Metallica and Rage in the UK

Blabbermouth reports: METALLICA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, SLIPKNOT, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, SERJ TANKIAN and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE have been confirmed for this year's Reading and Leeds Festivals, which will happen, as usual, in England over the August Bank holiday weekend — from Friday, August 22 to Sunday, August 24.

Three-day weekend tickets, including camping and parking, are priced at £155 each plus booking fee. Day tickets, which do not allow camping, are £65.

More acts performing across the six stages will be announced in the coming weeks. - more on this story

Dr Nick Cave

punknews.org reports: Australian native Nick Cave has been awarded an honorary doctorate degree by the Caulfield Campus of Monash University.

Cave was a student at the university but had dropped out in the 70s to start Boys Next Door which turned into the legendary The Birthday Party.

I'd come out of Caulfield Grammar School, which was very sports-orientated and to be interested in arts at the time was swimming upstream. To suddenly go into this environment where there were a lot of like-minded people talking about art was incredible for me. I sat around and talked with a lot of third year students in the park and didn't really hand in a lot of work… but what I learnt from those conversations was enormous. I'm eternally grateful that I failed because it pushed me into a different area. You learn what you love in those years. - more on this story

Tone Loc Plans Shows For Scammed Bars

AP reports: Tone Loc plans to play shows at two bars in the Detroit area that were swindled by a man posing as the rapper's manager.

Tone Loc will play April 11 at the Red Dog Saloon in Milford and April 12 at Bumpers in Westland, The Detroit Free Press reports.

Red Dog owner Patty McMillan gave about $400 last summer to a man posing as Tone Loc's manager who promised his client would perform at her bar. - wonder if the bars will serve up any funky cold madina? more on the story here

Sun Studio Sessions Hit The Web

PR reports: The legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, TN is bringing some of today's hottest acts, both signed and unsigned, into the very room that Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Howlin' Wolf and other greats made music history by quite literally ushering in the rock and roll era with their first hits all recorded at Sun.

Starting next Monday, April 7th, new webisodes of behind the scenes footage and song performances will "air" every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through the end of the year.

Sun may be an iconic brand, but this is very much a DIY effort and Sun is an independent as it was in the 1950s. You don't have to wait until next week, you can check out a preview webisode on their blog right now at - SunStudioSessions.com

Sean Levert RIP

E! reports: Sean Levert, son of O'Jays singer Eddie Levert and a member of the R&B trio LeVert, died suddenly Sunday after a brief illness. He was 39.

Levert, who passed away at Lutheran Hospital in Cleveland, had been barely one week into a one-year, 10-day jail sentence in Cuyahoga County for failing to pay child support.

An autopsy conducted Monday found no signs of trauma and ruled out foul play, but results were inconclusive, meaning a final report on the cause of death won't be available for four to six weeks pending the outcome of toxicology tests, according to the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office. - more on this story

Tourniquet Lose Member

antiMusic reports: Guitarist Aaron Guerra of Tourniquet has announced that he is leaving the band to focus on his family. Here is what he had to say:

I am passing along the news to everyone that I have stepped down as the guitarist of Tourniquet. I am unable to continue in my role as Tourniquet's guitarist and still focus on my family the way I need to.

I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Luke, Ted, Steve and all of the great fans and friends that I have shared many wonderful moments with. Thanks again for everything and God bless you all. - more on this story

Ladytron Preview

antiMusic reports: Ladytron will be hitting the road with Norwegian duo Datarock in late-May/June in support of their new album Velocifero which hits stores in June but we have a sneak peak for you right now.

Before we get to the song link, here is a little PR on CD: Discovering a happy medium between the world of electronica and rock is never an easy undertaking, and Liverpool quartet, Ladytron are back with their most ear-grabbing offering to date. Velocifero, the band's fourth studio album, easily transcends the usual confines of electro-pop and rock with their fresh interpretation of distorted soul.

Labyrinthine layering of rhythms, effects and synth patterns, as the dual vocals of Helen Marnie and Mira Aroyo navigate their way through, the new album is a diverse yet cohesive journey of sound that will ultimately lead you to the dance floor. Self produced with assistance from Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails) and Vicarious Bliss (Ed Banger Records), Velocifero drops June 3rd, but you can get a sneak peak at - "Black Cat" right now!

Marc Broussard Inks with Atlantic

PR reports: Atlantic Records welcomes a new addition to its storied roster, acclaimed singer/songwriter Marc Broussard.

The Louisiana-based bayou soul troubadour will make his label debut with "MUST BE THE WATER," his first collection of all-new songs since 2004's breakthrough "CARENCRO."

"MUST BE THE WATER" is highlighted by the fuel-injected title track, which is currently serving as the theme for TNT's on-air promotions of the 2008 NBA All-Star festivities, set to air live from New Orleans, LA. - Marc Broussard is currently on tour, grab the dates here

A Common Prayer for Phil Vassar

PR reports: Award-winning singer-songwriter Phil Vassar will make his Universal Records South debut on April 22nd with Prayer Of A Common Man, his fourth studio album. Produced by Mark Wright (Gretchen Wilson, Brooks & Dunn, Lee Ann Womack), the record finds Vassar - hailed by Jimmy Webb as "an awesome pianist, performer and songwriter" - adding several more layers of artistic expression to his deepening repertoire.

Lead single "Love is a Beautiful Thing," written by friends Craig Wiseman and Jeffrey Steele, is already a Top 10 hit at country radio and the accompanying video - made with the help of a few thousand of Vassar's fans - is in heavy rotation at CMT and medium rotation at GAC.

Vassar will play a special acoustic show at his home, which will be broadcast on 20 radio stations across the U.S. on April 28th. On a personal note, Phil recently teamed up with Clorox to raise awareness of one of his favorite charities, America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network, through the company's ongoing "Wipe Out" campaign. Ads featuring Vassar will run in Country Weekly and on GAC TV in May. - tracklisting and tour dates

Johnathan Rice Taking Over Spaceland

PR reports: Fresh off his stint with Matt Costa, Johnathan Rice is back to his adopted home of Los Angeles for a month-long residency at Spaceland.

The Silver Lake music hotspot will find Johnathan taking the stage every Monday night in April. While the venue is 21 and over, the festivies are free to all!

In case you can't make it to Los Angeles anytime soon... see the link below the dates for an awesome deleted scene from the Johnny Cash biopic, Walk The Line, featuring a fresh-faced, Johnathan Rice playing a young Roy Orbison for your viewing pleasure.

April Residency
4/7 Los Angeles CA - Spaceland
4/14 Los Angeles CA - Spaceland
4/21 Los Angeles CA - Spaceland
4/28 Los Angeles CA – Spaceland

- "You're My Baby" video

Bitter Sweet Drama

PR reports:
Los Angeles-based duo Bitter:Sweet will release their sophomore album Drama (Quango) in June 2008 via Fontana/Universal. Drama is the highly-anticipated follow-up to 2006's critically-acclaimed The Mating Game, which The Los Angeles Times describes as "the best album of its kind since Portishead's Dummy was released more than a decade ago."

Drama is a richly textured exploration that pushes Bitter:Sweet in new sonic directions, while retaining the lovable rhythms and hooks that brought them to the forefront of electronic music. From the jazzy, dark "Drink You Sober" to the dream-like voyage of "A Moment" to the intense, luscious hook of "Waking Up," Drama highlight's Shana Halligan's dexterous and impassioned vocal capabilities and Kiran Shahani's keen ear for cadence and production.

"The Bomb," the first single off Drama is already garnering national attention as the theme song for NBC's popular television comedy, "Lipstick Jungle." However, this is not the first song the duo has had on both the big and small screen – songs from their debut album The Mating Game appear on numerous hit shows including "Grey's Anatomy," "Nip/Tuck," "Desperate Housewives," and "Entourage," and films including The Devil Wears Prada and Shoot 'Em Up. Bitter:Sweet has also had their music featured in commercials for Victoria's Secret, Korbel and Bebe. - Bitter:Sweet Space

The Modey Lemon Return

PR reports: Pittsburgh's most loved sons, The Modey Lemon, rip through 3 years of silence with their new record, Season Of Sweets, which will hit stores on June 17th. With one foot in the sci-fi darkness of their last record THE CURIOUS CITY, one foot in their past garage angst-ridden wreckage and one foot in the Krautrock brilliance of the German Frontier (three feet?) Season Of Sweets is a fuzzed out, driving masterpiece with catchy hooks beaten to death by guitar/synth mayhem and the anchor of Paul Quattrone's drums of passion.

As primitive as it is futuristic, Modey Lemon is recreating the present, molecule by molecule, every second of every breath. The Trio from Pittsburgh returns with another helping of sugary sweetness that rots your teeth and leaves you wanting more. Recorded during the dead of winter in Pittsburgh, PA, at the Brass Factory and mixed and recorded by Jason Kirker, member and principal noisemaker.

The last 2 years have been very interesting for the band. After signing with Mute, recording in the UK and playing the granddaddy of all venues, The Fillmore, opening for Dinosaur Jr., the band took some time away to regroup and work on new material. The result is SEASON OF SWEETS. - more on this story

American Babies ReDebut

PR reports: Like all brilliant, beautifully rendered albums, American Babies' new release washes over you with wit, wisdom and tenderness. For the self-titled debut, re-released April 1, 2008 on SCI Fidelity Records, Philadelphia-bred front man and songwriter Tom Hamilton has combined his urbane mindset with the country music of his childhood, creating work that places him alongside career artists like Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst, and Jeff Tweedy. The buzz is already on.

American Babies was silently self-released by the band a year ago. But the secret soon spread. Together for a little more than a year, American Babies have already landed several influential gigs, including much-talked-about performances at Philly's World Music Café, Chicago's Wicker Park Festival and Bonnaroo. In addition, American Babies have become "next-big-thing" darlings for such prestigious showcases as the Paste/OurStage South by Southwest Opening Night Party at Stubb's and the Rhapsody/CMJ Conference Kickoff Event. The chemistry and magical X-factor this band possesses is already apparent, even contagious. - more on this story

CMT Presenters

PR reports: A star-studded line-up of presenters has been added to the 2008 CMT MUSIC AWARDS including Jason Aldean, Jewel, Josh Turner, Miranda Lambert, Montgomery Gentry, Reba McEntire, comedian Rodney Carrington, Sara Evans, Taylor Swift, The Eagles' Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmidt and actor Tim Daly (ABC's "Private Practice").

CMT favorites including hosts Katie Cook and Lance Smith, Bobby Brown, John Rich and Maureen McCormick of the hit series GONE COUNTRY and Tom Arnold, host of CMT's MY BIG REDNECK WEDDING, as well as judge Naomi Judd and host Rossi Morreale of the new CMT series CAN YOU DUET will also serve as presenters.

CMT's seventh annual awards show airs live from Nashville's Curb Event Center at Belmont University on Monday, April 14 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT* on CMT and CMT.com.
Hosted by music's hottest father and daughter, Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus, the 2008 CMT MUSIC AWARDS will include performances by Carrie Underwood, Sugarland, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Taylor Swift, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban and Brooks & Dunn with a special performance by Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus. The 2008 CMT MUSIC AWARDS continues to be the genre's only fan-voted awards. - more on this story

.... Jay-Z Classic Albums DVD

The Classic Album series takes a great look at how this record came to be, complete with interviews with Jay and everybody connected with the creative process. This is a great look at one of the most important rap albums of all time. Definitely recommended. - Read the full Jay-Z Classic Albums DVD review

.... Pithy Reviews April

Zane gives us pithy reviews of new releases from Chris Stills- The New Amsterdams- Jesca Hoop- Kuwahara- The Yum Yum Tree- Lachlan Horne - Read the full Pithy Reviews April: Chris Stills- The New Amsterdams- Jesca Hoop- Kuwahara- The Yum Yum Tree- Lachlan Horne review

.... End of Level Boss - Inside the Difference Engine

End of Level Boss is one of those odd bands who combine many seemingly disparate parts into a newly conceived whole. Fresh in scope plus highly unusual to boot, Inside the Difference Engine revels in its glorious strangeness and makes for a wild ride. - Read the full End of Level Boss - Inside the Difference Engine review

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