Earshot Week: Day 3

You can learn more about the band, grab tour dates, and listen to songs from "The Silver Lining"
- right here!

Axl Vs Douchebag

antiMusic reports: Want to make Axl Rose break his silence? Say something really stupid about him. Suggesting that he should commit suicide will fit the bill perfectly. Bob Lefsetz wrote in a recent column "Of all the marketing/distribution ideas I received in response to my missive, I'll only reveal one, that upon the album's release, Axl Rose should commit suicide".

Lefputz went on to say, "At least John Lennon was smart enough to get shot just when his new album was released. Elvis croaked between album cycles … Hell, what would happen if AC/DC died in a plane crash' Everybody would be wanting to click and buy at iTunes".

While the Guns N' Roses camp is typically silent about almost everything, they did respond with the following statement to Undercover, "It appears unethical, irresponsible, reprehensible, misguided and just the sort of thing a douchebag like Leftshitz would say." - more on this story

Ben Folds Five Reunion

PR reports: MySpace today announced the exciting launch of its newest music program, "Front to Back," celebrating iconic albums that have helped shape the MySpace Generation.

MySpace kicks off this program by reuniting beloved alt-pop band Ben Folds Five with an exclusive one-time live performance of their final studio album together, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, in its entirety.

The concert will be the band's first performance together in nearly ten years and will take place in the band's former hometown of Chapel Hill, North Carolina on September 18, 2008 at the UNC Memorial Hall. - more on this story

U2 Delays New CD, 2Pac Overrated?, Is Akon A Tosser, Britney VMA Hype, Crap Really Sells, Red Chord Member Pink Slipped, Solo Pearl Jam and more

antiMusic reports: Initially expected this fall as a fourth-quarter blockbuster, U2's next album has been pushed to early 2009 while the band continues to write and record material. "I thought a while back we might have the album wrapped by now, but why come up above ground now if there's more priceless stuff to be found?," Bono writes on U2.com. more

It looks like a jury will have to decide if Akon is a tosser or not. The rapper will have to face criminal charges in a trial stemming from an incident in which he allegedly tossed a teenage fan off a stage during a concert in June 2007. If convicted will he change the spelling of his name to A Con? Who knows, but read more here

We were informed by a publicist that YOU love to have Britney news, so here it is. It appears the lip-synching poptart will in fact appear at this year's MTV VMAs. Hopefully in better shape than last time (still having nightmares about that). The good news is she won't be performing but her "opening" appearance is being hyped as "not to be missed." Hard to see how she will be able to top Pee Wee's big opening but let us know if she does anything of interest if you bother to tune in.

Slipknot's "All Hope Is Gone" barely wins out over the Game's "LAX" in the race for No. 1 on The Billboard 200 this week. The Mallcore set moved 239,516 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, only 1,134 more than the rapper's Geffen album at 238,382. more

Dead rapper Tupac "2Pac" Shakur, the hip-hop icon who sold more records after he was murdered than during his brief career, is the most overrated person in music, according to music rag Blender. more

Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament will unveil his first solo album, "Tone," Sept. 16 via the band's Ten Club fan organization and select U.S. indie retailers. more

The owners of a nightclub where a 2003 fire killed 100 people during a Great White concert after the flammable foam the owners put on the walls caught fire, have reached a tentative US$813,000 settlement with survivors and relatives of those killed. Wow! 8,130 per life. Adding insult to injury, the money won't be coming out of the owner's pockets, their insurance company is paying it. more

Target will be the sole retailers to carry Christina Aguilera's first greatest hits collection, "Keeps Gettin' Better -- A Decade of Hits," due Nov. 11 via RCA. more

Normally we skip posting things like this but we happen to like Collective Soul around here and are sure a few of you do as well. Check out the brand new Collective Soul Radio widget. This widget offers a variety of Collective Soul songs 24/7, as well as news and tour date information. Tis here

Nonpoint is sorry to announce the departure of longtime friend and guitar player Andrew Goldman. Andy has decided to pursue interests outside the world of music. The entire band wish him nothing but success and happiness. Nonpoint has lined up a replacementmore

David Bowie has announced that he will release a compilation of his own favourite tracks, which he hand-selected earlier this year. Originally a giveaway with the 'Mail On Sunday' in June, 'iSELECT: BOWIE' sold out in one day. Now Virgin/EMI will release it widely on October 14. more

The Red Chord has apparently parted ways with guitar player Mike Keller, who sent Lambgoat the following statement earlier today: "A couple days ago I got a call from one of the guys informing me they made a mutual decision to become a four-piece. They offered little in ways of explanation but I can admit that in the past few tours I had grown apart from the rest of the band, both personally and musically." He continues here

David Fincher's remake of Heavy Metal was dropped by Paramount Pictures and he subsequently looked for a new home. According to Kevin Eastman - creator of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and publisher of Heavy Metal, the magazine - the project has been set up at Sony. Yes, Virginia- nothing is sacred. more

"Raine Maida gets positive U.S. review," reads the Jam! headline. Perhaps the Canadian publication didn't expect any positive responses south of their border? Maybe you can figure it out here.

Delaney Gibson has announced September 19, 2008 as the date for her debut release "The Worst Kind of Way" album release show. The show will be sponsored by nixacountry.com and will be streaming live on the internet. Gibson will be performing at 7:30 P.M. at Zoey's Café in Ventura, CA.

The Deep Blues Festival announces that they will be returning in 2009 with this 100% volunteer event. The 2008 festival was three days and included 46 bands and 25 films. Performers included Black Diamond Heavies, Bob Log III, T-Model Ford, Left Lane Cruiser, Scott H. Biram, Dex Romweber Duo, and dozens of other alt blues bands. - more info

Zeppelin Now GQ?

BBC reports: Led Zeppelin is pretty much the antithesis of GQ, but apparently someone didn't get the memo. BBC has the story:

Rock group Led Zeppelin have won an outstanding achievement prize at the GQ Men of the Year Awards, while producer Mark Ronson was named top maverick.

Crooner Tony Bennett took an award for being an "inspiration", and Primal Scream were judged band of the year. - more on this story

Gene Simmons Goes AARP and Gets Sued

antiMusic reports: Remember when KISS's Gene Simmons used to say "if it's too loud, you're too old?" He's going to put that to the test when he gives the keynote address at the Annual AARP Convention on September 6th in Washington DC.

In his update, he wanted to make sure people new that he's be speaking in front of 30,000 people. Too bad half of them won't be able to hear him.

In other Gene news, BW&BK reports: a Los Angeles man claims in a lawsuit that Gene Simmons took him for a ride on a marketing deal with the Indy Racing League.

Allan Brown on Wednesday sued Simmons and two business partners, claiming the group cut him out of a 2006 deal between the KISS bassist and the racing league. - more on this story

When J.Lo's Flying Dog Attacks

Hecklerspray reports: Reason why Jennifer Lopez is better than you: She gets to take dogs onto planes, but you can't even take a medium-sized bottle of Timotei.

Don't worry about it too much though, because taking dogs onto planes has its downsides - like, for instance, when the dog goes berserk and bites a flight attendant and she falls over and hurts her back and can't work and sues you for $5 million.

That's what a flight attendant is claiming happened when Jennifer Lopez took her German Shepherd on a flight, anyway. - more on this story

Bad Brains Frontman Delays Solo CD

PR reports: H.R., legendary front-man of Bad Brains, will be releasing his new solo album "Hey Wella." The first single titled, "Didn't I Tell You" was successfully released on August 5, 2008 and the title track "Hey Wella" followed up with an August 19, 2008 release via all digital retail outlets including iTunes, Yahoo, among other websites.

The official album release date has been changed to October 21, 2008, with physical availability slated for the same time. International release dates are to be announced at a later date.

Regarding the progress of the new album H.R. shares, "Things are moving along well with the promotion of the new manuscript. I am touring and getting a great response from fans from the first two singles we recently released." - more on this story

Marillion Announce CD and Tour Plans

PR reports: Long recognized as a band whose ample tours have kept them well-connected to their loyal fans, British rockers Marillion confirm their love of touring, and its metaphor for life, with an ambitious new double-CD, Happiness Is The Road. Their 15th studio album, to be released October 20 on the band's own Racket Records, is currently in pre-orders on their website (www.Marillion.com) and will be available to download concurrent with its street release date. An extensive 2008-09 European tour is set to begin November 8 in Inverness, Scotland.

Volume 1, Essence, includes the tracks "Dreamy Street," "This Train is my Life," "Essence," "Wrapped Up in Time," "Liquidity," "Nothing Fills the Hole," "Woke Up," "Trap the Spark," "A State of Mind" and "Happiness is the Road."

Volume 2, The Hard Shoulder, includes "Thunder Fly," "The Man from the Planet Marzipan," "Asylum Satellite #1," "Older than Me," "Throw Me Out," "Half the World," "Whatever is Wrong with You," "Especially True" and "Real Tears for Sale." - more on this story

Brian "Head" Welch Promo Tour

PR reports: Former Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch is launching a promo tour to celebrate the release of his debut solo album, Save Me From Myself, due out September 9 on Driven Music Group (distribution by Ryko/Warner Music Group), the label he co-founded with music execs Greg Shanaberger and Mark Nawara.

At each stop along the tour route, Head will be signing copies of the album, as well as his autobiographies, Save Me From Myself, which landed on the New York Times "Best Seller" list (non-fiction) and has sold over 70,000 copies since its release, and Washed By Blood. The latter is an edited paperback version of Save Me From Myself aimed at a younger audience and doesn't contain the profanity and gory details of the original version. A paperback of the original Save Me From Myself is also available now. - more on this story

Hendrix's Burnt Guitar

BBC reports: The first guitar burned on stage by Jimi Hendrix is to go on sale at an auction of rock memorabilia in London.

The Fender Stratocaster guitar [because no one would dare burn a Gibson] was played and burnt at a gig in Finsbury Park in London in March 1967. It was the first time he set alight a guitar.

It is the star item in the sale, which also includes such rarities as the Beatles' first contract, which was signed in 1962. - more on this story

Misheard Lyrics of the Day: Stone Temple Pilots

antiMusic reports: Who hasn't misheard a song lyrics. We thought it might be fun to feature some favorites here for you to enjoy.

Today's misheard lyric is to Stone Temple Pilots's "Interstate Love Song" and the line "Feelin Like A Hand In Rusted Shame." That lyric has been misheard as "Feelin, Like A Ham And Mustard Shake."

If you have a misheard lyric we'd love to hear from you. See the contact link at the bottom of the page for how to get a hold of us to tell us about your favorites. If you want to check out more misheard Stone Temple Pilots song lyrics like this one you can go - here

Hawthorne Heights Announce Never Sleep Again Tour

PR reports: Hawthorne Heights will be heading out across the U.S. on a headline tour this Fall, in support of new album Fragile Future.

The Never Sleep Again Tour 2008 will be hitting the U.S. this October/November, and features support from Emery, The Color Fred, Tickle Me Pink and The Mile After.

"We're super excited to be doing the Never Sleep Again Tour 2008," notes HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS drummer Eron Bucciareli. "It's been a long time since we did a real headlining tour. We'll be playing songs from all albums and even throwing in something special for those that have seen us before. We'll be busting out rarely played HH songs and a healthy dose of new songs from Fragile Future."

- dates

Vinyl Verve

PR reports: The Verve released a vinyl box set of "Forth" on September 3, 2008. It's limited to 5,000 and the contents inside the beautiful hard box include:

-Large 4 color poster
-CD of the LP
-Bonus DVD documentary
-Double LP in a gatefold
-16 page color booklet
-Two bonus tracks: "Mama Soul" and "Muhammad Ali"

The Verve's new studio album Forth entered # 1 on UK Album Chart and # 23 on the USA Album Chart. Is it worth picking up? - Read our review.

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