Guns N' Roses Announce Tour

Guns N' Roses – Axl Rose, Frank Ferrer, Tommy Stinson, Richard Fortus, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Dizzy Reed, and Chris Pitman – welcomed guitarist Dj Ashba into the band earlier this year and are scheduled to begin rehearsals in Los Angeles shortly. - more on this story

Metallica Set New DVD Release

antiMusic reports: We knew this DVD was coming but the big news is you don't have live in France to get your hands on it. Here is the announcement: Metallica are poised to release a live DVD entitled 'Francais Pour Une Nuit' (translation: French For One Night) on 23 November. This will be their first ever French concert DVD. It was filmed at the Roman Coliseum in Nimes, France in July of 2009. In keeping with this Franco-phile theme, the DVD will be available in retail stores in France only. However, due to a strong demand from Metallica fans around the world, 'Francais Pour Une Nuit' will be made available on a direct-to-consumer basis through Universal Music (www.metallicanimes.com), as well as the band's own website (www.metallica.com).

'Francais Pour Une Nuit' is an electrifying full length live DVD. The 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse -that is, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo- ride into Nimes and make their entrance into the Coliseum, through the gladiator's tunnel, before performing an explosive set of Metallica music. Fans can also look forward to some exclusive backstage footage.

'Francais Pour Une Nuit' is unique in that not only was it filmed in France, but ALL aspects of the project are French…other than the band themselves, of course! The concert was filmed, recorded, and edited with French camera and recording crews; the artwork was created by a French design team (including a one-of-a-kind special package); even credits are in French. - more on this story

U2 To Webcast Concert This Weekend

U2 reports: U2 have confirmed via video blog that their sold-out concert at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California, this Sunday, 25th October, will be streamed free, in full and live on YouTube. It's the first time a show of this size will be streamed live.

The Rose Bowl show is the penultimate U2 show this year - with more to come in 2010 - and already is set to host the venue's biggest ever audience of over 96,000 fans. The 360° Tour, which has been critically acclaimed and 're-invents rock'n'roll' (Rolling Stone Magazine), will now boast unique access for fans worldwide - as fans in territories yet to be visited by the tour, or not at all, will be able to enjoy the whole show online.

Managed in partnership with Live Nation, this sell-out tour has broken attendance records in most venues it has visited - its success due in part to increased capacity coupled with a lower ticket price and great sight lines afforded by the stunning in-the-round stage set. - more on this story

Pixies Announce Supporting Bands for North American Tour

HER reports: In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the release of their classic 1989 album Doolittle, the Pixies will kick off the 21-date U.S. leg of their "Doolittle Tour" on Wednesday, November 4 at the Hollywood Palladium. Today, the band announces the support acts for the tour.

Opening for the Pixies over the course of the "Doolittle Tour" will be Bad Lieutenant, the new project from New Order/Joy Division's Bernard Sumner; the Los Angeles experimental art rock duo No Age; Brooklyn-based music project Black Gold; TV on the Radio/Kyp Malone's solo project Rain Machine; garage punk musician Jay Reatard; and Denmark's flamboyant Mew. (Full schedule below.)

In addition, a third and final Chicago show has been added to the American trek. The Pixies will now open their Chicago run on Thursday, November 19 at the Aragon Ballroom with Bad Lieutenant supporting. - more on this story

Secret Weezer Show

PR reports: To celebrate the November 3rd release of their new full-length album Raditude, rock titans Weezer will be playing a MySpace Music Secret Show in San Francisco at the Regency on Wednesday, October 21 for their MySpace friends and fans.

The Secret Show featuring Weezer will feature special guests Natalie Portman's Shaved Head. Doors for this all-ages event will open at 8 p.m. and entry will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Raditude's swift appearance on the heels of 2008's The Red Album is hardly the only surprise Weezer has in store on its seventh record. Raditude upends any expectations audiences may have of Weezer, amplifying their trademarks to a dizzying degree - the pop hooks dig deeper, the rock hits so hard it bruises - but the group subverts these signatures with a sly hand while pushing boldly into new territory. - more on this story

Want To Sing On Stage Backed By Members Of Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Zombie, Ministry and Danzig?

Submitted News reports: Ever think you have what it takes to be a heavy metal vocalist, well it's time to stop singing in the shower and take those skills to the stage.

Starting Tuesday, January 12, 2010 Hollywood's first real Heavy Metal Karaoke gives the average metal fan a chance at super stardom. The event operates like normal Karaoke, except instead of singing with lame-ass backing tracks, this special event gives the participants the once in a lifetime opportunity to sing with professional touring musicians from some of the most legendary Heavy Metal bands of all time!

You could be metal's next Ripper Owens! Admission for each show is $10 in advance and $12 the day of the show, so get your tickets now before they sell-out. This is the first Heavy Metal Karaoke event featuring established live musicians and is a must-see event even if you are not up for the vocal challenge. There will be a designated area for "singer" registration that will include a large song list to chose from including classic tracks from Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metallica, Pantera, Slayer and plenty more. Expect a variety of special guests and surprises! It's time for you to be discovered, so don't miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime. - more on this story

The Mars Volta Members To Tour Together This November

PR reports: Considering how The Mars Volta's songs are so complexly intertwined, it would only make sense that the band's ever-expanding family of related projects are bound together as well. In November, two such groups, Zechs Marquise and Free Moral Agents take to the road to show us how this brood continues to grow.

Zechs Marquise features multi-instrumentalist Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez (who also plays in The Mars Volta) and bassist Marfred Rodriguez-Lopez, both siblings to legendary guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. Free Moral Agents is a collective of musicians founded by The Mars Volta's Grammy Award winning keyboardist Isaiah "Ikey" Owens.

While sharing The Mars Volta's penchant for expansive passages, Zechs Marquise takes a hazier, psych-laden approach to its songs, as evident on its 15-track debut album Our Delicate Stranded Nightmare which was released in Fall 2009 via Rodriguez Lopez Productions. - more on this story

Beatles' Abbey Road Comes To Rock Band

MusicRadar reports: The complete version of Abbey Road is coming to The Beatles: Rock Band this week, Harmonix and MTV Games announced today.

Users who have purchased the massively popular video game already have six of the iconic record's cuts - Come Together, Something, Octopus's Garden, "I Want You (She's So Heavy), Here Comes The Sun and The End - but as of tomorrow (20 October) they'll be able to snatch up the remaining tracks.

Depending on which game system you have, things can get a little tricky, so read - carefully

Calico System Reunite for Farewell Show

Band Statement reports: Calico System will reunite on December 26, 2009 for a single show at Fubar in St. Louis. Our friends Last Flight Home and This Incredible Machine will also be reuniting for this night, and two of St. Louis' best, A Dark Orbit and Novella, will also be joining us. This will be the one and only opportunity to come out and have some fun with us again, and our chance to say a proper goodbye.

The band members will consist of the original touring line-up: Mark Owens, Shawn Keith, Rick Giordano, Justin Haltmar, and Erik Ramsier. The set list will consist of mostly old songs from The Duplicated Memory and They Live, with a couple from the final album Outside Are the Vultures thrown in.

There will be no new album or tour, this is a one time only event. This is closure. Hope to see you all there. - more on this story

A Fine Frenzy Set Christmas Release

PR reports: Wasting no time following up its acclaimed second album, Bomb in a Birdcage, A Fine Frenzy—led by Alison Sudol—has announced a special treat for the holidays. On November 3, 2009, the band will be releasing the six-song EP Oh Blue Christmas, available exclusively at Target, Target.com and the Target area on iTunes.

The whimsical collection contains three holiday classics ("Blue Christmas," "Winter Wonderland," and "Christmas Time is Here," from the beloved Charlie Brown Christmas) alongside three seasonal Sudol originals ("Redribbon Foxes," "Winter White," and "Wish You Well").

"It was the most wonderful thing," says the singer of the recording sessions for Oh Blue Christmas, which saw the band expanding its sound with accents from horns, mandolins, and pedal-steel guitars. "We all holed up in (producer) David Bianco's lovely studio, which was built in the '70s and hasn't changed much since then—and though it was the sticky, hot LA summer outside, inside, it was snowy, delightful Christmastime." - more on this story

Pearl Jam Guitar Auction

Pearl Jam reports: A Flying V guitar autographed by Pearl Jam is up for auction to help raise money for Wishlist Foundation. This auction package, benefiting Pearl Jam's various supported charities, includes: * One Gibson "Flying V" electric guitar with a white pick guard and worn-cherry finish, includes gig bag * Guitar autographed by Pearl Jam: Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Matt Cameron and additionally Boom Gaspar * One Pearl Jam swag bag filled with goodies * One Pearl Jam poster

This Gibson "Flying V" guitar with worn-cherry finish and white pick guard is autographed by grunge icons Pearl Jam; Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Matt Cameron and additionally Boom Gaspar. This guitar is an amazing piece for any guitar collector!

The guitar was signed by the illustrious rock luminaries at the Flight to Mars May 2, 2009 Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) fundraiser concert at the Showbox in Seattle. Joining Flight to Mars at this special event was former Guns N' Roses legendary bassist Duff McKagan and his band Loaded, a surprise appearance by Stone Gossard and Mike McCready's original band Shadow '86, who performed a tribute to Seattle rock legend Jimi Hendrix.

- Bid now at Charitybuzz.com

Singled Out: Gene the Werewolf

antiMusic reports: Welcome to Singled Out! where we ask artists to tell us the inside story of their latest single. Today Gene the Werewolf tells us about "Superhero" from their brand new album "Light Me Up" which hits stores today! We now turn it over to for the story:

On a cold winter night in 2005, Gene had reached rock bottom! He was nearing 30, he was still living with his parents, and he was on his way to deliver his last pizza to a non-tipping customer, on the snowiest night of the year! Slowly pulling into the covered driveway, Gene thought to himself, "I'm getting closer and closer to the edge", but determined to make the best out of the remainder of his evening, he high stepped his way threw the snow, pizza under one arm, and wore a fake grin, hoping to receive some kind of tip.

After another non-gratuitous visit, Gene was walking back to his car, when out of nowhere, the family beast slipped by his master, and started chasing him back to his car. Nearly escaping death, and making it to his car on time, Gene thought to himself, "I need a Superhero to come and save my day!" Then he had an epiphany! He was going to show the world what's up! He was going to take his horrible situation, and make it into the best rock and roll song in the world!

On an empty tank of gas and reeking of pepperoni, Gene sped home and proceeded to get out his 8-track, and started recording the music that was running through his head. "I remember thinking once the music was tracked, I had to sing the song in a way that set it apart from the average person, kind of like a "superhero". Gene did just that! Using his best falsettos, and complimenting them with his sex appeal, Gene finished the song just before dawn! The end result was the song "Superhero".

The next day, Gene called a mandatory practice with his band mates, in hopes that they would be just as in awe of the song as he was. "I remember first playing the song for Nick, in which he replied "WOW". Drew, Tim, and Aaron chimed in with a "DANG" when they listened. "I knew that I had written something special".

Gene not only considers "Superhero" to be the best song of the band, but he also refers to it as the "lifesaver". "We had all been ready to give up on music all together, until Superhero paved the way for the rest of our songs"! He also adds, "Though I am now in my 30's and still living at home, at least I can get chicks again with my band!"

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

Wait there is more!

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