Patrick Stump No Longer in Fall Out Boy

So where is Patrick's heart right now? Read the Spin.com report here to find out. Also sortly after SPIN.com's story posted, drummer Andy Hurley took to his Twitter, starting with, "I quit too." He soon followed up, clarifying that, "I didn't really quit, by the way. Everything is being blown way out of proportion." - read more here

AC/DC Frontman Slams The Likes of Bono and Bob Geldof

AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson has some strong words for celebrities like U2's Bono and Bob Geldoff for their public charity activities where they ask fans to donate money to a cause.

"I don't tell everybody they should give money - they can't afford it," said Johnson in his only Australian interview with The Daily Telegraph. "When I was a working man I didn't want to go to a concert for some bastard to talk down to me that I should be thinking of some kid in Africa," he said. "I'm sorry mate, do it yourself, spend some of your own money and get it done. It just makes me angry. I become all tyrannical."

He prefers to help in private with no press conferences according to the article. "I do it myself, I don't tell everybody I'm doing it," Johnson said. He said that his aversion to big charity events dates back to when AC/DC turned down Bob Geldof's Live Aid show in 1985. "Bob Geldof is a canny lad. He did what he thought was right at the time but it didn't work," he said. "The money didn't go to poor people. It makes me mad when people try to use politics or charity for publicity." He adds, "Do a charity gig, fair enough, but not on worldwide television". - He also discussed the prospect of retiring

Men at Work Hit Was Stolen- Metallica Fan Was Murdered- Jay Reatard Overdosed- New Them Crooked Vultures This Year- Strokes and Garbage Recording and more

Men at Work copied a well-known children's campfire song for the flute melody in its 1980s hit "Down Under" and owes the owner years of royalties, a court ruled Thursday. "Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree" was written more than 70 years ago by Australian teacher Marion Sinclair for a Girl Guides competition more

The Virginia chief medical examiner's office has ruled that Metallica fan Morgan Harrington's death was a homicide. There's no information about how Harrington died yet. The Office Of The Chief Medical Examiner did determine, however, that she didn't wander off late at night in Charlottesville, Va. and die accidentally from exposure due to cold weather more

Jay Reatard died from a cocaine and alcohol overdose, according to an autopsy revealed on Wednesday (Feb. 3). Shelby County Medical Examiner Karen E. Chancellor said the 29-year-old musician died because of "cocaine toxicity, and that alcohol was a contributing factor" in his death more

Garbage are back in the studio according to the following Facebook posting by frontwoman Shirley Manson says: "Guess who I just spent a week in the studio with? Would you be pleased if I said one of them was called Steve and one of them was called Duke and another was a Grammy-winning producer?" Classic Rock decodes the message here

If you're looking for some new material from Them Crooked Vultures, you're not going to have to wait very long, at least according to bassist John Paul Jones. "We'll do a second album this year," he told Stuff. "By the end of summer, something like that." more

The Strokes have begun recording their new album at New York City's Avatar Studios. The yet untitled release will be the quintet's first since 2007's First Impressions of Earth. more

Street Sweeper Social Club (Tom Morello and Boots Riley) have released a video for the track "Promendade" off their self-titled debut. Check out the video here

Megadeth's Dave Mustaine warns fans "if you want to see us do this record [live].... buy your tickets [to their current tour], because this is not going to carry on after this run. We may do it in another country or so, but this is the one and only time in the North America." more

Toronto indie rock collective Broken Social Scene have announced details on their next release. The album, for which a title has not yet been announced, will arrive on May 4th filled with tons of guest stars. more

Thine Eyes Bleed announced a new guitarist "Jimmy Reid will always be our brother. We love and miss him and have nothing but respect for him. That being said we have found someone else to fill the void. With that we welcome Nigel Curley (Excruciating Thoughts, Ataxia) into the mix. We been jamming with Nigel for the past few months and working on new stuff. We have a bunch of new material ready to go" more

Santana's Supernatural will be re-issued as a two-disc "Legacy Edition" with the original album plus seven previously-unreleased tracks, re-mixes and instrumental versions. more

Elvis Costello will appear on A Prairie Home Companion, Thursday, February 4th, in a special, first time live Cinecast of the show from the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, MN. Thursday's show will be beamed into hundreds of movie theaters around the United States and Canada, and will also air in audio-only form during the A Prairie Home Companion's regular time slot this Saturday. A list of theaters broadcasting Thursday's show can be found here

John Mayer treated students at the University of South Carolina to a free show on Tuesday night, February 2 - after they camped outside his rehearsal room in a bid to glimpse their idol. The musician has been in Columbia, South Carolina to practice for his upcoming world tour more

Red Sparowes will tour the U.S. this spring with Doomriders and Caspian set to appear on select dates. more

It Prevails was recently in the studio recording a limited edition, three-song vinyl EP titled "Findings. more -

Jack White's Dead Weather Announces Spring Tour

The Dead Weather will be hitting the road again stateside for a 13-city Spring jaunt that includes appearances at Coachella and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Tickets are available now for subscribers to The Vault, Third Man Records' online subscription service, and available to the general public starting Friday, February 5th.

They previously announced that they will be performing with The Flaming Lips on April 23rd at Capital Federal Park @ Sandstone in Bonner Springs, Kansas. - Tour Dates

Slash Announces Singer for Upcoming Solo Tour

Remember when Led Zeppelin auditioned singers and Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy was the leading contender? That gig fell through, but another legendary hard rockin' guitarist has tapped Kennedy for his band: Former Guns N' Roses axeman Slash.

Slash told fans via his blog on Wednesday about recruiting Kennedy for his upcoming solo tour, he also announced an appearance at a Haiti charity event tonight in Los Angeles. Here is what he had to say: I want to announce that Myles Kennedy is going to be fronting the band for the upcoming tour. Something I'm really stoked about. Myles sang a killer track on the record & I think he is by far one of the best Rock & Roll singers out there today. I'm really honored & proud to be working with him. I will announce the other band members shortly.

Things are ramping up towards the release of my solo record, there's a lot of cool s*** going on. But, more importantly, there is George Lopez's Help Haiti Benefit Show at the Nokia Theater [tonight]. I am performing a couple songs with Beth Hart. Who, if you are not familiar with her is a first rate blues/R&R singer/songwriter. Raising cash for devastated Haiti has to be at the forefront of everybody's minds right now & will need to be for some time so we can help them rebuild. - more on this story

Coheed and Cambria New Album To Feature Version With 352 Page Book

Coheed and Cambria has confirmed April 13 as the release date of Year of the Black Rainbow, its heavily anticipated fifth studio album. The eagerly awaited prequel to "The Amory Wars" tetralogy, Year of the Black Rainbow will be released by Columbia Records in both a standard format and a deluxe edition including a 352-page Year of the Black Rainbow novel, penned by the band's Claudio Sanchez and New York Times Bestselling author Peter David.

Presale orders for the deluxe edition of Year of the Black Rainbow can be placed beginning this week at http://www.coheedandcambria.com. In addition to the CD and novel, the deluxe edition will include a "Making of" DVD featuring studio and interview footage as well as a Coheed and Cambria "Black Card," which will allow fans early entrance to shows, discounts on band merchandise and exclusive downloads and offers. Sneak peeks at the new album's artwork and other exclusive visuals can be seen at http://www.coheedandcambria.com.

Year of the Black Rainbow provides the long awaited prequel to the band's four previous inter-related concept albums — The Second Stage Turbine Blade (2002); In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 (2003); Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness (2005) and Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow (2007) - which comprise "The Amory Wars," the conceptual narrative driving the band's lyrics, penned by Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez. Year Of The Black Rainbow is also likely to be the final installment of the narrative of "The Amory Wars." - more on this story

Lisa Germano Hitting The Road With Radiohead's Phil Selway

Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/Los Angeles resident Lisa Germano has announced a European tour opening for and performing with Radiohead's Phil Selway.

Magic Neighbor, her eighth album was recorded by Jamie Camdiloro at his home in Los Angeles, produced by Germano. Magic Neighbor is her third release on Young God Records.

Lisa Germano began releasing her music in the 90's, first on Capitol Records, and then through the legendary 4AD imprint. Notable among them were the fantastic Geek, The Girl, and Excerpts From A Love Circus. - more on this story

Gogol Bordello Announce Global Festival Tour

The gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello, whose live shows have Entertainment Weekly dubbing them "the world's most perfect festival band," will headline an international mini-festival of their own, the Casa Gogol Tour, an evening's worth of insurgence from the multi kulti revolution, launching April 18 in Montreal (please see Casa Gogol Tour itinerary following).

The North American leg of the Casa Gogol Tour follows Gogol Bordello's appearance at the 2010 Tibet House Benefit Concert in New York and the band's major tour of Australia in late March and April.

All dates on the Casa Gogol Tour will feature a full-on Gogol Bordello headline concert as well as sets by bands and DJs in simpatico with the GB mission. North American dates on the Casa Gogol Tour run from April 18 through May 1 and will include sets by Slavic-punk-band DeVotchKa, East Village punk troubadour Jesse Malin and St. Mark's Social, electro-anarchists Tres Leches Afterparty Sound Crew and special surprise guest appearances. - more on this story

Maynard James Keenan's Blood Into Wine Hitting Theaters and DVD

Blood Into Wine, the eagerly awaited documentary about Tool/Puscifer front man Maynard James Keenan and his Arizona wine exploits arrives on DVD and Blu-Ray on May 4.

The film focuses on Keenan and vineyard partner Eric Glomski as they attempt to revolutionize the U.S. wine industry by creating a new wine region in Northern Arizona. The film also features Milla Jovovich, Patton Oswalt, Bob Odenkirk, Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim (Adult Swim's Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job!) as well as live music performances and plenty of unexpected comedy.

Blood Into Wine arrives in select theaters on Feb. 19 with a Phoenix-based premiere at the W Hotel Scottsdale on Feb. 19. - Theaters showing Blood Into Wine

Oceano Lose Member

Citing personal differences between the 2 parties, Chicago-based deathcore act, Oceano has parted ways with guitarist, Andrew Mikhail.

Long known for overcoming adversity, Oceano has made clear that all of their 2010 commitments will be kept.

The band will continue with the recording and release of their followup to 2008's breakout debut, Depths. - http://www.myspace.com/oceano

CCM Live Label Debuts With Johnny Winter, Poco, Hot Tuna And John Denver

Collectors' Choice Music, the label that's come to be known for compelling and often unexpected CD reissues, has announced the launch of Collectors' Choice Music Live, a new label devoted to releasing great live performances, most of which have never previously been commercially available.

The series will launch April 20 with the release of four CDs: Johnny Winter And's Live at the Fillmore East 10/3/70; Poco's Live at Columbia Studios, Hollywood 9/30/71; Hot Tuna's Live at the New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA September 1969; and John Denver's Live at Cedar Rapids, 12/10/87.

According to Collectors' Choice Music GM Gordon Anderson, "After some 15 years of reissuing albums and compiling artists, we're convinced that some of the biggest remaining veins of gold in the vaults are the live shows that a lot of labels recorded of their artists in their prime, particularly those who made their reputation with improvisational prowess and/or ever-changing set lists. These first four releases on our new Collectors' Choice Music Live label certainly fit that description." - more on this story

Henry's Funeral Shoe Unveil Debut Video Announce Tour Dates

Henry's Funeral Shoe have just finished the new video for their song "Stranger Dig" from their Alive Records full-length debut Everything's for Sale and was directed by the Welsh production company DogDay Films. Check it out here

Henry's Funeral Shoe was formed by two brothers in 2008 from South Wales, inspired and influenced by many of the albums that singer/guitarist Aled Clifford had looted from his father's vinyl collection when he was growing up. The Who, CCR, Peter Green, Robert Johnson and The Beatles were favourites, and Aled quickly became a gifted guitar player, aided and taught by Ned Edwards, a long time collaborator of Van Morrison.

Aled soon played with various bands, eventually doing some recording sessions for producer Ian Grimble, and even recording at the legendary Abbey Road studios. His younger brother Brennig started playing drums at nine. At fifteen he joined a local band, learning his trade by performing covers of The Clash and Thin Lizzy before moving on to writing original material. The dexterous brothers have finally joined forces to create some of the loudest soulful rock'n'roll to come out the UK in a long time. Their debut album Everything's For Sale is a fun and raucous mix of heavy rock and psychedelic blues which reminds us that the U.K can produce more than great pop music, but also some amazing rock'n'roll. Don't lose the rhythm! - more on this story

On The Rise Return with Second Album

Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of the long awaited On The Rise second album "Dream Zone". Next release date February 17th in Japan, Out now in the U.S. and Europe.

On The Rise debut album caused a stir among the Melodic Rock fans community in 2003. Several magazines stated that On The Rise created the Melodic Rock ultimate debut album, boasting influences from the likes of Toto, Nelson and Boston with elements of the typical Scandinavian melodic rock. Thanks to the amazing songwriting and vocal abilities of founding member Terje Eide, On The Rise were catapulted in a few weeks on the headlines of all the Melodic Rock press.

"I'm very happy with the new album" says Terje, "The songs are catchy, groovy and they've got the strong choruses and melody lines that I always want them to have. It's been a joyful musical journey. It's an album I can support 110%. It's got the typical ON THE RISE sound, but at some point it's a little rougher than what has been written and produced before". - more on this story

The Rise of Velocity Records

Dave Shapiro (Booking Agent at The Agency Group, Los Angeles) and Portland, Oregon's Rise Records are pleased to announce their recent partnership to create a new imprint in the Rise Records family- Velocity Records.

Dave Shapiro will own and run the new label with the help of the Rise team, and will be working directly with Rise on all upcoming and future projects. This exciting new partnership will further develop the successful working relationship that Shapiro and Rise already have together, which can most notably be seen in the current popularity of metalcore buzz band The Devil Wears Prada, who they have worked with together since late 2006.

This is only the beginning of what can be expected to result from this pairing. Velocity Records will be making its first official announcement very soon so please keep both Velocity and Rise on your radar, as there will be much more to come. - http://www.myspace.com/velocityrecords

Brutal Truth's Richard Hoak Teaches You How To Grind

A light hearted instructional video on the art of grind drumming has been released by Richard Hoak (Brutal Truth, Total f***ing Destruction).

This video was directed by noted surf n skate filmmaker Tyson Montrucchio, who has recently made music videos for Downspell, Lamb of God, God Forbid, 16, Brutal Truth, Cattle Decapitation and more.

Check out the video over at - YouTube

This Is My Suitcase Release Free MP3 of Tour Theme Song

This Is My Suitcase have announced a number of tourdates this February and March and are celebrating by offering fans a Free MP3.

In the band's typical fashion, they have written and recorded a tour theme song for these upcoming dates, titled "March Into March Like We're Only Half As Lonely As We Are," and created an exclusive tour poster. MP3 here

The band is out supporting their sophomore full-length The Keys To Cat Heaven, which is available now for digital download via Paper + Plastick Records here. The album will see a physical release on CD and vinyl in early April via P+P.
- more on this story

Smile Smile Album and Tour

It'd be enough if Dallas's Smile Smile just created beautiful melodies with a splash of bittersweet tonic. The pair behind the music – Ryan Hamilton and Jencey Hirunrusme – certainly manages to deliver that much in a seemingly effortless display with their sophomore LP, Truth on Tape.

With the record set for release February 9th via Kirtland Records, Hamilton and Hirunrusme are taking their bleeding heart show on the road. And with a resume that includes such diverse acts as Metric, Loretta Lynn and Simple Plan, Smile Smile know how to please pretty much any room.

Both coasts get chances to see for themselves in February, with a New York residency slated for this week and run of West Coast dates alongside Bob Schneider later this month. In between, Hamilton and Hirunrusme plan to celebrate the album's emergence with a pair of Dallas performances on February 13th. - more on this story

The Ruanways' Cherie Currie Sets Book Release

When Cherie Currie, the lead singer of 1970s teenage girl group The Runaways, sat down to write her personal memoir, NEON ANGEL: A Memoir of a Runaway (It Books/An Imprint of HarperCollins; On sale: March 16, 2010; $24.99; Hardcover) she never imagined the book would be made into a highly anticipated movie, starring some of Hollywood's hottest actors.

Cherri Currie is the original lead singer of '70s teenage, all-girl rock band The Runaways. At the tender age of 15, she joined the group, a talented group of girls who could play rock like no other female group before them. On the face of it, Currie's is a cool story of girl empowerment and fame. But the truth is darker, as Currie and her band mates dealt with predatory men who were not necessarily looking out for their best interests. On the road, unsupervised for months at a time, she had to grow up fast and experience things that no teenaged girl should.

Cherie's amazing resilience is inspiring. As band mate Joan Jett says in the book's foreword: "Neon Angel is a chronicle of a remarkable journey – the story of a remarkable woman, who has an uncanny knack of reinventing herself – from singer, to actor, to drug counselor, to physical trainer, to mom, to author, to painter, to chain saw carver…While excelling at every turn, Cherie has also exhibited an ironic flair for finding herself in dramatic situations." - more on this story

John Payne, Alan Parsons, Rob Halford Among Pollstar Awards Presenters

John Payne, vocalist/bassist for the classic AOR band ASIA Featuring John Payne is scheduled to present an award at the 21st Century Pollstar Awards at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday, February 17th.

This year's show is hosted by Kathleen Madigan - the comedian Lewis Black describes as "the funniest woman in America". Voting for awards was conducted entirely online in a variety of categories including Major Tour of the Year; Most Creative Tour Package; Talent Buyer of the Year; Best Touring Artist; Music Festival of the Year; among others.

Additional presenters include Alan Parsons, Al Jarreau, Rob Halford, Ronnie Montrose, and Jimmy Van Zant. More info about the Pollstar Awards show is available - here

Carnifex Announce Mall Appearance

Taking a darker and more blasphemous approach to their already visceral sound, Carnifex will unleash Hell Chose Me on February 16, 2010. Blood curdling screams, guttural growls, double bass fury, and razor-sharp guitar riffs make for sinister and brutal work.

As the follow-up to 2008's death metal masterpiece The Diseased and The Poisoned, Carnifex's third album takes aggression to the next level. Influenced by the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, and The Black Dahlia Murder, this San Diego quintet really knows how to bring the brutality. "From when we started to now, a lot has changed. The progression we've gone through is staggering. With the confidence we have in this record, we know we will be making new fans. If anybody is expecting Carnifex to lighten it up, better luck next time. Dark, sick, painful – that's the concept of this album lyrically, and the music brings all of that emotion and puts it right inside your head." – Vocalist Scott Lewis

Soon to return from the Bonecrusher Fest tour in Europe, Carnifex will begin to annihilate the masses in San Diego, California on March 5 on the Atticus Metal Tour. Join the band for an exclusive Hot Topic meet and greet on February 16 at 5:00 PM at the Galleria at Tyler in Riverside. - more on this story

Off With Their Heads Ink with Epitaph

Epitaph Records is proud to announce the signing of Minneapolis punk band Off With Their Heads. The punk road dogs recently took time off from touring to record their second full length album, with plans for a summer release, but left the engine running for a two month long excursion of US and Canada that begins February 3 (Tour Dates Listed Below).

Formed in 2002, Off With Their Heads went through a slew of musicians before finally cementing the lineup with Ryan Young on vocals/guitar, Justin Francis on drums, Zack Gontard on guitar and Robbie Swartwood on bass. Since their inception, the band has released an impressive catalog of music including seventeen 7"'s, one LP and a few comps, and has toured relentlessly in US, Europe, Canada and Japan for the past five years with bands like Against Me, Youth Brigade, The Bouncing Souls and Municipal Waste to name a few.

It was during Off With Their Heads' 2009 tour with Against Me when the band got the call from Epitaph's owner/president Brett Gurewitz saying that he was a fan of the band. - more on this story

L.A. Guns Phil Lewis for Phil Varone's Sex, Stand up, and Rock & Roll Show

Phil Varone has announced the line-up for his next Sex, Stand up, and Rock & Roll Show at the Hollywood Improv Thursday, February 11th, 2010. Phil Varone's Sex, Stand Up, and Rock & Roll Show is a unique combination of music, sex and edge-of-your-seat comedy all in one show.

The musical guest for the evening will be the legendary Phil Lewis of L.A. Guns. Born in London, England, Phil honed his vocal chops as a young man in the popular local band, Girl, where he shared the stage with another Phil; celebrated guitarist, Phil Collen, who was later recruited by the Sheffield, England band, Def Leppard.

Phil has disclosed the comedians performing February 11th, will be: Stephen Glickman – Seen on such shows as: NBC's Last Comic Standing and Comedy Central performing with Jeffrey Ross, Stephen also played "Rusty" on the ABC sitcom, Carpoolers. He is one of the stars of the new Nickelodeon show, Big Time Rush, as well as a current series regular on Nickelodeon's, "One 4 All/Brand New Day". Stephen also created the role of "Shrek" in Shrek The Musical in the Broadway workshops and readings for Dreamworks. - more on this story