Opiate For the Masses Week: Day 3 "Dead Underground"

The music started out as a dumb, four-chord progression with chromatic climbs, set to a shuffle a la AFI's "Silver and Cold" or something from Danzig. The sleazy "Thin Lizzy" guitar harmonies came after the vocals had been worked out further. The solo was written and played pretty much on the fly with my band and the producer standing around me saying, "do something cool here". My approach was to keep it way simple and milk the shit out of those sleazy bends. It definitely calls for Jim (our guitarist/programmer) to climb out on a platform and make guitar faces every night when he hits those notes live. - more on this story

Rocker Bangs Head Too Hard, Goes Blind

antiMusic reports: What follows is a cautionary tale to always leave the headbanging to the professionals unless you want to go blind! Blabbermouth has the tale of emo-woe: The bass player for the Edinburgh, United Kingdom-based "emo-esque metal" band The Day I Vanished has gone partially blind after headbanging too much at a gig.

Richard Allan, 21, felt his eyesight go blurry after his show on Friday night and assumed he had been dazzled by stage lights.

But the bass player had actually torn his retina as he jumped around the stage to his band's tunes. Now Allan faces emergency surgery and the possibility of wearing an eye patch. - more on this story

Village People Singer Hospitalized

bbc reports: Former Village People lead singer Victor Willis is recovering a in hospital following vocal cord surgery.

Willis, the band's original policeman, had surgery at a San Diego, California, hospital on Monday to remove nodules from his vocal cords.

His spokeswoman said the 57-year-old would be postponing his tour, but was expected to reschedule the dates. - more on this story

$1500 For Free Bon Jovi Tix

Sleazeroxx reports: Bon Jovi's concert in Central Park this Saturday is free. But that isn't stopping some scalpers from selling tickets for as much as $1,500 a pair -- despite a warning they cannot be resold.

New York City has distributed 60,000 tickets, with each person limited to two freebies. The performance is billed as a prelude to the July 15th All-Star baseball game, which will highlight the final season at Yankee Stadium.

The New York Post reports that it found 267 listings for tickets on eBay Monday. Prices ranged from 99 cents to $1,500 a pair. - more on this story

Old Lady Porn From B-52s Singer?

Jam! reports: B-52s singer Kate Pierson is at the centre of a nude photo scandal after a picture of a woman purported to be the star appeared online.

A woman strongly resembling the 60-year-old singer is shown smiling as she poses fully naked on a bed in the image, which has appeared on a number of websites.

According to PerezHilton.com, the Love Shack singer's photo was snapped by a former lover who fell out with the star
- more on this story

Bouncer Attacks Singer

Metal Underground reports: Luke Kenny, lead singer of the Australian act The Berzerker, has claimed that he was assaulted by a bouncer at The Underworld club in Camden, North London, last wednesday (2nd July).

Apparently, the incident happened as Kenney was returning to the stage after singing in the crowd.

He is currently considering whether or not to press charges. Footage of his reaction after the incident can be viewed - here

Music Biz Has A Death Wish

Reuters reports: Tomorrow's headline: The RIAA killed the radio star. Some might say that greed breeds stupidity. A perfect case in point is the music business, who seem to take every opportunity to shoot themselves in the foot. Their latest move is to have the politicians they purchased push through a bill that may kill one of their most effective methods of promoting their artists: Radio! On the other hand this is great news for fans of Talk Radio as the music biz seems content to try and kill off music on the dial. Great to see Congress spending time on issues important to all Americans. Billboard has the report:

Chances appear slim that Congress will vote this year on legislation requiring terrestrial radio stations to pay artists and labels performance royalties to play their recordings. Nonetheless, signs are emerging that the recording industry is making some headway in its precedent-breaking fight to extract new royalty payments from broadcasters.

A resounding voice vote June 27 by the House Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property in favor of the legislation sent the Performance Rights Act to the full House Judiciary Committee. - more on this story

Jimi Hendrix Estate Fails To "Prove It's Not Jimi" In Sex Video

Vivid reports: The estate of rock and roll legend Jimi Hendrix has flunked a challenge to prove that a controversial video depicting him in a sexual escapade with two women is not really him, according to Vivid Entertainment, which released the DVD in May.

Vivid co-chairman Steven Hirsch said his offer of $100,000 to Experience Hendrix, LLC ("Experience Hendrix") expired after 60 days because the company of the legendary guitarist failed to offer verifiable proof that Hendrix is not the "star" of "Jimi Hendrix The Sex Tape."

Vivid had offered the money after Experience Hendrix – which is owned by his heirs - publicly denied the tape actually showed Hendrix having sex with two unidentified brunettes. - more on this story

Nate Dogg Facing Felony Stalking Charges, Nickleback Ink Live Nation Deal, Shudder To Think Reunion Tour, Down IV?, Bjork Sick, Road Kills and more

antiMusic reports: Today's Running Out of Patience Meter® reading: it has been 5,342 days since the last new Guns N' Roses album was released. Now on to today's quicks: Los Angeles prosecutors have filed felony charges against Nate Dogg, who authorities suspect threatened and stalked his wife. The rapper, whose real name is Nathaniel Dwayne Hale, was charged yesterday (July 7). more

As expected, Live Nation has entered into a long-term global partnership with Nickelback, following closely on the heels of a multi-rights deal notched with Shakira. A source confirms the deal is worth in the $50-$70 million range. more

New York rock act Shudder To Think has unveiled plans for a short fall reunion tour. The run will begin with a previously announced Aug. 10 set at the Virgin Mobile Festival in Baltimore and also includes a previously announced Oct. 25 appearance at the Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans. Eight other shows are on tap through early November. more details and the dates

Although their latest album came out less than a year ago, posts on Downboard.com report that Down is rumored to have a fourth album planned. According to a post, the name of the new record will be called "Down IV," and it will be released sometime next year if the band "doesn't start recording" before 2010. more

Bjork has announced the cancellation of another upcoming performance due to a "bug" she's been battling. A statement posted today (July 8) on Bjork's website reads: "Sadly, due to medical issues with her voice, has to cancel the show in Helsinki.

The Kills have announced that they will tour the US with The Raconteurs later this summer and into the autumn. The London duo are also set to play a handful of festival dates more

Could a LA music venue soon be going the way of CBGBs? Seems the asshats in Los Angeles want to shut down one of the nicest music venues in the Hollywood area. In fact, it's one of the few "famed" venues in the town that isn't pretty much a dump. Not the Key Club, but the Knitting Factory. Get a laugh at their reasoning here

Century Media Records have inked a deal with British quintet Architects, and will reissue the band's sophomore effort, Ruin, on August 5th in North America. - more

Smashing Tour Plans

FMQB reports: Smashing Pumpkins have announced an update on their 2008 tour plans. The band will tour the U.S. in August "for fun and will consist of unique sets and songs."

Then a 20th anniversary tour will take place in November, with dates confirmed in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, and more cities to come.

The recently-announced "Gish tour," celebrating the Pumpkins' debut album, has been pushed back to 2009. - more on this story

Springsteen Charity EP Tracklisting and Guest List

Sony reports: Columbia Records will release Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's 'Magic Tour Highlights' on July 15 via all digital download stores, including the iTunes Store. The release will consist of four audio tracks with four accompanying videos, all recorded live in concert during the 'Magic' tour.

Bob Clearmountain mixed and Bob Ludwig mastered the songs. Frequent Springsteen collaborator and GRAMMY and Emmy Award-winner Thom Zimny edited the videos. On sales of these downloads, the artists, songwriters, and music publishers are waiving all of their royalties, and Columbia Records is donating all of its net profits, to the Danny Federici Melanoma Fund. The iTunes Store is donating their first year's net profits as well.

'Magic Tour Highlights' Track Listing: 1. "Always A Friend" (performed with Alejandro Escovedo) Recording Date: 04/14/2008 (Houston, Texas) 2. "The Ghost of Tom Joad" (performed with Tom Morello) Recording Date: 04/07/2008 (Anaheim, California) 3. "Turn Turn Turn" (performed with Roger McGuinn) Recording Date: 04/23/2008 (Orlando, Florida) 4. "4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" (Danny Federici's final performance with the E Street Band) Recording Date: 03/20/2008 (Indianapolis, Indiana) - Tune in to www.brucespringsteen.net for download information on July 15!

Taj Mahal and Booker T. Jones To Head Blues Festival

conqueroo reports: Blues and world music legend Taj Mahal and Booker T. Jones will co-headline the Sunday, August 31 show of the Long Beach Blues Festival. In addition, Stax soul veteran Eddie Floyd has been added to the Sunday roster. The festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, August 30-31 in its breezy new oceanfront home, the Rainbow Lagoon at Linden Ave. and Shoreline Dr. adjacent to the Long Beach Marina. Previously booked Sly & the Family Stone cancelled their appearance at the festival, according to the festival's co-producers Bill Silva Presents and Rum & Humble.

One of the most prominent figures in late 20th century blues, singer/multi-instrumentalist Taj Mahal played an enormous role in revitalizing and preserving traditional acoustic blues. Not content to stay within that realm, Mahal soon broadened his approach, taking a musicologist's interest in a multitude of folk and roots music from around the world — reggae and other Caribbean folk, jazz, gospel, R&B, zydeco, various West African styles, Latin, even Hawaiian. The African-derived heritage of most of those forms allowed Mahal to explore his own ethnicity from a global perspective and to present the blues as part of a wider musical context. Yet while he dabbled in many different genres, he never strayed too far from his laid-back country blues foundation. - more on this story

Cartel Get All Wound Up With Wind-Up

Wind-Up reports: Wind-up Entertainment and the rock band Cartel have entered in to a number of agreements. The band's future recordings will be released by Wind-up Records. Additionally, the sale of all Cartel merchandise at on-line, retail, and touring points of sale will be handled by Wind-up Entertainment's Pronto Merch. Lastly, Cartel has entered in to an agreement with Wind-up Artist Development Corporation, Inc.

The Atlanta-based quintet, featuring Will Pugh (Vocals / Guitar), Joseph Pepper (Guitar), Nic Hudson (Guitar), Jeff Lett (Bass) and Kevin Sanders (Drums), self-released their first EP titled RANSOM in March, 2004. A deal with the Militia Group followed, and the CHROMA album was issued in 2005. Epic Records re-released the title in the summer of 2006, delivering a significant groundswell. The band's self-titled follow-up CARTEL followed in 2007. The band parted ways with the major label, opening the door for this alliance with Wind-up Entertainment.

Wind-up Entertainment President Ed Vetri shared, "In the continuing evolution of the music industry, Wind-up has been and continues to be a leader in developing a business model that forms true artist partnerships and provides for long term development. We believe that bands like Cartel, and deals like this, are the future of this business. We are excited to begin working with a group that has proven hard work, great songwriting, and a commitment to touring provides the basis for a long term career. We are excited to be in business with Cartel, and look forward to building on their already sizeable fan base." - more on this story

Joe Satriani Hitting The Road

PR reports: Joe Satriani, master of the electric guitar, will soon complete his "education" of the masses with the announcement of the American leg of his current world tour! Joe returns to North America opening in Calgary October 3rd and ending November 15th in California.

The tour will play 30 plus cities including Chicago, New York, Boston, Toronto, Cleveland, Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Los Angeles with more dates to be announced shortly. Satriani's tour will feature very special guest Mountain with Leslie West.

This most recent tour has been in support of one of Satriani's most exciting and unique albums to date, Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock. The U.S. portion follows successful tours of Europe, Australia, South and Central America, with sold out dates in London, Paris, Moscow, Milan, Amsterdam, and Sydney. - more on this story

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