Kiss My Trixter Tribute

Though Vinnie Vincent himself has not released any new material in over a decade, "KISS MY ANKH" will pay tribute to the undeniable musical legacy of the former Kiss guitarist. Vinnie's compositions are widely regarded as a highlight of the Kiss catalog and remain a staple of the live Kiss set list. Included on the tribute will be selections from the three Kiss albums to which Vinnie contributed, as well as the two albums he released with the Vinnie Vincent Invasion. Additional artists and track listings will be announced as they are confirmed. "KISS MY ANKH: A Tribute To Vinnie Vincent" is scheduled for a Summer 2008 release. - Check the sample here

Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart Announces Tour and DVDs

PR reports: Grateful Dead drummer and percussionist Mickey Hart will launch a 20 city tour this summer including appearances at many of the nation's premiere music festivals. The outing comes on the heels of the Shout! Factory releases of The Mickey Hart Collection and the Rhythm Devils Concert Experience DVDs due this summer. The Mickey Hart Band will feature Steve Kimock on guitar, George Porter Jr on bass, Jen Durkin on vocals, Walfredo Reyes Jr. on drums, and talking drum master Sikiru.

After headlining appearances at Harmony Festival in Santa Rosa on June 6 and Wakarusa on June 8, the group will head out on an 18 city trek beginning July 3 at the Rothbury Festival in Michigan and continuing through July 24 at 10,000 Lakes Festival in Minnesota. The shows will feature the Robert Hunter-penned songs debuted by the Rhythm Devils in 2006 including "Fountains of Wood," "The Center" and "Your House," in addition to Grateful Dead staples such as "New Speedway Boogie" and "Fire on The Mountain."

The two disc Rhythm Devils DVD filmed in Chicago during their fall tour in 2006 is packaged in a hard bound book and features all of the Rhythm Devils originals as well as a stunning version of "7 Seconds" all in 5.1 surround sound. Disc two offers a combination of interviews and behind the scenes footage giving fans the opportunity to watch the band rehearse. - more on this story

Drudgery EP

PR reports: Guelph, Ontario based grind/hardcore act Drudgery has signed with Year of the Sun Records for the release of their upcoming debut EP, "Rust". Drudgery is the new project spearheaded by drummer Matt Connell (Ex-F**k The Facts, Exhumed) and also features Steve Ferraro, formerly of Dear Black Diary.

"This band started as a side project back in 2006 and we wound up with a collection of tunes we were all really stoked on," comments Connell. "We've had this tracked for a while now, and we're glad to have it done and for people to hear it."

"When listening to Drudgery you really get that raw old school vibe and it shows on this record" states label head Chris Benn. "When the band approached me with the 'Rust' recording, everything about it was straight up and in your face. From the tracks right down to the artwork, you could tell it was a no nonsense kind of record." - The group has posted new tracks online here

Cinematic Minimalist Art Rock?

PR reports: Art Rock gets a minimalist makeover when London-based CIAM release their debut record Anonymous this summer. The brainchild of vocalist/guitarist Jeff Shapiro and viola/violinist Hadar Goldman, CIAM create cinematic music with a sleek rock edge.

With nods to the seminal art rockers Velvet Underground and more recent British counterparts Radiohead, Anonymous is a collection of densely-layered musical instrumentation, alternately complex and refined rock for the progressive listener.

There's dark humor here too - the Eastern sounding electric violin and cello of "It Takes A Friend (To Bring You Down)" smirk mercilessly at the protagonist's plight, while the plaintive bass melody of "The Journey", sends the listener into an intricate phalanx of acoustic and wah-wah guitars. It's a highly developed and intelligent record, extraordinarily assured for a debut album. Every song will be matched with a cinematic representation, the first being "Here I Am", which may be viewed now - right here

Indie Bands Invited To Rock Against Diabetes

PR reports: To celebrate the bringing of music to a global audience, in an online HD broadcast, Rock Against Diabetes has decided to find the opening act where else, but on the music Social Networks of the internet.

Myspace, Facebook, Garageband, PureVolume and the multitude of other musical communities will be invited to submit their music, and videos to Rock Against Diabetes to be judged, and pared down to a Top 10, that will be judged by a panel of musicians, promoters, television personalities and industry giants. - more on this story

Favorite Guitarists of All Time

antiMusic reports: Everyone loves polls, except Kenny "I'll Slag The Fans That Voted For Me" Chesney. Music polls are even better when your favorite musicians get to pick their favorite musicians! Such is the following story from the good folks at Blabbermouth: Thiago Sarkis of Roadie Crew magazine organized a poll in which 330 guitarists were asked about their favorite guitarists of all time.

Among the participants in the poll were current and former members of such bands as Guns N' Roses, Kiss, Machine Head, Nightwish, Megadeth, Scorpions, Testament, Arch Enemy, King Diamond, Sepultura, Dio, Twisted Sister, Kamelot and Down.

The results of the poll — published in the new issue of Roadie Crew (#112) — are as follows: 01. Jimi Hendrix 02. Eddie Van Halen 03. Yngwie J. Malmsteen 04. Randy Rhoads 05. Ritchie Blackmore 06. Jimmy Page 07. Tony Iommi 08. Steve Vai 09. Jeff Beck 10. Michael Schenker - Did your favorite make the cut? Find the rest of the list here

Green Day Kick off Alter Ego Tour

NME reports: Green Day played their first official gig in nearly three years last night (May 19) as their not-so secret alter egos The Foxboro Hot Tubs made their live debut at Juanita's Cantina Ballroom in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Following two friends-only warm-up shows, Billie Joe Armstrong - who introduced himself as the "Reverend Strychnine Twitch" – declared the show the "official kick-off" of the Foxboro Hot Tubs' tour.

Official or not, the band played a stirring set, playing all 13 of the Foxboro Hot Tubs garage rock inspired songs and several covers. Grab a Pabst Blue Ribbon and - read NME's blow by blow here

Rock Stars Ask For Some Stupid Crap

antiMusic reports: Rock Stars Ask For Some Stupid Crap. If you've ever seen a leaked tour rider, then you know this is true. But one band took that concept and had a bit of fun with promoters with a rider that is riddled with humorous requests and statements like mandating that fat roadies eat first so they can start their arduous 70 to 90 minute work day and also advising that they wouldn't take any Dio leftovers.

That's just part of the humor found in the Foo Fighters tour rider, which The Smoking Gun leaked last week. In the rider we learn that on most days Rolling Stone, Spin and People are strictly verboten because they want promoters to show that they have a brain and fantastic interests. They also demand 75 pounds of ice and advise that "if you have McDonalds, Best Buy and porno, then you gotta have ice." They even offer a handy recipe for making ice. As if that was enough, they tell promoters to feel free to shoplift some cool Ikea furniture for the dressing room.

According to TSG's intro, the Foo Fighters rider "was written by Gus Brandt, the band's 39-year-old tour manager. Noting that many riders can be 'long and boring,' Brandt told TSG that he injected humor into the document, since he has to make the rider 'interesting to the woman in Oklahoma City who has to go out and get the hummus.' Caterers say they love the rider, Brandt said, adding, 'that let's me know they are reading it.' And any extra good will resulting from the rider can only benefit the band, said Brandt, since there is 'no mystique' backstage, where drab locker rooms often 'smell like feet and balls.'" - Read the rider in full, it's a long read but worth the effort is you have a sense of humor

Nas Drops N*igger Title, Linkin Art, Russia Slaying Delayed, Ticketbastard, Offspring Reissues, Slipknot Tour, Iced Earth, Janet Jackson, Brian Wilson and more quicks

antiMusic reports: Who said Tuesdays are slow news days? We have more than a few quicks for you, so let's get started: Apparently Nas got enough controversial press mileage over his "intention" to call his new album N*gger. So he has been changed to an untitled project and will be released July 1 via Def Jam. So report that it will actually be a self-titled effort. "It's important to me that this album gets to the fans," the rapper says. "It's been a long time coming." he had more to say about it

Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda will hold an art show at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles from July 12 to August 3. Commented Mike: "Thanks to all of you that have supported my art and asked when I'll be doing another art show... I'm proud to announce the opening of a new solo exhibition.more

Metal legends Slayer have postponed their scheduled June 25th show in Moscow, Russia due to "production reasons." Russian metalheads, dont worry, Slayer has announced a make-up show set for November 29 more

Tickbastard is getting ready to cut out the paper part of tickets entirely—at least the sort of paper that you bring with you to the show, i.e. the same sort that can get lost, or resold by "secondary market" types who aren't part of the Ticketmaster-approved secondary market TicketExchange. The idea behind TicketMaster's new plan, which it's debuting at Tom Waits' galaxy-mapped tour this summer. more details How long before they start charging you for the "convenience" of not having paper tickets?

The Offspring have announced that they will reissue two of their classic albums next month. The California punk rockers will put out digitally remastered versions of 1992's 'Ignition' and 1994's 'Smash' via Epitaph on June 17 to coincide with the US release of their new forthcoming album 'Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace'. more

Slipknot will be returning to the UK, Austria and Germany this August. The band will be appearing at this year's Reading and Leeds Festivals alongside none other than TENACIOUS D and METALLICA. more

It's official Iced Earth will return to the home of their most frenzied fanbase in Europe and the world - Greece - on July 20, 2008 at the Lycabettus Theater in Athens. more

Janet Jackson's tour opens in Vancouver, British Columbia on September 10 and includes dates in New York and Washington, and is Jackson's first in seven years. While only a few dates have been announced for the tour, Jackson expects to take the "Misnamed Genre for Illiterates" aka "Rock Witchu" tour worldwide. Jam! advises that the lame tour name came from a song on her new album, not for her brother Michael's famous hit. To which we have to ask, didn't she steal the song title from Michael? What she had to say about finally returning to the road

After issuing his recent work on Rhino and Nonesuch, Beach Boys principal Brian Wilson has returned to Capitol Records for the release of his next album, "That Lucky Old Sun." The set is due Sept. 2. more

Leng Tch'e singer Boris Cornelissen has decided to leave the band. Cornelissen has issued the following: "After four of the coolest and craziest years of my life, I've decided to quit my activities in Leng Tch'e. A difficult decision, considering the fact that I really loved the shows/touring and hanging out with these guys. However, I came to a point in my life where other things start to matter. more

Topanga Days Fair announces final line up for the Memorial Day Weekend. Marc Ford, Jordan Zevon were just added to the lineup which also features Chevy Metal (Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins TIM EASTON, Johnathan Rice, Shurman, Gary Louris, Chris Laterzo & Buffalo Robe The Living Sisters (feat. Inara George, Eleni Mandell and Becky Stark), Spindrift, Everest and Many Others

Finland's biggest heavy metal band. 'Teräsbetoni', will represent Finland at this year's Eurovision at Belgrade, Serbia on 24th May. This is the second time since 2006 since a heavy metal band has represented Finland at Eurovision ('Lordi' won Eurovision for Finland in 2006). Teräsbetoni will perform the hit single 'Missä Miehet Ratsastaa' (aka 'Where All The Men Ride Forth'), taken from their No.1 best-selling album 'Myrskyntuoja'. more

A judge on Monday denied a new trial for a Santa Monica-based air charter service that was ordered to pay $20.25 million for secretly videotaping Michael Jackson and his lawyers as they flew to the pop star's surrender on molestation charges in 2003.

Here is WYSP's Monkeyboy with today's Red Lasso clip of the day: Switchfoot performs 'This Is Home' on the Tonight Show 5/13/2008. - Watch it here

Thousands Vie For Velvet Revolver Gig

Blabbermouth reports: Matt Sorum has had a busy couple of weeks between launching his boutique and paying tribute to bandmate Slash at a recent MusiCares benefit. But he also told The Pulse of Radio that the search for a new Velvet Revolver singer is moving forward.

"It's coming along," he said. "People are sending stuff in. The first time we were looking for a singer it was a little tougher, 'cause people didn't really know what we were doing musically, I guess. So this time it's gotten out of control, especially with the Internet and things like that, we've got just thousands and thousands of people coming at us with, you know, auditions."

Velvet Revolver parted ways with vocalist Scott Weiland last month following a European tour. Weiland has now reunited with Stone Temple Pilots. - more on this story

Napster Takes on iTunes with 6 Million DRM Free MP3s

Reuters reports: Napster Inc., the digital music service, on Tuesday opened the world's biggest MP3 download store with more than 6 million songs in a direct challenge to Apple Inc's iTunes store.

The new Web-based music store will have digital songs from all major music labels as well as thousands of independent labels.

The new Napster service tries to take on Apple's dominance in digital music by offering fans more songs without copy protection or digital rights management (DRM).
- more on this story

. The Biz: Madonna Like A Scalper

Madonna is a one-of-a-kind elite celebrity- she's famous amongst famous people, a rarity in this industry. However, her prices are out of line and putting unsold tickets on StubHub is a slap in the face to everyone who has ever bought one of her record. - Read the full Madonna Like A Scalper op/ed

. Progressive Nation Tour

In a testament to the genre's staying power and potential for innovation, four bands from all arenas of the scene delivered a remarkable, fresh, and exciting concert experience for all involved. Progressive Nation Tour with 3, Between the Buried and Me, Opeth, Dream Theater - Read the full Progressive Nation Tour review

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