Van Halen Plan New Tour

Azoff also announced TM plans to unveil interactive seat maps in the fourth quarter followed by dynamic ticket pricing in 2010 and praised the company's initial moves into paperless ticketing. [What about the reported ticket set asides for scalpers? Or is that what the "dynamic" pricing is all about?] - more on this story

Zakk Wylde's Blood Is Still Clotting

antiMusic reports: Zakk Wylde is not fully on the road to recovery yet from the blood clots that led to his hospitalization last month. In fact, his blood is apparently still clotting.

Zakk's Twitter account was updated on Wednesday with this message: "Sorry... calling this a roller coaster ride would be an understatement. Zakk's still clotting and we just can't get the meds therapeutic. Thanks for all the prayers and Get Wells. I will keep you updated. God Bless."

Back on September 2nd, Zakk posted that he was doing (peachy keen) when he detailed his treatment for fans. Here is what he had to say at the time: "I spent three days in a hospital in Eugene, Oregon where they gave me a 24 hour drip of Heparin where they could monitor me. The next two days I received shots of Heparin into my stomach. Each shot lasted 24 hours. - more on this story

Missing Glasvegas Singer Found

Jam! reports: Glasvegas frontman James Allan has been found safe and well after he was missing for nearly a week. The Scottish rockers were nominated for the prestigious Mercury music prize, but Allan failed to show up to the London ceremony on Tuesday night.

Guitarist Rab Allan admitted they hadn't seen him since last Friday and were starting to worry. He says, "We did a festival in Italy and came back and the last I've seen of him was at the airport. The last we heard of him was after we got off the plane on Friday. I emailed him but he didn't reply. We thought he would turn up at the Mercury Prize at the last minute."

The singer has now been found safe and well in New York, with the band's manager Dean Cunning revealing he received a phone call from the star confirming his whereabouts.
- more on this story

Stones and Pink Floyd Legends Slam Rock Band Games

Rock Radio reports: Ex Rolling Stone Bill Wyman and Pink Floyd's Nick Mason both feel band games put kids off learning to play real musical instruments. But game bosses disagree, saying it encourages people to stay on the learning curve because they can taste the rewards.

Rock Band – the Beatles' version of which is released today – and Guitar Hero both award points to players using plastic controllers who follow the button-pressing sequence on screen, based on well-known songs by world-class bands. The bands make money from the tie-in and other bands make money and gain exposure for having their songs used as rounds of the game. But while it's generally accepted as a good way to encourage people to discover new music, it's less effective at encouraging people to start their own bands, say Wyman and Mason.

Speaking to the BBC during the recording of a charity single, Wyman says: "It makes less and less people dedicated to really get down and learn an instrument. I think it's a pity – so I'm not really keen on that stuff."

Mason adds: "It irritates me, having watched my kids do it. If they spent as much time practicing the guitar as learning how to press the buttons, they'd be damn good by now." - find out the game maker's take on all this

Guns N' Roses Live Date Report Shot Down

Blabbermouth reports: White Lion drummer Troy Patrick Farrell, who also plays in Hookers 'N' Blow with Guns N' Roses keyboardist Dizzy Reed, has shot down reports that Guns N' Roses will perform in India in November.

He says in a statement, "The dates in India were to be with Dizzy Reed, Eric Dover (Slash's Snakepit) and myself as well as Gilby Clarke's bassist Muddy Stardust. Those dates moved to October (NOT NOVEMBER and not in the city of Bengaluru) and Dizzy Reed CANNOT and WILL NOT be in India for any event as far as I am aware of. At least not any event involving me. (Kids, don't try to read into that, but I simply don't speak for GN'R in any way, shape or form)."

He adds, "This rumor [about Guns N' Roses playing India] is the result of an overzealous promoter that mixed up information. I have spoken my direct contacts in India to confirm that they in no way shape or form alluded to the fact that Axl [Rose] or any version of GN'R would perform in India. - more on this story

Chevelle, P.O.D., Papa Roach, Reality TV Supergroup

PR reports: The evolution of rock takes another step forward with the formation of Daylight Division. The new quartet -- featuring Lukas Rossi (Rockstar Supernova) on Vocals, Marcos Curiel (P.O.D.) on Guitar, Joe Loeffler (formerly of Chevelle) on Bass and Dave Buckner (formerly of Papa Roach) on Drums -- have finished two songs and is in the studio working on their debut album.

Introduced by a mutual friend in January, Curiel and Buckner began exploring the idea of making music together. Curiel called in his longtime friend Loeffler, with Rossi joining the crew in June. The innovative band's MySpace page features the spanking new musical gems "Live Again" and "Where I Want to Be." Both songs give a glimpse of the anthemic rock Daylight Division will be unleashing when their forthcoming album debuts in 2010. The songs feature inspired musicianship, combining one part strut, one part sincerity and all parts rock.

Both new tracks are produced and mixed by Jay Baumgardner, known for his work with Seether, Evanescence and Helmet, to name a few. Baumgardner's working history with both Buckner and Curiel (Papa Roach and P.O.D, respectively) lent a familiar feel to the sessions. Daylight Division is currently unsigned and is in beginning talks with record labels. The band had this say about their new venture: "Some may call this project a 'Supergroup,' but it feels more like a band of mavericks! Our sound isn't necessarily what you would expect given our collective musical pedigree. It's a common ground we found the old-skool way, getting in the same room and jamming. It's exciting to bring in musical influences we all share, but haven't had the opportunity to draw on before now. It's exciting to be part of something totally new. - more on this story

Norma Jean, Horse The Band, The Chariot and Arsonists Get All The Girls Tour

PR reports: Norma Jean will headline the "Explosions 2009" US tour. Rolling out in late November and running through late December, the tour is the band's first headlining trek since the Fall of last year and boasts an impressive lineup with a few surprises from the powerful live band. Norma Jean handpicked the bands for the tour's impressive bill: Horse The Band, The Chariot and Arsonists Get All The Girls.

"We've always loved heavy music with no loyalty to any genre, style, approach or 'fashion' and this tour is just a taste of that non-allegiance," says Norma Jean frontman Cory Brandan. "Arsonists are an insane band from Santa Cruz. The Chariot are our good friends from our home state of Georgia. I'm really looking to hearing the songs from their new record live. We may even join each other on stage once in a while. Horse The Band is such a different sounding band. You can tell they really love what they do and have fun doing it. That's something we love about any band."

Norma Jean will be touring in support of their most recent album, The Anti Mother. Horse The Band drops a new album Desperate Living October 6th. The Chariot and Arsonists Get All The Girls are touring in support of their latest albums as well. - more on this story

Beatlemania Returns As Fan Overrun Record Stores for Beatles Reissues and Video Game

Jam! reports: Record stores were overrun Wednesday with devoted Beatles fans clamouring to get their hands on yet another round of rereleased Fab Four material, this time remastered and repackaged in box sets, individual CDs and even the first-ever Beatles video game.

Those diehard fans - at least those who actually managed to walk away with product in hand - said they were more than happy to open their wallets for the latest and greatest Beatles package, even if they've bought into the hype before.

"The cynic in me would normally come out and say, 'Come on, how much money can you guys get from us?"' said Toronto radio DJ Stu Jeffries, who picked up both versions of the new box sets. - more on this story

Wolfmother Announces Headlining Tour

Filter reports: Fresh off the heels of a run as main support for The Killers, Wolfmother have announced their first North American headlining tour in over 2 years!

Wolfmother's cross-country trek will be kicking-off at the House of Blues in Dallas, TX on the 29th of October and wrapping up 20 cities later at the legendary Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles . Support for all shows will come from thenewno2 and Heartless Bastards.

Limited pre-sale begins September 16th through Musictoday. Exclusive pre-sale offers include a trial membership to The Wolfies, Wolfmother's official fan club, and opportunities to pre-order Cosmic Egg with your tickets, plus one lucky fan and a guest at each show will win a meet and greet with Wolfmother! General on sales for all shows begin Friday, September 18th. - more on this story

Minus the Bear To Preview New Songs On Fall Tour

PR reports: Minus the Bear are excited to announce a four-week North American headlining tour that will begin October 30th in Eugene, Oregon, proceeded by warm up dates in the Northwest and New York.

Having spent the last 4 months in Seattle's Avast! Recording Co and Electrokitty Recording studios, working on their highly anticipated fourth studio album, the band is looking forward to debuting their new material to fans in a live setting.

Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Joe Chiccarelli (My Morning Jacket, The White Stripes), Minus the Bear's new album will expand on their complex and exciting brand of rock n roll. "This album has more scope than the past records," says guitarist Dave Knudson, "some songs are more poppy and immediate while others expand on the complexities we're known for." - more on this story

Rammstein Give More Album Details

Speak Easy reports: After months of speculation, Rammstein have confirmed the name of their sixth studio album to be LIEBE IST FÜR ALLE DA (U.S. release on Oct. 20 via Universal Music Germany through a marketing and distribution deal with Vagrant Records).

The album art, with painting-like photography created by Eugenio Recuenco, features a multi-panel storyboard incorporating band members in what is sure to carry on the controversy that surrounds Rammstein and their visual imagery.

Commenting on the themes addressed in LIEBE IST FÜR ALLE DA drummer Christoph Schneider said, "The overriding theme, I would say, is extreme forms of love…" Rammstein keyboard player, Flake Lorenz added, "Love can be interpreted in many different ways; for example, sometimes unreciprocated love can lead to tragic situations – mass murders, school shootings, terrible events like that. Hate is the negative form of love, like hot and cold…" - more on this story

Singled Out: Wild Beasts

antiMusic reports: Welcome to Singled Out! where we ask artists to tell us the inside story of their latest single. Today Hayden Thorpe from Wild Beasts tells us about "Hooting and Howling" from their brand new album "Two Dancers," which hit stores yesterday. We now turn it over to Hayden for the story:

I've long had a fascination with rivers in songs. I think it comes from my love of Bruce Springsteen's "The River", or maybe "Suzanne's place by the river" in Leonard Cohen's beautiful old standard. The mystic "Pyramid Song" by Radiohead may have also played a part. Nearly everyone grows up with a river near by, so I guess its easy to visualize a scene when a song is set there. In songs, "the river" seems to hold this mythical status, as if it were a place of baptism and cleansing, where someone comes of age. It holds a ceremonial quality if you will.

The idea of the mythical river acted as the lynch pin to Hooting and Howling. I had the opening verse… "Carry me hooting and howling to the river to wash off my hands of the hot blood the sweat and the sand. Any rival who goes for our girls will be left thumb sucking in terror and bereft of all coffin bearers"… The river here is in a sense, holy water, purifying you of all the bad you have done. I was however, struggling to get any further than this.

I have at home, a very messy, but quite fascinating demo of the first time we started to play the song together last summer. As we played, amongst the rubble of ideas and potential parts, this twinkling glass-like riff started to develop, first through Tom on the keyboard, then through Benny on guitar. It was a sort of eureka moment, something to cling to. Not that we knew it at the time, our booked rehearsal slot quickly ran out and we had to pack up and leave. We wouldn't return to the song for six months.

It was now December, a week before Christmas day I seem to remember. We had a studio in place, ready and waiting for the New Year and the recording of Two Dancers. We were in a state of controlled panic, knowing there were a few pieces missing in the album but having little time to fill them. Laurence Bell, the head of Domino Records came up to see how we were getting on, perhaps checking we weren't about to piss his investment away. Amongst a few other ideas he heard, we played him this really rough demo of the then untitled Hooting and Howling. Immediately a light bulb went off above his head. Even though it was basically a riff with me screaming over the top, he nodded his head and said assertively "Keep going with this one." We left for the pub, festive drinks were in order.

That afternoon, though slightly wobbly legged, we started to play the idea again. Very quickly the whole thing crystallized. The title, the arrangement, the structure, the chorus, the intro and the outro all came together as if they had always been there, like fossils that we were simply uncovering. I realized I didn't need any more words or parts, this is pop man! The refrain does all the work for you.

When it came to recording Hooting and Howling we mustn't have actually played the song through together any more than five times, it didn't matter. We wanted to capture the urgency that we felt, as if trying to draw a picture from memory before it begins to fade. The only part we were unsure of was the middle eight, it just wasn't functioning as it should. We dug deep and went full circle, creating a sort of underwater sound-scape using bowed guitars and squelchy synths. So in the end the song, much like the river, returned to its source.

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

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