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The High-tech Crime Control Office made its first arrest using a P2P surveillance system that went in to service in January, to find the uploader of films including "Avatar" and "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." more
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Winger Member Trashes Metallica's Guitarist

It's hump day; why not start with this comical report from Rock Radio? Here you go: Reb Beach of Winger and Whitesnake fame says Metallica's Kirk Hammett is the "worst guitarist I've ever heard in my my life."

Talking to Classic Rock Revisited, Beach piles into the man who founded early thrash metal technicians Exodus before replacing Dave Mustaine in Metallica in 1983, going on to write the riff for Enter Sandman.

"I don't know the guy, but I think he's one of the worst guitarists I've ever heard in my life. I've never heard a solo from that guy that was any good," Beach says. "The guy's out of tune. His vibrato sounds like a beginner. Back in the 80s he was always voted best guitar player, and I'm like, 'What? That guy is terrible!' - Maybe he was only 17? Read more here

Bloc Party Frontman Announces Debut Solo Effort

Bloc Party singer/guitarist Kele Okereke will release his first solo album, entitled The Boxer, on June 22nd, 2010 on Glassnote Records. Produced by XXXchange (Spank Rock, The Kills), with additional mixing by Philippe Zdar (responsible for Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix), The Boxer sees the talented frontman pushing the boundaries of his own melodic sensibilities, embracing pop, rock and electronic music to boldly step out as a solo artist in his own right. First single "Tenderoni" will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

With the release of their debut, Silent Alarm, in 2005, Bloc Party were one of the 00's most important British bands, driven by Kele's amazing voice and incredible songwriting. When the band decided to take a hiatus after five straight years of touring, Kele had originally intended to walk away from music for a year. But when downtime presented itself, he found his creative impulses were too strong, and ended up booking himself some exploratory time in a recording studio on a whim. Alone with an engineer, he gravitated towards new instruments, hardly ever picking up the guitar. "I plugged in synths with no idea what they would do. I began programming drum beats, which I had never done before. It was completely back to the drawing board. It was exciting and terrifying. In most cases, I sat down, pulled a drum beat out of nowhere, and arranged stuff around that. It was as exciting to me as the first time I picked up a guitar." - more on this story

The Soundtrack Of Our Lives Release New Digital EP

The Soundtrack Of Our Lives have released a new digital EP to bridge the gap between their last album and their forthcoming album. Here is what the band had to say about it: Just back from a hectic US Tour which included sold out shows in San Diego and San Francisco, an amazing show at The El Rey in Los Angeles with guest performance from MC5's Wayne Kramer, TV Shows in New York, LA and Chicago and appearances at Classic Rock Q104.3 and Sirius Radio in New York, the band is psyched to announce the release of their new digital EP 'The Immaculate Convergence'.

This new EP from Tsool is the extension of their latest double CD "Communion" and the bridge to their forthcoming album Origin (vol II). It starts off with a new single version of "The Passover" – an epic classic that ended the "Communion" album (and many of the live shows on last year's tour), followed by 3 brand new tracks: "Take Me Back", "Snuff Parade" and "From This Moment". All three beautiful laidback tunes for the spring break...

And from this moment on Tsool will spew out new tracks digitally during 2010-2011 and continue to deliver their magical live shows until the physical release of Origin Vol II... - You can get it at iTunes

Van Halen Made Little Before Sammy Hagar Joined

(Rock Radio) Former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony has revealed that Van Halen were making a relative pittance from their worldwide success until incoming singer Sammy Hagar forced their record label to make new deals with his new bandmates.

Hagar was already a big name after a stint with Montrose and his solo work when in 1985 he replaced David Lee Roth in Van Halen. By that time the band were riding high with the success of their sixth album 1984, featuring the tracks Jump, Panama and Hot For Teacher.

But Anthony says the band weren't making much money – until Hagar changed that. The bassist tells Attention Deficit Delirium: "We didn't have a really good contract until Sammy came in. He came in with his manager and he said, 'What the f'k? Let's redo your contract'. Then all of a sudden it was really poppin'. We'd been looking around and a lot of the guys at Warners had heir summer houses and nice vacations. I guess we were paying for that." - more on this story

Wilco Announce Their Very Own Festival

The Solid Sound Festival is a new festival curated by the Chicago band Wilco. It debuts August 13 – 15 at MASS MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art) in North Adams, MA.

The Solid Sound Festival is an independently promoted and ticketed three-day event of music, art, comedy, interactivity and more. Wilco headlines the weekend, in the bandʼs only East Coast performance of the summer.

This new festival also presents individual performances by all the Wilco membersʼ side projects including Glenn Kotcheʼs On Fillmore, The Nels Cline Singers, The Autumn Defense featuring John Stirratt and Pat Sansone and Mikael Jorgensenʼs Pronto. - more on this story

New Grateful Dead 3-CD/1-DVD Set Announced

On July 7, 1989 the Grateful Dead got together with some 95,000 close friends at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, PA. By the end of the day, all involved shared a highly improved outlook on life. Grateful Dead productions and Rhino Entertainment present Crimson, White & Indigo, the entire full-length theatrical concert experience in fully mastered multi-track audio brilliance.

The x3 CD & x1 DVD set will be available April 20th from Grateful Dead/Rhino at all retail outlets, including Dead.net, for a suggested list price of $39.98. A digital version featuring all of the audio content will also be available.

The 19 tracks on 3 CDs–all but one previously unreleased–were mixed from the 24-track analog master tapes, enhanced using the latest audio engineering technology and presented here in HDCD. The set comes packaged with a booklet of rare photos and an essay by Steve Silberman, who coproduced the Grateful Dead's boxed set of previously unreleased recordings, So Many Roads (1965-1995). - more on this story

The Futureheads To Deliver Chaos To America

The Futureheads, are thrilled to announce the stateside release of The Chaos set to drop June 1 via NYC based indie, Dovecote Records. The Chaos is a screaming, visceral rock and roll response to our current world, a wild, thrilling ride from start to finish.

The Chaos kicks off at light speed with a rallying cry for the album's impending wild ride – "5-4-3-2-1, Let's Go!" Struck Dumb is a call for action, firing on all cylinders, its riff urgent, direct and instant, lyrics mirroring the melody, "For crying out loud/Stop furrowing your brow/Start living in the clouds/Go make your mother proud." Heartbeat Song may just be the lustiest pop song ever created, a song about knowing that you're good, but not THE ONE, and selfishly wanting to stay anyway. Jupiter begins like a slice of twisted gospel, gently humming into life before exploding into a thousand brilliant colors – a kaleidoscope of genres that only The Futureheads could meld together with flair and grace. - more on this story

Smashing Pumpkins Record Store Day Performance Details Announced

To help celebrate Record Store Day, The Smashing Pumpkins will perform at Urban Outfitters Space 15 Twenty in Hollywood! The first 250 fans who preorder The Smashing Pumpkins' new EP from Amoeba Records on Sunset will get a wristband to watch the band perform later that day at Space 15 Twenty. Elsewhere on Record Store Day, fans who preorder the EP from their local indie record store will get an exclusive black light poster!

The Smashing Pumpkins' new EP, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope finds Billy Corgan and his band releasing the 44-song project as free digital downloads. Periodically, the band will release bundles of these tracks as limited edition EPs. The first EP, VOL. 1: SONGS FOR A SAILOR", is set for release on May 25th.

This very limited edition collectors EP will be packaged in a beautiful collector's silk-screened wooden box. Each box will contain a 4-song CD, a vinyl 7" and a hand-carved obelisk. - Grab A Song for a Son Here

Hellyeah, Nothingface & Dog Fashion Disco Supergroup Knives Out Preview New Music

Knives Out, the new Baltimore, Maryland-based project featuring current/former members of Hellyeah, Nothingface, Dog Fashion Disco and Polkadot Cadaver, have announced they will be performing on April 17th, 2010 in Baltimore, MD at the Ottobar. The group is currently streaming the song "Blood Everywhere" from their upcoming debut album online here.

"We are excited beyond words to show the world what this band is. Our record in undeniable," commented guitarist Jasan Stepp. "April 17th will be our first show performing without Tom, who is busy with Hellyeah. Tom is still a member of Knives Out, which is why we have chosen to not have some guy come in to play his parts. It has taken a ton of practice and a pretty elaborate, multi-amplifier guitar rig to make this a one guitar band, but we feel like it has worked incredibly well. Adding another personality to our band didn't seem like the right thing to do."

Knives Out recently finished recording their debut album at Wrightway Studios in Baltimore, MD. The album is currently being shopped to interested labels for release in late 2010. The band independently released a self-titled four song EP online through iTunes and digital retailers earlier this year. - more on this story

Dashboard Confessional Frontman Hosting Haiti Benefit

The loss of four Lynn University students and two professors in the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12 has touched people around the nation, especially those in the local Boca Raton community. Chris Carrabba, Dashboard Confessional lead singer and Boca Raton resident, felt such a strong connection to this tragedy that he has volunteered his time and talent to help the Lynn University community.

Carrabba is hosting a special two-night, three-concert event on Friday, April 30, and Saturday, May 1, to benefit the Lynn University memorial scholarship fund in honor of the faculty members and students who died in an earthquake while providing service and care to the people of Haiti during the Journey of Hope course in January 2010.

Held on the campus of Lynn University, Carrabba plans for the concerts to spotlight the importance of active voluntarism and the positive energy it can bring to the world around us. - more on this story

Peter Case Announces First Post Heart Surgery Releases

Following a near fatal heart scare, Peter Case will release his new, full band electric album Wig! on June 29, 2010 via Yep Roc Records.

Is it surprising to you that a 3-time Grammy-nominated artist like Peter Case might not have insurance? Last nominated for his 2007 Yep Roc album Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John, Case like thousands of musicians and artists in the United States, was nearly a statistic of our now slowly recovering health care system. "I was told I needed a sophisticated diagnostic test and cost was definitely an issue," says Case of the period just before it was discovered one of his coronary arteries was 99% blocked. "I was moving into waters that were far too deep for me." Peter's condition would require immediate open-heart surgery. "I had no idea how I'd pay for it but the doctors just took great care of me and asked no questions. I owe them my life."

One double bypass, five days in the hospital and a six-figure medical bill later, Case's friends and fans organized to raise the money for the cost of his care. Benefit shows were staged in Austin, Houston and Nashville, as was a three-night extravaganza at McCabe's in Santa Monica, CA. The gigs featured heavyweight friends like master of ceremonies T Bone Burnett and performers Loudon Wainwright III, Dave Alvin, Richard Thompson, Joe Henry, Van Dyke Parks and many more. "My fans and friends really bailed me out and came through for me helping with my medical bills. I have a lot to be thankful for." - more on this story

Record Store Days The Book Hits Stores

In this era of digital downloads, the small, indie record shop might sound like an anachronism. But, in fact, record stores served as community centers, information exchanges, clubs, art galleries, and launching pads for numerous bands and record labels.

The new book Record Store Days takes a long, loving look back at the retail refuges that enthralled at least three generations of music lovers, providing a glimpse into the special alchemy that makes a great record store.

Written and compiled by two record store veterans, this lively and nostalgic anthology includes photographs and reminiscences from musicians, music industry executives, former record store clerks, and, of course, avid fans. - more on this story

Annotations Of An Autopsy Deluxe Reissue

Before The Throne Of Infection, the first major release by the UK's heaviest band, Annotations Of An Autopsy is available once again in North America.

Infamous for their extreme sounds and masterful technicality, Annotations Of An Autopsy is one of the most important bands in the UK/Euro deathcore scene. This special CD/DVD redux edition adds more punch to an album who's impact was enormous already.

The CD/DVD redux edition of Before The Throne Of Infection features the original audio release with an updated booklet which restores the lyrics that were too disturbing for print upon its original release. - more on this story

Molly Hatchet Vinyl Warriors

Molly Hatchet and SPV/Steamhammer are pleased to announce the vinyl release of Warriors Of The Rainbow Bridge (original release date was 2005)

The LP comes in a high class gatefold 2LP package with 1 bonus track. The inner sleeves are fully printed with all of the lyrics and additional info.

In addition to the release of Warriors of the Rainbow Bridge, SPV/Steamhammer will be releasing two classic MOLLY HATCHET LP's which are: 1998's Silent Reign of Heroes which will be released as a double gatefold LP including 1 bonus track and 2001's Kingdom of XII also being released as a double gatefold LP including 1 bonus track. - more on this story

3 Inches Of Blood Tap Goatwhore Four Canadian Tour

Goatwhore return to Canada this spring as direct support for the 3 Inches Of Blood tour across Canada! This will be the first time ever going east of Quebec City and hitting the Maritimes for this sinister band, east coasters will be blown away by their battering-ram rhythms and apocalyptic charm.

Ben Falgoust comments "We have been through Canada on many occasions with different extreme metal acts but this time is special alongside Canada's own 3 Inches Of Blood. We will not only be playing areas we have hit in the past, but we will also be covering areas we have never been before, like the Maritimes.

"We always have a great time when doing shows in Canada, but this time will be an occasion just for Canada and we are quite eager to get started." - more on this story

Jackyl Return With New Album and Tour

On May 4th Jackyl will issue their tenth release to date- When Moonshine and Dynamite Collide (Mighty Loud). The album's lead single "She's Not A Drug" entered the Active Rock charts at #57 and continues to receive generous spins at stations such as KQRC- Kansas City, WFTK -Cincinnati, WJJO - Madison, WI, WXRX, Rockford, IL, WIIL- Chicago, just to name a few.

Dupree had this to say about the outpouring of support the band continues to receive, "We are not just releasing a new CD with When Moonshine and Dynamite Collide, it's a celebration of Real America. It's for the people that bust their knuckles for 40 or more hours each week, and when it's time to jam they want to do it loud, proud, hard, and honest." He goes on to add, "We have recently placed phone calls to the people that have pre-ordered our new album off of our website and every single conversation has fueled our fire. We have the most dedicated, diehard fans. PUH-POW!"

Jackyl's legacy of its wild, untamed and uncouth approach to rock 'n' roll is well established. The band hit the scene and immediately began firing off rock radio hits like "Down On Me," "When Will It Rain," "I Stand Alone," and most notably, "The Lumberjack" during which Dupree performs a chain-saw solo. The introduction of Jackyl's fifth instrument on album and in concert quickly became one of the band's many trademarks as the group blazed a path to infamy, sharing the stage with Aerosmith, Kiss, ZZ Top, Ted Nugent and Damn Yankees and working with industry heavyweights such as John Kalodner. AC/DC's Brian Johnson would go on to lend his vocals to the track "Locked And Loaded" which still stands as his only contribution outside of AC/DC recordings. - more on this story

D.I.S. Critical Failure

D.I.S. will release their first full-length entitled, Critical Failure, this spring via Deep Six Records in the US in late May and Power It Up in Europe early June. The 10-song record was tracked by John Haddad (who's worked with Intronaut, Hirax, Abysmal Dawn, Winterthrall, Phobia Final Conflict etc.) at Trench Studios in Corona, CA. All bass and vocal tracks were recorded in the band's own studio by Vahle, who also mixed the record. Critical Failure centers around issues of interpersonal struggle, blind capitalism and religious hypocrisy.

Said Reeves of the offering, "This record is really crushing. We are all really proud of it and can't wait to get on the road this summer to destroy faces and kick down doors. I'm really excited about this album and this band over everything I've been involved with in the past."

D.I.S. will be heading across the U.S. in support of their new record later this summer and have several split releases in the works. Details TBA. You have been warned. - more on this story

Nachtmystium To Deliver Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II In June

Few bands today embrace their own individualism to ultimately craft something truly unique and genre defying regardless of the sales potential. Enter the Chicago-based Nachtmystium who embrace the true spirit of individuality and intolerance forming solely as an outlet to express the dark musical visions and summonings of those involved.

This vicious, uncompromising group's (led by mastermind Blake Judd) new full-length offering, Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II, is set for a June 8th release. The disc was recorded once again with Sanford Parker (Minsk) at Volume Studios. They have enlisted the talents of Wrest (Leviathan, Lurker of Chalice, Twilight) to record all drum tracks as well as Will Lindsay (Wolves in the Throne Room, Middian) on bass for this new album, which was hailed by Decibel Magazine as "One of the 25 most anticipated albums of 2010."

Nachtmystium kicked off their 2010 touring cycle by joining up with German thrash legends Kreator and will be touring the U.S. with EyeHateGod this June. - more on this story

Jimmie Vaughan Announces First New Album in Almost A Decade and New Tour Dates

Jimmie Vaughan, legendary guitarist and blues/rock artist, has announced that his first new studio album in 9 years, Blues, Ballads and Favorites, will be released July 6 on Shout! Factory.

Blues, Ballads and Favorites is exactly what the title describes, Vaughan's hand-picked favorites, including covers of songs by artists such as Little Richard, Jimmy Reed, Willie Nelson, Roy Milton, and Roscoe Gordon. Without any outside constraints, Vaughan was free to whittle down a list of favorite blues and R&B songs, ending up with a total of 13, each of which has special meaning to him.

Several tracks, including "Wheel Of Fortune" and Billy "The Kid" Emerson's "The Pleasure Is All Mine," feature a tight, funky horn section. Other highlights include Vaughan's own "Comin' & Goin'," a self-penned instrumental, and the Willie Nelson-penned "Funny (How Time Slips Away)," first popularized by soul singer Joe Hinton. Hammond B-3 organ master Bill Willis—a veteran of the King Records hits of James Brown and Bill Doggett—takes over lead vocals on that one. - more on this story

New Infantree EP in May

Infantree is set to release their six-song Food For Thought EP May 4 on Vapor Records. The songs were recorded at the legendary Sunset Sound in Hollywood with producer Niko Bolas (Neil Young, John Mayer, Sting, KISS). The band has performed at the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival in San Francisco, CA, the Bridge School Benefit concert in Mountain View, CA and the recent SXSW Music Conference in Austin, TX.

Formed in 2007 by then high school students Alex Vojdani (vocals, lyrics, guitar, keys) Matt Kronish (vocals, lyrics, guitar, banjo) and Donald Fisher (vocals, lyrics, keys, bass, mandolin, guitar), Infantree solidified their lineup in 2008 with the addition of drummer Jordan Avesar. The group honed their skills by playing more than 200 shows on Santa Monica's 3rd Street Promenade and opening shows for Daniel Lanois' Black Dub, Portugal The Man and Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti.

Alex, Matt and Donald began playing guitar and writing songs in elementary school. They inevitably picked up other instruments while jamming with older musicians who wouldn't relinquish the axe. The group's live performance involves alternating lead vocal duties and various band members shifting between nearly a dozen instruments. Yet there's a cohesive, rooted sound to Infantree that completely belies their youth. - more on this story

Ed Harcourt Sets New Album Release

Ed Harcourt's fifth studio LP, Lustre, will be released June 15 on Nice Music Group/Piano Wolf Recordings. Never easily assigned an identifiable niche, Harcourt merely does what he always has: creates music to capture a moment in time. His time.

"It's an album about action, life, the lustre that you have in your eyes when you feel you're living for something," Harcourt reveals. "If my last album was weighed-down, like an anchor, this one is a buoy" he adds.

Lustre follows Harcourt's critically acclaimed LP, The Beautiful Lie, originally recorded and released overseas four years ago, and finally released stateside in 2008. For his newest effort, Harcourt retreated to Bear Creek Studios, a cabin-like establishment nestled in the forest north of Seattle, to capture this newfound inspiration with the help of co-producer Ryan Hadlock (Blonde Redhead, The Gossip, Ra Ra Riot). Bookended by the angelic voices of the Langley Sisters, the resulting collection is an energizing marriage of restless invention and classic pop smarts, of insight and hooks. Harcourt's wit and effortless artistry beam once again, with a hint of whimsical that peeks out every then and again. - more on this story

Singled Out: Stealing Heather's Breathe Out

Welcome to Singled Out! where we ask artists to tell us the inside story of their latest single. Today Stealing Heather frontman Joshua Aaron tells us about "Breathe Out" from their brand new album "Your Mistake". We now turn it over to Joshua for the story:

I went through so many different incarnations of this song but the concept always remained the same. You can love someone so deeply but be torn between the life you once knew and the life you currently share. "Breathe Out" represents the moment of pause we all so often need to contemplate our next move.

The first verse begins, "the city eats me up and takes all I can give and asks for more", a direct reference to New York City, one of my favorite places in the entire world. From the lights on Broadway to that great little sushi joint in the east village, NYC has so much to offer. At the same time it can be a brutal place where you always have to be at your best. So many people can't handle that type of pressure, but for me, it keeps me at the top of my game. I spent many years in NYC and even though I live in LA now, that state of mind has stuck with me.

There is a duality to this song as not only is it the city's pressure building inside but also the relationship between these two people. They both truly love each other but can't seem to live with or without the other. Passion and desire one moment and their worst tendencies excited the next.

I think I always pictured this song as one of the people driving home from work thinking about everything that has transpired, angry yet completely in love, and trying to reconcile themselves as to what they were going to do next.

The song's ending that says "breathe in, breathe in, breathe out" is he/she getting closer to home where they will once again be entangled with the other person, being forced to deal with the situation head on. "Breathe out", the words that close the song, is that last ditch effort to stay calm despite the anxiety and tension that can tighten your lungs and quicken your pulse.

The evolution of "Breathe Out" was really interesting, at least to me. Although I had a few different versions of the concept, it was the very last song that was completed for this album, yet it is the beginning of the story and ended up as track #1. Funny how things work themselves out.

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