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Day in Rock Report for 01/08/2018


Today's Day in Rock Stories


The Eagles Add More Dates To North American Tour

(hennemusic) The Eagles have added four new concert dates to their 2018 North American tour, which is scheduled to kick off in Indianapolis, IN on March 12the.

The group are now scheduled to perform the additional shows in Salt Lake City, UT (May 3), Portland, OR (May 5), Spokane, WA (May 8) and Phoenix, AZ (Sep 8).

The tour sees Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit joined by the late Glenn Frey's son, Deacon, and country star Vince Gill in the lineup following their first shows together in 2017. See the dates here.

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Dillinger Escape Plan Say Farewell Following Final Shows

(Gibson) The Dillinger Escape Plan has officially performed its final shows in NYC, marking the end of the band. The breakup of the cult band has hit some fans hard, but they can rest assured guitarist Ben Weinman is not just saying, "uhh, whatever..." He shared the following note via Instagram:

"The amygdala is a tiny, almond shaped structure deep inside the emotional part of your brain. It is visceral and autonomous. Nature gave it to us for survival in a time when well thought out decisions would often have deadly consequences.

"Playing in The Dillinger Escape Plan would often put me in an extended state of fight or flight which enabled me to react almost exclusively on emotional impulse.

"The speed and intensity of our music and live shows were a catalyst for pure free expression with very little opportunity to reflect on my other daily stresses or even feel pain or fear."

"Thanks to all the people out there who contributed to allowing me this periodic meditation for the past 20 years. I will certainly miss this." Read more here.

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Why KISS Opted Not To Sue Bruce Springsteen Over Song

While copyright infringement lawsuits are rather common, even for songs stretching back decades like Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven", Gene Simmons explained in a recent interview why KISS decided not to take legal action against Bruce Springsteen over a song that was similar to one of their biggest hits.

Some have found similarities between Springsteen's song "Outlaw Pete" which was released in 2009 and KISS's hit song from 1979 "I Was Made For Loving You" and Gene says that they didn't sue because they like the Boss.

"KISS have sued lots of people and won," Simmons told The Guardian (via UCR). "But some people we don't sue. We didn't sue Bruce Springsteen for 'Outlaw Pete.' How do we decide who to sue and who not to? We like Springsteen. We don't sue." Read more here.

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Judas Priest Unleash 'Lightning Strike' Video

After teasing fans last week, Judas Priest have released their brand new music video for the single "Lightning Strike", which comes from their forthcoming album "Firepower" (out March 9th).

Frontman Rob Halford has told VintageRock.com (via Gibson) about Firepower, saying: "It's great. This is what Priest lives for. We're a hard-working metal band still making the metal forty-odd years later, thanks to our glorious metal fans around the world."

"So we make music now, obviously, still for our own pleasure and enjoyment, and the challenge of finding a new riff and a new melody is always very� It's a great feeling."

The band recorded the effort with producers Andy Sneap and Tom Allom (who produced the band's releases from 1979-1988, including such stellar classics as 'Unleashed in the East,' 'British Steel,' 'Screaming for Vengeance' and 'Defenders of the Faith'). Halford had this to say, "Tom Allom has got this classic metal thing.

"And Andy is a bit more of a 'modern metal producer' but his thinking is a little bit different to Tom's. And I think to get this balance between that classic old school metal to what Andy's world is was just a remarkable coalescence." Watch the video here.

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Malcolm Young's Song Jams AC/DC Classics With Tribute Band

(hennemusic) Ross Young, the son of late AC/DC legend Malcolm Young, recently joined the Sydney tribute band Thunderstruck at the Epping Hotel in Epping, New South Wales, Australia to perform a pair of classics co-written by his father, and video from the show has surfaced online.

Ross first hit the stage to share lead vocals on AC/DC's 1975 blues tune, "The Jack", before the lineup delivered "Whole Lotta Rosie" from 1977's "Let There Be Rock."

The December 16 tribute appearance by Ross came a month after Malcolm passed away on November 18 at the age of 64 following a lengthy battle with dementia, and just two weeks after the guitarist was honored by family, friends and fans during a service at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney on November 28. Watch the performacnes here.

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The Doors Icons Have Intersection In Their Honor

(Radio.com) It's been 50 years since The Doors made their indelible mark on rock music, '60s counterculture and the sound of a generation. Last week, Los Angeles city officials unveiled new street signs in Encino that pay tribute to frontman Jim Morrison and drummer John Densmore. Morrison Street intersects with Densmore Avenue in front of a "stately, two-story home."

The dedication came as part of L.A.'s second annual Day of the Doors celebration, which recognizes the iconic band's roots in the City of Angels. Morrison, Densmore, keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger formed the band in 1965, less than two years before they released their self-titled debut, which included the hits "Break On Through (To The Other Side)" and "Light My Fire."

Though Morrison died in 1971 and Manzarek passed in 2013, Densmore survives and attended the dedication "dressed in black jeans and a dark jacket," and read an excerpt from Morrison's poem "An American Prayer," reports Billboard.

"Oh great creator of being, grant us one more hour to perform our art and perfect our lives," he read. See the street signs here.

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Father Of Muscle Shoals, Duane Allman Mentor Rick Hall Dead at 85

(Gibson) Tributes have been paid to Rick Hall, the songwriter and record producer known as the "Father of Muscle Shoals Music," who died January 2nd. The 85-year-old passed away at his home in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, after a protracted illness.

Through FAME, his publishing company and studio, Hall made Muscle Shoals synonymous with a stew of soul, R&B and country that often featured sparkling, ultra-live sounds and a rep for dazzling performances from singers and instrumentalists. Roy Orbison's recording of "Sweet and Innocent," which Hall had co-written with Billy Sherrill, had led to the pair forming the publishing company Florence Alabama Music Enterprises (FAME) and setting up their own studio.

Hall went on to produce some of the most indelible soul and R&B recordings of the 20th century: Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)," Etta James' cover of "Tell Mama" (the original version of which was also recorded at FAME), Otis Redding's "You Left the Water Running" and Wilson Pickett's cover of "Mustang Sally" among them. The studio was also known for its original house band, known as The Swampers (as referenced in Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama").

A young Duane Allman, co-founder of The Allman Brothers, famously camped out near Hall's FAME studio in the hopes of catching a break - which he did when Hall put him on Wilson Pickett's album Hey Jude, which drew international attention for Allman. Duane built his stellar reputation before the Allman Bros through his recordings at FAME, which also included his staggering playing on Aretha Franklin's version of "The Weight." Indeed, the connection between Hall's studio and the Allman clan was strong - Gregg Allman chose FAME to record his final record, 2017's outstanding Southern Blood.

Country rocker Jason Isbell, whose The Nashville Sound was one of the most celebrated albums of 2017, paid tribute and cited Hall as helping to pave his way to a music career: "Rick Hall and his family gave me my first job in the music business, and nobody in the industry ever worked harder than Rick. Nobody. American music wouldn't be the same without his contributions. His death is a huge loss to those of us who knew him and those who didn't." here.

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Simple Minds Release Animated 'Magic' Video

Simple Minds have released new animated music video for their song "Magic, which is the first single from their forthcoming album "Walk Between Worlds", out February 2nd on BMG.

We were sent the following details about the clip:The accompanying 3D animation video is an outstanding piece of art directed by Argentinian Esteban Diacono.

Filmed by using motion capture to record several stages of a dancer interpreting the song in various ways, it features two main scenarios and a masked, model character, who then transforms into smoke and water. Watch it here.

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Bulletboys Release New Video Featuring Eagles of Death Metal's Singer

Bulletboys have released a brand new music video for their song "D-Evil" which features guest vocals from Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes.

The track comes from their forthcoming album "From Out Of The Skies" that is set to hit stores on March 23rd and was recorded at Dave Grohl's famed Studio 606. Watch the video here

Bulletboys singer Marq Torien had this to say about the new track, "Jesse and I had an instant bond when we met and he did an outstanding job collaborating on the song with his vocals a welcome contribution." Read more here.

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Scum Of The Earth Return With Brand New Song and Video

Scum Of The Earth have returned with a music video for their brand new track "Dance Mother****er)." The clip follows the release of the new song as a digital single and the band promised more new music in the coming year.

Riggs had the following to say, "2017 marks the bands 13th year anniversary, and a new song and video seem to be in order. I was thinking about all the years spent recording new material ( spending several months writing and recording ) to go on tour and only play three songs off the new album, because everyone wants to hear the songs they are more familiar with.

This makes more sense to us and we can constantly be out playing new material that people have heard. Releasing it ourselves and talking to the fans at the shows, we can adjust as needed.

"More new songs and videos are on the way ... Cheers ! And here's to 13 more!" Watch the video here.

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The Shins Release New Track 'Dead Alive (Flipped)'

(Radio.com) The Shins are back with a brand new take on an older track. James Mercer and crew have revealed the first song from the band's upcoming album, The Worm's Heart, which is a completely revamped version of the group's previous album, Heartworms.

"The original version of 'Dead Alive' was right in the wheel house with tracks we had done before," Mercer explained in a press statement. "It has the same triplet galloping rhythm as a number of Shins songs. So to 'flip' it we broke it down into more romantic elements like that dark piano and Patti's violin, which I love. That's me in the beginning knocking my beer off the console while mic-ing her! Oops! Listen for Casey's sick fuzzed out solo."

"When James Mercer wrote, produced, and recorded Heartworms, he had this desire for an alternate version, an opposite version," the press statement added. "The original track order is reversed and songs are reborn, yet the lyrics and melody remain intact."

The Worm's Heart is set for release on Jan. 19. Check out "Dead Alive (Flipped)" here.

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MGMT Stream New Single 'Hand It Over'

(Radio.com) MGMT have just released their new single "Hand It Over." The track is from the band's upcoming album Little Dark Age and it contains some pointed lyrics.

"'Cause the deals we made to shake things up/ In the rights that they abuse might just f� us over/ But the doors won't shut until they're sure there's nothing left to use," sings Andrew VanWyngarden.

"Hand It Over" is the third song MGMT have released from Little Dark Age. In October, the band dropped the title track and in December and has also released "When You Die." Check out the new track here.

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Lady Antebellum Talks His Favorite Guitars

(Gibson) Main vocalists Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley get most of the headlines, but the secret weapon of Platinum-selling award-devouring country trio Lady Antebellum is multi-instrumentalist Dave Haywood. Speaking to Acoustic magazine, Haywood says his go-to guitar is usually an age-old 1930 Gibson L-00, "my favorite", which has featured on many of their crossover hits.

Haywood explains that it's producer's who often bring in the best guitars for him to try - producers know what record best in the studio after all - and Haywood adds, "Paul Worley, who worked with us on the first record, was the one who really turned me onto the old vintage stuff. The 50s Gibson standards and jumbos and the super old L-0s from the '30s.

"I'm all Gibson on the road. I mostly play a J-200, a J-45 and then a bouzouki, mandolin and stuff like that. I love the sound of the Gibson and the look: the pick-guard, the inlays and all the beautiful artwork on a J-200."

For their current run of shows supporting #1 album Heart Break, Haywood says he's expanding his sonic palette. "I really like playing some open tunings. Most of our stuff is standard. But "American Honey" and "We Own The Night" are open and it's essentially a version of DADGAD but you get a Celtic sound. When I was able to do a solo on tour I would do some picking in DADGAD and it was one of my favorite things." Read more here.

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Singled Out: Heidevolk's Ontwaakt

Heidevolk just released their new album "Vuur van Verzet" ("Fire of Resistance") and to celebrate we asked guitarist Koen 'Vuurdichter' Romeijn to tell us about the single "Ontwaakt". Here is the story:

The band had gone through some difficult times when we started working on the new album 'Vuur van Verzet'. The line-up had changed on the guitar department, there'd been a lot of tours and festivals, and now all of a sudden we were talking about a new Heidevolk album. And, on top of that, we had a deadline to worry about. Work needed to be done!

Rowan Roodbaert (bassplayer) came to our rehearsal place one day with a large piece of paper and a marker, and started explaining what he had come up with for the new album. Traditionally, a Heidevolk album starts with the general story. It has to be. 'What is this album going to be about?' That's the question that needs to be answered before a single note can be written. This time was no exception. He started sketching the main theme, the storyline, and the way the lyrics would translate this story into the songs. We all related to his proposal. On top of his tracklist, ever since the demo-ing started, was the song 'Ontwaakt'.

Both Kevin (Storm) and myself (Vuurdichter) went over to Rowan's place during the first days of the songwriting process to work on the first song, 'Ontwaakt'. As with all songs on this album, Rowan had already created the basic outline of the song, and also determined the lyrical theme. Comparing that first demo with the final outcome of the song, there isn't that much difference to be honest. The chord progression in the chorus changed (That was my influence ;)) and became a bit more melodic, and we added some notes here and there, Kevin put in some nice leads, but the main theme of the song did not change drastically. It was a strong and solid foundation from the start.

So this song was the first song we started working on for 'Vuur van Verzet'. It also became the first track on the new album, and now it's also the first single and video. Quite exceptional if you think about it. It does not mean in any way that the other songs on the album are not as good, or anything. On the contrary, 'Vuur van Verzet' turned out to be a very diverse album, packed with strong and authentic songs. But the diversity made it somewhat difficult to choose the first single. 'Ontwaakt', being one of the more straightforward, 'in your face' songs, and lyrically dealing with a more general theme compared to the other songs, seemed like the logical choice.

Koen Vuurdichter

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

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