Graham Nash Talks About What Fans Can Expect From New Tour

Graham Nash shared that the band is energized and in great shape. He reminded listeners that the only year the band didn’t tour was when David Crosby was in jail.
“We feel incredibly lucky to still be alive,” Nash said, “we feel very lucky to still be relevant and to be writing songs that affect people’s hearts and minds. And we still lucky that we’re with a band that wants to play with us.” He added that gratitude is the key to keeping their music fresh after over 40 years together.
The tour is currently working up the East Coast before heading southeast in mid-July. Nash said fans will hear a number of songs they hadn’t heard before, including new songs and previously unreleased or rarely played deep cuts from older albums. Of course the new material will be weaved into a set list that includes hits and covers. Previously the band has hand-picked ‘Ruby Tuesday’ to cover in shows. Their new DVD features a version of Bob Dylan’s ‘Girl From the North Country.’
On the DVD, fans will find live footage, as well as behind-the-scenes interviews with Crosby, Nash and Stephen Stills. The band and crew also gets time on screen. “We finally get to hear what the crew thinks about us,” Nash tells Berigan with a chuckle.by bill dukes

Eddie Van Halen ‘Back to the Future’ Guitar Work was His

It’s long been speculated that Eddie Van Halen makes a musical cameo in the 1985 classic film ‘Back to the Future.’ Now the guitarist has confirmed it. TMZ reports that Van Halen has confirmed it’s him playing on the cassette Marty McFly scares his father with.
The loud guitar work isn’t from an unreleased song, as many VH fans secretly hoped. It’s “just a bunch of noise,” Van Halen says. If you forget the scene, you can watch below. Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, puts on a space suit and slips a cassette into his walkman. It’s a radical device in 1955 America, as is Eddie’s guiatwork.
The older McFly, is terrified by the noise but willing to listen to whatever this spaceman has to say. Really, Eddie Van Halen’s guitar work is critical to the resolution of the movie. The cassette reads “Edward Van Halen,” and now fans of the movie and band know it wasn’t just for effect.by bill dukes

Poison/ Def Leppard Concert Review June 20th 2012

Def Leppard launched their summer Rock of Ages Tour across the U.S. at the USANA Amphitheatre. And if the rest of the tour is like Utah, the Leppards’ summer trek will be anything but a flop.
The iconic hard rock band from Sheffield, England delivered their typical blend of monster hits mixed with a few deep cuts, lightning fast guitar riffs, and all backed by an elaborate stage show with enough lights and digital screens to light up all of West Valley. Elliott’s vocals were strong the entire evening. And what particularly made for enjoyable night was that this year’s set list is stronger than other recent outings.
Def Leppard opened with one of their most recent singles, “Undefeated,” a song used by ESPN in their promos. Although many in the crowd didn’t seem particularly familiar with the song, Def Leppard quickly dove into the material most of the fans in the packed 20,000 seat amphitheatre came to see.

As with most Def Leppard tours, the set list focused primarily on the Hysteria and Pyromania albums. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the massively successful Hysteria album, prompting the band to give it special attention. Eight of the 12 tracks were played Wednesday night. As one would expect, “Rocket,” “Animal,” “Love Bites,” “Hysteria,” “Armageddon It” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me” were all played and well received by the crowd. But the band also put “Women” back into the set list and pulled out a deeper track, “Gods of War,” that hasn’t been played in several years.
I admit it, I’m the guy at Def Leppard concerts who has seen the band perform so many times that I’m constantly wishing for the deeper and not-often-played tracks from the band’s storied three decade career like “Another Hit and Run,” “Rock Brigade” or “Tear It Down.” Maybe that’s why “Gods of War” was a refreshing addition to the set list and was one of the highlights for me, sounding as good as it did in 1987.
Elliott and crew weren’t done with the deeper cuts. Halfway through the show, all five band members walked out to the center of the catwalk and sat on an equipment case for an acoustic session. The band blended pieces of five songs into one medley, including the never before played “Where Does Love Go When It Dies” off the Slang album, “Now” off the under-appreciated X album, “When Love and Hate Collide,” “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad” and “Two Steps Behind.”
Elliott was his typical cheerleading self, moving about all parts of the stage to keep the crowd pumped up. The audience was a wide range of age groups, from 40-somethings and older re-living their college and high school days to younger fans in their pre-teens who were seeing Def Leppard for the first time.
Phil Collen impressed with both his guitar playing and chiseled 54-year-old frame as he and bassist Rick Savage moved about the bi-level stage. Guitarist Vivian Campbell also appeared to be enjoying himself with a bevy of solos of his own. Rick Allen was solid all evening behind the drums, impressing with both his hand and footwork.
Def Leppard reached into the archives to pull out “Let It Go” and “Brining on the Heartbreak/Switch 625″ off the High ‘N’ Dry album. Their most recent single, “It’s All About Believin’” off the Mirror Ball album sounded decent in concert. Elliot noted to the crowd that 70 percent of the live Mirror Ball CD was recorded in Utah.
The big 3 songs from Pyromania were in the set list – “Foolin’,” “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages” – with “Rock of Ages” finishing out the evening.
After 30+ years of packing stadiums, arenas and amphitheatres all over the world, Def Leppard are showing no signs of slowing down. After Wednesday’s performance, it wouldn’t be surprising if Def Leppard continued to tour Utah for another decade.

Poison once again opened this year’s summer tour. Although the song placement was juggled a little, the set list was essentially the same as it has been for many, many years  but somehow Poison still delivers those songs with a ton of energy and enthusiasm.
Lead singer Bret Michaels – headband and cowboy hat intact – was in high spirits and extremely interactive with the audience, slapping hands, fist-bumping, waving and pointing to numerous people. Michaels, Rikki Rockett, CC DeVille and part-time Utah resident Bobby Dall all seemed to be getting along fine on stage. And the crowd responded to them as they blasted through another summer of 80s rock anthems including “Talk Dirty to Me,” “Unskinny Bop” and “Nothin’ But a Good Time.”
There’s really no rhyme or reason to what Poison does or how they’ve managed to stay together so long with the four core members. Yet, year after year, they deliver a highly energetic and fun set, and in Utah they are always well received.by pat reavy

Def Leppard set list

Undefeated
Rocket
Let It Go
Foolin
Animal
Love Bites
Gods of War
acoustic medley
Where Does Love Go When it Dies
Now
When Love and Hate Collide
Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad
Two Steps Behind
Women
It’s All About Believin’
Let’s Get Rocked
Bringing on the Hearbreak/Switch 625
Hysteria
Armageddon It
Photograph
Pour Some Sugar on Me
encore
Rock of Ages

Poison set list
Look What the Cat Dragged In
Ride the Wind
We’re an American Band
Your Mama Don’t Dance
guitar solo
Fallen Angel
Unskinny Bop
drum solo
Every Rose Has its Thorn
Talk Dirty to Me
Nothin’ But a Good Time

Bob Seger’s Gibson Les Paul Stolen, Friend Arrested

The Gibson Les Paul that Bob Seger holds on the cover of his 1994 ‘Greatest Hits’ album was stolen from the rocker’s house in August, along with personal items like a Rolex and autographed Shaquille O’Neal sneakers. A family friend who had attended a party at the house has now been arrested.
Police say 20-year-old Andrew D. Thompson of Waterford Township, Mich. snuck back into the house after the party, thrown by Seger’s 16-year-old daughter. “They trusted this kid,” Orchard Lake, Mich. Detective Darrell Betts told Detroit’s CBS station. On Tuesday, Thompson was charged with larceny from a building and released on bond.
The young man admitted to stealing the Rolex, sneakers and cash from the Seger’s but denies taking the 1978 guitar. The Les Paul actually reappeared on the family’s dock shortly after police talked to party-goers.
“It mysteriously showed up right after I talked to him, but he denied he took it,” Betts said. “That was my main goal, getting that guitar back … It’s priceless.”

The 67-year-old rocker was in the process of moving. The axe is actually valued between $8,000 and $10,000 but it is “priceless” to Seger.by bill dukes

Review: Kid Rock at BamaJam Music Festival

Kid Rock may not be a native son of Alabama but his Detroit heart-and-soul music just seems bred for Southern Rock. He certainly dressed the part, decked out in a custom Crimson Tide football jersey emblazoned on the back with the name ‘Bob,’ aviator sunglasses and white fedora. He was the definition of country cool and the crowd quickly forgot about their lawn chairs to get up and shake what their mamma gave them.

The Pepsi stage was shrouded in a massive sheet protecting the setup from any prying eyes. Kid came out behind the curtain like some redneck Wizard of Oz with Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” blaring before he quickly switched gears to pump up the audience with the thumping “Welcome 2 the Party.” The sheet unraveled, and there he was kicking the song in the teeth. The first thing you notice is Kid Rock doesn’t like to sit in one place for too long. He bound out onto the catwalk and hung over the teeming crowd. He’d dart back to the fold to rock out with the Twisted Brown Trucker Band, but it was never long before he was heading out to please the ladies in their feverous frenzy.

I don’t know what it is about Kid Rock’s mystique, but he seems to turn every good country girl into a stripper. Scantly clad ladies were grinding against their men like they were getting paid for it. Needless to say the guys didn’t seem to mind this strange effect Kid had on their women.

The set list was a scatter shot, sampling songs equally across his album catalog. Cocky fans got a trio of songs, and Devil Without a Cause devotees got four choice tracks. Strangely enough, the only album that really got neglected was his latest, Born Free. After hearing the mellower Kid Rock, I wondered if his rock hard persona would be taking a back seat as I imagined him coming out in a cardigan to sit wistfully on a stool for the entire evening. No worries. Kid Rock is still Kid Rock, even if Born Free felt a little too adult contemporary for its own good.

He pulled out all the stops. He played guitar on “Cowboy” and “What I Learned Out on the Road.” He was mixing the turntables while toking a pot pipe in a crazy top hat at the end of the evening. Every side of Kid Rock took the stage front and center, as he wasn’t even afraid to proclaim he was “F$%ckin’ 40.”

The most disappointing part of the set was the lack of a duet with Sheryl Crow for either “Picture” or “Collide,” which was ultimately left off the set list. Sheryl was just on stage minutes before he started his set, so there shouldn’t have been a timing issue. I assumed that the festival promoters arranged the bill so they could showcase these stars together, as they did Zac Brown and Alan Jackson Friday night. This was a definite head scratcher because it just made too much sense. He was probably long gone, but having up-and-comer Yelawolf on stage to reprise their collaboration would have given the young rapper some much needed credibility with the country crowd he struggled so hard to find earlier in the day.

Kid Rock lived up to his namesake by rocking the crap out of BamaJam and showing this country audience that rock will never play second fiddle. His expansive band sounded great and the light show spectacular was probably the best of the weekend. Kid Rock may not be a born and bred Alabama boy, but tonight he was the state’s favorite son. He doused the festival with a Detroit Southern Rock that was sorely needed. I can’t think of a better way to close out a great festival weekend.by mark runyon

Geoff Tate on Queensryche Split

 Queensryche lead singer Geoff Tate found out he was fired when lawyers for the remaining members sent his lawyer a long legal document.but it sounds like the legal battle has just begun.

Tate tells Rolling Stone that he doesn’t think Scott Rockenfield, Michael Wilton, Parker Lundgren and bassist Eddie Jackson have a legal right to fire him. “We’re in a lawsuit right now and it’s probably gonna get ugly,” he says in a lengthy interview that attempts to clear up rumors from the past four months. “I filed a claim a couple of days ago. So it’s all going to the legal system now to sort out who is what, and who owns what, and that stuff.”

Tate says there were no creative differences in the band, as Rockenfield claimed, because he was the sole creative force since Chris DeGarmo left in 1998. The drama began in February with an argument about who should control merchandizing, and escalated to the incident in Brazil in which Tate attacked his bandmates.

“They said that they weren’t planning on replacing me, but they had just fired our manager, our office assistant and one of our guitar techs, who all happened to be my family members,” Tate recalls.
“It seemed like a personal vendetta against me. Anyway, the meeting was short and we went to do the show. I’m getting ready by my station, ready to go on stage, and Scott [Rockenfield] looks at me and he smirks and says, ‘We just fired your whole family, and you’re next.’ I just lost it. I tried to punch him. I don’t think I landed a punch before somebody grabbed me and hauled me to the side. On my way, I managed to shove [Michael] Wilton, and really, that was it. I cooled down and we did the show, and everything went fine.”

There was no knife, he says. “You can’t really get knives into foreign countries.”
The 53-year-old singer says the move was strictly a business move for the rest of the band, although he didn’t understand what they hoped to accomplish by firing the lead singer of his band. “How are they gonna survive economically? And then, by that action, you’re completely alienating the promoters, who you work with closely to book shows for you. So now the promoter is left holding the bag, and that doesn’t make the promoter want to work with you again.”

Tate doesn’t think Queensryche should play scheduled shows with new vocalist Todd la Torre. He added that he has no interest in forming his own version of Queensryche to compete with his old bandmates, although after things settle down he may be up for reforming the group if he’s declared the legal owner of the name and catalog.by bill dukes

KENNY CHESNEY & TIM MCGRAW Metlife Stadium August 11th 2012

KENNY CHESNEY AND TIM MCGRAW BROTHERS OF THE SUN TOUR MetLife Stadium Saturday, August 11, 2012 at 4:30 PM "Brothers of the Sun" will mark the first time in 10 years that Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw have hit the road together, and will also feature special guests Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and Jake Owen.

Godsmack Cancel Remainder of European Tour

Godsmack frontman Sully Erna’s unidentified vocal troubles, the band has canceled the rest of the scheduled shows on their European trek.

Erna was expected to recover in time to return to the stage on June 28 for their gig in Wien, Austria, but when the singer was examined back in the United States by his doctors yesterday, they advised that he not sing for the next several weeks in order to allow enough time for his vocal cords to heal.
The current European tour marked the first time the band had toured Europe in almost nine years. Godsmack were only able to perform two of their fourteen scheduled dates in Europe.
On Godsmack’s website Erna released an apologetic statement to fans:

“Sorry Europe. Seems like we can’t catch a break there lately. London you were one of the best crowds we’ve played to in a very long time…. Belgium, you were awesome as well. As for the rest of you in Europe that we weren’t able to reach, I promise you we’ll be back!! For now it’s lots of rest and fluids for me until my vocal specialist clears me to sing again. My deepest apologies Europe! You’ll see us again. Thanks for your support and understanding.”

by liz ramanand

Beyonce Writes Open Letter To Michael Jackson

On the third anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death on Monday, Beyonce wrote an open letter to the King Of Pop, which also serves as a moving tribute to the late singer.

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“When I was just starting out, my first producer used to make me listen to Michael Jackson’s Live Performance Of ‘Who’s Loving You,’” she writes in the letter. “What he wanted me to learn was his soul. You could hear his soul. And he was this little kid who hadn’t experienced love but he was a vessel.” .
She goes on to say, “For whatever reason he could evoke more emotion than an adult. It was so raw and so pure. It was these little things that he did that were just swag. It’s something that’s god given.” She finished the letter by writing, “Michael Jackson changed me, and helped me become the artist I am — Thank you Michael.”by jonah bayer

Lady GaGa Debuts New Song "Princess Die"

During a show last night in Melbourne, Australia Lady Gaga debuted a new song entitled Princess Die.” As Gaga told the adoring crowd, she isn’t sure yet whether the somber ballad will appear on her next album.
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Before performing the song, Gaga told the crowd that she was going to play it for them because she has received such incredible support from Australians. She then proceeded to describe the song as “a little bit sad,” while adding “it’s in no way reflective of the rest of music on the album but it’s about some of the most deep and personal thoughts I’ve ever had.”
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Gaga will continue her Born This Way Ball tour this summer, heading to Europe in August after wrapping up her shows in Australia on July 8th. Watch Gaga’s performance of the brand-new song.by dan hyman

50 Cent In Car Accident

50 cent is "doing fine" after his SUV was rear-ended by a Mack truck early Tuesday on the Long Island Expressway in New York.
 the rapper "was taken to New York Hospital Queens where he was treated for minor neck and back injuries. He was released this morning and is doing fine."
Thisis50.com, a site with ties to 50 Cent's official website, published photos of the musician in a neck collar and on a stretcher. The site also reports that the truck driver told police his load shifted and he lost control of the vehicle. Photo show a large hole in the front of the truck and damage to the rear of the musician's black SUV.

The driver of 50 Cent's car was also taken to the hospital. There was no word on his condition.by courtney hazlett

Sebastian Bach Joins Axl Rose On Stage

Sebastian Bach seemed to be having the time of his life in Milan, Italy over the weekend (June 22) at the Gods of Metal Festival. In fact, he was enjoying his set so much that he lost his own microphone in the crowd.
Bach, known for furiously whipping his microphone around like a lasso during his live shows, lost it – literally – while performing ‘Slave to the Grind.’ Check out the video below to see an enthusiastic Bach whipping the mic around only to find an empty mic chord when he went to sing. Bach stopped the set briefly to get the microphone fixed and picked up where he left off a few minutes later.
Later on in the evening, Bach joined his longtime friend Axl Rose to perform ‘My Michelle’ during the Guns N’ Roses set. Bach kicked off the vocals for the song and Rose soon joined in. The two sang the rest of the song together. If you’re wondering, Bach managed to keep his microphone in tact throughout the song. Watch a fan-filmed video of the performance below.

Bach is no stranger to guest appearances on stage during his own sets either. Just last month, Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor joined Bach to perform the Skid Row classic ‘Youth Gone Wild.’by mary Ouellette

Jane’s Addiction To Receive Star on the Hollywood Walk

Jane’s Addiction star has risen in the city of Hollywood,for the second time in as many years the band will receive an honor in the city.
The group, who were honored in June 2011 with induction into Hollywood’s Rock Walk for musicians, will now receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Organizers have revealed the next batch of celebrities to receive honors during the calendar year of 2013.
In a statement posted on their Twitter account, the band stated, “We’re incredibly honored to receive a Star on the Walk of Fame! Stay tuned for more exciting news.” At present, the exact date of their star ceremony has not been revealed.

Jane’s Addiction will join fellow musicians Janis Joplin, Jennifer Hudson, Thalia, Luther Vandross, the Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block, and Usher as honorees next year. Other new “stars” being placed during 2013 will salute the careers of Ron Howard, Helen Mirren, Viola Davis, Javier Bardem, James Franco, Simon Baker, Katey Sagal, Bryan Cranston, Matthew Perry, Ellen DeGeneres, Olympia Dukakis, Jane Lynch, Penn & Teller, makeup artist Rick Baker and radio hosts Steve Harvey and “Shotgun” Tom Kelly.by chad childers

Billy Corgan Backs Axl Rose’ Not Attending Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction

If there’s anyone who  understands the troubles that Axl Rose is going through trying to continue his band as the lone remaining member, it’s Billy Corgan. The Smashing Pumpkins singer famously quarreled with past bandmates before continuing the band’s legacy with a new group around him, much like Rose has done with Guns N’ Roses.
Corgan told Australia’s Triple M, “I actually really appreciate the position that Axl was in and why he didn’t want to go. I think he felt like he was being set up, and in a way he was wise not to go because he would only have come out like he was being a spoiled sport.”
The singer continues, “He didn’t want to play nice with the old team, and he obviously has his personal reasons. But also, the minute he gets up onstage with the original band, then everything he does that isn’t like that is like, it’s almost as if he’s trying not to do something, and he hasn’t been doing it in many years.”

Corgan says there’s an expectation that comes with a reunion and he continually deals with it. He says he still gets fan messages through social networking asking why he doesn’t reunite with the original group. He adds, “Behind the scenes, it’s not as simple as that you know we all changed. All of us are different people than we were in the ’90s. I’m not sure I would have anything to talk to them about.by chad childers

Kiss Single 'Monster' Released

The first single is ‘Hell or Hallelujah’ and will be released July 2.With the members in full Kiss makeup and a silver version of the Kiss logo, is seen to the left.
During our exclusive interview with Gene Simmons, the bassist praised ‘Monster’ for being a true collaboration by the band. “We sat together in the same room for the first time in decades and came up with some pretty classic stuff, ” he said. “It could be one of our top two or three records ever…You’ll hear everybody in the band singing lead…My favorite records are band records where nobody is trying to take over and push their weight around.”
In January, Paul Stanley, who produced the record, agreed that the band dynamic is key to the album’s success. “Chemistry and camaraderie, that’s essential,” he said. “That’s what made ‘Sonic Boom’ so great and this album is thunderously better.”
The full track listing for ‘Monster,’ which is expected to be released in October, has yet to be officially announced,bydave lifton

‘Hell or Hallelujah’
‘Born to Be a Sinner’
‘Out of This World’
‘Are You Ready?’
‘Wall of Sound’
‘It’s a Long Way Down’
‘Back to the Stone Age’
‘Shout Mercy’
‘The Devil Is Me’
‘All for the Love of Rock & Roll’
‘Freak’
‘Eat Your Heart Out’
‘Right Here Right Now’

Joe Bonamassa 7 Acoustic Shows Dont Miss!!!

Kirk Hammett Favorite Zombie Movies

The Kirk tells Revolver, “You know it does seem like a zombie apocalypse is coming, like we’re at the very beginning of a zombie invasion. I would imagine this is how it starts and it just never stops.” When asked of his plan should such an event happen, Hammett replied, “Very high walls, very high walls.”
The guitarist is an avid horror film fan and is putting his own personal stamp of the upcoming Metallica-curated Orion Music + More festival by showcasing “Kirk’s Crypt,” a tent filled with numerous horror film items that he’s collected over the years. In addition, Hammett says he’s just finished a book on all of his memorabilia that will be released at some point.
The musician named off a handful of his favorite zombie films for the magazine, including ‘Dawn of the Dead,’ which he reveals was the late Cliff Burton’s favorite film. Other favorites include ‘Night of the Living Dead,’ ‘Re-Animator,’ ‘Evil Dead,’ and ‘White Zombie.’ Check out Hammett’s movie poster  and his comments at Revolver’s website.

In other Metallica news, the band have made yet another live download available for fans. This one comes from the Sonisphere Performance in Switzerland on May 30. The 22-track collection at just over two hours and includes the entire Black Album in the middle of the performance.by chad childers

Ozzy Osbourne On Son Jack’s MS Diagnosis

Jack Osbourne revealed he’s been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, but father Ozzy Osbourne isn’t so sure that’s the source of his recent health woes. The rocker says he’s urging his 26-year-old son to get a second opinion.
“I was misdiagnosed with MS a few years ago, the same publication Jack broke the news to. “It took them six months to work out I have a rare hereditary tremor called Parkin Syndrome.” MS does run in the family, as Sharon Osbourne’s uncle suffered from the incurable disease.
Jack Osbourne was diagnosed in April, just months after becoming a first time father. When the news broke this week, Sharon Osbourne crumbled on the set of ‘The View.’ However the next day she was more composed, promising her son would beat MS.
“It’s actually been a month and we kept it to ourselves for a month,” she told Conan O’Brien last night . “He is actually doing amazing, he is so strong and positive … my son will conquer!”

A loss of vision sent Jack to the doctors initially, but his sight has since improved. “It’s just one of those things you take as it comes,” he tells People. “It’s all about your outlook.”by bill dukesozzy

Catching Up With "Aerosmith" In Cleveland

a single square panel of the circular video screen above the band refused to fall in line with the rest of the display, broadcasting random colors instead of say, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry in action.

This rogue screen served as a reminding everyone that every band, including the mighty Aerosmith, sometimes needs a few nights on a tour to shake out all the glitches and fully gel.
This was only the band’s second concert of their 2012 trek, and while their chops, charisma and willingness to improvise were all on display throughout the evening, inconsistent audio and some questionable setlist choices kept things from catching fire until the back half of the concert.
After a short video intro, Perry and Tyler emerged from a catwalk deep in the crowd, seemingly miles away from their bandmates, as everyone kicked into ‘Draw the Line.’ Muddy sound marred both that song and the follow-up, ‘Love in an Elevator.’ The new song they played next, ‘Oh Yeah,’ could prove to be great but didn’t stick on first listen — again, the sonics were be a factor. A rather stilted rendition of ‘Livin’ on the Edge’ got us wondering if we were about to witness our first ever dud Aerosmith concert.
Our fears intensified with puzzling versions of the usually reliable “mach two” tracks ‘Rag Doll’ and ‘Cryin’,’ which both seemed extra-plastic, as if the core group’s supporting musicians, especially the keyboardist, were cranked up too loudly.
(Another question: How on earth can you play ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’ but not ‘Back in the Saddle?’)
A few songs later, though, Aerosmith locked into their best groove of the night with the strutting ‘Last Child,’ and after joining  Joey Kramer behind the drum kit for the Perry-fronted ‘Combination,’ Tyler got the crowd fully invested and involved with his a capella opening for ‘What it Takes.’
Things started to boil properly from there, with new song ‘Legendary Child’ erasing some doubts about the band’s new album, and a murder’s row of classics — ‘Mama Kin,’ ‘Sweet Emotion,’ ‘Walk This Way,’ ‘Dream On’ and ‘Train Kept-A-Rollin” — sending everybody home happy.
To be clear, this show was good to very good all night, just not up to the level of some recent, life-affirming Aerosmith gigs we’ve attended in recent years.

Roger Waters: ‘Radio K.A.O.S.’ Turns 25 Years Old

Roger Waters is still touring behind ‘The Wall,’ a concept album whose themes resonate more than 30 years after its release.
But there’s another entry in Waters’ catalog that’s celebrating an important milestone: ‘Radio K.A.O.S.,’ his second solo release, turns 25.
The album uses eight songs to tell the story of a pair of Welsh brothers — Benny, a coal miner/ham radio enthusiast, and Billy, who is highly intelligent but seriously disabled — who are separated after Benny is arrested for a crime he didn’t commit and Billy is sent to live with his uncle in Los Angeles.
Once in L.A., Billy discovers he can modify cordless phones to access computers and speech synthesizers and use them to speak, establishing a friendship of sorts with a freeform radio station.In the final act, Billy hacks into a military satellite in order to fool the world into thinking it’s headed for nuclear destruction, thus beginning a new era of peace and harmony.
It isn’t the simplest story for a concept album; in fact, ‘K.A.O.S.’ was bundled with a libretto that tried to explain the story between songs like ‘Radio Waves,’ ‘Me or Him,’ and ‘The Tide Is Turning (After Live Aid).’ Complicating matters was the machine-heavy production which Waters later derided, saying, “I allowed myself to get pushed down roads that were uncomfortable for me.”
Waters also added “I should never have made that record,” a sentiment shared by many critics at the time (including Jimmy Guterman and Owen O’Donnell, who listed ‘K.A.O.S. in their book ‘The Worst Rock n’ Roll Records of All Time’ and said it was “fueled by colossal ineptitude and a perversely fascinating inability to communicate even the simplest idea without wrapping it in pretension”).
The commercial reception to the album was lukewarm as well; ‘Radio K.A.O.S.’ peaked at No. 50 on the Billboard charts, spinning off a pair of minor rock hits (‘Radio Waves’ and ‘Sunset Strip’) while Waters’ ambitious tour — which featured a sprawling, career-spanning set and appearances by L.A. DJ Jim Ladd, whose weeknight show on KLOS was said to have helped inspire the album — suffered soft sales and cancellations.
Overshadowing the whole thing was Waters’ ongoing feud with Pink Floyd, which was being settled in court while his former bandmates embarked on their own hugely successful tour in support of ‘A Momentary Lapse of Reason,’ the multiplatinum smash that proved Floyd could continue without him — and sell plenty of records — while he struggled to fill arenas on his own.

Initially undaunted by the relative failure of ‘Radio K.A.O.S.,’ Waters was rumored to be working on a sequel; as it turned out, he wouldn’t re-emerge with another solo album until 1992′s ‘Amused to Death,’ a concept album loosely organized around the idea of a monkey switching channels on a television.

Kiss Paul Stanley Take On Gene Simmons

Kiss are definitely about the bravado, but singer Paul Stanley says that even for him it gets to be a bit much at times, and he jokes about how far bandmate Gene Simmons takes things.
The vocalist told CNN, “Gene lives about five minutes from me – I can see his ego from my house! Gene enjoys being out there saying ‘me, me, me’ when it’s actually We’re partners and part of the dynamic of a successful partnership is knowing its limitations. Friends come and go. We’re family, which is more important!”
One place where Simmons and Stanley differ is on sharing their political opinions publicly. The singer says, “I certainly have my own opinions, but to stand up and think I have some sort of transfusion of knowledge on subjects I’m not that familiar with? It’s embarrassing and astonishing to see people given media coverage who don’t deserve it. There’s nothing more embarrassing than seeing people who’ve become famous in film or music suddenly feeling they’re in a position to have qualified opinions about anything other than music.”by chadchilders

Stanley says he’s surprised that anyone would take a celebrity speaking about politics seriously. He adds, “That’s not a sleight to anybody who’s close to me — that’s my astonishment at what I see on television. Does it really matter what somebody who has a hit record thinks of the political scene? It’s absurd to me.”

Alice Cooper Playing Lady Gaga Songs?

 Alice Cooper covered Lady Gaga‘s ‘Born this Way‘ at Bonnaroo on June 9, we collectively scratched our heads. In a new interview, Cooper provides insight in to what he likes about the pop star.Cooper, who recently complained about the lack of image in many of today’s bands, sees a lot of parallels between himself and Lady Gaga. “I kind of see her as a female Alice Cooper,” he told Mike Jones of DC-101. “What she does on stage is basically the same thing Alice Cooper does. I write the songs for a character. I play the character — you know, I sort of direct the whole thing. And that’s exactly what she does. When we first met, we kind of really clicked together as friends because we’re both in the same business.”
When Cooper encored with ‘Born this Way’ at Bonnaroo, he made a slight change to his usual stage presentation by creating a “Frankengaga.” As Cooper explained, “My normal Frankenstein, we decided to dress that character up as Lady Gaga — a 14-foot Lady Gaga, She loved it. She saw it and e-mailed us back and said she loved it.”bydave lifton

And even though Cooper said her music is “purely disco and pop,” he would have no problem collaborating with her. Dare we suggest that he rewrite the lyrics to the song he’s been covering as “Born Vince Furnier?”

SlipKnot News

As suspected by the video hints they’ve been dropping for the past few weeks, Slipknot have finally confirmed that they’ll be releasing their best-of collection ‘Antennas to Hell’ on July 24. The band also revealed the artwork and track listing for the new disc.
‘Antennas to Hell’ aims to celebrate almost two decades of what the band is calling the first chapter of Slipknot, “a chapter where they’ve gone from unknown to the one of the biggest rock bands in the world — all on their own terms.”
‘Antennas to Hell’ encompasses the usual fare for a best-of disc from singles to fan favorites and live hits, but it also digs a lot deeper. The two-disc version of ‘Antennas to Hell’ has a lot of extras, including a bonus live CD of the band’s 2009 performance at the Download Festival in the U.K. in front of 80,000 fans.
In anticipation for the release, drummer Joey Jordison talked about what has kept the band together through the years. “We’re banded together in hate,” explained Jordison. “Sometimes we hate each other, sometimes we hate the world. Sometimes we just hate our own lives.” He continued, “But when we get together, something monstrous happens and we pull this amazing sound out of all that energy. Plus, we believe in world domination. And this is the band that’s going to get us there.”
Their efforts for world domination will continue throughout the summer as they headline the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Fest with Slayer, and kick off their inaugural Knotfest. The band is looking to these performances as “the end of the beginning” for the Slipknot, as they continue their inevitable evolution.
As if that wasn’t enough, Slipknot will also be releasing their first mobile application, aptly titled ‘Wear the Mask,’ this summer. Billed as part mask builder and part social networking for Maggots, the app will be released on the same day as ‘Antennas to Hell.’

All in all, Slipknot fans have a lot to look forward to this summer! Check out the full track listing from ‘Antennas to Hell’ below.by:Mary Ouellette

‘Antennas To Hell’ Track Listing:

1. (sic)
2. Eyeless
3. Wait And Bleed
4. Spit It Out
5. Surfacing
6. People = S–t
7. Disasterpiece
8. Left Behind
9. My Plague (New Abuse Mix)
10. The Heretic Anthem (live)
11. Purity (live)
12. Pulse Of The Maggots
13. Duality
14. Before I Forget
15. Vermilion
16. Sulfur
17. Psychosocial
18. Dead Memories
19. Snuff

Bonus CD: (sic)nesses: Live At The Download Festival, 2009

1. (sic)
2. Eyeless
3. Wait And Bleed
4. Get This
5. Before I Forget
6. Sulfur
7. The Blister Exists
8. Dead Memories
9. Left Behind
10. Disasterpiece
11. Vermilion
12. Everything Ends
13. Psychosocial
14. Duality
15. People = S–t
16. Surfacing
17. Spit It Out

Metallica’s James Hetfield Attends Mastodon Performance in Halloween Mask

During Mastodon‘s set at the Portugal’s Rock in Lisboa Festival last month, there was one crowd member who stuck out from the rest.
Fully geared up with Metallica merch and a Halloween mask over his face, the crowd member attended the rocking musical evening while swaying to Mastodon’s beat.
However, due to closer inspection from fans, the masked fan was reportedly none other than Metallica frontman James Hetfield.
Set to play the festival later into the night, the masked Hetfield was checking out Mastodon’s May 25 set while being closely watched by security. An eyewitness account as well as a picture of the masked man was posted on 9gag, where the story was told in full:

So, during Mastodon at Rock in Rio, into the snake pit comes a guy fully dressed in metallica apparel, hoddie over the head, gloves in hands (with that heat!) and a mask. I was “ok, seen weirder stuff” and continue to rock on. But a friend of mine (the blonde girl on the picture below) grabbed me and said: ” That’s James!” And it really was him. Made some eye contact with him a few times, it really were his blue eyes. Also, the way he was rocking out, full of his manerisms.
To add everything up, there was a security guyat the entrance of the pit, ALWAYS looking at him. To top it off, Jeff came in and snapped a few pictures of him. James was right behind me.
Most of the people in the pit didn’t notice it, but the ones around him did. Nobody made a fuss about it, we let the man rock out, but we KNEW, and he knew we we’re on to him. In fact, he elbowed this friend of mine twice in a row, despite the fact she was not too close to him. Elbowed her once, she didn’t care, elbowed her twice, she looks back and he’s all relaxed, just watching the show… He wanted us to notice him.

A few songs later, he walks out and a venue security grabs him; the other security guy that came with him talked with him. We couldn’t hear of course, but we later went to the venue security and asked him “Hey, was that James?” and his reply? “Yeah, he was in Metallica.”.by: Graham Gruhamed Hartmann

Steve Vai Back On Tour

Vai will have new music for the tour. His upcoming album, The Story Of Light, drops Aug. 14 on Favored Nations Entertainment.
Playing mostly theatres and large clubs, Vai begins the adventure in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., at Revolution Aug. 15 and rumbles through the land, stopping in places such as Nashville (Aug. 21), Atlanta (Aug. 23), Washington, D.C. (Aug. 28), Lancaster, Pa. (Sept. 2), New York City (Sept. 11), Quebec City (Sept. 17), Cleveland (Sept. 24), Denver (Oct. 1) and Seattle (Oct. 4). Last stop is Agoura Hills, Calif., at the Canyon Club Oct. 13.

Folks looking for the VIP treatment can opt for Vai’s premium package called “The EVO Experience” that includes a meet-and-greet, access to a sound check, a 2012 Story Of Light Tour program, an exclusive EVO Experience laminate and more. Check out Vai’s official website for ticketing and VIP info.

Slash’s ‘Appetite for Destruction’ Signature Guitar Resurrected

Slash has partnered with Gibson Guitars for  signature series models in the past, now the two are joining forces to bring back the most sought after of all his axes the limited edition ‘Appetite for Destruction’ guitar.
When you think of Slash circa 1987, a few images come to mind  a big top hat sitting atop his curly black mane,half-spent bottle of Jack Daniels and the striped amber Gibson Les Paul on which he tore through the solos of ‘Paradise City’ and ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine.’ Adding most of those items to your look would come off as a cheap attempt to copy the icon, but getting your hands on the guitar would make you the envy of every guitarist you know. Soon, you will be able to do just that.
Slash tells Artisan News that the guitar, which was reproduced under a limited run with Gibson previously, will once again be available. “There was only a certain amount of those made and there’s a lot of people that never got them,” says Slash. “So we’re gonna do a version of that guitar coming up pretty soon.” There are no details on when the guitar maker will bring the model back, how many will be available this time around, or how much it will retail for, but the previous model’s list price was around $2,800.

Slash is currently killing time between legs of his ‘Apocalyptic Love’ tour by lending a hand on the Ozzy & Friends tour. Ozzy Obourne drafted the likes of Slash and Zakk Wylde for the dates initially planned as Sabbath gigs when Tony Iommi‘s health and the Bill Ward situation made the shows an unlikely possibility. Slash will return to tour the U.S. with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators in July.bytreeriddle

Fleetwood Mac Member Commits Suicide

Early Fleetwood Mac guitarist Bob Welch was found dead Thursday afternoon from what police are describing as a self-inflicted gun shot wound. According to the Associated Press, the 65-year-old Welch shot himself in the chest inside his Nashville-area home.
The rocker was a part of the group from 1971 to 1974, before the band really took off with the ‘Fleetwood Mac’ and ‘Rumours’ albums. He was a part of ‘Future Games (1971), ‘Bare Trees (1972)’ and ‘Mystery to Me (1973).’ Those weren’t immediate commercial successes, but they went on to achieve Gold or Platinum certification in the U.S. After recording ‘Heroes Are Hard to Find’ he was replaced by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.

After leaving Fleetwood Mac he formed a rock band called Paris before beginning a solo career. His 1977 album ‘French Kiss’ was his most successful project, featuring the song ‘Sentimental Lady,’ which was originally recorded as a Fleetwood Mac song in 1972. He continued to write and record music of different styles until his death.bybilldukes
Controversy arose when Welch was not  among the members of Fleetwood Mac inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. He told the Cleveland Plain Dealer, “It was an important period in the history of the band. Mick Fleetwood dedicated a whole chapter of his biography to my era of the band and credited me with ‘saving Fleetwood Mac.’ Now they want to write me out of the history of the group. It hurts.”
The AP reports that Bob Welch was found dead by his wife around 12:15PM. He had been suffering from health issues and left a suicide note.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse Pre Sale Code Madison Square Garden

Neil Young & Crazy Horse With special guests Patti Smith and her band Plus Everest Madison Square Garden November 27

Neil Young & Crazy Horse play The Garden this November, touring behind Americana, their first album in nine years. Presale tickets are available TOMORROW, Friday, June 8 from 10AM to 3PM, before they go on sale to the general public on Sunday, June 10 at 12NOON.

USE PROMOTIONAL CODE: NYCH

Band KISS Guest Apperance On Animal Planet

Gene Simmons may like to boast that he’s never been drunk or high in his life, but he’s about to get ‘Tanked.’ Kiss will appear on the next episode of ‘Tanked,’ a show on the Animal Planet cable channel. The program will center on the owners of the Las Vegas-based Acrylic Tank Manufacturing company as they build a giant Kiss-themed aquarium for the band’s Monster Mini Golf course in Vegas.
the aquarium constructed by Wayde King and Brett Raymer, the stars of ‘Tanked,’ is designed to resemble a Kiss concert, albeit one performed by fish, complete with a replica of the Kiss stage setup  and a light show. Miniature Marshall amplifiers surround the tank.
“We worked closely with the “Tanked” crew to design a Tanked where fish could ROCK, said Christina Vitagliano, the founder of Kiss by Monster Mini Golf. “We do not have a fish tank…we have a Kiss-tank!”
Kiss by Monster Mini Golf opened in March to much fanfare and much exposure.The indoor course features the Rock ‘n Roll All Nite Cafe and the Hotter Than Hell Wedding Chapel.

The episode will air Saturday (June 9) at 9:00PM Eastern and Pacific.bydave lifton

Joe Bonamassa Live London 2013 4 Shows

Red Hot Chili Peppers Salute Retiring Red Wings Defenseman Niklas Lidstrom

There are certain stops for musicians that stand out, and playing close to home is always something special. On Friday (June 1), that meant that Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith was in for a memorable evening.
But as big of a night as it was for Smith, it was also pretty huge for one special fan in attendance – Niklas Lidstrom. The surefire future NHL Hall of Famer officially announced his retirement last week and was in attendance during the Chili Peppers show at Joe Louis Arena where he played many a game in his career.
Toward the end of the band’s set, Smith coaxed Lidstrom out to the stage where he received a standing ovation from the 15,000-strong audience. He told the crowd, “This tops it all. This is another great memory for me. It’s hard to imagine. I came here 20 years ago … and 20 years later, getting this kind of ovation … I love you guys.”
Smith, meanwhile, got to live out his own dreams. Billboard reports that the drummer played throughout the show with a Red Wings logo on his bass drum, and then had Lidstrom hang out with his mother offstage while finishing out the set. The drummer recalled seeing his first concert at Joe Louis Arena when he was 8. That was a Rush show. In the years following, he’d see many a concert and hockey game at the venue.
In addition to Smith’s visible show of support, guitarist Josh Klinghoffer wore a Lidstrom jersey for the band’s three-song encore just to keep the good vibes going.

The Chili Peppers will keep on rocking on the road throughout the remainder of the year.bychadchilders

Carrie Underwood On Aerosmith New Album??

 A rumor that country star Carrie Underwood recently dipped into a recording studio to cut vocals for the upcoming Aerosmith album, but it’s a rumor with a little sizzle. MJSBigBlog.com was the first to point out a well-connected Aerosmith fan’s Facebook post, claiming Underwood and Steven Tyler sing together on a country duet.
The post was taken down, shortly after the band’s drummer Joey Kramer tweeted, Tyler and Underwood have collaborated numerous times before, including a performance at the 2011 ACM Awards in Las Vegas and a CMT ‘Crossroads’ special during Superbowl weekend.
Underwood wouldn’t be the first country singer — or even first ‘American Idol’ contestant — to sing on the album. Season 10 runner-up Lauren Alaina let fans know in March that she’d cut backing vocals for a song on ‘Music From Another Dimension,’ which will be in stores August 28.

MJSBigBlog.com reports the song Underwood and Tyler sing together is either ‘Beautiful’ or ‘Closer.’ It’s reportedly a country ballad that could cross over to other genres. The band is expected to release the full-length video for their current song ‘Legendary Child‘ later this week.bybilldukes

Joe Bonamassa Album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart

Joe’s New album Driving Towards The Daylight debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart

US CHARTS:
#1 BLUES
#23 TOP 200
#5 INDEPENDENT

UK – # 2
Germany – # 7
Norway – # 8
Switzerland – # 10
The Netherlands – # 12
Denmark – #12
Austria – # 13
Sweden – # 18
France – # 18
Finland #30 (#1 in the Indie charts)
Czech Republic – #39
Italy – # 54
Ireland – # 63

Poland – # 22

Izzy Stradlin Joins Guns N’ Roses Onstage

Where’s Izzy? The answer tonight (May 31) was in London right onstage at a Guns N’ Roses show, just like he was when he played guitar for the band all those years ago.
The reclusive Izzy Stradlin joined Axl Rose‘s current GN’R lineup at the O2 Arena in London, where he played guitar on ‘14 Years,’ ‘You Could Be Mine,’ ‘Dead Flowers,’ ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,’ ‘Nightrain’ and ‘Paradise City.’ Check out onstage pictures from the gig here.
Rose has been hesitant to let any of the original members play with his current lineup, but this is the second time he’s welcomed back Izzy. The last time was during a handful of shows back in 2006.
Izzy Stradlin left Guns N’ Roses at the height of their fame in 1991, and his exit was forever immortalized in the GN’R video for ‘Don’t Cry,’ where Axl Rose can be seen wearing a t-shirt that reads ‘Where’s Izzy?’ as the camera pans to an unused Fender Strat to signify his retirement from the band.
The guitarist went on to form the short-lived group Izzy Stradlin briefly returned to GN’R in 1993 while Gilby Clarke was out injured, but then quietly worked on and released solo albums at his own pacing over the last two decades.

Stradlin, like Rose, declined to show up when Guns N’ Roses was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in April.by:chad childers

Van Halen ‘Babysitter’ Recalls His Years

’70s and ’80s were a time of excess if you were a part of a band on tour. And though we are confident that excess still exists in various forms today, any hi-jinx that bands get up to these days probably pale in comparison to what Ted Cohen has seen courtesy of Van Halen.
Now retired, Cohen was a Warner Music Group staffer, sharing private jets with Fleetwood Mac, having Prince drop by his house and serving as first-hand witness to the break-up of the Sex Pistols.
In a recent interview with the LA Weekly, Cohen details his experiences of being a glorified babysitter to Van Halen when they were first starting out. Eager to test the meddle of Cohen, the young Van Halen group burst into his hotel room in Madison, Wi. on the first night of their world tour and promptly decided that the room’s furniture looked better on the street below than it did in the hotel room.
Cohen would spend much time with Van Halen during their meteoric rise to fame. His interview is a revealing one, detailing, among other things, Eddie Van Halen’s hesitancy about having Valerie Bertinelli as well as his perception that Bertinelli “believed Eddie Van Halen should receive the lion’s share of the credit for the band’s triumphs, whereas Roth was essentially expendable.”
Cohen however shares a much different view of Roth’s role within the band, stating “David was an integral part of the band’s success. He was brilliant.”

Cohen’s interview with LA Weekly is in advance of Van Halen’s Staples Center shows on June 1 and June 9.bykenkelley