Michael Schenker Scorpions Reunion Video- Swell Season is Over- Lady Gaga Gets KISS'ed- Corey Taylor's Seven Deadly Sins- Guns N' Confusion- $5 Chevelle- Ozzy- more

Robin Guy will be joining Tigertailz on drums for their next run of shows. more -

Send Metallica Into Space

You now have the chance to send Metallica into space. Not the actual band, we'll let Gibson fill you in: NASA has announced a new "Wake-up Song Contest" to allow the public to choose just what songs the crew will hear on the final flight of the space shuttle Discovery this November.

While the voting is, unfortunately, limited to a list of 40 previously played songs (so sadly, no "Flight of Icarus" or "Space Oddity"), there are still some intriguing choices available for voters, including Metallica's "Enter Sandman," 3 Doors Down's "Kryptonite," Tom Petty's "Free Fallin" and "Blue Sky" by Big Head Todd. The top two vote-getters will wake up the crew on their 11-day mission.

A second component of the promotion allows aspiring musicians to submit original songs, with the winning entry to be played on the last planned shuttle mission aboard the Endeavor in February. - more on this story

Behemoth Singer Fighting Cancer

Last week Behemoth frontman Nergal (real name Adam Darski) confirmed rumors that he is suffering from a serious illness. Rock Radio now reports: the serious illness he previously refused to identify is leukaemia – and the disease has developed so far that chemotherapy can't help him.

The extreme metal outfit from Poland recently cancelled all touring plans as Nergal confirmed he needed immediate medical attention. Now it's been revealed his fiancee Doda has donated bone marrow, although it's not yet known whether her DNA will match his.

Last week Nergal said: "I take my sickness at face value so I can understand and learn more. Most illnesses like mine are healed by positive thinking – I don't rely on faith, but on belief in myself. But let's just say this is a very strong enemy." - more on this story

Anthrax Preparing Next Album

Anthrax have begun writing and rehearsing for their next album which is expected out in early 2011. It looks like at least half of it will be material the band recorded for their unreleased album with Dan Nelson, who parted ways with the group in 2009 before the band re-reunited with Joey Belladonna.

"We've got an unusual luxury of hindsight," Ian explained. "We finished an album more than a year ago, we've lived with those 12 songs since then, and we can look back on them and see what we really love and what we can make even better, especially with Joey back in the fold. On these U.S. dates, we'll have a portable rig with us so we can work on the songs during any down time, and get everything to the point where we'll be ready to get into the studio as soon as possible."

Added Benante, "There are five or six songs from a year ago that we don't want to change, we love them the way they are, other than having Joey making them his own with his vocals. Then there's another five or six that we may want to rework, and then there are a bunch of other tunes that are still in the early stages, that we want to finish." - What about that tour with Slayer and Megadeth?

Jimmy Page Announces $691 Book

Rock autobiographies are all the rage these days and one person we have not yet heard from is Led Zeppelin legend Jimmy Page. The wait goes on, but he is releasing his first ever published book on September 27th through Genesis Publications. But it will cost you a whole lotta cash! Try $691.

Nightwatcher reports: Genesis Publications and Jimmy Page have spent two years together sifting through thousands of photographs to produce a final and definitive edit that includes a mixture of iconic portraits, rare and unseen images and photographs from Jimmy's own archive.

Jimmy Page: "I've really got a lot of time for the way Genesis produce their books, they're really quality items. As someone who's always been interested in having a library themselves, I appreciate fine bookbinding and their whole ethic of what they do and what they're trying to do with a whole catalogue of books."
- more on this story

Frank Zappa Day Announced

It's official. There will be a Frank Zappa Day. Here is the announcement: Details were announced today on a full weekend of events to take place in Baltimore on September 18-19, in support of the City's dedication of a sculpture to legendary musician, composer and social icon, Frank Zappa.

As part of the celebrations, the Mayor's office will issue a proclamation moving 'Frank Zappa Day' to September 19, a date significant because it marks the anniversary of Zappa's 1985 testimony on Capitol Hill in favor of free expression by recording artists at the Senate hearing instigated by members of the PMRC concerning censorship and record labeling.

In addition, the stretch of Eastern Avenue between Conkling and Eaton Streets in Highlandtown will be marked 'Frank Zappa Way' with a ceremonial street sign to be unveiled for the dedication. Most of the events, including the outdoor dedication and free concert, will take place along this stretch of Eastern Avenue in the heart of the Highlandtown Arts and Entertainment District. Fresh off an international tour, Frank Zappa's son Dweezil and his band Zappa Plays Zappa will headline the concert on Sunday afternoon. - more on this story

Heaven & Hell Is Finished

Geezer Butler is still mourning the loss of his Heaven and Hell / Black Sabbath bandmate Ronnie James Dio and is considering what the future might hold for him musically. Here are some excerpts of a conversation he had with Exclaim.ca. "We're all just on hold since Ronnie passed away," Geezer told Exclaim.ca. "We did a tribute concert for his cancer fund a bit ago and that's about it. We're just wondering what to do next."

"Everything was going so well and then that happened," he continues. "It was one of those things when he was responding really well to treatment and everyone was feeling positive again. The tour was going ahead again and Ronnie felt up for it [and] was looking forward to the tour. About six weeks before that, it came back with a vengeance and hit him really hard."

Thrown into a state of turmoil, Butler admits that Heaven & Hell are no more and the future of Sabbath continues to remain uncertain. "It's really difficult because it's obviously never happened to us before. It's difficult to know what to do, especially at our age. We're not sure. Do we start all over again? We're just gonna see how it goes. That's the thing. He's a very close friend of of mine, as well as someone I work with. It's a big part of my life gone. [Are we] getting a singer in and that kind of thing? ... It'll sort itself out eventually, I suppose [but] Heaven & Hell is finished. It could only ever be with Ronnie. I'd still like to carry on with Tony and Vinnie doing something, but it won't be as Heaven & Hell." - Read the full story here

Bun E Out of Cheap Trick?

Bun E Carlos hasn't officially left Cheap Trick but he has stopped touring with them and now we learn that he is not playing on the band's new album. Rock Radio reports: New blood in the Cheap Trick lineup may have spurred the band into working harder than they've done in over a decade. Bassist Tom Petersson says they're already close to completing the follow-up to 2009's album The Latest – but the question is, who'll play drums on the record?

In March this year sticksman Bun E Carlos retired from touring after a bout of ill-health, although he officially remains a member of the band. But as Petersson comments, Cheap Trick tend to record while they're out on the road, which means album tracks could feature guitarist Rick Nielsen's son Dax behind the kit.

"We were just in Los Angeles and we came up with 10 ideas that are very strong contenders. That's how it works now – we just do it as it happens. When opportunities come up we just put ideas together. Once you get 10 or 12 strong things, wow, we have the record," Petersson tells Billboard.com. "We do the majority of our recording as we work on the road. We go into studio here or there, or do something at sound checks. It's kind of like, if you're in the room you're on the record." - more on this story

Pamela Anderson To Help Save Beatles Landmark

When you think of Beatles landmarks you automatically think of Pamela Anderson. You don't? That might change after this story from Gibson: Pamela Anderson has joined the growing chorus of public opinion to save the childhood home of Ringo Starr from the wrecking ball.

As reported last week on Gibson.com, the Liverpool City Council is taking bids to destroy 9 Madryn Street, along with several surrounding buildings in the district known as the Dingle. The house was the birthplace of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr.

Appearing on the BBC TV program The One Show, Anderson met ex-Member of Parliament Gyles Brandreth and the two agreed that the house should be spared for historical reasons. Brandreth announced that he was launching a campaign to save the Victorian house, reasoning that if the other Beatles houses have been worth saving, this one should be, as well. Anderson agreed and said that she would join his campaign. - more on this story

Singled Out: Heaven Below's When Daylight Die

Welcome to Singled Out! where we ask artists to tell us the inside story of their latest single. Today Patrick Kennison from Heaven Below tells us about "When Daylight Die" from their album "Countdown to Devil". We now turn it over to Patrick for the story:

The music to When Daylight Dies has an interesting story behind it. A couple years back, for a short time I played in a band with a female singer.
We had decided to do a cover of the Stevie Nicks hit from the '80's Edge of Seventeen. I was not a huge fan of the song but I agreed to cover the song provided I could "reinterpret", or more accurately "re-write" all the music to the song. While the version we played did get great response when we performed the song live, the band ended as quickly as it began. Less than a year later I formed Heaven Below with myself as the frontman.

While combing through my "riff archive" the band & I came across the music I had used for the Stevie Nicks cover. Immediately the band insisted I put vocals over the newly found arrangement. Lyrically the song is about an immortal being having a relationship with a mortal being. When it is understood that the bond between the two must come to an end an emotional account of the story is told through the lyrics. I can honestly say every line and melody in the song came very easily for me. Once I got into the mindset of the characters the song simply wrote itself. For lack of a better comparison, the movie City of Angles with Nicholas Cage would be a contender for inspiration. Once my buddy Ben Moody heard what we were doing, he insisted he produce the track. His approach and orchestration in the studio brought the song to a new level. We're proud that such a huge talent lent themselves to our project.

A lot of fans think the song comes from the Twilight series which I find silly, but hey if fans want to put popular movie trailers to our music, so be it. As of late fans and friends of the band have told us they identify with the song and the subject matter. It is these personal testimonies that make writing and performing music one of the best jobs in the world.

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

Paul Weller Recruits Noel Gallagher

The great Noel Gallagher mystery gig has been solved. Gibson reports that Ex-Oasis guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher was in the studio last week with an unknown household name laying down some drum tracks. It transpires, (after Paul Weller talked to Absolute Radio at last weekend's V Festival) that it was the former Jam frontman who had used Gallagher on drums.

Weller said: "He's a good all rounder. People don't know what a great musician he is. He can play keys, bass, harmonica, electric kettle and all sorts!"

As for Noel's clothes-designing bother Liam, Weller also told Absolute Radio he was going to wear a custom-made Pretty Green (Liam Gallagher's fashion label) outfit on stage for his set at the festival.
- more on this story

3 Doors Down, Theory Of A Deadman and Saving Abel For Better Life Benefit

Theory Of A Deadman and Saving Abel will join 3 Doors Down for this year's benefit concert for The Better Life Foundation.

The seventh annual concert and silent auction for their Mobile, AL-based charity, will take place at Horseshoe Casino/Hotel on Friday, November 12 and culminating with a live performance on Saturday, November 13. The 2-day event has moved location from Biloxi to Tunica and as a bonus for fans, is earlier than in years past. The event is sponsored by the Mississippi Army National Guard and boasts a complete schedule of events including Charity Ride, Clay Shoot, Silent Auction and live performance of 3 Doors Down with special guests Theory Of A Deadman and Saving Abel.

The Better Life Foundation has donated close to $2,000,000 to various charities nationwide since it's inception in 2003, though the main focus is on Gulf Coast organizations. Past 'friends' who have joined 3 Doors Down for the annual event include Lynryd Skynyrd, Staind, Sara Evans, Shinedown, Hinder, James Otto, Big Kenny of Big and Rich, Aaron Lewis of Staind, Ed Kowalczyk of Live, Alter Bridge, Tracy Lawrence and Switchfoot. - more on this story

Aerosmith May Open The Vaults

(Gibson) With Steven Tyler returning from exile only to do a veil dance with American Idol and Joe Perry recuperating from a motorcycle accident just in time to nudge his Toxic Twin off the stage recently, the Cocked, Locked and Ready to Rock tour has been perhaps the most interesting Aerosmith tour ever. As the bad boys from Boston wheeled into New Jersey, bassist Tom Hamilton sat down with the Newark Star-Ledger to address rumors and discuss the band's future.

Hamilton was asked about the Aerosmith archives. With nearly 40 years of recorded output, the band is reputed to have amassed quite a library of unreleased live and studio material, just aching to be released: "That's something we really want to do. I know I'd see something like the Led Zeppelin DVDs and say, 'Man, we should do that!' But record contracts can limit what you do. When we fulfill our Columbia contract with a new studio album, we will have the freedom to explore all sorts of options. If we have a couple of new songs we're excited about, we can put them up on our website so people can hear them without waiting until we have a full album. And we can go way back into our archives, and relate the past to what we do now. We film and record every night, and we have years and years of material, a warehouse full of stuff that even the band hardly remembers. It'll be a lot of fun to relive all that."

On the topic of band chemistry, Hamilton said: Last year was one of those times that shows you this isn't open-ended — it can go away. I think all of us got the message, and it made us try harder to come together. The chemistry of close relationships — it always produces the same sorts of reactions. Take The Police. There was friction over the same old things. Sting seemed to make it plain that however great it was to play with the other two guys again, he couldn't wait for it to be over. We might argue over what we're going to do three months from now, but I guarantee that no one in Aerosmith wants this to be over. We're all playing at the top of our games, and Steven has been amazing. He really was born to do this. - And yes he did confirm Steven will be judging Idol

Whitesnake Lineup Change

Whitesnake has one again tapped into Lynch Mob to fill their ranks. This time they have brought bassist Michael Devin on board. Here is part of the announcement:

Recently Devin has been playing with Lynch Mob along with new Whitesnake drummer, Brian Tichy. This union completes the new Whitesnake line-up alongside guitarists Doug Aldrich, Reb Beach and keyboardist Timothy Drury for the new album in the works.

"It's an honour to be welcomed into the Whitesnake family. I'm a big fan," explains Devin. Whitesnake is notorious for exciting musicianship, David's history is rich, and I'm very proud to be here." - more on this story

12 Stones Leave Wind-Up

We learned two things this morning. Wind-Up Records is still around and they just lost one of their hit artists. Here is the announcement:

12 Stones announced today that the band has parted ways with Wind-Up Records after 9 years. The band stated "We felt it was time for a change. We have a vision for this band that we feel is best pursued elsewhere."

From Mandeville, LA, 12 Stones signed to Wind-Up Records in 2001 after forming 15 months earlier. In their 10 year career, 12 Stones has sold over 2 million singles and albums collectively, won a Grammy Award for Paul's contribution to the single "Bring Me To Life" from Evanescence (which went on to sell a million singles and 7 million albums in the US), and have received multiple GMA Dove Nominations for their singles "Broken" and "Lie To Me". The bands current EP "The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday" debuted at #2 on the iTunes Rock Album chart and #6 overall on iTunes. - more on this story

Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child Documentary Premieres This Week

BIO Channel will premiere the two-hour documentary special "Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child," on Thursday, August 26 at 9PM ET/ 8PM CT/ 10PM PT.

Over the course of just four extraordinary years, Jimi Hendrix left an indelible stamp on the world, shaping not only popular music but popular culture as well. He remains the most innovative musician of his, or any other, era having virtually reshaped the vocabulary of the electric guitar for future generations. "Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child" is an autobiographical journey that reveals the man as never before, featuring the legendary musician's own words to tell the story of his remarkable life.

Drawing upon interviews granted by Hendrix, coupled with letters, writings and recordings, "Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child" provides new insight into one of the most enduring icons of popular culture. The special is filled with never before seen photographs and film footage from the Hendrix family archive and features a soundtrack that includes such legendary Hendrix recordings as "Purple Haze," "Hey Joe," "Fire," "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" together with never before heard live performances. Funk legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Bootsy Collins of Parliament-Funkadelic renown, is featured as the voice of Jimi Hendrix. - more on this story

Chiodos, Atreyu, Blessthefall Congregation Of The Damned Tour

Chiodos is hitting the road with Atreyu, blessthefall, Architects (UK), and Endless Hallway, for the Congregation Of The Damned tour.

Chiodos' upcoming release, Illuminaudio, will be available on October 5th and will feature the band's two newest members, vocalist Brandon Bolmer (formerly of Yesterday's Rising) and drummer Tanner Wayne (formerly of Underminded and Scary Kids Scaring Kids).

Wayne states, "I believe that if I have only a 30 minute set that I should show the kids the time of their life. I like playing very aggressively and I'm constantly pushing myself to do more creative things whether it's during the writing process or live." - more on this story

Umphrey's McGee Hitting Theatres

Umphrey's McGee have announced a fall tour of North American theatres which will include their Halloween Monster Mash-Up in St. Louis on October 30 and 31.

As always, along the way Umphrey's continues to raise the bar for fan experiences, with their innovative and interactive Stew Art events planned in at least a few markets.

Umphry's McGee's will host their Stew Art Series (aka, "S2") – an interactive fan experience where audience members "conduct" the band's live improvisations - in at least of few markets along the fall tour. Presented as individual events before that evening's already schedule show, Umphrey's Stew Art Series is a crowd-sourced improvisation experiment, in which all the music performed by the group on stage is entirely directed by S2 audience members. - more on this story

All Star Benefit Concert For Tornado Relief

Jimi Jamison, Derek St. Holmes, The Romantics Wally Palmar, Beaver Brown Band's John Cafferty and former Journey vocalist Kevin Chalfant will all take part in a benefit concert to aid those hit tornadoes in Illinois earlier this summer. Here is the announcement:

On June 5th, 2010, a series of tornadoes hit several towns in a rural area 100 miles southwest of Chicago. Touchdowns in Peoria, Streator, Dwight, Elmwood and Kankakee left behind flattened homes, downed power lines and, in one instance, a derailed train. The communities affected by the devastation were left with the task of rebuilding their homes, their lives and their well being.

Kevin Chalfant, a long time resident of Streator is answering the call for aid. The storms of that night affected a number of good family friends and his beloved community. His plan? To hold an all star concert to support rebuilding efforts and counseling needed to cope with losses. - more on this story

Attack Attack!, Pierce The Veil, Emmure, Of Mice & Men, and In Fear And Faith This Is A Family Tour

Pierce The Veil will support for Attack Attack! on the This Is A Family tour, which will run from November 11 – December 20.

The full U.S. tour will also feature Emmure*, Of Mice & Men, and In Fear And Faith.

Pierce The Veil has just wrapped up their run on the 2010 Warped Tour. This Fall, Pierce The Veil will head overseas on the Take Action Australia tour (w/Attack Attack! and Dream On, Dreamer) and to Japan (w/Confide, Bury Tomorrow, Crossfaith, and Lost). - more on this story

Bachman & Turner On Rockline This Week

Bachman & Turner will be the featured guests on Rockline with Bob Coburn this Wednesday August 25, 2010 at 8:30pm PT / 11:30pm ET.

Fans are encouraged to speak with the Randy Bachman and Fred Turner by calling 1-800-344-ROCK (7625). For a station near you and for information regarding how to log onto the Internet for the broadcast go to www.RocklineRadio.com

This broadcast will be available for two weeks on the Rockline website beginning the evening of the day following the show. - more on this story

Dengue Fever Lobster Festival

Dengue Fever will headline the Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival in San Pedro on Saturday, September 18 at 9 pm.

"Our headliner is Dengue Fever, fresh from their tour of Cambodia and Vietnam on behalf of the US State Department," says Jim Hall, President of International Lobster Festivals, Inc., producers of the Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival. "Open your ears and mind and take in a totally unique rocking good time with Dengue Fever's amazing show."

Admission is $9.00 for adults, kids under 12 get in free. Additional information and discount coupons good for $2.00 off admission are downloadable - here

Tarja Turunen Debuts New Video

Tarja Turunen released the brand new video for her song "Until My Last Breath."

The song is the first international single from her sophomore effort, What Lies Beneath, which is now being released on September 14, 2010 in the US on The End Records.

The video was filmed earlier this summer in Iceland and fans can check out the end result right
- here.