Ben Harper, Public Enemy, Matisyahu Head Up 80/35

Mims Hyping New CD

PR reports: Platinum-certified hip-hop star MIMS, already a Billboard No. 1 artist on the strength of his very first single, "This is Why I'm Hot," steps up to paint a much, much bigger picture in his second Capitol/American King Music album "GUILT" in stores today.

Prior to the album's release today, the single "Move (If You Wanna)" generated 13 million song streams on the MIMS MySpace.com homepage, bumping the total number of streams on the webpage to well over 50 million since the original posting of "This Is Why I'm Hot." MIMS will perform "Move" on the late-night ABC program Jimmy Kimmel Live on April 14th.

In the run-up to album release, the "Move" video clip appeared on BET's 106th & Park Countdown and The Deal, MTV2, MTV HITS, MTV JAMS, MTVu, Music Choice, and Mun2. MIMS made on-show appearances on 106th & Park, Spring Bling, and The Deal; MTV2/MTV Hits The Drop; MTV2's Sucker Free, MTV Hits' Hit List and MTV3. - more on this story

Jeff Scott Soto Announces Messy New Album

PR reports: Jeff Scott Soto returns with this first new album in four years, "Beautiful Mess." Available April 7 in the US on Frontiers Records, "Beautiful Mess" is different direction for the soulful vocalist, who earned a reputation as one of the finest singers in melodic rock/metal through his work with Yngwie Malmsteen, Talisman, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Journey. For this record, Soto is using the moniker JSS, the trademark initials his diehard fans associate with him, to separate "Beautiful Mess" from his three previous solo albums.

"This is the album I always wanted to make," he said. "The last one, 'Lost in the Translation,' was more rock and in-your-face. 'Beautiful Mess' is all about songs and the singer, not guitar solos and big riffs. The songs on 'Beautiful Mess' are also more soul and R&B laced, as well. I wanted the diversity it has but I didn't want it to sound confusing to old fans while I am trying to gain new ones."

Soto began gathering material for "Beautiful Mess" in 2005 as the tour for "Lost in the Translation" was winding down. He took a break to record a new Talisman record, then got further sidetracked when Journey came knocking. After touring with the rock legends, Soto managed to get into the studio to record "Beautiful Mess," then hit the road with Trans-Siberian Orchestra for its 2008 holiday season tour. - more on this story

The Acoustic End of House of Heroes

Gotee reports: Fresh of the heels of their acclaimed The End Is Not The End CD Columbus, OH rock outfit House of Heroes have now released The Acoustic End EP on Itunes.

Release includes new acoustic bonus tracks, "New Moon" and "Ghost" as well as a reworked version of "If".

Refusing to slow down the band is also in the mist of recording their ode to the Beatles tribute; House of Heroes Meets The Beatles EP to hit summer 09 including covers of Can't Buy Me Love, It Won't Be Long and Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.

Hear tracks from The Acoustic End & The End Is Not The End - here

Acid Drinkers Vile Vicious Fishdick Connection

MMP reports: On the 27th April Metal Mind Productions will release another batch of Acid Drinkers' re-issues. "Vile Vicious Vision", "Fishdick" and "Infernal Connection" will be available in a new digipak edition, each one limited to 1000 copies. The material was digitally remastered using 24-Bit process.

"Vile Vicious Vision" - Acid Drinkers' fourth full-length album from 1993. It features a Kiss cover "And Then She Kissed Me". The digipak edition includes bonus tracks: 1 live and 2 video tracks.

"Fishdick" - Acid Drinkers' fifth full-length album from 1994. The album includes almost exclusively covers of Kiss, AC/DC, Motorhead, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, NoMeansNo, Slade, Deep Purple and Flapjack. The new edition includes 1 bonus track.

"Infernal Connection" - a re-release of Acid Drinkers' sixth full-length album from 1994. The album is considered to be their best effort. The digipak edition includes bonus tracks: 4 remixes of the track "Slow And Stoned/Method of Yonashi". - more on this story

David Berkeley Plans U.S. Spring Tour

PR reports: Singer-songwriter David Berkeley will be touring with UK sensation Katie Melua for a spring jaunt through the U.S.

The month-long pairing will begin May 11th in Minneapolis with stops in Chicago, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and more before ending in Nashville on June 5th. Berkeley will also break off for a few west coast solo shows along the way.

David Berkeley releases his 3rd studio CD Strange Light on May 26th via Thirty Tigers. Produced by Brian Deck (Iron and Wine, Counting Crows, Josh Ritter, Modest Mouse) and featuring Nickel Creek's Sara Watkins on background vocals, Strange Light is Berkeley's most accessible and powerful work yet. - more on this story

Second Annual Metal Insider Summit

PR reports: New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, Crimson Management and The Syndicate are proud to announce the Second Annual Metal Insider Summit on April 17, 2009.

The Metal Insider Summit is an interactive, educational conference consisting of two panels where fans and the metal music industry can engage, share ideas and help further the scene.

The Metal Insider Summit will give fans an opportunity to meet key members in the business and gain valuable insight on how to start their own careers. It will also give labels, managers, agents, endorsers, publishers, media promoters, bands and more the chance to interact with the people who buy their albums, tickets and merchandise. - more on this story

Repo Late Night Madness Continues

PR reports: REPO! The Genetic Opera continues to carve its way into the hearts of the world. Rabid REPO! fans nationwide are insistent on their local theatres giving a home to the film. The constant outpouring of requests is causing REPO! to stake its claim in the after-hours cult cinema subculture, becoming a permanent member of the midnight movies phenomenon. New theatres are signing on to host the sci-fi rock opera in several cities across the country for special late-night weekend features.

From coast to coast, fans are piling into theatres and joining forces. Not only as voyeurs, but as exhibitionists, bringing the film to life by performing the scenes, singing the songs and costuming themselves in REPO! fashion. Why watch REPO! at home alone when you can be a part of an event and a community?

"Repo is fun, and it's fantasy. It's filled with so many characters that at least one has to appeal to the individual viewer, be it the morally torn father or the rockstar 'Zydrate' peddler. It's another world filled with indulgent excess, moral dilemmas, and rock music. Moreover, the people involved are a blast." - Shanna Edwards, of Chicago's 90 Day Delinquents shadowcast crew on why REPO! keeps drawing new fans. - more on this story

Another Reason Not To Watch Vh1

Vh1 reports: Former television talk show host, documentary film producer and author Ricki Lake is coming back to the small screen with some of the outrageous women from VH1's "Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels" and "Real Chance of Love."

This season, Ricki faces the challenging task of transforming these ladies into selfless angels through various acts of charity. The premiere of "Charm School with Ricki Lake" airs on VH1 Monday, May 11 at 9:00PM.*

Known for their amusingly bad behavior, the new unruly class of "Charm School" must learn how to become more independent and respectable in just eight weeks. As Headmistress and an executive producer of Charm School Ricki Lake is taking a different approach from previous seasons. These ladies will have to take on real responsibilities with non-profit organizations. With Ricki's guidance and expertise, the girls will contribute time to a different charity each week. Their volunteer jobs will include working with senior citizens, environmental preservation, mentoring underprivileged children, and animal rescue and care. For the final task and one of the show's biggest challenges to date, the girls will be sent to the devastated Ninth Ward in New Orleans. There they will help with the ongoing rebuilding efforts to restore the region most ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. - more on this story

.... Road Trip: Tennessee Sounds Good to Me, Part I: Nashville

Git-tars, Cadillacs and hillbilly music. Is that what you think of when you think of the Nashville music scene? Well you're kind of right. Guitars are everywhere in Music City and plenty of them are used for creating the down-home style of hill country music - Read the full Tennessee Sounds Good to Me, Part I: Nashville Road Trip article

. Cynic - Traced in Air

In true Cynic fashion, it confounds listeners by relaxing them with its airy tones while stimulating them with masterful instrumentality. A style of heavy metal which sounds like it came from the future while owing much to the past. - Read the full Cynic - Traced in Air review

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