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Day in Rock Report for 04/19/2018


Today's Day in Rock Stories


Slash Announces Solo Performance Amid Guns N' Roses Tour

While Guns N' Roses have a busy summer tour scheduled with a massive European tour, lead guitarist Slash has revealed his solo band will be playing a couple of music festivals.

Slash with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators will first be taking the stage at an event called Kabboo at the Del Mar Racetrack on the outskirts of San Diego, Ca the weekend of September 14th through 16th.

They will be sharing the bill with an impressive lineup including former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots, Billy Idol and more.

Slash and the band will then take the stage at this year's Aftershock Festival at Discovery Park in Sacramento, Ca the weekend of October 13th and 14th which will also feature performances from bands like System of a Down, Deftones and Alice in Chains.

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Aerosmith Planning 50th Anniversary Tour

Joe Perry is doing some advance press for his upcoming solo shows to promote his new album "Sweetzerland Manifesto" and revealed in one interview that Aerosmith are making plans for a 50th anniversary tour next year.

The guitarist spoke with Atlantic City Weekly about his show this Friday at the Music Box at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa and was asked about Aerosmith's plans beyond playing at Jazzfest.

He responded, "I think the way things are going we are going to try and and take it easy. We may do a couple more one offs - maybe some festivals over the next six or eight months.

"In 2019 we will be closing in on our 50th anniversary, so we are planning some dates and a tour to celebrate that. Right now we are pretty much laying low and finishing up some solo things before we start that."

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Killswitch Engage Offers More Details For Howard Jones Reunion Song

Killswitch Engage frontman Jesse Leach has taken to social media to give fans more details about the band's recent studio reunion with former singer Howard Jones and says that the track they recorded will be used to raise awareness for mental illness.

Leach reacted to the fans excitement over the news by sharing a new video and a lengthy statement on his Instagram account. He wrote, "Because yah all loosin yah damn minds over my last post (we are stoked too the song is bad ass)! So here's me lip syncing to Howard as he sings live (happening in the room behind me with the door open) at the studio today. Can you say uh HUGE voice! Straight up 'black molasses' ha ha... it was such a great day talking mental Health with Hojo. A ton of laughs, stories and comradery!

"The song is about keeping hope in dark times and helping out those in need. The lyrics were written shortly after Howard's band @lightthetorchband had announced the new direction and new name. The song was written even before we all hung out a few months back.

This song was in fact written with Howard in mind and our connection through our similar mental illnesses. I mean now that I've hung with this guy a few times, it's 'crazy' (pun intended) how similar we are. We are brothers in Metal, anxiety, Hardcore music, love of medicinal marijuana and fighting depression. I had such a fun time listening to Adam bust Howard's balls like he does mine. We both have that 'Hardcore kid' push when it comes to vocals and the sharp pitch is our excited 'go to' when singing (although his big vibrato truly makes it sound all good tho! We may be very different sounding voices but in truth we are similar in many ways in our minds.

"Today was epic, it was HUGE for the legacy of Killswitch, it was fun and it felt like what we were doing was important. I plan on using this song to help continue to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. Both Howard and I have a very strong outspoken stance on the subject and I will use this to help with the cause! @hopefortheday I'm looking at you, we will talk soon! Strength in Unity! Nothing but support and love for 'Light The Torch!' Today was a good day! OH and if you haven't BUY the new 'Light The Torch' already!" Watch the video here.

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Linkin Park Score Three Billboard Music Awards Nominations

(hennemusic) Linkin Park have picked up three nominations for the 2018 edition of the Billboard Music Awards. The band's 2017 album, "One More Light", is in the running for "Top Rock Album" against projects by Imagine Dragons ("Evolve"), Panic! At The Disco ("Death Of A Bachelor"), Portugal. The Man ("Woodstock") and U2 ("Songs Of Experience").

The group's seventh album debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 upon its release last spring. The project's lead single, "Heavy" featuring Kiiara, will compete at the annual Billboard event in the "Top Rock Song" category alongside tracks by Portugal. The Man. and The Revivalists and two tunes by Imagine Dragons.

Linkin Park - who lost frontman Chester Bennington to suicide last summer at the age of 41 - are also a finalist for "Top Rock Artist." The 2018 Billboard Music Awards will broadcast live from Las Vegas, NV on Sunday, May 20 via the NBC-TV network. Read more and watch the "Heavy" video here.

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Def Leppard's Joe Elliott Explains Breaking America with 'Heartbreak'

Def Leppard famously sang "Hello America" before they ever ventured beyond their native UK but they had big dreams of breaking into the big time in the U.S. but it wasn't until their second album "High 'N' Dry" with the help of a new cable channel called MTV that they were able to do so.

Frontman Joe Elliott recently looked back at the band's big break in America in an interview with Radio.com and revealed that it took time for the group to catch on in the U.S. (their next two albums would be blockbuster releases).

He said, "When we first came to America for High 'n' Dry, there was no traction on the record. The traction came after we finished touring. It was really frustrating for us, because it was the first album we'd made with 'Mutt' Lange. To this day, we still really love it. You could argue that my singing on it, albeit better than on the first record, was a little shouty.

"We toured Europe first, with Richie Blackmore's Rainbow. We finally made it to [tour] the States in the summer, playing clubs opening for Blackfoot. Great guys--Rickey Medlocke is a wonderful man. But they're like southern rock, and we were out there trying to be like UFO or whatever (laughs). To the Blackfoot fans, we looked like the New York Dolls. It was a little weird. Luckily, we got to spend a few weeks playing arenas opening for Ozzy Osbourne."

Elliott then reflected on the original results of the album in the U.S. being less than they and the record company expected. "The album did OK. It sold maybe 250,000 copies. We were expecting it to do much better. We get home to prepare to record what would become Pyromania, and we starting getting telegrams from America saying there was this new cable channel called MTV, and they were playing our 'Bringin' on the Heartbreak' video. Since they only had like 17 videos at the time, and three of them were ours, because we'd shot promos for 'Heartbreak,' 'Let it Go' and the title track. They were playing all three of them in medium rotation, and then 'Heartbreak' ended up going into heavy rotation."

He then remembered how they learned MTV had helped them find an American audience, "We get wind of this happening back in America, and by the time we were wrapping up the recording of Pyromania, we get a telex saying that High 'n' Dry had gone gold," Elliott laughed.

"So while we busted our n*** touring it and getting nowhere, MTV took a three-minute clip of us miming to the song in front of a fake audience and turned it into a gold album," the singer adds.

"The album went gold around December of '82, and the next album, Pyromania, came out in January of '83. The first single was 'Photograph,' and the rest is history. Everything just went ballistic from that moment on.

"High 'n' Dry was a weird one," Elliott concludes. "It was one of those happy accidents. For all of the great planning that you do and the wishes and putting everything into place, it didn't really happen that way. But I'm forever grateful that it did."

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Anthrax Share Epic Performance Of Classic Song

Anthrax are gearing up to release their new live package "Kings Among Scotland" on April 27th and to promote its arrival have shared an epic nearly 11-minute long performance of one of their classic songs.

The new live release was captured during the band's special February 15, 2017 show at Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow where they performed their "Among The Living" album in its entirety.

To pump fans up for the impending two hour DVD release they have shared an online from the home video of their performance of an extended version of the song "Indians" which clocks in at almost 11 minutes. Watch it here.

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Rush Announce Special Limited Edition 2112 Release

(hennemusic) Rush's 1976 album classic, "2112", will be released for the first time on colored vinyl on April 27th. 5,000 copies will be made available worldwide via Rush Backstage "due to popular demand."

The limited-edition opaque blue 180-gram vinyl features the 2015 remaster by Sean Magee at Abbey Road Mastering Studio and a "red star of the federation" hologram in Side 2 run-out groove.

"2112" delivered Rush's commercial breakthrough, becoming the band's first album to reach the Billboard 200 and their first to achieve Gold sales status in the U.S. (it was later certified Platinum) while earning their first platinum album in Canada.

The Canadian trio released multiple expanded 40th anniversary editions of the 1976 set in 2016. Read more here.

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The Damned Release 'Look Left' Video

The Damned have released a music video for their track "Look Left." The song comes from their group's first new studio album in a decade called "Evil Spirits"

Classic Rock reports that the new album looks likely to crash into the UK album chart this week. "It hasn't really sunk in yet," says frontman Dave Vanian. "But it feels great to finally get there as it's been a long time coming. We've had lots of top ten singles but never an album. Even when Eloise was a big hit we were pipped to the number one spot by a novelty song by (British comedy actor and singer) Su Pollard! This time we've had Kylie and the Manics to compete with. A huge thanks to the fans, of course, without whom this record would never have been made. It feels amazing to finally get it out there."

Drummer Pinch, who wrote the track, had this to say, "While everybody's looking left, what the hell is happening right.�Tough subject matter is easier to digest when coated in honey rather than vinegar and the message in this song is so important, I couldn't risk it being a throw away aggro punk tune that was immediately overlooked. I see it more as a love song to the human race. The future is here, and until you awaken your mind, I'll wait for you." Watch the video here.

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Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals Postpone Tour For Medical Reasons

Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals have announced that they are postponing their spring tour of the US with King Parrot and pushing the trek back until late summer and early fall.

Anselmo explained the reasoning behind the change in plans, "I've decided to delay the Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals/King Parrot tour until August-September. As many of you know, I had a second back surgery in late January. I'm having an incredible recovery, but just want to be one-thousand percent when I get to jam the new Illegals with all my brothers and sisters.

"My apologies for jumping the gun extend to the fans, my fellow Illegals, King Parrot, our crews, and all mechanical parties involved, but we will all see it's the right decision soon. See you cats and chicks in the fall! Much love, as always."

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The Night Flight Orchestra Announce New Album and Preview Video

Supergroup The Night Flight Orchestra have released a preview clip for their brand new video for the first track from their forthcoming album "Sometimes The World Ain't Enough."

The new 12- track album is set to be released by Nuclear Blast on June 29th and will be offered in standard editions with one unique artwork, as well as a limited first edition digipack CD, and as the vinyl that will also feature an exclusive bonus track with unique artwork. The Japanese version will also feature an additional bonus track. Watch the video preview here

The band had this to say, "Recording this video was like combining different dimensions in a space cocktail. Numerous times during the video shoot, band members had to call the tax authorities, to confirm their names in the register, to make sure they had not lost all contact with reality. The result is surely mesmerizing and will take you on a journey that will be hard to digest. Enjoy!" See the tracklist here.

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U2 Up For Four Billboard Music Awards

(hennemusic) U2 have been nominated for four 2018 Billboard Music Awards. The band will compete for "Top Duo/Group" against The Chainsmokers, Coldplay, Imagine Dragons and Migos, while their 2017 release, "Songs Of Experience", is in the running for "Top Rock Album" at this year's event alongside records by Imagine Dragons, Linkin Park, Panic! At The Disco and Portugal. The Man.

"Songs Of Experience" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 to earn the group their eighth US chart-topper and first since 2009's "No Line On The Horizon."

U2 - who topped live music industry magazine Pollstar's list of worldwide concert tours in 2017 - also received Billboard nominations for "Top Rock Tour" and "Top Touring Artist."

Billboard Music Awards nominees are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring and social engagement. These measurements are tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound. here.

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Singled Out: Charlie Overbey's Slip Away

Charlie Overbey will be releasing his new album "Broken Arrow" tomorrow, April 20th, to celebrate we asked him to tell us the story behind the single "Slip Away" which features Miranda Lee Richards. Here is the story:

"Slip Away' was written directly following the loss of someone in my deep inner circle that was ruled to be an accident but to me seemed a suicide. I tend to like to leave things to the imagination and incorporate--especially in dark times--elements of hope. I did not feel the need to mention suicide--nobody needs to be thinking about or even reminded that this is an option.

I do think that in times of despair, people tend to find warmth in darkness, which is a trick of the mind as referred to in my favorite line in the song: 'And then you gimme' that look / yeah you gimme that look, like you're never comin' back again / like you've crawled down into a deep dark hole / and it's warm like the house of a friend.'

The mind is a strange place which can turn dark to darker or vice versa with ease. 'Slip Away' is definitely one of the deepest songs I've ever written and a personal favorite for that reason. It's a somber song about loss and was a very tough one to deliver while tracking the vocal. Miranda Lee Richards, who sang this duet with me, was amazing to work with on this track. She was perfect for it and I knew it before she ever sang a note."

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself here and learn more about the album right here!

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