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Day in Rock Report for 08/01/2014


Mustaine For Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax Big 4 Reunion

(Classic Rock) Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has revealed that he is open to the idea of playing more live shows with the Big 4: Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax in the future.

The four bands last came together at Yankee Stadium, New York in 2011 and in an interview with Kaaos TV, the metal veteran says while it would be good to hook up again, it shouldn't become a regular event as there has to be "something special" about the occasion.

"I'm open to playing and I don't really care who I play with," he says. "We had fun and it's important the fans have a good time. It would be great to do it some more, but there's also the beauty of it being something special and not doing it everywhere.

"There's something special about it being very rare, so I would do it again, but it also has to work out for everybody." more on this story

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Slash Announces Club Shows and TV Special For Album Launch

Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators has announced a string of music club shows, with one to be broadcast on TV, to celebrate the release of the new album "World On Fire" and to mark music retailer Guitar Center's 50th anniversary.

The iconic former Guns N' Roses guitarist will return to where it all began in late September. He and his solo band will be playing a string of shows at Hollywood area clubs.

The first show will be taking place at The Troubadour on September 23rd, then they will play The Roxy on September 25th and the next night they will rock The Whisky A Go Go.

The Roxy performance will be broadcast on DIRECTV's Audience Network (Ch 239) on November 9th at 8pm. The special, "Live From the Roxy," will run for 90-minutes and will be filmed in 4k and 5.1 surround sound.

"We're excited to unleash World On Fire in a big way and be a part of Guitar Center's 50th celebration," says Slash. "They've been really supportive of me since the very beginning on the Sunset Strip."

Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators will be staging the shows to celebrate the September 16th release of their new album "World On Fire."

To give fans a taste of what is to come, the group has released a lyric video for the album's NSFW title track. Watch the clip here. The song has already become Slash's fastest climbing song on radio. more on this story

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Def Leppard's Vivian Campbell Shares Big Cancer News

(hennemusic) Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell is sharing an update on his ongoing battle with cancer. The rocker was diagnosed last year with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and immediately began chemotherapy and other treatments.

"For those of you that give a toss, here's the latest and greatest on my cancer situation," posted Campbell on his Facebook page. "I'm currently in Boston and I did a scan on Tuesday morning.

"The scan shows that the cancer is in remission. Great news, but I'm trying not to get too excited about it as I heard that same phrase late last year only to be disappointed again a few months after when it returned."

"The plan is to do a stem cell transplant as soon as the tour is finished," he added. "However, to keep me in remission my doctors have recommended that I do another, 3rd, round of the chemo (I.C.E.), so I'm back in hospital, all hooked up and doing my rock n' roll drugs. Keef would be most proud!" more on this story

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David Lee Roth's Legendary Uncle Manny Roth Dead At 95

(hennemusic) Manny Roth, who is best known as the founder of the New York City club Cafe Wha? and uncle to Van Halen singer David Lee Roth, has died at the age of 95.

Roth opened the original Cafe Wha? in 1959 at the corner of MacDougal Street and Minetta Lane; the legendary venue saw artists like Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen and others perform in its 1960s/1970s heyday.

"It is with great sadness that we report that Manny Roth, founder of Cafe Wha?, has passed away," posted the club on its Facebook page. "He was a legend in discovering talent, and he will be dearly missed by us all. Thanks for everything, Manny, and we hope to continue your legacy long into the future."

David Lee Roth posted a personal tribute on his website, writing, "Uncle Manny has passed away. He was 95 years old. He was happy, laughing and smiling right up 'til the end. His presence already missed, his contributions with us forever." more on this story

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Aerosmith Release Dream On (Boston Strong 2014)

(hennemusic) Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry have released a new arrangement of the band's 1973 classic, "Dream On", to honor the victims of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.

Tyler and Perry recorded a performance of "Dream On (Boston Strong 2014)" with the Southern California Children's Chorus this past spring and have now released it on iTunes.

Aerosmith also performed "Dream On" during the Boston Strong Concert benefit last May, and were joined by the Southern California Children's Chorus for the tune during their concert at The Forum in Inglewood, California on Wednesday.

"The tragedy that took place during the Boston Marathon was unfathomable, but Boston is incredibly resilient and became even stronger," says Tyler. "I am so honored to release this version of "Dream On" and to be able to have had the Southern California Children's Chorus perform with us last night was a beautiful moment, a true gift from up above."

"The heinous act that took place during the Boston Marathon which shook not only the city but the world and touched us all demanded a positive response," added Perry. "Boston Strong was that response and gave an example of our city's inner strength. I would like to think that the strength of our performance on 'Dream On' last night with the Southern California Children's Chorus in LA at the Forum was another rallying point for the goodness in all of us." More including video.

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Alice Cooper Pays Tribute To Dick Wagner

(Radio.com) Alice Cooper has paid tribute to former Alice Cooper band guitarist Dick Wagner, who died earlier this week from respiratory failure. Wagner co-wrote some of the band's biggest hits including "Welcome to My Nightmare" and "Only Woman Bleed".

"Even though we know it's inevitable, we never expect to suddenly lose close friends and collaborators," Cooper told Billboard. "Dick Wagner and I shared as many laughs as we did hit records. He was one of a kind. He is irreplaceable. His brand of playing and writing is not seen anymore, and there are very few people that I enjoyed working with as much as I enjoyed working with Dick Wagner.

"A lot of my radio success in my solo career had to do with my relationship with Dick Wagner," he continued. "Not just on stage, but in the studio and writing. Some of my biggest singles were ballads what I wrote with Dick Wagner. Most of Welcome to My Nightmare was written with Dick.

"There was just a magic in the way we wrote together. He was always able to find exactly the right chord to match perfectly with what I was doing. I think that we always think our friends will be around as long as we are, so to hear of Dick's passing comes as a sudden shock and an enormous loss for me, rock 'n' roll and to his family." more on this story

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Author Claims Cover-Up In Rolling Stones Brian Jones' Death

(Classic Rock) An author who claims Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones was murdered insists he is "not a crackpot." To mark the 45th anniversary of Jones' death, Terry Rawlings has released an update of his book Brian Jones: Who Killed Christopher Robin?

Rawlings says Jones was killed by builders working at his house in East Sussex and adds the killers escaped the attentions of the police after the band's minder, Tom Keylock, orchestrated a cover-up.

In the current issue of Mojo, Rawlings says: "There was a cover-up. It's not a crackpot theory, it's what happened. He was definitely murdered and there was a cover-up."

The official cause of death was recorded as "misadventure" after Jones was found dead in the swimming pool of his Cotchford Farm country home. more.

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Zakk Wylde Leading Metal All Stars Supergroup One Night Event

(Classic Rock) Black Label Society mainman Zakk Wylde will lead supergroup Metal All Stars in a one-off London show in December, set to feature more than a dozen of the biggest names in rock history.

The lineup - who'll have completed a European tour by the time they visit the UK - includes Joey Belladonna (Anthrax), James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Geoff Tate (ex-Queensryche), Chuck Billy (Testament), Ross The Boss (Manowar), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Cronos (Venom), Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne), Blasko (Ozzy Osbourne) and drummer brothers Carmine and Vinny Appice. Many more are to be announced in due course.

The show takes place on December 16 at the O2 Academy Brixton and tickets, priced �27.50, go on presale via O2 on Friday, August 1, then general sale via Ticketmaster on Monday, August 4.

Check out the trailer and comments from some of the artists here.

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Geoff Tate Happy To End His Queensryche Story

(Classic Rock) Former Queensryche singer Geoff Tate says he's looking forward to ending his use of the band name with a certain amount of relief - because it no longer stands for what it once did.

And he admits the "terrible negative things" said by both parties has robbed him of some of his pride in what the band achieved while he was a member. Tate and his former colleagues settled out of court earlier this year, following their acrimonious split in 2012 and an interim legal judgment that allowed both to work under the title.

Once he completes his "farewell" tour he'll start being billed mainly with his own name, while the band now fronted by Todd La Torre will continue as the only Queensryche.

"It's kind of an end to the story. I'm very happy about that; very glad that we finally reached a settlement," Tate tells One On One With Mitch Lafon. But he adds: "There's a lot of mixed emotions. I'm glad I'm moving on. I wish things were different - I wish it hadn't gone to the level it went to with the lawsuits and all that stuff, and all the horrible negative stuff that's been said."

"That never was what I thought Queensryche was about. When I wrote Operation: Mindcrime people started saying, 'This is a thinking man's band' and I was very pleased with that monicker. That's what Queensryche meant to me - thinking music." more.

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Doobie Brothers Reveal All-Star Guests For Tribute Album

(Radio.com) The Doobie Brothers are calling on many of their country friends for their tribute album Southbound, which is scheduled to be released on November 4, 2014.

New acts confirmed for Southbound include Blake Shelton, Charlie Worsham, Jerrod Niemann as well as Vince Gill, Hunter Hayes and Dann Huff on guitar. Previously announced guests include Brad Paisley, Sara Evans, Zac Brown Band, Chris Young, Toby Keith, Love and Theft and Amanda Sudano of JohnnySwim.

In an interview with Lagniappe Mobile, Doobie Brothers' Tom Johnston talked about the album's guests. "It's quite the lineup," he said. "We were kinda blown away that these folks would be interested in jumping on board with us, but they were eager to do it."

In an interview earlier this year with Radio.com, Sara Evans expressed her excitement to be a part of the album. "They're singing all their hits with different artists and they let me choose which song I wanted to sing," she told Radio.com. "Sometimes I'll think things through before I answer questions or requests like that, but I immediately wrote back, 'Yes of course! I love the Doobie Brothers!'" more on this story

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Dave Lombardo' Philm Preview New Album

(Classic Rock) Philm, which features founding Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo, Civil Defiance frontman Gerry Paul Nestler on vocals and guitar and bass player Pancho Tomaselli of War, have released a trailer video for their upcoming second album.

The new album will be entitled "Fire From The Evening Sun" and is set to be released in North America on September 16th, the UK on September 15th and Europe on September 12th.

Lombardo says the follow-up to 2012's Harmonic will mark a change in pace for the band. He adds: "Harmonic is still an amazing work to me. It's improvisational and raw. It was my first time producing an album and I am very proud of it. The new album is a completely different animal. It is again produced by me, but mastered and mixed by a couple of musical giants - Tyler Bates and Robert Carranza.

"I believe this album has a daring, callous temperament about it that really sums up our mindset right now. No improvising, no fluff. It's heavy and in your face from start to finish.

"You may think you know what Philm is, but you don't. If you haven't seen us live, you have no idea. We thrive on being out of our comfort zones and want fans to take that ride."

Read more and watch the album trailer here.

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Paul Di'Anno's New DVD To Include Iron Maiden Classics

(TeamRock Radio) Former Iron Maiden frontman Paul Di'Anno has revealed details of his upcoming live DVD. The Beast Arises will include 17 tracks recorded in Poland this year, among them a number of Iron Maiden hits. Also included as part of the package is an interview with Di'Anno, photo gallery, discography and desktop images.

The artwork for the DVD features a close-up image of a shackled Di'Anno. It will also be available in CD, double LP and digital formats. It will be released in October.

Di'Anno has had an eventful career since he was sacked by Maiden in 1981 after appearing on the band's first two albums. Last year he announced he was "pulling the plug" on his career, but later changed his mind, saying he'd keep going once he underwent a knee operation. He's currently working on a studio album with German band Architect To Chaos.

Check out the tracklisting here.

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Nightwish Release Mini-Documentary For Forthcoming Album

(Prog) Finnish rockers Nightwish are in the studio working on the follow up to 2011's Imaginaerum and have released a second mini-documentary charting the album's progress.

The band are working in a remote wooded location in Hattula, Finland and Keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen says it's a great place to record, as they can "concentrate 24/7".

He says: "This is the third time we've opted to demo the songs in the wilderness and it's proven to be a very effective arrangement. We have our peace here in the middle of nature, where we can concentrate 24/7. The studio environment has its perks, too, but this works for us."

Bassist Marco Hietala adds that while the album is coming together, some tracks still need to be refined. "There's stuff that sounds excellent already and stuff that clearly needs some work," he says. "We have such a strong belief in the end result, we know it will work like alchemy - crap will turn to gold."

Watch the video here.

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Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood To Debut 'Water' During Live Performances

(Radio.com) Jonny Greenwood has interests beyond being in the most beloved rock band of our time, Radiohead. He scores films, for one. And, he collaborates with some heavy-hitters on the classical performance circuit.

Recently, Greenwood and the Australian Chamber Orchestra collaborated for a new piece titled "Water," which will be performed on tour as a debut for the non-recorded work. So far there are only a scattered few dates, starting with Oct. 2 in Dublin, and then brought to London on Oct. 4, and Birmingham on Oct. 5.

Pitchfork reports that it will be played alongside material from Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Haydn and will also be performed in Melbourne on Oct. 26. more on this story

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David Bowie Is Documentary Coming To U.S. Theaters

(Radio.com) Crowds have been flocking to London's Victoria & Albert Museum since August of 2013 to view the David Bowie is exhibition. Curators Victoria Broackes and Geoffrey Marsh were given unprecedented access to David Bowie's archives to create the exhibit, which features over 300 items.

And now David Bowie is happens to be going on tour. A documentary film of the exhibition will be screened in 100 theaters across America starting on Sept. 23. The exhibit itself will travel to Chicago and open in the city's Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) that day. It will stay there until Jan. 4, 2015.

The documentary was filmed closing night of the V&A exhibition in London and directed by Done & Dusted's Hamish Hamilton, the man behind the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. It features interviews with Japanese fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto, Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker and the exhibit's curators, among others. more on this story

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Mikkey Dee Doesn't Regret Motorhead Rejection

(Classic Rock) Motorhead drummer Mikkey Dee says he has no regrets about turning down the band when they initially approached him in the 80s, saying he "wasn't ready".

Dee was playing with King Diamond when Motorhead approached him and in an interview with Finland's Rock Radio, he says he was happy to stay with the Danish outfit rather than drop his sticks and join Lemmy and co.

"They asked me in 86 or 87 but we were doing good with King Diamond," he says. "We were a bunch of friends that really enjoyed what we were doing and I'm glad I didn't join Motorhead at that point - I wasn't ready. I just said, 'Thanks very much, I'm gonna stay with King Diamond,' or 'our own band' as we called it." more on this story

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Quiet Riot Cofounder Discusses Jizzy Pearl Taking Over Vocals

(Classic Rock) Quiet Riot's Frankie Banali has called vocalist Jizzy Pearl "the real deal" after the singer took over frontman duties following the departure of Scott Vokoun.

The band have had several vocalists since the death of Kevin DuBrow in 2007, the last being Vokoun who left he band in 2013, but speaking about Pearl, Banali tells MLive.com: "The real story begins when we asked Jizzy to come on board. We went with a pro - Jizzy is the real deal.

"I am very conscious of Kevin DuBrow's legacy and the legacy of Quiet Riot. You can never replace a singer like the late, great Kevin DuBrow who was the total rock and roll package. He was also my best and closest friend, so that plays into it as well. To me, it has to sound like Quiet Riot - it has to have that sound and energy.

"Jizzy is doing a fantastic job of keeping the spirit, music and sound of Kevin's vocals alive while bringing his own sound to the band, which blends really well." He had more to say.

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Alt-Fest Organizers Promise News Of Festival's Fate

(Classic Rock) Angry fans are demanding answers from bosses at crowdfunded Alt-Fest, which appears to have been cancelled at short notice. Confusion continued today when as one source told TeamRock an announcement about the event was imminent, it emerged ticket agency Tangerine Fields has already contacted customers with the message: "Alt-Fest has been cancelled and an official statement is due out next week."

Following more than 24 hours of silence, show bosses finally posted a message on the official Alt-Fest Facebook page, but did not confirm whether or not the show will go ahead.

The message, posted just before 8pm on Wednesday, reads: "We at Alt-Fest HQ would like to sincerely apologies for our silence over the last 24 hours. Currently we are working all hours to deal with some extremely challenging and stressful issues for Alt-Fest.

"We will be able to provide an official statement with full information before Monday and answer any questions you may have at that time. We want you to know that we have been doing everything we can to take the right steps for you - our fans, friends and customers. We assure you we only have your best interests at heart." more on this story

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Blues Pills Reveal UK Tour Plans

(Classic Rock) Blues Pills have confirmed their first UK tour for November in support of their self-titled debut album, which was launched via Nuclear Blast this week.

The American-Swedish-French quartet offered a stream of all 10 tracks ahead of release last week, saying they'd included a cover of Chubby Checker track Gypsy as a tribute to the 60s rock'n'roll pioneer.

They explained: "We used to play it at soundcheck, then, slowly, it worked its way into our setlist. Back in the day, a lot of bands covered each other for the right reasons. We wanted to honor Chubby and bring the song back to life the Blues Pills way."

Their album artwork is also 60s inspired, making use of a painting created by Marijke Koger-Dunham during the era. Read about that and grab the dates here.

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Singled Out: A Tower of Crows' Live Wire

Today Sam Clay from up and coming UK rockers A Tower of Crows tells us about their new song "Live Wire" which the group has released online today as a free download. Here is the story:

Having only formed in December last year, we believe it's hard to pin us down to any given genre or sub-genre at the moment, with a wealth of influences at our disposal we try to encompass a variety of styles whilst trying to maintain our own originality. 'Live Wire' is our first single, recorded earlier this year and we believe it shows our strengths and represents where our song-writing is likely to take us as we develop further as a band.

We believe that dynamically, 'Live Wire' is one of our best, which is most likely why it is one of our favourite songs to play live. Powerful and driven from the very beginning, 'Live Wire' is effectively a showcase of the band's individual talent, highlighting the driving force that our drums, bass and guitars are capable of, complemented by raw, compelling vocals
'Live Wire' is a stark and honest description of how anger can consume an individual, leading to obsession and ultimately, self-destruction.

The single releases today as a free download from the band website or Facebook and includes a video too.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and download the track right here!

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Bret Michaels Covers Lionel Richie and Diana Ross Hit

(hennemusic) Bret Michaels covers Lionel Richie's 1981 US chart-topper with Diana Ross, "Endless Love", in new viral video to promote Nissan that has been billed as "Tough Love".

Based on the theme, "The tougher we test them, the more you love them," the campaign is directed at small business owners looking for durable, efficient cargo and passenger vans.

The centerpiece full-length music video shows Michaels serenading various Nissan vans as he joins Nissan technicians during vehicle durability testing at Nissan's Arizona Testing Center, a 3,050-acre facility in Stanfield, Arizona.

Check it out here.

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Menza Takes High Road After Megadeth Frontman's Insult

(Classic Rock) Former Megadeth drummer Nick Menza has declined to lash back at Dave Mustaine over the bandleader's "rotten tooth" comment when Dave was asked about reuniting with Menza and Marty Friedman.

Mustaine recently admitted he often received pleas from fans to bring Menza and ex-guitarist Marty Friedman back into the band - but dismissed the idea by stating: "That makes as much sense as somebody saying, 'Put a rotten tooth back in your mouth.'" He added that he'd seen comments from the drummer in the press and felt they were "unfortunate."

But while Menza accepts there appears to be no chance of a reunion, he refuses to raise the temperature in the debate. He says via Facebook: "A chance to celebrate the great moments of the past, together with our fans, doesn't appear to be on the cards."

He adds: "I had my time with Dave and it was great. I don't make it a point to back my former band members and diminish the memories of our great times together." More.

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Judas Priest Tribute Fans With Never Forget

(hennemusic) Judas Priest are revealing the story behind "Never Forget", one of the bonus tracks found on the Deluxe Edition of their new album, "Redeemer Of Souls."

"We've said, and will always say, that we are eternally grateful to the fans for giving us the life of metal in Judas Priest," explains singer Rob Halford. "So this is a direct, pure acknowledgement to them in a very sentimental way�.this is a real proclamation of love from Priest to the fans that support us and we genuinely will never forget them."

Judas Priest will launch a North American tour in support of the new album - with special guests Steel Panther - on October 1 in Rochester, New York; the 6-week run will wrap up November 22 in Tacoma, Washington.

Check out the video here.

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Peter Frampton Streaming New Song Friendly Fire

(TeamRock Radio) Peter Frampton has launched a stream of ballet-fuelled track Friendly Fire. It's taken from latest album Hummingbird In A Box, which was released last month via RED Distribution and Sony Music.

The seven-track work resulted from his collaboration with Cincinatti Ballet, based on live pieces he performed with them last year. Frampton recently said: "Writing for dance was a wonderfully freeing experience. There were no boundaries - we were able to push the composing envelope."

Hummingbird In A Box is his second collaboration with Gordon Kennedy, after the pair won a Grammy for 2006 release Fingerprints. He's currently on tour in the US with dates running until September.

Listen to the new song here.

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Former Johnny Cash Home May Be Turned Into Rehab Facility

(Radio.com) A Tennessee property that was once owned by late country music superstar Johnny Cash and wife June Carter Cash may become a rehabilitation facility.

According to the Tennessean, the Hendersonville, Tenn., property, where the Cash family lived until their deaths in 2003, is being eyed for possible redevelopment as a residential medical facility.

Paperwork has been filed to rezone the area for use as an employment center of some sort - in this case a facility that is being touted as "high-end" and would focus predominantly on helping women with eating disorders, much like the property owner James Gresham's Illinois facility Timberline Knolls that treats women's eating disorders, alcoholism, drug addiction and more. More on this story.

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Celebrating Jon Lord Preview Video Released

(hennemusic) A video preview of "Celebrating Jon Lord - At The Royal Albert Hall", a new DVD, Blu-ray and CD due this fall, is now available. Due September 26, the event was a tribute concert to honor the late Deep Purple keyboardist's life and work.

The tribute featured rock legends including Deep Purple members Ian Paice, Roger Glover, Don Airey and Steve Morse, Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, Glenn Hughes, Rick Wakeman, Micky Moody, Joe Brown and Alfie Boe.

Lord passed away July 16, 2012 at the age of 71 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. With Purple, Lord co-wrote many of the group's legendary songs, including "Smoke On The Water", and played with many bands and musicians throughout his career.

Check out the preview here.

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Alice In Chains Streaming Would? From Guitar Center Sessions

(hennemusic) Seattle rockers Alice In Chains perform "Would?" in a preview of their upcoming appearance on DIRECTV's Guitar Center Sessions this weekend. The band will be the featured artist on the August 3rd episode in the series hosted by Nic Harcourt.

Airing at 8 PM, the all-new program will see the band shares stories from their initial 1990s breakout, talk about their hiatus and re-emergence, and delve into what's in store for the future of the group.

"Would?" originally appeared on the group's sophomore album, 1992's "Dirt." The project peaked at No. 6 on the US Billboard 200 on its way to sales of more than 4 million copies in the States alone, making it the band's highest-selling album.

Check out the preview clip here.

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Aerosmith Jam With Johnny Depp In L.A.

(hennemusic) Aerosmith were joined by actor Johnny Depp for their Bull Moose Jackson cover, "Big Ten Inch Record", at The Forum in Los Angeles on Wednesday, and video of the guest performance is available.

It's the second time in two weeks the actor/musician has teamed up with the Boston rockers: Depp joined in on their version of Tiny Bradshaw's "Train Kept A-Rollin'" at their July 16 hometown show in Boston.

"Big Ten Inch Record" originally appeared on Aerosmith's third album, 1975's "Toys In The Attic." The Los Angeles stop is part of the North Aerican leg of Aerosmith's Let Rock Rule tour, which sees the band on the road this summer with Slash.

Watch video of the jam here.

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Kongos On Turning South African Success Into U.S. Radio Hit

(Radio.com) It's not often that a band with an accordion climbs the American alternative chart, especially one with roots in South Africa. Meet Kongos; four siblings inspired to make rhythmic rock by their father John Kongos, a South African-born Londoner with hits in the 60s and 70s.

Having moved to Arizona more than 15 years ago, the foursome began mailing their music around the world in hopes of radio airplay. Finding open arms and radio play in their homeland, the band toured extensively for years in South Africa. But it wasn't until years later that their single took hold on American radio. Only thing is, it wasn't the song they expected.

Kongos' keyboard and accordion player, Johnny Kongos, spoke to Radio.com about their long road to overnight success. Radio.com: Was it a long journey to get "Come With Me Now" to the level it is now?

Johnny Kongos: The long story is that we wrote the song in end of 2007 and in 2008 we started playing it out live. So it's longer than even the two-year story. We knew the song had something because we trust our instincts. If a song makes us get up and move and get really into it then we trust that instinct. The road to having it become a big single in America was a bit of an accident because we had started to go with "I'm Only Joking," but then Denver picked up "Come With Me Now" and just kind of ran with it. We had to basically follow the momentum of that. The song had already done really well in South Africa. It was hugely popular across all different formats out there. At that point we were pretty convinced it had something but the American radio thing is a tough and difficult thing to crack into.

But for most bands, it's impossible to get the attention of radio. Why you? We ask ourselves that question. Like why was� cause we had sent the song around and people had heard the song in 2011 and 2012. Why was it the end of 2013 that it clicked for whatever reason? It's definitely just a huge element of luck and timing� why certain songs click and others don't and at what time they have to click. I think there was a certain point with "Come With Me Now" where the momentum became so great that then it was given the full shot to gain the exposure it needed. Once KROQ picked it up it was kind of game over. KROQ is such a massively influential station still that all the rest of the dominoes fell in line once that happened.

In the more than two years before the song took off, were you considering getting real jobs? Occasionally every now and then everyone in the band would have a thought about that and it was quickly dismissed because the thought of that is too terrible for a bunch of lazy musicians like us. If nothing had happened with "Lunatic," "Come With Me Now" and "I'm Only Joking," we definitely had another album or two that we would've given a full shot to. Like, it definitely wasn't over. We started to work on and write a lot of new material.

Before the boys in the family formed a band, did you ever have normal jobs? We've always had the band as the main focus with odd jobs. I did a lot of web design work and Danny did photography. He used to shoot portfolio stuff for models which isn't a bad side job. We made bar mitzvah videos for friends of ours and shot them all MTV Cribs style and did that for a while. We just did odd jobs so we could focus on the music. And also we were really fortunate to have a dad who was in the business and who was willing to support us long beyond where most parents would have been like, 'all right, that's it. You guys are done. Either go to college or get a job."

How do you decide where to put "Come With Me Now" in your live set? Right now we're playing it last I'd say ninety-nine percent of the time because people just don't know most of our material yet so I think it would be really, really hard to follow that song if we played it too early on in the set. They need to just hear more of the album to get into it. Even "Come With Me Now' is not necessarily the most simple song that people just immediately hear. There's a friggin' accordion and a slide solo and this weird African-influenced beat. But now I guess cause the song's doing so well everyone's like, 'oh cool it's a hit.' But it wasn't necessarily the first time people heard it. It's funny� People always ask if we're sick of these songs yet.

Are you? Not really. We always wanted these songs to be heard and given a shot so this is totally more than we could have hoped for right now. You know, I'm sick of hearing the song. [laughs] Because we've heard it through the entire writing, recording, rehearsing, all that. But playing it live every show is always exciting.

Read the rest of the interview here.

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