hilarious and always curse-word laden account of Ozzy's life in his own words is being released in the UK on October 1st.



NEW ELTON JOHN BIOGRAPHY HITS SHELVES
Elton John is the subject of a new celebrity biography by bestselling author Mark Bego. Titled "The Bitch is Back," after John's 1974 song of the same name, the bio turns the focus on the long career of the pop veteran from his feather boa days in the 1970s, to the lucrative "Red Piano" show in Las Vegas. Phoenix Books releases the title on October 1st with pre-orders available now on amazon.com and other online retailers. Elton John recently wrapped the Face 2 Face tour with fellow piano man Billy Joel, who was also the subject of another Mark Bego biography.



PETER FRAMPTON IN THE MIDDLE OF A SONGWRITING RESURGENCE
Peter Frampton, who took a major break in his recording schedule for his recently-wrapped 46-date summer tour, revealed that he's currently in the process of a huge songwriting resurgence.
Frampton, who'll be following up his Grammy Award-winning instrumental set Fingerprints with a more traditional rock album in March, told cleveland.com, "It's time to reintroduce my voice. I've written more songs since Fingerprints than I've probably written in 10 years."Frampton says that he's begun writing again the way he did back in the '70s: ["I've been writing on my own, as well as the co-writes. Y'know, I've been working with (my collaborator) Gordon Kennedy again, obviously, and we've written some great stuff. But I've also stretched out and written some stuff totally on my own again, like the old days."] )


Monday 9/21/09

WOODSTOCK MUSIC FESTIVAL BROADWAY-BOUND
Original Woodstock co-creator Michael Lang plans to take memories of the fabled 1969 weekend to Broadway. Lang recently told "Rolling Stone" magazine that he wants theatergoers to feel the magic. But don't expect the classic rock played at the legendary festival to be reinterpreted into show tunes. To that idea, Lang said, quote, "My God, no." Lang does hope to have some members of Woodstock's original roster on board to write new music for the production. The 64-year-old producer and promoter added that he hopes that a Broadway show will explore, quote, "the human condition and stories affecting people's lives."

LYNYRD SKYNYRD VISITS "TONIGHT SHOW" TONIGHT
Lynyrd Skynyrd shares the airwaves with British funnyman Ricky Gervais on tonight's edition of NBC's "The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien." Skynyrd's appearance on the late night talk show comes in the midst of the group's tour and a week before their new album "Gods & Guns" arrives in stores on September 29th. The group lost two band members earlier this year. Bassist Donald "Ean" Evans passed away in May after a battle with cancer, and keyboardist Billy Powell passed away in January. Lynyrd Skynyrd was scheduled to perform in Albuquerque, New Mexico last night. The band's next scheduled concert date is October 1st at New York City's Beacon Theatre.

SLASH AND FRIENDS
Slash still has yet to reveal all of the guests on his new solo album, but there may be some joining him in Las Vegas next month. The guitarist has announced a "Slash & Friends" show at the Mirage for the hotel's 20th anniversary concert bash. The show is hosted by Kiefer Sutherland and features opening act Billy Boy On Poison. Performers joining Slash onstage include Led Zeppelin's Jason Bonham, The Burden's Rocco Deluca, Motley Crue's Tommy Lee, Courtney Love, Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen, Aerosmith's Joe Perry, Velvet Revolver's Matt Sorum, and Rob Zombie. The show takes place October 2nd.





Friday 9/18/09

SPRINGSTEEN TO TAKE SOME TIME OFF, E-STREET BANDMATES MAKE PLANS
"The Boss" is hanging it up for a while. Billboard.com reports that Bruce Springsteen is planning to take some time off when his North American tour with the E-Street Band concludes in Buffalo, New York on November 22nd. E-Street guitarist and former "Sopranos" star Steven Van Zandt told reporters on this week, quote, "We are gonna’ take, I don't know how long --- a year, year and half, two years." Van Zandt added, quote, "Up to now, we've been working a lot, and it's great." The E-Streeters are making future plans as the "Working on a Dream" tour winds down. Keyboardist Roy Bittan plans to finish his solo album, "Out of the Box," that he started in 2007. Saxophonist Clarence Clemons' memoir, "Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tale" with Don Reo will be released October 21st. It includes a forward by Springsteen.

Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band launched its North American, "Working on a Dream" tour on August 19th in Hartford, Connecticut.


ALICE COOPER PLEASED WITH CURRENT TOUR
Alice Cooper tells Billboard.com that the shows on his upcoming "Theater of Death" tour are, quote, "Alice all the way, but the formula is totally upside down and backwards." He describes the presentation as "a celebration of different phases of Alice," noting it tells four distinct Alice stories. Cooper collaborated with set designer Robert Jess Roth on the project, which the singer says is an "elaborate show" with, quote, "new lights and props and costumes and everything." He adds that the changes bring something different for the fans, who have been taken off guard by the revamped set list. The biggest surprise is the opening song -- "School's Out" -- which had typically been Cooper's closer. He adds that he's stringing together more harder songs, which makes it a "more rockin'" show. Cooper is on tour supporting his 2008 release "Along Came a Spider."Cooper's "Theatre of Death" tour rolls on with shows in Erie, Pennsylvania at the Warner Theatre tonight and at Freedom Hill in Detroit on Saturday.

ALICE COOPER EXTENDS U.S. TOUR
Alice Cooper is back on the road in the U.S. on a still-growing tour. The veteran shock rocker, who launched a two-week North American road trip last Friday in Elizabeth, Indiana, just announced a new slate of dates. His fresh set of shows start at the York Fair in York, Pennsylvania on September 17th and extend into late October, concluding with a three-night stand at the Showroom at Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 23rd, 24th, and 25th. Between his U.S. tour runs Cooper will head overseas for three weeks of performances in Australia. After his trek's second North American leg, Cooper, who spent the summer on tour in Europe, will again travel across the Atlantic for shows in the UK and Germany in November and December. Cooper is on tour supporting his most recent release, "Along Came A Spider." His next show will be in Clearfield, Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

Alice Cooper Tour Dates

September 17 - York, Pennsylvania, at the York Fair
September 18 - Erie, Pennsylvania, at the Warner Theatre
September 19 - Detroit, Michigan, at Freedom Hill
September 21 - Verona, New York, at the Showroom at Turning Stone Casino
September 22 - Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple


METALLICA DRUMMER DISPUTES 'BIG FOUR TOUR' REPORTS
Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has disputed reports that the band is assembling a tour that would feature the "Big Four" of the 1980s underground thrash metal scene -- itself, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. In an interview with Nudge at Dayton, Ohio radio station 103.9 (The X), Ulrich said, "I think it would be a super-fun thing to do. It's something that I would definitely support. It's something that I would love to encourage. It's something I love to be very proactive in putting together. But right now . . . it's not something that's like hush-hush being worked on behind the scenes or anything like that. I read some of those Internet sites myself once in a while, and it's not something that's going down, but it's something that I would be totally for at some point if it could happen. And we would love to be a part of that at any level possible." Ulrich added that he believes the idea originated at a London party last March, where "a bunch of us were sitting around way later than we should have been sitting around (having) a bunch of very heavily red wine-induced conversations . . . And the idea of doing that at some point came up in that conversation."  Ulrich's comments, however, directly contradict those of Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, who told Metromix that work was moving forward on just such a tour, although he cautioned, "It's not a sealed deal. We're working on it." Metallica kicked off its latest North American trek on Monday (September 14th) in Nashville, and next plays on Saturday (September 19th) in Montreal.


Thursday 9/17/09

JOE PERRY: 'I HAVEN'T TALKED TO STEVEN TYLER IN ABOUT A MONTH'
Aerosmith was forced to cancel its summer tour after frontman Steven Tyler fell off the stage while performing in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 6th. Following the incident, Tyler had his arm in a sling and told RollingStone.com that he was taking a bunch of painkillers. Since then, we haven't heard too much from Tyler and apparently neither has his fellow band member, guitarist Joe Perry. While at the MTV Video Music Awards, we asked Perry how Tyler has been feeling these days: ["You know, you're going to have to ask his manager about that. We don't have the same manager anymore. And I haven't talked to him in about a month. So I don't know what he's doing."] Perry, meanwhile, has been busy prepping his solo effort, Have Guitar, Will Travel, which comes out October 6th. The first single is "We've Got A Long Way To Go."


METALLICA BASSIST SAYS BAND IS 'WORKING ON' BIG FOUR TOUR
Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo confirmed to Metromix that the band is tentatively planning a tour featuring themselves, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer -- also known as the "Big Four" of the Eighties underground metal scene on which all four groups first made their names. When asked if he liked the idea, Trujillo said, "I think it's great. We've had a few different conversations on the subject. . . . There's a lot of history there. I think it'd be great for metal. I don't think all four bands have played together at the same time." Pressed as to whether the rumors of the tour were true, Trujillo answered, "There is, but nothing's concrete. It's not a sealed deal. We're working on it." The bassist admitted there would be "a lot of egos" on the tour, adding, "I think we'd be OK. It'd be an issue with the other three bands."
Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has posted his thoughts on the subject in recent days, indicating that he's not sure if he could embark on such a tour. Mustaine played in Metallica in 1982 and early 1983, but was kicked out and replaced by Kirk Hammett -- for which he's bitter to this day. Metallica kicked off its latest North American tour on Monday (September 14th) in Nashville, and next plays Thursday night (September 17th) in Indianapolis. Trujillo added that he thinks the next Metallica album will be in the same vein as Death Magnetic, but he told us earlier this year that he never knows what to expect when the band starts writing: ["The whole thing is, when we're being creative, when Metallica's creative, the last thing you want to do is interfere with the flow that happens between Lars (Ulrich, drummer) and James (Hetfield, frontman), 'cause these guys bump heads and they get on a roll with things. And you really gotta let them do their thing, 'cause it is magic, and let them be productive when that's clicking."]



Wednesday 9/16/09

SATRIANI-COLDPLAY LAWSUIT DISMISSED
Joe Satriani's legal action against Coldplay appears to be over. According to the legal news website News.justia.com the case was dismissed Monday in California Central District Court, quote, "upon stipulation." The condition could mean that the classic rocker and the British group have come to an out-of-court settlement in the matter. Satriani filed suit against the band last December, claiming Coldplay's 2008 hit "Viva La Vida" borrowed too liberally from his 2004 track "If I Could Fly."


THE EAGLES' TIMOTHY B. SCHMIT FLYING SOLO
The Eagles' Timothy B. Schmit is prepping for the release of a solo album. The classic rocker tells Billboard.com he feels like "Expando" is, quote, "totally me." He notes that he wrote all the songs on the album, which he recorded at his home studio, and musically plays "as much on it as possible." He explains, quote, "For the first time I think it's really more me, really what I represent. It's just me, for better or for worse." Schmit adds that working on the project has been, quote, "a really joyous experience." The album features guest appearances from a number of Schmit's musical friends, including Graham Nash, Dwight Yoakam, Kid Rock, and Van Dyke Parks. "Expando" is due in stores October 20th.
• "Expando" is the singer-bassist's first solo effort since 2001's "Feed the Fire." Schmit says the lengthy gap reflects how busy he's been in recent years with the Eagles, which he notes is "not a complaint."

Timothy B. Schmit's "Expando" track listing

"One More Mile" featuring Keb' Mo'
"Parachute" featuring Graham Nash and Kenny Wayne Shepherd
"Friday Night" featuring Van Dyke Parks
"Ella Jean"
"White Boy From Sacramento"
"Compassion"
"Downtime" featuring Dwight Yoakam, Kid Rock and Gary Burton
"Melancholy"
"I Don't Mind" featuring Van Dyke Parks
"Secular Praise" featuring the Blind Boys Of Alabama
"A Good Day" featuring Greg Leisz

MARK KNOPFLER RELEASES NEW CD, ANNOUNCES TOUR
Mark Knopfler has a new album in stores. "Get Lucky" is the former Dire Straits frontman's first studio effort in two years, following his 2007 effort "Kills to Get Crimson." But the classic rocker tells Billboard.com recording projects are more of a means to an end for him. He explains that his passion lies in performing live, and the need to support his studio work provides him the opportunities he wants to go on the road. Knopfler is already mapping out an international trek behind the album. The trek is scheduled to start later this month in London. He'll be bringing the Get Lucky World Tour to these shores next spring. The 25-date North American road trip is set to begin in Seattle on April 8th.

Mark Knopfler Tour Dates: closest venues

April 28 - Buffalo, New York, at the University of Buffalo Center For The Arts
May 5 - Red Bank, New Jersey, at the Count Basie Theatre
May 6 - New York, New York, at the United Palace
May 7 - Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, at the Tower Theater


Tuesday 9/15/09

KISS TAPS BUCKCHERRY AS TOUR'S SUPPORT ACT
KISS has an opening act for their upcoming "KISS Alive 35" tour. The classic rockers have tapped the band Buckcherry for the job. Buckcherry guitarist Keith Nelson notes it won't be the first time his band has hit the road with KISS. But he admits that previously some members of the KISS Army weren't very receptive to his group. He recalls it was, quote, “a trial by fire,” adding quote, “the European KISS fans didn't want to see anybody but KISS, and they sure as hell did not want to see a bunch of dudes from L.A. that they didn't know.” Things might be a little different this time around. That previous tour was a decade ago, when KISS was supporting the album "Psycho Circus." KISS will be backing a new CD this time around. "Sonic Boom" will be in stores on October 6th. The "KISS Alive 35" tour is scheduled to begin with a two-night stand in Detroit on September 25th and 26th.

SOLO CD ARRIVING FROM FORMER KISS GUITARIST
Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is ready with a new CD. "Anomaly" is the classic rocker's first solo effort in nearly 20 years. Highlights include a cover of The Sweet's "Fox on the Run" and the song "Genghis Khan," described as an "epic" track that showcases the classic rocker's talents as a guitarist. Frehley is issuing the CD himself through his Bronx Born Records label.


JOHN FOGERTY HITTING THE ROAD IN NOVEMBER
John Fogerty has announced the first nine dates of his upcoming tour in support of his new, critically-acclaimed country-tinged covers set The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again. Fogerty kicks things of on November 12th in Los Angeles with the current itinerary wrapping up on November 25th in Newark, New Jersey. Additional dates are expected to be added soon.
November 24 - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
November 25 - Newark, NJ - Performing Arts Center


CHICKENFOOT STRIKES GOLD
Chickenfoot's self-titled debut album was certified gold last Thursday (September 10th) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of more than 500,000 copies to record retailers, according to Blabbermouth.net. The album has actually sold just over 300,000 copies since its June release. The band was formed last year by ex-Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar, who enlisted former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist Joe Satriani, and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith to complete the lineup, which has toured the U.S. and Europe since the release of the CD.

CHECK IT OUT: The video for Chickenfoot's latest single, "Soap On A Rope," can be seen at their official website, www.chickenfoot.us


Monday 9/14/09

PHIL COLLINS SAYS HIS DRUMMING DAYS ARE OVER
Phil Collins' drumming days are over. The Genesis drummer and frontman spoke to London's Daily Mirror at a party to benefit Prince Charles' Prince's Trust charity and revealed that due to a spinal injury, he won't be beating on the toms any longer, explaining, "I've got a condition that means I can't play any more. After playing drums for 50 years, I've had to stop. Obviously, I'm very sad about it. My vertebrae has been crushing my spinal cord because of the position I drum in. It comes from years of playing. I can't even hold the sticks properly without it being painful. I even used to tape the sticks to my hands to get through... Don't worry, I can still sing." Collins being sidelined from the drummer's stool won't greatly effect any future Genesis live shows, which have long featured 31-year-touring veteran Chester Thompson doubling on drums. That said, the prospects of a reunion with original frontman Peter Gabriel now seems even slimmer with Collins unable to carry out his original drum duties. Collins says that he feels as though his entire career has been a series of brilliant and happy accidents:

ELTON JOHN CHANGES HIS TUNE ABOUT FATHERHOOD
Elton John is on his way to becoming a dad. "E! Online" reports that the singer and his longtime partner David Furnish are planning to adopt a child. As part of a charitable trip for John's AIDS Foundation they traveled to the Ukraine over the weekend and met a 14-month-old boy who recently lost both parents to the disease. The knighted superstar was so taken with the child, named Lev, that he's now changed his tune on fatherhood. John commented, quote, "David always wanted to adopt a child and I always said 'no' because I am 62 and I think because of the traveling I do and the life I have... it wouldn't be fair for the child." John amended his position publicly after meeting Lev. He and Furnish plan to learn about the adoption process to bring the Ukrainian toddler home with them. Elton John established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992. Since its inception, the organization has raised over 150-million-dollars and supports projects in 55 countries worldwide.

It seems like the closer we get to Roger Daltrey's upcoming solo Use It Or Lose It dates, the more we're finding out about next year's Who tour. Daltrey's main reason for hitting the road next month is to keep him in shape for his December vocal sessions for the Who's new album and their subsequent 2010 tour.
In addition to touring behind the new concept album -- which Pete Townshend is currently holed up working on now -- for next year's tour, Daltrey is keen to perform both Quadrophenia in its entirety for the first time since 1997, and Tommy for the first time since 1989: Daltrey kicks off his Use It Or Lose It tour on October 10th in Vancouver at the Commodore Ballroom. Townshend's younger brother -- and touring Who member -- Simon Townshend will be part of Daltrey's backing band.


Friday 9/11/09

MTV VMAS: TOM PETTY, DAVID LEE ROTH NOMINEES
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and David Lee Roth are among the nominees for the this weekend's MTV Video Music Awards. They each have songs vying for Best Video (That Should Have Won A Moonman). Petty and his band are in the running with their star-packed 1991 clip "Into The Great Wide Open," which features Johnny Depp and Faye Dunaway. It was a contender for Best Male Video at MTV's 1992 event, but lost to Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven." Roth's "California Girls" video comes from the singer's debut solo effort, the 1985 EP "Crazy From The Heat." The clip for his Beach Boys cover earned three nominations at the 1985 VMAs, including Video of the Year, but was shut out. The 2009 MTV VMAs will air on MTV on Sunday.




ROLLING STONES TO REISSUE "GET YER YA-YA'S OUT"
The Rolling Stones are getting their live tracks out and then some. According to RollingStone.com, the band is planning to celebrate the 40th anniversary of "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out" by releasing a bunch of goodies. What's on the way are remastered deluxe and super-deluxe versions of the live album, which was originally recorded over two nights at Madison Square Garden in 1969. There'll also be a three-disc set and a DVD box set that will contain five unreleased songs from the MSG shows, plus a DVD of the film "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out" directed by the Maysles Brothers, who were also behind the Stones' 1970 documentary "Gimme Shelter." The film shows the Stones in concert as well as hanging out with the Grateful Dead and Jimi Hendrix, doing the cover shoot for the album, and more. The box set will come complete with a replica poster and 56-page booklet of photos and essays, including one by record reviewer Lester Bangs. It will also include a voucher fans can use to download the "Ya-Ya's" version of the Stones' "I'm Free" for “Guitar Hero 5.”


Thursday 9/10/09

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN SET FOR KENNEDY CENTER HONOR
Bruce Springsteen has been named as one of the honorees at the 32nd annual Kennedy Center Honors on December 6th in Washington, D.C., according to The Associated Press. Springsteen's fellow 2009 honorees are Mel Brooks, jazz great Dave Brubeck, , and Robert De Niro. According to the press release, "The President and Mrs. Obama will receive the Honorees and members of the Artists Committee who nominate them, along with the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees at the White House prior to the gala performance. The 2009 Kennedy Center Honors Gala concludes with a supper dance in the Grand Foyer." Kennedy Center chairman Stephen A. Schwarzman commended "The Boss" for his "gritty and honest songs that speak to the everyman, Bruce Springsteen has always had his finger on the pulse of America."

ROGER DALTREY PIECING TOGETHER SOLO SETLIST
Roger Daltrey is in the process of piecing together the setlist for his upcoming Use It Or Lose It tour. He told Rolling Stone that it's tough combining the best of his solo work and Who standards into a cohesive show, joking that, "The show has to be a journey. An enjoyable journey or it could be a bumpy ride!"
Among the songs mentioned as being possible contenders are songs from the Who's 1981 Face Dances classic " which has never been performed by the band, a tune from The Who By Numbers, an acoustic version of "Who Are You," alongside early Leo Sayer and David Courtney-written tracks from his 1973 solo debut Daltrey, as well as "Walk On Water" from his last solo album, 1992's Rocks In The Head.Daltrey says that he'd like the Who to take a bare-bones attack on their 2010 shows: "I'd like to do a stripped-down show -- no staging, no big production, just play the bloody music. The music is timeless." November 20 - New York, NY - Nokia Theatre Times Square
Nov

BON JOVI TEAMS WITH MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Bon Jovi is getting in on the baseball action once again this year, promoting Major League Baseball playoffs on TBS beginning this month. The band created an exclusive full-length video featuring the new song "We Weren't Born to Follow" -- showing Bon Jovi footage, along with highlights of this year's baseball season and clips from past postseasons. This marks the third consecutive season that Bon Jovi has teamed with TBS to promote baseball. The video will also run on Airline TV on JetBlue and Frontier Airlines flights this month. Bon Jovi's new album, The Circle, will be out on November 10th. The band plans to hit the road to support the new set next spring. The MLB Division Series kicks off October 7th.


Wednesday 9/9/09

BILL WYMAN AND NICK MASON SLAM 'ROCK BAND' AND 'GUITAR HERO'
Former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman and Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason slammed music-based video games Rock Band and Guitar Hero. Both rock icons were at London's Abbey Road Studio working on a Beatles cover for an upcoming charity album to benefit Children In Need. Wyman, told BBC News that he feels the games are counter-productive, explaining, "It encourages kids not to learn, that's the trouble. It makes less and less people dedicated to really get down and learn an instrument. I think it's a pity, so I'm not really keen on that kind of stuff."
Mason agreed with Wyman, saying: "It irritates me having watched my kids do it. If they spent as much time practicing the guitar as learning how to press the buttons they'd be damn good by now."He added that he wouldn't be against Pink Floyd marketing their music through the extremely lucrative games: "I think we'd consider it. I think everyone's looking at new ways of selling the music because the business of selling records has almost disappeared."


BONO TAPS FRIENDS TO HELP FINANCE 'SPIDER-MAN' MUSICAL
U2 frontman Bono has reportedly gotten several of his wealthy friends to pony up some money to help finance Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, the Broadway musical about the superhero for which Bono and bandmate The Edge wrote the songs. The production shut down rehearsals last month due to cash flow problems and was rumored to be scrapped altogether. A source said, "Bono's too smart to put his own money in the show, but word on the street is that he's tapped into his vast network of rich friends and business associates to restart production . . . Bono feeds half of Africa. So raising a few more million for Spider-Man shouldn't be too difficult." (New York Post)


LENNY KRAVITZ ANNOUNCES U.S. TOUR
Lenny Kravitz is bringing his Let Love Rule tour to the U.S., beginning October 11th with a batch of shows at New York City's Irving Plaza. According to Billboard.com, The outing, dubbed LLR 20 (09) will wind down with Kravitz's headlining gig at the Voodoo Experience festival in New Orleans. Kravitz has had a busy year, markign the 20th anniversary of his debut album with a big European tour, which stopped in 54 cities. He also released a new edition of his 1989 debut, Let Love Rule, including unreleased demos, B-sides and live recordings.
Looking back on his career, Kravitz tells us how lucky he feels to have made it: ["The thing that I've enjoyed about my career is that it's been a gradual climb. And I think that's part of the reason why I've had longevity. I think it'd be a real nightmare to put a record out and sell 20 million copies and then after that, that's it. I'm in this for the long haul. I've been making music my whole life and I'm gonna continue making it. So the rate of success has been really good. It's worked out well."]
• Lenny Kravitz NY tour dates (subject to change):
October 11 - New York, NY - Fillmore at Irving Plaza
October 12 - New York, NY - Fillmore at Irving Plaza
October 14 - New York, NY - Fillmore at Irving Plaza
October 15 - New York, NY - Fillmore at Irving Plaza
October 16 - New York, NY - Fillmore at Irving Plaza



Tuesday 9/8/09

BEATLES: ROCK BAND IN STORES WEDNESDAY
The wait will soon be over for "The Beatles: Rock Band." The highly anticipated game is due in stores Wednesday, the same day that a remastered CD version of the Beatles' song collection becomes available. Like other "Rock Band" editions, The Beatles version of the popular game allows players to mimic the songs playing on the video game console using mock guitars, drums and microphones. The Beatles appear in the video game as animated 3-D characters playing in famous locations such as Shea Stadium, the Cavern Club, the Beatles' Abbey Road studio and so-called "dreamscape" fantasy environments. The game comes with 45 Beatles songs which have never been made available for a music game before.

TOM PETTY PREPPING CAREER SPANNING LIVE BOX SET
Tom Petty has announced via his official website (tompetty.com) that he'll be releasing a four-CD 48 track collection called The Live Anthology -- sometime in the near future. The collection covers live Heartbreakers material from 1978 to 2007 and features unadulterated tapes from the Petty's archive, with "no fixes or overdubs."
In addition to Heartbreakers classics, the set features covers of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well," Booker T. & the MG's "Green Onions," the Grateful Dead's "Friend Of The Devil," and the theme from the 007 spy thriller Goldfinger.
• The set will be released in five different configurations:
1. A 4-CD/48-track set
2. A deluxe box featuring a five-CD/62-track set, including two-DVDs including the Heartbreakers'1978 New Year's Eve concert in Santa Monica, California; the documentary 400 Days which was shot during the Wildflowers tour, a remastered vinyl copy of Official Live Leg bootleg from 1976, a high resolution DVD with all 62 tracks in 5.1 and stereo and more.
3. A seven album vinyl box set
4. "Superhighway Tour" which gives buyers 24 of the standard box tracks over an eight week period with extras including commentary, classic review, memorabilia and more. The remaining 24 tracks will be delivered digitally when the set is released.
5. A standard digital releases


RUSH THINKING ABOUT NEW ALBUM FOR 2010
Rush may possibly get to work on a new album this fall and release it in 2010, according to Noisecreep.com. Guitarist Alex Lifeson said that producer Nick Raskulinecz, who produced 2007's Snakes & Arrows, is eager to work with the legendary trio again. Lifeson explained, "I think Nick calls the office once a week just to make sure we're still planning on getting back to work at some point." Lifeson adds that the band was "pretty beat" after playing 120 shows in support of Snakes, saying, "We'd been working constantly for the last eight years or so, and really needed a break, and decided to take a year off. We're sort of coming to the end of that period."
• Lifeson said that the birth of drummer Neil Peart's child last month is also a factor in determining when the group begins working again. Lifeson revealed, "(Neil's) asked if we can just wait a little bit until he gets settled and see how he feels about getting back to work or when to get back to work. So we're sort of playing it open right now."
• The guitarist did say that he's been writing at home in Toronto, adding, "I would guess that sometime in the early fall we would get back together and start writing again, and then hopefully by next summer, we'd be ready to tour."


Friday 9/4/09

U2 TO PLAY SEASON PREMIERE OF 'SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE'
U2 has been confirmed as the musical guest for the season premiere of Saturday Night Live, scheduled for September 26th on NBC, according to FMBQ.com. This will mark the third time that the Irish quartet has played the show. The evening's guest host will be Transformers and Jennifer's Body star Megan Fox.


VAN HALEN BACK IN STUDIO JAMMING ON EARLY CLASSICS
Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen posted an update online on Thursday (September 3rd), indicating that the band is getting back to work after Eddie himself got married and had hand surgery. According to blabbermouth.net, Eddie wrote, "Wolfie (Van Halen, bass), Alex (Van Halen, drums) and I rehearsed today and had a blast. We played a bunch of songs that we didn't play on the last tour like 'Drop Dead Legs', 'Girl Gone Bad' and 'Outta Love Again'! And just jammed a bit. Haven't played these songs for a long time but they sound...amazing!"


BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN SUPER BOWL DOC PREMIERING ON NFL NETWORK ON MONDAY
Fans will get a behind-the-scenes look at Bruce Springsteen's Super Bowl appearance when Thom Zimny's documentary Working On A Dream: A Super Bowl Journal premieres on the NFL Network on Monday (September 7th) at 8 p.m. ET. Repeat airings will take place all week. Backstreets.com posted that although the press release for the program stated that the program was a full hour, the NFL Network only has the show blocked out for a 30 minute slot. Working On A Dream: A Super Bowl Journal was previously shown in Europe in both 30 and 60 minute versions.




The Joe Satriani-Coldplay dispute continues. According to E! Online, reps for Coldplay filed papers in a Los Angeles courthouse on Monday in which the British band denied stealing the melodies from Satriani's "If I Could Fly" for their hit song "Viva La Vida." The band is arguing that the Satriani song lacks originality and was therefore in no position to receive copyright protection. Coldplay's attorney also told the court the similarities between the two songs are so minimal they don't even warrant legal action. Satriani caused a stir over the melody back in December when he claimed the GRAMMY-winning group stole "substantial" portions of his song. At the time he filed the suit, Coldplay responded by saying any similarity was purely coincidental.

Judge for yourself.. Check this out: