Billy Morrison Week: Day 1 "Rush"

The CD is out now digitally on iTunes and limited edition hard copy CD is available exclusively from - www.billymorrison.net

Slash Seeking Velvet Voice Online

antiMusic reports: If you see a advertisement online stating "generic 90s sounding singer wanted," it might be your chance to replace Scott Weiland, as Slash has told Billboard that Velvet Revolver plans to audition potential singers online. We are just kidding about the generic thing, Slash actually says they aren't quite sure what they want in a singer yet.

Here is part of the Billboard report: "The band is actually talking about building a Web site [and] doing some auditions via that, so that's been something that's developing at this point," Slash explains, noting that it should be happening "in the next month or so."

Slash adds that he doesn't yet have anyone in mind for Weiland's replacement. "We're at that point of just listening to different things... it's one of those kind of situations where you can't really explain it to anybody because you'll know it when you hear it. So I'm waiting to get that feeling of, 'Yeah that's it.' " - Read the full Billboard article

Queen Retirement Tour?

antiMusic reports: Queen's Brian May sat down with his own website for an interview about the forthcoming Queen and Paul Rodgers album and tour. During the chat he jokingly warned fans that this might be the last tour for the group.
BW&BK has part of the interview where May says, "We have to finish the new album, so there's still plenty to do between now and when the first gigs happen, but I'm sure we'll manage it all somehow. We always seem to. Who knows this might be the last tour, so you'd better come," he laughs.

Queen + Paul Rodgers' new album is being readied for release on September 1st. 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

Evanescence and Metallica Duet Shot Down

Blabbermouth reports: Evanescence singer Amy Lee has shot down rumors that she will be collaborating with Metallica on a song for the legendary heavy metal band's forthcoming ninth studio album, tentatively due this fall.

A couple of unsubstantiated reports involving Lee and Metallica have been making the rounds on the Internet, including that she will appear on a new version of the band's classic track "Fade to Black" and that she will be featured on a brand new Metallica song called "Last Life". However, according to Amy, neither one of them holds any water.

"I am NOT going to be collaborating with METALICA," Lee wrote in an online posting. "I have absolutely no idea where this rumor came from, but it is not true." - more on this story

Wilco Extend Tour Plans

Filter reports: Wilco have announced additional dates towards their forthcoming tour. The band will hit the summer festival circuit with stops at Lollapalooza and Outside Lands.

Low singer/guitarist, Alan Sparhawk will provide opening support under the side project, Retribution Gospel Choir.

It all kicks off at the end of the month at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, MN and will conclude on Auguest 24th at the Outside Lands Festival being held at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. - All the dates

My Morning Jacket Have Evil Urges

antiMusic reports: My Morning Jacket have set a release date for their new album, "Evil Urges," which will hit stores on June 10th. They'll also be musical guests on Saturday Night Live on May 10th. Here is a little info their PR people sent over:

The past several My Morning Jacket albums have each reflected the passion that the band shares for music of all categories while continuing to nurture their signature aesthetic. Stylistically, Evil Urges is the album that My Morning Jacket has been making for almost ten years. Their previous work has emboldened them with the confidence to continue to grow in ways few artists would be capable of achieving. Admirably, Jim James' songwriting manages to remain as organic and cohesive as ever, making their musical leaps forward fluid, logical, entertaining, and inspiring.

More than ever before, the band treated the studio itself as a musical instrument for the recording of Evil Urges. Thus co-producers Jim James and Joe Chiccarelli (The Shins, White Stripes) truly collaborated on the band's most ambitious and convincingly executed album to date. - Myspace page

Blunt, Crow and Toots Tour

PR reports: James Blunt has announced summer tour dates in support of his current album, "ALL THE LOST SOULS." Blunt will hit the road opening for Sheryl Crow on a 25 city tour beginning July 24th in Nashville, TN. Also joining them on the majority of dates will be Toots & the Maytals.

"I am really excited to be returning to the U.S. this summer," says Blunt. "The band and I really look forward to being on the road with such amazing artists as Sheryl Crow and Toots & the Maytals. It will be great fun!"

Blunt's last headlining tour of the U.S. was in February as part of his globe-spanning 2008 LOST SOULS TOUR. - dates

Tom Petty Reunites with First Band For CD and Tour

PR reports: The long awaited debut album from Mudcrutch, recorded in just two weeks last August, will be released on Reprise Records on April 29. Mudcrutch features Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Tom Leadon, and Randall Marsh.

In the early 70's, they were heroes in their hometown of Gainesville, Florida. Mudcrutch seemed poised for more. But the band never cracked the national music scene or made a full album. Now, more than 30 years later and quite unexpectedly, the Mudcrutch story continues.

In addition to the release of the album on April 29, the band will undertake a short tour of intimate California venues that started on April 12 in Malibu and ending with a four-night run at the 500 capacity Troubadour in Los Angeles. - dates, tracklisting and a link to a six song preview

RIP Hacienda Brother Chris Gaffney

antiMusic reports: Sad news from The Hacienda Brothers camp: Chris Gaffney, a beloved husband, revered entertainer, precious father, dear uncle, trusted friend, cherished brother has succumbed to liver cancer

Chris Gaffney passed away yesterday morning, April 17, 2008 in the Orange County hospital in California with his wife Julie at his side. He suffered a fall at home last night and died in his sleep after being admitted to the hospital. Further details are unavailable at this time. Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.

"Chris Gaffney grew up in Arizona, where he learned to play the accordion as a young child. The instrument would later influence the performer's mix of norteño with country and rock & roll. Gaffney eventually mastered guitar as well and spent his teen years gigging in cover and house bands. In 1977, he formed a partnership with keyboardist Wyman Reese, who also produced Gaffney's initial solo efforts. Road to Indio appeared in 1986; it featured 1950s rock, soul, and dusty Bakersfield honky tonk. Chris Gaffney & the Cold Hard Facts followed in 1990, and delved into Gaffney's Hispanic heritage. His third solo effort, Mi Vida Loca, was issued in 1992. Loser's Paradise appeared in 2003. The album was produced by blue-collar stalwart Dave Alvin and featured contributions from Lucinda Williams and Jim Lauderdale." – Johnny Loftus, AMG. Gaffney also recorded and toured extensively as a member of Dave Alvin & the Guilty Men. Gaffney & Alvin formed a bond of brotherhood that has been a cornerstone in each of their lives. - more on this story

Live Nation Expected To Make Big Announcement About Big Concert Tours

antiMusic reports: According to the folks over at Billboard, Live Nation will mostly likely announce the lion share of their biggest summer tours on Monday. Live Nation is to concert promoting what Ticketmaster is to ticket sales and what their broadcasting sibling, Clear Channel used to be to prefab commercial radio- The big boys on the block.

Monday's announcement may include tours for heavyweights like Eric Clapton, Jack Johnson, Radiohead, Rod Stewart, the Police, Jimmy Buffett, Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Kenny Chesney, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and James Taylor. All with proven drawing power. With that in mind, the Billboard article had this hopeful note for the 2008 concert season, "With Live Nation's tours, tours and concerts from AEG Live and other promoters, as well as a booming festival market, the live music business may see a return to record numbers after a disappointing 2007 that saw double-digit decreases in both attendance and dollars."

We, on the other hand, are a bit more cynical and think that the slowing economy and the addition of things like parking taxes to each ticket, may prevent the turn around that Billboard expects. It looks like the parking fees average $6.00 per ticket for events at Live Nation venues (at least the ones we checked). So if you and three friends buy tickets and go to the show together, what used to cost you maybe $10 for parking, now costs you $24.00. Great isn't it? We saw a Live Nation venue call this fee nominal. And here we naively thought that Live Nation had one goal of countering Ticketmaster's excessive charges. How silly of us. Stay tuned to December or early next January when the 2008 concert box office numbers come in and we***shock*** read that concert attendance was down once again! That's despite plenty of worthy concerts this summer to choose from. The economy isn't exactly doing that great, so every dollar counts and people have less dollars to spend this summer on things like concerts, so hiking fees at this time wasn't such a great idea. Oh well, the music biz at large seems to have an excess amount of feet to shoot. Plus Live Nation needs to pay for these big deals they have been making lately. - more on this story

Clapton, Knopfler, Robben Ford, Eric Johnson and Vince Gill Guest on Sonny Landreth CD

conqueroo reports: Sonny Landreth will release his ninth album, titled From The Reach and his first on his own Landfall Records label (distributed by Ryko Distribution), on May 20. On it, Landreth does something unprecedented in his body of work as he collaborates with five of the greatest guitar players on the planet — Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Robben Ford, Eric Johnson and Vince Gill — in some jaw-dropping performances. Also making appearances are the legendary New Orleans pianist and singer Dr. John and Margaritaville's iconic troubadour Jimmy Buffett.

"I've been wanting to make this kind of record for a long time —– to do an entire album that would feature some of my favorite players as special guests," says Landreth. "The other thing was how to do it without being yet another clichéd 'duets' album. Then I got the idea to write the songs specifically for each of the artists and that was the real hook for me, as a writer as well as a guitar player."

On the opener, "Blue Tarp Blues,' Sonny exchanges solos with Knopfler, and the aural contrast between Sonny's shimmering slide and the Dire Straits leader's biting Strat is a textural treat. Clapton appears to cut loose on "When I Still had You," adding his soulful voice to the choruses as well. Slowhand then wails on "Storm of Worry," a spooky slow blues reminiscent of his Bluesbreakers era. - more on this story

Deicide Vs Big Foot

PR reports: Glen Benton, vocalist and bassist for death metal legends DEICIDE, claims to have seen a Sasquatch or Bigfoot in a Florida state forest. In the latest issue of Terrorizer magazine, Glen tells the tale of one strange night in the middle of nowhere, where he believes he saw 'the Florida Sasquatch':

"I see this big f**kin' thing lurched down on the side of the road... It's this big grey thing... it f**kin' clears the road in one f**kin' leap, 'ROOOOAHHR!' then into the woods." Glen describes following the creature into the woods in his jeep: "This thing's snapping down trees left and right. All around was a smell like the inside of a dumpster... This thing looked like a primate of some sort. F**kin' huge eyes, but like part-orangutan and part-chimp."

After calling Florida Wildlife, the area was checked and tracks are said to have been found. GLEN's experience was documented as an official sighting. Was it really a Sasquatch that GLEN BENTON witnessed that night? One thing's for sure, it had to be something pretty weird for it to scare the man who some people call the Devil incarnate. - This is an interesting way to promote a new album release.

Def Leppard Map Out 08 Tour Plans

antiMusic reports: Def Leppard posted what appears to be their full tour plans for 2008. In fact, the announcement hammered home the fact that these are the only dates and don't ask for more! Here is what they had to say:

Below you will find all CONFIRMED Def Leppard show dates for 2008. Further details on presales and VIP packages will be added soon, and more dates for the 2008 tour will be posted when we get them.

At this time, we have NO other tour information than what is printed below. PLEASE do not ask us any questions about upcoming concerts, as we simply do not know or are not able/allowed to share any information. IF WE HAVE ANY MORE TOUR DETAILS TO SHARE, IT WILL BE PUBLISHED ON THIS PAGE. Any further information about future touring plans will not be disclosed through email or any other form of private messages. Please don't ask us if the band will be coming to your area. If we would be able to tell, it would be on this page. - wanna see those dates?

Testament Leak

PR reports: San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal legends Testament are currently streaming their entire new album, The Formation of Damnation, on the band's MySpace Page. The already-critically-acclaimed album is streaming exclusively on MySpace from April 18 to April 24.

The band will be the Featured Artist on MySpace internationally; United States, Germany, Brazil, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Holland, Austria, Switzerland, and India from April 18th until April 24th. MySpace Metal will also be featuring the band from April 21st through April 27th.

The Formation of Damnation is scheduled for release in North America on April 29 via Nuclear Blast Records. They're also heading out on tour with Judas Priest! Grab the tour dates and check out the album stream - right here

Hammerfall Hire New Guitarist and Announce DVD and Cover CD

BW&BK reports: Pontus Norgren from THE POODLES will be replacing Stefan Elmgren, who left HAMMERFALL in early April to focus on his new career as a pilot "Pontus is a fantastic guitar player with musical roots in ACCEPT and neo-classical metal," comments drummer Anders Johansson. "I have know him for many years, I know how he works as a musician and as a person."

On June 27 via Nuclear Blast Germany, two new HAMMERFALL releases will see the light of day: a DVD - continuing chronicling the band's career - and a cover CD - a collection of all the covers recorded by HF to date plus three new, unreleased ones. Incidentally, this will be guitarist Stefan Elmgren's last release with HammerFall. Detailed information follows:

Rebels With A Cause - Unruly, Unrestrained, Uninhibited (DVD): "The DVD will be a continuation of the previous two (The First Crusade and The Templar/Renegade Crusades) and contain newly recorded interviews with the band interspersed with footage from their own cameras. The time span is six years, from the beginning of 2002 til the end of 2007, and it's edited together as a documentary of sorts, i.e. one continuous film, but of course with chapters. - more on this story

Wait there is more!

[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Subscribe to Day in Rock Report by Email

Add the Day in Rock to your site/blog/Myspace

Read Day In Rock Reports From Other Days

Submit news or a press release to the Day In Rock report