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Day in Rock Report for 04/24/2014


Led Zeppelin Preview Unreleased Studio Track

(hennemusic) Led Zeppelin are sharing a preview of "Keys To The Highway/Trouble In Mind", an unreleased track that will be featured on the forthcoming reissue of their 1970 album, "Led Zeppelin III."

The song was recorded in 1970 at the Olympic Studios in Barnes in south-west London, about half an hour after "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper," according to the BBC who are previewing the track here.

"It was a particularly prolific time," says singer Robert Plant, "where we were learning about each other's capabilities. Jimmy [Page] and I were just fooling around with the stuff that we would play at home. We were just trying things out. Nothing was premeditated." more on this story

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Foreigner, Styx and Don Felder Stream New 'Hotel California'

Foreigner, Styx and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder have released a stream of their new version of the Eagles classic "Hotel California", which is part of their forthcoming compilation album The Soundtrack Of Summer.

The album is set for release on May 6th and takes its name from the upcoming summer tour featuring all three acts. The 16 track compilation will be sold at Walmart. Fans can stream the new version of "Hotel California" here.

Apart from the new version of "Hotel California," the limited edition vinyl disc and iTunes versions of the album will also include a new version of the Foreigner hit "I Want To Know What Love Is."

The Soundtrack Of Summer is set to kick off on May 14th in Wichita, KS. Felder will be opening each stop of the tour and Styx and Foreigner will alternate the headlining slot during the trek. more on this story

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Robert Plant Says There Is 'Zero' Chance of Led Zeppelin Reunion

(Radio.com) Bad news for Led Zeppelin fans: the band won't be performing live soon- if ever. In an interview with the BBC about the reissue of Led Zeppelin's first three albums, guitarist Jimmy Page said the likelihood of a band reunion show is slim.

"I'm sure people would love to hear it," Page said. "I'm not the one to be asking, I don't sing." Singer Robert Plant was a little more dire when asked about a reunion show. Along with reiterating Page's previous statement, he said the chance was "zero."

Looks like fans will just have to settle for the upcoming bonus disc packaged with the reissue of the band debut album, which will include a Zeppelin show recorded at L'Olympia in Paris on Oct. 10, 1969. more on this story

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Ben Harper Hints At Retirement

(The Blues Ben Harper has described himself as an "over-achieving slacker" and admitted he's amazed at his own success. And he's suggested he might end his touring career within the foreseeable future.

He kicks off a European tour with three shows in England next week - but warns those who want to see him that they should take their chance while they can.

"I love touring but I don't plan to do it a whole lot longer. The only thing harder than getting into the music business is knowing when to get out," He says. "I'm a skateboarder at heart; I think I'll be the only one to start a skateboarding career in his 50s." more on this story

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William Hurt Quits Gregg Allman Biopic

(hennemusic) A spokeperson for William Hurt has confirmed the actor has pulled out of the lead role in the Gregg Allman biopic, "Midnight Rider" following the death of 27-year-old Sarah Jones in an accident during filming of the movie in February.

The Los Angeles Times reports a representative for ICM Partners, the talent agency that represents Hurt, has released a statement saying, "I can confirm he's out of the movie."

The issues surrounding "Midnight Rider" are just one of the challenges Allman has faced in 2014: in January, it was revealed that the Allman Brothers Band would cease touring at the end of the year after 45 years together (recent comments made by Gregg are now suggesting that plan could change); in March, a bout of bronchitis forced Gregg to miss two shows during the group's residency at New York's Beacon Theatre, and the final four dates were eventually postponed; and news out of Australia is that the rocker pulled out of the final two dates of a solo tour in the country this week due to a wrist injury he suffered prior to the start of the trek. more on this story

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Judas Priest Launch Online Countdown Clock

(hennemusic) On Wednesday, Judas Priest launched a countdown on their official website that many believe will be the official announcement regarding details about a new album, the band's first in 6 years.

"The countdown has begun," posted the group on their website. "5 days to go." Last month, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford revealed the band had completed work on the project.

"The record is finished; it's absolutely finished as of today," said Halford at the Ronnie James Dio This Is Your Life Tribute Concert and Awards Gala in Hollywood.

"It's a relief. It's a relief because whenever Priest makes an album, like any band, you put your heart and soul into it; it is that typical 'blood, sweat and tears.' It's not an easy thing to do 40 years later. But Priest has always been up for the challenge of that, and it's one of things that we love to do more than anything else as we move on through our metal years. So this is a great time for Priest: 40th anniversary, a brand new record. Life couldn't be better." more on this story

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Queensryche and Geoff Tate Settle Name Dispute

It appears that the legal battle over the Queensryche name between original vocalist Geoff Tate and his former bandmates has been settled with both taking on variations of the name.

While neither side of the dispute have "officially" announced a settlement, Examiner.com published an interview with guitarist Michael Wilton last week where he addressed the status of the dispute.

"That's coming up," he told the site. "What I can say is that both sides have reached an amicable settlement and it's now just a matter of time. There will be an official press release but for now, you'll have to wait."

And this week we have a clue to resolution of the name dispute with Geoff Tate rebranding his website at Queensryche.com with the header "Geoff Tate - The Voice of Queensryche."

The site also now has a link on the top menu that points fans to the website ran by "Queensryche Without Geoff Tate." At press time, that version of the band, which now features lead vocalist Todd La Torre, still simply bill themselves as Queensryche on their website and social media pages.

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stOrk Release Song Featuring Lead Vocals From Late Shane Gibson

stOrk have posted a new song online featuring lead vocals from former Korn touring guitarist and founding member of stOrk, Shane Gibson, who died from complications from a blood clotting disorder last week.

On Wednesday, stOrk announced that they will be releasing a new album, entitled "Broken Pieces," on April 29th, "in wake of" the 35-year-old guitarist's death.

The band has also posted a stream of the song "Given Away" from the album, which they say is the only song that the band has ever recorded featuring Gibson on lead vocals. They will be offering it as a free download on April 29th.

They said of the track, "In loving memory of Shane Gibson 1979 - 2014.This is the only stOrk song on which Shane sings lead vocals. His guitar work on this track is spectacular (as it always was) but this song was extremely important to him. In memory of Shane's life and artistry, we will be "giving away" this track on April 29th to celebrate the release of stOrk "Broken Pieces. We are heartbroken that Shane did not live to see the release of this record. stOrk was Shane's "baby" and its music is his legacy. We hope you enjoy - stOrk" Listen to the song here.

The released the following statement about his passing, "It is with deepest sadness and regret that we must confirm that stOrk founding member and lead guitarist Shane Paul Gibson passed away at 5:45 AM on April 15th, 2014 in the UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama as a result of complications from a blood clotting disorder. He was 35 years old.

"Shane was one of the best guitar players the world has ever known and his virtuosity was matched only by his wit and generosity of spirit. He will be missed beyond measure.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and all those who loved him as much as we did."


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Bruce Springsteen Releases American Beauty Video

(hennemusic) Bruce Springsteen has released a video for "American Beauty", the title track to his 12" vinyl EP that was issued as part of Record Store Day on April 19.

Springsteen and the E Street Band filmed the clip prior to their show in Charlotte, NC on the EP's release day last Saturday. "American Beauty" features four previously unreleased original songs, including "Mary Mary", "Hurry Up Sundown", "Hey Blue Eyes" and the title track.

Tracks on the EP were considered for inclusion on Springsteen's new album, "High Hopes." That project earned Springsteen his 11th No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200, with opening week sales of 99,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Watch the video here.

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Peter Gabriel Plans 3-Part Show On Tour That Includes Entire 'So' Album

(Classic Rock) Peter Gabriel has confirmed a seven-date UK tour in which he'll perform classic solo album So in full. He's backed by the live band who backed the 1986 release - guitarist David Rhodes, bassist Tony Levin, keyboardist David Sancious and drummer Many Katche.

Gabriel says of the Back To Front dates, which are part of a wider European tour: "We serve it up in three parts, like a meal. The starter will be an acoustic bit, almost like we would be in rehearsal.

"From that starter we move onto the savoury dish, which is electric or electronic stuff. If you survive that you get your dessert - the complete and uninterrupted So, in the order in which it was originally intended." more on this story

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Marty Friedman Releases Inferno Video

Former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman is giving fans a little taste of what to expect from his forthcoming studio album, "Inferno," with the release of the music video for the title track.

The "Inferno" album is scheduled to be released in North America on May 27th. For the title track's video, Friedman co-directed the clip with David Brodsky (Devin Townsend, The Black Dahlia Murder).

Friedman explained the inspiration behind the video, "The music video for 'Inferno' is an homage/parody of one of my fave Japanese TV shows, 'Zenryokusaka' ('Full Power Hill').

"It's a weekly five-minute show where the entire premise is absolutely nothing but a girl running up a hill. Each week a different girl, and a different hill. I am hooked on this show, and think it is genius in its simplicity and ever-so-slight sexual nature.

"It took me a while to explain the charm of the show to the video director, but I think towards the end of making our video together, he got it. It's like many things that happen outside the culture you were born in; you either get it and it's fresh or you don't and it's just weird." Watch the video here.

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Fleet Foxes Frontman Working On New Music

(Radio.com) Been questioning the lack of new Fleet Foxes material as of late? The fact that the folk rockers took nearly three years in between their debut and sophomore releases certainly might have something to do with it, but there's a little more to the story: Robin Pecknold went back to school.

The frontman took to the band's Facebook page today (April 23) to give fans a quick update on the status of Fleet Foxes going forward and revealed that he has been pursuing his undergraduate degree at Columbia University in New York.

"So, after the last round of touring, I decided to go back to school," Pecknold wrote. "I never got an undergraduate degree, and this felt like the right time to both see what that was about and to try something new after a while in the touring / recording lifestyle."

Still, college life doesn't mean working toward a degree is all the singer/guitarist has been working on. According to the post, he's "working on songs and excited for whatever happens next musically, even if it's down the line." more on this story

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Michael Schenker Open To Working With Graham Bonnet Again

(Classic Rock) Michael Schenker has revealed he'd be delighted to work with singer Graham Bonnet again - despite the split following recording sessions for 1982 album Assault Attack.

The guitarist icon believes the former Rainbow singer's departure meant the Michael Schenker Group record was never properly toured, leading to a relative lack of success.

Schenker - who released solo album Bridge The Gap last year - tells Songfacts.com: "It would be interesting to see if we can put something together live, because Assault Attack never got toured.

"If Graham was well enough and the opportunity and the moment in time would allow something like that to happen, it would maybe be a creative thing to do. But at this point we never quite got to it." more on this story

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Tarja Turunen Releasing Dynamic and Diverse Solo album

(Prog) Former Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen is to release an album featuring her take on music from artists as diverse as Queen and Mozart. The singer has teamed up with long-time collaborator Mike Terrana, who plays drums on the album to be called Beauty And The Beat.

Released in May, the record comes on the back of the duo's 2013 world tour of the songs. It includes interpretations of classical music pieces from Bach, Mozart and Rossini as well as rock classics from Queen, Led Zeppelin and Turunen's own work.

The recordings feature an orchestra and choir with more than 100 musicians involved. Turunen says: "The idea of having a symphonic orchestra, a choir and Mr Terrana on drums was originally mine. Mike has done a recording with drums over classical pieces that I think is great. I immediately imagined it performed live on a stage with a real orchestra as a part of a bigger concept." more on this story

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Ayreon's Lucassen Working On Album With Former Gathering Singer

(Prog) Ayreon mastermind Arjen Lucassen and former The Gathering singer Anneke van Giersbergen have revealed they're working on an album together.

Both artists released well-received solo records last year - Giersbergen's Drive was launched in September while Lucassen's latest Ayreon work, The Theory Of Everything, appeared in October.

Lucassen had the following to say about the collaboration: "Expect an epic concept double-album, a combination of classical meets metal and acoustic folk." more on this story

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Alice In Chains To Appear On Guitar Center Sessions

(hennemusic) Seattle rockers Alice In Chains will appear on DIRECTV's Guitar Center Sessions this summer. The band will be the featured artist on the August 3rd episode in the series hosted by Nic Harcourt.

Alice In Chains will kick off a spring US tour in support of their current album, "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here", this Friday, April 25 at the Brady Theater in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

DIRECTV's Guitar Center Sessions won't be the only TV special for the band as the opening night of the aforementioned tour will be taped for the legendary PBS series Austin City Limits. more on this story

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Unaired Joe Satriani Performance on Arsenio Goes Online

(hennemusic) Joe Satriani was the featured musical guest on the Arsenio Hall Show on Tuesday as he stopped by to promote this week's launch of "The Complete Studio Recordings", a 15 CD box set featuring the guitarist's anthology.

During a commercial break, Satriani treated the studio audience to a special performance of "Always With Me, Always With You" (from 1987's "Surfing With The Alien") with The Posse and the program has made the song available as an online exclusive.

All 14 of Satriani's studio albums - from "Not Of This Earth" (his 1986 debut) through 2013's "Unstoppable Momentum" - are included in the new collection alongside "Added Creations and Bonus Tracks", a newly-compiled disc of rare compositions and performances.

Watch the unaired performance here.

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Rival Sons Release 'Open My Eyes' Video

(The Blues Rival Sons have released a new music video for the song "Open My Eyes," which is the first track from upcoming studio album Great Western Valkyrie.

The band's first studio outing with former Wonderlove and Rocco Deluca bassist Dave Beste is due on June 9 via Earache Records. Frontman Jay Buchanan recently said:

"I like to think we became a little bit more of ourselves making this record, and that the selection of influences has broadened a bit." Watch the new music video here.

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. Quick Flicks: Concert for Ronnie Montrose- Joni Mitchell
In this edition of Quick Flicks, Kevin Wierzbicki tells us about the new DVD releases Concert for Ronnie Montrose which showcases the all-star tribute show to the legendary guitarist and Joni Mitchells Woman of Heart & Mind/Paintings with Words and Music. - Read the full Concert for Ronnie Montrose- Joni Mitchell review

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