Day in Rock Report - Weezer Star Found Dead- Ozzy Confirms Black Sabbath Reunion- Velvet Revolver Eye New Singer- Lost Evanescence Album May Be Released- Metallica Show in Jeopardy- more of the top rock music news stories of the day

Day in Rock Report for 10/10/2011

Former Weezer bassist Mikey Welsh was reportedly found dead in a Chicago hotel room on Saturday.

Loudwire reports: "He was found unresponsive and on the floor of a hotel room at Raffaello Hotel at 2:50 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office." Read their report here

Weezer writes on their website "our beautiful, creative, hilarious and sweet friend Mikey Welsh has passed away at the very young age of 40. A unique talent, a deeply loving friend and father, and a great artist is gone, but we will never forget him. His chapter in the weezer story ('98 - '01) was vital, essential, wild, and amazing.

more from the band here

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Ozzy Confirms Black Sabbath Reunion

(hennemusic) After months of rumors, innuendo and speculation about a Black Sabbath reunion, Ozzy Osbourne has confirmed the band has reconnected.

While speaking with Billboard about his upcoming second book, "Trust Me, I'm Dr. Ozzy," Osbourne touched on the swirling Sabbath reunion rumors. "Yes, it's a very, very strong possibility," he says of getting the old band back together.

"It's in the very early stages, so we haven't recorded anything yet. If it works out, it'll work out. If it doesn't, I'll keep doing my thing." more on this story

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Velvet Revolver Eye New Singer

Apparently Velvet Revolver isn't entirely on the backburner and a member of the band reveals in a new interview that they are looking at a new singer.

The singer in question is Ours acclaimed frontman Jimmy Gnecco who jams three songs with Velvet Revolver members Duff McKagan, Slash and Matt Sorum at the recent Road Recovery concert which honored Slash.

When OCWeekly.com asked Duff McKagan about finding a new vocalist for Velvet Recover, he responded: "Slash and I played in New York a couple weeks ago and Matt Sorum was there. There was a singer there we might write some songs with. None of us have really tried [to find anyone] in the last few years. We've all been busy with other things. I think once that whole thing went down with Scott [Weiland], we thought we'd find a guy right away. Once a few months went by, it was like, 'Oh f**k.'

"We didn't give up on the band but you can't force a singer into a situation. It's got to just kind of happen. So playing a few weeks ago with that singer, it seemed really natural. So we'll see. I'll come back to you on that."

Check out the full interview here

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Lost Evanescence Album May Be Released

(Banana 101.5) The new Evanescence album will be their third and arrives in stores this Tuesday (October 11th). Singer Amy Lee says the album that got scrapped prior to recording the new self-titled effort may see the light of day after all.

Amy Lee had tossed aside the initial "next Evanescence record" and decided to start fresh. The result was the self-titled album that will be available at digital outlets and stores everywhere next week. In a recent interview with Billboard, Amy discussed the possible future of that "lost" album:

"We really do have a lot of extra songs from that time and also songs that the band wrote together; we just wrote a ton in the past few years and especially in the last one year. I think it's totally possible that some of those songs will end up on different projects someday � maybe solo, maybe something else." more on this story

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Historic Metallica Show in Jeopardy

Metallica's historic first concert in India, schedule to take place on October 30th in Bangalore, is reportedly in jeopardy.

DNAIndia.com had this bad bit of news: "DNA Entertainment Networks, the event organisers, have not yet sought police permission, sources confirmed to DNA.

"Even Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), T Suneel Kumar, has confirmed that no permission has yet been sought from the police department for the Metallica's mega event, 'Rock in India'." Read the DNA report for more details

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Phil Anselmo Discusses Dimebag's Murder

(Rock News Desk) Former Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo recently revealed he'd spoken to the cop who stopped the shooting rampage which ended Dimebag's life.

And he said any member of Pantera would have been a target for the ex-Marine who opened fire on Dime and three others at a Damageplan concert in 2004. Ohio police officer James Niggemeyer shot the madman in the face, killing him instantly and ending the horror.

Dimebag's brother and bandmate Vinnie Paul, who was also a member of Damageplan after Pantera split, has not spoken to Anselmo since. The tragedy appears to have cemented the distance between them. The singer wasn't allowed to attend his former colleague's funeral � but he's spoken of the conversation he had later with Niggemeyer. more on this story

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The Doors Recording New Music

Ultimate Classic Rock reports that three members of The Doors have reunited to record some new music with an unlikely partner.

UCR says: Ray Manzerek, Robbie Krieger and John Densmore have teamed up with hipster DJ/producer Skrillex, (aka Sonny Moore), for a song the keyboardist considers the first new Doors music since 1972′s 'Full Circle.'

As Manzerek told Rolling Stone, "I like to say this is the first new Doors track of the 21st century," Manzerek and Krieger apparently having done some hatchet burying with Densmore along the way." more on this story

More on Doors - Doors Music -

Sammy Hagar Tell All Told Too Much?

(hennemusic) Looks like Sammy Hagar could be on the hotseat over his best-selling autobiography, "Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock."

The WCFCourier reports a Waterloo, Iowa woman is taking Hagar to court, claiming his recent tell-all book tells too much.

The woman alleges Hagar broke a secret agreement and distorted the facts when he wrote about a child he allegedly conceived with her in the late 1980s while he was the lead singer for Van Halen. more on this story

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Guns N' Roses Talk Late Starts

Axl Rose is infamous for taking the stage late, some times hours late. This weekend the issue was addressed on the official Guns N' Roses Facebook page with this posting:

"Love it Hate it Accept it Debate it - You want 8 o'clock shows go find F-R-I-E-N-D-S or hit a cinema somewhere.. or you wanna be informed go catch the 10 o'clock news.. this is Rock N' Roll! Treat yourself don't cheat yourself thinking you're gonna go to school or work or whatever you "normally" do the next day.

"Oh and remember before you get high and never want to come down. "you can have anything you want but you better not take it from me!" This is Guns N'Roses and when the time is right the stage will ignite. Looking forward to sharing that with rockers soon!"

Facebook Link

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Warrant Tried To Help Jani Lane

(Rock News Desk) Warrant paid for a sobriety coach for their 2008 reunion tour with singer Jani Lane, hoping it would keep the frontman on the wagon, says guitarist Erik Turner.

But when the professional life trainer quit, saying there was no saving Lane, the band realised they'd have to part company with him again.

The singer was found dead in a hotel room in August, and toxicology reports have now confirmed he died of alcohol poisoning. more on this story

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Pearl Jam Get Their Own Ale

(Banana 101.5) Pearl Jam have branched out to all sorts of mediums in celebration of their 20th anniversary: literature, film, music � now Dogfish Ale Craft Brewery is putting them in a bottle with 'Faithfull Ale'.

Okay so maybe they won't be in the bottle literally, but later this month the beer crafted in honor of the band's milestone will be available for purchase. The Delaware based brewer post the following press release on their website:

"Faithfull Ale is a celebration of Pearl Jam's 20th anniversary as a band and its extraordinary debut album, "Ten." In recognition of these milestones, this Belgian-style golden ale is delicately hopped to 20 IBUs and fruit-forward from 10 incremental additions of black currants over a one-hour boil. Faithfull will clock in at 7% ABV. more on this story

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Zakk Wylde Has No Grudge Against Ozzy

(hennemusic) All is well between Black Label Society leader Zakk Wylde and his former boss, Ozzy Osbourne. Zakk had two lengthy stints as Ozzy's guitarist: the first, from 1987 to 1995, and then from 2001 to 2009, when Osbourne brought in Firewind axeman Gus G. to handle things.

The days with Ozzy are behind him now � at least for the time being � since Osbourne announced in 2009 that he was replacing Wylde. But Zakk harbors no hard feelings. On the contrary...Osbourne simply decided his band was starting to sound like BLS.

"Yeah, no, totally, I still talk to Oz," Zakk tells NewsOK. "No, no fallin' out or nothin'. No, we never got in any arguments ever. I mean, we were too busy dyin' of laughter. It was just like with Oz, 'Zakk, I don't wanna be the lead singer in Black Label,' you know what I mean? I mean, if Randy Rhoads, if Saint Rhoads was still around, and if Randy was leavin' Oz, goin' to Quiet Riot and comin' back to Oz, Quiet Riot, Ozzy, Quiet Riot, after a while you go, 'Uh, Randy, it's startin' to sound like Quiet Riot. I don't wanna be in Quiet Riot...I wanna have my own thing.' And you know, you can't blame Ozzy for that at all." more on this story

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Hear William Shatner Sing Bowie, Sabbath, U2, Deep Purple and Pink Floyd

(hennemusic) William Shatner's new album, "Seeking Major Tom," will be released Tuesday, October 11, but a full, streaming preview of it is now available.

The album features Shatner covering the music of major rockers, including Black Sabbath, David Bowie, Deep Purple, Queen, U2, Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Steve Miller, The Police, and many others.

Guests on the record include Ritchie Blackmore and Ian Paice of Deep Purple fame, Peter Frampton, Johnny Winter, Michael Schenker, Steve Howe of Yes, and others. more on this story

More on William Shatner - William Shatner Music -

Chickenfoot Plot European Invasion

(Noble) Chickenfoot have announced a 5-date UK & European tour for January 2012; their first European concerts since July 2009.

Chickenfoot will perform songs from their eponymous debut album, alongside tracks from the new album 'III', for the very first time outside of the United States.

The European tour kicks off at the Manchester Academy on Thursday January 12th, followed by London's O2 Academy Brixton (Saturday January 14th), Paris Olympia (Monday January 16th), Tilburg O13 (Tuesday January 17th) and Dusseldorf Mitsubishi Electric Hall (Thursday January 19th). more on this story

More on Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot Music -

Courtney Love Still Angry About Cobain's Suicide

(Rock News Desk) Courtney Love says she's still so angry about husband Kurt Cobain's suicide that she's kill him if he was still alive.

The Hole frontwoman claims the Nirvana icon attempted suicide several times before succeeding in 1994, and overdosed on heroin on a number of occasions.

Asked if she's still angry over Cobain taking his own life, Love tells Vanity Fair: "You think? If he came back right now I'd have to kill him for what he did to us. I'd f**king him � and then I'd kill him." more on this story

More on Courtney Love - Courtney Love Music -

Steel Panther Going Soph

(Sub) The legends of the Sunset Strip, Steel Panther, are getting ready to release their sophomore album Balls Out via Universal Republic Records.

The album will be released on November 1st and will continue the raucous tradition of the band's 2009 debut, Feel The Steel.

The latest album features 14 soon to be classics such as "Just Like Tiger Woods," ""Gold Digging Whore" and "Weenie Ride." The album also features cameos by Dane Cook on the album opener "In The Future" and Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger and Extreme axeman Nuno Bettencourt show up on an instant classic, "It Won't Suck Itself." Balls Out was produced by Grammy nominated producer/mixer Jay Ruston who produced the band's Feel The Steel debut and is known for his work with Anthrax, Meatloaf, The Donnas and Morrissey to name a few. more on this story

More on Steel Panther - Steel Panther Music -

Four Year Strong Album and Tour Coming

Four Year Strong have set a November 8th release date for their fourth album, In Some Way, Shape, Or Form.

The band, who currently graces the cover of Alternative Press, will be headlining the magazine's annual fall trek, The AP Tour, which kicks off October 13th in Allentown, PA with support acts Gallows, Title Fight, The Swellers and Sharks rounding out the lineup.

The album's first single, "Just Drive," is the most added at Modern Rock Radio. O'Connor explains, "'Just Drive' is about being on the brink of disaster, and just saying "f**k it" and living your life like there's no tomorrow." more on this story

More on Four Year Strong - Four Year Strong Music -

The Dear Hunter Color Spectrum Boxset

The Dear Hunter have announced a November 1st CD boxset release of their epic nine-EP project, The Color Spectrum.

This release marks the first time the 36-song collection is available in its entirety in CD format.

Originally released earlier this year digitally and on vinyl, The Color Spectrum claimed two separate spots on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. more on this story

More on Dear Hunter - Dear Hunter Music -

Russian Circles Map Out Fall Tour Plans

Russian Circles plan to hit the road this Fall for a headlining tour across North America beginning in November.

They will be touring in support of their fourth full length, Empros which will be available worldwide via Sargent House on October

Taking to Chicago's Phantom Manor studio once again with producer Brandon Curtis of The Secret Machines & Interpol -- who also helmed the band's previous album Geneva -- Russian Circles set out to experiment with their sound in new ways that would still reflect their live sound. In so doing, the band reached a new creative apex in which each of the musicians, guitarist Mike Sullivan, drummer Dave Turncrantz and bassist Brian Cook impart a streamlined and intensified attack to their songs that pummels even as it shifts throughout a range of moods and tempos. more on this story

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Elton John Plays His 3,000th Live Public Performance

Elton John played his 3,000th live public performances on Saturday, October 8, 2011 when he took the stage for "The Million Dollar Piano" show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

Caesars sent out background about the milestone: Elton has enjoyed an extraordinary and unique voyage from the first ever public concert he played on his 23rd birthday, March 25, 1970, at the Revolution Club in London. At that time Elton was promoting the Elton John album, which had just been released on the DJM label.

Over the past forty-one years Elton's concerts have been presented in many formats. He has played with his band, solo, in a two-man show with percussionist Ray Cooper, with Billy Joel, with Leon Russell, with Eric Clapton, with orchestras, with choirs and, now, with a full band plus four backing vocalists and the 2CELLOS. Two of the great musicians in his current band, drummer Nigel Olsson and guitarist Davey Johnstone, have been with Elton since those very early concerts in the 1970s. more on this story

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Magnum Look Back For Evolution

Magnum will release their new album "Evolution" on Steamhammer / SPV, on November 14th (Germany November 11th, USA/Canada November 22nd).

Evolution' contains eight songs from their previous comeback albums which were partial re-recorded and fully re-mixed.

Two from their much acclaimed "The Visitation" album (which cracked the Top 20 in Germany and made it to #3 in the UK Rock Charts as well as high chart entries in Sweden and Switzerland) and two totally new recorded songs. more on this story

More on Magnum - Magnum Music -

Hot Graves Join Goregrowler's Ball Festival Lineup

(Sub) Hot Graves will be appearing at this year's incarnation of the Goregrowler's Ball festival, held yearly in San Antonio, TX.

The three-day event kicks off November 18th, and Hot Graves will be bringing things to a gruesome end on November 20th, desecrating the stage alongside Suffocation, Lecherous Nocturne, Bloodsoaked, Viral Load and plenty more.

In addition, Hot Graves will be appearing at Fast Forward to the Apocalypse Fest in Savannah, GA on November 12th, and will be playing a slew of East Coast dates around the two events, including two d-beaten destruction rituals with kindred hellions Midnight in Richmond, VA (10/14 at Strange Matter). more on this story

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Murder Death Kill and The Devastated Mini Tour

Murder Death Kill have mapped out dates for a west coast mini-tour with The Devastated.

The trek is set to kick off on November 3rd in Mesa, Arizona and will wrap up on November 12th in Goleta, CA.

In other news, Murder Death Kill recently shot a music video with director Scott Hansen (Whitechapel, Evergreen Terrace) for their track "Abomination" in Canoga Park, CA which will be premiered in the coming weeks. more on this story

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