Butch Walker Week: Day 3

Preview songs, learn more about Butch and his new the album and more right - here!

iPod Creator Leaves Apple, Motown Head Dies, Is Gene Simmons Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?, Country Legend Has Tumor Removed, Zappa Legend Dies and more

antiMusic reports: Since the focus of the world was on the U.S. election yesterday we have a short version of today's Day in Rock. We'll return to full strength tomorrow! For now here are today's quick stories: Tony Fadell, the man credited with creating the iPod and iPhone, is leaving Apple for personal reasons, according to the company. more

Former Motown president/CEO Jheryl Busby has died. The veteran label executive passed away on Tuesday (Nov. 4). Details about the cause of his death are forthcoming. The Los Angeles native was 59 years old.

KISS' bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons jams his way into the classroom for his charity, the Elizabeth Glazer Pediatrics AIDS Foundation on Fox TV's "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?" on the next episode. As his popular family looks on, Gene rocks the test and spirited fans cheer him on this atypical game more

Merle Haggard is recovering after having a malignant tumor removed from his lung. Friends said Monday's surgery at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital was a success and that the 71-year-old country crooner was in stable condition. more

Founding member of Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention, and self described "Indian Of The Group," drummer/vocalist Jimmy Carl Black has passed away November 1st, 2008 after a short battle with lung cancer. Black was 70.more

Morrissey has announced the release date of his new album, 'Years Of Refusal'. A statement on his True To You website confirmed that the 12-track album, produced by Jerry Finn, will be released on February 23. more

(Hed)pe have made their video for the track "Ordo Ab Chao" available online. The video was shot in Singing Springs Angeles National Forest with director Devin DeHaven (Busta Ryhmes, Method Man, Papa Roach). Go watch it

Light This City have posted another new song from their swansong album, 'Stormchaser,' on the band's MySpace page. "Beginning With Release" joins the previously-posted track "Sand And Snow" as two online previews from the 12-track album which will see a November 11 release through longtime home Prosthetic Records.

After Shadows Fall conclude touring this November, Jason and Paul are going to be doing some clinic dates for Tama and Ibanez. The band have also announced a string of live dates. All the details are here.

A woman who dated Phil Spector for four years testified Tuesday in his murder retrial that liquor transformed the legendary music producer into "a demon."more

Soul icon Lionel Richie has recruited R&B singer Akon and rapper Ne-Yo for his upcoming studio album. more

An American band has registered itself as a company as an alternative to signing a record deal. New York band Francis And The Lights have incorporated themselves and received an investment of $100,000 from the Normative Music Company rather than sign a conventional contract. more

Circuit City Stores Inc said it would close 155 U.S. stores and was considering all options to restructure in the face of a deteriorating cash position and tighter credit terms from vendors more

Detroit soul singer Nathaniel Mayer, who embarked on an unlikely comeback four years ago with the help of some young punk musicians, has died from complications following a series of strokes, his representatives said on Tuesday. He was 64. more

Manic Street Preachers have revealed that their next album will be released in April or May 2009 and feature lyrics left by Richey Edwards, who disappeared in 1995 and has never been found. In addition, the band are recording live to analogue tape with legendary producer Steve Albini at the helm more

Rock 'N' Roll publicist Bob Merlis will be honored with the 315th Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. The star will be unveiled at 445 N. Palm Canyon Drive at 4:00 pm on Saturday November 8, 2008.

Nightrage have announced they will head into the recording studio in February. Here part of their announcement: "As you know we are currently writing songs for our forthcoming album. It has now been confirmed that these songs will be recorded, produced, and mixed by our old friend Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman." - more on this story

Deftones Star In A Coma

Lambgoat reports: Deftones bassist Chi Cheng is reportedly in a coma following an automobile accident in Santa Clara, CA yesterday.

Details are limited thus far, but Deftones frontman Chino Moreno has issued the following statement:

"It deeply saddens me to inform you all that our brother Chi Cheng was involved in a terrible car accident last night. He is currently in a Northern California Hospital in serious, but stable condition." - more on this story

Stone Temple Pilots Add Dates

Day in Rock reports: Stone Temple Pilots has announced two more shows for this winter including a New Year's Eve show in Los Angeles.

Frontman Scott Weiland has stated that he is unsure of the bands future once the touring is complete.

The band are currently involved in a lawsuit with their record label, Atlantic, who claims that the band owes them three more albums.

The new dates are as follows:
Dec 31st - Club Nokia - Los Angeles, California
Jan 2nd - Pearl Concert Theatre - Las Vegas, Nevada

- Metal Underground

Zeppelin Have Always Been Crap?

BW&BK reports: Jack Bruce picked up the Classic Album gong for CREAM's Disraeli Gears at last night's Classic Rock awards. After the ceremony Classic Rock Magazine's Dave Ling grabbed Bruce for a quickfire interview – and was stunned when the legendary bassist launched into an extraordinary anti-LED ZEPPELIN tirade. An excerpt reads as follows:

Ling: The million dollar question: Are Cream going to do anything again? Bruce: "Oh yeah, I'm sure we will. But we'll have Todd Rundgren [who's just walked by] in the band by then."

Ling: It's good news that there might be more from Cream. Bruce: "Well, the trouble is that I'm doing so many amazing things on my own. Cream is just a band from many, many years ago, and we did do something [referring to the reunion shows in 2005]… Everybody talks about Led Zeppelin, and they played one fucking gig – one fucking lame gig – while Cream did weeks of gigs; proper gigs, not just a lame gig like Zeppelin did, with all the [vocal] keys lowered and everything. We played everything in the original keys. [Becoming animated]: F*ck off, Zeppelin, you're crap. You've always been crap and you'll never be anything else. " - more on this story

AC/DC Day Declared

Canada.com reports: Listeners to the Jeff O'Neil Show on 99.3 The FOX (CFOX-FM) Tuesday were surprised to hear none other than Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan co-hosting the open-phones segment of the show and announcing an upcoming official proclamation that November 28 is AC/DC Day in Terminal City.

Introduced as Sam 'Frickin' Sullivan, the mayor opened the segment declaring that he is re-forming SPINAL CHORD, the band that first brought him into the public eye prior to his involvement in civic politics. He was joking -- maybe."

"I said it tongue-in-cheek to some of the interviewers on the radio," he told The Province later. "But, hey, why not?" - more on this story

U2 Get Innovative On New CD

Jam reports: If you ask Canadian record producer Daniel Lanois about how U2's work-in-progress album sounds, he'll say it's "fantastically innovative" and "some of their best work."

But before Lanois gets back to tinkering with the tracks - the album is one of 2009's most anticipated releases - he's tackling his real "dream project," touring in support of his own music.

Lanois just finished two weeks of recording work with the Irish mega-band in New York and will now play a handful of shows in Ontario and Boston before flying to London, England, for another 10 days in the studio with U2. - more on this story

GNR Axe Queen Legend From Chinese Democracy

Music Radar reports: Brian May recorded lead guitar parts for Guns N' Roses' track Catcher N' The Rye way back in 1999. The song has been confirmed to appear on the ridiculously long awaited album Chinese Democracy, but a leaked sleeve note suggests that the Queen guitarist's contribution has been removed.

Possibly the world's biggest Brian May fan, Thomas Eisele, wrote on Brianmay.com to break the unfortunate news and May responded in part "Well, it is a shame, perhaps ... I did put quite a lot of work in, and was proud of it.

"But I could understand if Axl wants to have an album which reflects the work of the members of the band as it is, right now." - more on this story

Hinder Comic

PR reports: Devil's Due Publishing announced today that it has partnered with multi platinum rock act Hinder to produce a limited edition comic themed tour book, and is in talks to produce a monthly comic series based on the band's upcoming "Take It to the Limit" tour. The first "Take It to the Limit" book will serve as the band's tour book, which will accompany their 2009 tour.

Hinder fans recently got a preview of images from the book at the band's exclusive Las Vegas album party at the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa located in the Fantasy Tower at Palms Casino and Resort.

DDP has long been known for their licensed books, including holding the rights for the Halloween and Chucky franchises. In recent years, DDP has made a name by developing original comic crossovers and series built around existing stars. Most notably DDP developed, produced and published Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia's "Rest," which fans first got a look at in San Diego at this year's Comic-Con. - more on this story

Train Frontman Goes Acoustic

PR reports: Columbia Records released Pat Monahan's Last of Seven Acoustic on November 4th as a special treat for fans just in time for the holidays.

Comprised of acoustic versions of Monahan's debut solo release Last of Seven from 2007, the album will be released digitally.

Last of Seven Acoustic is the second piece from an exciting new chapter for the frontman of the Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum group Train, known for such radio classics as "Meet Virginia," "Drops Of Jupiter" and "Calling All Angels." - more on this story

Sevendust Release Box Set

PR reports: Sevendust released a very limited edition box set today, "Packaged Goods." Each 5 disc set is personally autographed by the entire band.

The box set includes Sevendust's 2005 release Next, 2007's Alpha, 2007's Retrospective 2 (CD + DVD), and 2008's Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow

"Packaged Goods" is now available at all Best Buy and Transworld Stores: F.Y.E., Coconuts, Wherehouse Music and Spec's.

The box set contains four albums of hits - more on this story

Fall Out Boy Seek Unsigned Bands for Support

PR reports: Fall Out Boy is about to embark on a mini U.S. tour, playing small venues in select cities. Wondering who will be the opening act? Well, brace yourselves!!

Fall Out Boy has just launched a contest exclusively on FriendsorEnemies.com (www.friendsorenemies.com) where they will select one (1) unsigned band in each city to warm up the stage for them.

Bands can enter by logging on to www.friendsorenemies.com, clicking on "Open Up For Fall Out Boy" and submitting their MySpace link. All bands must be local to that city and UNSIGNED. - more on this story

Ray Davies Taps Locksley As Support

PR reports: Locksley will have the honor of backing rock legend Ray Davies while he performs classic Kinks hits during his 12-city US tour!

The tour, which will start in Tampa, FL on November 28th, will highlight the release of Locksley's debut record "Don't Make Me Wait" recently released to critical acclaim. In addition to backing Ray Davies, the band will also be performing a full set as main support for the tour.

Without the support of a major label system the band was able to accomplish unprecedented success based on the merit of their songwriting, landing highly coveted spots on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel Live as well as placement of their hit single My Kind Of Lover in J.J. Abrams' much anticipated Cloverfield. - more on this story

Singled Out: Benjy Davis Project

antiMusic reports: Welcome to Singled Out! where we ask artists to tell us the inside story of their latest single. Today Benjy from Benjy Davis Project tells us about "I Love You" from their brand new album "Dust". We now turn it over to Benjy for the story:

"I Love You" took many different directions before its current arrangement. Michael (piano/vocals) wrote the intro and was messing around with it and it was so interesting and atmospheric, almost carnival, I had to try something. That became both of our first co-writing experiences. I was at what ended up being the end of a 7 year
relationship, the lyrics and idea started as more of my trying to put out a fire from an argument about marriage and commitment. I still love her, but on the bullheadedness front it was clash of the titans.

Anyways, we had this really out there bridge that just didn't sit well with David Z (producer), so he asked me to go a little easier on the ears, so I wrote that in the studio while we were recording it. Turned out well I think, sums it up pretty well. As far as the title, I never really heard of a love song called simply I Love You so I went for it.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album - right here!

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