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Day in Rock Report for 04/19/2016


Today's Top Stories


AC/DC's Brian Johnson Reveals Message For Fans

AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson has released a message for fans to fully explain why he was forced to pull out of the Rock or Bust World tour which the band will be continuing with Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose taking over lead vocals.

Johnson writes, "As many AC/DC fans know, the remaining shows for the 2016 AC/DC Rock or Bust World Tour, including 10 postponed U.S. shows, are being rescheduled with a guest singer. I want personally to explain the reason because I don't believe the earlier press releases sufficiently set out what I wanted to say to our fans or the way in which I thought it should be presented.

"On March 7th, after a series of examinations by leading physicians in the field of hearing loss, I was advised that if I continue to perform at large venues, I risked total deafness. While I was horrified at the reality of the news that day, I had for a time become aware that my partial hearing loss was beginning to interfere with my performance on stage. I was having difficulty hearing the guitars on stage and because I was not able to hear the other musicians clearly, I feared the quality of my performance could be compromised. In all honesty this was something I could not in good conscience allow. Our fans deserve my performance to be at the highest level, and if for any reason I can't deliver that level of performance I will not disappoint our fans or embarrass the other members of AC/DC. I am not a quitter and I like to finish what I start, nevertheless, the doctors made it clear to me and my bandmates that I had no choice but to stop performing on stage for the remaining shows and possibly beyond. That was the darkest day of my professional life."
Read the rest of his statement here.


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Rock Hall TV Special May Not Include Steve Miller

Steve Miller continues to make headlines with his criticism of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the latest news revolves around his involvement with the HBO broadcast of this year's induction event.

In a lengthy interview with the San Diego Tribune Miller expressed his frustration with the contracts to be included in the broadcast of the highlights from induction ceremony and performances on April 30th.

While the paper states that Miller believes he will be included, he says that it is still being negotiated and had the following comments about the paperwork involved, "I spent part of today talking to my lawyer, and we're still negotiating.

"We're demanding they clean up their paper work - their paper work is just ridiculous! I wish I could send you a copy of the contract. When they tell you that you've been nominated, they don't give you any information. It's: 'We'll let you know how you do.' They are a day late and a dollar short.

"They're talking about (having you sign) releases and (them controlling) other people's art; it's as bad as any contract I've seen in 50 years. I've spent 3 months with them negotiating to clean it up and share it with everybody (else inducted this year). They pitted everybody against everybody else, and it's all unnecessary. God. I could straighten it all out in a day."

"Everything (in the contract) is hard to understand and murky, and they (the Rock Hall) have all theses rights and the artists don't have any, and you have to indemnify them. I don't do contracts like that, whether it's with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Kennedy Center, or anyone else." He had a lot more to say about the Rock Hall, including N.W.A. decision not to perform after they ran into difficulty with organizers of the event. Read the full interview here.

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Leaves' Eyes Part Ways With Singer Liv Kristine

Leaves' Eyes surprised fans this weekend with the announcement that they have replaced frontwoman Liv Kristine with Finnish singer Elina Siirala and the band and Kristine are singing a different tune about the parting of ways.

The band posted the following message on Facebook with their side of the split: "The decision to part ways with Liv was taken by all Leaves' Eyes members, including Liv. A mediator - a friend of Liv and Alex - was at the band meeting who can witness that the decision of parting ways was agreed by all members. Liv was happy to have the opportunity to plan changes in her future life and she does not have to go on tour so much anymore. The idea to go separated ways came up already in January. Elina was no part of this decision or process."

Liv Kristine here the following on her personal page, "it's with sadness I see the latest news reaching you. That this chapter in my life would have to end so soon was not my intention. Life must go on. For all of us. I wish Leaves' Eyes with their decisions and plans all the best for the future. I will keep you posted with good news soon!"

She later posted, "without you I wouldn't have the strength to continue with music. What you all have done for me with all your endless support and passion keeps me going on in these difficult times.

"Thank you for warning me concerning new postings by someone in Leaves' Eyes, done to harm me and make my situation even worse. I have nothing to hide, nothing to fear. I was told a bit longer than a week ago that I am not preferred as the band's singer for further tours and recordings anymore. I asked for the situation concerning Indonesia and the soon-to-happen up-coming shows. The answer was 'no'. I asked if there's a replacement and I got no clear answer. I can't believe this process happened behind my back, parallel to a huge disappointment in my private life. A few days later there certainly was a replacement. I must say - that was 'quick'!

"I still see Leaves' Eyes as 'my baby' and I will miss playing these gigs, feeling the good vibes, sensing the real Norwegian Viking power with the audiences. Inside my heart I will always treasure Leaves' Eyes for all the good music, tunes, themes, concept and true Viking power. The melodies I used to sing will always stay alive in my ears."

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Paul McCartney Jams Beatles Classic With Nirvana Star

Paul McCartney was joined by special guest Krist Novoselic of Nirvana fame for a jam of the Beatles classic "Helter Skelter" during the Seattle stop of Macca's North American tour on Sunday night (April 17th).

Classic Rock reports" "The musicians - arguably the most recognizable rock bass players of their generations - played through the Beatles track in Seattle on the third night of McCartney's One On One Tour.

"Novoselic and McCartney first met in 2012 when they worked together on the track Cut Me Some Slack, which featured on the soundtrack to Dave Grohl's film Sound City." Watch the jam here.

In other news, McCartney announced on Monday that he has added a new stop to the tour. On August 17th he will be playing the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, which will mark his first show in the city since 2002.

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Metallica Manager Says YouTube Are The Devil

(New Rock Times) "Youtube, they're the devil," proclaims Peter Mensch, one of the world's most powerful and influential band managers. With a client list stacked with bands like Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Muse and Volbeat, when Mensch talks, industry insiders tend to listen and he reckons YouTube are slowing strangling the life out of the record industry.

He tells a BBC Radio 4 documentary: "YouTube, they're the devil. We don't get paid at all. If someone doesn't do something about YouTube, we're screwed. It's over. Someone turn off the lights. It's hard to make people pay for what they've been getting for free. That's consumer behaviour 101."

Mensch dismisses the video streaming site's current business model, which is heavily reliant on adverts as 'unsustainable.' His comments came during the BBC Radio 4 documentary, The Business of Music, which is available on the BBC iPlayers with part two to follow on April 25.

Figures released within the annual report the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), last week look to emphasise Mensch's concerns as it expressed concern at the widening "value gap" between the volume of music consumed on free, "user-upload" services - including YouTube, Daily Motion and Soundcloud - and the amount of revenue they generate for the industry. Read more here.

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Latest News


Axl Rose and AC/DC Is The Golden Ticket Says Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper says that he thought the news that AC/DC had recruited Axl Rose to sing for them on their world tour was an April Fool's joke at first but has now concluded that it is a perfect match.

Cooper shared his excitement with Rolling Stone about Rose taking over for longtime frontman Brian Johnson, who was forced off the road for danger of permanent hearing damage, according to the band.

"I just think that's such a unique combination," the legendary shock rocker says. "Whoever has tickets to that show has got the golden ticket, because who doesn't want to see that?"

Alice appeared to have learned the news earlier than the general public and said that "At first I thought it was an April Fool's thing. I went, 'Oh, come on.' Then I started thinking about it and said, 'You know, his voice is absolutely perfect for that band. That might just work.'"

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Aerosmith's Joe Perry Recruits Iggy Pop, David Johansen For Solo Album

(hennemusic) Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry has revealed that Iggy Pop, David Johansen and Zak Starkey have been added to the lineup of players that will be featured on his next solo album.

Originally planned as an instrumental record, Perry has expanded the scope of the project currently in progress in a California studio due to his proximity to a number of singers in, or passing through, the area.

"One night, Iggy Pop stopped by the studio after he'd done a show here and listened to a couple of tunes," Perry tells Rolling Stone. "Within a couple hours, he had finished [recording] everything and that was really the turning point for the record. It was really, really good to go that way. And then Terry Reid sang on at least four songs, and David Johansen came in.

"I hadn't had a chance to work with him since the Seventies, since we were spending a lot of time together. We've been friends for such a long time, but we've never really had a chance to get in the studio and get in a solid situation. We got three or four tunes." Read more here.

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Led Zeppelin Record Broken By Kobe Bryant

(hennemusic) Led Zeppelin's single-day world record for merchandise sales in an arena has been beaten by the NBA star Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers as the famed basketball star retired.

ESPN reports that Bryant's final game at the Staples Center on April 13 sold $1.2 million worth of Kobe merchandise, according to AEG Vice-President Sean Ryan.

The previous record, Ryan said, was set by Led Zeppelin when they sold $1 million worth of merchandise in London at the O2 Arena on Dec. 10, 2007 for the band's first full-length concert in three decades. Read more here.

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Bret Michaels, Ted Nugent, Sevendust and Fuel Lead LaconiaFest

Poison frontman and reality TV star Bret Michaels, Ted Nugent, Sevendust and Fuel are the first headliner announced for the inaugural LaconiaFest, which will be taking place in Laconia, New Hampshire on June 11th-19th.

Organizers for the event, which is billed as "the east coast's only premier motorcycle music festival", have revealed the initial lineup for the nine-day festival.

Apart from the headliners, the event will also feature performances from Warrant, Lita Ford, Trixter, LA Guns, P.O.D., Attika7, Dope, Saving Abel, Biters, Adelitas Way, Bullethead, and Milow the Girl.

LaconiaFest is set to feature two stages that will host live music for 12 hours a day (noon to midnight) during the run of festival. Get more information here.

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We Came As Romans Release 'Memories' Video

(TeamRock Radio) We Came As Romans have released a new music video for their track Memories, which is a song that comes from the band's 2015 self-titled fourth album also includes footage from last year's Vans Warped Tour.

Frontman Dave Stephens had this to say: "It's honest and it's very certainly leaning toward the angrier side of life. There are a lot of things that we aren't happy with in the world, and we miss having that spirit. So we just have to take a longer, harder look at ourselves to find it. It's still there."

Stephens also said this about the video, "Over the course of Warped Tour this past summer, we had the time of our lives and it was well documented. We decided to take some of the previously unreleased footage to create something to show you what the song "Memories" means to us!" Watch the video here.

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Drive Like Jehu Curated ATP Canceled With Little Notice

All Tomorrow's Parties 2.0 Curated by Drive Like Jehu has been canceled just days away from the scheduled kick off and the band has expressed their displeasure with the move.

Drive Like Jehu posted a photo of a roll of toilet paper with "ATP" written on it along with the following message, "After 4 months of a long and bumpy ride, the wheels finally fell off the wagon and crashed and burned. A search party was sent to Monkey Island to scan the wreckage for survivors and only found Barry Hogan/ATP collecting bits of luggage and body parts for his next show 'ATP 3.0 The 90's Deconstructed'. Tickets on sale now at Gofundme.com

"It's a uniquely cruel hoax to appeal to Drive Like Jehu's ego and ask us to create a program based on personally inviting the bands and musicians that have inspired us and changed the way we hear music and then subject them and their supporters to this. We really wanted this show to happen more than anything. It had all the makings of a legendary weekend. We were so committed to seeing this through that we remained hopeful ( blind in retrospect) amongst the ritualistic turmoil and crisis and trusted their solutions that would ensure that the show would definitely go on and the attendees would be treated fairly and the bands would be respected and celebrated.

"I realize people want answers. I have found out about most of the information involving the problems that plagued this from the start the same way as everyone else. And although the internet is hardly a reliable source for fact, this whole mess has the extra sting of this not being an isolated incident.

"48 hours ago word started to trickle in that Barry hadn't honored his agreement with many of the bands. These bands were not canceling, but rather did not have the promised means to attend. It was only then revealed that ATP was unable to honor the agreement with the ticket holders that purchased accommodation. ATP is out of funds. ATP offered to postpone the event until November as a solution. No thanks. We looked into trying to salvage the weekend by putting on our own free show in Manchester. But at this late date, no suitable venue is available.

"This affects the Swami John Reis & The Blind Shake shows that were to follow ATP as well. We are unable to come over at this time.

"To all the bands and ticket holders, i couldn't feel more terrible that the fest isn't happening. We were willing to come over under any circumstance even if it meant we would not get paid, just to see this show happen. I wish i could give you more answers at this point and advice what to do next."

You can find the official word from the organizers along with ticket refund information here.

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Kansas Announce Leftoverture 40th Anniversary Tour

Kansas have announced that they will be launching a North American tour this fall to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of their sextuple-platinum album 'Leftoverture.'

The band has revealed the initial dates for the trek which will feature them performing the album in its entirely, along with others tracks from their long career including songs from their forthcoming album 'The Prelude Implicit."

The confirmed dates kick off on September 30th in Pittsburgh, PA at the Benedum Center and conclude on November 18th in New Bedford, MA at the Zeiterion Theatre. More dates are still to be announced.

Guitarist Richard Williams had this to say about the trek, "These definitely will not be your typical Kansas concerts of the past few years. This is incredibly exciting for the entire band, and hopefully our fans.

"It's something we've never done before, play an album in its entirety, as part of a set. 'Leftoverture' was our breakthrough, and it's special that we are getting to celebrate it 40 years later. We've never even played 'Questions of My Childhood' live before. I can't wait!"

Lead singer Ronnie Platt adds, "This is going to be really special for both the band and our fans. It has been really wild recording 'The Prelude Implicit.' We are anxious to perform some of the songs for live audiences. To be able to do that while also be performing 'Leftoverture' in its entirety, and more; this is going to be a blast! Who knows, we may even have some more twists added in!" See the initial dates here.

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Eagles Of Death Metal's Conan Performance Goes Online

(TeamRock Radio) The Eagles Of Death Metal performed their track Silverlake (K.S.O.F.M.) live on US television talk show Conan last Thursday night and video of their appearance has been posted online.

The song is taken from Jesse Hughes and co's latest album Zipper Down, which was released last year. EODM were at the centre of last year's Paris terror attacks when 89 people were murdered during the band's gig at the Bataclan venue.

Hughes later said he hoped to one day return to the Bataclan for a gig. EODM launch a widespread North American tour this month. Watch the Conan performance here.

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Bob Dylan Inspired TV Show In The Works

(Classic Rock) Entertainment firms Amazon and Lionsgate are closing in on a rights deal to make a TV show inspired by Bob Dylan's music. Time Out Of Mind, named after Dylan's 1997 album, is set to include characters and themes drawn from the singer-songwriter's archive of more than 600 songs.

The project, which is in early development, will be made under filmmaker Josh Wakely's Sydney-based Grace production banner. Earlier this year, Wakely announced that his Netflix animated series Beat Bugs will be made available to stream in August. Focusing on the lives of five insects in a suburban garden, the show will feature stories inspired by Beatles songs.

Meanwhile, Dylan sold his personal archives to the George Kaiser Foundation and the University of Tulsa for an estimated $15 to $20 million last month. Read more here.

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Avatar Streaming New Song 'Tooth, Beak & Claw'

(TeamRock Radio) Avatar have released an online stream of their track Tooth, Beak & Claw. The song comes from the Swedish outfit's upcoming sixth album Feathers & Flesh, which is set for release on May 13 via Another Century.

The band worked with producer Sylvia Massy on the follow-up to 2014's Hail The Apocalypse. She called the group "amazing" and added: "Singer Johannes Eckerstrom has the wild energy and charisma I love, and the players are relentless.

"The album we're making is an epic. Each song powerfully stands on it's own, but is only a piece of a larger story. This album is the project I've been dreaming about for years." Stream the song and see their upcoming tour dates here.

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Dream Theater's James Labrie Talks Possible Solo Album

(Prog) Dream Theater frontman James LaBrie wants to return to the studio to record another solo album. He released Impermanent Resonance in 2013 with keyboardist Matt Guillory, guitarist Marco Sfogli, bassist Ray Riendeau and drummer Peter Wildoer. And the singer says talks about a possible follow-up have already taken place.

LaBrie tells Carl Begai: "I think it's just a matter of Matt, myself, and all the other guys making time to get together. It really is a band and me and Matt are really passionate about keeping the same players of the last 10 years.

"Matt and I have talked and we agree that we definitely have to do another one, we have to follow up Impermanent Resonance with an album that is just as killer. I think it'll be better.

"It really is a matter of being able to sit down and put the time and focus into it that it deserves. I do believe there will be another one - I really want to do another solo album before I say, 'I'm done, I don't want to do this anymore' or, 'I don't want to perform live anymore.'" Read more here.

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Dan Reed Network Release 'Divided' Video

(TeamRock Radio) Dan Reed Network have premiered the new video for their single "Divided" with TeamRock. The song is the opening track from the band's forthcoming album Fight Another Day, which is released on June 3.

On the sound of their first album in 25 years, Dan Reed previously said: "The band and I thought it would be a great experiment and interesting challenge to revisit what endeared the band to so many back in the day and deliver a rock record with funk and soul elements, strong melodies.

"but this time around incorporate even edgier lyrics while not losing sight that this release needed to be uplifting, infectious, and most of all, powerful when performed live." Watch the video here.

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Rob Reed Releases 'Sanctuary II' Promo Video

(TeamRock Radio) Rob Reed has released a new promo video for his forthcoming album Sanctuary II. The Magenta mainman says he wants his latest studio effort to carry on the legacy of Mike Oldfield's iconic 1973 album, Tubular Bells. It's due out on June 10.

Reed has produced, mixed and engineered Sanctuary II himself once again, with help from the original Tubular Bells production team of Tom Newman and Simon Heyworth. It also features former Toto and Mike Oldfield drummer Simon Phillips.

He says: "I remember reading an interview with Mike Oldfield, where he said that he was so disappointed that no one carried the torch forward that he had lit with Tubular Bells - creating this long-form metal music full of emotion and melody, something you could lose yourself in for 40 minutes.

"Thats what i'm trying to do with Sanctuary - to carry that idea forward." Reed also revealed his track Marimba will be released on April 20 (Wednesday). Watch the promo video and read more here.

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Nails Announce European Fall Tour

(TeamRock Radio) Nails have announced that they will be launching a tour of Europe this November in support of their forthcoming album You Will Never Be One Of Us, which comes out on June 17th.

Frontman Todd Jones had the following to say about the trek: "Nails will be returning to European and UK soil to celebrate the release of our new album You Will Never Be One Of Us, which we believe is the apex of Nails up until this point.

"We're looking forward to joining all the maniacs across the Atlantic and sharing the stage with Full Of Hell every night." The run of shows also includes a set at this year's Damnation Festival in Leeds, UK. Check out the dates here.

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Dead Harts Release 'Feight' Video

(TeamRock Radio) Dead Harts have exclusively premiered their new video for the song "Feight" with TeamRock's Metal Hammer. The song comes from the band's upcoming third full-length album, the follow-up to 2014's Cult for the Haggard Youth.

Speaking to Hammer about the new single, drummer Anthony Allen says that after touring relentless they figured out what was needed to top the last album.

"We wanted to get more of that raw, messy, sweaty energy recorded in a studio," he says. "It's without a doubt the heaviest track we've ever written. The song is about staying true to your roots, especially if you are a creative or touring musician, not being fake, not following trends, and conveying a positive message that good karma will always comes around." Watch the video here.

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A Lot Of Vinyl Buyers Don't Actually Listen To The Records?

(Classic Rock) Nearly half of the UK's vinyl buyers never play the records they've purchased, a survey suggests. And a similar number of people first heard the music they bought via a streaming service.

The resurgence of vinyl sales continues, with 637,000 units sold during the first quarter of this year, compared with 2.1million throughout 2014. The ICM survey, reported by the BBC, says that 52% of those who buy vinyl have a turntable they use, while 41% own a turntable but don't use it, and 7% don't have one at all.

People in the 25-34 age group buy nearly a third of all vinyl, with 35-44 the second-largest buying group, followed by 45-54, 18-24 and 55-64. Meanwhile, 45% of those polled said the music they'd bought was first heard online. Read more here.

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Beartooth Tease Fans With 'Aggressive' Video

(TeamRock Radio) Beartooth have released a short video teasing their upcoming second album, thought to be called Aggressive. The video, which runs for just over a minute, can be viewed below. While it's short on detail, it ends with the word 'Aggressive' being displayed.

Earlier this month the band confirmed they'd split with drummer Brandon Mullins after completing recording sessions for the follow-up to 2014 debut Disgusting.

Beartooth said: "There's no bad blood between any of us, he's still our brother and one of our best friends and we wish him well in whatever opportunities he chooses to move forward with in the future." Watch the video here.

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Mastodon Added To Reading And Leeds Festivals

(TeamRock Radio) Mastodon have been confirmed for this year's Reading and Leeds festivals. The band also have a number of live shows planned over the coming months, including a headline set at the UK's Bloodstock festival on August 13.

The Reading and Leeds festivals' website reports: "The American four-piece will be sailing across the Atlantic to spend the August bank holiday with you bunch. They'll be knocking out tracks from their sixth and most recent LP Once More 'Round the Sun. Hopefully we'll get a few earlier classics, including a tune or two from their multi-award winning album The Hunter."

The annual event runs on the weekend of August 26-28 with artists including Biffy Clyro, Fall Out Boy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lower Than Atlantis, Skindred, Five Finger Death Punch, Kevelertak, Asking Alexandria, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes previously announced for the weekender. Read more here.

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