Metal Xmas Week: Final Day

Frankie Banali (Quiet Riot): "The track I played on is the traditional 'O CHRISTMAS TREE' and handled in a most untraditional manner. The lovely Doro Pesch did a wonderful Doro-esque vocal, the mighty Michael Schenker performed his inimitably and wonderful guitar wizardry, Tony Franklin was at his 'Fretless Monster' best and yours truly pounded out the holiday cheer behind my Ludwig drums. Remember 'HM' stands for HEAVY METAL as well as HOLIDAY MAYHEM!'" - Click here for Simon Wright's story

Page and Plant Member Dies

BW&BK reports: Michael Lee (born Michael Gary Pearson) who played drums for Robert Plant, Plant and Page, The Cult and Thin Lizzy* has died according to Lemonsqueezings.blogspot.com. He was 39.

Michael drummed for Robert Plant beginning with the recording of his 1993 album Fate of Nations. He can be heard on that album's 'Memory Song (Hello Hello)' and 'Network News'. Robert Plant asked him to go on tour as the drummer for his tour.

A keen sense of timing is one thing a good drummer should have. Michael's was great since Robert Plant's next career move was to reteam with Jimmy Page. Half of Led Zeppelin was playing regularly for the first time in 15 years and, Michael was along for the ride. He drummed for the Unledded sessions and promoted the No Quarter album release with Page and Plant. [* According to Wikipedia Lee also played with Little Angels, The Cult, Echo & The Bunnymen and Thin Lizzy.] - more on this story

Metallica May Release Online Album

NME reports: Metallica are considering releasing their new album online, but drummer Lars Ulrich says that their next record might be a while coming.

The band recently came to the end of their record deal, and are weighing up all the options, which could include a regular label release.

"We're free of our record contract," Ulrich told Rolling Stone. "We have that element of complete freedom with the next record, so we can do whatever we want. We could do an Internet thing or even put it on Andy Greene's record label." - more on this story

Guns N' Roses Top Global Rock Charts

antiMusic reports: Guns N' Roses have topped the iTunes Rock Charts across the globe. "Chinese Democracy" took the lead on the charts in U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The only odd ball hold out was in Norway where GNR was No. 2 to Tim Christensen's "Superior."

GNR are currently on top of the overall iTunes album charts in Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Sweden, and Switzerland. In the U.S. they are No. 4 behind releases from Kanye West, The Killers, and Coldplay.

They have denied the No. 1 by The Killers in the UK, Australia, Norway, Portugal and Spain. In France they are No 2. behind Seal's new album "Soul". And it's a battle of egos in Canada where Kanye West is keeping GNR from topping the overall iTunes album chart. - more on this story

Nickelback Plot North American Tour

PR reports: Nickelback have announced dates for their upcoming North American tour in support of their new album Dark Horse, released on November 18th.

The Live Nation produced tour, which kicks off on February 25th in Nashville, TN, hits major arenas in over 30 cities across the continent.

Seether and Saving Abel have signed on as support acts. This is Nickelback's first tour under their Live Nation Artist Nation deal which was announced earlier this year. - On sale info and the dates

New U2 CD Two Songs Short

NME reports: U2 pushed back the release of their new album from late 2008 to next year because the record needed two more songs, according to the boss of their label.

Interscope-Geffen-A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine says he met with the band, who told him the album was two songs short, so the release date was adjusted to give them time to work on those tracks.

"I met with the guys in U2, and they say to me, 'You know what? This album needs two more songs, and it will be exactly what we have in mind.' I go there and I listen, and I agreed with them." - more on this story

Blur Reunion- Winehouse Hospitalized Again- Phantom Planet Split- AC/DC Won't Be T'd Off- Wentz Confirms Source Of Son's Silly Name- Jay-Z Coldplay and more

antiMusic reports: We'll be off for the long Thanksgiving weekend here in the U.S. But before we go here is today's round-up of quick music news stories: Earlier this month Damon Albarn hinted at a Blur reunion, saying that he'd been "hanging out" with his old bandmate, guitarist Graham Coxon. Now it looks as though Albarn, Coxon and the rest of the gang will be doing more than just 'hanging out' in 2009. Before a scaled-down performance of his opera Monkey: Journey To The West for BBC Radio, Albarn was asked about the possible reunion, to which he said, "Blur are certainly going to rehearse and see if we're into it." more

Amy Winehouse's spokesman says the troubled singer is being treated at a clinic following a reaction to medication. Chris Goodman says Winehouse was admitted to the London Clinic on Sunday. more

President George W. Bush commuted the sentence of a former Fugees producer who has spent seven years in prison for cocaine possession with intent to distribute. That means John Forte will soon be freed after serving about half of his 14-year sentence. more

"California" Pop-Rockers Phantom Planet are calling it a day after almost 15 years together. The band, which formed as teenagers in the '90s, announced to their fans today that they will play a final gig on December 12 at the Troubadour in Los Angeles more

T In The Park chief Geoff Ellis has released a statement denying that AC/DC will play a headline slot at next year's bash. Rumors that the Australian band will headline started after a [UK]newspaper reported that the rockers had been signed up to play at the Scottish festival. more

Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz has given his first interview since becoming a dad last week, and explained the choice of his son's name – or at least the middle name. Wentz told Ryan Seacrest that the pair thought about the name Bronx for a while, adding the name Mowgli because he and his wife are fans of 'The Jungle Book'. more

MySpace said on Tuesday former MTV executive Courtney Holt will become president of its MySpace Music joint venture with the four major record companies. more

Jay-Z will be supporting Coldplay on their 2009 stadium tour. The rapper will open for the band at their three concerts in September next year, in Manchester, Glasgow and London. more

Directors Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn of Banger Films Inc. - and their historical films Metal: A Headbanger's Journey and Global Metal - are gearing up for the upcoming release of RUSH - The Documentary.more

Former members of Cocteau Twins, Massive Attack, Spiritualized, Echo And The Bunnymen and Goldfrapp are set to perform their first gig under the name The Hookham Boys tomorrow night (November 26) in London. more.

Testament frontman Chuck Billy will make an appearance with Death Angel and friends at the Chi Cheng Benefit this Saturday, November 29th at Fat City, San Francisco.more

Reunited New Jersey thrashers Deathrash will play their first show in 20 years at Dingbatz in Clifton, New Jersey on Friday, January 16. more

Tune in to 'Private Practice' on ABC Wednesday, November 26th to hear Lex Land's bittersweet ballad "As Much As You Lead," from her debut album 'Orange Days On Lemon Street' (out now on Intelligent Noise). If you can't wait until then to hear Lex, than go here .

Jesse McCartney will debut his next single How Do You Sleep? during the Thanksgiving Day Halftime Show as part of the Lions vs. Tennessee Titans game at Ford Field November 27 at 12:30 p.m. (ET) on CBS. McCartney will also perform his chart-topper Leavin.

Hate Eternal has been forced to cancel their shows this week as part of the current Job For A Cowboy tour "due to an illness within the band."more

Following their performance at the United Nations on December 3rd for International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Australian indie band Rudely Interrupted will play two public shows, the first on the evening of December 3rd at Public Assembly in Brooklyn and then on December 6th at Fontana's in Manhattan. In addition the band will play a show in Toronto on December 9th at Sneaky Dee's

Michigan's The Bear (WIMK/93.1 FM) recently chatted with rock & roll comic C.C. Banana regarding his participation in the newly released tribute album "KISS MY ANKH: A Tribute To Vinnie Vincent." In this 15-minute interview, DJ and fellow Kiss fan Steve Ponchaud talks with C.C. Banana about his new song "Ted Poley" (a parody of "Unholy" by Vinnie Vincent and Gene Simmons). C.C. also shares details of his unlikely origin and tells of his many rock & roll misadventures listen here

Rock Gone Wild 2009 special ticket offer: For a limited time on Black Friday, purchase three (3) four-day general admission tickets and receive two (2) additional tickets FREE! Simply visit www.rockgonewild.com to order tickets and to submit your band suggestions. Rock Gone Wild, the most diverse hard rock festival in America, is slated for August 20-23, 2009 in Algona, Iowa.

A video message on behalf of 38,000 UK musicians has been sent to Gordon Brown urging him to back an extension of their copyright protection. The musicians, many of whom have worked with major artists, say they risk losing their income under current laws. - more

Slipknot Announce U.S. Tour

PR reports: Slipknot announced today their first U.S. headline tour in support of their album All Hope Is Gone.

The tour, which kicks off on January 23rd in St. Paul, MN, will hit 33 cities across the country, and include an historic stop at New York's Madison Square Garden, a first for the band. Coheed and Cambria and labelmates Trivium round out the bill.

Frontman Corey Taylor says of the trek, "2009 is the 10 year anniversary of the world's first taste of this band. To celebrate we are coming back out with a killer tour, a couple great bands and the same ferocity with which we attack life. We want all of our maggots to come and celebrate with us, because if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have been here for 10 years. Get ready for chaos!" - Presale info and tour dates

David Gilmour Offers Up Something Special For Fans

PR reports: As a special Thanksgiving gift, DavidGilmour.com will host clips from David Gilmour's latest release, Live In Gdańsk, for fans to see over a period of a week, starting Tuesday November 25th, until Tuesday, December 2nd.

Different songs will be featured every other day, but over the course of a week fans will be able to catch "Speak To Me/Breathe/Time/Breathe", "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", "Fat Old Sun", "Wish You Were Here", and the non-album song "Wot's… Uh The Deal?" as well as other songs from the album's live DVD.

Additionally, Thursday, November 27, marks A Very Pink Floyd Thanksgiving on VH1 Classic. The programming on the cable channel will consist entirely of Pink Floyd music and video, as well as solo material from Pink Floyd members, including David Gilmour Live In Gdańsk. - more on this story

M83 Killers Tour

Mute reports: Following a sold-out US tour throughout North America that continues through the end of November, Mute Records and M83 are proud to announce that the band is confirmed to open for The Killers during their arena tour in January and February 2009.

The tour is still in support of M83's fifth album Saturdays = Youth released April 2008 on Mute.

The M83 live setup includes Gonzalez on vocals, guitars and keyboards, Loic Maurin on Drums, Pierre-Marie Maulini on bass and guitar and featured album vocalist Morgan Kibby (of LA-based band The Romanovs) on vocals and keyboards. - more on this story

Digital Songs Surpass CD Sales

BW&BK reports: Since MP3s first became popular a decade ago, music industry executives have obsessed over this question: when would digital music revenue finally surpass compact disc sales?

For Atlantic Records, the label that in years past has delivered artists like Ray Charles, John Coltrane and Led Zeppelin, that time, apparently, is now.

Atlantic, a unit of Warner Music Group, says it has reached a milestone that no other major record label has hit: more than half of its music sales in the United States are now from digital products, like downloads on iTunes and ring tones for cellphones. - more on this story

See Cheap Trick Live at Budokan On the Big Screen!

Sony reports: On Thursday, December 4th D&E Entertainment will present the U.S. theatrical premiere of a newly-restored concert film from Cheap Trick that previously has only aired once on Japanese television in 1978. With a running time of just over 60 minutes, Live at Budokan captures the concert that catapulted Cheap Trick to stardom.

D&E will be hosting the premieres in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, and other markets.

The history of rock and roll is fraught with more than its share of unforeseen circumstances. But none so unforeseen as those in the life of Cheap Trick – Rick Nielsen (guitar), Robin Zander (vocals and guitar), Bun E. Carlos (drums), and Tom Petersson (bass). Circa 1978-79, they jumped from being the biggest band ever to emerge from Rockford, Illinois, to becoming platinum-selling headliners on the cover of Rolling Stone. Chalk it up to Japan, who held Cheap Trick so close to their hearts that the band's record company there decided to reward the fans with a live concert album, a souvenir of the band's incredible two-night stand at the country's most revered sports stadium in 1978. - more on this story

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