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Queen Return To American Idol This Week |
Then, to promote Queen's official tribute band, The Queen Extravaganza will perform on the results show next Thursday.
Hitting the road across North America this summer, The Queen Extravaganza is a touring concert show designed to take the music and the live experience of legends of rock Queen to generations of fans.
Check out video of their previous appearance.
Aerosmith Album Pushed Back |
In an interview Hamilton says that the band's new album will be pushed back to September.
He also commented that 60 Minutes interviewer Lara Logan distracted the band with her 'low cut top' and their piece was edited to 'nail' Steven Tyler'.
Listen here
Metallica To Tribute Ronnie James Dio |
"We reached out to Wendy Dio [wife of Ronnie] about wanting to be a part of the Dio tribute that's getting put together," says singer James Hetfield in the latest issue of Metal Hammer. "We're very honoured to be a part of that, and to be a part of a celebration of Ronnie's life and his great contribution, man."
"We're definitely looking to do the record Wendy's putting together for Ronnie," adds drummer Lars Ulrich. "We were asked if we'd contribute to the anniversary of [classic Deep Purple album] 'Machine Head', too � we can't turn that down."
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Slash TV |
Slash and his band tear through cuts spanning his 20-year career with Guns N' Roses (nine GNR songs will be featured) as well as songs from Velvet Revolver, Slash's Snakepit and Slash's first solo album.
Songs performed include "By The Sword," "Back From Cali," "Slither," "Sweet Child 'O Mine," "Paradise City," and more that rock through the rafters of the sold-out Victoria Hall in Stoke-on-Trent, England, Slash's birthplace.
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John Fogerty Joins The Black Keys For Levon Helm Tribute Jam |
The Black Keys paid their respects to Levon Helm, The Band's drummer, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 71 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
The Keys' frontman Dan Auerbach was joined onstage by Creedence Clearwater Revival singer John Fogerty, dueting on a performance of The Band's classic "The Weight."
Watch it here.
Rare Van Halen Rehearsal Footage Goes Online |
The first video shows someone secretly recording footage of the band's room while band and staff are not around. It opens with the camera man flipping through a couple of pages of song titles, presumably those being worked up for the (then) upcoming road trip; a few of these tunes have yet to be played on the current tour. The videographer then walks the room, stopping by Eddie's pedalboard before scanning across stacks of speakers and Alex's drum setup. No date is listed or mentioned with the uploaded video.
The second clip was recorded December 14, 2011 as VH were in the room rehearsing "China Town" from the new album. The video does not show any of the band members; because it was recorded secretly, viewers will only be able to hear audio of the song itself. The performance of the new track does sound impressive, two full months before the record's release and the tour began.
Check them out here.
Agnostic Front Plan 30 Years of NYHC Shows |
The hardcore punk pioneer will perform the classic Live At CBGB set in its entirety to pay homage to the passionate New York hardcore subculture that has stood the test of time � a movement Agnostic Front has led since the early 1980s.
Agnostic Front have also teamed up with ASG Guitar to launch the limited-edition "Stigma" series guitar, complete with Agnostic Front body artwork, NYHC fretboard inlay and more as part of the celebration.
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Stone Roses Tap Sex Pistol's Daughter For Comeback Tour |
According to The Sun newspaper, Hollie Cook said: "It's the most exciting and terrifying opportunity. It's such an honor."
As for Hollie's rock and roll pedigree: not only is Paul Cook her father but her mother Jen was a member of Culture Club and her godfather is Boy George.
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Asia Plan New Album, Reissue and World Tour for 30th Anniversary |
Noble sent over these details: Asia, featuring the original line-up of Geoff Downes (keyboards), Steve Howe (guitar), Carl Palmer (drums) and John Wetton (bass, lead vocals), will release a new studio album entitled "XXX" on Monday July 2nd (in the UK).
The new album dovetails the news of the band's upcoming 30th Anniversary World Tour and the collectors' edition of their eponymous debut album.
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Thrice Add More Farewell Tour Dates |
The band's final shows in Anaheim and Los Angeles sold out within hours but fans will now have two more chances to the see the band in Anaheim and Santa Ana, California.
After thirteen years together and eight full-length releases to their name, Thrice will begin their final tour together on May 4 in San Diego, California. Supporting Thrice on all dates will be Animals As Leaders and O'Brother.
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Grateful Dead Launch Video Game |
Released on April 20, Grateful Dead Game: The Epic Tour is based on 10 especially memorable Dead shows staged between 1970 and 1990. Adam Blumenthal of Curious Sense, the digital media company that created The Epic Tour, spoke with Reuters about the game's development.
"What we're doing is creating an adventure by traveling through Grateful Dead history, Grateful Dead time and space �," he said. "The objective is to keep having fun rather than get to the end."
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Preview Motley Crue Frontman's Ghost Adventure |
Vince joins the show's team of paranormal investigators � Zak Bagans, Nick Groff and Aaron Goodwin � as they investigate The Riviera Hotel, which some say is haunted.
"Built in 1955, it's one of the oldest hotel and casinos still standing on the Vegas strip," according to a synopsis of the episode. "Filled with history, the hotel has had a roster of celebrity clientele and was formerly connected to the Chicago Mafia � needless to say, the hotel has had its share of good times and bad. Perhaps its most well-known guest was Frank Sinatra, who had his own penthouse suite where he often threw lavish parties."
Read more and watch the preview here.
Pete Townshend Autobiography Coming |
The book, Who I Am, records the life of one of Britain's most important rock voices.
The memoir will cover all areas of his life from childhood, through his glory days with The Who to the present day.
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Ted Nugent Makes Plea Agreement For Bear Hunting Charge |
USA Today reports Nugent made the admission in signing a plea agreement with federal prosecutors that was filed Friday in U.S. District Court.
The plea agreement says Ted illegally shot and killed the bear in May 2009 on Sukkwan Island days after wounding a bear in a bow hunt, which counted toward a state seasonal limit of one bear.
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Kris Norris Returning To Straight Line Stitch For New Tour |
Fresh off of their successful 2011 album, The Fight of Our Lives, the band hits the road again through the beginning of June.
Joining them on the road is former Straight Line Stitch guitarist Kris Norris (ex-Darkest Hour), back with the group for two months.
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Play in a Day Guitarist Bert Weedon Dead at 91 |
Weedon was an orchestral guitarist during the post-war big band era, and later played on countless pop hits by the likes of Cliff Richard and Billy Fury, but it was his famous instruction guide for which he will be best remembered. Published in 1957, Play in a Day went on to sell more than two million copies, and was translated into dozens of languages.
McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon all said Play in a Day was instrumental to their early development as musicians. Clapton said Weedon's tips and encouragement gave him the motivation to press on, when he was first learning to play. May was even more effusive in his praise, calling Weedon "a legend" and a "guitar wizard." Weedon remained in Great Britain throughout his life. He was awarded an OBE � Order of the British Empire � in 2001 for his services to music.
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Arcane Saints Cancel Canadian Tour |
"We regret to advise that due to unforeseen situation beyond our control we have had to postpone our Canadian tour. We are devastated and would like to apologize to our friends and fans that were coming to see us. We will advise our new tour dates asap. Please accept our apologies." comments Arcane Saints vocalist / guitarist Michael John.
The band recently released their new single "Never Say Die" in support of the tour and has released two EPs along with an appearance on MTV's "Up and Coming Bands" documentary.
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Singled Out: Hurt's How We End Up Alone |
The inspiration behind "How We End Up Alone" was, unfortunately inspired by personal narrative - one that I was going through at the time of its conception. I found myself thinking the same cyclical thoughts that we all do when in the throes of watching your world get turned upside-down.
While it was impossible to look on the bright side, I found the irony in the situation in that it has happened before in nearly the same way in the past and its subject matter was the topic of the majority of American blues (a style we surprisingly rarely borrow from, despite the fact that we are a rock band). I used a common blues progression to begin the song in an effort to subconsciously bring listeners into the mindframe and then went with the 6/8 progression to mimic the actual events of every failed relationship. During that same section, there is musical reference to "Et Al" (vol.2) because I was referencing the similarities between the two situations. Behind the violent rhythm is a full orchestral composition not prominently heard, which is in fact a typical movie style masquerade waltz (think "Carmen" by Bizet). 3/4 and 6/8 timing are an easy fit and I thought it deepened the sense of familiar irony. I am proudest of the back and forth lyrical and melodic simplicity juxtaposed with a few eloquent passages, which both musically and lyrically captured the state of affairs and mindframe.
For me, the pivotal statement "see it from my way" said as much as I could hope to explain with any amount of a more flowery rhetoric. The inflections are meant to portray how a discussion becomes a heated/forceful life changing argument because of its very approach and progression of the narrators' hidden intent. It is my hope that the next time you find yourself going through the identical stages and headed for inevitable disaster, you will be reminded by this song before you complete your part in this comical play and take ten seconds to think before you get your all important way. Because this is, after all, how we end up alone.
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself as you check out the video
right here!
B Sides |
Jack Douglas Tells The Story Behind John Lennon's Double Fantasy |
He produced Aerosmith's blockbuster '70s albums and is again collaborating with the rock legends on their forthcoming record. Among his crowning achievements was his work helming John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy album � the last record to be released during Lennon's life.
Douglas stopped by Gibson's New York City Showroom and spoke about his trip to Liverpool as a young man, discussed how he and Lennon became friends and told the story behind Double Fantasy.
Check out the video here.
Jack White Switches Up Bands On German TV |
On the German tv program Die Harald Schmidt Show, White performed a rocking version of his latest single, "Sixteen Saltines," with an all-female band, before switching gears and doing "Freedom At 21" with an all-male backing group.
White kicks off a series of US dates that begin this Friday at New York's Webster Hall. Watch the TV performances
here.
Metallica's Lars Ulrich Dreams of Noel Gallagher Jam |
"When I saw them in L.A in December it was fabulous. You know, if � the other 37,000 drummers on this planet turn him down, I'll certainly play with him."
Ulrich went on to say he wasn't sure Gallagher would take him seriously, but he had little doubt the musical fit would be a good one. "I'm certainly not sure he would ever want to pick me, but I'd put together a pretty solid groove thing back there," he said. "I would make the songs bounce to the best of my ability."
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Aerosmith's Steven Tyler Walks This Way With Young Cancer Patient |
Since his January 27 hospitalization, young Cole has had three brain surgeries.
While in the hospital, Cole was able to Skype with his hero, Steven Tyler. Steven and Cole had a long conversation and sang Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" together.
Check out video here.
Gibson Tribute Levon Helm With Classic Interview |
In 2000, not long after Capitol Records reissued The Band's entire catalog, Helm's agreed to be interviewed about the making of the group's second album, titled, simply, The Band. A masterpiece that weaved folk, gospel, country and R&B into a seamless tapestry, the album also was an epic portrait-in-song about frontier America. In the interview, Helm talked about The Band's musical dynamic and their work with Bob Dylan, and shared his feelings about the group's legacy. As a tribute to the memory of a great artist, we present that interview here in its entirety, for the very first time.
You recorded The Band in Los Angeles at Sammy Davis Jr.'s house. That must have been a strange experience. We liked how we had worked at the Big Pink [a house shared by Rick Danko, Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson in West Saugerties, New York]. The Basement Tapes, Music from Big Pink and probably the better part of a couple of other albums for Bob [Dylan] all came out of those Basement Tapes sessions. That was such a fun, kind of "workshop" situation that we always looked to do that again, as opposed to going into a cold studio, where the clock is ticking away. It's better to create your own space.
We went out to California and rented Sammy Davis Jr.'s house, which had a pool house, and we turned the pool house into a studio. It wasn't hard to do that. We boxed in some of the windows, and taped down the metal fireplace so it wouldn't rattle, and brought in some tape machines and other gear. We didn't perform for a long time. We cut Music from Big Pink, and then we went right ahead and started cutting The Band, and just about the same thing with the third album. We played shows a bit between the second and third album, but not much.
Read the full interview here.
Remembering Roy Orbison |
Born in Texas on April 23, 1936, Orbison was a rock and roll original who became an international cross-over superstar thanks to his unique vocal powers and unusual songwriting style. He'd go on to win Grammys in pop, rock and roll and country categories with hits like "Ooby Dooby," "Oh Pretty Woman," "Only The Lonely," "Blue Bayou," "Crying, It's Over," "In Dreams," "You Got It" and "Handle with Care" (as a Traveling Wilbury with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, George Harrison and Jeff Lynne). His early days, however, were tough and trying, which, perhaps, prepared him for the terrible personal tragedies that would darken the incredible highs his musical career would achieve.
Raised in the wilds of west Texas, Orbison had his own band when he was 13. He was eventually spotted by Buddy Holly producer, Norman Petty, who recorded some sides that, sadly, went nowhere. Undeterred, Orbison, whose style was already proving difficult to pigeon hole, headed to Memphis on the recommendation of Johnny Cash and impressed rock and roll icon Sam Phillips enough for him to sign Orbison to Sun Records. It all looked good when Orbison had a quick hit with "Ooby Dooby," in 1956. But Phillips didn't fully understand the music Orbison wanted to pay. He moved to RCA briefly, and then to Monument Records in 1960, where' he'd finally make it big after several years on the bread line.
Out of nowhere, in the summer of 1960, "Only the Lonely" announced Orbison as the ultimate tragic balladeer. The record made it to #2 in the U.S. and #1 in the U.K., where it stayed on the chart for over 6 months.
Sadly, life soon began to imitate art as the singer who expressed sadness and tragedy so powerfully was faced with his own personal horrors.
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