Nine Inch Nail's Trent Reznor Vs The Music Business

"One of the biggest wake-up calls of my career was when I saw a record contract. I said, 'Wait - you sell it for $18.98 and I make 80 cents? And I have to pay you back the money you lent me to make it and then you own it? Who the f**k made that rule? Oh! The record labels made it because artists are dumb and they'll sign anything' - like I did." - more on this story

Urban Beats Prince

Reuters reports: Country singer Keith Urban scored his first No. 1 album on the U.S. pop chart on Wednesday with "Defying Gravity," although his sales were unable to defy the relentless decline in the music industry's fortunes.

The album, the fifth of his career, sold 171,525 copies in its first six days of release through Sunday, according to his Capitol Records Nashville label. He edged out Prince, who sold 168,420 copies of his 3-CD package "LotusFlow3r."

"It's an incredible feeling to have a No. 1 record," Urban said in a statement. "But equally moving is knowing that this particular record, that comes from such a joyous, loving and hopeful place, is connecting with so many people." - more on this story

Fear Factory Members Reunite

Metal Underground reports: Fear Factory vocalist Burton C. Bell and former Fear Factory/current Divine Heresy guitarist Dino Cazares have announced that they will be forming a new project.

The band is also set to include thrash metal drumming legend Gene Hoglan (Dark Angel, Forbbiden, Testament, Dethklok Strapping Yound Lad amongst others).

Fear Factory bass player Byron Stroud rumored to be part of the lineup too. The band currently has no name but one is expected to be revealed soon. - (Metal Underground.com)

Slash & Friends To Include Ozzy Plus Zeppelin and Rolling Stones Members

BW&BK reports: The 2009 edition of Norway's Quart Festival will take place June 30th - July 4th in Kristiansand and will feature a major all-star jam.

Velvet Revolver/ex-Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash (& Friends) will headline the first night of the festival with Ozzy Osbourne and newly announced guests Led Zeppelin drummer Jason Bonham and The Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood.

Organizers comment: "We are pleased that drummer Jason Bonham and Rolling Stones legend Ronnie Wood are appearing on the same stage as Slash and Ozzy. This is simply a legendary meeting that we have not seen before." - more on this story

Eddie Vedder Solo Tour

Billboard reports: Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder will tour selected Eastern and Southern U.S. cities in June.

Vedder's new 14-date solo trek starts June 8 in Albany, N.Y. and hits intimate venues in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Nashville, Memphis and Atlanta before wrapping up with a trio of Hawaii dates June 29 - July 2.

Liam Finn, who was also the opening act on Vedder's inaugural solo tour last year in support of the "Into The Wild" soundtrack, will open for Vedder on the entire run of new dates. - more on this story

Another Rose Tattoo Member Battling Cancer

Blabbermouth reports: The management of Australian hard rock legends Rose Tattoo has announced that the band's guitarist and founding member, Mick Cocks, has been diagnosed with liver cancer.

Manager Steve White said, "Mick has asked that I release this information to avoid the rumor mill taking control of information. The situation is that Mick has been diagnosed with liver cancer and is now under the advice of the very best doctors in Sydney. Treatment plans are underway and Mick is in good spirits and ready for a fight."

Rose Tattoo guitarist Pete Wells passed away in March 2006 after a long battle with prostate cancer. - More breaking news from Blabbermouth.net

311 Set Album Release and Summer Tour Plans

PR reports: 311 is pleased to announce that their new album, Uplifter, will be released on June 2. Uplifter is the band's first studio record in three years and was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Simple Plan, Veruca Salt).

As the title suggests, the band's new album is an uplifting collection of 311's trademark blend of rock & reggae; elevated by inspired songwriting, dynamic musicianship and big anthemic choruses.

A deluxe edition of Uplifter will include a special DVD documentary, "The Road to 311 Day," directed by Wayne Price. The documentary, including interviews, backstage footage and live performances, follows the band and their fans for the week leading up to the 3-11 Day concert event in New Orleans in 2008. - more on this story

Dredg Offering Limited Edition of Forthcoming Album

Warner Bros reports: Dredg are set to release their highly anticipated release, The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion on their own Ohlone Recordings through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group June 9, 2009.

The album will be available online and in stores with a limited edition disc featuring alternate artwork and a vinyl recording also to be offered.

The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion will be available June 9, 2009. Tickets to the upcoming Dredg North American tour are now on sale exclusively at www.dredg.com.

Produced by Matt Radosevich, The Pariah marks the Bay Area band's fourth full-length studio album. On this release, Gavin Hayes (vocals, guitar), Drew Roulette (bass, moog, speak & spell, samples), Mark Engles (guitar) and Dino Campanella (drums, keys) combine to create equal parts punk aggression and metallic complexity - a sound that brings together the artistic instrumentation, haunting vocals and emotional intensity that is Dredg. - more on this story

Late Springsteen Bandmate To Be Paid Tribute At Live Event

PR reports: This year, The Troubadour will see a gathering of legends and up-and-comers in celebration of the life of Danny Federici, the beloved keyboardist and accordion player from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band for over 35 years on Sunday, April 19.

The musician passed away due to complications from melanoma last year. Organized by Federici's son Jason and his bandmate Jason Heath, the evening will feature performances from Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls, Joe Purdy, Chris Seegfried, Chris Joyner, Alexa George, and special guests. The event will be hosted by acclaimed comedian and cancer survivor Robert Schimmel.

All net proceeds will benefit Dannyfund.org, a melanoma research charity founded by Danny and Jason Federici to help raise awareness and find a cure for melanoma. Federici's former bandleader Springsteen appeared in a Super Bowl TV-spot this year to introduce Dannyfund to the world. Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls' "A Fighter's Lullaby," an exclusive track dedicated to Federici, is available for free download from the site. On April 19, Angelenos can come together to celebrate the life of this talented musician for a good cause at the Troubadour. - http://www.dannyfund.org

Amon Amarth Soph Reissue Set

Metal Blade reports: After the successful re-issue of the Amon Amarth debut album, Once Sent >From The Golden Hall, it's time to announce the details for the second re-issue of the year. The second album in the discography of Amon Amarth is The Avenger, and the 2-disc, deluxe re-issue is set for release on May 26th!

The Avenger will be released again as a digipak featuring two discs. Disc one features the entire The Avenger album, re-mastered, plus the bonus track Thor Arise!

Disc two features the live recording of the show Amon Amarth played on December 29, 2008 in Bochum, Germany where they played the album in its entirety. The order of songs is the same as on disc one (excluding Thor Arise). This re-issue also features new liner notes by singer Johan Hegg and tons of photos. - more on this story

Mad Idol

AP reports: Winding down for the night, Gary Jules turned on "American Idol" - his guilty pleasure - and left the room to watch surfing videos on his computer. Then he heard some eerily familiar notes. It was Adam Lambert - one the top finalists on the most popular TV show in the country - performing Jules' arrangement of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World."

"I ran out and I was like, 'I knew he was gonna do it! I knew it!'" he recalls. "I've been waiting for years for somebody to do it. I thought David Cook was gonna do it last year for sure. ... As soon as I saw that guy Adam on 'American Idol,' I was like, 'Oooh, this could be it.'"

The singer-songwriter deserves at least some of the credit for Lambert's haunting performance that earned a rare standing ovation from "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell.

Jules covered the '80s song on his 2001 album, "Trading Snakeoil for Wolftickets." His stripped-down, slowed-down version, recorded with producer Michael Andrews, was featured in the cult movie "Donnie Darko" the same year. The song topped the charts in Britain in 2003 but is little known to U.S. listeners. - more on this story

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