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. The Day in Rock - antiMUSIC.com's look at Today's Top Rock News Stories From Across the Web

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Wednesday

Premature Gnarls Barkley

antiMusic reports: Attention Gnarls Barkley fans, you won't have to wait until April 8th to get a hold of the group's sophomore album, in fact you can walk into your favorite record retailer and grab it right now [provided they got the shipment already]. 

For those not immediately familiar with the group, it's a project put together by Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo Green. The new album, "The Odd Couple," wasn't expected until next month but they decided that March 18th sounded better. Perhaps they thought it would be a good hangover cure, or the fact that it was leaked online had something to do with it. It's available at iTunes right now and retailers have the green light to sell it as soon as it arrives at the stores, which could be as soon as today according to Billboard. 

"They felt the timing was right to just go for it," says a statement on the band's site. "With the shifting seasons, furtive romantic entanglements and fierce college basketball rivalries, the latter half of March can be confusing. People need to be soothed and inspired now."- Read the Billboard report for more info

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You Can't Keep Down Down

antiMusic reports: Our metal sister site just published a great new interview with Down's Jimmy Bower where he discusses the band's latest album but also some rather heavy topics. Here are some parts of the interview conducted by Thrashpit editor Mark Hensch. *?: The new album is called III: Over the Under. In my opinion, this title reflects the overcoming of difficult times. What does the title mean to you? Jimmy Bower: There's been a lot of personal tragedies man besides Dimebag ["Dimebag" Darrel Abbot, a friend of Bower's who was shot onstage in 2004] and things that have happened with me. This record was a good way of moving on and getting on with things. We put a lot of emotion and time into the record and we're really proud of it. It definitely stands for us moving ahead DESPITE the bad things that have happened to us.

?: What are some of the more personal things that have happened to you perhaps? Jimmy: In 2005 my girlfriend passed away. She was from Grand Rapids and I actually met her here at the Orbit Room. She overdosed. For me that really sucked. It also woke me up and I've gotten clean since then. 2005 was a really bad year with that happening in March. After that summer came and with that the storm happened [Hurricane Katrina]. With all that happening after Dimebag got shot, it was just a lot to swallow in one year. This record proves you can get out of those adversities and do something with them. It is about staying positive and standing tall despite sh*t happening.

Thrashpit: Both Down and many of your bands (particularly Eyehategod) deal extensively with the subject of substance abuse. What are the most important things you've learned about alcohol and drugs over the years? Jimmy: You don't need drugs to be yourself. It took me years to figure that one out. It is sad how kids get mixed up in the drugs. It all starts at home---if you're looking for drugs or doing drugs, you're looking for something you never got, a feeling you never got. If people nowadays gave their kids that sense of love when they're young, maybe they wouldn't find it in a tinfoil bag of drugs or a bunch of pills. If you know what love is, you probably have it. I don't regret all those years with drugs---it was a great learning experience---but I can write great music when I'm not loaded on them as well. My playing now is like night-and-day different since getting clean. I'm more focused and better at getting things started too.- Read the full interview

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Great White Manager Getting Out of Jail

BW*BK reports: The band manager who said he could never forgive himself for sparking a nightclub fire that killed 100 people is preparing for a fresh start away from Rhode Island upon his release from prison on Wednesday (March 19th). 

Daniel Biechele, who set off pyrotechnics as tour manager for the rock band GREAT WHITE that ignited one of the nation's deadliest nightclub fires, will serve out the final two years of his sentence on parole in his home state of Florida while living with the high school sweetheart he wed just weeks before reporting to prison. 

"I actually feel sorry for him because that's something he has to carry - that burden - for the rest of his life," said James Gahan, whose 21-year-old son, Jimmy, died in the fire.- more on this story

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The Raconteurs Surprise CD Announcement

antiMusic reports: The Raconteurs aren't letting their new album gather any dust(or undergo any critical scrutiny). No sooner had they finished mastering it, they announce an almost immediate release. The band shocked the music biz on Monday with the announcement that their new album will hit stores next Tuesday. Here is what they had to say: The Raconteurs are happy to announce that in one week's time their second album, entitled "Consolers Of The Lonely", will be available EVERYWHERE Tuesday, March 25th.

"Album" meaning: full length vinyl, CD and digital formats; and "everywhere" meaning: local mom and pop Indie retailers, corporate superstores, supermarkets, iTunes, Amazon, the band's own website and any other location that could get the record up and going this quickly (some places couldn't move this fast, so they will join in as soon as they can).

It contains 14 new recordings and is being released globally on Third Man Records in conjunction with our marketing/distribution partners, XL Recordings and Warner Brothers Records.- more on this story

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Bonham Vocalist Daniel MacMaster Dead At 39

Sleazeroxx reports: Bonham Vocalist Daniel Stewart MacMaster, age 39 years, passed away in Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Center, on Sunday, March 16, 2008 due to complications from Pneumonia. 

Daniel MacMaster released two albums with Bonham, and as their vocalist he cracked the Top 40 with the band's 1989 album Disregard Of Timekeeping, thanks in part to the single "Wait For You". 

In 2006 Daniel released a solo album called Rock Bonham...And The Long Road Back on Suncity Records.- more on this story

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Cops Charged For Pulling Gun on Singer

AP reports: Two fired police officers accused of holding country singer Steve Holy at gunpoint during an argument at his home were indicted on charges that could bring them up to 20 years in prison. Randy Anderson and Paul Loughridge were indicted Monday on one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Anderson was also indicted on one count of kidnapping.

Holy, a friend and the two officers were allegedly drinking and playing foosball during an impromptu gathering at Holy's home early on Dec. 27 when an argument broke out, officials said.

Holy told police the officers pointed their guns at him and the friend and ordered them on the ground. Before the officers left, the police report said, Anderson told Holy that he'd kill him if he said anything.- more on this story

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Smells Like Greed Spirit : Love Oks Cobain Shoe

antiMusic reports: Note to shoe companies: It seems it's now ok to use Kurt Cobain to pimp your products as long as his widow signs off on it (we assume she has to get paid). That's the impression we get from an Idolator story that Converse will be issuing a Cobain shoe. Here is part of the Idolator story: 

Because there aren't enough "Commodify Your Dissent" jokes out there, the Daily Swarm is reporting that Converse plans to release a line of Kurt Cobain-inspired sneakers as part of the company's 100th-anniversary celebration. 

Unlike the Doc Martens campaign from last year, this line of footwear is approved by Courtney Love, perhaps because Cobain loved One-Stars so much, he decided to die in them.- more on this story

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more stories including: Sony BMG RIP?- Cops Charged For Pulling Gun on Singer- Yet Another Music Festival Announced- Dio To Ride For Dime- The Receiving End of Sirens No More- Talking Metal Finale- Candlebox Previewing New Songs On Tour-Aimee Mann- more

Thursday

Viva la Coldplay

antiMusic reports: Chris Martin likes unusual names. He did name a child after a fruit after all. Some think that he named the new Coldplay album after a suspected fruit as well, but that's simply not true. The band have announced the album title and--more importantly--the release date. The album will be called 'Viva la Vida' and will hit stores on June 17th.

Martin tells Rolling Stone that the album title was inspired by a painting by Mexican artist Frida Khalo. Viva la Vida translates to the rather redundant statement "long live life". However, when taken in the context of Khalo's battle with polio, a broken spine and chronic pain, the words do convey a stronger message and that connected with Martin. "She went through a lot of sh*t, of course, and then she started a big painting in her house that said 'Viva la Vida,'" says Martin. "I just loved the boldness of it."

"Viva la Vida" is not to be confused with "La Vida Loca", though Martin says some may make that mistake and it's ok with him, "Everyone thinks it comes from Ricky Martin, which is fine. I have absolute respect. I've been through this before, naming something or someone (his children are named Apple and Moses) and everyone saying that 'That's a terrible name.' But then saying, 'Well, f**k you, that's what it's called and I'll be proved to be right eventually'- Read the Rolling Stone article for more

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New Queen World Tour and CD

antiMusic reports: Queen (with Paul Rodgers out front) have set the release date for their first studio album together and have also announced a whirlwind world tour which will find the band playing 14 countries in just seven weeks. (Sorry North American nothing for us in this announcement) Here is part of the official press release: 

With a new album in the pipeline -- the first new studio album to carry the Queen name since the Freddie Mercury sessions -- Queen is heading back on the road for a four-month tour, once again in the company of musician/singer/songwriter Paul Rodgers. Together Brian May, Roger Taylor and Paul Rodgers have recorded their first album's worth of material, jointly written and produced. With the title yet to be disclosed, the album is being readied for release September 1, two weeks ahead of the start of the tour.

The Queen + Paul Rodgers 28-date arena tour will take in 14 countries in just seven weeks, and take the band to Northern Eurasia, Central and Southern Europe, and the UK and is expected to wind up at the end of the year with the band's highly anticipated return to South America, the setting of some of its most historic tours in the early 80's- more on this story

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Reporter Defends Diddy Tupac Story

antiMusic reports: Los Angeles Times writer Chuck Philips made a big splash this week when he wrote an article that implicated people associated with Diddy in the 1994 attack on the late Tupac Shakur. Philips stands by his story and even implicated The Game's manager in the attack. 

MTV ran a lengthy story on Tuesday, here is part of it: Philips took to the Web on Tuesday (March 18) for a live chat on LATimes.com to defend his work, particularly a story he wrote in 2002 regarding who killed Tupac Shakur. 

Philips � who has attracted attention recently with an article that alleged Diddy and the Notorious B.I.G. had prior knowledge of Shakur's 1994 attack at Quad Recording Studios � said the Bad Boy camp provided insufficient evidence that Biggie (real name: Christopher Wallace) was in New Jersey at the time of Shakur's 1996 Las Vegas murder. 

Philips also claimed Jimmy Rosemond, the Game's manager, knew of the plot to attack Shakur- read the full MTV story

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Ride for Dime Scammed

antiMusic reports: Bad news for those that were happy with yesterday's news that Dio would headline the fourth annual Ride for Dime charity concert. It seems someone scammed the organizers of the event and even took a deposit. Blabbermouth has spoken with both the Dio camp and the Ride for Dime camp.

"[We] do not know where this information came from, but we can assure you it is completely untrue," a Dio management representative told BLABBERMOUTH.NET. "We have never been approached about this event, and Ronnie is working on the HEAVEN AND HELL record at this time."

"This comes as devastating news to Ride For Dime," Rob Eichelberger, Vice President of Ride For Dime, Inc., told BLABBERMOUTH.NET in a statement. "We put our faith in a person that represented himself as 'Doug Goldstein', management for RJD. I actually paid a deposit to the gentleman to secure the date and he went so far as to give me his federal tax ID and have a signed contract from him"- Blabbermouth has more of his statement as well as the signature

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more stories including: Pete Wentz Suicide Attempt- Sevendust Tour Details- Jimmy Kimmel Panic- Reporter Defends Diddy Tupac Story- Pop Goes The Chiodos- Wallpaper Go West- Statement From The Widow of Bonham's Daniel MacMaster - P.O.D.- more

Friday

Hannah Montana Poisoning Fans

antiMusic reports: Gene Simmons gave the music business a very lucrative message: mass merchandising works! A lot of today's "stars" have taken this to heart and are now licensing their names to whole lines of different products. Take tween sensation Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana for instance, who has multitudes of young fans with their parents credits card lining up to buy anything associated with their idol. 

The problem is that most of these products are made in countries that don't care about silly things like safety. Now the lead paint problem that plagued the toy industry during last year's holiday season has reportedly hit the Disney star and her "products". 

Idolator reported this little tid bit of info: "Vinyl backpacks, a vinyl purse and other Hannah Montana items purchased from Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500), Target (TGT, Fortune 500) and Toys 'R' Us stores contained the toxic metal, some of them in excess of the federal standard for lead paint, the CEH said. According to the organization, it purchased 28 Hannah Montana products in stores and online. Five of them tested between three and fourteen times the federal standard." oops

"Lead can impact girls' learning and development throughout their youth and later can reduce their ability to have healthy children.". Idolator has more on this with a link to an article about another Hannah product that was recently recalled due to potential injuries to her fans.- read that here

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Pearl Jam Announce Tour

antiMusic reports: American Pearl Jam fans rejoice! The long Pearl Jam concert drought will soon be over. The band have announced a summer tour which kicks off in June and will include the already announced performance at the Bonnaroo Festival, according to Billboard. 

The first part of the tour will be supported by Kings Of Leon when it kicks off on June 11th in West Palm Beach. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists will take over the opening slot for the second half which includes a two night stand at Madison Square Garden. 

"I'm looking forward to Bonnaroo," bassist Jeff Ament tells Billboard. "The thing that's probably the most exciting to me is that we've been a band for 17 or 18 years and there's still things like this that we haven't done."- more on this story

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John Lennon's Final Interview Coming to DVD

PR reports: The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder: John, Paul, Tom, Ringo is finally available on DVD April 1st. This 2-DVD set first aired in 1973 and includes the last televised John Lennon interview and additional interviews with Ringo and Paul.

On April 25, 1975, John Lennon gave what was to be his last televised interview on "The Tomorrow Show With Tom Snyder." No one knew then that Lennon would be taking an extended hiatus from public life, taking time to raise his son and live a less public life. Speaking openly on the subjects of drug use, the breakup of the Beatles, and his immigration problems while seeking permanent residency in the U.S., the interview Lennon gave Tom Snyder in 1975 revealed he had tremendous humility and an affecting sense of humor.

Five years after that interview, Lennon was fatally shot while coming home from a recording session. The day after the shooting and Lennon's tragic death, "The Tomorrow Show" re-aired that last interview in tribute to him. Shout! Factory's "The Tomorrow Show With Tom Snyder: John, Paul, Tom And Ringo" contains the complete interview with Lennon as rebroadcast on December 9, 1980, along with interviews from that day with journalist Lisa Robinson and Lennon friend and producer Jack Douglas.- more on this story

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The Verve Announce First US Shows in a Decade

PR reports: The Verve will launch its first North American tour in nearly a decade with a special show at The Warfield in San Francisco, CA on April 23rd, 

warming up for its performance at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, CA on April 25th. 

The highly influential British quartet, which reformed in 2007, will preview material from its forthcoming album, the follow-up to 1997's Urban Hymns, which has sold eight million copies worldwide.- more on this story

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Dead Kennedys Lose Another Singer

punknews.org reports: Jeff Penalty, the second replacement vocalist for the Dead Kennedys, has parted ways with the band in what he describes as a "not amicable split." Jeff explained the situation: 

It's likely that, if asked, the band will attribute my departure to scheduling conflicts brought about by my documentary work, but in reality it's a tediously long story involving personality conflicts, creative differences, arguments about splitting money equally, arguments about how the band should be run, arguments about the wisdom of hiring a band manager whose other star client was a Christian folk artist, arguments about whether we should or shouldn't go on MTV, and arguments about many other wretched things. 

I thought about quitting numerous times over the past year, but I officially did so on Thanksgiving when I found out that the band had been recruiting a new singer behind my back and had even played a secret show with one at a bar in my neighborhood- more of his statement

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Kylie Minogue To Finally X America

PR reports: On April 1st, American fans of international pop superstar Kylie Minogue will finally get a chance to hear what the rest of the world is already buzzing about when Astralwerks / Capitol Records releases X - the multi-platinum icon's tenth studio album and first all-new set of songs since 2003's Body Language.

X finds Minogue pairing her breathy, elegant vocals with sexy, stylish synths and minimalist beats on such irresistible dancefloor fillers as "2 Hearts," "Wow," "In My Arms," and "All I See," a bonus track featuring New York rapper MIMS. 

Minogue, who shares songwriting credit on seven of the album's 13 tracks, collaborated with a host of top-notch songwriters and producers, including Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams, Natasha Bedingfield), Cathy Dennis (Britney Spears, Spice Girls) and Bloodshy & Avant (Madonna, Britney Spears). The digital version of the album will also feature "Magnetic Electric," a bonus track available exclusively on iTunes. Already certified platinum in the U.K. and Australia, X is also Minogue's first album since undergoing treatment for breast cancer, which cut short her spectacular "Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour" in 2005.
- more on this story

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more stories including:Hannah Montana Poisoning Fans- Pearl Jam Tour- Rush Live Release Delayed- UB40 Lose Another Member- Rock Band Game Songs Selling Millions- Digital Devildriver- Beach Boys Settle, Reunion Next?- Egypt Central Join Nonpoint Tour- more

Top Reviews

....Jeff Healey - Mess of Blues

Mess of Blues marks Healey's return to recording blues music for the first time in many years. That being said, and certainly not wanting to speak ill of the dead, but these recordings do not seem particularly inspired. (3 stars) - Read the full Jeff Healey - Mess of Blues review
 

....Down Interview

As if my earlier interview with bassist Rex Brown wasn't enough, here I am grilling drummer Jimmy Bower about Down's "III: Over the Under" album as well! The interview taking place before a much-anticipated show in my hometown of Grand Rapids- Read the full Down Interview
 

....Sia - Some People Have Real Problems

Sia has just as much smarts as soul. Many people suffer with real problems, it's true, but few artists have as much talent as Sia. This is the kind of CD that just might make you forget about your real problems for a little while. (4 stars) - Read the full Sia - Some People Have Real Problems review

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