This Week's Top stories

Here are the top stories from this week's Day in Rock and the top Day in Rock digest stories

New Led Zeppelin Experience Tour? Free Radiohead- Nirvana Members Reunite- Quiet Riot Return- Sinister Box Set- Free 3 Disc Mike Portnoy Tribute- Blitzkrieg- more

The rock world was rather quiet over the Christmas holiday. Today we have a short digest followed by the continuation of our look back at the best stories from 2010. We'll be back with a full report tomorrow!

According to Reuters, the Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience tour grossed $2.1 million after playing 38 cities and cracked the top 50 of trade publication Pollstar's annual top tours list. Bonham is expected to launch a second leg in the spring, although details have not been announced. more

Nine Inch Nails posted a searing live performance of Somewhat Damaged from the band's farewell tour. Maximize the window, turn your speakers up and enjoy the hell out of another tasty Christmas present here

Skwerl at Antiquiest uncovered a rather big Christmas gift from Radiohead: In addition to a new full-length Gorillaz album, a new Klaxons EP, an awesome Nine Inch Nails live HD video, and a few other little stocking stuffers sure to turn up, we just unwrapped a big one: A complete video of the benefit for Haiti Radiohead played at the Henry Fonda Theater in Los Angeles in January, available for download (in DVD and 1080p MP4 formats), for free! more

Former members of Nirvana have reunited at a secret Foo Fighters gig in the US. Dave Grohl, former bassist Krist Novoselic and guitarist Pat Smear performed together for the first time since Kurt Cobain killed himself in 1994 at the Paladino's club on Tuesday (December 21). more

The Bronx have launched a new website promoting their alter-egos Mariachi El Bronx at mariachielbronx.com. The second Mariachi El Bronx record is currently in the works more

Alternative Addiction recently caught up with Better Than Ezra lead singer Kevin Griffin to talk about the band's upcoming Mardi Gras event called, Krewe of Rocckus, as well as the band's plans for releasing a new album in 2011. more

Independent musicians, graphic artists, and a computer graphics demogroup have collaborated on a grand scale multimedia tribute to former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, in celebration of over a quarter of a century of highly influential musicianship. The multimedia tribute appears in the form of a free three disc digital album, interviews, and some stunning music videos more

Quiet Riot bassist Chuck Wright tells fans. "I'm currently working on a CD package for a Tommy Bolin 'Teaser' re-issue and was in the studio laying down bass tracks for singer/song writer David Victors latest solo effort." and "The first shows back with Quiet Riot were a huge success. You can see the band perform Metal Health "Bang Your Head" at our show in Denver." check out a video here

Metal Mind [Productions] will bring out the Sinister box 'Altered Sins Birth' including nine CDs, the live DVD 'Prophecies Denied' and a full-color book with the history of the band and many many pictures. more

Uriah Heep have entered Liscombe Park Studios in Buckinghamshire, England to begin recording their next album of all-new material for a 2011 release. more

Fu Manchu will be reissuing a number of titles via At The Dojo Records. They are as follows: In Search Of... (1996) on limited colored vinyl to be sold at upcoming shows. Godzilla's/Eatin' Dust on white vinyl/gatefold LP and CD. more

Blitzkrieg have began pre-production/writing for a new album, to be released in 2011. The as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2007's "Theatre Of The Damned" will mark the band's 30th anniversary. more

Widespread Panic is planning to keep "a pretty high profile" in 2011, as the Georgia jam band marks its 25th anniversary. more

Aborted will begin pre-production for their next Century Media Records release in early-January. more

Before The Dawn have inked a deal with Nuclear Blast Records. The band's sixth album, "Deathstar Rising", is scheduled for release on February 25, 2011. more

No Turning Back just wrapped up recording their new full-length effort, "Take Control" which will see a release on American soil on April 19th. more

Doro has announced a string of tour dates for South America and a show in Mexico set for April 2011 more

On this day in 1969, Led Zeppelin II were at #1 on the U.S. album charts, it went on to sell over six million copies in the U.S. Find out what else happened on this date in music history here

On this day in 1975, Future Smiths singer Steve Morrissey had a letter published in this week's music magazine Sounds, complaining about the lack of media coverage for the New York Dolls. For more on this see This Day in Music Spotlight here. -

Fear Factory Pushback Tour- Slash Releases New EP- Linkin Park Beat Green Day- Former Pantera Star To Play Free New Year's Show- McMaster Walk Of Fame- more

The Day in Rock Digest for 12/29/10: The Metal Den sent over word that Fear Factory, who were slated to return to the stage
later this month as part of their ongoing Fear Campaign tour, have just made the following announcement via Twitter: "Unfortunately U.S Tour Dates are postponed new dates TBA. Happy New year." No reason for the sudden move to postpone the 2011 US dates has been given by Fear Factory management. More details on this story as it further develops. more

Billboard reports that Linkin Park's "Waiting for the End" rises 2-1 on Alternative Songs, granting the group its 10th leader on the list. The band breaks a tie with Green Day more

Oh, Sleeper bassist Lucas Starr has posted a new cover track online, under the name At Night We Strike, in a collaboration with his girlfriend Hannah Cook. The duo perform an acoustic, dark-folk version of Lady Gaga's hit single 'Bad Romance.' You can view the cover version here

Slash has released his iTunes Session EP featuring Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge). The set is a mix of Slash originals and performances of songs by Guns N' Roses, Led Zeppelin and Velvet Revolver. more

Metal vocalist Jason McMaster (Dangerous Toys, Broken Teeth, Ignitor) is set to make Texas history, as the first metal artist honored by the 'South Texas Music Walk Of Fame' in his hometown of Corpus Christi in June/2011. more

Within The Ruins has revealed the dates for its forthcoming headline tour in early 2011, as well as two festival appearances. more

Las Vegas rockers Sin City Sinners will perform on New Year's Eve with special guests Gasoline featuring drummer Vinnie Paul (Hellyeah, ex-Pantera). The show takes place in Las Vegas at Club Madrid (inside Sunset Station) and is free. more

The Bouncing Souls wanted to spend the holidays at home, only with a couple hundred of their closest friends in their annual Home for the Holidays party at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The weather, however, had other ideas. more

The Word Alive announced the departure of bassist Nicholas Urlacher. more

On this day in 1956, Elvis Presley made chart history by having 10 songs on Billboard's Top 100.

And on this day in 1966, The Jimi Hendrix Experience made their debut on the U.K. TV show Top Of The Pops, performing "Hey Joe." Find out what else happened on this date in music history here -

Dream Theater's New Drummer?

(Gibson) Blabbermouth is reporting that Dream Theater have likely found a replacement for drummer and founding member Mike Portnoy. Though no official statement has been made, it is "strongly rumored" that the band has settled on world-class session drummer Marco Minnemann.

The German-born Minnemann has produced several highly acclaimed solo albums, as well as an award-winning collection of instructional books and DVDs. He has worked with a variety of artists, including Kreator, Paul Gilbert and Necrophagist.

There is no indication if or when Dream Theater will make an official announcement, but guitarist John Petrucci posted on the band's website: Auditions went great and we do have someone, but we are spending some time getting everything in order before making an official announcement. Let me just say that we are all incredibly excited about our choice and just bursting at the seams to let the world know!" - more on this story

Vince Neil Says His Daughter's Ghost Prevented His Suicide

(Rock AAA) Motley Crue singer Vince Neil has revealed how the spirit of his dead daughter appeared to him two years after her death – and pulled him back from the verge of suicide.

Skylar Neil died at the age of four after a long and painful fight against cancer in 1995. The experience sent the frontman into a spiral of intoxicated numbness, until Skylar's ghost woke him out of a stupor one night.

"One night I was lying in bed with her blanket, still wanting to die. I was sound asleep – and there was a little tug on the blanket. I woke up, opened my eyes and the door was open," he says. "I was scared. I didn't know what was going on – but it was her." - more on this story

Mysterious Death of Pantera Insider

(Rock AAA) A close friend of Dimebag Darrell Abbott has been found dead after she spiralled into depression following the guitarist's murder. Pantera and Damageplan icon Dimebag was shot on stage in December 2004, but soulmate Jill Marie Abbott never recovered from the shock, friends say.

The 40-year-old stripper's body was found naked in Oakland, California last week, and police are continuing to investigate the circumstances. California investigators say Abbott suffered a panic attack and was taken to hospital, from where she called friends for assistance. But less than 48 hours later her body was discovered in a part of Oakland she didn't know.

The pair met through mutual friends in Slayer. Although they weren't related Dimebag used to take advantage of their shared surname to tell people they were brother and sister. She dated Pantera singer Phil Anselmo for a short time when the band were together. - more on this story

Bon Jovi and AC/DC Top Tours of 2010

(hennemusic) Bon Jovi walked past the closed doors of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame to collect the biggest box office cheque in the 2010 concert industry.

The New Jersey rockers had the #1 tour of the year, according to figures released Tuesday by Pollstar magazine.

The only act to crack the $200 million mark, Bon Jovi rocked and rolled their way to $201.1 million gross in ticket sales, ahead of second-place AC/DC, who came in at $177 million. U2, Lady Gaga and Metallica rounded out the top 5. - More including the full Top 20 list

Jason Bonham and Joe Bonamassa Team Up

(Gibson) Black Country Communion bandmates Jason Bonham and Joe Bonamassa have been working on a new album. The guitar hero revealed to GuitarInternational.com that the drummer has been helping him on his forthcoming release.

"We just finished a record a couple of weeks ago," he said. "Jason Bonham played drums and Carmine Rojas played bass. It sounds a lot like a refined A New Day Yesterday."

Rojas is known for his work with David Bowie and Rod Stewart. Bonamassa went on to compare the new album with his 2000 debut record. - more on this story

Paul Di'Anno Threatens Iron Maiden Haters

(Rock AAA) Former Iron Maiden singer Paul Di'Anno says that, contrary to popular belief, he has a good relationship with his ex-bandmates – and he'll "punch out" anyone who slags them off.

Di'Anno appeared on the metal icons' first two albums before being replaced by Bruce Dickinson in 1981. Over the years he's made some strong statement suggesting his dislike for Maiden and the band's moneymaking policies, but he now suggests his feelings were misguided.

"I love Steve and Dave Murray. We were like a gang, and always in trouble. The problem is we all live in other countries. When they came to Brazil Stevie and Bruce were looking for me, but I was out touring," He tells Guitar International. "Bad press says we all hate each other. It's not true. I quit the band because of the ethics – we all need to make money, but there's making money and exploitation of money, and that's the only quip I have about Maiden." - more on this story

Van Halen, Jimmy Page and Zakk Wylde Make Top Guitars That Don't Sound Like Guitars List

(Gibson) The guitar is so suitable for rock for the simple reason that guitar itself sounds great, but it can also be much more than that. In the right hands, it can be a string instrument, an organ, or even a zoo full of animals. Here are the 10 best examples of guitars that were not afraid to share their identity crisis with the rest of us.

7. Van Halen, "Baluchitherium": Eddie Van Halen has never recorded a solo instrumental album and it doesn't look like he plans to do so any time soon, so "Baluchitherium" from 1995's Balance might just be the closest thing we'll get to such a release. A huge, stomping track named after a lumbering prehistoric creature (also known as Paraceratherium or Indricotherium, for the paleontology buffs), "Baluchitherium" boasts a veritable menagerie of animal sounds during its end section, most of which appear to have been achieved by combining volume knob swells with natural harmonics and the whammy bar – although Van Halen noted to Guitar World at the time of Balance's release that this section of the song does include one real animal – his dog, Sherman.

3. Ozzy Osbourne, "No More Tears": Zakk Wylde throws a wide range of techniques into "No More Tears," including slide, a dropped tuning and fast arpeggios, but the song is also notable as one of the more famous examples of a guitarist who not only wails, but whales, too. During the orchestral-sounding interlude before the guitar solo, Zakk turns his volume control down, hits a note, turns the volume up and bends the string for a series of mournful, moaning notes which reinforce the lonesomeness of the track's theme. They also set the listener up for a killer build-up before the solo's rapid-fire blues licks.

1. Led Zeppelin, "Dazed and Confused": Jimmy Page has always been a master of presenting the guitar on a silver platter in all its raging glory, from Led Zeppelin right up to Coverdale-Page and his 1998 album with Robert Plant, Walking Into Clarksdale. But Page was also adept at making the guitar sound like something else entirely, as he did on "Dazed and Confused," where he used a violin bow (with the effect emphasized with some generous reverb) to make the guitar sound like an eerie, two-tone violin. Page's violin bow solo was also a live showstopper, as you can see in the concert movie The Song Remains the Same. - Check out the full list here

Rockers We Lost in 2010

(Gibson) With more highs than lows, rock and roll in 2010 has enjoyed a vintage year. But there's no avoiding the passing of so many icons and music favorites. As a mark of respect, we look back at some of those legends who are now probably playing in a great musical supergroup, somewhere high in the sky.

Ronnie James Dio, May 16: Heavy metal giant Ronnie James Dio, legendary vocalist for Elf, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell and Dio, succumbed to stomach cancer. Tributes poured in for the much-loved singer including this from Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi: "Ronnie was one of the nicest people you could ever meet, we had some fantastic times together. Ronnie loved what he did, making music and performing on stage. He loved his fans so much. He was a kind man and would put himself out to help others. I can honestly say it's truly been an honor to play at his side for all these years; his music will live on forever."

Paul Dedrick Gray, May 24: The 38-year-old bass player with Slipknot died in a hotel in Urbandale, Iowa. Police did not suspect foul play. Gray was a founding member of the metal band, in which he was also known as The Pig and #2. Gray also played with Unida and Reggie and the Full Effect.

Alex Chilton, March 17: The Memphis-born singer died of a heart attack in a New Orleans hospital. The singer and guitarist achieved national success with his 1960s band the Box Tops, who had a #1 hit with "The Letter" in 1967. After that band dissolved, Chilton formed Big Star, who turned into influential pioneers of power pop in the '70s. - more on this story

Yoko Denies Breaking Up The Beatles

(Rock AAA) John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono insists she was not responsible for the split of the Beatles in 1970, even both she and her husband had to deal with the fact she was blamed for it.

Speaking soon after the 30th anniversary of Lennon's murder in 1980, Ono tells the Daily Mail: "When I met John I was blamed for breaking up the Beatles, I was blamed for ruining John and I was painted as a dragon."

Later she says, "The Beatles were a group made up of four very complex men – my small hand could not have broken those men up. They broke up because they'd reached an end; but in doing so they all created wonderful new beginnings." - more on this story

System of a Down Reunion Dates

(The Metal Den) System Of A Down have already announced they are coming back in 2011.

They are slated to be reuniting for a string of large European festival dates in June 2011.

Among the announced tour dates included UK's Download Festival, Switzerland's Greenfield Festival, Germany's Rock am Ring/Rock im Park, Sweden's Metaltown, Austria's Nova Rock Festival and Finland's Provinssirock. - Grab all of the dates here

Chick in White Zombie Mistaken For A Guy

(Gibson) Former White Zombie bassist Sean Yseult recently chatted with Suvudu.com about her time with the hard rock group and her new book, I'm in the Band – Backstage Notes from the Chick in White Zombie. In the interview, Yseult revealed that the band's fans sometimes didn't realize she was a woman.

"Back in White Zombie days, it was very unusual for me to be up there playing in a heavy band of guys, and not being a sexy front woman singer. To be honest, I think I was the only one doing that at the time we were touring, and people were confused, to say the least," she said.

"I had girls coming backstage to meet me thinking I was a dude. I had metalhead dudes thinking I was a dude, and then instead of being sexist, later saying I was their favorite bassist along with Cliff Burton – there is no higher, non-sexist praise from a metalhead dude than that, so I consider myself very lucky." - more on this story

Uriah Heep Begin New Album

(Gibson) Uriah Heep have begun work on an album of new material. The veteran prog-rock band are currently recording at Liscombe Park Studios in Buckinghamshire, England.

The new studio album will be Heep's first disc of all-new songs since 2008's Wake the Sleeper. Earlier this year, the group released Celebration, a 14-track album that featured 12 re-recordings of their best-known songs, plus two newly written compositions.

News of the forthcoming studio disc comes fast on the heels of a previous announcement that Uriah Heep will soon release a new live album, titled Official Bootleg Volume 2 – Live in Budapest, Hungary, 2010. - more on this story

Ringo's Childhood Home Not Worth Saving

(Gibson) English Heritage, who recently placed a preservation order on the pedestrian crossing at Abbey Road, have decided that Ringo Starr's childhood home in Liverpool is not worth saving.

According to the Daily Express, the house at 9 Madryn Street, Liverpool, is still threatened with demolition.

A spokesman for Save Britain's Heritage told architecture website BDOnline: "How is it possible to argue that [the] birthplace of Ringo Starr is less important than the Abbey Road crossing? Madryn Street, which Ringo frequently refers to in his own writings and lyrics, draws in thousands of visitors from across the globe. - more on this story

Happy Birthday To The Late Great Cozy Powell

(Gibson) One of the most prolific and influential drummers in rock history, Cozy Powell was born on this day in 1947. Born Colin Flooks in Cirencester, England (90 or so miles northwest of London), Powell got his first kit at the age of 12 and never looked back. He started out playing in the school orchestra (an element that always remained in his approach to the kit) but eventually, like the majority of musicians from his generation, moved on to rock.

"I taught myself to play," he once recalled in an interview. "I would go to see all the other drummers who played in the circuit. I would go out to all the different clubs and watch every one of them because everybody, good or bad, has something to offer. Another drummer might do some little lick that is really good, and so I took everybody else's ideas."

Indeed, Powell was a sponge, constantly studying everyone from Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson to local club drummers. Eventually, he developed his own thunderous style — with the precision of the great jazz players but a power that foreshadowed the great rock drummers of the '70s. His first group was a cover band called The Corals, with whom he had already carved out a spotlight for himself with a signature drum solo and an adopted nickname, Cozy (after jazz drummer Cozy Cole), by the ripe old age of 15. - more on this story

Gilby Clarke Radio Interview Tomorrow

(Submitted) On Thursday, December 30, 2010 Guns N' Roses, Rockstar Supernova guitarist Gilby Clarke will sit down and talk with the hosts of the Rock On Radio Show, Casey & Riley Macek of Holes And Hearts, in an Exclusive New Radio Interview that can be heard on Las Vegas' #1 Internet radio station, VRadio from 7:00-9:00PM PST.

"I'm gonna make a new record, I'm ready, I'm excited!" says Gilby Clarke, he also talks about some wild Guns N' Roses stories from back in the day, playing guitar with Heart, "Nancy Wilson is Extremely Hot, she's beautiful & she's an incredible guitar player".

Plus his guest appearance in the Fallout Boy Video, "their really funny & they have a great sense of humor", also why he loves Rockin' in Las Vegas, "what's great about Vegas is you can drink all night", his recent South American Tour and more. - Listen Online and Chat Live here

Bob Dylan Pizza Prankster Tracked Down

(Gibson) A man who tricked workers at a Massachusetts pizza restaurant into believing they were filling a $3,900 order for Bob Dylan has come forward, and says he'll help pay for the prank.

As reported by The Amherst Bulletin, on Nov. 20, a 46-year-old East Brunswick, New Jersey, man entered an Amherst pizzeria a few hours after Dylan had performed at a nearby venue.

Flashing backstage concert credentials, the man then placed an order for 178 extra-large gourmet pizzas. Workers stayed up until daybreak slinging dough and spreading toppings. When the man failed to return to pick up the order, the workers phoned police. Dylan's camp was initially blamed for the incident, but, thanks to a surveillance tape, the true perpetrator was tracked down. Now, the unnamed prankster, who had no connection to Dylan or his crew, will make partial restitution. - more on this story

Bloc Party Members Reunite- Bob Dylan Pizza Prank- Steven Adler Releases New Songs- Dream Theater Says Don't Let Your Drummer Fill In For Another Band- more

The Day in Rock Digest for 12/28/10: Bloc Party have reunited over the Christmas period according to NME. The band, who have been on hiatus since mid-2009, have appeared together in a festive snap posted on their official Twitter page more

Whitesnake with special guests Mr. Big, have been confirmed for next year's edition of the Sweden Rock Festival, set to take place June 8-11, 2011 in Sölvesborg in southern Sweden. more

2010 was tough for the concert business as high prices kept many fans at home. Promoters now say they plan to make shows more affordable in 2011. But they'll also try to sell more T-shirts and other merchandise to make up for lost revenue more

Billboard reports: There's no denying Bob Dylan is a legend, and until recently, some Amherst, Mass. folks thought he was a pizza prankster as well. Dylan's name was used in a cruel joke involving pizza on Nov. 20, when a man ordered 178 gourmet pizzas while posing as a roadie for Bob Dylan. more

Dream Theater Guitarist John Petrucci says the biggest lesson he learned in year was "Don't let your drummer fill in for another band."

Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler's group Adler's Appetite have released two new songs digitally. These are titled Stardog and Fading. more

Former Construcdead and current Carnal Forge members have joined forces in a new band called Godsic. The group, which features Peter Tuthill (vocals), Rickard Dahlberg (guitar), Chris Barkensjö (drums) and Thomas Wallander (bass; ex-Construcdead), has spent the last month or so recording songs for its upcoming debut album more

The Jimmy Crespo Project - featuring former Aerosmith guitarist Jimmy Crespo - has decided to continue with a new singer and an announcement will be made soon. more

Mob Rules announce that they are parting ways with keyboardist Sascha Onnen and have lined up new shows for 2011 more

Jungle Rot have recruited 21-year-old Newark, Delaware native Jesse Beahler (Her Virgin Womb, Nightfire) as their new drummer. more

The Consequence Of Chaos has announced the addition of vocalist Norman Skinner (Tramontane, Utopian Trap, Machine.Called.Man, Imagika) and bassist Jim Pegram (Imagika, Nitemare, Baphomet, Harum Scarum) to the group's ranks more

On this day in 2005, Pink Floyd were voted the greatest rock stars ever in a survey of 58,000 listeners from U.K. radio station, Planet Rock. Led Zeppelin were voted into second place, third were The Rolling Stones, fourth were The Who, fifth were AC/DC, sixth were U2, seventh were Guns N' Roses, eighth were Nirvana, ninth were Bon Jovi and in tenth place was Jimi Hendrix. Listeners also named the 1970s as the golden age of rock, followed by the 1960s. Find out what else happened on this date in music history here
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Surviving Nirvana Members Reunite

(Gibson) A Foo Fighters secret gig at Palodino's Club in Tarzana, California saw Dave Grohl, bass player Krist Novoselic and guitarist Pat Smear perform on stage together for the first time since 1994.

According to NME.com, they played "Marigold" with Grohl on drums and vocals.

The Foo Fighters show was to mark the completion of the band's new album produced by Nirvana producer Butch Vig and featuring Novoselic playing accordion and bass on one song. - more on this story

Alice Cooper's Final Day

(Gibson) In a rather cheeky-but-morbid interview with ClashMusic.com, Alice Cooper revealed how he would ideally like to spend his final day. The newly-elected Rock and Roll Hall of Famer said that he would like to wake up that fateful morning in Maui and then take a mystical transport to the legendary golf courses of Augusta and Pine Valley, setting course records on each.

The boa-wearing frontman would then dine with Mike Myers (presumably the Wayne's World one and not the fictional slasher), Tim Rice, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, Sylvester Stallone, Rob Zombie, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney — with McCartney eating a "big thick steak" in his honor. All of this would be followed by a jam session with his dinner guests — to be made into a live album. And then? "I think you just go to sleep," said Cooper. "I can't imagine a long death."

As for an epitaph, Cooper asks for something short and sweet: "'Here lies Alice. Since when he was teething, he never stopped talking 'til he stopped breathing.'" - more on this story

Joe Walsh Working On First Solo Album In 18 Years

(hennemusic) The Eagles' guitarist Joe Walsh will release his first solo album in 18 years in 2011.

In a new interview with undercover.fm, Walsh discussed the yet-to-be named album, his first since 1992's "Songs for a Dying Planet."

Joe has been working on the new record with Jeff Lynne producing at least half of the songs; he has done the rest. "I've been working on it for a long time during the Eagles downtime," Joe tells undercover.fm. "I've got new stuff after about 18 years that I haven't done an album. I really like it. It's Rock and Roll and its new songs. Hopefully it will get out April/May." - more on this story

The Eagles Taking The Long Road To China

(Gibson) The Eagles have announced that the ongoing Long Road Out Of Eden tour will include dates in China next year.

The country rock superstars will play dates in Shanghai and Beijing in March 2011.

According to music-news.com, guitarist Joe Walsh is especially excited about the trip. "We are going to China and I have no idea what to expect. I am really looking forward to that. We are playing Beijing," he said. - more on this story

How Bumblefoot Straddles Solo Work With Guns N' Roses

(hennemusic) Ronald van de Baan of Metalkrant recently hooked up for a chat with Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal. The two talk about Thal's solo work and what touring with GNR is like. Here is part where he discusses shuffling GNR with his solo work:

Metalkrant: Besides making good solo-records, you also are one of the lead-guitarist in Guns N' Roses. Is it hard to combine your solo-work with being in Guns N' Roses? Thal: Yes, the more we tour the less time there is for everything else. The last thing I did was put out my own 'Abnormal' album and acoustic 'Barefoot' album in 2008, while GNR's 'Chinese Democracy' was in its final stages to be released. I spent most of 2009 living out of a hotel room in LA, prepping with GNR for this past year of touring – took a break over that summer and wrote & recorded a batch of my own music, toured with Lita Ford for a few months, then got back to bizz with GNR, hit the road end of '09 and have been touring since.

On breaks in-between legs of the tour I'd try to knock out whatever I could – my first album was re-released by the label that owned it and I transcribed & released a 200-page TAB book of the album, I laid some guest solos, started laying vocals to the '09 songs I wrote ('Invisible' will be the first of them...), did a song for a 'Rock Band' style video game of rock versions of Chopin's music, mixed Return To Earth's new album 'Automata' (Metal Blade Records), mixed and mastered some other demos and albums, did work with some charities as well... just a big race against the clock all the time. I'm getting' things done, but I definitely feel the constant impending 'To Do' list hovering over my head at all times, and scramble to knock down the list every free chance I get.... - more on this story

Widespread Panic 25th Anniversary

(Gibson) "I plan to do a lot of celebrating," Dave Schools told Billboard.com when asked about Widespread Panic's plans to celebrate their 25 years together.

"Twenty-five years is kind of a milestone to keep a band together through all the things we've been through. We've never had a chance to sit back and go, 'God, there's a lot of gigs under the belt.' So it'll be a good time to go, 'OK guys, we've made it a lot farther than anyone could have imagined'...and take a good hard look at how we can take this further, how we can continue to evolve as a group of people, not only musically but spiritually and hopefully in a positive way."

There won't be a new album any time soon but there will be plenty of concerts and a documentary movie that the band started filming in New Orleans in October. Schools says that they have "pretty serious backing for a major documentary over the course of next year." -

Robert Plant Lands Bluegrass Gig

(Gibson) The TellurideDailyPlanet is reporting that Robert Plant and his band Band of Joy are scheduled to perform at the 2011 Telluride Bluegrass Festival along with Emmylou Harris, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Indie-folk band The Decemberists, Jerry Douglas and many others.

Planet Bluegrass director of communications director Brian Eyster said that Plant is one of the biggest singers in music and that "it's a huge deal. It's going to be another great year."

Band of Joy is named after the first band Plant played in with former Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham and features musical luminaries Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Darrell Scott, Marco Giovino and Byron House. - more on this story

Anniversary of Beach Boy Dennis Wilson's Death

(Gibson) On this day in 1983, Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys, having made two successful dives below a friend's yacht to find items he'd drunkenly thrown off his own boat three years before, took a deep breath and made one last plunge into the Pacific. He never returned.

The surf, ironically, took the man who had celebrated it to millions for over two decades. But truth be told, Dennis Wilson had set a course for his final voyage many years before.

Dennis was the second son of a tyrannical, abusive father, Murry Wilson. While his older brother, Brian, was the apparent alpha child — having prodigious musical talents, as well as being quarterback of his high school football team — Dennis was more the rebel, the agitator. He was the one who spoke up when everyone else was too shy or cowed, even if it got him a beating from the old man. - more on this story

The Flaming Lips Plans for 2011

(Gibson) The Flaming Lips will begin the new year with a look back, performing their fan-favorite, neo-psychedelic 1999 album The Soft Bulletin in its entirety for a New Year's Eve crowd at Oklahoma City's Cox Convention Center. But as soon as the New Year rolls around, the group will begin some ambitious plans for creating and releasing new music.

Lips frontman Wayne Coyne told Rolling Stone that the band intend to record and release new songs each month of 2011, while filming the whole process.

"With this new thing, we're going to spend a lot of time recording at our houses or wherever we are at," Coyne explains. "We'll try to release a song a month and document the song in the making, whether it takes us three or five days or a week." - more on this story

Duran Duran's Simon Le Bon Discusses Good and Bad Points of Music Talent Shows

(Gibson) Duran Duran's Simon Le Bon has been talking about music on television and the good points and bad points of TV talent shows.

Speaking to Ireland's Independent newspaper he said: "You've always had two parallel ways of doing things. You have Top of the Pops or The Old Grey Whistle Test on one hand, and New Faces [British TV talent show from the '70s and '80s] or Opportunity Knocks [British TV talent show from the '60s and '70s] on the other.

"And now you've got Later... With Jools Holland where you get real bands who've grown up and written their music. Then you've got The X Factor who are the ones who've been schooled and formed, and there's an awful big difference between those two." - more on this story

Yoko Says John Lennon Would Have Loved Lady Gaga and Facebook

(Gibson) In a recent, wide-ranging interview with Britain's Daily Mail, Yoko Ono says Lennon would have embraced at least one current pop phenomenon – Lady Gaga. "I think she's wonderful," Ono said. "John would have loved her because she's an artist, she's fearless, and she pushes every limit, which we both always adored. She has played on John's white piano, which I think is wonderful."

Ono and Gaga performed together in October during concerts commemorating what would have been Lennon's 70th birthday. Lady Gaga received some criticism for wearing a transparent stage costume at those shows, but Ono comes to her defense in the interview. "Lady Gaga has a very pretty bottom. She performed with me on stage wearing a see-through lace cat suit and people thought it was an insult because you could see her bottom. I'm the lady who did an exhibition of bottoms. How could hers offend me?"

Ono also said that if he were around, Lennon would be an enthusiastic user of social media. "He'd love Facebook. He would love the way the world has changed. He'd love the Internet and Twitter. He'd be sending out pronouncements and messages and giving his opinion all the time on everything. He'd be 70 years old, but he'd want to know everything that was going on." -

Beady Eye Release New Video

(hennemusic) Former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher's new band, Beady Eye, have released their new video for "Four Letter Word."

The track is from the band's forthcoming debut, "Different Gear, Still Standing," set for release February 28.

It's the third video out, so far – beyond the first single, "Bring The Light" and it's b-side, "Sons Of The Stage." - Check it out here

Elvis and Beatles Have The Most Dangerous Autographs

(Gibson) Every year, the experts at PSA/DNA Authentication Services create a list of the most counterfeited autographs on the market. The Santa Ana, California company is the world's largest in the market of autograph authentication. This year's list of the "most dangerous autographs" of historical and entertainment figures is dominated by rock stars of yesteryear, with the recently deceased Michael Jackson landing on the charts, as well.

"This past year, our experts reviewed over 200,000 autographs submitted by collectors and dealers worldwide," said PSA/DNA's president, Joe Orlando, "PSA/DNA does not often receive obvious forgeries, so if our rejection rate for a particular autograph, such as Babe Ruth and Elvis Presley, approaches or exceeds 50 percent, you can only imagine how high that percentage might be in the overall marketplace."

Orlando said that Jackson's death has caused a flood of forgeries in the marketplace: "With his recent passing in 2009 at the age of 50, Michael Jackson forgeries flooded the marketplace in 2010. Prices for authentic Jackson autographs generally range from $200 for signed piece of paper to $1,000 or more for a signed photograph." - more on this story

Radiohead Star and Edwyn Collins Pick Their Favorite Albums of 2010

(Gibson) Interviewed by the U.K.'s Independent newspaper, artists Brett Anderson, Philip Selway and Edwyn Collins discussed their favorite albums of the year.

Philip Selway of Radiohead chose an Edwyn Collins album, Losing Sleep. He said, "I remember going to the hairdressers, aged 15, with a picture of Edwyn Collins and saying, 'I want to look like him.' Sadly, my hair let me down that day, as it has continued to do over the years. The same cannot be said of Collins' songwriting. Brimming with vitality, Losing Sleep is a collection of songs that are as astutely observant and melodically infectious as anything he has written. Together with an amazing cast of musicians and a cover filled with his own beautiful illustrations, this has been the most affecting and uplifting record of my year."

Talking of Edwyn Collins, the one time Orange Juice star made a choice of his own, Box by Colorama, saying: "I love pop music, the proper stuff, full of tunes and hooks and lifts and energy. Carwyn Ellis, who has been my musical linchpin and who plays bass with me, has an album with his own band, Colorama. He tries so many complex yet simple ideas on it – it's definitely got a streak of psychedelia to it." - more on this story

New Whitesnake Album Details

(Gibson) Whitesnake have released further details about their upcoming album on the band's website. Forevermore is tentatively set for release at the end of March on Frontiers Records. Leonine frontman David Coverdale assured fans the album will hit all the marks they expect from a Whitesnake album.

"The new songs are in the very familiar and recognizable Whitesnake territory of soulful, bluesy, melodic power rock, with a couple of ballads thrown in for good measure. It can't be a Whitesnake album without ballads, mate!

"As always, we want to take it to the next level,"he continued. "I feel that with the last album [2008's Good To Be Bad] we achieved a strong Whitesnake 'cocktail' that comfortably embraced and mixed all the previous musical aspects and styles of the band's history, while taking our identity a little further... all on one album." - more on this story

Historic Dimebag Venue To Be Restored Under New Owner

(The Metal Den) TMD has learned that the legendary Fort Worth, Texas venue Ridglea Theater where late great Pantera/Damageplan guitarist Dimebag Darrell played his final hometown date while in Damageplan has been bought by Dallas area businessman Jerry Shults.

Shults is going to restore the Ridglea to its original glory, with everything to be totally renovated all throughout the popular landmark. It truly is a historic theater and they just don't make buildings like this anymore.

"It's the best Christmas present I could've got for myself," Jerry Shults said jokingly, when recently interviewed by DFW.com. He's talking about finally taking ownership of the Ridglea Theater, after stepping in to purchase the building in October after Bank of America backed out. - more on this story

Documentary Coming About Creation Records (Oasis and Primal Scream)

(Gibson) The story behind Creation Records, the label that helped launch the careers of Oasis and Primal Scream, will be told in a forthcoming documentary, Upside Down.

The film features interviews with Noel Gallagher, Bobby Gillespie, and label founder Alan McGee, and covers the stretch of time between Creation's discovery and promotion of its biggest stars until the label's financial unraveling in 1999. The documentary will begin screening next year at a variety of international film and music festivals.

"Basically, [each screening is] going to be like a night out," director Danny O'Connor told NME. "Everyone who buys a ticket gets an aftershow pass and we're going to have DJs and hopefully a few bands playing. Also, at every single one of the parties, someone from the Creation story will be there. They might be from the bands or just a player in the story, like Irvine [Welsh] or Howard [Marks], but someone will be there." - more on this story

Coldplay's Chris Martin Is Genius According To His Wife

(Gibson) Gwyneth Paltrow has been praising her husband Coldplay Frontman Chris Martin's acting skills while downplaying her own musical abilities.

According to Music-news.com there's no chance she'll work in a musical environment with Martin: "God no. No. We just can't, like, merge. His career is there and mine is there."

But she told MTV that Martin had great potential as an actor: "He definitely has great acting skills. I don't think he would ever do it, but he's genius. Did you ever see him in Extras?" - more on this story